This blog post is officially number 200! To celebrate I am listing a few of my personal favorites from the past few years. Thanks for being out there and taking the time to read the Aromahead Blog.

•  5 Great Ways to Use Hydrosols
• Ecomaat Distillery in Bulgaria
• Make Your Own Natural Skin Cleansing Pads
• Solid Natural Perfumes
• The Wonders of Bergamot! (Italy in a Bottle)

To share any of these posts on your facebook page or via Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn, just click the icon on the left side of this page. Thanks for sharing! *

*If your using a bookmark for this blog you may not see the icons on the left. To resolve this, search for the Aromahead blog via Google and update your bookmark.

Seeing successful Aromatherapy businesses brings me great pleasure. I believe in the healing potential of essential oils and I love seeing businesses promoting all their varied uses -  house cleaning and skin care as well as emotional and physical well being.

So for those of you out there growing your Aromatherapy businesses, I hope some of these tips are useful.

• Retail: what are your best selling products? Can you create an additional, similar product with a twist? For example, if your lip balm sells really well, can you add a lip gloss, 1 new flavor and a larger size? Remember to describe the differences between the products: the lip gloss for a special evening out, or the larger size lip balm for the winter months.
• Social networking: it is surprisingly easy to set up your own youtube channel and create short educational videos. I am amazed at how many people tell me they found our Aromahead Institute classes through one of my little videos.
• Photos: can marketing your business really be as simple as taking photographs? There are several excellent, free sites to organize and store your photos. Aromahead Institute uses Flickr. When I ask in classes how the students heard about Aromahead Institute, there are always a handful that say “I saw your pictures and I just knew this was the right place for me”. So much can be communicated about your business through your photos!
• Inspiration: have you considered asking your friends on facebook for suggestions on how to grow your business? Or another more relevant question? Some of the best and most generous advice I have received has been in response to a question I asked on facebook.

Please feel free to post a business tip in the comments section below, or ask a business question.  

I just started using Google’s new social platform Google+. 

Want to set up your profile? Here are some key features  and directions for this new social network.

Create Your Circles

You will see five icons on the top navigation – Home, Photos, Profile, Circles and Games. If you click on circles all of your contacts in Gmail are listed in a panel on top of the screen and the “groups” Google has created for you are listed below. You can delete any of them and create your own. The advantage is you can see the streams for each group individually.

To add a contact to a circle, drag from the top of the list to the appropriate group. Contacts can be added to multiple circles.

Now that you have set up your circles, head back to the Home page. Below your profile picture you will see the choices of stream. You can view your entire stream at once (like Facebook) or by particular circle, the choice is yours.

Incoming and Notifications

Clicking incoming will bring you to messages that have been sent by people outside of your circles.
Notifications will show you when people in your circles have commented on something you posted, or something you commented on.

The Chat

Look at the left-hand, bottom portion of the screen. You can use the chat for specific circles.

Posting

A status update functions are all present – photos, links, video and location – but when you hit “share” it doesn’t automatically post your message to everybody in your circles. You have the option to decide which circles your update is posted to. This allows for privacy.

One cool feature that Google Plus offers is called bumping. Conversations will move back to the top of your feed when comments are made on a thread. Every time a comment is made on a thread, that thread will come back to the top of the stream.  This is great for ongoing conversations.

Photos

It took me awhile to figure this out. I kept trying to add a photo to my stream and it kept failing. First you have to go to your profile and click on photos. Click upload new photos. Set up an album and name it.  Now when you start a new message in your stream you will be able to add a photo to that message.

Hangouts

Hangouts is an area where your circles or a group of friends can video chat all on one screen. To start a Hangout, go to the “Welcome” button in the home tab. It will prompt you to start a hangout and invite individuals or entire circles. Up to 10 people can be in a hangout at once and it will be seen in that circle or user’s stream.

For more information on Google+ there is a good guide on Mashable.

Below is an interview with KC Rossi, the founder and owner of Heart Blossom Essentials, a wonderful web store selling handmade, holistic Aromatherapy products!

What inspired you to start Heart Blossoms?
Heart Blossom Essentials was inspired by my sheer excitement with the plant world.  Through the years, my curiosity for “all things green” has grown, and in that, so has my respect for the healing nature of plants and their essential oils.  Heart Blossom gives me a platform to share and offer a line for others to experience the wide array of their benefits.

What are some of your personal favorite products?
I really love the System Support Mind/Body Healing oil.  It is a combination of some of my favorite essential oils; including Rosewood (Aniba rosaeodora), Cardamom (Ellettaria cardamomum) and Frankincense (Boswellia carteri). It is so nourishing and deeply comforting.

A second, current favorite, is the French Lavender Hydrosol.  I carry the 1 oz. mister with me at all times.  It is the perfect, all purpose “catch all” remedy- from a quick, face hydrator, to a room mist, cut & burn soother, hair freshener…the list is endless.

Do you have any advice for people who are just beginning to create essential oil product lines?
I think the best advice for a start up essential oil line is to begin with maybe 3 or 4 of your favorite blends, and go from there.  Stay flexible, have friends and family be your loyal testers, listen to feedback, and give free samples! It’s all about relationship, trust, and quality essential oils.

Tell us more about your cleaning products.
The “Clean Me Up, Scotty!” line is a collection of the very best, all natural household cleaners. The biodegradable products consist of a Multi-purpose, Eco-friendly Household Cleaner & a Micro-abrasive Household Scrub.  With these two items you can sparkle up your house from top to bottom. (Yes! including windows!)

Also, with the addition of the Citrus & Lavender Laundry Powder, you can feel comfortable that all your cleaning needs can be met with safe, non-toxic, and chemical free ingredients.

How have the products you make influenced your life and health?
I have a sensitive system. Delicate skin, with reactions to standard product chemicals, fragrances and home cleaners.  The Heart Blossom products have given me allergy freedom, which is a great joy.

Since the addition of creating a line, I have replaced every commercial product from my medicine cabinet, cleaning closet and body care regime.  I used to be a “product junkie” and now I still can be, and have the confidence of knowing the purity & effectiveness of every ingredient.

Visit Heart Blossom Essentials to support a fabulous handmade aromatherapy business!

About a year ago I wrote a blog post on a business called 1password. I am amazed at how many times I go to log in to a website and have forgotten my user name or password. Now that I have developed and manage several websites and databases with students and customers, I notice how frequently people request their password or have trouble logging in.

If you want a very secure place to easily store and organize all your passwords (and more, like your credit card numbers) I highly recommend you read this blog post and check out 1Password.

There is so much information available now on Social Media and how to use it for your business. I wrote a post last year that gives an overview of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Youtube. I have such fun with all these tools, I thought it might be helpful to give you a link back to this post. Please add your contact information in the comments so we can all connect!

Aromahead Institute recently launched a new Component Database, a subscription-based online tool for researching essential oil components and their therapeutic actions.

A subscription to the component database gives you access to exclusive datasheets compiled by Andrea Butje and Robert Tisserand. Each datasheet includes a molecular structure illustration, chemical family, therapeutic properties, medical actions, safety concerns, notes and detailed references.

http://components.aromahead.com/

Feel free to visit the database website to see the list of which components are included. The site tour is a great way to get acquainted with it.

We have set up an affiliate program for the database. Adding an affiliate link to the database on your website provides an opportunity for you to generate some extra income. As an affiliate you will receive a $25 commission for every subscription sold through a text link or banner on your website.

I am excited about the affiliate link, and if you would like to participate follow this link to sign up! I will approve your affiliate request, and then you (or your web designer) can easily copy the code needed to embed the banner or link on your website.

Each of these social media tools can be a wonderful addition to your business. Here is an overview of each tool.

Facebook

Facebook is a free social network. You can register for a personal account, make your profile, and make connections with people you know or would like to be connected with. A Facebook account allows you to post brief status updates (basically what you’re doing or thinking at that moment) as well as pictures, videos, links and blog posts.  As you grow accustomed to the site, you can send your Facebook updates to LinkedIn or Twitter.

You can create a business page (called a fan page) to share all kinds of information about your business. This is a great platform for sharing free information that will inspire people and  offer them direct actionable information (like a great oil recipe or book/blog post on the oils that you loved). You can establish yourself on your business’s fan page page, allowing people to get to know you, what you have to offer and potentially connect with your business. Think of it as free advertising.  People follow your fan page by clicking a simple button that means they “like” it.

Facebook is also a great way to introduce people to your blog. You can automatically publish your blog posts as part of your Facebook profile. People will see the beginning of your post and be able to link to it if they want to read more. To do this, you will need to visit the Facebook Apps area and install an app called Networked Blogs.

You can also pay for ads on Facebook. I have done this a few times with ads for classes at Aromahead Institute and felt it was beneficial.

Click to visit and “like” Aromahead on Facebook.

Twitter

Twitter invites users to share what they’re doing and thinking in small updates of 140 characters or less.  As the platform has grown, it’s often become a breaking news source as individuals post real-time updates on current events.  You can update Twitter from your computer or from any text-enabled mobile phone.

Twitter’s population is very diverse, and includes individual and business accounts.  Updates often include links to videos, pictures or websites.  Many accounts use lists to organize followers.  Twitter lists are a great way to find people interested in health, essential oils or just about anything you can think of.  If you’re new to Twitter, think of it as a “status update only” version of Facebook.

Click to see the Aromahead Twitter page.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is also a free social network with a reputation for being a good site for career and job networking. You can only view a LinkedIn member’s profile if you are connected to them. You connect via invitation.

You create a complete LinkedIn profile and include your businesses or work history, education, website and blogs. Most users include a brief biography and work experience. LinkedIn can be thought of as an interactive digital resume. I use it as a great way to meet other people in our profession. I have met many distillers and other essential oils educators and web store owners from LinkedIn. I have found it incredibly useful.

You can also join groups. I belong to 15 different groups, most of them essential oil related. I comment on some discussions, read lots of them as a silent observer, and sometimes create discussions. I enjoy this style of connecting with people.

Visit my profile on LinkedIn.

YouTube

YouTube is a free video hosting platform currently owned by Google. It is a wonderful place to view videos and upload your own video content. You can create your own channel to broadcast your videos to people who choose to subscribe to you. I created one for Aromahead Institute called Trust Your Source

Click to visit Aromahead Institute’s YouTube channel

I was surprised at how easy it was to make videos and upload them. You can use a variety of cameras to record videos.  Many laptops have a built-in camera that can record video.  I use a small hand-held camera called The Flip.

YouTube describes themselves as, “The world’s most popular online video community, allowing millions of people to discover, watch and share originally-created videos. YouTube provides a forum for people to connect, inform, and inspire others across the globe and acts as a distribution platform for original content creators and advertisers large and small.”

I have had such fun with all these tools, I hope you do as well! If you have a Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn account, please feel free to list them in  a comment below, we would love to visit. if you have a YouTube channel, please share the link so we can watch your videos!

Blogging is a journey! While I sit here at my computer, in serious contemplation,  I try to imagine how I can connect with you through writing. What can I write that will support your learning about essential oils? How can my blog posts actually change and grow your business and/or personal life? Can I find ways to express myself that will be both engaging and actionable?

When you finish reading an Aromahead Institute blog post I want you have a new idea or new information that will actually mean something to you.

I love blogging. When I write, I imagine you on the other end reading the post. I feel the connection with you out there on the World Wide Web! I actually feel as if I have spent time with you while I write, especially those of you who comment! I think of the people who comment when I write new posts, and I consider your comments on my future blog posts.

When I started writing this blog I wondered if  I could possibly feel connected via the Internet, by writing. I was surprised to find that I do feel connected. I have made new friends, learned from your ideas, recipes and thoughts.

I value your feedback.  Can you help me shape the way I connect with you at the Aromahead Blog?

• What do you enjoy reading about?
• What do you want to hear more about?
• What makes you look forward to reading each new Aromahead blog post?
• Do you prefer certain types of posts to others?

Thank you for being on the other end of these words, and thank you for taking the time to comment!

The 1 Password website starts out by asking “Have you ever forgotten a password?”

Of course that grabs my attention as I am on the Internet all the time, and as we all know, passwords can be ridiculously annoying!

“1Password is a password manager that goes beyond simple password storage by integrating directly with your web browser to automatically log you into websites, fill checkout details pages, and easily generate strong passwords. All your confidential information, including passwords, identities, and credit cards, is kept in one secure place, protected by the only password you will need to remember.” It costs $40.

I signed up for their free trial and I was sold within a few days. There is just no going back. I use it daily. One of the really cool features is that when I log on to a new website and enter password information, 1 password pops up and asks me if I want to save the log in information. It’s like having a virtual assistant! I think I am in love. We might have to have a ceremony and invite every website I have ever logged in to.