Made with Love is an online cosmetics store, offering beauty products made with 100% natural, raw and vegan ingredients. The company was founded by Leigh-Anne Morrell whilst she was pregnant with her first child, as she became increasingly conscious of the chemicals and additives in shop-bought beauty products. Not satisfied with the lack of natural beauty products in the market, Leigh-Ann set about making her own. She launched Made with Love and from day one the business has gone from strength to strength. We caught up with Leigh-Anne, and asked her to share some of her top tips for growing a successful business:
PayPal (PP): What has been your greatest success?
Leigh-Anne Morell (LAM): Lots of my products are well-received by customers but my Natural Beard Care product gets especially good reviews, with one customer claiming it helped him attract the ladies! I love hearing that people are enjoying my products and I’m proud of the rave reviews they’ve received from all over the world.
PP: What is the greatest challenge you faced in setting up your business and how did you overcome it?
LAM: The greatest challenge I found was attracting web traffic and securing sales directly through my website. The cost of online advertising and SEO in the early days of my business were just prohibitive. This is why online markets such as Ebay and Etsy are invaluable for start-ups. I found that often customers who purchased one of my products through Ebay would then return and buy directly through my website. Once I recognised this, I encouraged buyers to make their next purchase through my website by offering a 10% discount voucher with all Ebay and Etsy orders. I’ve also found using social media sites (such as Twitter and Facebook) and running a
blog integral to attracting customers directly to our website.
PP: What advice would you give to other small businesses and those thinking of taking the plunge and creating a start-up?
LAM: The most important advice I can offer other small businesses is to provide great customer service. Online reviews can make or break you, so even if a refund or replacement doesn’t seem necessary, it is generally worth going above and beyond a customer’s expectations. In fact, many buyers have expressed surprise at how I have dealt with even the smallest of complaints. Ultimately, this has led to a host of positive online reviews which have been crucial in building a successful business.
Like my products, I took a very organic approach to the growth of my business and I think that has helped me not to take on too much too soon. When you’re setting up a business, it’s easy to become overwhelmed, so take steps to make sure you’re not overdoing it. I started by just working on Made with Love in the evenings, and as it’s grown I’ve been able to give up my day job to focus entirely on the business.
PP: How did you start working with PayPal?
LAM: I’ve been using PayPal as a consumer for over 10 years, so it seemed a natural choice for online payments when I started my own business. As a shopper, I relied on PayPal for convenience and security, and I would often not complete an online check-out process if they did not offer PayPal, as it seemed a hassle to have to fill in all of my card details. My business is primarily online and the check-out procedure is crucial so when I was setting up Made with Love, providing my customers with a fast, efficient, secure way to pay was a top priority.
PP: Has PayPal helped your business?
LAM: I’ve found that offering PayPal increases sales, as customers are more inclined to make a purchase if there is a quick and secure way to pay. I certainly found that as a customer I was more inclined to buy if I saw the PayPal symbol!