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Do you know your marketing tone of voice?

Do you know your marketing tone of voice?

Smaller businesses like ours don’t tend to have teams of branding experts analysing our target market, imagery and language to keep everything consistent. We’re more likely to write our own content, so it sounds like us and our customers feel like they already know us. Being yourself in your marketing is great, but understanding how your language affects your customers and what it says about your business lets you tweak things to make your marketing tone of voice more effective.

The best way to do this is to look at other people’s content and ask yourself a few questions to work out why you like (or hate) it. Here are some questions to ask to get you started.

How does it make you feel?

When you read a social media post or blog or watch an advert, ask yourself how it makes you feel. Does it lift your mood or spur you on to solve a problem? Does the language make you feel relaxed or on edge?

The way you position yourself in relation to your audience is important. Speaking to them as equals is great, but sometimes you must show your expertise too. A florist and a financial adviser can both be friendly, but they differ in how they talk about their expertise.

What change do they offer?

Helping your audience understand the changes your product or service can bring makes them more likely to buy, even if those changes are pretty small. Holiday adverts show happy families having fun, while Christmas ones have people smiling as they open the perfect gift. When you see marketing that you like, ask yourself why. Does it show something you want? If you find an advert irritating or indifferent to it, consider whether you’re the target audience.

What else are they selling?

This can be a tricky one to work out. Most marketing shows tangible benefits, but there are often intangible ones as well. This usually depends on a brand’s market position. A clothes shop selling fast, affordable fashion will market itself very differently from a luxury brand. The quality of each item and the price tag may differ, but that’s not all. Marketing for luxury goods aims to make you feel like your social status will improve if you buy from them.

Did they take you by surprise?

Some businesses make themselves stand out by doing something unexpected. If you think an industry is boring, they make it fun, or perhaps they make a process easy where it’s been long-winded before.

Marketing like this sometimes follows one convention (like showing a product) and breaks another (by doing it in an unexpected way). Haribo adverts show the sweets, but they stand out because they feature adult actors speaking like children, so it sticks in your memory.

Compare content from different sources

Looking at a few adverts or marketing posts helps you understand how brands present themselves to different audiences. Marketing that irritates you can be as helpful as content you love. When you compare brands, look at the language they use. Does a luxury brand use different words from a budget one?

Looking at other people’s marketing also helps you decide where you fit in the marketplace and what that means for your marketing. You’ll use different language to attract cash-rich and time-poor customers than you will if your audience is the complete opposite.

If you try this out, let me know how you get on. I’d love to hear from you.

If you want to find the best version of your marketing tone of voice, I can help.  I’ll write blogs, posts, emails and whatever else you need to engage your audience. If you’d like a chat to find out how it works, you can book a call here. Or, use the form below to sign up for monthly content writing tips straight to your inbox.

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Five ways to turn followers into customers

A woman trying to turn followers into customers

Have you spent time building a following on social media only to find it hasn’t translated into paying customers? It’s more common than you think.

Read on for some ways to tailor your content to encourage your audience to buy, and don’t forget that these can work offline too. As long as you make it personal, contacting your networking contacts with information on your services is OK.

Think about what products and services they need

People will only buy things they value, so your marketing needs to show them how they’ll benefit from using your product or service. Basically, what’s in it for them? How do you help them achieve something meaningful, whether getting their baby to sleep or buying a great birthday present? We talk about pain points in marketing, but it doesn’t have to be painful. Tell people about the ways you help them have fun too.

Understanding your audience can also help you (create new products and services. – https://www.kirstyfrancewrites.co.uk/digital-products/)

Ask questions and build a relationship

Helping your audience get to know you is a vital part of marketing, but it’s even better when it’s a two-way thing. Asking them questions and starting a conversation helps them to feel part of something bigger, where hearing from you makes people happy. I feel like this every time I walk into my favourite café, which is why I keep going back. How can you create that (or keep it going) online too?

Use email marketing

Good marketing emails feel like a message from a friend. While you don’t want to send your potential customers all your gossip, you can tell them what you’re up to and ask them if they’re enjoying the summer, looking forward to Christmas or whatever’s appropriate at the time.

Emails like this are a powerful tool for turning people into customers as you can create a valuable lead magnet, talk about a subject they care about and then mention a product or service that will help.

Share case studies and testimonials

One of the biggest stumbling blocks between you and a new customer is that they don’t know what to expect. They don’t get in touch because they don’t understand how the process works or what results they might get. You can write blogs and social media posts explaining things, but case studies are even better. Case studies show people how you’ve worked with other clients and what the results were.

Testimonials also let your audience hear from happy customers in their own words.

Create a strong CTA

Have you ever read a social media post about a new product or service and thought it sounded great but had no idea how to buy or get in touch to book an appointment? A good call to action lets people know what to do next. That might be sending you a message to book an appointment or giving them a link to your scheduling software or a specific product. However you want people to contact you, make sure it’s obvious in your marketing.

If you want to create content that will turn followers into customers, I can help.  I’ll write blogs, posts and emails to engage your audience and encourage them to buy. If you’d like a chat to find out how it works, you can book a call here.

If you’re planning your Christmas marketing, sign up for my mailing list here for hints and tips to help you create your Christmas campaign. You can also sign up to receive my monthly emails packed with helpful content writing and marketing tips using the form below.

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How I found the right business for me

Guest blog from Sarah Ferguson about her Tocara jewellery business

I have always envied people who wear beautiful jewellery and often admired pretty necklaces and earrings, feeling just a little jealous because I’ve never really been able to wear much jewellery due to skin reactions.  

Where I was

For about 18 months, I’d known I needed to find something new business-wise, but I didn’t know what I wanted to do.   I have worked in Direct Sales for over 12 years; I originally decided to ‘give it a go’ because I loved the product, bought it myself and needed some extra money – quite a common theme, really!  What started as a bit of a paid hobby for me soon developed into a super little business, and the BEST thing for me was that I could work around my family; I was always there to do the school run, take the children to their friends, after school classes etc. and the extra income helped pay for the treats and days out in school holidays.   Win-win.   

However, the lockdown and the pandemic changed things, plus I had a difficult house move to navigate.   I decided to limp along but keep my eyes and ears open for something new.

Finding a new opportunity

Earlier this year, I was in the right place at the right time, and I am so very grateful that I heard that conversation!   A new jewellery company was looking to launch in the UK, very established in Canada with beautiful fine jewellery.  My spidy sensors alerted I reached out and asked for more information.   I am so glad that I did! 

Tocara Jewellery, founded by a jeweller with over 40 years of experience designing and making fine jewellery, was looking to launch here.   I have always believed people need to be a product of their product and believe in what they do or sell.    I had to see some jewellery and, more importantly, find out if I’d be able to wear it – I have sensitive skin that reacts to lots of things, including many metals, so this was the real test.    RESULT!   Tocara jewellery is made from genuine Sterling Silver, surgical grade Stainless Steel and 10c and 14 c gold plate. For the first time in years, I could wear earrings for more than 30 minutes.   These were so comfortable that I forgot that I was wearing them!

This was clearly a sign I had found the product I had been looking for, and not only had I found a new business, I realised that I had found a whole new sparkle wardrobe.   I can’t begin to tell you how excited I was to be able to wear jewellery. I really am like a child in a sweet shop.

Image showing gold astrological necklace and earrings from Tocara, Sarah's jewellery business.

How it’s going

Product and business found, new challenge accepted!   I’ve been privileged to see a side of a business that no one really sees.   Usually, when people are invited to join a direct sales business, it’s established, and we wish we could be there earlier in the journey.    My connection to Tocara UK is via Canada and my goal is to share our founder’s vision to share the beautiful jewellery and business model.    My experience over the past 12 years gives me the opportunity to help others build a flexible business, whether that be a paid hobby, a part-time income or an additional income stream around their own lives and families.  

I have enjoyed the flexibility, recognition and income my little business has provided.   I am really looking forward to starting from scratch now, with stunning sparkles ready to share and a fabulous opportunity to enhance lives.    It’s truly rewarding to see how people grow in confidence, blossom and take pride in their achievements, no matter how small.    Some people will love simply wearing and sharing the jewellery enjoying the compliments they receive.   Some people will recognise the bigger picture and the business model providing financial reward, and others will find happiness, like I did a few years ago, being able to provide those extras for my family, taking pride in my own achievements and creating memories that will last a lifetime.  Everyone is welcome to join me.

What’s next?

We’ve just launched here in the UK, and the reaction to the jewellery has been so positive and what perfect timing for Christmas gifts; everyone loves a little sparkle at this time of year.   Tocara also supports Breast Cancer Now through the sales of the Debbie Collection. This beautiful collection includes a pretty bolo bracelet made from stainless steel and shell pearl,  making an ideal Secret Santa gift, stocking filler, or to wear daily and show support to a worthy charity.

If you’d like to know more (or do some Christmas shopping) you can find me on Facebook.

Image showing pearl bracelet and packaging from Tocara, Sarah's jewellery business.
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How you can avoid common blogging mistakes

A person struggling with common blogging mistakes.
Photo by energepic.com: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-sitting-in-front-of-macbook-313690/

You know some of the most common blogging mistakes (if you don’t, read this). The question is, how do you avoid them? I’m glad you asked; here’s how.

Write a clear headline

A good headline is designed to spark your reader’s interest. It also tells them what to expect from the content they’re about to read. The headline for your blog posts sets the tone in the same way as a front-page newspaper headline; that’s why there’s such a massive difference between headlines in the Sun and the Daily Telegraph.

Your headline also tells people what they’re about to read. It lets them know that if they click, they’ll get five helpful time-saving tips or find out why they need to make a will. When you follow through on the promise your headline makes you build trust with your audience, which is an excellent thing for your business.

Use subheadings

Big blocks of text are scary and off-putting for your reader. When you break your blog post down into sections, you make it more readable and visually pleasing. You’ll also help the people who found you because they were looking for a quick answer to a question. They can use your subheadings to jump straight to the bit they need. They might even read the rest of the post if you’re lucky.

Your subheadings need to be clear, just like your headline, so your audience knows what to expect.

Plan your post

If your headline promises one thing, but the post wanders off from the point, your reader might lose patience. This is especially true if they’re looking for quick information. Even if your post is helpful and well-written, you’ll lose readers if you aren’t giving them what they expected.

Planning your post helps you to work out whether all the information you’re including is relevant to the post’s central theme. If it isn’t, you can still use the points you’ve thought of in a different blog post, so it isn’t wasted.

Get to know your audience

You can write more compelling posts when you know your core audience. It’s essential to be aware of their level of knowledge about your subject and what they need from you. That doesn’t mean that you can’t write for different types of people; you might be able to help beginners with one thing and more experienced people with something else. The main thing is that you’re clear about which one each post is for.

When you know who you’re writing for, you can talk to them at the right level. Being patronising or blinding your audience with science won’t win you any fans.

Think about your call to action

Creating the right call to action, or CTA, where you guide your readers towards the next step you want them to take, can take a bit of planning. Achieving your business goals might mean attracting more leads and growing your audience. Your blog post could ask them to follow you or include an email sign-up form. You could invite people to book a call or have images of your products with links to your online shop if you want to make it easy for them to buy.

There are many potential options, so think about the steps that align with your goals.

If you want to create blogs that will turn your readers into customers, I can help. Book a call, and let’s have a chat.

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Create a cosy home with beautiful scent

Guest blog by Jules Baines of Just Jules - create a cosy home with beautiful scent

Autumn is definitely on it’s way and, even if you love it, it brings the kind of weather that makes you want to stay inside in the warm. You can make your home cosy with soft furnishings, but why not go further? Filling your home with scent adds to the atmosphere. You can lift your mood or make your bathroom feel like a luxury spa. Here’s how you can make your home cosy with scent.

Wax melts

If you’ve never tried wax melts before, you might be wondering how they work. They’re created in a similar way to candles, with wax poured into a mould. I fragrance mine with essential oils to give them a subtle and natural scent. You use them by placing a single melt into an oil burner and then lighting a tea light underneath. They gradually melt, creating a background scent that changes the whole atmosphere of your room.

Melts are a good choice if you prefer not to look at a naked flame. Most burners have a solid side so you can turn them and have the candle facing away from you. They’re also ideal if you sometimes find the scent of candles overpowering as they’re very subtle. The wax melts and stays in the burner so you can relight the candle and reuse them once or twice too.

Candles

You don’t need me to explain what a candle does. I think they’re ideal for creating a cosy atmosphere. They give a more powerful scent than wax melts so one scented candle will be plenty to fragrance your whole room. If you love the light that a candle produces you could cluster your scented candle together with some unfragranced ones to create a beautiful display. Candles can be a lovely feature even when they’re unlit, particularly if you choose containers that fit the style of your home. I always find candlelight so calming, even meditative, so they’re perfect to help you wind down at the end of a busy day.

It’s important to choose good quality candles. The best candles will give you a clean burn and a pleasant fragrance. My candles are made with 100% vegetable wax of soya, rapeseed and palm, mixed with pure essential oil. They’re also packaged in a metal container, which looks great. I avoid glass containers as there can be safety issues.

Choosing the right fragrance

Creating a lovely ambience with scent depends on choosing the right fragrance. There’s a huge array of scents you can choose from. I use my candles in my own home and have different fragrances for different rooms. They become part of the overall feel. I find myself grouping candles into upstairs and downstairs fragrances. The range includes everything from fresh citrus scents to an evocative musk.

I love using lime and ginger in the kitchen. It’s a fresh scent that tones down cooking smells while also complementing them. (I also think that my rhubarb and ginger candles and melts smell like pudding!) If you’d like to create a spa feel in your bathroom Moroccan Rose or Black Oud are ideal choices. Black Pomegranate is perfect for a bedroom and has quite a masculine scent. You can experiment with different fragrances in different rooms to decide what works for you and your lifestyle.

Can I help you to make your home cosy with scent? Call me on 0789 446 4098 or visit https://www.justjules-jewellery.co.uk/

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How you can write words that sell without being salesy

Image of woman at a desk writing words that sell.
Photo by Judit Peter: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-writing-on-a-notebook-beside-macbook-1766604/

I wish I had a pound for everyone who’d ever told me that they didn’t want to be salesy. It’s completely understandable; we’ve all had our brushes with pushy salespeople who wouldn’t take no for an answer and didn’t care whether we needed what they were offering. The trouble is, it’s far too easy to go the other way. We don’t want to be pushy, so we end up not selling anything. The good news is that you can write words that sell without screeching ‘buy this now!’ in your customers’ faces.

Here’s what you need to remember.

You’re not selling, you’re helping

You’ve created a product or service that helps people to solve a problem or otherwise makes their life better. They’ll buy if they need or want what you offer. There might be all sorts of other reasons why they do it, but that’s the big one. The things you talk about in your marketing show them that you understand what they want. That’s it. You’re only talking to the people who need you, not trying to bully the ones who don’t into buying your stuff.

What’s the difference between copy and content?

When you’re trying to write words that sell there’s more than one kind of writing. It’s the kind of terminology that gets thrown around in copywriting groups because it’s a useful shorthand but is generally meaningless to anyone who doesn’t work in marketing. Broadly speaking, copy is the highly focused writing that’s written to make a sale. Content is the stuff that takes you by the hand and leads you there.

Build relationships with content

At the risk of going a bit meta, this blog post is an example of content. I’m not trying to sell you anything, I just want to gently encourage you to book a call with me to chat about the copy or content you might need for your business. My blog posts help you learn more about marketing, content writing and let you get to know me. Anything you write that isn’t sales-focused, whether that’s a blog or a social media post, can be classed as content.

What is copy for?

Copy is designed to motivate people to buy straight away. It isn’t necessarily pushy – it’s just focused on reasons for taking the step now rather than thinking about it for a bit longer. Part of this process involves creating urgency. This could be for practical reasons, for example, you’re running an event and this is their last chance to get a ticket.

The urgency could come from your customer; they’re exhausted because their baby doesn’t sleep or they’ve put self-care to the bottom of the list for too long. Your copy needs to show them why it’s time to change that.

The things you need to show your customers

Writing words that sell means showing your customers that you understand the problem and have the solution. Your content does the groundwork then your copy brings it all together.

You might want to talk about product features that you’re particularly proud of. The trouble is your customers don’t care unless they understand what’s in it for them. Don’t just tell them that your travel mug has double-layer insulation, tell them that it’ll keep their coffee hot through their whole commute and they’ll be much more interested. Do you need to build relationships with new content or create copy that convinces your audience to buy? I can help with that. Book a call here and let’s have a chat.

Alternatively, sign up using the form below to get blogging and content writing hints and tips straight to your inbox. I’m a vegetarian so I promise I won’t send you any spam and you can unsubscribe anytime.

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4 powerful emotional marketing tips to make your customers buy

Emotional marketing creates a connection.
Photo by Juan Pablo Serrano Arenas: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-and-woman-sitting-together-in-front-of-table-951290/

When you create marketing that shamelessly targets your customers’ emotions, you’ll sell more. That sounds pretty cynical, doesn’t it? It doesn’t have to be. You’re excited about your products and services; you love what you do and feel a warm glow when your customers are happy. Your marketing needs to show them how they’ll feel after they’ve worked with you, so they can get excited too. If you’re wondering what you can do to get emotional marketing working for you, here are my top 4 tips to get you started.

Show them the before and after

Great marketing shows your future customers that you understand their needs and can help them. You could tell them how you help, but it works better if you show them. I could say something like “I save you time by writing your blog for you.” It’s easy to understand but rubbish as a piece of emotional marketing. What if I said, “are you tired of being stuck to your laptop writing another blog post when you’d rather be putting your kids to bed?” If you’re a business owner with mum guilt the second version is going to be more powerful because it has a detail that hits home. Talk about the feelings that your customers have now and how they’ll feel when they’ve worked with you. Get into details and your marketing will be much more effective.

Show your customers what you have in common

Emotional marketing helps your customers to connect with you as a human being. Its one of the advantages that small business owners like us have over the big brands. We can use our personalities in our marketing and attract people who like what they see. (My main challenge with this is that sarcasm doesn’t always come across in print.) When you use emotional touchpoints in your marketing you create understanding. It’s incredibly effective when your customers are where you used to be, with a baby that won’t sleep or a challenging health condition. Show them where you were and how far you’ve come.

Use emotional marketing to connect with what they want

People are motivated by lots of different things, but some emotional motivators are more powerful than others. Your future customers might want to stand out from the crowd, feel more confident or that they’re taking care of their own wellbeing. What needs and feelings are bringing your customers to you? You might appeal to some deep-seated emotions, like a need to belong. If you offer something that might be considered a bit niche or offbeat, your marketing could help your customers feel that they’ve finally found someone who understands them. Think about what feelings go with your customers’ aspirations and talk about them.

What do you want them to do next?

Whenever you create a piece of content, ask yourself what it’s for. I know that all marketing is designed to let people know what you do and how to buy from you, but each blog post, social media post or email will have its own specific aim. Some things are educational or designed to raise your profile, while others are more focused on selling. Ironically, while you want your audience to feel good about your business, they’re more likely to act if they feel a negative emotion. That could be you telling them that today is their last chance to buy that Christmas present, or something more general.

Are you ready to get some emotion into your marketing? I can help with that. Book a call here and let’s have a chat.

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How you can write great marketing content

A woman enjoying great marketing content.

How many times have you heard that ‘content is king’ and that you need to create great marketing content if you want your business to grow? If I had a pound for each one, I’d be a much richer woman by now. If you’ve ever heard one of these hopelessly general statements and wondered where to start without spending a fortune, I have good news. Here are my top 5 tips for creating marketing content that speaks your customers’ language.

Know your customer

If you’ve read my blog before you’ll know this is a common theme. Creating good content starts with understanding who you want to talk to. At its simplest this means working out who you help and where you’ll find them. If you could (theoretically) help anyone, start by thinking about who you most enjoy working with. I could work with any business but prefer small business owners. They’re often also business owning mums – maybe we just speak the same language?! You can find out more about getting to know your customer here.

Show your personality

The difference between you and every other business that does the same thing as you is – drum roll please – you. This is particularly true if you’re a one-person business. Your character, values and the way that feeds through into your business is incredibly important. Your customers might choose you over your competitors simply because they like the way you come across. That could be because you share the same values. It could equally be because they feel as if they’re chatting to an old friend when they read your social media posts.

Find your content focus

Good content has a clear focus and sticks to the point. If your blog posts meanders off on multiple tangents you’ll lose your audience, especially if they only have time for something short, sweet and helpful. Of course, if you’re offering up the ultimate guide to something then it’s going to need to be long. There’s nothing wrong with that. The important thing is that you bring everything back to one central thread. If you find yourself sticking to the point and still writing loads your topic could be too big.

Do your research

Research doesn’t just prevent you from going over old ground. It can help you to find your own angle on an existing topic. One of the biggest obstacles to creating great content (or any content at all) is the thought that somebody, somewhere, has already written about it all. They probably have, but they haven’t written your take on it. Research allows you to potentially find a gap, but it could also give you something to respond to. If you read advice that you disagree with, write your own.

Edit at the end

The best content has writing that sounds like you. It helps your audience to imagine that they’re sitting down having a chat with you. That doesn’t happen if you’re overthinking every sentence, worrying about grammar or whether you should use a more sophisticated word. Plan your blog post then sit down and write. You can also dictate into Word if that works better for you. Let the words come out naturally and tidy it all up later. There will be more on this in a future blog, so watch this space!

Do you need to create great marketing content? I can help with that. Click here to book a chat with me about your options or find out more about my blog writing packages here.

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What are you looking forward to?

What are you looking forward to?
Photo by Sebastian Voortman from Pexels

In the midst of all the lockdowns there’s a theme that I keep seeing. The one thing that everyone seems to have struggled with at some point is not having anything to look forward to. There’s been a huge emphasis on learning to live in the moment because that’s all we can do. It’s a great idea – if you’re constantly looking back or planning for the future are you really living? At the same time, studies have shown that anticipation can be even more pleasurable than reward. I think it’s why I love crime fiction so much. I know there’s going to be a resolution and can spend a whole book looking forward to it. My main frustration at the moment is not knowing when change is going to happen. All I can do right now is to think about the things I’m looking forward to getting back to. Lots of us are thinking about the lockdown changes that are worth keeping. I’ve started thinking about the things I can’t wait to add back in. Here’s my list of things I’m looking forward to. What’s on yours?

Hugs

Yep, I’m a hugger. Even socially distanced meet ups were hard because I just wanted to run over and hug people. I know I’m lucky because I live with people I love and my kids are huggers too. Thing is, I’m looking forward to having a bit of variety again. There are some absolutely amazing people in my life that I haven’t hugged in nearly a year. I’m really looking forward to having that again. Just an advance warning – it might get awkward. Sorry about that.

Rugby

I’m a massive rugby fan and Leicester Tigers season ticket holder. Watching them with my friends has been a massive part of my life for the last 20 years. I my rugby family, some of whom I met on the terrace. We’ve bonded over drinking, cake and trips to matches from Twickenham to Rome. There’s nothing quite like the atmosphere at a live game. That said, when England won the World Cup in 2003 I was in the bar at the Tigers ground, standing on a chair and cheering my head off. I’m looking forward to having that back.

New entertainment

TV box sets and new films on Netflix has kept a lot of us sane through lockdown. We’ve had virtual tours of museums and galleries. Truth is, I’m missing the sense of occasion that comes with a proper outing. I’m looking forward to heading to the cinema, getting my popcorn and settling in as the house lights go down. My kids will probably want to see the new Spiderman movie (who am I kidding, I can’t wait either). Plus, they’ve got to release the new Bond eventually – haven’t they?!

Pottering about

If you’d told me the rules of lockdown a year ago, I’d have made a few solid predictions about things I’d miss. Simply pottering wouldn’t have been one of them. Pre-lockdown I had pockets of time when everyone was out and I could do whatever I felt like. Even if I chose to do something mundane, like folding laundry, I could always accompany it with the TV show that no-one else likes. I used to have solo trips to London where I’d decide what to do when I got there. I’m looking forward to the day I can get on a train and just head out.

What’s on your list? Let me know in the comments.

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Are you mixing business with home school?

Stressed mum mixing business with home school
Image from Pixabay via Pexels.com

So, here we are again. Just when we all thought we’d put the whole home school thing behind us, we’re back into it. Except, this time it feels different. Proper school is still happening for key worker children and there seem to be more of them now. The government is expecting schools (and, by extension, us) to provide real learning as opposed to just child care and things to keep kids going through a crisis. There’s a sense of worry that children at home will fall behind. In the meantime, we all still have to keep earning a living. January is traditionally quieter for me so I’m not panicking – yet. I took stock of how things were going at the end of last year but I find myself doing it again. Here are the things I’m struggling with about home school and what I’m learning to appreciate. I’d love to hear yours too.

I want to be alone

I’ve come over all Greta Garbo. Before my two started school Fridays used to be Mum and son days. When my youngest started in reception I found myself at a loose end. I soon adapted, of course. I mostly just luxuriated in having the house to myself. The same applied to weekends when the husband took them to the park so I could fold laundry whilst watching TV shows that no-one else likes. It’s such a small thing, but I really miss that. I know we can still go for a walk but it’s just not the same.

Changing the routine

During the first lockdown I tried to do actual work alongside home school work. Big mistake. This time I’m saving myself the stress and focusing on one thing at a time. Unfortunately my kids take after me and concentrate best in the morning. If we’re not into school mode by 10am, I’ve lost them. It means that I’ve shifted my working day so it starts at 3pm. My brain has normally shut up shop by 5pm so I don’t get as much done, but it’s enough. It demands focus and I’m adapting my usual habits so it doesn’t feel too odd starting work when I’d normally be stopping.

What are they doing now?!

I find myself saying that sentence a lot, normally because a child has vanished. It makes me laugh when I hear other parents long for virtual lessons so they can get work done. I consider it a full time job getting mine to sit still for more than 30 seconds. At the same time, seeing the work that they’re getting has given me a whole new insight into how they learn. I’ve been to phonics and maths workshops where teachers explain how everything’s changed since I was at school, but hearing my kids explain the solution to a problem has deepened my understanding and I’m really grateful for that.

My clients are brilliant

I have amazing clients and that’s been a huge plus in all of this. I’m still working is and every single client understands that things have had to change. In fact, I talked to a new client the other day and we spent the first 20 minutes discussing how lockdown had affected us and what the impact on family life had been. Even when you’re on a discovery call, those details are still important. I sometimes get frustrated when marketing feels like a slow burn, but at times like this I appreciate the fact that it leads to the best clients I could have.

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