What Running a Product-Based Business Taught Me About Marketing
Before Room 4 Marketing, there was the shop, the brand, West Stanton. For nine years I ran a trendy children’s store, both bricks-and-mortar and online. Although I had worked in PR & Marketing in my career before having the kids, it was this business that taught me just about everything I know about what it really takes for a small business to market a product and brand - not the theory, but the messy, real-life version where you’re juggling stock deliveries, customer questions and trying to get an Instagram post out before school pick-up. It was full of highs, lows, and more than a few hard-won lessons, but I wouldn’t swap that experience for the world. It gave me a unique grounding that I now use every single day with my clients.
One of the first lessons I learnt was the power of consistency. It’s tempting when you’re busy to let marketing slip to the bottom of the list, but showing up regularly is what really builds trust. That doesn’t mean being everywhere, all the time - it means choosing the right channels and committing to them. For me back then, that looked like showing my face on stories every day and sending emails even on the weeks I felt too tired, too puffy and too stressed. Customers notice when you’re there, and they notice when you’re not. Consistency compounds, and over time those small efforts build a loyal and invested following.
The second big thing? Know your customer better than anyone. I don’t just mean their age, gender or postcode, but what makes them tick. What do they care about? What keeps them up at night? When I was selling kiddie gear, I knew my customers wanted quality, durability and something a bit different to the high street - but I also knew they wanted it wrapped up with friendly service and a sense of community. What I found really different from having my own business and running the marketing for HUGE businesses (we are talking ££££££ of turnover) is that in the big business, we were guessing our customers. We went with what we thought we knew, not what we actually knew. We would pay companies to try and work it out for us, but it’s not the same as knowing them, personally. The better you understand your customer, the more confident you can be in what you’re offering. That confidence shows up in your messaging, your sales conversations, and even in how you price your products.
Small changes make a huge difference, too. Updating product descriptions to answer the exact questions customers were asking, improving photography, or tweaking the way I spoke about an offer often had more impact than grand new marketing plans. Sometimes the smallest adjustments are the ones that shift the dial.
Community and repeat customers were my lifeline, and if you’re a product business too, I guarantee they are yours too. It’s easy to get caught up chasing new buyers (hello META ads), but looking after the people who already trust you is not only more rewarding, it’s better for your bottom line. During Covid, when online orders went through the roof, I was grateful for the community I’d built. Our living room turned into what I jokingly called “the fort” - a wall of boxes stacked high as we packed orders late into the night while the kids thought it was the best playground ever. It was chaos, but it was also a reminder of how powerful word-of-mouth and loyalty can be. Customers came back again and again because they trusted the brand and felt part of the journey.
And then there’s the less glamorous but absolutely essential lesson: cash flow. Nothing tests your patience quite like waiting for suppliers to deliver while balancing bills and predicting sales. Marketing is important, but it doesn’t work in isolation — you have to keep an eye on the numbers, plan ahead, and make sure the money keeps moving. That discipline has shaped the way I work now, always balancing creativity with practicality.
Running that business for nine years gave me an insider’s perspective that no textbook could teach. It showed me that marketing is about more than clever campaigns - it’s about consistency, confidence, and community. It’s about connecting with people, looking after them, and building something sustainable. Those lessons are at the heart of how I now help other business owners with their marketing, because I know firsthand how hard it can be — and how much difference the right approach can make.