Physical Businesses

  • 5 Benefits of Hiring a Digital Marketer for Your Business

    Back when I started working in a small family business, Digital Marketing was NOT a priority for us. We were very focused on sales. (Fun fact- do you know what helps with sales? Marketing).

    But I had just finished my first Digital Marketing course and I was eager to put some of my knowledge to use. So I took a chance and experimented and I’m proud to say we had great results.

    My little experimentation helped us when Covid hit and physical businesses had to close. Once the lockdown was over, we had to transition to a “new normal”- selling online.

    So while you might think that you don’t NEED a Digital Marketer, here are 5 benefits to hiring one:

    1. You Get Expert Advice

    Hiring a Digital Marketer means you get access to someone who knows what they’re doing. Of course this depends on WHAT you hire them for (eg, a SEO specialist might not necessarily be able to help you with Social Media) but by hiring someone with past experience in the channel you’re looking for means access to specialist advice. Bonus point is most Digital Marketers tend to pick up on multiple skillsets so you could get access to a Social Media Manager and Copywriter in one go. Yay for price savings!

    2. Saves You Time and Money From Having to Experiment on Your Own

    Instead of having to learn Digital Marketing or muddle through on your own, hiring someone means you don’t have to spend time trying to keep up with new Marketing trends- that’s their job. Social Media algorithms change quickly which means what brings you results today might not yield the same effect next week. Hiring someone with a Marketing background means they’re supposed to be kept in the know about things like this.

    3. You can focus on your business

    As a business owner you’re already wearing a few hats. Outsourcing your Marketing means you can free up your time to focus on your business and day-to-day things while your Digital Marketer focuses on Marketing.

    4. You can pay just for the services you need

    Like I said before, a Digital Marketer comes with a variety of skills. But when you hire one, you can hire for one specific skill whether this is Social Media Management, updating your blog or Paid Advertising. This means you get the exact skill that you need without having to pay a huge chunk of cash for other things that add no value to your business.

    5. Personalised Attention

    Working with a good Digital Marketer means personalised attention. Unlike huge businesses and agencies that are struggling to balance deadlines and clients, hiring an experienced Digital Marketer gives you personalised attention and helps you to reach your business goals.

    Choosing the right digital marketer can feel like a challenge, but it’s one of the most impactful decisions you’ll make for your business. Whether you need support with content writing, social media advertising, or any other aspect of digital marketing, I’m here to help you achieve your goals. Feel free to contact me here

  • How to Draw Up Your Business Plan

    No matter the size of your business, you NEED a business plan. Creating a business plan helps you avoid making a mess of your business concept and makes things far more organised.

    Why Should You Draw Up a Business Plan?

    Imagine you’re building a house. Before you start slapping paint on walls, you need blueprints, right? A business plan is basically the blueprint for your business. It gives you a roadmap, helps you understand your market, and guides your decision-making.

    It’s also a stellar tool for convincing investors, partners, or even your skeptical Aunt Sue that your idea is a winner. Trust me, people feel reassured when they see a thought-out plan. Plus, it forces you to think critically about each aspect of your business. It’s like taking your business idea to the gym for a good workout- makes it stronger, sharper, and more resilient.

    How to Draw Up a Business Plan Without Pulling Your Hair Out

    Get Clear on Your Vision

    Close your eyes and imagine your business in 5 years. What does it look like? What’s it known for? That’s your vision. Write it down in a way that even a toddler would understand. (i.e no buzzowords. You want clarity).

    Know Your Competition

    Know who you’re up against. Research your competitors- what they’re doing, what works, and where they’re slacking. This is an excellent way for you to see what they’re doing great (is this something you can improve on?) and where their gaps are (is it something that you can fill in?)

    Define Your Target Audience

    Who’s going to buy your product or use your service? Define your potential customers. What do they love? What keeps them up at night? Speak their language, and they’ll come running to your door. (Tip: Social Media is great for this. Analyse who your target audience is and what they talk about, what are their problems? How can you solve their problems?)

    Set Realistic Goals

    Dream big, but also be real. Set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (yes, that spells SMART) goals. They’ll keep you on track and show you when it’s time to celebrate.

    Crunch the Numbers

    Time to get real with the numbers. How much do you need to get this party started? How do you plan to make that money roll in? This part scares people, but facing the financial stuff head-on is crucial.

    Drawing up a business plan is like having a secret weapon in a business world full of uncertainty. It helps you stay focused, makes your business more legit, and gives you a roadmap when you’re lost in the wilderness of entrepreneurship.

    So, grab a pen, a coffee, and get those creative juices flowing. Your business plan awaits, and it’s going to be your ticket to entrepreneurial stardom!

  • 10 Social Media Mistakes Your Business Should Avoid

    Everyone loves social media. And as a business it’s easy to think that you need to be on every platform (you don’t). But no matter which social media platform you choose, there are some common social media pitfalls you should avoid:

    1. Being MIA (Missing in Action)

      If your last social media post is starting to collect cobwebs, it’s time to dust off your accounts! Consistency is key when it comes to engaging your audience. A tumbleweed-filled feed doesn’t exactly scream “active and thriving business.”

      2. Hashtag Overload

        Sure, hashtags can boost your visibility, but #using #too #many #hashtags can be a bit #overwhelming. Keep it simple and relevant. Nobody wants to decipher a hashtag puzzle just to get to your message.

        3. Ignoring Your Audience

          Building relationships is what social media is all about. So engage with your followers! Respond to comments, messages, and show them some love.

          4. Posting Like a Broken Record

            Variety is the spice of life, right? Don’t keep serving up the same old dish to your audience. Mix it up with different content types to keep things fresh and exciting.

            5. Using Irrelevant Memes

              Memes are like spices- when used right, they add flavour; when overdone, they ruin the dish. Make sure your memes are on-brand and relevant. Remember, not every meme is a winner for your brand.

              6. Being a Ghost Follower

                Don’t be that account that only pops up to promote, then disappears into the night. Support other businesses, engage with your community, and show some digital love. Social Media is about more than just sales- you’re building a community.

                7. Neglecting Analytics

                  Don’t fly blind! Keep an eye on your analytics to see what’s working and what’s not. It’s like having a GPS for your social media strategy- helps you stay on course and reach your destination.

                  8. Over-Automation

                    Automation can be a lifesaver, but too much of a good thing can turn robotic. Find a balance between automated posts and genuine, human interaction. Your followers want to connect with YOU, not a bot.

                    9. Forgetting to Proofread

                      Typos and grammar fiascos can make your business look less than professional. Before hitting “post,” give your content a once-over. Trust me; your audience will appreciate the effort.

                      10. Buying Followers

                        Don’t do it. Resist the urge to take the easy route and buy followers. It’s like trying to inflate a balloon with holes- it may look big, but it won’t float for long. Focus on growing a genuine, engaged audience instead.

                        Watch out for these social media slip-ups, and you’ll be cruising towards social media success in no time. Avoiding these common mistakes will help you build a strong online presence and connect with your audience authentically.

                        Now go out there and shine on social media like the star you are!

                      1. The Beginner’s Guide to Starting a Blog for Your Business

                        So you’ve decided to start a blog for your business but you’re not sure where to start? Here are a few tips and tricks to help you as a beginner blogger:

                        First, before you even launch your blog, have you taken care of these 10 Things? A blog is great but how do you manage to churn out content consistently? You’d need to create a content calendar- here are a few tips to help you draw up your first content calendar. Once you have great content, save yourself some time by repurposing your content every so often. That way you get more mileage out of your content and save yourself from needing to be chained to your laptop for some time.

                        I also have a round up of some basic SEO principles to help ensure your blog gets ranked on Google.

                        Last but certainly not least, make sure to develop a blogging scheduleto ensure your blog doesn’t get all old and cobwebby. It’s YOUR business so it’s important that this schedule is aligned to YOUR timelines.

                      2. 5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Launching a New Website

                        There I was innocently browsing a website a friend had recommended to me. And the experience was… awful. It was for an app but I couldn’t find the download button. Or rather every time I found a download button (the website had 3 of them) it all lead to a contact page. The whole experience left me with a headache.

                        But this got me thinking about when you’re launching a new website and how you need to be so careful before sharing your website with others. Here are 5 common mistakes to avoid when launching a new website:

                        1. Ignoring seo

                        You might not be interested in SEO when you start a new website. Maybe you don’t have time or don’t have the energy. Whatever your excuse is, listen to me now and PLEASE DO NOT IGNORE SEO.

                        For my first website, I ignored SEO for about 6 years. When I did finally learn more about SEO (against my will TBH. It was part of a module I was studying at the time) and started implementing strategies, my website traffic more than doubled. For months afterwards, I could take it easy on the blogging and promoting because SEO was doing all the work for me.

                        2. Forgetting about a CTA

                        A CTA (Call to Action) is when you tell your audience what to do next. Examples of CTAs are “Visit Now”, “Get Yours Here” or “Buy Now”. You want to give your audience instructions on what next steps are. For example, if you’re an app, your CTA might be “Download App” or “Learn More”.

                        3. NOT OPTIMISING FOR MOBILE

                        This is an understandable oversight especially as a new business but almost everyone is on mobile. Make sure that your website is mobile-friendly. How do you do this? Ensure speedy loading times (especially on mobile), short sentences that are easy to understand and lots of white space.

                        4. BROKEN LINKS

                        Before going live with your website, test for broken links- everywhere!!! Test, test and test again. Make sure that links go to the correct webpages or downloads. Broken link are an annoyance in any business but if you’re a small business, this is one of the things that make people think you’re a scam.

                        5. Get a third party to test your website

                        Get someone who hasn’t seen your website before. Make them navigate your website and give you their thoughts. This is an excellent way to get an honest view of your site and any improvements you need to make.

                      3. Do You Need a Content Writer or a Copywriter?

                        So you’ve decided to hire someone to write for your business? But what exactly do you need? While the titles of Content Writer and Copywriter are often used interchangeably, there are a few differences between the two.

                        Duties of a Content Writer vs a Copywriter

                        A Content Writer typically writes long-form content such as blogs, articles and white papers. A Content Writer needs to be able to inform or educate their audience.

                        A Copywriter writes shorter content- usually with the aim to sell to an audience. A Copywriter may write copy on a webpage, product pages or PPC ads.

                        So now that you know what the difference is, do you actually need one?

                        Maybe. In today’s world, many business owners choose to go the way of AI. After all Chat GPT can do any writing you need, right? Technically yes. But a Content Writer or Copywriter has trained specifically for this role. We learn what words to use when and why. AI tends to be pretty repetitive and if you’re using AI and your competitor is using AI eventually you’re both going to come up with content/copy that looks pretty similar.

                        Interested in chatting more about Content or Digital Marketing? Let’s chat