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Do you sometimes feel like you’re the best kept secret? Do you want to scream and shout from the rooftops about how amazing your classes are but no one seems to hear you?
The marketplace these days can feel so crowded and it can seem an almost impossible task to be seen and heard above all the noise.
I have worked with so many small business owners over the past couple of years who share this exact frustration.
And when we start to drill into their strategies to work out how we can make things better, one common problem pops up time after time.
They are pouring time, energy and money into trying to find that one magic solution that will fix everything. Often they are attempting what I would classify as “advanced” techniques but none of them are hitting the mark.
Why?
They are running before they can walk. They’re trying to build a house (well, a business) on wobbly foundations. They haven’t completely nailed the basics.
So in today’s podcast episode we are going back to basics.
I am going to walk you through the two most fundamental, but important, marketing questions that you must have complete clarity over before you can add the frills.
And if you’re thinking – I already know the basics – I don’t need to hear this….. then this episode is particularly for you!
Even the strongest of foundations can develop cracks with all the changes that are happening in the world around us but fixing those weaknesses can really help us build an incredible, successful and strong business going forwards. So let’s take the time to get this right. It will pay off in the long run.
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When you started running your own business, I’m guessing you had a vision. A vision of the business you were going to create. A vision of what your life would look like as an entrepreneur.
For me, my business was going to give me flexibility and additional time to spend with my very young family – something my corporate job wasn’t able to give me.
But just 2 years into running my own business, the reality was far from my vision.
It slowly dawned on me that I had created a beast of a business that zapped all my time and gave me very little flexibility.
Something had to change.
And it did.
And this is something you can have too. You just need to have the right knowledge and systems in place to make it all happen.
I hope you enjoy this episode and I look forward to connecting with you again next week for some more top tips to help you grow your amazing kids’ activity business.
Bye for now
Claire
In this episode, I share with you the personal journey I went on to create the business I have today. The one that generates six figures and allows me to work just 4 hours a month. The one that aligns almost perfectly to my original dream.
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Love it or hate it – social media can be a very powerful tool in your business. If used correctly it can completely transform your chances of not only getting seen by a potential customer but also converting them into actual paying customers.
We’ve all probably been there at some point in our business….. that awful moment when you’ve spent hours carefully scripting a beautiful sales post, sending it out into the world with much hope and excitement, only for it to fall completely flat on its face. Zero engagement. Zero sales.
So what is the best way to use our social media profiles for maximum impact?
In this week’s podcast episode, we dive into the three essential ingredients you need to have in place before trying to sell and explore the five ways you can use social media to convert your followers into happy, paying customers.
Social media really is a golden gift if you know how to use it properly.
Enjoy!
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Ouch! That horrible feeling when you receive some negative feedback. It’s not a nice part of running a business. It hurts. It often doesn’t feel fair.
It can stir lots of emotions, sadness, anger, worry, stress, frustration. It can make you doubt yourself. People around you will say “don’t take it personally” but, yes, it can feel very personal when you’ve poured everything you’ve got into your business.
Receiving negative feedback is part of running a business. It’s a fact of business life. Perhaps you’ve already had some negative reviews. Or perhaps you have yet to get one (and if this is the case then I can assure you that you will get one at some point!).
But how should you deal with it? Should you respond? How should you respond? Is the customer always right? Will the feedback damage your reputation?
In this week’s podcast episode, I’ll be sharing with you my top 5 tips for responding to negative feedback the RIGHT way (PLUS I’ve even got an extra bonus tip at the end so stick around as it’s definitely one not to miss!)
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Funnels.
Chances are you’ve probably heard about them.
You know they’re a good thing to have in your business BUT you don’t yet have a beautifully well-oiled funnel working in your business right now.
Maybe you’re not exactly sure how to set one up, perhaps the word “funnel” puts you right off because it sounds too technical or perhaps you’ve got one up and running but it’s not quite delivering the way you had hoped.
If this is you, then today’s podcast episode is just for you. We will be exploring all things funnels:
What is a funnel?The two types of funnel every business owner should haveThe four critical steps you need to know when putting together your funnelWhy funnels are so important to your kids’ activity businessOh, and we’re going to keep this super simple. Why? Well, this is my motto in business – keep it simple. Funnels can become very complex very quickly but they really don’t need to be.
So grab yourself a very cold drink (or even one of the kids’ lollies - anything to stop melting in this crazy heat!), plug in and take a listen.
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If you are anything like me, entering into the world of entrepreneurship was a time of mixed emotions. Excitement, hope, drive and determination but also worry, stress and fear…..
My journey has been, on the whole, a very successful one but it certainly hasn’t been without my fair share of challenges, obstacles and low points.
I have learned SO MUCH from the process and I wanted to share with you today the 10 things I wish I had known at the very start of my journey.
I’ll confess right now that opening up like this does make me feel a little uncomfortable but I hope that it will bring you so much value. Either to help you navigate your own challenges and obstacles or to steer you away from others.
Enjoy!
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Taking on a teacher…..
Perhaps your business is up and running and you’re thinking about that next step.
Or maybe you’re not quite there yet but you know you’ll get there someday soon.
Taking on a teacher can feel a bit daunting. A big step. So many questions may be buzzing round your head…..
Where do you find them? What questions should you ask them? How much will you pay them? Will they be any good? How will you train them? How will you stop them stealing your lesson plans and customers?
BUT before you get to all that….. firstly, you need to ensure that you are employing them LEGALLY.
You may or may not know that how you employ them (self-employed vs employee) isn’t actually your choice. There are a set of rules to follow and the outcome of these rules will determine their correct employment status.
Get it wrong and this could be VERY costly in the longer term.
So this week, I’ll be running through how to determine the correct employment status of your teachers to ensure you stay on the right side of the law.
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Life’s not fair. We all know it.
It’s all too easy to concentrate and focus on what others have that you don’t. Ways that your competitor can easily excel past you that just doesn’t feel fair.
However, have you ever turned this thinking around? What do you have going for YOU that isn’t “fair”? Ways that you can naturally or easily get ahead? Things that will leave your competitor thinking, “Well that just isn’t fair”.
This week, I’ll be sharing the seven main categories that you can use to identify your unfair advantages and use them to go leapfrogging past your competitor (nicely) with ease.
Enjoy – and see you next week for some more juicy top tips.
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Let me start with a question….
What are you an expert in? What is your magic power?
Perhaps you can confidently answer this without much thought. Or perhaps this makes you feel a bit uncomfortable. After all “expert” is a very strong word.
A crucial part of marketing your business effectively is ensuring that you are the go-to expert in what you do.
After all – would you buy from a business that isn’t quite sure about its products or services?
You want to be the person that pops into the minds of everyone when someone asks a question related to your field.
In this week’s episode, I share my top tips for how to do just this.
Give it a listen and I hope you find it useful.
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Numbers. Arrghhh. How do they make you feel?
You wouldn’t be alone if the thought of “doing your numbers” fills you with utter dread. Perhaps they make you feel scared or frightened. Or maybe they just want to make you bury your head and look the other way!
You may already know that, as well running my own kids’ activity business and helping others to run theirs, I’m also a Chartered Accountant and numbers are kind of “my thing”. So I am here to help you in every way I can.
I firmly believe that EVERYONE can “do their numbers” – at least to the level you need to run your business successfully.
This week, I share with you three fundamental and very basic numbers that you need to know in your business.
Without knowing these numbers, what feels on the surface like a “successful” business may be one that can come toppling down very quickly. And we don’t want this!
So have a listen and make sure you are aware of these three key numbers.
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Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, the online space has got very, very busy. It can feel so hard to get noticed by your ideal customer. There are so many other people talking to them, so many businesses sharing similar messages and so many people trying to shout louder than you.
The way we now “do business” is rapidly changing and you need to keep up to stay ahead of the game.
This week, I share with you how you can effectively get noticed in such a busy space.
Without having to shout the loudest. It’s all about strategy.
Showing up in the right places.
Saying the right things.
Offering exactly what your customer wants.
So take a listen and see how you get on. Then take what you learn and go and get yourself noticed!
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We’re surrounded by sales throughout the year – flash sales, clearances, bargain buckets, Black Friday, Christmas and New Year sales, special buys….
The concept of discounting has become engrained in our everyday vocabulary. And, as a small business owner, I know you feel huge pressure to follow suit.
But, did you know, discounting your classes could actually cost you dearly in the long run?
In my bitesize training this week, I discuss the potentially harmful messages that discounting sends to your customers without you even realising and also the negative impact it may be having on your business and its bottom line.
But worry not, there are alternatives. I also share four alternative strategies that will allow you to participate in offering promotions and incentives to your customers without having to simply opt for a discount.
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Terms and Conditions – the really long legal “blurb” that you have to tick a box to accept before you buy something.
Do you ever read them? Does it even matter what it says in them? Well, as a business owner, it is REALLY important what it says in the T&Cs.
They are your contract with the customer. If anything doesn’t go quite to plan, this is the only document that truly protects you.
So what should be in your T&Cs?
In this bitesize training, I cover the 5 must-haves in your T&Cs plus a few bonus extras of areas that you may want to also include depending on how your business is setup.
I also share what shouldn’t be in your T&Cs otherwise it could land you in a pickle.
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Did you know, marketing experts estimate that people are exposed to between 4,000 and 10,000 marketing messages every single day?!
Let’s just think about that number. That’s one every 6-15 seconds that you are awake.
To help you deal with it, your brain helps to filter them – it often does this subconsciously without you even knowing.
What’s more, your customers are busy parents – once you have grabbed their attention you need to hold it.
So how can this be done? How can you cut through all the other noise and keep them focused?
In this episode, I share three golden strategies that will stop the scroll and leave your customers thinking “wow – you are reading my mind!”
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Whatever stage you are currently at building your kids’ activity business – one thing you can say for certain is that it is a journey.
And, with all journeys, you’ll need to take a couple of “big” steps. Steps that might make you feel a little uncomfortable. Steps that might push you outside your comfort zone. Steps that might feel a bit risky.
This week, I have decided to open up and share with you 3 big decisions that felt like a really big deal at the time but, looking back on it, I wish I had made much, much sooner.
I share….
A decision that I was reluctantly forced to take due to circumstances (but if I hadn’t taken I would definitely not have the business I have today)An expensive financial investment I made that ended up paying off big timeThe “expert advice” from a marketing guru that almost sank my business (and what I did about it)Perhaps, if you are umming and erring about a similar decision then my experience might help you decide.
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You pour your heart and soul into creating your business. Everything you have got. It represents hours and hours of passion, hard work and dedication.
Then that niggly thought creeps into your mind…. “what if someone just copies me?”
Let’s face it. A lot of your business is on beautiful display for the world to see. It needs to be to attract and convert your ideal customer.
But… your competitors (or soon to be competitors) can see it all too.
So how can you stop them stealing your business? How can you protect everything you have created?
In this bitesize training, I share with you
What cannot be copied in your business (however hard they try)Methods people use to protect themselves that don’t always workThe only way that can legally give you the protection you need -
It can often feel like a really noisy and crowded marketplace out there. So many other kids’ activity businesses all shouting for attention.
So how do you get noticed? How do you stand out from your competitors?
I’ve seen all sorts of tactics employed. But there is one method that works consistently. Every. Single. Time. It’s not about shouting the loudest. It’s not about “getting one over” on your competitor. It’s not even about spending piles of cash on social media marketing.
It’s so much more straight-forward than that.
I’ve put together a bitesize training that shares exactly what you need to be doing to get noticed. To speak directly to your ideal customer. To allow you to whisper in the crowd and still be heard.
