(This article was updated on April 19, 2022.)
Can the Internet be used to promote a unique product?
I first met the owners of 17th Century Suds about ten (10) years ago on a visit to Ithaca, New York. Andy and Wendy own a small company that manufactures organic soap and body care products.
Their soaps, shampoos, and skin conditioners are made from simple, natural ingredients — like sunflower oil, organic coconut oil, and 100% essential oils. You won’t find any of the harsh chemicals and detergents that most store-bought soaps and shampoos contain. Best of all, their products work great!
The company sells direct-to-consumer at farmers’ markets and fairs, on their website, and at retail locations in and around New York State. On a drive through the area earlier, I decided to stop in to see them on a snowy Saturday morning.
Using Internet Presence Marketing to Promote a Unique Product
What’s really amazing about the products that Andy and Wendy manufacture is that they practically sell themselves — all that really needs to happen is to get folks to try them once, then make it easy to re-order. The company already has an e-commerce website, so what more could be done to market these great products?
Here are five ways that Internet Presence Marketing could be used to promote 17th Century Suds and its unique products:
- Research and understand the “buyer personas” that represent 17th Century Suds’ target audience;
- Develop SEO best-practices to get the e-commerce website found and in front of more prospective buyers;
- Develop attractive calls-to-action that encourage online visitors to engage with Andy and Wendy, helping to create “raving fans” for their business;
- Cultivate a following of product bloggers and others who will try the products and share their enthusiasm for them;
- Make use of clever and eye-catching social media that build hype for the products and reward those who share product information with discounts and special offers.
With Spring now officially here, you can find Andy and Wendy selling the full line of 17th Century Suds organic body care products at the Ithaca Farmers Market, every weekend from April through the week before Christmas.
Be sure to try several of their bar soaps, shampoo, and skin conditioners. You’ll be glad you did!