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Reach your audience by sharing what you love

Share what you loveWhen I ask people what they struggle with when it comes to producing content for their business, I usually get one of two answers.  Some people have ideas but when they put them down on paper it just sounds wrong.  There is a solution to that, but that’s for another blog.

Far and away the most common problem is that people don’t know what to write about.  They like the idea of writing a blog but don’t know where to start when it comes to topics.

There are loads of strategies available for coming up with blog post topics.  I’ll probably write about them all at some point but for now I’m going to share my favourite.  Write about what you love.

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Is your business ready for the school holidays?

Business ready school holidaysThere’s a part of me that really looks forward to the school holidays, especially in the summer.  My eldest son is still quite little so is usually exhausted by the end of term.  During term time I’m constantly rushing them out of the house or shouting because their shoes have mysteriously vanished.  During the school holidays we can do pretty much what we like.

Of course, it’s never quite that simple.  We all need to make a living and every business needs a bit of attention over the summer months.  How do we balance family and work so that the school holidays don’t spell disaster?

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How you can make it easy to take a break

Make time take a breakGoing on holiday is generally a good idea.  If you aren’t convinced by that have a read of my last blog – hopefully it will change your mind.  When you have a family going away, or at least having a few days off, is practically compulsory.

Of course, knowing that you’re going to take a break is one thing.  Making the time to take a break is quite another.  That pre-holiday cramming period is all too familiar to many of us.

How will you make it work?  How can you take a break without spending your whole holiday worrying about what’s happening to your business?

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Are you going on holiday? It could be great for business!

Holiday good for businessHave 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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Do you need to get out of your own way?

Confidence get out of your own wayEveryone 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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Why you need to be brave and ask for testimonials

TestimonialsI 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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Do you love your job? Stop saying it’s boring!

love your jobHave 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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The problem with Facebook groups

Problem Facebook groupsForgive 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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Email marketing: how not to break the rules

Email marketing rulesHow 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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