This week on the show Karen is looking at the importance of running a pilot launch of your product. Launching your product with a full scale production into the market without knowing what to expect can be disastrous. But, Karen is here to help you avoid this major pitfall by sharing her 7 top tips on how to orchestrate a successful pilot and get your launch right the first time. From market research to understanding your goal to finding your ideal customer, it’s all covered in this episode so that you can hit the ground running.  KEY TAKEAWAYS The world of perfume marketing has changed. Brands no longer need to advertise in prestigious magazines, you can be successful just by using tiktok. But there are things to consider with this approach, which Karen explains.  Karen talks about how understanding what you want out of life, and not just within the confines of your perfume business, will help you to create a clear definition of success and, in turn, a tangible goal to work toward.  Having a strong understanding of costs is crucial to success. But this isn’t just about how much you charge for your product, it’s about what you're spending too. As Karen explains, the beauty of a pilot launch is that you can create small batches to test costing on various items so you can find that sweet spot.  Karen talks about the importance of creating a potential market for your product before your launch and how the creation of ‘waiting list’ is an invaluable tool to help you do this.  BEST MOMENTS  “The perfume market is vast. To stand out, it’s not just about having a great product, it’s about understanding your audience and understanding there's a demand for your unique scent.” “Do you know who you're really trying to sell to? It’s so important to identify your dream customer.” “A small scale launch can act as a test to gather customer feedback without the full financial risk of a large inventory.”   EPISODE LINK Karen’s Business Launch Plan VALUABLE RESOURCES Getting Started Guide Artisan Perfumery Mastermind   ABOUT THE HOST Fragrance expert, author, teacher and speaker; Karen Gilbert runs courses in the UK and online which demystify the secretive world of perfumery in a fun and interactive way.  Karen has inspired thousands of students to explore their olfactory sense and create their own personalised fragrances. With extensive product development experience in both the commercial perfumery and the organic skincare industry, Karen is able to offer a unique insight into creating natural and mixed media fragrances for fine fragrance, room scents and skincare/bodycare products using commercial perfumery techniques. Karen is also a certified meditation teacher and has a passion for helping people to create daily rituals that integrate scent with other modalities to shift state and increase your sense of wellbeing. CONTACT DETAILS Website Instagram Facebook YouTube Email