I don’t know about you, but I usually find it hard to keep my mouth shut about things I’m really fond of. And it applies not only to the usual stuff like music and food; it’s also applicable to the menstrual cup.
No wonder, when I got through my first-ever cycle with this amazing period product, I could not stop telling friends about it.
I didn’t even care about my account being TMI. All I wanted to do was tell my amigas how the menstrual cup changed my life and how it could help improve theirs, too, if they’d be up for it.
If you also love your Sinaya Cup, I am sure that you know what I am talking about. And I am pretty certain that you also want to influence your friends, or might have tried to, so they can experience hassle-free and eco-friendly periods as you do.
Not sure how to do it? Well, I am here to help you! Trust me, I have already converted more than 10 friends to make the switch.
And yes, I have listed down some tips on how to convince your friends to try the menstrual cup.
Start the conversation in a kind and open way
Although disposable pads and tampons aren’t comfy and are really bad for the environment, I don’t recommend shaming your friends for using these products at the moment.
Remember, menstrual cups weren’t really popular until recently, and it’s quite understandable that some are not aware of them yet. Plus, some people are just not prepared to make the switch yet.
And this is why you should talk to them about menstrual cups in an open, inviting way. Your goal is not to shame them for their current choice of period products but to educate them about the better options they have.
Talk about your personal experiences
Never ever underestimate your own experiences. When you share your experiences with other people, you are actually helping them understand things from a different point of view.
The same thing happens when you start telling people about your own menstrual cup journey.
By doing so, you are helping them have a better grasp of what it’s like to use a menstrual cup. And since they know you so well, these stories will have a stronger impact on them.
In fact, you have a really unique position here as their friend. Because of your friendship, there’s a certain level of trust and closeness between you that lets you reach them in ways that even experts and detailed websites can’t.
So yes, don’t be shy and tell them about your experience when you first tried inserting a folded menstrual cup into your vagina. Let them know how it feels when the cup finally popped open inside you, as well as the first time you had an uninterrupted sleep because of your menstrual cup.
Or, why not share with them how cool it is to feel nothing down there when you’re wearing your cup, as though you weren’t menstruating at all?
These things may already seem normal to you at this point, but for your friends who haven’t made the switch yet, these anecdotes can be so much more.
Provide visuals and links to useful materials they can read
Okay, confession time. When I first saw a picture of a menstrual cup, I could not imagine how it would be used to catch period blood. First of all, it looked really huge. It had a weird shape, too!
Thankfully, I didn’t let it intimidate me, and instead, I decided to google tutorials about it. I read tons of articles, watched a lot of videos, and looked at countless images until I was sure I understood what it was all about.
I’m certain that you had a pretty similar experience, too, when you were also starting to use your cup.
So if you really want to convince your friends to make the switch, I suggest that you provide them with useful materials as well. Show them photos and send them links to useful articles! And hell yes, make them watch videos, too!
If you’re wondering which stuff to share at first, just take a look at our blog. It has a lot of useful articles your friends can read and learn from as they prepare for their very own menstrual cup journey.
Ask if they have questions and try to answer them
Prepare yourself before talking to your friends about the menstrual cup, because they will have a lot of questions about it.
And when they throw those questions at you, do your best to answer them.
If, at some point, you get a question you’re not quite sure how to answer, don’t worry. You can be honest with them about it.
In fact, you can search for the answers together. You can also ask us and we’d love to help you answer them.
Tell them where you got your cup
Once your friends are equipped with enough information about how the menstrual cup works, it’s time to let them know where you got your cup. In other words, it’s time to tell them about us!
And yes, it is important that you also guide them at this particular step. Give them enough information about the cups they can purchase, too.
Help them determine whether they should get a small cup or a large cup and if they should also get other Sinaya products like the Sinaya Wash, sterilizer cup, heat pack, and Sinaya Liner.
Be patient when explaining to them what these items are for since these are really meant to help menstruators throughout their menstrual cup journey and your friends can truly benefit from them.
Of course, our website is also rich with information about these goodies, and you can go through them together.
Be prepared to answer their questions as they try their new cups
At this point, you have to prepare yourself to answer text messages and calls about menstrual cup insertion, removal, and beyond.
It is also recommended that you keep your cool as they start to panic, probably because they are having a hard time making the cup pop open inside, or they are scared AF about the cup being stuck inside of them.
Be there to assure them that it’s just normal to experience some difficulties when using a menstrual cup for the first time. In fact, it would help a lot if you’d also share with them how you overcame those challenges when you were a menstrual cup newbie.
To help them further, encourage them to join the Sinaya Tribe as well. It’s an online community of Sinaya Cup users from which they can learn a lot about menstrual cup use and beyond.
Bonus: Be prepared to hear a resounding “No Way!” from some friends
Although many of your friends might be open—or even really excited—about trying the menstrual cup, it’s also possible that some of them won’t be too receptive to it.
I understand that it can be frustrating when your friends don’t believe you, or when they don’t trust that the cup will work for them. They might even be very grossed out by the idea, and find you weird.
This is exactly why we’re opening these conversations in such a careful way. But sometimes, these just aren’t enough. Or at least not yet. And the cup may not be for everyone.
No matter what happens, what matters is that we respect each other’s decisions when it comes to our bodies.
Trying a menstrual cup is probably one of the most challenging things a menstruator can ever do in their life, so it’s normal to experience challenges at first.
But as you know, things don’t have to be so difficult when you are surrounded by patient individuals who can show you the way and who can answer your questions as you try to get the hang of things.
It would be really cool if you could be that person for them. I’m very sure your friends will appreciate your efforts and they will be thankful to you forever.
And of course, you will be very happy for them as well.
Finally, they will be able to experience periods the way you do. Together, you can #FlowForward with better period products like menstrual cups.
