Tag: business goals

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Being in community

Guest blog - Olivia Pitt - Olivia Pitt Coaching - Being in Community

As we approach the end of another year, I paused to reflect on how much ‘being in community’ has helped me to grow emotionally and spiritually, and as a businesswoman.

But what do I mean by ‘being in community’?  For me, it’s being an active member of a group that shares similar values.  It’s being in spaces where I feel safe and have a sense of belonging.  With lots of everyday demands and in the interest of self-care, I’ve had to be selective about how I spend my time. 

Here are 5 questions I ask when choosing a community:

Do we share similar values? 

If I’m investing time being involved in a group, it’s important that it’s about being supportive and celebrating each other.  One of the things I’m most proud of when it comes to the Curvy Convo community that I created for plus-size women is how much we celebrate the achievements of our members Curvy Convo – Olivia Pitt.  My ‘Keeping the Dream Alive’ coaching groups are perfect examples of this – check them out here: Group Coaching – Olivia Pitt.  I also get that same experience in my early morning circuit classes. There’s no competition, just support and encouragement to give things a go.      

What contribution could I make?

For me, it can’t be about just taking from the community.  What could I bring to the table? What value could I add?  My church community provides me with an opportunity to serve and lead, putting my skills, experience, and personality to good use.  In networking groups, bringing joy has often been the most valuable contribution I could bring.

What could I learn?

Stepping into the role of being a businesswoman was alien to me after having been an employee for most of my working life.  There were so many things I had to learn (and unlearn!), and I’ve been blessed to find a space in a business coaching group where I can be completely myself, unembarrassed about my lack of knowledge in some areas and fighting off impostor syndrome when it rears its ugly head. 

How will it help me to grow?

I’ve been ‘doing life’ with other women of faith as a member of a mentoring group since 2014.  This is where I learned about my identity and unique design.  It helped me to understand myself a whole lot more than I ever did!  I discovered that I am gifted in encouraging others. In the past two years, I’ve intentionally spent time with other women who share my gifting.  This has helped me to confidently flow in my gifting, in complete alignment with my business as a Life Coach.

Can I really be myself?

In safe communities, I’ve allowed myself to be vulnerable and let my guard down so people can see beyond the smiles and laughter.  I’ve shown up at times when I’ve felt broken, rejected, mentally drained, a failure.  In virtual spaces, I’ve done the makeup-free, braless in PJs showing up as well – this all counts!

So, my question is, are you in community? You don’t have to navigate life on your own.  You have nothing to prove.  There’s so much to be gained by meaningfully connecting with others. As you enter a new year, maybe it’s time to consider who you could ‘do life’ with. You might be the missing piece of the puzzle that the group needs.  Go for it!

Interested in finding out more? Let’s chat: Contact – Olivia Pitt You can find me on socials Courage Cultivating Coach (@oliviapittcoaching) • Instagram photos and videos or (13) Olivia Pitt Coaching | Facebook

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How to match your marketing to your business goals

The image shows a blue sticky note saying 'bright ideas change the world' on a checked background. It's a bright idea to match your marketing to your business goals.
http://Photo by RODNAE Productions: https://www.pexels.com/photo/white-printer-paper-on-yellow-table-7414305/

“A dream is just a dream. A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline.” ~ Harvey Mackay

I like this quote for its optimism; you can dream, but you only get somewhere when you make a plan and hold yourself accountable for each step. If you’ve planned your goals for the next 12 months, your next step will be creating a marketing plan to help you hit them.

The question is, does your marketing content align with your targets? When you match your marketing to your business goals, you’re more likely to achieve them. Here’s my guide to the types of content that will help you at each stage of the customer journey.

Brand awareness

To grow a business, you need to make sure that people have a) heard of you and b) understand what you do. SEO plays a big part here; it lets people find you via keywords that describe your business. Personality-filled, shareable blogs and social media posts will help you to reach more people and stay at the front of their minds.

It’s also worth creating guest posts for other sites and collaborating with other businesses. My favourite local café hosts workshops and shopping events, and it helps everyone involved grow their brand awareness.

Engagement

This is the stage where you want people to move from knowing who you are to having a conversation so they can decide whether they like you. Asking conversation-starting questions works well here. You can do this in your blog, on social media posts or ask for interaction on your Stories. You can also invite viewers to ask their questions on live videos.

People are more likely to buy things that their friends like, so ask people to post pictures of themselves with your products.

Lead generation

Lead generation is just a fancy term for encouraging them to opt into a closer relationship where they hear from you more often and start thinking about buying. Asking people to sign up for your email list is an excellent first step, as you can send them an email series that shares everything they may not have known about your business before. You can offer a helpful freebie, such as a checklist, eBook, video tutorial or a free trial to encourage them to sign up. Sharing case studies on your website and social media can help as they show your results.

Sales

Small business owners often struggle with this, but selling doesn’t have to mean pressuring someone into buying. All the work you’ve done to build a relationship means that your audience knows how you can help them; they just need to take the next step.

Sales content needs to take away any doubts people might have. They might need to understand the process or get more details about the product before they buy. Use your content to talk about the benefits and your process, and include technical information as bullet points in your product descriptions. Sharing reviews and case studies lets them see that you’ve delivered for others.

One final thing. Don’t forget to follow up after the sale to help them get the best out of what they’ve bought. Offering hints, tips, or extra support maintains the relationship and makes you memorable.

Do you want to match your marketing to your business goals? I can help with that. I create content that speaks your customers’ language. Book a call to find out how it works.

You can also sign up to receive monthly emails packed with useful content writing and marketing tips using the form below.