Holiday Sales Slump
Lawrence says November and December are important months for her business, but this year sales were down between 10 and 20 percent compared to last year.
“In a one-month span between Black Friday and Christmas Eve, that is a make-or-break month for every small business,” Lawrence said. “It was looking slow so I said, ‘ok, what can I do?’”
Feeling the pressure, she decided to post a message on Facebook about the reality of running a small business.
“It’s really easy to have imposter syndrome and people think that you are doing well or you are keeping it all together,” Lawrence said. “Social media makes you look like that, and I just wanted to be honest about where I was struggling.”
Social Media Post Brings Customers Back
Lawrence says the response was immediate.
Customers, many of them first-time shoppers, began visiting the store after seeing the post shared beyond her usual audience.
“It wasn’t until I made that post that we started to see an incline,” Lawrence said. “People were coming in and saying, ‘I saw your post. I didn’t know about you.’”
She says the support extended beyond Magnolia Soap, bringing attention to other local small businesses facing similar challenges.
Owner Sees Shift in Buying Patterns
As sales declined, Lawrence began questioning what had changed.
She says foot traffic has dropped significantly over the past five years.
“Is it buying online? Is it TikTok shop? Is it instant gratification?” Lawrence said. “Are people shopping with their fingers instead of walking into a local business? It’s so easy to buy on TikTok shop or Amazon, we all do it.”
Adapting to a Changing Local Economy
Looking ahead to 2026, Lawrence says adapting is no longer optional.
She’s now focusing more heavily on digital strategy and social media outreach to meet customers where they are.
“How do I get people to walk in my door?” she said. “And if they won’t, how do I still get them to shop with their fingers?”
Lawrence says the experience has given her optimism, and valuable insight into how her small businesses must evolve.
