If you're posting on social media and getting crickets- or not growing your following at all, this is for you! The first live Q and A of the year and we chewed the fat on how to get engagement, provide value, grab attention- the works. 

Let's face it, finding time for self care can be a challenge. I admit I am not good at this. Family- I prioritise. Work- I prioritise. But self care? Time to exercise? Hang out with my hubby without kids? See friends? Relax on my own? Seriously, I struggle. 

If you're reading this you're probably hoping for rapid growth in 2019 and getting in the mindset for it already- wohoo! Today I'm going to share with you the top 3 things I'm going to focus on to get me the results I want next year- and why. So let's kick off!

It's no secret we all need support when it comes to growing our businesses. In this Q and A Anika from Meet Anika shares why she loves her brand design business and working with clients like Mega Foods, Bambino and The Wedding Shop. 

​Have you been wondering how to gain confidence you need to put yourself out there more? In this Q and A Carmen shares her personal journey with us- from starting out in the photography business to gaining confidence at big events and working with celebs.

Update- this event was amazing! Thanks to everyone who came along for making it an epic night. You can find all the pics here. 

​Join us online on Tuesday November 27 at 11 AM to plan your dream year in 2019! This is a fun and interactive workshop which will help you:

- find clarity about what you want to do in 2019
- define your action plan for the year
- get energised and excited about the great things to come 

This is a member only event, find out more here or join us as a member to get access to all this goodness!

See you there 

Do you know how your business is going to make money? Like, really know? How many products do you need to sell each year, each month- each day to allow you a good income from your business? ​

 Do you want to build a strong online presence and brand for your small business but you're struggling to make an impact? 

​This month in the Members Club we're talking how to build a brand with depth that differentiates you from your competitors and drive sales.

Member Michelle Sokolich has done this really well and today I wanted to share with you 3 clever things she's done that you can do too! So here goes...
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I talk about this all the time but I can't stress how important it is!

Once you know your target market you can start talking to them in a language they understand. And that converts to sales. 

When you talk to everyone, you attract no one. So get tough on yourself and narrow your niche and you might just see results.

Michelle owns Show and Tell, a content marketing agency that helps small businesses tell their story online.  

This is what she says on her Home page: ​

I love this because in just a couple of sentences Michelle has:

- Told me who her target customer is. Someone who has a small business and a dream but maybe isn't getting that across to customers very well 

- Highlighted the importance of her skill sets. How powerful storytelling is especially combined with the strength of using video

- Touched on a result- that if you get your storytelling right, your customers will feel a strong, authentic connection with you = big win!

Because Michelle knows her target customer well, she is able to speak to them in a way that resonates. She's not talking to big business here.

She's talking to small business, and she makes it clear that she 'get's your struggle. It makes her relatable and professional all at the same time.

Strong visual imagery including video, photos and graphics will help you build on your brand image and define a consistent look online. 

When you get this consistency you're telling people- hey, I get it. I am a small business but I have my ducks in a row. I know what this brand stands for, who I'm talking to and what I represent. 

Your brand personality will start to shine through. 
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This is what Michelle is amazing at and you can see how she uses imagery herself by: 

Using video on her homepage, Facebook page and Instagram accounts to tell both her own story and the stories of her customers.

Using high quality, professional brand images that help you get to 'know' her and feel familiar and welcomed to her service.

The clincher is that once you have created your content you actually need to share it! Don't let your content get sucked up into cyber space- if you find creative ways to share it with your audience you will start to make an impact. 

Michelle is also amazing at telling people about her services consistently. She knows how to share her own journey and regularly shares to our community on Marketday:

Check out the responses she gets to her posts- amazing!

For some of you promoting your business online might feel overwhelming. There is a fine line between 'spamming' people and sharing your business details. 

But you can be clever with your online marketing strategy using Facebook groups and I've shared a few tips here on how to do just that. 

How you can start using these strategies

If you're reading this and thinking "YES! I definitely need to up my game. But all of this sounds time consuming and expensive" don't worry, there is a way forward.

Being a successful small business owner is all about having big dreams and working in small steps! So you could break it down into phases and do this over time. For example:

PHASE 1 (allow 1-2 months):

Research and read up on how to develop your brand strategy, niche and core messages. Give yourself time to learn about these things and get to know your own business and key strengths better.

Hone your messaging on your own and if you feel like you need to, reach out to a copywriter or coach to help you fine tune your message. We've got some great copywriters on The List who can support you with this if you need guidance.

PHASE 2:

Once you've got strong core messages in place, reassess your visual presence and decide if your existing branding and imagery do the trick.

If you need to and you can afford it, now is the time to reach out to designers who can help you develop a visual brand, or to a storyteller like Michelle who can help you prepare to get your message out there online with video. 

PHASE 3:

Once you've got your core messaging and smart visuals ready, it's time to start getting that message out there.

Research online FB groups filled with your target market. Some- like She Owns It if you're a Members Club  Member- (doors will be opening again soon- get on the waitlist here), will allow you to directly promote your service. You should make note of those groups.

Other groups that don't allow promotional posts you may still be able to make use of by creating a presence as a regular contributor and adding good value. 

And then of course you can use Facebook Ads and your own FB page and social media platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram to drive traffic to your site. 

The important thing to remember is that sales posts don't sell! Don't forget to check out this post on how to create engagement and interest online using storytelling, it'll give you a great idea of how to generate sales without yelling 'buy me buy me!'

Good things take time

Developing a strong presence like Michelle can take time for a small business owner. Not everyone knows about branding, copywriting and marketing their business so the learning curve might be steep.

But if I can give one piece of advice it is this. No matter how interested or good you are at marketing right now, if you are a small business owner, the biggest gift you can give your business is to better your understanding in this area.

You are the driving force of your business and even the best products and services can get lost without good promotion. That does no one any favours! Your business loses out, you lose out and the amazing customers who would've loved your product lose out if they never find you. 

So apply yourself to learning about these things and you never know- you might find you enjoy it and I certainly know you'll enjoy the results! 

You are one of more than 15,000 women in this community. Some of you are going to make. it. big. Some of you are not. 

So, what makes one of you fly while another flops?

I'll tell you because it's no secret! 
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Most women in business don't have a completely unique idea or product. In fact, most of the women in our community are selling something that potentially hundreds of other women are selling too.

The difference is that some people know how to communicate their value really, really well to the people that matter. And others don't.

• They know how to answer questions about their business confidently, telling people why they are the best at solving their key challenge

• They help their audience feel like they understand their needs

• They clearly describe that special thing that makes them the the ideal choice for their customer

Here's how they do it:

Step 1: Analyse your competitors
Who is their target market? What makes them different to you? Are they traditional? Modern? Friendly? Serious? What is their brand personality and what are their core messages?  

Step 2: Define your brand personality
You have your own unique skill set and brand personality. How is that different from your competitors?

Step 3: What is the urgent pain point for your target customer?
Is this something your competitors can help them solve? If so, how do they do that? Is this something that you can help them solve? If so, how do you do that in a way that is different from your competitors? 

GRAB YOUR FREE COPY OF THE PRINTABLE: 3 STEPS TO FINDING YOUR SECRET SAUCE

If you want to learn more about how to define your special sauce, download your FREE copy of the printable

AND REMEMBER TO ​SIGN UP TO THE FREE RESOURCE LIBRARY- PACKED WITH BRAND AND AUDIENCE HACKS YOU CAN APPLY TO YOUR BIZ TODAY!

ACTION: Tell me below, what is one thing that makes your business different from the competition?

​We had such a wonderful night at the Auckland Christmas party- I've totally decided that 'networking' nights are not for me but parties... well I can do that 😉. 

Honestly, this informal way to meet others and actually get to know them and make friendships has served the WE Community so well in the last 12 months. We are getting to know each other as friends and true supporters and that is making a difference in both our lives and in our businesses. 

So proud of this crew who come together as women who don't know each other but always hold out their hands and hearts in welcome.

Thank you wonderful women of WE for a fabulous year in 2017, can't wait to see what 2018 brings for us all! 

Full set of pics over on FB here

Merry Christmas!
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One of the most exciting things to happen at WE since our launch less than 12 months ago! We now have a dedicated online marketplace where our amazing community of NZ women in business can sell and buy from each other!! 

Do you ever see a brand that really stands out from the crowd and wonder why? What special magic are they using that makes them so remarkable? And how can you get your hands on summa that?! 

If you want to be one of those brands then read on because today we're talking three simple things you can do right now to up your branding game.

I'm so passionate about this topic because once I figured this out in my business I went from tentative, shy marketer (who generally felt scared of 'spamming' people) to confident, passionate brand ambassador happy to shout to the rooftops about why my business is different (and better for my target customer) than the rest.

So here goes! 
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