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Seven ways to make your customers feel valued

Written by Haze Carver on 27 April 2022.

NatWest Business Builder: Customer Discovery

When done well, customer service can help build a strong reputation and loyal customer base. Experts share their top tips on getting it right.

More than seven out of every 10 (71%) UK SMEs believe they deliver strong customer service, a survey by Close Brothers has found. Only 5% saw their customer service as poor, while the rest (24%) saw themselves as neither strong or poor.

While having confidence in your customer service is a good thing, a true marker of whether you are excelling is how valued customers feel. Ultimately, a customer who is valued is more likely to return and even spread the word, helping you to attract new customers and generate more business leads.

Here are a handful of practical ways to provide your customers with a service that makes them feel valued.

1. Speak to customers in their voice

“There’s no better way to show you understand your customers than through your tone of voice, branding and marketing,” says Lesley Bambridge, founder of marketing consultancy We Mean Business. Bambridge has experience working with household names such as Aquafresh, Lucozade and Ferrero Rocher.

Even the best customer service can be undermined by the wrong tone of voice. The words used or how they’re expressed can say a lot about how customers perceive your attitude.

“You need to make yourself a brand that they can rely on and relate to, so don’t speak to them as if you’re owed the business,” Bambridge says.

2. Reward them

Customer loyalty programmes have long been regarded as an effective retention tactic, and not just post-purchase.

Handbag brand Mia Tui gifts new customers 500 points upon signing up, which is worth £5 off their first purchase. They then receive five points for every £1 spent thereafter.

“A scheme like this helps customers to feel like they’re part of a club,” says Mia Tui’s director and founder, Charlotte Jamme.

3. Personalise the purchasing experience

A customer’s journey shouldn’t end once they’ve checked out.

“You should personalise wherever possible and make the purchasing journey specific to them,” says Bambridge. “Consider following up with offers and bespoke deals, based on their previous purchases.”

Of course, you need to ensure you’re being GDPR-compliant and that your customers have opted in to receive future correspondence and marketing emails in the first place.

Frozen Indian food supplier Nikasu Foods UK personalises its customers’ experience by encouraging them to share recipe ideas post-purchase, which are then reshared by the company online.

4. Thank your customers

Any business hopes that its customers will keep coming back for more, but, for companies just starting out, loyal customers can be hard to acquire.

““You need to make yourself a brand that they can rely on and relate to, so don’t speak to customers as if you’re owed the business”

Lesley Bambridge, founder, We Mean Business

“One thing that I’ve done since we started, and it seems to go down really well, is to include a handwritten note with each order, thanking them,” says Ruth Oldfield, co-founder of Bolton-based Coffee & Kin, which sells compostable coffee pods, coffee beans and tea, with her sister and their partners. It doesn’t matter how many times they’ve ordered before.

“I truly believe doing this helps customers feel more connected to our family,” she says.

5. Welcome feedback

No matter how strong you believe the customer service you’re delivering to be, there is likely to be room for improvement. And welcoming feedback is key to this.

“We acknowledge and respond to all feedback we receive [from our customers], whether it’s good or bad,” says Galyna Nitsetska, founder of Empress Mimi, a lingerie subscription box.

Nitsetska’s commitment to valuing her customers is partly down to the difficulties she faced fostering loyalty and engagement for her previous business – an e-commerce website selling luxury workwear for women. Many of the purchases made through the site were one-offs, she says.

6. Be open and honest

If you have the capacity and the resources, it’s worth considering replying to any feedback in person, rather than sending a generic response.

Too many SMEs try to replicate the approach of big corporates, which can often be scripted and lack empathy, rather than thinking about how they can deliver more emotive customer experiences, says Nitsetska. You need to be open and honest with your customers, which means admitting when things have gone wrong. Keeping your apologies fresh and sincere can help win them over and encourage them to stick around.

“Being able to scale is important, but if you’re at the beginning stages [of building a business], having a loyal customer base is far more crucial, until you get to a place where scaling and atomisation becomes unavoidable,” she says.

7. Don’t take yourself too seriously

While it’s important to deal with any issues promptly and professionally, your customer service shouldn’t be seen as a robotic process. It also helps to have a sense of humour now and again, says Bambridge.

“Life’s pretty unfunny at times, so if you can do anything to lighten or brighten a customer’s day, just do it,” she says. “It’ll build huge brand affinity and make you one of the ones that stand out.”

Further Reading

We have a thriving and diverse community of thousands of entrepreneurs from multiple sectors, backgrounds and skill sets helping you to connect with the right people at the right time. No matter whether you’re looking to upskill, get feedback, engage with new people or simply observe, there’s something for everyone.

‘Want to learn more? Register for NatWest Business Builder to view all of their business development tools. Click HERE‘

Seven tips to beat imposter syndrome

Written by Haze Carver on 26 April 2022.

NatWest Business Builder: Understanding your mindset

Feeling like a fraud as founder can be crippling, so here’s how you can tackle the dreaded imposter syndrome.

According to a survey published last month, the Microbusiness Index, a third (33%) of female micro-business owners in Scotland doubt their achievements.

Across the whole of the UK, around two thirds of SMEs say they have suffered from imposter syndrome and a fear that they’re going to be exposed as a fraud, or so found a 2017 study carried out by AXA Direct. Furthermore, women are more likely to admit to feeling like an imposter – 74% compared with 58% of men – and 44% of business owners say the self-doubt they’re plagued by is intense enough to be called a daily companion.

Suffering from imposter syndrome is often exacerbated by the fact that business owners may not have anyone to speak to about their concerns. Here, SME owners share their experiences and advice.

1. Age is just a number

Rachael Dunseath is the founder of Myroo, a plant-based skincare brand for sensitive and allergic skin. She launched the company just over two years ago, having previously had a successful career in financial services marketing.

“I knew it was a great idea – my research showed that the market needed these products – but I was so unsure about taking the leap,” she says. “My imposter syndrome hit its peak when I landed a place on an accelerator programme. I was surrounded by younger, more dynamic entrepreneurs, who were taking risks, being brave and hustling.”

While Dunseath is in her early 40s, many of her fellow entrants on the programme were in their 20s. Over time, Dunseath has found that a coping strategy has been to forget about her age and focus on what she wants to achieve instead.

2. Remember: Rome wasn’t built in a day

A lack of skills particular to your business can seem daunting. For Nikki Hollier, owner of Border in a Box, a ready-made garden border template kit, it was her perceived lack of plant knowledge and general horticultural skills that she believed was holding her back.

“I worked in corporate IT for two decades and recently retrained as a garden designer, so I’m always concerned about not being good enough,” she says. “I’ve learnt to deal with it by reminding myself that Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

What this means in practice is focusing on improving the skills needed to make the business a success and, in time, you’ll find that people will start to take you seriously, explains Hollier.

3. Break down daunting tasks

“I always think of it [imposter sydrome] through the lens of the common mountain analogy,” says Callum Hemsley, co-founder and CEO of Eola, a platform and marketplace for adventure sports and outdoor activity centres.

In the analogy, the mountain is a big task that needs to be navigated and overcome to reach a destination or end goal. Hemsley says that if a particular task is too daunting and is heightening your imposter syndrome, then it’s helpful to break the task down into manageable chunks.

“Doing this reduces the feeling that the whole cannot be accomplished and makes your targets seem within your capabilities,” he says.

4. Enter awards

Dunseath and Hollier are in agreement that entering awards can not only help your business to gain recognition, but also give you confirmation that you’re doing a great job.

““The company had won awards before, but I’d managed to explain those away. This was a huge, national win, though. Even I couldn’t take the shine off that”

Rachael Dunseath, founder, Myroo

“I won Micro Business Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2016 Great British Entrepreneur Awards,” says Dunseath. “The company had won awards before, but I’d managed to explain those away by telling people that not many others had entered. This was a huge, high-profile national win, though. Even I couldn’t fully take the shine off that.”

While losing out on an award might feel demoralising, it shouldn’t be seen as a setback. Instead, you should use it as an opportunity to enter more awards – to seek the recognition you believe your business deserves, argues Hollier.

5. Don’t be afraid to market your business

Helen Campbell, a business mentor and PR coach to SMEs, says that one thing is clear from her experience of dealing with clients: many business owners and founders tend to be reluctant to promote themselves.

“A lot of them are in a loop where they feel awkward about self-promotion, but if they don’t market themselves they bring in little-to-no work, which then worsens the imposter syndrome,” says Campbell. “In some cases, this lack of promotion will lead to the business failing. It’s important to remember that marketing your business is not boasting. Not showing off your skills and expertise, however, can stop you from reaching your potential.”

Campbell’s advice is to find your own authentic style and a way of promoting yourself that feels right for you, amplifies your talent and aligns with your company’s values.

6. There will always be doubters

Regardless of success, there will likely always be those who’ll doubt you.

“It’s best to avoid these people, as they can bring your confidence down quickly,” says Hollier. “But while some are very mean-spirited, equally, there are some who are absolutely wonderful, so make sure you surround yourself with them.”

7. Ask yourself: what’s the worst that could happen?

In the two years it’s been running, Myroo has grown its team and its products are stocked up and down the country, including in stores of fashion chain Anthropologie. Myroo is also about to announce a significant international account.

“I do still battle the imposter demons, but I’m getting better at knowing how to handle it,” says Dunseath. “And I now realise that failure can be a good thing as long as you learn from it. My mantra is: ‘What’s the worst that could happen?’ The reality is usually not as bad as you think.”

‘Want to learn more? Register for NatWest Business Builder to view all of their business development tools. Click HERE‘

CJC Procurement Ltd

Written by Haze Carver on 26 April 2022.

Chris Cliffe FCIPS MIoD Procurement Consultant

CJC Procurement Ltd was founded by Chris Cliffe. Chris studied Psychology and Management at Aston University’s highly rated Aston Business School and is now an experienced Procurement Professional who takes a proactive stance towards elevating the role of the Procurement Profession as well as passionately delivering excellent outcomes for his clients.

Chris is an active member of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS). He gained MCIPS status in 2008 following completion of the CIPS Graduate Diploma. In December 2016, and in recognition of his “professional standing and contribution to the procurement and supply profession”, Chris was awarded a ‘Fellowship’ from CIPS. In June 2017, Chris was elected a full Member of the Institute of Directors (IoD). Most recently, Chris achieved ‘Chartered Procurement & Supply Professional’ status and in June 2018 was awarded ‘Highly Commended’ in the ‘New Director’ category of the IoD East of England, Director of the Year Awards!

Chris has 17 years experience across the UK Public Sector, from Cabinet Office to Housing Sector and from £6bn OJEU processes to £600 purchases! Chris has worked across all Categories of spend, but has deep expertise in the IT & Technology category.

Chris regularly contributes to procurement thought leadership and is a regular attendee at the Procurious Big Ideas Summits reserved for the “top procurement influencers across the globe” and hosted the London 2019 event. He frequently writes articles for a variety of publications both online and print and has been interviewed for podcasts and delivers webinars for the Institute of Directors.

CJC Procurement Ltd

Please feel free to get in contact.

Company culture can be shocking!

Written by Haze Carver on 23 April 2022.

Swarm

I have just re-visited an article by Saul McLeod on Stanley Milgram’s experiment studying authority on obedience. This sprung out of some other work I had been doing on leadership and management, and a particular passage in Simon Sineks latest book ‘leaders eat last’.

65% of participants gave a possibly lethal electric shock to the recipient

Part of the findings of this incredibly controversial experiment was that 65% of participants, when instructed by an authority figure, gave a possibly lethal electric shock to the recipient, and all gave a substantial electric charge to the innocent person at the other end! But for me, the most horrifying part of the findings was that not one volunteer pressing the voltage button asked about the well-being of the shock recipient, even with the belief that they may just have killed another human being. In fact, their first thought was passing off the blame to the authority figure, to save themselves from any retribution.

Sinek linked this experiment to company culture, and how weak cultures allow the business figures to outway the importance of the people. As companies grow, they can become physically divorced from the human aspect of the business. Figures on sheets become the driving force, this then transfers to those who supply those figures, forcing them into decisions which may harm colleagues, customers, the business and themselves.

I have witnessed this myself, not so long ago in another company I was told to “stop worrying about the big picture, those who get paid more worry about that”. This was all because I questioned the wisdom of what we, as a company were doing. The figures ruled the roost, every day they were updated, you were judged not on the quality of what you delivered, and the human cost of that delivery, but by the numbers you produced, however you produced them! My context of the situation was this was turning employees inward, protecting themselves, forcing them to make decisions not based on the best interest of the client, or the company, but on behalf of protecting themselves.

The weak culture had allowed creativity to be stifled, departments to become siloed, blame to become more important than solutions, and ultimately decisions made blamed on those above them to protect themselves, sound familiar? Now I am not saying that figures should be ignored, far from it, however, it is only an overview of the situation. Doesn’t it make more sense for the figures to be led by the people rather than the other way around?

The business environment we live in is so fast moving, so uncertain that we cannot hope to cope with it alone. We often here the terms enterprising and entrepreneurial, and we will all have our own thoughts on what theses mean. For me enterprise is about making the most of the resources available to you, to create something different or new. Entrepreneurs are those with the vision to identify those resources, no matter where they may come from and then connect them together for those new or differentiated items.

This means collaboration, trust, the vision of a bigger picture, and in the case of enterprise within companies, or intrapreneurship, the freedom and safety to explore possibilities without the fear of being cut off at the knees for mistakes. As Sinek explores further, the story behind 3M’s post it note is a classic example of a strong culture allowing one persons ‘not quite right’ not to be hidden through fear of retribution, but to be picked up by somebody else and explored further as a collaboration between those who created something as simple, but spectacular as the post it note. And for those who are unaware, the post it note came from a failed glue product, and another employees search for a book mark which didn’t fall out of his church bible, that is the beauty of allowing something out into the world without fear, you never know where inspiration strikes.

So, as an organisation which would you prefer, a mercenary workforce prepared to throw their colleagues and clients to the wolves for profit Or human beings who are empowered to create the next post it note and drive the numbers?

Over to you!

You can find this article and more from Harry Harris here

Swarm Business Manager,Trainer and Mentor

Remember Bebo? After 16 years, it’s back

Written by Haze Carver on 11 April 2022.

24 Fingers

There are some things that, no matter how hard you knock them down, they just keep coming back, again and again and again. Social media platform bebo is one. Sixteen years after it originally launched, it’s making a comeback in February, and this time it means business…

In case you have no clue what we’re on about, here’s a history lesson: Bebo was the brainchild of husband and wife Michael and Xochi Birch, who sprang it on an unsuspecting internet public in January 2005. The snappy little name was an acronym for “blog early, blog often” and it was soon a smash in the UK and Ireland.

As it reached around 80 million users in 2008, the Birch’s sold it to AOL for a cool $850 million (did they get it in tens and twenties, we wonder?) and scampered off into the sunset, a pair of happy bunnies.

Unfortunately, AOL’s timing was a bit rubbish, as their purchase coincided with the spectacular rise of a then-rather insignificant firm called Facebook… While the story of that platform is history, Bebo’s was still being written.

AOL flogged it to Criterion Capital Partners for a paltry $10 million, and in 2013, Bebo filed for bankruptcy. Cue the Birches, riding in like shining knights, snapped up their damsel-in-distress company for a single dollar (a bargain if ever we saw one) and launched it again under the snappy tagline: “Probably Not for Boring People”.

But, Bebo still couldn’t make the grade against the likes of Facebook and Twitter, so it turned to streaming software and then to esports tournaments, before being bought by Amazon’s Twitch in 2019 for $25 million and was switched off not long after.

But now it’s back in private beta and safely in the hands of the Birches – though if you do have an old account and you manage to get an invitation to take a snoop around, there’s no point looking for it, as everything’s been deleted.

Understandably, the online world was abuzz at the news, and it will be interesting to see how this version of Bebo fares in the growing social media pond that’s already packed some with big fish… We’ll keep an eye on it and let you know.

We’re 24 fingers, a digital marketing agency and a proud member of the 42 Club, Brentwood Chamber of Commerce, Excel Business Networking Group, the Trusted Business Community, the Organisation for Responsible Businesses and the Rotary Club of Brentwood à Becket. We help companies who are all fingers and thumbs with their social media grow their business and brand. Book your free strategy call here.

The Time is Now to Start your Cyber Security Journey

Written by FM Team on 5 April 2022.

Cyber Scale

For many it can be a daunting step to take in starting your cyber security journey when the realisation comes that you need to do more to protect your business, teams and customers from the ever growing risks associated with cyber-attacks. And herein lies an ongoing challenge; many businesses know they need to do something so will often focus on ensuring they have some technical solutions in place such as firewalls, anti-virus software and multi-factor authentication, however this is far from the whole story when it comes to protecting any business.

Quoting directly from the Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2021 published by the Department for Digital, Culture Media & Sport “this…survey continues to show that cyber security breaches are a serious threat to all types of businesses and charities”, going on to say “a sizeable number of organisations that identify breaches report a specific negative outcome or impact. On average, for those that do, the costs are substantial”.

Once a business becomes aware that it needs to take action to strengthen its cyber security there may be an initial panic regarding how to go about doing this, but with a pragmatic risk based approach you will feel less overwhelmed and more in control of what you need to do. Starting your cyber security journey doesn’t need to be something you do in isolation. When businesses work with CyberScale they will typically, within the first year, go through a journey that will encompass much if not all of the following work:

Cyber Security Assessment & Roadmap – looking at where you are today, and what the steps will look like for your business to get you where you both want and need to be, the assessment process will lead in to the development of the Roadmap which will take in to account the risk profile of your business and will enable you to prioritise and plan all required actions.

Cyber Security Strategy – following on from the initial assessment and putting in place a clear roadmap, ensuring that you have a Cyber Security Strategy developed and embedded in to your business is the next step. Within your strategy not only will there be a clear plan on delivering the Roadmap, we will also be looking at your security Policies, your approach to Incident Response Planning and how you are engaging your staff with Training and Awareness activities.

Implementing your plan is a process unique to your business and will often require some oversight and assistance from our team, which is when clients tend to engage with our vCISO service. Delivering the strategy and ensuring that all elements are embedded within the business cannot be where all your hard work so far falls down.

At this point in your journey it may feel like you have achieved all you need to, and you will have indeed achieved a lot, but the fight isn’t over. Cyber threats are constantly changing, with new challenges for even the most security-conscious organisations being realised daily.

By acknowledging that standing still is not an option and that Security is an iterative process, you will always be reviewing, changing and learning your approach to cybersecurity. At this point in your journey we can continue to work with you to ensure you have a process of continuous improvement in place and are always working towards embedding a culture of security throughout your business, working together to guide your Cyber Security Strategy in conjunction with Leadership teams to take the business forward, securely.

What underpins our approach is our belief that effective cyber and information security requires a strategy built around your individual business going beyond technical solutions, you can hear more of our thoughts on this in some other articles on the need for a strategy and guidance for business owners.

CyberScale are a Cyber Security Consultancy based in Norwich. If you would like to talk to us about your security position and requirements then please do contact us at info@cyberscale.co.uk or call us on 01603 339550.

www.cyberscale.co.uk

Are we getting too excited about ‘carbon neutral’?

Written by Haze Carver on 19 March 2022.

BuxtonThreeTwo

Planting trees to offset your brand’s carbon footprint is all the rage right now. And while trees are undoubtedly successful at removing carbon from the atmosphere – does ‘offsetting’ your carbon footprint really make you carbon neutral as quickly as the planet needs it?

Through burning fossil fuels, the commercial production of beef and lamb and deforestation (amongst plenty of other contributors), the world emits around 43 billion tonnes of carbon every year.

If we don’t do something to tackle the carbon crisis, by 2100 sea levels will have risen by 1.8ft resulting in an 170% increase in flood risk, the arctic will be ice-free every summer and 18% of insects and 16% of plants will have lost their natural habitat.

Many brands – including BuxtonThreeTwo – try to tackle their carbon output in some form. From offsetting your team’s carbon footprint to planting a tree for every sale, thousands of organisations across the globe are working hard to create a better world. We should all be tackling the climate crisis however we can.

However, we need to be transparent in how we are tackling climate change. Many companies claim to be ‘carbon neutral’ or ‘carbon negative’. While these brands are working hard to slow down the effects of climate change, the measures they’re putting in place to offset carbon emissions aren’t fast acting and do not reduce the amount of carbon that is emitted directly into the atmosphere, today and tomorrow.

With a mature tree taking 20 years to grow, brands who claim that planting trees makes them ‘carbon negative’ aren’t necessarily telling it straight – as it’ll take two decades to reach carbon neutrality, let alone carbon negativity.

As such, claiming to be ‘carbon negative’ while continuing to emit carbon into the atmosphere lulls customers into a false sense of security – where their expectations for a company’s environmentalist policy doesn’t align with their real-world practice.

Researchers have explained that ‘natural climate solutions’ are more beneficial to the planet than the creation of man-made forests. Restoring wetlands, minimising emissions from farmland and protecting existing forests and reforesting degraded areas could have a much greater impact on the reduction of carbon – to the tune of 23.8 billion tonnes of carbon per year.

We need to try and act now with preventative methods, rather than attempting to mask over our existing negative impact.

So what else can businesses do moving forward to reduce their carbon footprint?

Build brands with the environment at the heart from day one.

Start with green intentions – and keep them at the core of everything you do. Instead of being reactive to the climate crisis, act proactively. Brands shouldn’t think ‘what can I do to offset the carbon I emit?’, but instead ‘how can I prevent our business from emitting carbon in the first place?’.

Retrospectively alter your model to be more climate-conscious.

There are plenty of ways to introduce environmentalist policy into your already successful business, too. It’s never too late to switch to recyclable packaging, invest in green manufacturing methods or transfer to local suppliers. Try introducing a cycle to work scheme, or continue to offer flexible remote working hours to your team.

Be transparent.

To strive for a positive outcome is to have positive intentions. Any brand that is working to fight the climate crisis is influencing others, leading the way and having a positive impact. But it is important to be cautious around the terms we use when discussing a company’s environmental policy, and to remain transparent in our endeavours to build a better future.

Everyday, society grows more climate conscious. And as such, the environmental expectations consumers hold of brands increases with it. While planting trees is a great way to reduce our carbon levels in the long term, this one action is not enough to claim climate neutrality or negativity, as it’s results aren’t seen quick enough.

Be honest with your consumers. No one is expecting any one company to be perfectly green – so don’t claim to be.

Sharing your company’s environmental pitfalls alongside the successes may even help you connect with someone who can offer a solution – we can combat the climate crisis, together.

Get in touch with us

+44 7762 344 155

Buildbrands@buxtonthreetwo.com

Nine Ways to be More Productive in Your Business

Written by Haze Carver on 28 February 2022.

LittlePiggy

You will often hear “don’t sweat the small stuff”. When it’s about getting things done, small is the way to go! So, let’s look at nine, simple methods you can implement in 2022 to be more productive.

1. Notifications Are Not Your Friend

Notifications. The biggest ‘time thief, of all.

How many times have you found yourself distracted by the ‘ping’ from Facebook, Instagram, WhatApp or email?

Notifications stop you from being more productive by interrupting your thought process and concentration. And, importantly, it will take you at least 15-miuntes to get your brain back to where it was before the interruption.

The worst impact is when you get distracted by a post or an email and, somehow, emerge 20-minutes or a half-hour later with no understanding of where the time has gone.

There is a very simple solution.

Turn them off!

I turned the sound off on my phone three years ago. I have had no distracting sounds and in that time and I haven’t missed out on anything important or lost business.

It may not be the solution for everyone; you may have children or other caring responsibilities, which mean you can’t do a blanket ‘switch off’. However, you can switch off when you need to get your head down and concentrate.

2. Do a Time and Motion Study

What do you REALLY do every day?

When it comes to assessing what we do each day and how much we have achieved. we are our own worst enemy.

We ‘think’ we have been working really hard, concentrating, getting on with things but …

Do a time and motion study.

For the next two weeks – with no edits or judgements made – note down what you are doing in 15-minute intervals. At the end of the two weeks, take a look.

How did you spend your time?

Did that five-minute task actually take 30-minutes?
How much time did you spend searching for files and documents you ‘know’ are somewhere, but you’re not sure where (more later)
How often did you get side-tracked by a WhatsApp or Messenger massage?
Did you spend far too much time creating social media content because you’re really not sure what you should be saying / doing?

This process will provide clarity. It will show you exactly what you do with your time, what you ‘time thieves’ are and, probably, highlight the things you should be outsourcing!

Once you know exactly how much time tasks really take, and how much time you really have, you can create a much more realistic To-Do list.

More below.

3. Have a Daily, ACHIEVEABLE To-Do List

Following on from getting to grips with how we really spend our time, comes the need to use that knowledge to our best advantage.

What do I mean by that?

Don’t be over ambitious

Once you have completed your Time and Motion study you will have a much clearer picture of how much time things really take to achieve. You should also have learned to break tasks down into smaller, bit-sized, achievable chunks.

Plan for want needs to be done and put it in your diary

Not a To-Do list; a diary. Preferably a diary that has sections broken down hour by hour. If your one doesn’t, write them in. This way you will see how the tasks you have to complete each day will actually fit in and around other commitments.

For example, if I know Friday is all about writing and publishing my blog and preparing my weekly email for the following week, these would be the tasks:

Write the content
Create a SEO-friendly title
Assign a keyword / key-phrase
Find an image
Write the metadata
Proof read
Publish
Prepare and schedule the weekly email

But Friday isn’t just about blog writing, that’s just one task. I also have my one-to-one business coaching and mentoring sessions with my clients.

So, my diary will look something like this:

08.30 – 09.00 : Deal with email inbox
09.00 – 09.45 : Rough draft blog content including keyword / keyphrase, headings and main content ideas
09.45 – 10.00 : Prep for client (tea)
10.00 – 11.00 : Client session
11.00 – 11.15 : Notes from client session (tea)
11.15 – 11.45 : Tidy up rough draft into first draft
11.45 – 12.00 : Prep for client (tea)
12.00 – 13.00 : Client session
13.00 – 13.15 : Notes from client session
13.15 – 13.45 : Lunch
13.45 – 15.00 Prep for client session (tea)
14.00 – 15.00 : Client Session
15.00 – 15.15 : Notes from client session (tea)
15.15 – 15.30 : Source blog image
15.30 – 15.45 : Write the blog metadata
15.45 – 16.00 : Create the SEO-friendly blog title (tea)
16.00 – 16.30 : Final draft, proof read and publish
16.00 – 17.00 : Create my weekly email and schedule
17.00 – 17.30 : Plan my diary for following week (tea)
17.30 – 18.00 : Deal with email inbox

I would not get this clarity from a To-Do list!

Yes, and my day would include all those cups of tea (herbal, of course). Why? They keep my hydrated (along with a litre of water each day too) and they aid my concentration.

Final point. Look at the last item on my planner and remember this mantra

Own the Internet: Find New Customers and Increase Sales

Written by Haze Carver on 28 February 2022.

LitlePiggy

Getting found online, finding more customers and increasing sales is the Holy Grail of modern marketing. And, because everyone is doing it, there is masses of competition and jostling for position.

There are also myths and legends being shared about the ‘one thing’ you should be doing to create a six-figure income.

If you want to know how to OWN THE INTERNET and make it work for you – rather than it owning you by creating endless amounts of work with no real return – it will take more than ‘one thing’.

It will take seven.

1. Get Found for What Your Do

I bet you thinmk I’m talking about social media, or maybe your website?

You would be wrong.

I’m talking about the most overlooked places – listing sites and business directories.

87% of of purchase decisions begin with research carried out online.

Consumers are looking for everything from a plumber to a hairdresser, a yoga teacher to a business mentor and coach. And what does the internet offer up to them? Places it trusts to list businesses that sell ‘that thing’.

There are hundreds of listing sites and business directories. Some of the biggest are:

You could also include the listing you have on websites that represent your trade or profession, organisations that you are a member of, affiliate organisations and local business organisations such as Chambers of Commerce.

You could be losing revenue to your competitors if your online listings are inaccurate – or don’t exist at all!

Tip: Check out which listing sites and business directories are suitable for your business get your business signed up. Let potential customers find you without you even trying.

2. Take Control of Your Reputation

When was the last time you visited a new restaurant without looking at the reviews to see what others have said about it? Or maybe you’re looking for an electrician and aren’t sure who to choose.

Yes, you’ll ask friends and family for a recommendation, but you will also check them (and others) out online before you make a decision.

88% of consumers make purchase decisions based on the reviews they read. Why? Because they trust them as much as a personal recommendation.

Glowing reviews is the aim.

No reviews is a no-no.

One negative review – that remains unanswered – can ruin all your hard work!

You can’t afford to miss a review, so you need to monitor the internet continuously.

Tip: Google will rank your business above others if you regularly receive reviews.

3. Build and Engage Your Audience

So now we get to social media.

Social media – for business – is a marketing and promotion tool to be used to engage and convert your target customers.

That means it needs to be part of your overall marketing strategy; not just something you do if you have time and can think of something to write.

So, as much as you like (or loath) social media, you have a job to do.

Tip: Don’t let social media become an ‘if I have time’ activity. Make sure it is part of your overall marketing strategy (Don’t have one? We need to talk!)

4. Make Your Website Work for You

Your website has got one job to do.

It has to convert your website visitors into leads or customers.

So, whatever stage you are at with your website, you can’t afford to leave things to chance.

These are some key aspects of your website to concentrate on if you want to be able to compete with your competitors:

Clear and easy to navigate menu
Strong calls to action
No large blocks of text
Images
Easy to find contact details
An engaging ‘About’ page
Responsive. 54% of all web traffic happens on a mobile device

Tip: Don’t think of your website as a nuisance or an expense. It is the only online space you have complete control over. Make it work for you.

5. Sell More Online

Do you sell online?

Selling can include anything from a full-on, e-commerce shop to selling courses, programmes, small-scale products or books.

Customers see an online store as a sign of a reputable, established business.

So, even if you are not a retail business, you can still sell online. I describe this a ‘productising’ your business.

If you want to know more about productising I talk about it in this blog.

Tip: If you have an e-commerce shop, make sure people know it exists. If you’re a service-based business identify what you can do to create a product out of what you know – and sell it.

6. Get in Front of New Customers

Online advertising is daunting and can be expensive.

64% of the online ads marketing in the UK is controlled by Facebook and Google.

This means your potential customers are within your reach. We know they are searching Google and scrolling through Facebook. So, with digital advertising, you can put your business in the spotlight so that those people consider you before your competitors.

The benefits of using paid advertising are huge:

Your ads get in front of your ideal client because you can control who you want to see it – demographics, locations, interests
You control exactly how much you spend
There is even the ability to control how often people see your ad, on what devices, at what time of day

Social media posts alone will never give you the reach and impact that paid-for advertising will.

Tip: Set aside a budget for paid advertising; it will reach the parts social media posts won’t. If you start with Facebook you can keep your costs really low.

7. Improve Your SEO Rankings

Your website is one part of the equation; SEO is another!

With a SEO (Search Engine Optimization) enabled website, you can boost your visibility in search engine search results so that people find you for what you are selling.

Every business owner should have a rudimentary understanding of SEO – what it is, what it does, how it works. But you don’t have to be an expert.

You can start small by having a SEO plugin on your website – Yoast and SEOPress are two I really like. Both take you through a process, using a red, amber, green traffic-light system to let you know if your page or blog post meets SEO ‘standards’.

Another alternative is to use a SEO expert to carry out research and implement a strategy for you. This isn’t a cheap option but it can be really effective.

Tip: Get to grips with the basics of SEO. See what you can achieve yourself but, if you find it difficult ask an expert.

Next Steps?

Join me for an eight-week programme that will show you how to increase customers and sales across the internet via websites, social media, reviews, e-commerce, paid advertising and SEO

How to Balance a 9 to 5 and Become a Successful Entrepreneur

Written by Haze Carver on 28 February 2022.

LitlePiggy

Congrats! You’ve managed to get your side- hustle on the go, and business is looking good. You’re delighted your business is growing, but you’re finding it increasingly difficult to balance your 9 to 5 with your side-hustle.

Add to that life, travel, family, cleaning, shopping, caring responsibilities etc…. It can feel so overwhelming; like something’s got to give!

But, don’t worry, I have a few tips to help you on your way.

First things first…

Focus on Getting Your Systems in Order

With a finite amount of time in the day, you must use tools and processes to bring organisation to what can feel like utter chaos!

Online project management tools like Trello, Asana, Monday, and Microsoft’s OneNote are handy at keeping track of ongoing projects.

Whether it’s an upcoming event you’re organising, keeping tabs on orders or multiple clients – project management tools can help you stay ahead of the game.

Online world not yet your forté? Then you can’t go wrong with a tried-and-tested diary. Just make sure to stick to one diary to avoid overcomplicating things and losing track of key dates.

Whichever way you prefer, you’ll be able to have all your tasks and projects in one place and make sure you stay on top of everything. After all, better organisation means higher productivity, saving you crucial time in the long run.

Ask for HELP

That’s right; you don’t have to manage everything on your own!

Yes, you started a successful side-hustle on your own, but you certainly don’t get any points for running yourself into the ground.

As your business continues to grow, the amount of work needed to maintain that growth will also unavoidably go up.

Help could look like hiring a virtual assistant to deal with the necessary but time-consuming administrative tasks.

Or, if you struggle with navigating the online world and growing your presence, you could think about outsourcing your social media management.

Doing so will allow you to conserve finite time by capitalising on what makes your business unique – you and your strengths.

Talk to Your Employer

The global pandemic saw many people switch to working from home, saving valuable time by eliminating previously long commutes.

Working from home is now a norm, but did you know your employer might have other flexible working policies? For example, many employers are open to working with employees to make adaptations and make sure they can perform their best.

Flexible working could mean starting work earlier or later, depending on your preferences. Or you could even work compressed hours and get an extra day off! [That was my route out of the 9 to 5!]

It can be challenging to have to switch between employee and entrepreneur mode. However, by taking advantage of your employer’s flexible working policy, it’ll be easier for you to block out time to focus solely on your growing business! I’m also here to help!

Need More Ideas?

You should download a copy of my FREE resource: 13 Steps from Employee to Entrepreneur.

How to Balance a 9 to 5 and Become a Successful Entrepreneur

Written by Haze Carver on 24 February 2022.

LitlePiggy

Add to that life, travel, family, cleaning, shopping, caring responsibilities etc…. It can feel so overwhelming; like something’s got to give!

But, don’t worry, I have a few tips to help you on your way.

First things first…

Focus on Getting Your Systems in Order

With a finite amount of time in the day, you must use tools and processes to bring organisation to what can feel like utter chaos!

Online project management tools like Trello, Asana, Monday, and Microsoft’s OneNote are handy at keeping track of ongoing projects.

Whether it’s an upcoming event you’re organising, keeping tabs on orders or multiple clients – project management tools can help you stay ahead of the game.

Online world not yet your forté? Then you can’t go wrong with a tried-and-tested diary. Just make sure to stick to one diary to avoid overcomplicating things and losing track of key dates.

Ask for HELP

That’s right; you don’t have to manage everything on your own!

Yes, you started a successful side-hustle on your own, but you certainly don’t get any points for running yourself into the ground.

As your business continues to grow, the amount of work needed to maintain that growth will also unavoidably go up.

Help could look like hiring a virtual assistant to deal with the necessary but time-consuming administrative tasks.

Or, if you struggle with navigating the online world and growing your presence, you could think about outsourcing your social media management.

Doing so will allow you to conserve finite time by capitalising on what makes your business unique – you and your strengths.

Talk to Your Employer

The global pandemic saw many people switch to working from home, saving valuable time by eliminating previously long commutes.

Need More Ideas?

You should download a copy of my FREE resource: 13 Steps from Employee to Entrepreneur.

Nine Ways to be More Productive in Your Business

Written by Haze Carver on 24 February 2022.

Kathy Ennis, LittlePiggy

1. Notifications Are Not Your Friend

Notifications. The biggest ‘time thief, of all.

How many times have you found yourself distracted by the ‘ping’ from Facebook, Instagram, WhatApp or email?

The worst impact is when you get distracted by a post or an email and, somehow, emerge 20-minutes or a half-hour later with no understanding of where the time has gone.

There is a very simple solution.

Turn them off!

I turned the sound off on my phone three years ago. I have had no distracting sounds and in that time and I haven’t missed out on anything important or lost business.

2. Do a Time and Motion Study

What do you REALLY do every day?

When it comes to assessing what we do each day and how much we have achieved. we are our own worst enemy.

We ‘think’ we have been working really hard, concentrating, getting on with things but …

Do a time and motion study.

For the next two weeks – with no edits or judgements made – note down what you are doing in 15-minute intervals. At the end of the two weeks, take a look.

How did you spend your time?

Did that five-minute task actually take 30-minutes?
How much time did you spend searching for files and documents you ‘know’ are somewhere, but you’re not sure where (more later)
How often did you get side-tracked by a WhatsApp or Messenger massage?
Did you spend far too much time creating social media content because you’re really not sure what you should be saying / doing?

This process will provide clarity. It will show you exactly what you do with your time, what you ‘time thieves’ are and, probably, highlight the things you should be outsourcing!

Once you know exactly how much time tasks really take, and how much time you really have, you can create a much more realistic To-Do list.

More below.

3. Have a Daily, ACHIEVEABLE To-Do List

Following on from getting to grips with how we really spend our time, comes the need to use that knowledge to our best advantage.

What do I mean by that?

Don’t be over ambitious

Plan for want needs to be done and put it in your diary

For example, if I know Friday is all about writing and publishing my blog and preparing my weekly email for the following week, these would be the tasks:

Write the content
Create a SEO-friendly title
Assign a keyword / key-phrase
Find an image
Write the metadata
Proof read
Publish
Prepare and schedule the weekly email

But Friday isn’t just about blog writing, that’s just one task. I also have my one-to-one business coaching and mentoring sessions with my clients.

So, my diary will look something like this:

08.30 – 09.00 : Deal with email inbox
09.00 – 09.45 : Rough draft blog content including keyword / keyphrase, headings and main content ideas
09.45 – 10.00 : Prep for client (tea)
10.00 – 11.00 : Client session
11.00 – 11.15 : Notes from client session (tea)
11.15 – 11.45 : Tidy up rough draft into first draft
11.45 – 12.00 : Prep for client (tea)
12.00 – 13.00 : Client session
13.00 – 13.15 : Notes from client session
13.15 – 13.45 : Lunch
13.45 – 15.00 Prep for client session (tea)
14.00 – 15.00 : Client Session
15.00 – 15.15 : Notes from client session (tea)
15.15 – 15.30 : Source blog image
15.30 – 15.45 : Write the blog metadata
15.45 – 16.00 : Create the SEO-friendly blog title (tea)
16.00 – 16.30 : Final draft, proof read and publish
16.00 – 17.00 : Create my weekly email and schedule
17.00 – 17.30 : Plan my diary for following week (tea)
17.30 – 18.00 : Deal with email inbox

I would not get this clarity from a To-Do list!

Yes, and my day would include all those cups of tea (herbal, of course). Why? They keep my hydrated (along with a litre of water each day too) and they aid my concentration.

Final point. Look at the last item on my planner and remember this mantra