Kirsty France Writes

Have you organised your holiday yet?  The kids are about to finish school and the weather is, well, British.  You might be reading this in the midst of a heatwave or longing to fly off to avoid the rain.

Taking time off when you run your own business, or even if you have a key role in someone else’s, can feel difficult.  When I was still practicing law we used to get emails reminding us to use our holiday.  I didn’t usually need reminding but plenty of my colleagues did.

I understand the feeling of not wanting to take time away from your business.  If you offer a service that exchanges time for money, a week away can put quite a dent in your monthly income.

If you’re contemplating staying behind your desk this summer, don’t.  There are some very good reasons for taking a break.

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Everyone has challenges in business.  If you’re not being challenged, you’re not growing.  The thing is, everyone faces challenges differently.  Some treat them as an obstacle to be overcome, others as an excuse.  We’ve all had those moments when we throw their hands up and say ‘I can’t do it’ when you could if you asked for help.  Sometimes you just need to get out of your own way.

I’ve been lucky enough to meet some truly inspiring people.  They’ve overcome enormous challenges, from childhood abuse to homelessness and divorce.  What’s more, they’ve thrived and now help others to succeed.

But how do you get out of your own way? Whatever the challenge, there is a way to move forward with confidence.  Let’s look at some of the most common culprits…

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I have a confession to make.  This is going to be one of those blog posts where I dispense brilliant advice that I haven’t taken myself.

Getting testimonials from happy clients is absolutely essential if you want to grow your business.  Yet I don’t have any on my website or anywhere on social media.  Why?  Well, read on and you’ll discover where my strategy failed.

Why do I need testimonials?

We all know how important marketing is.  If you don’t do it, your customers won’t find you.  OK, networking will help, but it’ll only take you so far.  People like to look at your website and check you out on social media to see what you’re about.

That’s where testimonials come in.  People can read my blog to see if they like my writing style or whether my values resonate with theirs.  But it doesn’t tell you anything about the experience of working with me.

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What does your brand mean to you?  Is it a lovely logo that you put everywhere that you can think of?  Do you have a range of gorgeous visuals that make your website, social media and all your other communications instantly recognisable?  If that’s as far as it goes, you’re missing out.

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Have you ever been called on to explain why you do what you do for a living?  This happened to me at a networking lunch recently.  We always do a thirty second introduction, but this time the organiser asked us to go a bit further.  As I stood up I described my former life as a solicitor and why I’d chucked it all in to become a freelance writer.

Another lady told us she was an accountant and she’d always wanted to be one, it was really boring.  Then our speaker, a fantastic life coach called Sandra Pollock, began her talk.  She turned to this lady and told her that she should never, ever say that her job is boring.

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Forgive me if this turns into a rant, but I can’t keep quiet any longer.  I love Facebook.  Yes, it has its irritations, particularly since some of my friends have some very strange ideas about how to cure cancer.  Generally though, it’s a great way to keep in touch.

Then there are the Facebook groups.  Like most businesses, I have a Facebook page (and if you don’t already follow me, here’s the link).  However, most of my online support, along with a lot of business, comes from the groups.  It’s basically online networking.  You benefit from other people’s expertise and get yourself known by sharing your own. That’s the idea, anyway.

Unfortunately, sometimes it all goes horribly wrong.  Brace yourself for a few pet hates…

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How is your inbox looking?  Do you open your email each day knowing that everything you receive is going to be useful, entertaining and a joy to read?  No, me neither. Still, there’s a reason I don’t unsubscribe from all of them.  There are plenty of retailers out there that I buy from now and again.  They’re useful information sources for birthday or Christmas presents.  I stay on their list because it’s useful to know when they’ve got a sale on.

If you send email marketing out to your customers, you may well fall into that category.  As long as your customers are happy, it’s all fine.  However, break the rules and you could find yourself on the end of more than an angry phone call.

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If you have a shop with physical premises, a great window display is a no-brainer.  How else are you going to convince people to come inside?  Of course, what your shop front needs depends on the customers you want to attract.  The display outside a seaside bucket and spade shop will be very different from that of a high end boutique.

When you have an online business, it’s easy to forget that the same rules apply.  Your online presence, particularly your website, is a virtual shopfront and should be treated accordingly.

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Are you annoying your customers without meaning to?  Could you be bringing in more business if your marketing talked to your audience in the right way?

Bridging the gap between you and your audience can be harder than you think.  There are so many potential pitfalls if you misjudge your customers.  The main problem is that you’re an expert.  You know your business and your subject inside and out but your customers might not.  You run the risk of alienating them by blinding them with science.  Conversely, you could also end up patronising them by assuming they know less than they do.

It’s a balancing act.  So how do you get it right?

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When you first start a business, you probably just hope that someone will buy from you.  That’s particularly true when you’re a sole trader working for yourself for the first time.

However, trying to market to everyone is a recipe for disaster.  There’s nothing wrong with taking whatever work comes your way in the early days when you just need to make some money.  But you’ll be doing yourself a massive disservice if you don’t get more targeted in your marketing.

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