145 - Brand Awareness Challenges with Kelly Yabsley, Messy Baby Co.

145 - Facing Brand Awareness Challenges with Kelly Yabsley, Messy Baby Co.
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[00:00:00] Hey guys. Welcome back to MaYapinion. I'm your host Maya Roffler, and I'm really excited to have another incredible guest here today. Her name is Kelly Yaley. Kelly is the owner and founder of Messy Baby Co. And in this series, I'm gonna have incredible guests like her come on, that are founders, business owners, just like you and share about their business.

But we're also gonna be talking about. Business challenges. So Kelly, welcome to the show. Thank you for having me. Yeah, I'm really excited to have you here. I don't know if you guys know this or if you know this, Kelly, but I actually have a huge retail background, so I, when I saw a physical product, I was like, this is a cool turn.

I love this. I love that we're gonna be talking about a physical product, but also retail, like actual, like clothing. So I am excited about this. Tell us about your company, messy Baby Co. And tell us about why you founded it and, I think [00:01:00] it's an interesting story. Share that with us. Yeah. So I'm a mother of two and when my daughter was born, I was always covered in her blowouts, like all the time, covered in poop.

My son wasn't as horrible, but I just, I couldn't find anything on the market that really addressed it very well, that I felt really would. Help the way I was hoping. So I started kind of cutting up onesies and throwing panty liners in the back and kind of playing around and came up with an idea that I thought was a solution that could really work.

A onesie that fully snaps down the front, so you're not dragging that nastiness up over their head or down their body. You just simply unsnap. 'em out, out. And then it's got a giant pad that adheres in the back, like a giant panty liner to help catch the blowout as it's coming outta the diaper before it has a chance to destroy those cute clothes or get all over you, or into the [00:02:00] car seat or the crib, or baby care everywhere.

Once that pad soiled, take it out, throw it away. Lapping a new one, get going. So. I figured, you know, if I could do something that helped me, you know, blowouts happen to babies everywhere. I think I looked it up, there's 13 million blowouts every week just in the us. Oh my gosh. Huge amounts of who happening all the time.

And parents, you know, it's one of the stresses that we just kind of deal with. We just assume it's part of, you know, life. Like there's nothing out there that's been available until now, but there is. So it's just, you know, getting the word out and letting people know that there's something that can help 'em.

Right. And I think this is one of those situations. The mom's out there, I have a lot of mom friends, my sister's a mom, I know this is a major problem, [00:03:00] but it reminds me a little bit of the Spanx story, honestly, Kelly, because you know how she was cutting up her pantyhose and like, and it's so funny that you're doing this like baby wise though, you know, you're cutting things up and I love it because you're essentially an inventor, right?

And you're coming up with this solution for something that moms are going through. And you know, I love what you said too, because. Sometimes we just have an issue or a problem and we're like, I think this is just how it is. And I love the way your brain works. 'cause you're like, you know what? There's gotta be a solution to this.

So when did you create this or when did you start creating this? How long have you been doing this, Kelly? Oh Lord. So I started this when my daughter was just a couple months old and. With the whole patent process and then just trying to come up with the idea and find the manufacturer. I had a really hard time finding manufacturer for the pads.

The onesie was never an issue. The pads, everybody kept trying to sell me panty liners and, [00:04:00] you know, pads for. Periods. So they were like, yeah, we've already got these. You can have these. I was like, no, that's not what I want. It's a larger, it's essentially the same thing, but it's a larger, more coverage.

So I was having a hard time with that. And then I finally found a manufacturer and COVID hit. So that pushed everything back for a couple years. So I have been working on this for seven years now. Wow. Yes. So it is, it's been a process. Yeah. Yes. It's been a, it's been a labor of love, as they say. Right.

Definitely a labor of love. Once I put in so much effort, I was like, there's no turning back now. Oh, don't I understand that? Yes. I totally get it. That's definitely, this is like me going through this tech startup that I have. It's like, it's been years and we've been evolving and like once you're in, it's like I am going to make.

This work. I get it. It has to happen. I get it. But the thing is now, now take me to where you are today, Kelly. Because the thing is the product, if people know about it and they're [00:05:00] using it, it works phenomenal. I mean, your site is phenomenal, right? I mean, this is a thing that you got the right like liners.

And I understand too, to go back for a second, I understand too why people would be confused about it because it's like. I don't know why, but your story reminds me a lot of this spank story. It's like when she was cutting up, you know, like panties and like she was cutting up, you know, her pantyhose and stuff.

People just couldn't conceptually get it because you're thinking ahead of them and you saying like, I need pads. They're like, yeah, we've got that. And it's like, no, I'm not talking about a period pad. Like this is for a baby, this is for a different type thing that's happening. So yeah, tell us like where you are today, like, because it looks like your customer.

Quite pleased about this. They're pleased, but it's just a matter of getting more people aware. 'cause the ones that are using them, you know, they're telling their small circle of friends, but it's not really getting past that and I don't feel like I'm [00:06:00] getting the reach that I was hoping for. The various avenues I've been trying, I don't feel like.

I'm connecting the way I thought it would, and maybe I am in the message missing something where, like you said, to me, it's so simple, like it's a pad, it's a barrier between the baby poo and you and everything else. And, but maybe in my mind, I am not catching where that. Disconnect is, yeah. With customers, potential customers.

Yeah. So let's talk about a couple things. So one, I will tell, so this is a little opinion. I'll give you guys, just everybody, you Kelly, but also everyone listening. I think it's really hard. When we create a product or service sometimes to see from a 50,000 foot view from the consumer. Right. That's why it's so important that we get outside perspective, [00:07:00] and it doesn't mean that our product or service isn't fabulous because it is, it's clearly solving a problem, talking about your products, Kelly.

Right. But sometimes we have to see like from a, a bigger view, like what, what is happening or what's, you know. Is this, am I really solving this for the right audience? It's interesting, right? And I've talked about it a lot on the podcast, but before I give you kind of my take and a couple things that maybe we could do to move that in the right audience.

Tell me some things that you've done so far. What has worked and what you feel like maybe you thought, because sometimes. We'll think, oh my God, this is totally gonna blow up in front, in front of the right people. And then it doesn't, and that's okay. But it's things to note. So if you could share with me and everyone listening, I think it would be helpful as we kind of move through this process of talking about how we could further this reach.

Yeah. I feel like I've tried everything. Yeah. Except for paid ads, and I've stalled on that because I don't feel like I've created an ad that. [00:08:00] Is worth paying for. But I'm also nervous because I know how expensive they can get. And I know that a lot of the platforms force you to click on an ad and then charge you for that ad or that click.

So that makes me nervous. But, let's see. I've tried. TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, just creating accounts and pushing out reels and stories and posts. I'm on Amazon, Walmart, my website, so I promote that. I have done the Blocks. I don't know if you've ever heard of that. It's with West Bergman. It's a startup reality show.

Mm-hmm. I was really hoping that would kind of. Prompt a lot, but mm-hmm. It didn't really, I did, have you ever heard of Forbes Riley? Yes. Mm-hmm. So I did a show with her. It has not been,, released yet, but I was really hoping that would be like a huge thing. It was kind of promoted as like a mini shark tank.

Yes. So like, [00:09:00] go on and pitch a product. And I had a guy on there that seemed very interested to partner and then just kind. Ghosted after a while. Wow. That was disappointing. I was very, I left there feeling like such a high things were gonna happen. I'm going to, arrange me ECRM show in a couple weeks to speak with.

Some retailers and learn about being retail ready. I have done a few trade shows. I've done a few local markets. I've done some baby and maternity shows just to kind of be able to talk to customers and tell them about the product and really showcase and explain and just get in front of them.

So you've done a lot. I've reached out to micro influencers and so yeah, I mean, I've tried a lot of different organic things. Got it. So I'm gonna give you my opinions here. Okay. 'cause I think there are some things that I can help you [00:10:00] with. Okay. And anyone else that's listening that's facing this challenge, like Kelly, especially like this episode, I feel is really good for anybody who's got like a physical product like you, Kelly, right?

Um, but again, these things can always apply. And I love sales. I was chatting with Kelly before we hit record. I love sales. I love it. I love it because. For you, Kelly, and for anyone listening, the reality is people don't like sales sometimes because it feels. Too salesy and icky and exactly pushy. I don't wanna be pushy.

You don't wanna be pushy, want the product, you want it, but, right. So one thing I wanna say before I start to go into some avenues you can use, you don't have to be because you have a product that solves a problem. Where people kind of go wrong in sales is when they. Might not have a clear definition of what their product and or service is doing to solve a problem.

So when people will come to me and say like, Hey, I'm having some issues with sales. I [00:11:00] will always ask them like, Hey, well what problem are you solving? You've got that already, Kelly. You know what problem you're solving? You are helping blowouts. Be prevented, right? So mom is good or dad is good, and we can keep trucking in that awesome fly outfit that we're wearing, right?

Or not change our pajamas 10 times in a night, right? Like something like that, that's a quick, but that's, that's a big thing for you, that you're able to spit that off and say, this is what I solve. This is the problem I solve. That's a huge step in the right direction. So I also wanna mention that you've done a lot of really great, what we call kind of organic grassroots.

Outreach right? Type of things where you've kind of pounded the pavement, you've engaged in some kind of, um, I am familiar with the things that you're talking about, um, where you've got in front of some people, but I think there's more that you can do. Okay? So something I would ask you to is now we know it's actually quite easy with your product.

We know who your consumer is. It's gonna be a [00:12:00] mom, right? It's a mom. She's buying the product and or. People that go to the baby showers. Right. So them as well. But that becomes like a secondary or tertiary consumer. Yeah. You really want the moms, because the moms, as we know, are the ones that are gonna make those baby shower lists, right.

Are gonna make the ones that are gonna drive that consumerism there. Okay. Again, grandmas are gonna be great too. Things like that, but that becomes secondary and tertiary. Right. To get in front of that audience. One thing and one secret that like. I'm not that secretive about is Facebook groups. How active have you been in Facebook groups?

I've tried, but a lot of 'em now, to be able to post, you have to pay. To post in the groups or they block you for promoting. So here's what I wanna challenge you on with that, okay? I want you to get into those groups as a mom, not as someone who's selling messy baby [00:13:00] co, not as someone who's selling. That product.

Okay. So this is a like a key thing. 'cause I hear this a lot from people. They're like, do you know? And I'm like, yep. And I sell constantly in Facebook groups and people are like, how do you do it? I'm like, because how do you do it without blocking you? Right? So here's a couple things that I do, and again, gonna be helpful for everyone listening to this one.

Make your own Facebook group, okay? Make your own, and I don't want you to call it Messy Baby Co, yet. I want you to call it moms facing blowouts, or you know, or something gitchy and fun like that, but also something where people are going to click on it and join. So it has to be super obvious and in your face.

What you're trying to connect with. So whatever that looks like, right? Like if you go back to being the consumer, you are not the inventor. You're not the owner. Be the consumer and think to yourself, okay, when I was a mom and I was up at 2:00 [00:14:00] AM and my baby girl had just had a blowout, like what a Facebook group would I go into create that?

I want you to create that because that's going to be your organic community because when people know you and trust you, they buy from you. Okay? So I want you to do that now. That's gonna take a little bit of time. So that's one. Ally, I want you to go down. Okay. The other side of this is the groups that you are like, oh my God, I have to pay to play and all of that.

You're totally right. A lot of them exist. Okay. And I get it. As someone who run, I run three Facebook groups. One of my Facebook group has over. 20,000 people in it. It is pay to play now because it's a digital marketing group, right? But we also have free promo days, things like that. So be on the lookout for those days, right?

The free promo days, things like that. The other thing is what I was mentioning earlier, get in there and act as a ma, not as a business owner, but as a mom, and keep an eye on posts where people are [00:15:00] talking about your problem. Where people are talking about, even if they're talking about, oh God, I hate the diapers I'm using, you know, moms talk about all this stuff.

Get involved in those conversations and say, you know, that was really rough for me too. Um, I never, you know, I preferred. Huggies or Pampers, but also I had blowouts and I created a product, and , you can fit it in that way. It becomes organic and it does take a little more legwork, but it works. I promise you it works because it creates connectivity with these moms and you're creating that.

You can also tie the two concepts together. How you do that is you create this Facebook group, right? That's attract people by the name so.

When people are in those kind of pay-to-play groups or these larger groups, you can send them over to your group. You can say, you know, if you're having, you know, you can also join our group. They're not gonna kick you out for that. Right? Right. What they're gonna kick you out for is if you're just posting a link, posting a link, [00:16:00] posting a link to your site.

The other thing I would tell you with this too, because I see in a lot of groups is when you are just posting a link, sales conversion is low because people have to know you. Have to like you and have to trust you to buy from you. And that can happen from one interaction. It doesn't have to be, but when you're just posting, I see this all the time, with entrepreneurs where we post our link because we know our product is awesome.

We know it's awesome. Why wouldn't you? But it's impersonal, right? Because people aren't really understanding who is this and why are they posting this? We buy from an emotional standpoint. So if I like you, Kelly, I'm gonna buy your product. If I like why you created this, I'm gonna buy your product. So there is a way around that, but I don't want anybody, especially you, Kelly, 'cause you're here right now with me sleeping on Facebook groups because the impact that they've had [00:17:00] to my businesses, especially my tech startup.

I wouldn't even have this if it wasn't for that. Okay. So especially with the physical products. So those are the two avenues I would go there with that. Okay. Then let's talk about your socials. Okay. I, and to go back to your comment about ads, you don't need to run ads right now.

You're absolutely right. I think it is going to. I am a fan of running ads at a certain point in your business, right? When it makes sense. But I think you need, and I'm not an ads expert, I do have some gals in my community that are, which is great. And so when you're ready for that, I'm happy to make the intro.

Okay. But the reason I like them and the people I partner with for that kind of stuff is because they'll, they'll be honest with you, like me, they'll say, look. Sure we can run ads for you, but I think you have to really hone in who you're targeting for you, you know who you're targeting, but like let's get some [00:18:00] momentum organically first before we just start throwing a bunch of money at ads.

And I also think with ads too, I like to be strategic. About when they happen, like maybe let's test it at a really high re 'cause your retail essentially, right? You're a fiscal product. Mm-hmm. So let's test it at a time where we can see some good conversion. Like when Christmas comes around or when like a lot of baby showers, like spring is a great time.

'cause yeah, I, people have babies all year round. We know that. But spring is a big baby shower time. Right? So like testing it during those times, if you're going to. That would be my opinion on that. Right? But I wanna see you get a little more organic on socials. So talk to me a little bit about what you have tried for me.

Facebook, I love for groups. Okay. I love that for groups. I love it when you're ready for ads. That's what I like Facebook for with Instagram and TikTok I, Instagram is very visually beautiful, right? So having some beautiful visual [00:19:00] stills, some reels are great, but TikTok is like the mega powerhouse. It is the powerhouse where you are going to sell physical product.

So talk to me more about what you've done on Instagram at TikTok. So Instagram, honestly. Instagram, I share a lot of other people's baby blowout videos and maybe just kind of comment on 'em like, oh God, you know, this is disgusting. They kind of laugh about it. I mm-hmm. Try to incorporate a lot of humor and try not to push my product on every single post.

And just kind of, you know, share blowouts and then every few will be like, okay, we're here to help with this, or add something about the product. TikTok, honestly, I dragged my feet on and I just got on there like maybe a month ago. Okay. But I've been. Doing good. I'm getting a lot of interaction on there.

Same thing, sharing videos and then just adding little inserts about we help with this, or, maybe we can't help with this, but you know, you need an exorcism for this one. Like, that's, [00:20:00] that's bad. But, um, just kind of trying to be funny and get like a little bit of interaction.

And then I've been blocked on TikTok shop just because, my. Baby certificate from the, what am I trying is.

Products that I have from the shipment that I've received is over a year old now. So TikTok won't accept the certificate no problem. Except I can't get on TikTok shop. That's okay. You don't have to right away. Okay. This is why I wanted to talk about this. TikTok is so let's stay on Instagram for a second.

Okay. So, with Instagram, I like what you're doing. I now understand a little bit more about your brand style, Kelly. So your brand style is, you're solving a problem for moms. You know, your mom, moms are your number one, right? Secondary, you know, tertiary is kind of like anyone that will buy this, right?

So, leaning into this kind of funny, quirky [00:21:00] vibe, I want you to continue to do that on Instagram, right? But keep in mind, with Instagram it's more, it's very visual, right? It's very visual. Whereas like TikTok, I mean, look, they're both engagement focused, right? But Instagram is the Mac daddy. It's been really heavy for about a decade now we know that, right?

It got real popular in 2016. We're in that. Era. Right? It's been 10 years now. So I would also think about it like aesthetically pleasing photography, which I know sounds kind of funny 'cause we're talking about blowouts for babies. But think about that for your product and maybe get to that point because that can be quite low cost to do.

'cause you can shoot it yourself. Get some really nice ring lighting. Use it as long as you're using a newer iPhone. You can mess with the settings. Do some visually fun things. , That's where I would go with Instagram. Okay. With TikTok, you don't have to get on TikTok shop. I want you to get on TikTok shop eventually.

, It won't be there eventually. Right, right, right, right. But I don't want you to wait, I don't want you to let this, you know, [00:22:00] manufacturer, you know, C Clause prohibit you from selling on there, and here's why. You don't have to. Okay? So you need to get to the point where you have enough followers. Where I don't, I haven't looked at your follower account on TikTok.

I apologize. I didn't realize you were on TikTok, but that's okay. Like I said, it's only been like a month. So follower account, you know, is small, but getting it's growing right? So I need you to get to the amount of followers where you can go live, okay? And this may challenge you as a business owner.

I don't think you're gonna be uncomfortable going live though, Kelly, because look, you're on my show. You've done all these other type of like shows and press and the entrepreneur block thing you did. Like I'm very familiar with those and so the power of TikTok live. I cannot stress it enough to people because you will find the way the algorithm works on TikTok that your people find you so much faster.

I am a TikTok junkie compared to the other socials, and I'm just kind of. This is what I use [00:23:00] this one for. This is what I use this one for. TikTok, live engagement. You cannot beat it. You cannot beat it. And what I want you to do once you get enough followers, I think it's a thousand that you have to, I was about to say, what would you suggest on that?

Okay. It's a thousand. So it's not me suggesting if it were up to me, I'd be like, you go live tonight, Kelly, and I'll see you there. You need about a thousand followers to be able to go live. I believe it's a thousand. You guys can fact check me on that, but I do believe it's a thousand. And then they open up the live for you.

Okay? It might be less now. So after we're done chatting today, I want you to go and anybody else listening to this, if you're selling a physical product, I want you to go and check and see, okay? Now, what I want you to do on that live is I don't want you to just sell, okay? I want you to create.

Audience, because you're not just creating a product, you're creating a culture. You're creating a brand, right? You're out to help your mission. If I get this correct, Kelly is to help moms and dads and anyone else out [00:24:00] there that are caring for babies prevent blowouts, right? I mean, that's what you're doing, right?

And you're doing it in a really stylish way. Like, I like your products. They're really cute, right? It's not. You don't just have like a black onesie that's like, you know, it's cute and it's fun and your brand is kind of like you're saying kind of comedy, kind of quirky. So I want you to lean into that because going live you can connect with moms and ask them, Hey moms, like, what are some things that you're struggling with?

Hey, this is what I struggled with as mom, and share with them and connect with them, because the key to TikTok lives. This is any live, you can do this on Instagram and other places as well. So if you wanna start on Instagram in the meantime, Kelly do that as well. Okay. I just don't, this is a anyone, not just you, Kelly, but anyone else.

Don't get discouraged with Instagram lives though, because they don't have as much traction as TikTok. But it's a good place to start because hey, if only a couple [00:25:00] people watch, like you're getting your muscles ready and like you're getting into it and like, I also don't want you to sell on there because that's not sales.

Everybody thinks they have to get on there and be like, here's my product, here's what it does. No, I want you to connect with the moms. I want you to tell them or them to tell you, Hey, this is what I'm struggling with. This is what I'm struggling with. And if you're listening to them and then you're like, yeah, well this is what I struggle with, so I made this product, they're gonna buy it from you.

Because the reality is we are all a little bit into ourselves, okay? We're, we wanna talk about ourselves, we want things to revolve around us. And so when someone is. Talking to us and creating an environment where we can share, especially as a mom who talks to kids all day long, right? Doesn't have anybody to listen to them all day long, as you know Kelly, right?

That builds connection and it builds [00:26:00] trust and in return is a sale. And you don't have to sit there and feel like, but you should buy my product. If your baby's having bullets you should buy. No. You're connecting with them and you're like, I have a solution for that. I have a solution for that. That's what's going to build brand awareness for you as well,

yeah, so the another thing to make sure in your Instagram profile and also in your TikTok profile, again, I think TikTok ISS a thousand, but Instagram, any number, you have a link to your website there. Mm-hmm. And I want you to make sure that there's not a ton of links in there. It's not 50 different links, it's just that link.

And I want to make sure that it the, when you send that link, the messy baby co.com link, it's going straight to the product. Okay. So it's not like on our About Us page or anything like that, you go straight to where they can purchase the product. Okay. 'cause another thing I will tell you is people will not dig around.

We have the attention span. A goldfish these days. Right. It's [00:27:00] like that. So they need, when you're talking to them, they need to be able to click it, purchase it, and keep it moving. Especially moms. Right. Okay. So those are the big things that I would, I would change. One more thing I would add to this too.

You've mentioned that you have connected with some micro influencers. I would keep doing it. Okay. I would keep doing it because another loophole for this is if you send a micro influencer, you say, Hey, I'm willing to send you one of these if you'll go live with me on TikTok live. Oh, okay. Okay. Because then you don't have to wait for a thousand followers and they will vouch for you.

Right. And maybe you send them too because you're like, Hey, if you're willing to go live with me, there's no other way to really guarantee that they're gonna push your product. Unless you say, Hey, if you'll get on a live with me, I'll send you, you know, this product. Or I don't know if you've even thought about doing some kind of affiliate program [00:28:00] for some micro influencers, but that's a fabulous, you're nodding, so I'm assuming you've, I'm looking into that right now.

Yeah. That's the only way they're gonna push your product. Yeah. Another thing I just again, wanna give my big opinion on, for you Kelly, and anyone listening to this. Sending a product to a micro influencer expecting them to post about it. It's gonna flo, it's gonna flop. And I Right. Okay, cat. Right.

Yes. Right. Okay. So look, it's not you. Everybody thinks if I send them my lipstick or my face cleanser or my messy baby coat, it's gonna, it's not. So you have to create incentive. And sometimes it's sending more than one. Like, Hey, I'll send you two. And also get your affiliate. Get their affiliate code up and say, if you'll go live with me, book the time.

Make that a part of the process. You're gonna see results, I promise you. Mm-hmm. I like that idea. Yeah. Okay. Hopefully that's helpful. Kelly, tell us where we can find little [00:29:00] nuggets for you to do, and then I want you to check in with us and tell us how it's going. Of course, we have our, you know, our Facebook group that we're growing and things like that, so stay in touch with us.

But Kelly, tell us again where we can find your incredible product because we have lots of moms that listen to the show. Okay, so you can definitely find it on our website@messybabyco.com. And then we're also on amazon and walmart.com. Which again is fabulous. You know, you can link that as well. But of course, me being an entrepreneur myself, go to her website and purchase directly from her because yes, please, you'll support Kelly a lot more.

Kelly, I hope you enjoyed this. Thank you so much. And thank you for sharing your product with us. This is such a cool thing you've done. Thank you, me in for all of your advice. I really appreciate it. Yeah, my pleasure. And thank you guys so much for listening to the MaYapinion FPodcast. We'll see you back here in our next episode.