Moved our blog

We updated our website and moved our blog along with it. You can continue to read articles on skin care that include formulating and ingredients as well as information about our farm/gardens, herbs, and business in general here https://sagescript.com/blog/

Hope to see you there!

Cindy

Three Tips to Grow Your Business

Starting a business is one thing, growing it is another. As business owners, we are dependent on finding customers, relating our story to them and looking for opportunities to serve them to increase our sales. You can build it, but that doesn't mean they will come. Here are some tips that we have used to grow our business.

1. Get out there. 
Getting in front of customers is the most important thing. A business owner has to look for the opportunity to get their product in front of other people. Who is your customer and where do you find them? One way that we have found successful is doing farmers markets on a weekly basis. Granted, our farmers market is consistently ranked as the best farmers market in America (Boulder County) which makes it easier. We don't always have good sales at farmers market though, especially when we first started out, but it is still a way to promote our business. I think customers find comfort in knowing that we are there week after week. It helps build trust and lets them know that we are serious about what we do and if there is a problem, they know where to find us.

Other ways that we use to get out there is looking for opportunities to network. Some of these do not amount to much, but as long as I can tell one other person about my business and how we can help them I feel like it is a success.  This includes Chamber of Commerce, coffee groups, etc.

Teaching, whether direct to your consumer or to colleagues is another way to get out there. No matter how shy you are, meeting people and making connections is important. Having a business gives you a good talking point and the more you talk about your business, the easier it gets.

2. Use Social Media. 
Having a website is an absolute must for a business now and ecommerce is a good way to sell your product. But you have to help people find that website. Social media is one way to funnel people to your website. Use social media to give your brand personality. Who is your target and what are they interested in? You could use your posts to inspire the lifestyle your products promote, to educate consumers on the benefits of your products or to share things that you are passionate about.

Consumers want to know the story behind your brand and this is your chance to tell that story.
Don't feel like you need to participate in all social media outlets; there are too many. Pick a few that you like and can manage. We initially got on Twitter and Facebook because they were pretty much the only one's initially.  Then things exploded and I could not keep up with all of them. Lately though, we have enjoyed Instagram. You can also have posts to one social media automatically forwarded to another to save time. So I can have my Instagram post forwarded to Facebook and Twitter.

3.  Diversify. 
How can you diversify your income streams? Sagescript Institute initially started out just doing microbiology testing for homecrafters of cosmetics. Since then we have expanded to doing various types of consulting including formulating and small scale manufacturing. In fact, I have formulated product lines for several small companies that we now manufacture for. I've also written two online classes for download and sell some of the herb extracts and hydrosols we make on our farm to other businesses. We also have our own line of products, Colorado Aromatics.

Many people will diversity by teaching and writing. Be careful that however you diversify is closely related to your core business though otherwise you become too diluted which is different than diversified.

How have you grown your business?

10,000 Steps A Day

Do you have a step or exercise goal each day? Mine is 10,000 steps. I received a Fitbit 
for Mother’s Day last year and I also got a new phone with an exercise ap so both of these 
have helped to encourage this goal. Walking that much each day is said to reduce the risk 
of chronic disease including diabetes, heart disease and cancer.  Ten thousand steps is 
equivalent to about 5 miles.

I have trouble with fitting in regular exercise programs so walking works for me. I’ve found 
that I have no trouble at all in the summer with 10,000 steps. I farm, so as many times as I 
walk out to the fields and back, I naturally get the steps in. However, winter is a different 
creature. When the weather is nice enough, I get out on the street for a walk, the park or go 
for a hike. If I don’t get my steps in, I know that what I have to do before the end of the day is 
to get on the elliptical machine we have. I don’t like doing that but will turn on the TV and 
watch short clips, usually monologues from talk shows, to make the time go faster. If I 
don’t have a lot of steps to catch up, I will jog in place.

Walking helps me keep my weight down; I love to eat and to drink beer. I saw it estimated 
that one burns 100 calories per mile. With 10,000 steps being about 5 miles that is 500 
calories.Walking also has been shown to improve mental health and well-being. It sure 
improves my mood, both to exercise and to be outside. Even in the evening when I feel 
too tired to exercise and I know I need to get on the elliptical, I always feel better and less 
tired after I’ve exercised.

Much recent research has centered around the health dangers of sitting for long periods of 
time.These risks include obesity, diabetes, heart disease and more.  A recent meta-analysis 
shows that even for people who exercise for one hour per day, the risks from sitting too long 
still exist. A meta analysis carries more weight because it pools data from several other 
similar studies to develop a conclusion. People who sit for prolonged periods of time had a 
higher risk of death from all causes. So spreading my 10,000 steps out during the day keeps 
me moving too.

So since I first started tracking I have made my 10,000 steps a day except for two days that I 
think I was traveling and spent all day on an airplane. I'm determined to stay healthy as I age
and this is one thing I've been able to do.

Here is some additional reading if you are interested in the studies on sitting for too long.

Science Daily

Annals of Internal Medicine

 

Summary of Sitting Down, Inquiries  Journal

And if you are concerned about the damage done to your skin from walking outside for long 
periods of time, check out  Colorado Aromatics skin care. These products are formulated 
to repair skin damage from the outdoors.