Marketing the RIGHT way is a beautiful thing and I’ve become totally obsessed with it!
Marketing involves all the things you do to help clients understand that YOUR business is exactly what they’ve been looking for!
In this guide I’m going to share 4 Key (Marketing) strategies to help your Home Apothecary Business stand out. If you apply these strategies, you’ll start attracting more clients – and more sales.
4 Ways To Make Your Home Apothecary Stand Out
1. Choose a Home apothecary name that STANDS OUT
Naming your business after yourself is a SUPER popular thing to do. It’s been popular for ages. But it really isn’t ideal.
The problem with naming your Home Apothecary Business after yourself is that it doesn’t say anything about your BUSINESS at all. And it definitely doesn’t say anything about how you help your clients at all.
In an outsider’s subconscious mind they’ll be thinking: “Yes, you are the herbalist, but how does that benefit me?”
Let’s do a little test…
If you read through a list on Google of Apothecaries in your area and you see:
• Tiffany’s Apothecary
• Sally’s Herbs
• Katie’s Tonics
• Blu Radical Apothecary
• Justine’s Concoctions
Which one stands out and sparks your interest? Which one already informs you what the apothecary is about before you’ve even been to their website?
Possibly "Blu Radical Apothecary"?
QUALITY forms the foundation my products (and business) and that’s what makes them so special. Coming from the Radical or root of the plant and stemming into my products.
This is what sets me apart from my competitors and the main-stream trending apothecaries we find today.
“When I realized that I’m naming my business for my CLIENTS and not myself, I decided to make a drastic, necessary decision.”
📌: So remember that you’re not naming your business for yourself since your business is not about you.
Your Business Name should ideally sum up how your apothecary benefits your IDEAL CLIENT.
2. Put the “home” in Home apothecary
A Home Apothecary is an entirely different species. It’s not just a “Herbalism at Home”.
Yes, you’re producing goods at home, but you have a greater OPPORTUNITY here that you absolutely need to take advantage of.
The focus of an authentic Home Apothecary should always be to really bring out the “Home” in Home Apothecary.
And that’s because most of your clients had their own mother/aunt/grandmother etc. making healing, feel good items for them when they were kids. Fall down and have a boo-boo? Grams will heal you right up. Sore tummy? Can't sleep? Cradle cap? There are special things that get passed down generation to generation to help heal, sooth, or are baked into home goodies.
You need to focus just as much on the “Home” as on the “Apothecary”. The depth of nostalgia, love and deep connections attached to the word “Home”, absolutely permeate the concept of home herbalism.
>>If you get this balance right, your business will be unforgettable and cozy up in the hearts of your clients, keeping them coming back for a LONG time.
“Home herbalism is not just about creating random products.”
If they just wanted a random product, they could have bought one elsewhere like a grocery store.
📌:Truth is that your customers don’t just want the product. They want a homely connection as well.
They desire products by someone they know, like and trust.
A degree of professionalism is absolutely necessary, but you are first and foremost expected to present something of “home” and “love” to your customers, because of so many different reasons.
Your clients want to connect to something, but also to someone.
Don’t be afraid to show who you are and allow them to form a connection with you.
It’s ESSENTIAL for your success, but it also makes your job MUCH more fulfilling & meaningful!
3. Be GENEROUS in your apothecary
I'm not saying give away your products for free, but do consider giving samples.
I don't know about you, but when I order from places and they give me samples that I love, I end up buying the full product. Customers don't always know what they need until you show it to them, or in this case give it to them.
Be generous enough to add a full experience, after all you want returning customers right?
Maybe you know your client has a little one, throw a mini heal-all salve in there, small bottles of seasonal vinegar or elderberry syrup.
This shows that you are attentive and really do care about the wellbeing of your client and their family.
“Home herbalism is a VERY sentimental thing and it cannot be skimpy.”
Home apothecary goods may never, under any circumstances look skimpy. If your product contains hibiscus – use a generous amount. If your recipe contains rosemary– I want to be able to smell it and know its in there.
I get it, quality ingredients are expensive. I am fully aware of that.
📌: But home herbalism is not about creating something cheap/affordable, it’s about creating something memorable! Rather charge a bit extra and be generous with the good stuff!
4. Share beautiful photos of your products
The quality of your photography really matters a lot because it’s the first glimpse people get of the type of herbalism you do.
You need your photos to communicate very clearly to people what they can expect in real life. Above all, your photos need to make your goods absolutely SHINE!
This might sound a bit intimidating and you might have some images in your mind of your favorite nature bloggers and magazines.
You’re probably thinking: “I’ll never be able to take photos like that! What am I going to do??”
But let me just take some pressure off your shoulders. Our goal is NOT to have an online herbal magazine. You don’t need to use any props or fancy backdrops or do any styling because our goal is just product photos.
📌: If we can just in capture decent images that focus on your products, then we have succeeded.
You can 100% get away with NEVER doing any photography (which has all the fancy styling, cameras, etc.). Instead you just need to focus on product photography.
If you need more help or want to start your own herbal business, check out The Herbal Business Blueprint! I walk you through step by step and make starting your own home apothecary.
Here are some other really great places to start:
Apothecary Supply List: what I use to run, pack, and ship items in my business
Herbal Medicine Starter Guide: a detailed guide of recipes like tinctures, glycerites, oxymels, infusions, decoctions and more!