The Kush Report

 

 Breast Support Made in the USA [10:33m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

We are very grateful for the response that Kush Support has received this summer.  The exposure from our YouTube videos and coverage from radio stations, bloggers and magazines has contributed to a soaring volume of traffic, and customers looking for a breast support sleep aid.

It has also provided some tremendous customer feedback regarding the product, ranging from excitement that the product works so effectively  “they have really put some work into the design – you wouldn’t be able to see it on the website but when you use it you can tell” (from BreastImplants411.com), to questions regarding the cost.

Today on The Kush Report, Cathinka answers the questions regarding cost and her decision to reduce the price based upon an analysis and recommendations from a consultant. Based upon all of the input, the price of a Kush Support is now a flat $24.99 for all sizes.

The consultant conducted a review of the manufacturing costs beyond the mold and handwork necessary to present a “boutique” brand experience, and made the recommendation that the merchandise production move to China. Cathinka immediately dismissed this idea, as she insisted that the manufacturing team that was involved in the R&D from the outset continue to manufacture the product.  She is committed to a product that is Made in the U.S.A.

She was however able to reduce some costs in the process so that she could pass on the savings to her customers.

The decision to offer flat pricing came based upon the analogy that no matter the cup size when shopping for bras, there is only one price. This should make the buying process much simpler with the only concern being the correct size for your cup size or particular circumstance.

We want to thank those who took the time to email the company expressing their concerns, and want to let them know that we listened and are responding.

Thanks.

Cathinka and her husband are heading to the Playboy Mansion next week for the Hot Summer Nights party and we will be attempting to record a podcast from the property.  So tune in to see what fun and excitement takes place!

You can subscribe to The Kush Report Podcast directly from ITunes by following this link, and we would be happy to receive listener feedback and ratings at The ITunes Store.

 

 A Stylists Eye [13:36m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

We are joined on The Kush Report today by the photo stylist, Mireille Seger.  Mireille was on the set during each of the photo and video shoots Cathinka has conducted.  The photoshoots helped to create the excellent quality sales materials and web sites for presentation of the Kush Support product.

Starting out her career as a hair and makeup stylist, on the set she is now responsible for making sure that the models and the background of the photo look like the vision that the photographer and the client has in mind. She will look through the lens as well to get a sense of the photographer’s field of view.

During the Kush Support shoots, she felt that the atmosphere was very relaxing since the models were actually lying on a bed the entire time!  The challenge however was to keep the model’s hair and makeup looking good, without jeopardizing the intention of portraying the product as a night time sleep accessory.  As Mireille mentions, “we can’t have someone looking like they are going out to a club lying in the bed”.

Mireille will assist in choosing the appropriate wardrobe, props and accessories in the shoot such as nightgowns, teddies, linens and bedsheets in the Kush photoshoots. The challenge with these selections is to make sure that the product is the focus of the viewer and not distracted by the surroundings.

One distinction for Mireille during the setup for the photoshoots versus the video setup was concerns about the eye makeup. The models were depicting sleep during the photography, whereas during the live footage the entire prepping for bed process was displayed.

Another shot will be scheduled to include the new colors that have been added to the line including pastel pink, blue, green and purple.

Mireille can be reach at her email address mseger@carolina.rr(dot)com

 

 Kush Support Photography [17:21m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

We are joined today on The Kush Report podcast by Charlotte based photographer Angus Lamond, considered the Official Photographer of Kush Supports. Angus is originally from England, and is now based in the U.S., shooting for numerous advertising, public relations and marketing agencies.  All of the photography that you see on this site can be credited to Angus.

Angus has been with Kush Supports from the inception of the brand, and has been instrumental in developing the graphic appeal of the product, web site and collateral materials.

Cathinka credits Angus’s ability to create a relaxed atmosphere, putting the models at ease, for ensuring a great photoshoot with exceptional results. A Kush Support is a breast sleep support and it takes considerable people skills from the photographer to gain the trust of the models to attain the perfect shots. If someone is tense before a camera it will be noticed quickly, whereas someone who is relaxed will take great photos.

Angus speaks to the fact that the style of photography for Kush Support has changed over time from the initial shots which were more of a “sexy” variety to the current “spa” elements that are in use today.  The background colors, lighting, and props changed the scene to achieve the more realistic representation of the product. It was determined that the Kush Support has features and benefits that are more related to health and wellness, so the direction of how the brand was represented changed accordingly.

As the additions to the product line are rolled out in the near future, bringing more pastel colors into the Kush Support options, Angus will once again be called upon to visually present these varieties.

The introduction of photoshop software into the photography process has provided the ability to radically change the end results of the shoot.  However Angus believes that a product shot in particular must remain true to reality or there will be a negative response from a customer who does not recieve the product they expected.  He will look to fix minor blemishes on a product or correct some colors, but not much more than that in a product shot.

To view more of his work or to contact Angus directly, you can click on this link to his web site Angus Lamond Photography

 

 Building A Kush Community [17:28m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

We’ve had a long break between editions of The Kush Report over the holidays, so we get to kick things off immediately by letting everyone know that the newly designed web site has launched at www.kushsupport.com!

The site has been redesigned to help customers through the process of purchasing a Kush Support by explaining product attributes more concisely, as well as making the entire transaction easier to complete.

From our marketing perspective we will be able to monitor results through Google Analytics so we can get a clearer understanding of our customers, and can target the best locations to position our marketing message to reach our target audience.

A key element of our initiatives for 2009 revolves around getting peer to peer endorsement regarding the benefits of using a Kush Support. A customer testimonial has now become the most significant way to provide relevancy, authenticity, and for the sake of business to “close a sale”, taking it out of the hands of the company copywriters. It is a crucial tenant of social media marketing to initiate a conversation about your product and allow it to flourish.

We believe that the uniqueness of the Kush Support product makes it even more important to engage users, so that others can benefit by hearing their perspective. However, we also have concerns that the private nature of the product benefits, including prevention of cleavage wrinkles and shoulder and neck pain relief via supporting the breasts at night, might be a subject that women will feel uncomfortable publicly proclaiming on a web site.

We understand the hesitancy, but hope that if you are a Kush Support user there is some way that you can share your insights with others so that they too can benefit from buying the product.

As a way to reach out to current or potential users of Kush we have set up some social networking sites, in conjunction with the comment sections after each post on The Kush Report, to allow for community building and sharing.

If you are on Facebook please become a Friend on our the Kush Support Fan Page … and we have a new community page built on the Ning platform at Kushsupport.Ning.Com.

Cathinka continues to get kudos from those that she speaks with, giving her the compliment that she will be the next Sara Blakely, inventor of the Spanx shaping hose. Let’s hope so!

An additional course of action to take this year is to insert Kush Support into the conversation regarding the identification of when the need for the product actually exists. Do you have neck and shoulder pain?  Have you noticed cleavage wrinkles?

Please let us know in the comments section how your use of the Kush Support has been, or join us on Facebook or at Ning.

We look forward to hearing from you!

 

 Entrepreneurial Confidence [9:34m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Kush Co. CEO, Founder and Inventor of The Kush Support, Cathinka Chandler was fortunate in the initial stages of bringing the product to market. We address the issue of being a female entrepreneur and inventor versus a male entrepreneur and inventor.

Cathinka believes that she did not have to face any hurdles in the process simply because she is a female.  Although there were issues to be overcome, she got the same respect from the engineers and partners because she ensured that there was a personal, trusting relationship established in the early stages.

One potential factor that she brings up is the fact that she is six feet tall, and when wearing heels tends to be much taller than many people in the room .. as some studies have shown, people of authority who are taller tend to be perceived differently than shorter people.

In the end, Cathinka’s philosophy is that the most important element for success is the establishment of goals and measuring them along the way, have confidence in your idea and direction, and in the end the hurdles will be able to be overcome by sheer determination.

You can follow Cathinka on Twitter

Or Friend her on her Facebook Page

 

 Zip to The Girls Next Door [15:09m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Cathinka has returned from a great trip to Costa Rica where she was able to partake in the local cuisine, have some romantic time with Jim … and embark on some of the great adventure experiences that can be found there.

And … They saw three rainbows while they were there!

In today’s episode we talk about the new campaign that we are about to launch .. An Open Letter to The Girls Next Door. At a lunch a few weeks ago we were just chatting and the idea came to us that the three women of the show Bridget, Kendra and Holly are perfect examples of the different types of women who would benefit by using a Kush Support.  Holly and Kendra have breast implants while Bridget has natural breasts, so each of them will see the benefit of sleeping with a Kush, and the relief from stress it can provide.

Cathinka also points out that in the line of work that they are in, where beauty and skin tone is very visible, the Kush Support will also prevent cleavage wrinkles.

As this idea started to take root, the guys in the wareshouse at Kush Supports started to really get excited about the idea because they are big fans of the Girls.  So we have enlisted their help to start getting the word out!

All we are looking for is to have the Girls try the product and send the warehouse a photo using the product.

Come On Girls Next Door .. Please contact us at info@kushsupport.com so that we can send you your very own Kush Support to try!

 

 Video Reconsideration Please [13:08m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Our post election and post Breast Cancer Awareness Month podcast finds Kush Co. LLC founder and CEO Cathinka Chandler having voted in her second election as a US Citizen! It was only four years ago that she gained her dual Dutch and US citizenship … and began participating in our democratic process.

Although the Breast Cancer Awareness Month has passed, we are still strongly in support of raising awareness and funds for the fight, but we thought we would turn our attentions back to the challenges that face a new product in the marketplace. We have the particular challenge of trying to promote a product that has a lack of awareness regarding the type of product that it is.

We produced a new video ad with the intention of targeting the very specific market of women who have had breast augmentations.  The ad shows in a very tasteful way how the product is used, features a testimonial from an actual user of the product and we believe speaks to the benefits of support, comfort, and stress relief to the user. The ad can be seen in the left hand column of the blog or on YouTube.

Upon submitting the video to Google, and choosing the content network placements that we felt were most appropriate for the types of customers we are looking to contact … a rejection notice came for both the initial submission and a request for reconsideration.

The rejection was based upon the editorial guidelines that placed it into a category of sexually themed content.  Viewing the video and recognizing the medical benefits of the product, combined with the fact that we are picking very specific types of sites for the ad to appear, thought this would overcome this particular obstacle.

Tell us what you think!  View the video and leave a response in the episode comment section of the site.  Are we representing the product well and in a tasteful manner?  We would love to have your comments.

 

 The Southern Womens Show [21:42m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Cathinka has returned from her efforts at The Southern Women’s Show in Charlotte.  The retail show provides the opportunity to showcase products specifically targeted towards women and allows the 15,000 to 16,000 attendees to make purchases directly at the booth.

The show attracted some celebrities including Andie McDowell plus some special appearances at the Kush Support booth from Miss United States Brittany Williams, and Mrs. America from the State of North Carolina Maureen MacDonald

Both pageant queens represented their organizations extremely well, and we were excited to have them appear in the booth.

We’re waiting to see the news segment that was recorded by the Charlotte Fox Affiliate who shot some video of the booth and Cathinka in action speaking with customers.  We hope to be able to link to the site when they have posted the video.

Any local women who are interested in receiving the show discount can indicate that they were at the Southern Women’s Show, and pick the product up at the offices:

1508 E. 4th Street
Charlotte, NC 28204

1.888.OWN KUSH

Emmy Awards creative has been posted to Shareasale looking to invite more affiliates to participate in the Kush Program.  We’ve seen some new signups since announcing the program, and hope to see additional growth as a revenue sharing source for the many bloggers who are targeting women audiences.

Kush is very proud to announce our latest partnership opportunity in joining with Lamaze International, appearing in the Educator Manuals that are sent out to the 5,500 Lamaze Childbirth Educators in the US.

Once the agreement goes into affect on December 1st we will be able to reflect the relationship in full force on the web site.

To subscribe to this podcast you can visit the ITunes Store and search under Podcasts for The Kush Report.

 

 The Kush Report - Salmon River Run [22:03m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

We’re back in the saddle again after some very MAJOR life events following the birth of Joe’s baby girl Lily born on August 17th. After a small bit of time off we get back to our weekly recording and conversation about Kush Support product and marketing tactics.

Cathinka in the meantime has continued her adventurous ways with a trip out to the middle fork of The Salmon River for a fishing, rafting, and camping experience. She and her husband Jim started out with a stay at the Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch prior to heading out on the river with Jerry Hughes River Expeditions.

Although the fishing was excellent with rainbow trout on the line, the expedition follows catch & release practices, so the food travels with the raft guides (except for the exceptional wines Jim had flown in!).  Since Cathinka follows a Dietary Engineering regimen outlined by Sari Mellman in Miami Florida she had some special food prepared around the campfire at night.

On their way to the put in, a small engine plane flight had nervous flyer Cathinka reaching for Jim’s hand as well as her newest friend Ralph in the seat beside her.  However, the most calming aspect of the flight was when she looked out the window and saw a Rainbow just for her!

Big Sky Country lived up to its nickname, especially at night as the stars were out in full force without the light pollution found in other areas of the country.

From a business perspective, having these types of adventures is rejuvenating for Cathinka where getting away from the phones, emails, and typical distraction helps her to fully focusing on the day to day aspects of running a company upon her return to the office.

Next trip hopefully … The Colorado River!

Some big news happened during our little hiatus regarding a promotion for Kush Supports and an invitation to be included an Emmy Award Gift Bags distributed on September 18th and 19th!

A new bag and insert was prepared so that the celebrities who receive the gift bag will equate the Kush Support with sleep comfort and breast support, particularly for augmented women. This dream opportunity is a perfect placement for introducing the product to the particular target demographic of women who have had breast augmentation.

Also, a trade show appearance at The Southern Women’s Show in Charlotte is scheduled for September 18th through the 21st.

Finally this week, we are trying to increase the marketing assets that we have in the files so a photoshoot with a new Kush model is taking place and will include video and still shots set in softly lit, bedroom settings.  We will also be speaking with an actual Kush user so that we can capture testimonial video particularly about the pain relief that she experienced after she started using a Kush.

 

 The Kush Report - Homemade Remedies [19:40m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In this first episode after the launch of the official home of The Kush Report podcast, Cathinka and Joe touch on a number of specific topics concerning retailers and consumer customers of Kush Supports.

Show Notes:

Kush Co. personnel were focused this last week on the followup to The Curve Expo.  Customer service is at the top of the list as far as company principles, and Cathinka wanted to make sure that anyone who had expressed interest during the show were promptly send information and samples.

There is a display unit that is available to the retail channel as a best practice for presenting the product, and it was discussed that future iterations of the web site include a specific segment addressing retail & wholesale support.

Many web site discussion boards and direct communication with the public indicate that consumers might attempt to come up with their own Homemade Remedy for achieving the comfort and support that a Kush would.  It was discussed that a ball of socks will not maintain shape, will not stay in place, nor will it provide the amount of breast support necessary to eleviate neck and shoulder pain associated with augmentation and side sleeping.

The market awareness challenge is a big initiative at this stage.  Consumers may not actually be aware of the symptoms that they are experiencing without the use of a Kush Support, so they aren’t looking for the simple solution that purchasing a Kush can provide.  The marketing effort is geared towards exposing the brand and educating the marketplace about the product.

The Google Adwords campaign has been adjusted to reflect the discovery that search placements are not generating enough impressions. Joe discusses the difference between paid search and the content network approach.