295: Here's Why You're Probably Doing Better Than You Think

Hayley runs a beautiful bath and body store in northern Michigan and, like a lot of retailers, her in-store sales are strong but her online channel is lagging behind. Her big goal? Get her online sales to match her brick-and-mortar sales by the end of the year. In this episode, you'll hear us reverse-engineer that goal using simple math, her key metrics, and a few strategic tweaks that any store owner can steal to grow sales quickly and sustainably. In this episode, you'll learn: How to "qualify" your big sales goal so you're not setting yourself up to feel terrible on January 1st The simple spreadsheet exercise that shows you exactly how many extra orders you actually need Why traffic, conversion rate, and average order value work together — and which one you should focus on first The quickest ways to raise your average order value, including front-of-the-line shipping, in-cart upsells, and smart bundles How to rethink your brick-and-mortar counter as a list-building machine (without turning your staff into pushy salespeople) What to expect when you finally turn on the traffic tap with ads and why a lower conversion rate isn't always a bad sign RELATED LINKS: Get on the Reliable Revenue® Waitlist: https://classroom.thesocialsalesgirls.com/reliable-revenue Check out Hayley's Website:  https://harborsidebathandbody.com/ Frequently Bought Together https://apps.shopify.com/frequently-bought-together

This episode digs into a common (and costly) mindset trap: believing you're behind when you're actually on track. Susan and long-time Inner Circle coach Melissa unpack the survey results from hundreds of ecommerce founders—and what it revealed about how people think about coaching, success, and sales. You'll walk away with a better understanding of where your store stands—and what to do next. What you'll learn: Why "not feeling ready" is holding store owners back What most ecommerce stores actually earn—and why you might be ahead of the curve How to move from fragile, inconsistent sales to steady growth What to focus on at $25K, $100K, and $1M+ The 3 levers that always impact sales (and what to stop doing instead)   RELATED LINKS: The Most Powerful Marketing Activity https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/the-most-powerful-marketing-activity-episode-285/ Jen's Framework for Hiring and Training the Right People https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/jens-framework-for-hiring-and-training-the-right-people-episode-275/ Sales Plateaued? Do this to grow profitably https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/sales-plateaued-do-this-to-grow-profitably-episode-284/ A Lesson on fixing your cash flow https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/a-lesson-on-fixing-your-cash-flow-episode-166/ How to Scale Without Borrowing (or Breaking Your Business) https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/how-to-scale-without-borrowing-or-breaking-your-business-episode-279/  

December doesn't have to be a slow month—or a stressful one. In this episode, Susan and Melissa share a simple, ready-to-use plan that helps you finish the year strong, stay visible, and still take time off for the holidays. You'll learn: How to pick your holiday shipping cutoff date Why visibility matters after Black Friday How to schedule four email campaigns that sell while you rest Why the "second send" email often performs best What to include in your holiday emails (no discounts needed!) Easy post-cutoff ideas like gift-card and treat-yourself campaigns   RELATED LINKS: Join The Inner Circle & Get Sales In December https://classroom.thesocialsalesgirls.com/inner-circle-leads Do this One Thing and get sales in December https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/do-this-one-thing-and-get-sales-in-december/ Do this to max your sales this month and beyond https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/do-this-to-max-your-sales-this-month-and-beyond/ Make your business run without you. Here's how. https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/make-your-business-run-without-you-heres-how-episode-201/  

In today's episode, I'm chatting with one of our incredibly generous Inner Circle members, Linda Gernert, who is sharing her genius marketing strategy that has her audience coming back every single week. Linda's approach is repeatable, scalable, memorable, and most importantly—profitable. Here's what you'll learn in this episode: ⚒️  A Repeatable and Profitable Marketing Tool: Learn how Linda created a weekly event that keeps her audience engaged and consistently visiting her store, using scarcity and urgency to drive high conversions. 🔑 Consistency is Key: Discover how Linda's commitment to consistency and repetition has made her marketing efforts memorable and highly effective. 🕜 Time vs. Money: Linda talks about the important lesson every entrepreneur faces—whether to invest time or money—and how she's balanced both to build her business without relying on ads. ❤️ The Power of Community: By sharing her $5 Friday strategy with other Inner Circle members, Linda helped another business owner find success. Tune in to hear how Linda has created a marketing system that delivers results week after week!   RELATED LINKS:   Find Crop-A-Latte HERE: https://cropalatte.com/ Or on social media: https://www.facebook.com/CropALatte www.instagram.com/cropalattetogo   Episode 62: Massive Growth Organically? Yes You Can https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/massive-growth-organically-yes-you-can-episode-62/ Episode 145: How To Get Reliable Sales Every Day https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/how-to-get-reliable-sales-every-day-episode-145/ Episode 146: Double Sales Without Spending More https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/double-sales-without-spending-more-episode-146/  

Black Friday doesn't need to be stressful — or even complicated. In this episode, Susan and Melissa share what actually works for small ecommerce stores during the busiest shopping season of the year. You'll learn: Why your sale doesn't have to happen on Black Friday How to keep your campaign simple and effective The one-message strategy that consistently wins How to build a high-converting early access list What to offer (and what to skip) this season   RELATED LINKS: The Most Valuable Subject Line You'll Ever Use https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/the-most-valuable-subject-line-youll-ever-use/ Your November Marketing Plan In 3 Simple Steps https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/your-november-marketing-plan-in-3-simple-steps/ A $14K Pop-Up Shop Promo https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/a-14k-pop-up-shop-promo-using-pod-episode-269/ Have You Done The Planning To Have Your Best November On Record? https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/have-you-done-the-planning-you-need-to-do-to-have-your-best-november-on-record/

When business feels hard, it's not because you're doing it wrong — it's because you're human. In this episode, Susan and mindset coach Krista Williamson talk about the patterns that keep store owners stuck — and how to shift them so you can think clearly and make better decisions. You'll learn: Why frustration with ads or slow results is normal How to pause before reacting (and actually solve the problem) Why hiring help isn't a "set it and forget it" move How to separate facts from feelings when business feels discouraging Why you can't buy a solution — but you can learn to lead yourself   RELATED LINKS: Stop Ignoring Your Mindset https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/stop-ignoring-your-mindset-its-a-powerful-tool-episode-289/ Ditch your decision fatigue. I'm giving you my framework. https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/ditch-your-decision-fatigue-im-giving-you-my-framework-its-brilliant-episode-186/ Stop spinning and get more done! https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/stop-spinning-and-get-more-done-episode-114/ The 3 Books That Changed My Life https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/the-3-books-that-changed-my-life-episode-278/

If sales are trickling in, and you're tempted to start running ads, this episode is for you. Susan and Inner Circle coach Melissa Davies walk through how to decide if you're ready for ads—and what to focus on first if you're not. You'll learn: The real cost of getting a sale from an ad How to know if you have a traffic problem or a conversion problem The 3-part sales funnel every store owner should track Simple, organic strategies to increase sales before you spend a cent When to add ads—and how to do it strategically without wasting money   RELATED LINKS: The Powerful Work That Will Get You To Your Goals Behind the Scenes of a Six-Figure Sales Funnel Build A Massive Audience With A Brand Video How To Use Collaborations To Get Traffic and Sales Make your website a lead generating machine  

In this first episode of our Mindset Mini-Series, I sit down with my  longtime coach Krista Williamson to talk about what mindset really is—and how it quietly shapes your day-to-day business decisions. This isn't about manifesting or "just being more positive." It's about interrupting the patterns that keep you stuck and creating new ones that help you move forward. You'll learn: ✔️ Why your brain is wired to keep you "safe"—not successful ✔️ How to spot the stories that are sabotaging your progress ✔️ Why the problem you think you have… might not be the real problem ✔️ The one belief Susan carried for years that nearly tanked her marketing ✔️ A practical 4-step mindset framework you can start using today Get Krista's Cheat Sheet: https://krista-williamson.kit.com/mindset   RELATED LINKS: Stop spinning and get more done! https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/stop-spinning-and-get-more-done-episode-114/   Ditch your decision fatigue. I'm giving you my framework. It's brilliant. https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/ditch-your-decision-fatigue-im-giving-you-my-framework-its-brilliant-episode-186/   The 3 Books That Changed My Life https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/the-3-books-that-changed-my-life-episode-278/   I'm Doing Something Scary https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/im-doing-something-scary-episode-283/ _______________________   Are you constantly asking yourself how to make your website better or questioning your prices? Do you wonder if you're missing something? If you have made sales in person or on a site like Etsy, I know you can sell more on your site.   Get my FREE mini-course that will show you our step-by-step process to grow your sales without spending a fortune on risky ad strategies or discounting your products here: https://learn.thesocialsalesgirls.com/conversion-school/   "Insightful, actionable and engaging! I learn so much every single time I listen. I can't believe this information is free - If you feel like this too, I'd love it if you would leave us a review. Reviewing the show will help us reach even more store owners, so we can help them grow their sales. Click here, scroll down, tap to rate with 5 stars and select "Write a review". Let us know what you find most helpful about the podcast!   Also, if you haven't already make sure to follow the podcast so you don't miss an episode! Follow now

This week's episode is a little different—it's a conversation straight from our weekly marketing team meeting. We started with one question: Why are some store owners seeing big growth this year while others feel stuck? The answer? It's not more work. It's better focus. In this episode, you'll learn: ✔️ Why strategic planning (not just tactics) is the difference-maker ✔️ What top-performing store owners do before asking for help ✔️ How to identify the one metric that moves your business forward ✔️ Why showing up with clarity gets you better coaching ✔️ The "front door product" strategy that's driving real growth   RELATED LINKS: Growth Strategies from my Mastermind (Part 1) https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/growth-strategies-from-my-mastermind-part-1-episode-151/   Growth Strategies from my Mastermind (Part 2) https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/growth-strategies-from-my-mastermind-part-2-episode-152/   Golden Advice from a Multi-6 Figure Maker https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/golden-advice-from-a-multi-6-figure-maker-episode-273/   Jen's Coaching call: The plan for $20K months https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/jens-coaching-call-the-plan-for-20k-months-episode-264/   How Natalie Built Her Multi-7 Figure Shop https://thesocialsalesgirls.com/how-natalie-built-her-multi-7-figure-shop-episode-272/  

It's so normal to feel a little helpless when your sales are down. But here's what I know: You have more control over your results than you think. Today I'm giving you a strategy you can use to take control, get out of your slump, and avoid this happening again. You'll Learn: The 3 metrics that always reveal the real problem Why feelings aren't facts—and what your Shopify data actually says How to stop comparing month-to-month and get real context The simple weekly tracking habit that will change your business How to ask better questions (and get better support)