Some business owners believe that they can get by without marketing their products. If a product is excellent, it will sell by itself. But don’t kid yourself. If anyone tells you this, run away – and fast. By following this mantra, you may end up endangering the success of your vegan business.

In today’s technological world of endless variety and choice, it’s virtually impossible for a product to sell itself. You need to let people know about your great products, and show them why they need these products – in other words, you need to do some marketing.

But where does it all start?

You need to start by knowing who your competition is, and who you’re selling your products to. Have you done your market research? Market research should be done before you even decide what products to sell. Not sure how to do this? There’s lots of information out there – you only need to look for it. Take, for example this paper on “The Importance of Marketing Research” by the Council of American Survey Research Organizations.

As a vegan business owner, when you are doing your market research, you first need to identify who your target market is, how the people in this group behave (ie. when, how and why they shop), and why your products are a great fit for their lifestyle. This information will guide you in discovering how to best make your products, and your vegan business, attractive to the market you are striving to reach.

When you are doing your marketing research, you will start to develop a strategic marketing plan based on your research and analysis. A strategic marketing plan is an important part of any successful business. You don’t have to do the marketing plan by yourself – there are professionals who can help you. If your budget or interest dictates that you do perform these tasks on your own, there is help out there. Here are a few marketing plan examples to give you some ideas.

With an ever-increasing number of vegan products and businesses in the vegan market niche, how are you going to stand out? This is the key question – how do you get people to try YOUR products over any others? The answers are in the way you present it. You have to make them want it. And that means never underestimating the power and importance of  innovative, creative and successful marketing.

Photo Credit: freedigitalphotos.net

Christy founded her business, Viva la Greens, three years ago, when she moved to Los Angeles.  Through Viva la Greens, Christy offers vegan macrobiotic personal chef services, personal consulting for individuals and restaurants, private cooking instruction, public cooking classes and cooking parties.  Her blog, The Blissful Chef, is a new addition to Viva la Greens.

Christy recently shared her experiences with blogging and reaching out to the non-vegan community, and gave some advice for other vegan business owners wanting to step into the blogosphere.

Vegan Mainstream (VM):  Why did you create your blog, The Blissful Chef?

Christy Morgan (CM): It’s a way for me to brand myself and create a name that people will remember.  It will also be the name of my cookbook.  The Blissful Chef fits me well, because to feel bliss is to experience true happiness and spiritual joy.  That is what my life and business is about: spreading happiness and joy to others through food, and helping them access their bliss.

VM:  Has The Blissful Chef become a large part of Viva la Green?

CM: The blog is a new thing, but I find it very important so I can spread my message and delicious food to a wider audience.  Writing and keeping up with a blog is a full-time job in itself!  I don’t know yet how many people it draws to my business because it reaches a wider market than Los Angeles.  But I think my blog, Twitter, Facebook, etc., are all connected and each play a vital role in reaching readers and clients.

VM:  Do you believe that connecting with the non-macrobiotic or non-vegan community is an essential part of your business?

CM: Yes. I would say at least half my clients and students are not vegetarian, vegan or macrobiotic.  With the state of health in this country, more non-vegetarians are looking for healthy cooking classes and information on diet through the Internet.

VM:  How have you been so successful in reaching the non-macrobiotic or non-vegan community?

CM: With my blog and through Twitter I’ve inspired many people to go vegan or give the macrobiotic diet a try.  Twitter I find is the best way to reach anyone who is interested in health and food. Everyone wants to feel alive, vibrant, and free from disease and suffering. So anyone could be a potential reader or client.

VM:  Once you make the connection with the non-macrobiotic or non-vegan community, what have you found is the best way to make an impact?

CM: If someone doesn’t live in LA, I think the cooking videos have a strong impact because they are fun and people would rather watch something than read.  Those that have come to my cooking classes are always telling me of their success stories, changing their health and influencing their families to eat better.  That makes me very happy!

VM:  Given all your experiences and successes, what advice would you give to other vegan business owners or aspiring business owners?

CM: Just know that times can be tough when running your own business. But, the fact that I get to do what I love and help change peoples’ lives in profound ways makes it all worthwhile.

VM:  Do you have any advice for would-be bloggers?

CM: I’m still figuring that all out.  What I’ve realized is it’s important to help promote other bloggers that you enjoy and leave comments on their blog posts that you like.  The blogging world is a community and everyone needs to help each other out.  We don’t need to be competitive.  The more vegan blogs that are available with quality information will reach a larger audience of people.

photo by Chris Black

Well, before you draw your own conclusions about considering online marketing, you should first consider three simple things.

1. Start conversations in Web 2.0

Web 2.0 marks the start of conversations in the Internet. From being purely a source of receiving information, the Internet has become a place where users can interact. There are social networking sites, blogs, and forums for that. By bringing your business online, you get a chance to strike a conversation with possibly billions of people. You can obtain information about your vegan business’ benefits and offers to many people. If you want to convince people to try the vegan lifestyle without necessarily selling your products, social media can help you significantly.

2. Manage your reputation online

The Internet is filled with horror stories about companies who fail to live up to customers’ expectations. These horror stories are usually about customers complaining about a dreadful experience with a certain provider. For all you know, bad things are being said about your company and veganism as a whole. If you don’t do anything about this, more and more people will read these horror stories and, without any input from you, draw the wrong conclusion about you. For you to manage your reputation online, you first have to have an actual online presence.

3. Expand your market.

You’re not planning to have an online business right now, but are you sure you won’t be changing your mind anytime soon? If you are on a tight budget, don’t jump to the conclusion that your vegan business can no longer expand. Establishing your presence online can double, even triple, your current customer base. You can start by search engine optimizing your website; doing so can potentially introduce billions of people around the world to your product. If your customer lives on the other side of the country, you might have to be a little inventive to get your product to that customer. Still, that problem is much better than not having any customers at all.

If you want to be an innovative business at the forefront of the vegan industry, immersing your business in social media may be a necessary step. Plan how you are going to market your brand online. And, most importantly, make sure that you talk to your potential customers with a healthy dose of human touch.

A wonderful example I heard of was a bakery tweeting (that’s a Twitter verb for the uninitiated) about cookies fresh out of the oven.  Isn’t that something your mom might do? She’s got cookies, and you can’t get there fast enough to get them.  Now that’s a relationship, a conversation.  That’s successful, low-key social networking.

Check out the Vegan Outreach Twitter.  Light tone, friendly posts, links–all good!  I’m left wanting to know a bit more, though.  Part of what people want to see from a business is a face.  A personality is something to which they can relate.    Now don’t take this the wrong way.  If you go about constructing a personality like flypaper to lure the little kiddies in, today’s savvy customers are going to smell that from a mile away.  Just take the genuine flavor of your business and allow that to flow into your posts.

Now take a look at the VeganTreats Twitter.  They promote themselves in a genuine and nonintrusive way.  You can see them interacting with others, so you know they’re a part of the community.  Okay, it’s about food so they’ve got a leg up.  But aren’t you falling all over yourself wondering where this place is and how you can get some PB softserve?  Bethlehem, PA–I just checked and might have to take a road trip there!

A social network is a place to gather.  You and your business have something valuable to contribute to the gathering.  Find out what that is, and never undervalue inspiration.  Your genuine enthusiasm is where business sense and being a community member merge.  That’s exactly what to tap into when you post on a social network.
Do you have a social networking story to share?  Write us!