April 8, 2024 • 16 mins
Can you believe it's Q2 already? How about a little spring cleaning for your subscription box business? This episode is your guide to decluttering not just your physical space—be it a home office or a warehouse—but also your inventory and digital presence. You'll ditch the clutter, feel rejuvenated and ready to get back in the game.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
So you want to launch a subscription box and don't
know where to start?
Girl, you are in the rightplace.
I'm Julie Ball and I'm ReneeGonzalez, your host here at
Subscription Box Basics, apodcast for new and aspiring
subscription box entrepreneurswanting to avoid overwhelm.
So grab a coffee, some pen andpaper and let's have some fun.
(00:21):
Welcome to Subscription BoxBasics, the podcast.
My name is Renee Gonzalez and Iam one of your Subscription Box
coaches here at SubscriptionBox Basics, and today, in
today's episode, we are going totalk about spring cleaning your
(00:42):
business.
It is the start of quarter twoof 2024, if you are listening to
this live.
So we are done with the startof the year.
You're already done with aquarter.
Some of that excitement andinspiration to make this the
(01:02):
best year yet that you had,maybe beginning of January, is
starting to possibly wear off alittle bit.
So I am here to chat with you alittle bit, revive your
enthusiasm about your businessand about the rest of 2024 and
help give you some quick littletips that will get you back on
(01:25):
track and moving forward to makequarter two and quarter three
and quarter four successful foryourself and for your business.
So we're going to dive in todayand talk about five little tasks
that you can do to help springclean your business.
And starting with number one isto clean your workspace, and
(01:52):
some people have offices thatare dedicated to their
subscription box business.
You may have a warehouse, youmay have a corner in a room.
You might whip out all of yoursubscription box stuff and put
it on your dining room when it'spacking time.
Whatever your situation is, itis time to assess it and see if
(02:16):
it is one could use a littlespring cleaning.
And two, if it's optimizing youand helping you when it comes
time to pack or sit down andfocus on your subscription box
business, or if it making youtake a step backwards, if you
have to look for stuff everytime, if you go to take pictures
(02:36):
and you're taking pictures ofyour box but you can't find your
tripod to put your phone on.
Every time I'm speaking tomyself, my tripod always is
missing.
I'm like where did I put it?
It's time to clean and have adedicated spot for those things,
those things that you're alwaysmisplacing, those things that
(02:57):
take those extra minutes orhours to re-find or re-introduce
those systems.
Take this week, since you'relistening to this right now make
it a priority to take some timeto get yourself cleaned
wherever you are working,because I know again, speaking
(03:19):
for myself personally when myoffice is clean, when my desk is
clean, when my laptop desktopis clean.
I just spent a couple minutesbefore I was recording this,
moving files into their correctfolders and moving things into
the trash that I didn't needcluttering my desktop of my
(03:39):
laptop.
When those things are clear,it's easier for your mind to be
clear and really focus on thethings that you need to be using
brainpower for.
So number one of our springcleaning your business is to
take some time this week and toorganize your workspace,
(04:00):
whatever that workspace lookslike.
Number two is to, again alongthe line of organizing, organize
your box inventory, and this isa two-part because we're
already talking about cleaningyour workspace.
So physically clean yourinventory and organize your
(04:21):
inventory, but also start to geta little creative with excess
inventory.
But also start to get a littlecreative with excess inventory,
and I know here at SubscriptionBox Basics we have a workshop
that can help you get rid ofexcess inventory that is
available for purchase.
You can listen to past episodeshere at Subscription Box Basics
(04:44):
because we've talked on thistopic before.
But you're moving into summerand typically for subscription
box businesses, summer we callit a summer slump.
Summer tends to slow down formost niches.
So if you are moving into thatsummer slump, you need to get a
(05:06):
little creative, and a lot ofthe times what that could look
like is making bundles of yourexcess inventory or putting that
excess inventory on sale, usingsome of those things as a bonus
gift for new subscribers.
Find ways to get creative.
So I want you to organize yourexcess inventory and your future
(05:26):
inventory too, and really makeyour physical workspace again
easier to work with.
But organize it also in the wayof how can I get creative?
And if I have excess pastinventory, what can I do to move
that when my subscription salesand new subscribers might be
starting to slow down, movinginto transitioning between
(05:50):
quarter two and quarter three,so that summer slump that you
may have heard people talk about, how can you get creative so
that doesn't affect yourbusiness revenue?
So I want you to number one,organize your workspace and
clean your workspace.
Number two, start gettingcreative and organize your
inventory both present, futureand past inventory and start to
(06:14):
figure out how you can move someof that past inventory so it
brings you revenue when yourbusiness, new subscribers start
to dip a little bit going intothe summer.
And number three for springcleaning your business is to
update your website, and thisseems like an obvious one and it
(06:34):
seems like something that youmay have already been doing,
especially in the subscriptionbox business.
If you have a monthly box, youdo have to go in there monthly
and make changes.
But I want you to deep divefurther into your website.
Are there new testimonies fromsubscribers that you can put up
(06:57):
that may refresh your website?
Are there pictures that are alittle outdated and maybe you
can put some past boxes that area little more recent in there?
Are there things that may notapply anymore?
Or maybe make sure and doublecheck is your shipping all
(07:17):
correct?
Are numbers for your inventorythat are in your one-time shop?
Are those up to date?
Really deep dive into yourwebsite.
We suggest doing this often,but definitely at the start of
every quarter.
Really take a deep dive and seelike, what else can I do to kind
(07:38):
of freshen this up?
And then I said website, butalso look at your social media
channels.
I know a lot of the times,specifically on Instagram or
Facebook.
If you have links that arethere in your profile.
It may be things that you'relinking to that are no longer
(07:58):
relevant, so you may have anoutdated lead magnet there that
still has the link or the linkson top, but it's really not
something you reference a lot inyour posts.
It's important to look at yourprofiles and really make sure
that your pictures and your copythere are also up to date.
So we're rapid firing these,like I do a lot in my solo
(08:23):
episodes, but I really want togive you action steps that you
can listen to real quick andthen move forward and take
action and help move yourbusiness forward.
So make sure that while you arespring cleaning your business,
you take the time and look atyour website and make sure that
is up to date as well, and then,after you do that, I want you
(08:48):
to look at your calendar, and Ialready talked a little bit
about this.
We, if you are listening to theslides, we are at the start of
quarter two.
Typically, when summerapproaches, most subscription
box businesses go into a littleslump.
Your subscribers are busy withall the things.
(09:08):
Maybe they're vacationing.
If they have a family, maybetheir kids are off for summer.
The summer just looks different, no matter where you are in
your stage in life.
It just looks a littledifferent.
So sometimes people pause orcancel their subscriptions and
you need to think of ways tomake sure that doesn't affect
your back end on your businessand affect your revenue that is
(09:32):
coming in.
So how can you get creative?
There are things you cannotavoid, like them becoming busy
and possibly making thosechanges, but you can entice them
to stick around and you canreally up your customer
experience from right now movingforward.
Maybe add in an incentive rightnow, before they start to feel.
(09:56):
I know I'm a mom of two girls.
They are ending fifth grade, mydaughter is going to no longer
be in elementary school and thenI have an eighth grader who is
transitioning into high school.
So already April 1st hit and Iliterally I text one of my
friends we, my girls, do swim asone of their sports and I was
(10:18):
like man, like thought, thoughtI was excited for swim but just
remembered how hectic springgets and it already.
You're, you're so grateful forall the things you're doing, no
matter what stage in life you'reat.
But it does start to pick upand you kind of realize these
things, and I'm telling you thisstory because if you have
subscribers who are parentsright now spring, the end of the
(10:42):
school year, the start ofsummer that time is really,
really busy for them.
So how can you as a boxbusiness owner, kind of
alleviate those things and maybeuse that for your marketing and
for your messaging whenreaching out to them or enticing
them?
Maybe now's the time to run apromotion, for if they're a
month-to-month subscriber andthey upgrade to three months,
(11:06):
maybe you throw in that extragift or you give a little
discount or you do something toget them to commit now, before
they start getting super, superbusy to commit to stay with you
through summer.
So look at your calendar, seewhat things that you can do to
on the business side, dopromotions and really help again
(11:30):
keep your income steady orrising.
But also, what can you do justwith the type of subscribers and
people that you have that arecustomers in your business?
What can you do to make theirlife easier and what might be on
their calendar that, if youspeak to, that you can help
relate to them and make themwanna stay around through
(11:54):
forever, but at least throughthe summer slump.
So take a look at your calendarwhen you are spring cleaning
your business and really startto figure out ways to plan
promotionally, but also to upyour customer service game as
well.
And then my last tip for springcleaning your business, and
while you have your calendarsout already and you're listening
(12:16):
to this, I want you to schedulesome self-care, because as
entrepreneurs, as businessowners, we always tend to go, go
, go and sometimes it is superimportant, always it is super
important to take care ofyourself, but to plan something
for yourself.
So my number five springcleaning to do is to plan
(12:41):
something that is a self-careitem for yourself.
That can look like going to apedicure or getting a massage,
some sort of self-care treatment, or it can look as scheduling a
walk or going for a hike.
It doesn't have to cost money,but it has to be a mental reset
(13:03):
for you and time just for youthat is away from your business,
away from your family orpartners, whatever else you have
going on, and really justfocusing on you.
I know Julie and I have talkedabout this a lot too, and when
we are together but we'reoutside of working on our
business.
So a lot of the times we'llpick a setting that is, we both
(13:26):
enjoy the beach, so we'll planto go somewhere that's sunny,
that is tropical and I'm notsaying book a vacation.
I know not everyone is capableof doing it.
If you are can swing it,absolutely do it.
But if you take yourself andyou put yourself outside of your
business, outside of yourworkspace and that could be as
(13:47):
simple as going for a walk Ifeel like that is really when my
creative brain starts going andas simple as going for a walk.
You feel rejuvenized and readyto get new ideas.
Pivot and look outside of yourbusiness, from your four walls
of your normal workspace, andyou can see a little broader and
(14:09):
really just be refreshed.
Even if that creative spiritdoesn't come to you on a walk or
while getting a pedicure,you're still able to relax and
then go back into your workspaceready to get after it again.
So while you're looking at yourcalendar to do number five, do
some sort of self-care,something for yourself.
(14:32):
So I'm going to go throughthese five one more time.
To recap Spring cleaning foryour business.
These are all must-dos.
I want you to follow up with usat our Instagram dms at
subscriptionboxbasics.
Let me know that you did allthese to do's.
Let me know if you have anyquestions.
(14:53):
Number one clean your workspace.
Number two organize yourinventory past, present and
future and get creative withthat inventory.
How can you start to move it?
Number three update yourwebsite and don't forget about
your social media pages too.
Look at your profiles.
Get rid of outdated copy orphotos and replace it with
(15:17):
something a little more current.
Number four take a look at yourcalendar.
Get organized in your calendarfrom a business side of it and
also a personal side of it, butthen start to get a little
creative and look at where youcan do promotions that are
relevant to your customers andthen think of their calendar and
(15:39):
how can you make their life alittle easier when their
calendar starts to pick up intothe busy months of summer.
And then, number five schedulesome self-care for yourself.
Again, that could be as simpleas going for a walk.
A little more of upgrade.
I like to do spa, spa,self-care days.
(16:01):
Or, if you're feeling crazy andit's been a while since you've
gone on a little vacation, thisis your permission to book a
vacation too, because if youtake time to prioritize your
self-care and yourself, you willthen go back into working on
your business and working onyour box even more fresh and
(16:22):
ready.
So even if you're taking timeaway from what you feel like is
work time, it's going to comeand make you even more
productive when you are working.
So I hope this episode washelpful.
It's short, it's sweet, but Iwant you to go, take action and
then see us next week on a nextepisode of Subscription Box
(16:43):
Basics.
Bye, oh, okay.
So you want to launch a subscription box and don't
know where to start?
Girl, you are in the rightplace.
I'm Julie Ball and I'm ReneeGonzalez, your host here at
Subscription Box Basics, apodcast for new and aspiring
subscription box entrepreneurswanting to avoid overwhelm.
So grab a coffee, some pen andpaper and let's have some fun.
(00:21):
Welcome to Subscription BoxBasics, the podcast.
My name is Renee Gonzalez and Iam one of your Subscription Box
coaches here at SubscriptionBox Basics, and today, in
today's episode, we are going totalk about spring cleaning your
(00:42):
business.
It is the start of quarter twoof 2024, if you are listening to
this live.
So we are done with the startof the year.
You're already done with aquarter.
Some of that excitement andinspiration to make this the
(01:02):
best year yet that you had,maybe beginning of January, is
starting to possibly wear off alittle bit.
So I am here to chat with you alittle bit, revive your
enthusiasm about your businessand about the rest of 2024 and
help give you some quick littletips that will get you back on
(01:25):
track and moving forward to makequarter two and quarter three
and quarter four successful foryourself and for your business.
So we're going to dive in todayand talk about five little tasks
that you can do to help springclean your business.
And starting with number one isto clean your workspace, and
(01:52):
some people have offices thatare dedicated to their
subscription box business.
You may have a warehouse, youmay have a corner in a room.
You might whip out all of yoursubscription box stuff and put
it on your dining room when it'spacking time.
Whatever your situation is, itis time to assess it and see if
(02:16):
it is one could use a littlespring cleaning.
And two, if it's optimizing youand helping you when it comes
time to pack or sit down andfocus on your subscription box
business, or if it making youtake a step backwards, if you
have to look for stuff everytime, if you go to take pictures
(02:36):
and you're taking pictures ofyour box but you can't find your
tripod to put your phone on.
Every time I'm speaking tomyself, my tripod always is
missing.
I'm like where did I put it?
It's time to clean and have adedicated spot for those things,
those things that you're alwaysmisplacing, those things that
(02:57):
take those extra minutes orhours to re-find or re-introduce
those systems.
Take this week, since you'relistening to this right now make
it a priority to take some timeto get yourself cleaned
wherever you are working,because I know again, speaking
(03:19):
for myself personally when myoffice is clean, when my desk is
clean, when my laptop desktopis clean.
I just spent a couple minutesbefore I was recording this,
moving files into their correctfolders and moving things into
the trash that I didn't needcluttering my desktop of my
(03:39):
laptop.
When those things are clear,it's easier for your mind to be
clear and really focus on thethings that you need to be using
brainpower for.
So number one of our springcleaning your business is to
take some time this week and toorganize your workspace,
(04:00):
whatever that workspace lookslike.
Number two is to, again alongthe line of organizing, organize
your box inventory, and this isa two-part because we're
already talking about cleaningyour workspace.
So physically clean yourinventory and organize your
(04:21):
inventory, but also start to geta little creative with excess
inventory.
But also start to get a littlecreative with excess inventory,
and I know here at SubscriptionBox Basics we have a workshop
that can help you get rid ofexcess inventory that is
available for purchase.
You can listen to past episodeshere at Subscription Box Basics
(04:44):
because we've talked on thistopic before.
But you're moving into summerand typically for subscription
box businesses, summer we callit a summer slump.
Summer tends to slow down formost niches.
So if you are moving into thatsummer slump, you need to get a
(05:06):
little creative, and a lot ofthe times what that could look
like is making bundles of yourexcess inventory or putting that
excess inventory on sale, usingsome of those things as a bonus
gift for new subscribers.
Find ways to get creative.
So I want you to organize yourexcess inventory and your future
(05:26):
inventory too, and really makeyour physical workspace again
easier to work with.
But organize it also in the wayof how can I get creative?
And if I have excess pastinventory, what can I do to move
that when my subscription salesand new subscribers might be
starting to slow down, movinginto transitioning between
(05:50):
quarter two and quarter three,so that summer slump that you
may have heard people talk about, how can you get creative so
that doesn't affect yourbusiness revenue?
So I want you to number one,organize your workspace and
clean your workspace.
Number two, start gettingcreative and organize your
inventory both present, futureand past inventory and start to
(06:14):
figure out how you can move someof that past inventory so it
brings you revenue when yourbusiness, new subscribers start
to dip a little bit going intothe summer.
And number three for springcleaning your business is to
update your website, and thisseems like an obvious one and it
(06:34):
seems like something that youmay have already been doing,
especially in the subscriptionbox business.
If you have a monthly box, youdo have to go in there monthly
and make changes.
But I want you to deep divefurther into your website.
Are there new testimonies fromsubscribers that you can put up
(06:57):
that may refresh your website?
Are there pictures that are alittle outdated and maybe you
can put some past boxes that area little more recent in there?
Are there things that may notapply anymore?
Or maybe make sure and doublecheck is your shipping all
(07:17):
correct?
Are numbers for your inventorythat are in your one-time shop?
Are those up to date?
Really deep dive into yourwebsite.
We suggest doing this often,but definitely at the start of
every quarter.
Really take a deep dive and seelike, what else can I do to kind
(07:38):
of freshen this up?
And then I said website, butalso look at your social media
channels.
I know a lot of the times,specifically on Instagram or
Facebook.
If you have links that arethere in your profile.
It may be things that you'relinking to that are no longer
(07:58):
relevant, so you may have anoutdated lead magnet there that
still has the link or the linkson top, but it's really not
something you reference a lot inyour posts.
It's important to look at yourprofiles and really make sure
that your pictures and your copythere are also up to date.
So we're rapid firing these,like I do a lot in my solo
(08:23):
episodes, but I really want togive you action steps that you
can listen to real quick andthen move forward and take
action and help move yourbusiness forward.
So make sure that while you arespring cleaning your business,
you take the time and look atyour website and make sure that
is up to date as well, and then,after you do that, I want you
(08:48):
to look at your calendar, and Ialready talked a little bit
about this.
We, if you are listening to theslides, we are at the start of
quarter two.
Typically, when summerapproaches, most subscription
box businesses go into a littleslump.
Your subscribers are busy withall the things.
(09:08):
Maybe they're vacationing.
If they have a family, maybetheir kids are off for summer.
The summer just looks different, no matter where you are in
your stage in life.
It just looks a littledifferent.
So sometimes people pause orcancel their subscriptions and
you need to think of ways tomake sure that doesn't affect
your back end on your businessand affect your revenue that is
(09:32):
coming in.
So how can you get creative?
There are things you cannotavoid, like them becoming busy
and possibly making thosechanges, but you can entice them
to stick around and you canreally up your customer
experience from right now movingforward.
Maybe add in an incentive rightnow, before they start to feel.
(09:56):
I know I'm a mom of two girls.
They are ending fifth grade, mydaughter is going to no longer
be in elementary school and thenI have an eighth grader who is
transitioning into high school.
So already April 1st hit and Iliterally I text one of my
friends we, my girls, do swim asone of their sports and I was
(10:18):
like man, like thought, thoughtI was excited for swim but just
remembered how hectic springgets and it already.
You're, you're so grateful forall the things you're doing, no
matter what stage in life you'reat.
But it does start to pick upand you kind of realize these
things, and I'm telling you thisstory because if you have
subscribers who are parentsright now spring, the end of the
(10:42):
school year, the start ofsummer that time is really,
really busy for them.
So how can you as a boxbusiness owner, kind of
alleviate those things and maybeuse that for your marketing and
for your messaging whenreaching out to them or enticing
them?
Maybe now's the time to run apromotion, for if they're a
month-to-month subscriber andthey upgrade to three months,
(11:06):
maybe you throw in that extragift or you give a little
discount or you do something toget them to commit now, before
they start getting super, superbusy to commit to stay with you
through summer.
So look at your calendar, seewhat things that you can do to
on the business side, dopromotions and really help again
(11:30):
keep your income steady orrising.
But also, what can you do justwith the type of subscribers and
people that you have that arecustomers in your business?
What can you do to make theirlife easier and what might be on
their calendar that, if youspeak to, that you can help
relate to them and make themwanna stay around through
(11:54):
forever, but at least throughthe summer slump.
So take a look at your calendarwhen you are spring cleaning
your business and really startto figure out ways to plan
promotionally, but also to upyour customer service game as
well.
And then my last tip for springcleaning your business, and
while you have your calendarsout already and you're listening
(12:16):
to this, I want you to schedulesome self-care, because as
entrepreneurs, as businessowners, we always tend to go, go
, go and sometimes it is superimportant, always it is super
important to take care ofyourself, but to plan something
for yourself.
So my number five springcleaning to do is to plan
(12:41):
something that is a self-careitem for yourself.
That can look like going to apedicure or getting a massage,
some sort of self-care treatment, or it can look as scheduling a
walk or going for a hike.
It doesn't have to cost money,but it has to be a mental reset
(13:03):
for you and time just for youthat is away from your business,
away from your family orpartners, whatever else you have
going on, and really justfocusing on you.
I know Julie and I have talkedabout this a lot too, and when
we are together but we'reoutside of working on our
business.
So a lot of the times we'llpick a setting that is, we both
(13:26):
enjoy the beach, so we'll planto go somewhere that's sunny,
that is tropical and I'm notsaying book a vacation.
I know not everyone is capableof doing it.
If you are can swing it,absolutely do it.
But if you take yourself andyou put yourself outside of your
business, outside of yourworkspace and that could be as
(13:47):
simple as going for a walk Ifeel like that is really when my
creative brain starts going andas simple as going for a walk.
You feel rejuvenized and readyto get new ideas.
Pivot and look outside of yourbusiness, from your four walls
of your normal workspace, andyou can see a little broader and
(14:09):
really just be refreshed.
Even if that creative spiritdoesn't come to you on a walk or
while getting a pedicure,you're still able to relax and
then go back into your workspaceready to get after it again.
So while you're looking at yourcalendar to do number five, do
some sort of self-care,something for yourself.
(14:32):
So I'm going to go throughthese five one more time.
To recap Spring cleaning foryour business.
These are all must-dos.
I want you to follow up with usat our Instagram dms at
subscriptionboxbasics.
Let me know that you did allthese to do's.
Let me know if you have anyquestions.
(14:53):
Number one clean your workspace.
Number two organize yourinventory past, present and
future and get creative withthat inventory.
How can you start to move it?
Number three update yourwebsite and don't forget about
your social media pages too.
Look at your profiles.
Get rid of outdated copy orphotos and replace it with
(15:17):
something a little more current.
Number four take a look at yourcalendar.
Get organized in your calendarfrom a business side of it and
also a personal side of it, butthen start to get a little
creative and look at where youcan do promotions that are
relevant to your customers andthen think of their calendar and
(15:39):
how can you make their life alittle easier when their
calendar starts to pick up intothe busy months of summer.
And then, number five schedulesome self-care for yourself.
Again, that could be as simpleas going for a walk.
A little more of upgrade.
I like to do spa, spa,self-care days.
(16:01):
Or, if you're feeling crazy andit's been a while since you've
gone on a little vacation, thisis your permission to book a
vacation too, because if youtake time to prioritize your
self-care and yourself, you willthen go back into working on
your business and working onyour box even more fresh and
(16:22):
ready.
So even if you're taking timeaway from what you feel like is
work time, it's going to comeand make you even more
productive when you are working.
So I hope this episode washelpful.
It's short, it's sweet, but Iwant you to go, take action and
then see us next week on a nextepisode of Subscription Box
(16:43):
Basics.
Bye, oh, okay.
Popular Podcasts
Are You A Charlotte?
In 1997, actress Kristin Davis’ life was forever changed when she took on the role of Charlotte York in Sex and the City. As we watched Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte navigate relationships in NYC, the show helped push once unacceptable conversation topics out of the shadows and altered the narrative around women and sex. We all saw ourselves in them as they searched for fulfillment in life, sex and friendships. Now, Kristin Davis wants to connect with you, the fans, and share untold stories and all the behind the scenes. Together, with Kristin and special guests, what will begin with Sex and the City will evolve into talks about themes that are still so relevant today. "Are you a Charlotte?" is much more than just rewatching this beloved show, it brings the past and the present together as we talk with heart, humor and of course some optimism.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.