Author Archives: cindymobey

Christmas in July: Why creative businesses should start thinking about Christmas now!

Santa Claus in red suit relaxing on beach chair with tropical drink near decorated palm tree

I know what you’re thinking…Christmas? In July? However, I know that a lot of my followers who have small businesses DO get involved in this, so I thought I’d offer a helping hand for a Christmas in July campaign.

For most creative businesses, Christmas isn’t just another season, it’s the biggest sales opportunity of the year. And while December might feel a long way off, your customers are often planning much earlier than you think, especially in these times of economic hardship. The need to spread the cost over several months has become more urgent.

People start creating gift lists early and look out for special offers well before the festive rush begins.

That’s where a Christmas in July campaign comes in.

It’s not about putting up a tree and pretending it’s December – although I know my daughters would love that! It’s about creating excitement, building anticipation, and giving your audience a reason to start thinking about gifts before the Christmas season officially begins.

Better still, it’s a fantastic way to boost engagement during a quieter period, generate sales, and get your Christmas marketing plans moving before the last-minute panic kicks in.

Why run a Christmas in July campaign?

A Christmas in July promotion can help you:

  • Generate sales during a slower season
  • Clear older stock before Christmas collections launch
  • Build excitement around upcoming products
  • Grow your email list
  • Encourage early gift shopping
  • Test Christmas offers before the festive season
  • Increase visibility and engagement on social media

Most people love Christmas and love any excuse to celebrate. I know I do!

Creative Christmas in July promotion ideas

Give slow-moving stock a festive makeover

Do you have products that haven’t had as much attention as you hoped they would – or have a few products left over from a previous campaign? Bundle them together and offer them as a ‘Christmas in July Special’ or create themed gift sets at a special price.

Sometimes all a product needs is a fresh story and a new angle.

Offer Christmas pre-orders

If you already know what products you’ll be launching for Christmas, give your audience an exclusive first look.

Share sneaky peeks, behind-the-scenes photos, or early product samples and invite customers to join a VIP waitlist or pre-order before anyone else.

Create an early bird bonus

Reward customers who shop early.

For example:

  • Free gift wrapping
  • Bonus mini product
  • Exclusive Christmas design
  • Early access to limited editions
  • Free shipping over a certain spend

People love feeling special – don’t we all?

Launch Gift Vouchers

Gift vouchers are one of the easiest ways to generate revenue early.

Position them as:

‘Future Christmas shopping made easy.’

Customers can buy now and decide on the perfect gift later.

Run a festive giveaway

Everyone loves a giveaway.

Ask followers to:

  • Comment with their favourite Christmas movie
  • Tag a friend they’d shop with
  • Share your post to stories
  • Join your email list

The prize could be a Christmas product, a gift bundle, or a shopping voucher.

Host a Christmas in July live event

Go live on Instagram or Facebook and highlight:

  • Bestselling products
  • Christmas previews
  • Gift ideas for different recipients
  • Behind-the-scenes festive preparations

Live video helps customers visualise your products and ask questions in real time. I know a couple of people who do this regularly and it is highly successful for them.

Create stocking filler gift guides

One of the biggest challenges customers face is knowing what to buy.

Create content around:

  • Gifts under £10
  • Gifts for teachers
  • Gifts for colleagues
  • Secret Santa ideas
  • Luxury stocking fillers

The easier you make gift buying, the more likely customers are to purchase.

Don’t forget your email list

Your email subscribers should always get the VIP treatment.

Consider offering:

  • Early access to promotions
  • First look at Christmas collections
  • Exclusive discount codes
  • Waitlist access
  • Subscriber-only giveaways

A Christmas in July campaign is a great excuse to grow your email list before the festive season arrives.

Social Media Tips

Christmas in July works best when it’s fun.

Think tropical Christmas vibes rather than traditional December marketing.

Mix festive elements with summer imagery:

  • Santa in sunglasses on a beach, sipping a cocktail!
  • Christmas cocktails
  • Beach towels and baubles
  • Palm trees with fairy lights
  • Festive backgrounds but in bright summer colours

The contrast is eye-catching and instantly stops people scrolling.

Most importantly, focus on creating conversations rather than constantly selling.

Ask questions, run polls, share behind-the-scenes content, and invite your audience to help choose products, packaging, or Christmas designs.

The goal isn’t just Christmas sales.

The goal is building excitement, gathering future customers, and making sure your business is top of their minds when holiday shopping begins.

Conclusion

Christmas in July isn’t about rushing the festive season.

It’s about giving your audience a reason to engage, shop, and plan ahead.

Whether you’re launching pre-orders, building a waiting list, clearing stock, or simply having some fun on social media, a Christmas in July campaign can help you create momentum long before the Christmas rush begins.

And when December arrives, you’ll be glad you started early.

If you need help with building your Christmas campaign from now onwards, get in touch and we can start preparing an action plan with post ideas and content.

Contact me for a free, no-obligation chat.

CONTACT ME

Why small businesses still need humans in the age of AI

Bookseller handing a book to a customer with AI inventory tablet on desk

Over the last year, I’ve seen so many businesses switching to AI to create images and posts and, more recently, I’ve seen a flood of promises on social media about “AI clones” and how they can fully automate businesses.

We are told AI can:

  • write all your content
  • create your ads
  • make your videos
  • build your courses
  • answer your customers
  • practically run your business while you sleep

For many of us creative business owners, this messaging feels unsettling. So, I thought I’d investigate this and find out more.

If AI can supposedly do everything, where does that leave creativity? Personality? Connection? The human element that makes small businesses special?

As someone who uses AI within my marketing business for research, and to sometimes get something straight in my head, I want to offer a more balanced perspective…because while AI is an incredibly useful tool, there is a real danger in relying on it too heavily.

And ironically, the businesses that will stand out most in the future are likely to be the ones that remain deeply human, as posts and images start to look very similar.

AI is a tool – it’s not a personality!

Let’s be honest – AI can save time.

It can help brainstorm ideas, organise thoughts, repurpose content, improve workflows, and support productivity in ways many small businesses could only dream of a few years ago.

Used properly, AI can be a fantastic assistant. And to me, this is the most important word – assistant!

But an assistant is not the same thing as a business owner, artist, maker, or creative thinker.

AI does not:

  • understand your customers on a personal level
  • know the story behind your products
  • feel passion for your craft
  • build genuine relationships
  • or care about the people it serves

It predicts language based on patterns.

That is very different from human creativity, experience, intuition, and emotional connection.

The risk of overusing AI

The biggest risk right now is not that AI will take over every small business.

The real risk is that businesses begin to sound exactly the same.

We are already seeing:

  • generic captions
  • repetitive blog posts
  • videos with a similar format
  • emotionless websites
  • and content that feels polished but empty

Consumers are becoming increasingly aware when something feels mass-produced or inauthentic.

And for creative businesses especially, authenticity matters.

People do not buy handmade products simply because they need an object.

They buy because:

  • they value the artistic craftsmanship
  • they connect with the maker
  • they appreciate the story
  • they want something personal
  • and they want to support real people

That human connection cannot be automated.

Human-led businesses do still matter

In many ways, the rise of AI is making human-led brands even more valuable.

As the internet becomes saturated with AI-generated content, people are craving:

  • personality
  • honesty
  • behind-the-scenes insight
  • real expertise
  • and genuine interaction

This is where small creative businesses have an enormous advantage.

You already have what AI cannot replicate:

  • your perspective
  • your journey
  • your imperfections
  • your creative process
  • your voice
  • and your relationships with customers

No algorithm can truly duplicate that.

How I Use AI in my business

I use AI in my business every week.

But I do not use it to replace human connection.

I use it to support the parts of business that can otherwise become overwhelming or time-consuming.

AI helps me:

  • organise ideas
  • streamline admin
  • draft starting points
  • improve efficiency
  • and free up more time for strategy, creativity, and client relationships

But every important decision still involves human thinking. I might get the ideas or expand on my own ideas using AI, but the writing part – the part where I talk to my audience (in only the way I can as I know them), is down to me…and yes, it is still time consuming, but I prefer it that way.

Good marketing is not just about producing more content.

It is about:

  • understanding people
  • building trust
  • communicating clearly
  • and creating meaningful connection

Those things need the human element – the empathy, experience, judgment, and emotional intelligence.

So, is the future ‘Human vs AI’?

In my opinion, the future is not about humans competing against AI.

The strongest businesses will likely be the ones that combine:

  • smart systems
  • efficient tools
  • genuine, authentic human relationships

AI can absolutely enhance your creativity, BUT it should never replace it.

It should never turn your business into a faceless automation, producing endless generic content.

It should be to use technology wisely while protecting the heart of your brand. I can’t stress how important this is to small handmade and creative businesses, because people are not just buying your products or services.

They are buying:

  • meaning
  • identity
  • emotion
  • craftsmanship
  • and really importantly, that human connection

In fact, all these things are inherently human!  

Conclusion

If you are feeling anxious about the rise of AI, you are not alone. It’s very worrying to businesses like mine, where the people to whom I offer my services can simply go into AI and produce a post or image. But I maintain that those that use it constantly will soon start to see their audience pull back, because the content will look the same as everyone else’s who use AI.  

Remember – the value of your business and the value of having a real person posting, chatting and being imperfectly perfect doesn’t disappear just because new tools exist.

I believe that businesses who stay their ground, being absolutely authentic, show their genuine creativity and have those genuine human interactions are going to be much more important than AI in the months and years ahead.

So, my advice is – use AI where it helps without taking over your voice.

Save time where you can – that’s something we can all use help with.

But please…don’t lose the very thing that makes your business memorable in the first place…YOU!

As always, if you want to learn new marketing skills from a coach who understands creative businesses, drop me a message or email and we can have a chat.

Contact me for a free consultation

The benefits of a social media marketing challenge and how it’s good for your business

Woman working on laptop with social media icons and strategy notes floating around

We all know that social media can help us attract new customers, build brand awareness, and generate sales, but knowing where to start – or how to stay consistent – can feel overwhelming. How many times have you sat there staring at a blank screen or blank paper?

That’s why social media marketing challenges have become so popular. They provide structure, support, and accountability to help business owners take action and see real results.

Here are some of the biggest benefits of taking part in a social media marketing challenge.

Be clear on what to post

One of the biggest barriers to consistent marketing is not knowing what content to create.

A social media challenge helps remove the guesswork by giving you clear prompts, strategies, and tasks each day. Instead of spending hours wondering what to post, you’ll have a plan that helps you create content that connects with your audience and supports your business goals.

The result? Less stress and more confidence.

Increase your visibility

You can’t attract customers if they don’t know you exist.

Consistent posting helps your business stay visible to both existing followers and potential new customers. A challenge encourages you to show up regularly, increasing the chances of your ideal audience discovering your business.

The more visible you are, the more opportunities you create for conversations, enquiries, and sales.

Build better habits

Successful marketing isn’t about posting perfectly, it’s about showing up consistently.

A challenge helps you develop sustainable habits around content creation and marketing. Over the course of several days, you’ll see how to create content more efficiently and get new ideas on how to make content that will make it easier for you to incorporate it into your routine.

Over the course of the past few years, when I’ve hosted a few challenges, I’m told that it gives businesses a different perspective and helps them see that finding ideas for posts isn’t as difficult as they thought.

Learn what works

Social media trends come and go, but it’s actually the basics of marketing that helps create long-term success.

A challenge can help you create content that engages your audience, builds trust, and encourages action. You’ll see how to use different types of content strategically rather than posting randomly and hoping for the best.

This means you’ll spend less time on ineffective marketing activities and more time doing what delivers results.

Your confidence grows

Many business owners worry about being visible online. They question whether their content is good enough, whether people will engage with it, or whether they’re saying the right things…that old imposter syndrome chestnut!

Taking part in a challenge helps you overcome these doubts by encouraging you to take action every day. As you post, engage, and receive feedback, your confidence naturally grows.

The more you show up, the easier it becomes.

Connect with other businesses 

It can sometimes feel very isolating running a small business. You don’t have the luxury of being in an office where you can bounce ideas off other people. This is the bit I struggled with the most at the beginning.

One of the most valuable aspects of a social media challenge is the opportunity to connect with other business owners who are on a similar journey. Sharing wins, challenges, ideas, and encouragement can make a huge difference to your motivation and progress.

We all have our crowd, those who interact with us regularly. A challenge can help you make new connections, collaborations, and friendships as well as new marketing skills.

Generate leads and sales

Ultimately, marketing should help your business grow.

When you improve your visibility, create stronger content, and build trust with your audience, enquiries and sales often follow. While results vary from business to business, many challenge participants find they attract new followers, increase engagement, generate leads, and make sales during or shortly after the challenge.

The key is taking consistent action and implementing what you learn.

Creating a momentum

Sometimes all you need is a focused period of action to create momentum – I’m not saying this is what everyone needs, but it can help those who do struggle with regularly finding content without struggling.

A challenge gives you a reason to prioritise your marketing and make progress every day. Small actions quickly add up, helping you move from feeling stuck and overwhelmed to feeling motivated and in control of your marketing.

That momentum often continues long after the challenge has ended.

Are you ready?

If you’ve been struggling with your marketing, are fed up with staring at that blank page not sure what to post, or if you want more visibility, a social media marketing challenge could be exactly what you need.

In just a few days, you can gain clarity, confidence, consistency, and see how a planned content strategy can help your business get noticed.

Your audience is out there; they just need to find you! If you’d like to join the 10-day social media marketing challenge starting on 15 June, click on the link below and you’ll get a free PDF that takes you through all the suggested posts and how you can use them for your business for the full 10 days. I’d love to see you there.

Get the PDF now!

How to sell more at craft markets or fairs

Two women smiling at a colorful outdoor handmade crafts stall with woolen items and jewelry

Having a beautiful stall is important, but making sales is what it’s all about when you pay for a stall at a market or fair. It’s much more than just displaying beautiful products, even though this is important!

The most successful sellers know how to create conversations, connect emotionally with customers, and make people feel confident about buying.

Here are some simple but effective ways to sell more at craft fairs and markets.

First Impressions Matter

Customers decide within seconds whether they want to stop at your stall.

Ask yourself:

  • Does your display look welcoming?
  • Can people immediately tell what you sell?
  • Are your prices visible?
  • Is your branding clear?
  • Does your stall feel approachable?

A bright, tidy, uncluttered display instantly feels more professional.

Don’t Hide Behind Your Table

One of the biggest mistakes stallholders make is sitting silently behind their display waiting for customers to speak first.

You don’t need a hard sales pitch, but a friendly greeting goes a long way.

Simple conversation starters work well:

  • “Hi, feel free to have a browse.”
  • “Everything here is handmade by me.”
  • “Those are one of my bestselling items.”

People buy from people — especially at handmade markets.

Tell Stories About Your Products

Stories create emotional connection, and emotional connection helps people buy.

Instead of simply describing what something is, explain:

  • How it was made
  • What inspired it
  • Where the materials came from
  • Why it’s special

For example:

“This jewellery is made using sea glass I collected from the Cornish coast.”

That feels much more personal and memorable than simply saying “sea glass necklace.”

Appeal to the Senses

Whenever possible, encourage customers to interact with your products.

People are more likely to buy when they can:

  • Touch
  • Smell
  • Taste
  • Try
  • Experience

For example:

  • Encourage people to feel soft fabrics
  • Let customers smell candles or soaps
  • Offer food samples if appropriate
  • Display products out of boxes where possible

The more connected people feel to a product, the easier it is for them to imagine owning it.

Offer Lower-Priced Items Too

Not every customer arrives ready to make a large purchase.

Having a few smaller, affordable products can:

  • Encourage impulse buys
  • Attract children and gift shoppers
  • Increase overall sales
  • Introduce new customers to your brand

Often a small first purchase leads to larger future orders.

Make It Easy for Customers to Find You Again

Many people won’t buy immediately.

That doesn’t mean they aren’t interested.

Make it easy for customers to reconnect with your business later by displaying:

  • Your Instagram handle
  • A website QR code
  • An email signup QR code
  • Business cards or thank you cards

Customers often look businesses up online while standing at the stall, so make sure your social media is active and up to date.

Build Repeat Customers

One market sale can become several future sales if you stay connected.

Consider offering:

  • A simple loyalty card
  • A discount for repeat purchases
  • A newsletter signup incentive
  • Early access to new collections
  • Exclusive offers for subscribers

Email marketing is still one of the best ways to encourage repeat business.

Useful tools include Mailchimp, Mailerlite and Substack. I personally use Mailerlite, but some of my clients use Mailchimp. I’ve never used Substack, but it is very popular.

Create Content During the Event

Markets are brilliant opportunities for social media content.

Take photos or short videos of:

  • Your stall setup
  • Your products
  • Busy moments during the day
  • Packaging orders
  • Behind-the-scenes moments

This content helps you continue generating interest and sales long after the event has finished.

Conclusion

Selling successfully at markets isn’t about being pushy. It’s about creating a welcoming experience, telling stories, and helping customers connect emotionally with what you make.

When people enjoy interacting with your stall, they’re far more likely to buy from you — and remember you afterwards. And the more markets you do, the more confident and natural those conversations become.

Good luck and happy selling!

How to prepare for a craft fair or market

People browsing handmade colorful crafts and pottery at an outdoor market stall

Craft fairs and markets can be brilliant opportunities for handmade businesses, but I’m sure you know that simply turning up with a table full of products doesn’t guarantee sales.

The most successful stallholders prepare well before the event, create an inviting display, and make it easy for customers to buy from them.

If you’re planning to sell at markets this year, here are some practical tips to help you feel organised, professional, and ready to make the most of every event.

Choose the Right Event

Before booking every local market you see, take a step back and think carefully about whether the event is the right fit for your business.

The events you attend affect how customers perceive your products. A beautifully handmade brand may struggle at a venue focused mainly on second-hand goods or bargain hunting.

Research the event beforehand:

  • Who usually attends?
  • What kind of products are sold there?
  • Is it aimed at gifts, crafts, food, vintage, or budget shopping?
  • How many stalls are like yours?

A little research can save you money, time, and disappointment.

Plan Your Stock Properly

Nothing makes a stall look less inviting than empty spaces halfway through the day.

Keep a back-up stock, so as your products sell, you can keep replenishing your display so it still looks full and attractive.

A good rule is to bring more stock than you think you’ll need, especially for your bestsellers and lower-priced items.

It’s also worth having products at different price points:

  • Small impulse buys
  • Mid-range gifts
  • A few premium pieces

This gives customers options whatever their budget.

Make Your Stall Look Professional

Before the event, practise setting up your stall at home.

Look at it critically:

  • Is it easy to see what you sell?
  • Are your prices clear?
  • Does it feel cluttered?
  • Is your branding visible?
  • Can customers comfortably browse?

Try standing back and think about how a customer would see it.

Simple, clean displays usually work best.

Make Buying Easy

Customers increasingly expect quick and simple payment options.

Cash is still useful, but many people now pay almost entirely by card or phone – and often prefer contactless.

Consider using a portable card reader such as sumup, squareup or zettle.

Most now support:

  • Contactless payments
  • Apple Pay and Google Pay
  • Digital receipts
  • Payment links
  • QR code payments

And don’t forget:

  • A fully charged phone
  • A power bank
  • A backup internet option or hotspot
  • Plenty of change if you also accept cash

Use QR Codes Around Your Stall

QR codes are one of the easiest ways to connect with customers beyond the market itself.

You can create QR codes that link directly to:

  • Your website or online shop
  • Facebook, Instagram or TikTok
  • Your email newsletter signup
  • Product catalogues
  • Custom order forms

This is especially useful for people who want to “buy later” or follow you after the event.

You can use Canva or qucode-monkey.com

Make sure your QR codes are easy to scan and clearly labelled.

Promote the Event Beforehand

Don’t rely entirely on event organisers to bring customers to you.

In the days leading up to the market:

  • Share the event on social media
  • Add it to your website
  • Post behind-the-scenes setup content
  • Share your stall number or location
  • Remind your email subscribers
  • Encourage followers to visit

Short videos and Reels often perform especially well for market content.

Think About Customer Experience

Small details make a big difference.

Before the event, think about:

  • Packaging and wrapping
  • Clear price labels
  • Business cards or thank you cards
  • Accessibility for children and wheelchair users
  • Weather protection for outdoor events
  • Comfortable clothing and shoes
  • Snacks and drinks for yourself

A calm, organised stallholder creates a much better customer experience than someone stressed and rushing.

Market Day Checklist

Before leaving home, check you have:

  • Stock and backups
  • Card reader and charger
  • QR code signs
  • Price labels
  • Packaging materials
  • Tables (if necessary), tablecloths and displays
  • Business cards
  • Power bank
  • Phone charger
  • Cash and change
  • Water and snacks
  • Weather protection, such as a pop-up gazebo

Conclusion

Selling at markets is about more than simply displaying products.

The most successful stalls combine preparation, presentation, and customer connection.

The easier you make it for people to browse, buy, and stay connected with your business afterwards, the more likely they are to become repeat customers.

And remember — every market is a learning experience. Pay attention to what customers respond to, which products sell best, and what display techniques attract attention.

Small improvements from one event to the next can make a huge difference over time. Good luck and I hope your markets or fairs are hugely successful.

What is digital marketing and how does it work in 2026?

Home office desk with laptop showing analytics dashboard, smartphone on stand, notebook with notes, coffee mug, and small plant.

A Simple Guide for Small Businesses on a Budget

Running a small business in 2026 means one thing is almost impossible to ignore… digital marketing.

The good news is that you don’t need a massive budget, a marketing agency, or mega technical skills to make digital marketing work for your business.

Most small businesses can grow faster by using simple, low-cost online marketing strategies consistently. So, what are they and how can they work for you?

What Is Digital Marketing?

Digital marketing is the process of promoting your business online.

Instead of using traditional advertising like newspapers, flyers, or billboards, digital marketing helps businesses reach customers through:

  • Search engines like Google
  • Social media platforms
  • Email marketing
  • Websites and blogs
  • Online videos
  • Paid online ads
  • Messaging apps

The goal is simple. Help more people discover your business, trust your brand, and become paying customers!

How Does it work?

Right now, digital marketing is more automated, more personalised, and more focused on helpful content for your audience.

Customers expect businesses to:

  • Be easy to find online
  • Respond quickly
  • Share useful information
  • Have a professional website or social media presence
  • Offer smooth online experiences

If you really struggle with creating posts, writing captions, writing emails etc, AI can help. But for me, the key word here is ‘help’. I wouldn’t advocate using it all the time as it can be really obvious if you’ve used AI to write for you – and you need to still keep your tone of voice and your personality. Whilst AI can kind of replicate that, it’s not quite you, so make sure if you do use AI, you check all facts (it can often be wrong) and ensure it sounds like you.

Types of Digital Marketing

There are five main types of digital marketing. They are:

Social Media Marketing

Social media involves using your content to attract and engage your potential customers. This might be through…

  • Product photos
  • Short videos
  • Tips and tutorials
  • Customer reviews
  • Behind-the-scenes content
  • Special offers

People spend hours every day on social media. Good content helps your business stay visible and build trust. But, don’t spread yourself too thin – you only need to choose one or two platforms, where you know your customers hang out.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

SEO helps your business appear in Google search results.

For example, if someone searches:

  • “best bakery near me”
  • “affordable plumber in London”
  • “dog grooming services”

SEO helps your business show up.

Google looks for websites that are helpful, fast to load, easy to navigate, trustworthy and relevant to their search.

Simple SEO Tips that will help your small business

  • Create a Google Business Profile
  • Use clear page titles
  • Add your location to your website
  • Write helpful blog posts
  • Ask customers for reviews
  • Make your website mobile-friendly

SEO takes time, but it can bring free traffic for years.

Content Marketing

Content marketing means creating useful information that helps potential customers.

This could include:

  • Blog articles
  • Videos
  • Guides
  • FAQs
  • Tutorials
  • Email newsletters

Content is the thing that really matters. Customers don’t want to see you constantly selling to them, they want to be educated about your products or services, see behind the scenes, find out more about you as a person – people trust businesses that have a mix of different type of content instead of constantly selling.

Helpful content builds credibility and improves SEO at the same time.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is still one of the cheapest and most effective digital marketing methods.

You collect customer email addresses and send:

  • Newsletters
  • Promotions
  • Updates
  • Helpful tips
  • Event announcements

Email still works well, because unlike social media, you OWN your email list. I know I’ve said this before and it is so true!

With your own email, algorithms can’t suddenly reduce your visibility and your account can’t suddenly be restricted or shut down. People sign up to your newsletter BECAUSE THEY WANT TO. They want to hear from you and find out more about you, your business and what you can offer.

Many email tools offer free plans for small businesses, such as MailChimp or Mailerlite, until you reach a certain number of subscribers, which really helps.

Paid Advertising

Paid ads can help businesses reach people quickly. You can choose from:

  • Google Ads
  • Facebook Ads
  • Instagram Ads
  • TikTok Ads
  • YouTube Ads

You pay to show your business to targeted audiences, for example, people in your local area, customers interested in your services or people searching for specific products.

If you decide to go this route, start small. You can pay as little as £5 – £10 a day, which can help you test what works for your business.

I personally don’t use ads, as I’ve found I don’t have to, but I know a lot of businesses do use them and it works well for them. Is this something you’ve tried? Let me know in the comments how you found it?

What Has Changed in Digital Marketing

There are a few trends that have changed over the past year. Here are some examples of the newer trends that you might want to look at.

AI is everywhere!

AI is the obvious one – you can’t miss it! You can’t go on any social media platform without seeing AI content. Some of it is so obviously fake, but if you use AI, you want it to still look and feel like you and your business, so you must be careful how you use it.

Most advice floating around about AI is to use it as a helper and NOT a replacement for real human connections. I use it for research, but I always check the facts and ensure that anything it finds for me is written in my own tone of voice. It can be useful for:

  • Researching content
  • Writing content
  • Creating images
  • Answering customer questions
  • Scheduling marketing campaigns
  • Analysing customer data

It’s up to you how you use it but always remember: Customers still value authenticity.

And that’s all I’m going to say!  

Short Videos Perform Best

Short-form video continues to grab attention on social media platforms.

Quick videos on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts often reach more people than traditional posts.

You don’t need expensive equipment. You can usually get a short video done quickly and efficiently using just a smartphone and good lighting. That could be via a ring light or natural light from a big window, or film outside!

Local marketing still works

Many customers prefer supporting nearby businesses. That might be for many reasons but could include no postage costs, if they can pick your product up in person, or just that they prefer to support local businesses.

For a small business, this means that…

  • Local SEO matters more
  • Customer reviews matter more
  • Google Maps visibility matters more

For small businesses, local digital marketing can often perform better than national campaigns by big businesses.

Digital marketing on a limited budget

Digital marketing doesn’t have to be expensive – in fact, there are many free tools out there that can help you. The key is to keep it simple.

Online presence

The minimum you should have should be…

  • A simple website
  • A Google Business Profile
  • One active social media page

Your website should clearly explain:

  • What you offer
  • Who you help
  • How customers can contact you

Focus on Helpful Content

Have a mix of content to keep your audience’s attention.

Simple content ideas include:

  • Tips
  • Tutorials
  • FAQs
  • Customer reviews/photo/success stories
  • Product demonstrations
  • Short videos – packing or unpacking a product/ talking to camera about your business or introducing yourself.

I always bang on about 80% of content being entertaining, engaging, inspirational and only 20% selling.  

Having a mix of content helps people get to know you and your business and builds rapport and trust.

Reviews

We all know how lovely it is to get reviews and recommendations – it’s happy dance time! Positive online reviews help build credibility quickly, so never be afraid to ask your customers to put a review on your social media page, or on your Google profile. It all helps build that trust and most people will look at a review before they buy, so they’re really important..

Use Free or Low-Cost Tools

There are lots of free tools you can use. Here are just a few:

  • Canva for graphics
  • Mailchimp/Mailerlite for email marketing
  • ChatGPT for brainstorming content ideas
  • And you can use Meta Business Suite on Facebook to schedule your posts for Facebook and Instagram.

Don’t forget your analytics

Regularly check up on how your posts/emails/website is performing by looking at the insights or analytics.

Pay attention to:

  • Website visits
  • Phone calls
  • Messages
  • Sales
  • Email signups
  • Social media engagement

This will help you see what works and what doesn’t. Then you can repurpose popular posts and you get to know exactly what your audience likes.

Common mistakes that we all make

The biggest mistake that most small businesses make is to spread themselves too thin by trying to be on too many platforms or taking on too much all at once. This can quickly lead to overwhelm and burnout. And none of us want that.

Start small!

Here are some other examples of mistakes that small businesses make…

Posting without a plan -Random posting usually produces weak results.  It’s a good idea to know what you want to post – create a simple weekly schedule – maybe have a weekly theme. Consistency matters more than perfection.

Selling too much – This is my age-old advice – 80% helpful content and only 20% selling. Your audience follow you because they like what you do – but they don’t want to constantly see you selling to them. They want to know more about you, your business and how your products or services can help them. If you just sell non-stop, you’ll lose followers and people will scroll by your posts.

Ignoring mobile users – Most customers now browse on smartphones. Make sure that your website and content, such as blogs and emails work well on mobile devices. Most hosting platforms will have a button you can press to check this before you publish.

Conclusion

Digital marketing doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. A simple strategy would be to…

  1. Build a simple website
  2. Set up your Google Business Profile
  3. Choose one social media platform
  4. Post helpful content at least three times per week, every day if you can
  5. Collect customer reviews
  6. Build an email list
  7. Track results monthly

If you have a budget, you could think about small ads to test if they work.

For small businesses, success often comes from doing the basics consistently:

  • Showing up online
  • Creating useful content
  • Building trust
  • Staying visible
  • Connecting with customers

The businesses that win are not always the ones with the biggest budgets.

They are usually the ones that stay consistent, helpful, and easy to find online. Start small, learn as you go and you’ll get there.

If you want help with any aspects of your digital marketing, drop me a message or email and we can have an informal chat. I offer a free 30-minute consultation.

Artificial intelligence – what it is and how it’s used

Although most of us won’t be aware, Artificial Intelligence or AI has been used in day-to-day life for years. Virtual assistants like Siri or Alexa are great examples of AI in practice, supporting humans and making things more convenient.

But when ChatGPT launched, it made AI available to everyone and that’s when people started talking about machine learning and the ethics that brought up. 

This article looks at the basics and throws up quite a few questions!    

What is it?

I’m sure a lot of us have seen futuristic sci-fi films that show AI as sinister robots who become obsessed with getting rid of humanity! It makes for good viewing but isn’t what AI actually is.

AI refers to a machine or computer system’s ability to perform tasks that would normally need human intelligence. It is still guided by humans in that it needs programming for the systems to analyse data, learn by experiences and make smart decisions.

AI has great potential by enabling machines to solve complex problems and think intuitively, which takes it beyond automation.

The ethical question

AI is very powerful as it has the ability to act on vast amounts of data in seconds, but it’s vitally important that it is implemented responsibly – and that’s down to the programming. If AI were trained using date that hadn’t been properly checked and validated, it could replicate harmful biases about race, religion, upbringing, or other human characteristics. This could have disastrous results if that were then used in health, recruitment, or law for example! 

One of the key ethical concerns is around privacy and data protection. AI systems automatically collect data from databases across the world and there is a need to ensure that any personal information is protected and used responsibly. For example, facial recognition technology – often used on our phones or on social media platforms, raises questions about consent and potential misuse.  

Machine learning

Machine learning is about the ability of a computer system to learn from data without being explicitly programmed. A good example is spam filtering in emails – the email platforms can learn which messages are useful and which one could be potential harmful or useless.

Machine learning is all about algorithms, which are trained on massive amounts of data, which they learn to analyse to identify patterns, relationships, and trends. The one you’ll be most familiar with is the social media algorithms, which help the various platforms to push the right kind of ads to the right people, recognise things that go against community standards and ultimately can ban or restrict accounts. As we all know, they don’t always get it right and it can be very frustrating. 

Is AI a good thing?

AI has its place, as it can be used to teach machines to do mundane, boring jobs, such as assembling cars for example. They can do the job more quickly than humans, don’t need to take breaks or have a holiday and as they have no emotion (yet!) they don’t get bored or tired.

The downside is that companies and governments want to use it for lots of other tasks, mainly because it’s cheaper than paying a person, which brings up the ‘machines are going to take over our jobs’ scenario.

The future

It’s inevitable that technology will only advance and it’s increasingly likely that AI will be used in many different fields. But it’s important that it works flawlessly without threatening humans and their fundamental rights.

If we go back to the algorithm example, it’s important that humans still audit them properly to ensure that AI is functioning properly and not learning errors, which often happens with social media.

 It’s likely that AI will take over more tasks in the health and care sector, in education and in business. In my opinion, it just needs to be very closely monitored to ensure that it doesn’t take over peoples’ jobs and livelihoods. And the ethical side definitely needs to have plenty of built in controls to ensure that personal data and privacy is maintained to the highest level.

Ethical marketing – why it matters!

In today’s changing climate, it’s important to keep on top of marketing trends. Ethical marketing is nothing new but has been emerging as a powerful tool for businesses who want to connect with more transparency with their potential customers.

Consumers are much more savvy than they ever were and strong marketing ethics help you build long term trust and loyalty with your customers. Ethical marketing enhances the customer experience and that experience keeps customers coming back time and time again.  

What is ethical marketing?

Ethical marketing is a strategy where businesses promote honesty, transparency, responsibility and fair practices within their marketing activity, showing respect for customer boundaries. As part of this transparency, businesses communicate their ethics in their marketing materials, so they reach their target audience with similar values.

Be transparent

This is so important – it means being clear about your marketing practices, including:

  • How you collect and use customer data, using easy to understand language to explain.
  • Being upfront about your pricing, products/services limitations and terms and conditions.
  • Disclosing any sponsored content and affiliate relationships.
  • Making privacy polices accessible and understandable.

Most of these points should be covered on your website within your terms and conditions or your privacy or cookie policies, which are legal requirements. But it’s also worth sometimes talking about these things in posts.

Although transparency is about being compliant with legal policies, it’s also about treating your customers with respect and being honest.

Honesty

This is all about being truthful in your communications, such as email, blog posts, podcasts or social media posts. Specifically, it should be about:

  • Avoiding misleading claims or information about your products or services
  • Making sure any statistics or research your do is truthful and not manipulated for your own gain.
  • Ensuring that any ads or marketing materials you create represent your products or services accurately and not exaggerated.
  • Acknowledging any mistakes you make and taking responsibility if anything does go wrong.  

 

Social responsibility

This is about how your brand has an impact on society as a whole and how your customers view you and your brand. For example:

  • Considering the environmental impacts of marketing campaigns and business practices.
  • Promoting diversity and inclusion.
  • If you support social causes, do so authentically rather than a ‘tick box’ exercise.
  • Ensure that your marketing activities don’t promote harmful stereotypes or behaviours.

Respect for individual rights

This is about respecting privacy, which I mentioned above. Consumers have the right to control their personal data and decide how it is used by businesses. You must be transparent about this in your privacy policies and other policies on your website – this is a legal requirement of GDPR (General Data Protections Regulations).

You can see a list of my policies at the bottom of my website, if you want to see examples, which gives comprehensive details. It takes a while to get this right, as you can’t copy from anyone else – it’s all bespoke to you and your business and how you do things.

Respect for human dignity

This means avoiding tactics that exploit or manipulate consumers, such as intentional deception. An example could be influencer marketing – some influencers have been criticised for promoting products that they don’t actually use – or for promoting products that could be harmful or unethical. This is seen as a violation of respect for human dignity.

Conclusion

I think that most of the points I’ve talked about in this article are pretty obvious in the great scheme of things. When you market your business most would ensure they don’t harm people or society. And most also know that they are responsible to making sure that their products or services are safe and reliable. But there are businesses out there who don’t do this – sometimes it can be simply they’re not aware of their responsibilities, but it’s up to us all to ensure that our businesses are ethical and promote ethical practices.

Ethical marketing is crucial for building trust and long-term relationships with our customers and potential customers. Businesses and brand that make honesty, transparency and respect for individual rights will not only meet their customer expectations but also set themselves apart from competitors.

Technology is constantly changing. Tools like AI and automation mean that businesses can use technology to maximise customer engagement, craft compelling campaigns and social media posts, blogs etc, and help drive their own business growth. But the rise of these types of technology could be opening the door for unethical practices and behaviour. It’s vitally important for businesses to understand the risks of technology to ensure they don’t fall foul of ethical standards. But I think this might be for another blog post!  

I hope you’ve found this helpful, and as usual, if you need any help with your marketing, feel free to contact me for a free consultation.

The pros and cons of neuromarketing

In my last blog, I talked about neuromarketing, what it is and how it works. So, we know that neuromarketing helps brands to improve customer engagement and enables businesses to personalise experiences and to predict how successful certain marketing campaigns will be. But there are also risks and limitations attached to neuromarketing – obviously, its high cost, but also interpreting the data can be very complicated and there are certain ethical concerns. So, this blog looks at the pros and cons of neuromarketing.  

Everyone tends to focus on the pros, but I wanted to look at both sides of the coin.

The pros of neuromarketing

There are several gaps in traditional marketing and neuromarketing tools can help to cover those, giving a better understanding of consumer behaviour, as well as great insights into why consumers decide to buy one product over another.

Observational research

Neuromarketing data doesn’t just come from information that customers provide via surveys etc, it also provides information from observation, such as facial expressions, eye movements, shifts of the mouse etc. Most of this data comes from the subconscious reactions of the people taking part in the research. Some argue that neuromarketing tells you more about consumers’ true desires and attitudes as opposed to controlled answers to questionnaires.

Emotional measurement

Neuromarketing measures physiological reactions, often related to emotional responses. This gives valuable data about consumer reactions to particular parts of an advertisement or video – and which part provokes a positive reaction or a negative reaction. Then advertising can be tweaked accordingly.

Reliable results

As neuromarketing research reaches the unconscious part of a consumer’s mind, the data provides a better understanding of the process behind automatic reactions. This helps researchers determine more reliable results as their analysis looks more comprehensively at consumers’ decision-making patterns.

Let me explain this a bit simpler – we can all lie consciously, but our brains can’t because we can’t control our subconscious minds. As neuromarketing accesses the unconscious mind, the data is more reliable as they are based on true reactions to products or websites/packaging for example. This information can then be used to improve things to give a better customer experience.  

Conclusion

The advantages of neuromarketing gives:

  • An enhanced understanding of consumers – how people think and feel during decision-making.
  • More customer engagement – More emotionally relevant content creates stronger connections.
  • Better personalisation of products – the insights that neuromarketing gives, help marketers tailor products, services, and content to individual preferences.
  • Helps predict successful marketing campaigns – knowing what makes consumers react positively means that marketers can use that data to ensure that their marketing campaigns perform better.
  • Reduces speculative marketing – more relevant marketing cuts through the general marketing noise so it reaches the right people more quickly.    

The cons of neuromarketing

Concerns about ethics

I think this is the one that bothers me the most. It’s about the ethical question – is neuromarketing getting inside the brain of customers…and is that a good thing?

Some would argue that neuromarketing does things that a good psychologist does – it simply ‘learns’ the behaviour patterns of consumers and the data gives smart outcomes.

Specific skills are needed

Now, no matter how much high-quality data and knowledge you can gain from neuromarketing tools, it’s necessary for someone with a scientific background to help the machines and tools to understand the data.

Technology can be taught to interpret the brainwaves and graphs, but someone still needs to make sense of the statistics and what they mean to specific market research.

Expensive equipment

Neuromarketing equipment used to be expensive, but as technology is developed, it has become more attainable to smaller companies – not quite the tens of thousands it used to cost. However, it’s still a lot of money to have to spend. This must be a consideration.  

Privacy and GDPR

Privacy policies and the General Data Protection Regulations must be considered. Businesses, no matter how big or small have responsibilities around customer data and the more technology you rely on, the higher the risk for leakage of data.

Technology must be robust enough for customers to be able to trust that their personal data is protected, but ultimately, there will be people out there who will attempt to get inside the data (and brains of customers) which interferes with their right to privacy. I know this sounds a little far-fetched, but it’s got to be a consideration.

Conclusion

The disadvantages of neuromarketing does come with its own limitations and strategic risks.

  • The cost – specialised neuromarketing tools and experts make it expensive to run.
  • Ethical concerns – Using brain data brings up issues around privacy and customer manipulation.
  • Complicated analysis – whilst machines can be programmed to look at data, interpreting brain signals still needs advanced knowledge and tools.
  • Not always relevant – results from lab settings don’t always apply to all everyday situations.

So, although neuromarketing is going to become increasingly commonplace, there are still quite a few issues to be ironed out, and it won’t be easily available for all businesses. It can be a very powerful took, but it comes with challenges related to cost, ethics, and interpretation of data.

What do you think?

Neuromarketing and how it works!

Neuromarketing is about using neuroscience to help understand consumer behaviour by studying brain activity, physiological responses and subconscious decision making.

Have you ever wondered what makes you choose one brand over another – even when they seem to be identical? Or why one particular ad you see on TV, on social media, or hear on the radio sticks in your mind for days? The answer to this is about your subconscious thought and subconscious reactions of your brain.

Neuromarketing is a fascinating subject, which attempts to understand how consumers respond to advertising and products. It’s not just about asking people what they think, it about looking directly at brain activity and physiological responses to see what really attracts attention and triggers an emotional connection.

IT’S NOT ABOUT – mind control or finding a magical ‘buy now’ button in your brain. It’s not about manipulating people, but about gaining a clearer understanding about what they really want or need. By scientifically measuring non-conscious responses, brands can build better products, create clearer messaging and design more enjoyable customer experiences.

How does neuromarketing work?

In order to find out how the brain and body reacts when a person is exposed to marketing materials, several studies have been done. The most common method involves volunteer test subjects – and uses electroencephalography (EEG) to measure electrical activity in the brain, which helps identify moments of excitement, focus or even frustration.

Observing facial expressions for emotional responses and biometrics to measure changes in the heart rate or skin response are also tools that are used. Software then helps to analyse the data so that researchers can pinpoint exactly which elements of an ad or product are most impactful.

Traditional market research includes things like focus groups and surveys – these are of course, valuable, BUT they rely on the participants accurately giving their own feelings or intentions. Our decisions are often made based on pre-conceived ideas about certain products – or influenced by friends, family or subconscious emotions or biases.

Neuromarketing captures the reactions that people can’t or don’t consciously articulate. A survey can tell you that a customer LIKED your ad, but neuromarketing can show WHICH SPECIFIC PART of an ad sparked the most emotional engagement. So, gives a deeper understanding.

The ethics

Neuromarketing certainly has many benefits, but the ethics shouldn’t be overlooked. Although there is nothing that currently offers comprehensive neuromarketing regulations, there are ethical guidelines for those that conduct this research.

  • Participants must give their informed consent – which means they must fully understand the purpose of any study they take part in, including the risks and benefits.
  • Privacy and data security is key – participants personal data etc must be completely secure to protect the privacy of participants and compliance with date protection regulations such as the relevant GDPR regulation and other associated laws and regulations according to the country conducting the research.
  • Disclosure and transparency – I find this a bit worrying – while is it not mandatory to disclose specific neuromarketing techniques, such as eye-tracking on a website (I wasn’t aware this was a thing!) the principle of transparency is an ethical one. Brands must consider disclosing to consumers their data collection and research methods, to ensure transparency regarding the purpose and impact of the research. Then consumers can make an informed decision about participation. This means it is important to READ PRIVACY POLICIES on websites, if you suspect that neuromarketing techniques may be used.

This thought suddenly struck me – a lot of our personal devices – phones and tablets – ask for eye recognition. Does that mean that when you look at ads on that device, your responses could be recorded for research purposes? Or am I being paranoid?

Maybe I’m overthinking here! This is the extreme end of neuromarketing, and small businesses obviously would not be able to either afford or manage this kind of research.

So, how can you harness the power of neuromarketing without having a state-of-the-art research techniques and equipment?

Neuromarketing for small businesses

Neuromarketing has thrown up six basic human needs that can help with strategies for businesses.

Certainty – Consumers want to know that they can trust a brand or business. Customers like the assurance of knowing that a particular business delivers on its promises, has transparent messaging and are consistent on caring for its customers.

Variety – They say that variety is the spice of life and consumers like a bit of variety or something unpredictable. Consumers these days go from Facebook to Instagram to TikTok and engage with social media and SMS texting. Using different platforms as a small business gives your customers that variety- you can offer limited time promotions, discounts or deals when they least expect it. It might be you do this on stories only – or on Instagram only. These unexpected things excite and captivate your audience and keep them wanting more.

Significance – I’ve said this loads of times, but your customers – in fact not just customers, all of us, want to feel valued. Several small businesses have specific groups on social media to help make customers feel special, and they help by giving exclusive ‘sneak a peeks’ or offers. You can also make customers feel special by personalising brand stories and rewarding loyal customers with exclusive benefits. It’s this making them feel valued and special that can make your brand stand out in the crowd and lift your brand from good to unforgettable.

Connection – I know – I bang on about this a lot too – but connecting with your audience in a genuine way is what helps a business to thrive and grow. It’s about being transparent, authentic, and sowing that you genuinely care about them Engage with your followers through social media, responding to comments and messages and listen to any suggestions and opinions – or even ask for suggestions and opinions as this also helps them feel valued.   

Growth -Show how your products or services help your customers. You can provide educational content to help customers expand their knowledge and skills or give suggestions for how your products can be used in their homes.

Contribution – This is about how your business is conscious of its footprint in the world and that it matters to you. It might be about your eco-friendly initiatives or how you get involved in a community or charity initiative. Consumers are more likely to support businesses that align with their personal values and what matters to them.   

Conclusion

In my opinion, these are the gentler, more people-friendly ways for small businesses to use neuromarketing. It’s not about manipulating your customers, it’s more about understanding consumer behaviour and what makes people tick. This is a basic marketing strategy, but using some of the research results from more in-depth neuromarketing research can help us understand what and why consumers want to buy. Connecting with customers on an emotional level is key to building lasting brand loyalty and knowing what resonates with them helps them come back for more and give you repeat business

Contact me if you need help with your marketing.

Contact me