Customers Respect Entrepreneurs Who Give Back

Today I attended a Tea Party with the ladies from my church. It was wonderful!  I was able to have some much needed fellowship, advice, and the best tea I have ever tasted!  

I think every woman likes to have tea parties because of what it symbolizes - royalty, chicness, and femininity.  I was looking around at some of the little girls and they were having more fun than the ladies were!  I just goes to show, you are never to old (or young) to enjoy a good old fashioned tea party.

I had only been to one other tea party prior - It was for a bridal shower.  Even then I thought to myself, I'd love to have one of these one day!  I think that I will soon.  I turn 30 this January and that would be the perfect occasion!

The scones were to die for. They were one of the best pastries I have ever had!  And the sandwiches were wonderful too.  They cut the crusts off and make them into little triangles.  I just think that is so cute!  It's settled, I'm definitely having a tea party for my next birthday!  I should have one next August for you all when iVi Scents turns 2 as well!

The tea party was a church event.  But I ended up meeting a lady who was very inspired by what I do.  I was able to speak to her and give her advice and that really made my day.  What event are you a part of outside of business networking?  Can you join a church group or other social club where you are able to give back to others?  This is so important in business.  After all, no one makes it on their own. Being a "self-made (wo)man" is a myth.  Thinking otherwise just makes you a selfish made woman.

Aarin Elizabeth is the founder of iVi Scents | Nontoxic Bath and Body

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A Thank You Letter To Our Customers And Fans...

I am so grateful to each and every one of my customers and fans.  It's been a tough road.  Sometimes I have good days and sometimes I have horrible days.  To be honest, if I knew how much work, sacrifice, and diligence starting a business would be, I might not have ever done it.  That's the truth.  But maybe that's why God shielded me from this knowledge.  Who knows?  What I DO know is that when the bad days come, I always have so much support from you all.  I swear, it never fails: When I have one of those days where everything seems to be going wrong in my professional (and personal) life, at least one of you will say something that is so encouraging and so uplifting.  I thank God for you all and pray for you daily.  So I just wanted to say thanks.  It means SO much to me that you are so supportive.  I really need it, and it always seems to come at the right times.  

iLove You, 

Aarin

iFeel Lucky Contest #4

iFeel Lucky Contest #4

Blow Your Competition Out Of The Water

"Instead of focusing on the competition, focus on making the competition irrelevant."
 --Kim & Mauborgne, Blue Ocean Strategy

I've been reading a book called Blue Ocean Strategy, and it is changing the way we do business at iVi Scents. The premise of the book states that in order to move from a red ocean packed with bloody competition to a blue ocean that is calm and completely void of competition, you must do the following:

A prime example of this is Cirque Du Soleil. Circuses were losing money do to a lack of interest among children, heightened animal rights awareness, and all of the associated expenses of feeding, taming, and transporting these animals.  But the founder of Cirque Du Soleil, added value and cut costs in all the right places.

This is so amazing to me, because this is what I have tried to do in my business from day one.  I don't care what other bath and body companies are doing, offering, or selling.  My competition is irrelevant because they don't do what we do.

iVi Scents is unique in that we offer scents, quality, and style that other companies cannot do or are unwilling to do.  Before iVi Scents, there existed just two marketplaces in the bath and body realm: 1) Function void of style, and 2) style void of function.  iVi Scents is the junction of both worlds, a place where function and style merge and play nice together.
 

I believe this is why our customers and fans are so loyal to us.  We are meeting needs and desires that no other company is willing to.  We try to listen to our customers' feedback.  We value what the say and take everything to heart. iVi Scents is a company built from the ground up with the customer in mind.  I don't understand how big companies lose sight of this: Their customer base is the single determining factor that allowed them to become big in the first place. I often wonder why so many of them refuse to care about us anymore?

How can you make your competition irrelevant? What value can you add that other companies can't or are unwilling to add?  What costs can you cut that other companies have ignored?  Create your own circus and leave the clowns in the dust!

Aarin Elizabeth is the founder of iVi Scents | Nontoxic Bath and Body

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How To Contact A Celebrity

Find iVi Scents Swag in your GLAMINAR Tour bag!

I am excited to announce that YouTube superstar, Kandee Johnson has extended a sponsorship opportunity to iVi Scents to be a part of her 2010 GLAMINAR Tour sponsor lineup. This lineup includes other fabulous companies like Zuca, Dinair Brushes, NYX, Urban Decay, Crown Brushes, Alcone, and many others.  We are honored to be included alongside these great companies, and ecstatic to be a part of Kandee's inspiring tour. To show our love and support, iVi Scents will giveaway an iSmell Soap to every one who attends an upcoming GLAMINAR.

With over 350k subscribers, Kandee Johnson is huge in the YouTube Beauty Community, a community where my business thrives.  Everyone wants her to review their products , because if she does, your products will be seen by hundreds of thousands of people.   IHow did I do it? I employed an age old adage: "It is better to give than to receive." I contacted Kandee and asked her if we could send iSmell Soaps to stuff her GLAMINAR gift bags.  She accepted this offer, and with it, I was able to get noticed and stay in contact with one of the biggest gurus on YouTube!  View her iVi Scents Blog Post here.

But remember, don't ever contact someone bigger than you and ask them for something.  Always contact them with a product you can give them or a service you can provide for them.  No one likes a taker, so be a giver!

Aarin Elizabeth is the founder of iVi Scents | Nontoxic Bath and Body

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