Category Archives: Small Business Marketing

Is your business suffering from the summer slump?

Collage of a young person in various poses showing frustration and contemplation with sketches, coffee cups, and polaroid photos reflecting a creative and emotional summer.

Summer is a season many of us look forward to – longer days, holidays, BBQs and, hopefully, plenty of sunshine. But while it’s great for relaxing, it can be a challenging time for many small businesses.

If you’ve noticed enquiries slowing down, engagement on social media dipping, or sales becoming quieter than usual, you’re certainly not alone. For many businesses, the “summer slump” is a familiar seasonal pattern.

During the summer months, people’s priorities naturally shift. Families are juggling school holidays, many people are travelling, spending more time outdoors, or simply taking a break from their usual routines. That often means they’re spending less time scrolling social media, checking emails, or making non-essential purchases.

Rather than seeing this quieter period as a setback, try to view it as an opportunity. While business may slow temporarily, there are plenty of productive ways to prepare for a stronger second half of the year.

Stay Visible

It can be tempting to stop posting on social media when engagement drops, but consistency is still important. Keep showing up for your audience, even if your numbers aren’t quite where you’d like them to be.

You don’t have to create brand-new content every day either. Refresh and repurpose older posts, update popular blogs, turn articles into short videos or carousels, or revisit topics that performed well previously.

The same applies to email marketing. Even during the summer, people continue to check their inboxes, often more consistently than social media. A helpful newsletter can keep you and your business on their radar until they’re ready to buy.

Refresh Your Marketing

Use quieter weeks to tackle those jobs you’ve been putting off.

You could:

  • Update your website.
  • Refresh your branding or social media graphics.
  • Review your pricing and service pages.
  • Update case studies and testimonials.
  • Improve your welcome emails or customer journey.
  • Organise your content calendar for autumn and Christmas.
  • Review your SEO and make sure your website is easy to find on Google.

These tasks often get pushed aside during busy periods, so now is the perfect opportunity to get ahead.

Review Your Content Strategy

Social media changes constantly, so it’s worth reviewing what’s working rather than posting out of habit.

Think about creating content that:

  • answers your customers’ most common questions
  • demonstrates your expertise
  • shares behind-the-scenes moments
  • showcases customer success stories
  • offers practical tips and advice

Short-form video continues to perform well, but don’t feel you have to dance on camera! Simple, authentic videos explaining your products or services are often far more effective.

If you use AI tools to help with content creation, remember to add your own voice and personality. Your audience wants to hear from you, not just read generic marketing copy.

Host a Live Session

Going live on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn can be a great way to reconnect with your audience.

You could:

  • answer frequently asked questions
  • demonstrate a product
  • share customer success stories
  • introduce a new service
  • give a behind-the-scenes tour of your business

People enjoy interacting in real time, and live content helps build trust.

Focus on Existing Customers

Sometimes the easiest sale is to someone who already knows and trusts you.

Reach out to existing customers and ask:

  • How are they getting on?
  • Are they making the most of your product or service?
  • Is there anything else they need?
  • Is there something you could improve?

Their feedback is incredibly valuable and may even inspire your next product or service.

Ask for Reviews and Referrals

Happy customers are usually willing to recommend you—they just need reminding.

Now is a great time to ask for:

  • Google reviews
  • Facebook recommendations
  • LinkedIn recommendations
  • Testimonials for your website
  • Referrals to friends or colleagues

You could even reward referrals with a small thank-you gift or discount where appropriate.

Build New Connections

Networking remains one of the best ways to grow a small business.

Join conversations in relevant online communities, comment thoughtfully on other businesses’ content, and support businesses you genuinely admire.

If there are local networking events during the summer, take advantage of the quieter season to attend. Face-to-face conversations often lead to opportunities that social media simply can’t replicate.

Let Customers Know Your Availability

If you’re taking time off over the summer, tell your customers well in advance.

Share your holiday dates across your website, email, and social media, and encourage customers to book early if they need your products or services before you go.

Equally, if you know you’ll be launching autumn or Christmas products, start creating interest now. Early planning helps your customers—and helps spread your workload too.

Invest in Yourself

A quieter diary gives you the chance to work on your business, not just in it.

Consider:

  • attending webinars
  • taking an online course
  • Learning a new marketing skill
  • improving your photography or video content
  • exploring AI tools that can save you time.
  • working with a coach or mentor

Even a few hours invested now can make a noticeable difference later in the year.

There are plenty of affordable online learning platforms available, including Udemy, LinkedIn Learning and Coursera…and of course, you could always look at the handbooks specifically aimed at creative businesses that I’ve produced recently – contact me to find out more!

Don’t Panic

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that a seasonal slowdown doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong with your business.

Many businesses experience quieter periods during the summer, and activity often picks up again as September arrives. People return from holidays, children go back to school, routines resume, and businesses begin planning for autumn, Black Friday and Christmas.

Instead of worrying about what isn’t happening today, use this time to strengthen your marketing, improve your systems, and prepare for what’s next.

Conclusion

The summer slump can be frustrating, but it doesn’t have to be wasted time. By staying visible, improving your marketing, nurturing customer relationships, and investing in your business, you’ll be in a much stronger position when things become busier again.

Enjoy the summer, take a well-earned break if you can, and remember that every season in business has its purpose. Use this one wisely, and your future self will thank you.

If you have any questions, or would like to speak to me about any of the coaching, courses or handbooks I offer, you can contact me using the contact form or email me direct at cindymobey@outlook.com

World Social Media Day: being visible, not viral!

Jewelry maker with apron using smartphone at a wooden workbench

Launched by Mashable (a technology news site), in 2010, World Social Media Day is celebrated every year on 30 June. This special day reminds us just how much social media has made a global impact, changing the way we connect, shop, and build businesses.

For creative business owners, it’s very easy to have a love-hate relationship with it.

One day you’re excited to share your newest creation. The next you’re wondering if anyone even saw your post. You compare yourself to accounts with thousands of followers and start questioning whether social media is really worth the effort.

Well, is it worth it?

Let’s address the elephant in the room. I am seeing this more and more on social media posts, especially on Facebook.

“I’m doing everything right….I’m posting consistently. My photos are good. I know my audience. But my engagement is low – I don’t even feel like my posts are reaching anyone – they’re certainly not reaching my followers. Is Facebook even worth it anymore?”

To be honest, this is a fair comment…and I feel the pain of every business when I read a similar questions or comments like this.

What is the truth?

The truth is – Facebook and Instagram have changed dramatically over the last few years. Your feed is probably full of people you don’t follow, suggested content, videos from creators you’ve never heard of and more adverts than you can shake a stick at. Let’s not pull any punches!

This does mean that your posts getting seen organically (that is, without paying for ads), is harder than it used to be. But….harder doesn’t mean impossible!

Harder doesn’t mean impossible

Social media platforms are not longer the only place your customers discover you. Instead, it’s one of several places they check before deciding whether to buy.

  1. Someone might first see or hear about you at a craft fair
  2. You might be recommended by a friend or customer
  3. They might find your website on a search engine

What do many of those people do next? They search to see if you’re on Facebook or Instagram. I know that I’ve done this myself.

They want to know:

  • What are you like?
  • Are you still in business?
  • What do you post about and how often?
  • Are real people buying from you (they’ll look at your reviews or recommendations)
  • What does your work actually look like?
  • Does your business feel trustworthy?

In this way, your social media account has become your shop window and your proof that your business is active.

Of course, I’m not going to lie to you – this doesn’t always create the sale. But it often is that reassuring factor that gives someone just enough of that extra information to convince them to buy.

Most people don’t buy the first time they see you – it can take several times, which could translate into several weeks or months. They need to know that they can trust you enough to click that buy button.

That’s why it’s so important to stay consistent – I can hear you groaning! But hear me out…

Most people don’t purchase the first time they see a business.

They need to see you several times before they trust you enough to click “Buy.”

That’s why consistency matters far more than perfection.

Low engagement doesn’t mean nobody is buying

I have seen businesses with only a few likes on each post and no comments sell their products.

I’ve also seen businesses whose posts attract a lot of engagement, loads of comments and likes – yet they’ve not had any sales at all.

It doesn’t seem to make sense.  

Research tells me that people who buy handmade products are often quiet followers. They watch, they might save your posts. They visit your website, they quietly look at your reviews.

Then weeks, or even months later, they place an order. Success isn’t measured by how many likes or followers you have, it’s whether the people who’ve seen your products or services remember you when they’re ready to buy.    

I think the biggest tip I can give, which I see people talk about and blame all the time, is…..

Stop chasing the algorithm    

Algorithms change all the time and will continue to do so.

Trends come and go – what works today might not work next week.

But…..one thing ALWAYS remains the same…

People buy from businesses they know, like and trust. You build that trust by showing your face, sharing your story, demonstrating your products or services, celebrating customer wins, and reminding your audience that you and your business are still here – still creating beautiful things.

  • You don’t need to post three times a day
  • You don’t need professional photography
  • You don’t need to dance on camera unless you genuinely want to

You simply need a plan that helps you keep showing up.

World Social Media Day isn’t about celebrating algorithms – it’s about celebrating connections. Because no matter how much technology is thrown our way, no matter how many times AI is thrust in our faces:

  • They still want to know who the person behind the business is
  • They love seeing a work in progress
  • We’re all naturally nosy – we want to see what your workspace looks like – and I’m sure a lot of us would breathe a sigh of relief if it’s messy, just like ours!
  • They want to see you making something, showing a process.
  • They love seeing you ‘go live’ even if you mess it up a bit – it doesn’t matter, because it shows you’re human!

And finally – people still value handmade over mass-produced every day of the week.

Facebook and Instagram have changed

Facebook and Instagram may not be the same as they were five or ten years ago, but they are still the place that relationships are made, where potential customers are nurtured and genuinely valued. It’s all of these things together that sell handmade products.

The businesses that you see in your feed that you don’t know – you might find one of those has just what you’ve been looking for. Their products might catch your eye. Whilst it feels irritating that you’re not always seeing all your followers – remember, your posts are being pushed somewhere out there to people who haven’t seen you or your business before – and that’s not a bad thing!

So, for all of these reasons, I remain confident that consistency still matters

Not because all your posts will go viral, but because every single post is another opportunity for someone to find you and your business – and when the time is right for them – remember you and choose to buy from you when they’re ready.

A challenge for you for World Social Media Day

Today, instead of worrying about likes, followers, whether you’re being seen, whether your feed is full of businesses you don’t know, try one simple thing…

Share something that helps people connect with you – the person behind the business.

Remember – people don’t just buy handmade products – they buy the story, the passion and the person behind it.

If this has given you food for thought, keep your eyes peeled for something new coming on Thursday!

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!

8 reasons why you need a marketing plan

A marketing plan helps you develop your products and services that will meet the needs and wants of your target market. Marketing helps your customers see and understand why your products/services are better than or different from those offered by your competitors.

Having a marketing plan helps you:

  • define your target market and why they need your product or service
  • decide on the messages, channels, tools and activities you’ll use to reach your target customers
  • set goals and time frames for marketing activities
  • set up a marketing budget
  • evaluate if your marketing activities were successful.
  1. Why do you need marketing?

Marketing is what builds the relationship between you, your business and your customers. If you are a small business, it is vital to build a sound relationship of trust and understanding with your customer. This makes them loyal to you and your brand and loyal customers will not only give you repeat business, they will have enough confidence in you to try out new products or services. They will also recommend you to their friends and family.

Marketing also massively increases the visibility of your brand, so you are more easily recognisable.

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  1. Identify your target market

How do you identify your target market? Take a look at your existing regular customers. Who are they? What are they interested in? What are their problems that you can solve? What other needs do they have?

For example, if you sell baby products, your target market will be parents, parents to be, grandparents etc. You could also target baby shower events and children’s events; childminders; nurseries; soft-play areas; local Mum and baby groups; exercise classes for Mums to be or Mum and baby classes. The list is endless.

Have a look at your competitors – how do they meet the needs of your target market? How can you do it better?

  1. Conduct a SWOT analysis

SWOT stands for internal Strengths and Weaknesses, and external Opportunities and Threats. Pulling together a SWOT analysis can help you analyse where your business, its products/services, fit within the market and looks at your unique selling position. It can also help you find out how you can improve your business; what you’re really good at and what other businesses do.

Strengths – what do you do well in your business? What do you do better than your competitors?

Weaknesses – What do you need to improve on to remain competitive? What do your competitors do better than you? What is holding you back?

Opportunities – What current trends could lead your business to have increased sales? What can you use to your best advantage?

Threats – What could harm your business? What are the advantages that your competitors have over your business?

I have a FREE worksheet that you can download to help you…Conduct a SWOT Analysis 

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  1. Look at your competitors

List your competitors – who are they? If you analyse your competitors, you can find out how they work, what they do and compare them to your business.

What products or services do they sell?

Do they offer a similar product or service to you?

What do they offer their customers?

What do they do to engage with their customers?

Where are they? What are their strengths and weaknesses?

How do they market their products/services…e.g. social media, advertising etc.

The more information you can get about your competitors, the more chance you have of identifying where you fit into the market place and what opportunities are available to you.

  1. Decide on your goals

Once you know where your business stands in the market place and who your competitors are, you can decide what goals you want to set for your business. What do you want to achieve over the next 12 months?

Make your goals specific – instead of saying, ‘I want to sell more products’, look at your products and decide exactly how much more you want to sell. They might come under different categories. Go back to the baby product scenario…you might sell baby massage products, so a goal could be ‘Increase sales of baby massage products by 20% compared to last year’. You then have a definite goal to aim for…and it’s easier to review every few months because you calculate if you are on track to achieve your goal.

Aim for 4-6 short term goals – things that are fairly easy to achieve. You can always add more throughout the year if you achieve them.

Aim for 2-4 long term goals – things that are a bit more challenging. If you find that one of these goals is too challenging part way through the year, you can always break it down into smaller, more achievable chunks. 

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  1. Set your marketing strategies

Once you have set your goals, you can start looking at the short term goals in more detail. What activity is going to help you achieve that goal? What price or process will help you achieve your goals?

When you are trying to decide on which activities to use, choose those that best suit your business and your customers. For example, an advert in a local magazine or newspaper won’t necessarily reach your target market if they are primarily young adults, who generally don’t read this kind of thing. It’s a good idea to go for a few activities that complement each other. For example if your products/services can be for any age, you might go for an advert in a magazine, but also use social media or maybe local radio. You might sell your products at a market or craft fayre, so advertise the event on social media and do links to your products.

  1. Set your budget

It’s important to know how much you can afford to spend on marketing as not all marketing is free. You need to think hard about how best to spend that budget so you get the maximum benefit. Only spend on your current marketing goals, so that budget is used to help you achieve those goals. Advertising on Facebook, Instagram or in magazines all come at a cost, but if you are reaching your target customers, it will be worth it.     

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  1. Ensure your marketing plan is kept up to date

Reviewing your marketing plan on a regular basis is very important so that you not only know if you are on track to achieve your goals, you might also identify new trends in the market that means you have to tweak a particular goal.

It also serves the purpose of scrapping anything that you know isn’t working or changing a goal if you need to.

Looking at your plan helps you to measure how you’re doing against your plan and whether you will be successful.

Now you know why it’s so important to have a marketing plan, it’s time to jump into action!

If you find planning your marketing overwhelming, I can help you. Simply message me for a free 30 minute consultation.

Contact me

Why a simple ‘thank you’ is so good for business

As a parent, I always taught my children that manners cost nothing. If someone gave them a gift, or opened a door for them, saved them a space in a queue, gave them a lift home or did anything for them, they always said ‘thank you’. I was often praised for the well-mannered, polite children I had….and believe me, at home they weren’t always well-behaved, but they always remembered their manners. As adults, I’ve heard them use the ‘manners cost nothing’ statement to their children. It always make me smile.

At some point in our lives, we all work in some capacity. No matter what job you have or have had in the past, it’s always a good feeling to be appreciated for what you do. When your employer thanks you for your hard work, or tells you you’ve done a great job on a particular project, it gives you what one of the teachers at my kid’s school called, ‘a warm fuzzy’ feeling. And how did that feel? Did it motivate you to try even harder? Did it make you feel proud of your achievement and make you want to do more? In one way or another, the answer is usually ‘yes’ to these questions.

The same applies to your customers – if you thank them for buying from you, or using a service you provide, it will make them feel valued and, nine times out of ten, a customer who feels valued will return with more custom, or recommend you to their friends. Either way, it’s a win, win situation for you.

These are some of the benefits of saying thank you…

  • Customers remember who thanks them (and who doesn’t)!
  • Customers feel valued and appreciated
  • Customers feel respected and cared for
  • Customers like to be acknowledged – it’s important to them

It’s crucial that when you say thank you, make sure you mean it – don’t just say it as a matter of course, or as a way to get something from someone. It must be sincere.

So, how can you thank a customer?

There are several different ways to thank your customers.

You should always thank them for their order and for choosing to shop with you, or use your service. You could also take the opportunity to say that if there is anything else you can help with, please feel free to contact you. It’s also a good idea to put a link to your website and invite them to leave a positive comment.

  • Include a note with their order
  • Send an email
  • Send a card in the post, or an e-card
  • By telephone
  • By text message
  • Via messenger or Whatsapp

Finally, the most important thing about thanking a customer is that it is timely….it’s no good saying thank you weeks after the event, it needs to be immediate.

According to Chris Philippi, President of Philippi Marketing and Associates, writing for zeromillion.com, the top Entrepreneurship Resource Online….

  • It costs anywhere from 5 to 8 times more to gain a new customer as opposed to retaining your customers. When you consider the cost of sales people, advertising, Internet marketing, etc. to attract new customers this becomes obvious
  • 68% of customers will stop using your services or fail to return if they feel unappreciated. This is the number one reason businesses lose customers. 

What do you do to make your customers feel appreciated and valued?

Last minute Christmas marketing ideas for small businesses

This year has flown by so quickly and once again we are nearing December and hopefully sales are ramping up as we get nearer to the big day.

If things are slower than you’d like or you just want to do that final big push, here are some last-minute marketing ideas for small businesses.

Website

  • Optimise your website for Christmas – think about making your homepage instantly festive. Christmassy themed images are great for attracting attention to your page and gives your customers a more magical experience, putting them in that emotional Christmas mood.
  • If you have any special deals, add a festive banner advertising that on your page. Give cut off dates for orders and where you can, dates that orders are likely to be delivered. This gives customers confidence in your brand and customer service.
  • Make sure that your website can manage the extra traffic, so it doesn’t slow down or freeze.
  • Ensure your website is easy to navigate and that the checkout process is quick and easy.
  • Maybe include a gift guide to make things even more easy for potential customers.

Do you have Christmas bundles available?

If you do, make sure they are very well publicised. You can use social media, using video or eye-catching images to draw customers in. And if you do a bundle as an offer, with a discount for buying things together, highlight the saving – everyone loves a bargain!

If you have a website, think about using a pop-up box highlighting your special offers or bundles.

Don’t forget the upsell or cross-sell. For example, if someone chooses a particular product, have a ‘other people that bought this, also bought this. Or ‘if you like this product, you might also be interested in this complementary product.’

Gift guide

Make a festive video showcasing your gift ideas in one place, or have a gift guide on your website, so people can see immediately what you have on offer.

You could include examples of how your products are packaged, or you could show a packing or unpacking excerpt.

Online Christmas markets

If you add your products to online Christmas markets, don’t forget to advertise this on your social media or email marketing.

Christmas market events

The same applies to events you are going to attend with your products. Make sure you advertise that you’ll be there, share a poster on your social media, or give a sneaky peek at some of the products you’ll be showing.

You can set up an event on Facebook to advertise and if you have a Google business profile, don’t forget to put a post and photos there too, as this is aimed at your local target market.

Collaborate

Christmas is the ideal time to do collaborations with other businesses that sell complementary products. You can team up to produce a bundle, which will benefit both of you. You will also both advertise it, so you’ll reach not just your audience, but also theirs!

Gift cards

Gift cards are perfect for some last-minute shoppers. They can simply buy a gift card for your products and give to a friend or family member, so they can choose what they’d like for themselves.

Out of stock

If you have popular items that go out of stock, then create more, make sure you advertise this, so those who have seen they’re out of stock can now buy them. This is often overlooked!

Gift suggestions by price range

This can be very popular. People like to be given ideas and if you categorise your products into price range, it can make it easier for those who have a specific budget in mind. For example, ‘Under a tenner,’ £10-£25 etc. Anything you can do to make the choosing process easier is a winner.

Pay in instalments

If you offer the service where customers can pay over three payments or similar, it may encourage them to spend more as they can spread the cost. It’s worth thinking about and advertising.

Finally, ensure that your customers know when you’re open, so share your Christmas opening hours. Be clear on the last date to order to get in time for Christmas and wherever possible, an idea of when your product will be delivered.

I hope this has helped and remember, buying at Christmas is all about the customer experience, so make sure that your customers get the best experience possible.

Spread the festive cheer and enjoy these last few weeks before the big day!

5 reasons why it’s important to share your story

This past year seems to have been the hardest for small businesses with every changing rules and regulations about where you can sell your products and who you are ‘allowed’ to sell them to. A lot of businesses are struggling to keep going. Whether this applies to you or not, we are all struggling with one thing or another. But there aren’t many people who stand up and speak about their struggles.

I think it’s because of that age-old thing of ‘stiff upper lip’ – you just don’t talk about it. It could be that we are afraid of being judged, or afraid of rejection…or just simply feel ashamed.

However, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t enjoy a good story, be it personal, emotional, funny, or otherwise. I loved listening to my dad tell me stories of when he was a young soldier in World War II – he used to tell us more about the funny side when we were young, but as we grew up, we heard some of the harder side of his experiences. Telling a story helps our audience to put themselves in our shoes – it appeals to our emotions and our sense of empathy.

We all know about pitching our products and we can do that until we’re blue in the face, but your audience won’t really care unless you give them a good reason to listen. Placing your product at the centre of a story, showing them how it can benefit their lives, not only helps your audience understand more about your product, but it also gives you an extra layer of emotion that makes you stand out more on social media.

Social Media

Most of us are on our phones or devices the minute we wake up, checking messages, emails or just scrolling through posts. It’s often the first thing we do when we wake up and the last thing we do before we go to bed. For those of us in business, our social media account posts are carefully planned and crafted to appeal to our target audience. And even that can be daunting – we worry whether our posts are good enough – will they appeal to the right people? Will people think that they’re rubbish? We compare ourselves to others and fear and doubt can even creep in with our businesses.

We also tend to only share the good things, such as cheery pictures of nights out, a lovely meal, family time – all smiling, date night with our partners etc. etc. But we don’t share our back stories – the stories that make us, US!

This, along with everyone else, gives out a message that we are only allowed to share the good things; things that go well. Having said that, I have noticed that some people are starting to share some of the more private parts of their lives. Now, I’m not saying go out there and share every intimate detail of your life – not at all. But share things that can help your audience.

Share a problem that you’ve solved, share that you’re feeling crap today, or that you feel you’re not doing a good job on something. Sharing this kind of information makes you real…people can empathise – some will have had the same experience, and it can help to build more meaningful relationships.

Telling your story is showing the authentic you – an essential part of who you are.

5 reasons why we need storytelling

  • You CONNECT with your audience. You’ll find people who have been through the same thing or feel the same way. You’ll find those who totally get where you’re coming from and who you are. They will share their experiences with you and so it’s a way to start building trust with your audience. When you share your stories, it pushes you to step outside of your comfort zones and to reflect on where you’ve been and how far you’ve come.
  • Sharing your story defines your identity to your audience. Sharing your interests, be it political, emotional, funny, or serious issues, it shows you. You can also share your hobbies, as you may find others that have the same interests as you.
  • By sharing your own stories, you are helping others to have the space to share theirs. For example, if you share a particularly painful experience, such as miscarriage or mental illness, you’re letting others know that this is safe place to talk about it, that you understand and that there is space for healing. You’ll be helping others by telling your story.
  • Sharing a story also heightens the awareness of that subject. It might be something as simple as sharing your weight loss journey, or how you came back from an addiction or homelessness. These things are powerful, and if you can show how you overcame these issues, you are going to be helping someone who is still going through that same thing, and give them hope for their future. This also starts to create a community of likeminded people, who will feel less alone with their problems, and feel they have someone they can share with.
  • This can also be applied to business. Sharing a story of how a particular product helped you to overcome your problems. For example, if you sell weight loss products that you have used yourself and had success with, tell your story. If you have a product that has changed your life in some way, shout about it and how it helped. If you’ve used a business to provide a service that has seriously changed the way you do business, or has helped you get more clients, talk about it. If you provide that service and have testimonials that show that, share them as well as your story.   

How storytelling helps your small business

  • Storytelling help you build a connection with your audience. By sharing experiences, struggles and successes you are creating an emotional connection with your followers, which in turn, help guild trust and empathy, which can lead to a stronger relationship and customer loyalty.
  • It help you to convey a specific message. Storytelling can help you explain and convey complex messages or ideas that your audience understand and remember.
  • It makes your brand more memorable – if you create a story that speaks to your audience and resonates with them, it can make your business stand out in the crowd. A memorable story, will help your audience remember you and your business.
  • Stand out from your competitors – By sharing your unique story and experiences, something that your readers will remember, helps to differentiate yourself from your competitors. By telling memorable stories, you can stand out in the crowd.

Every single person in the world has a story to tell. It might be a personal story; it might be a business story. But if you get out there and tell it, you’ll be surprised at how much engagement you will get.

If you want to find out more about storytelling for your particular business, I offer one-to-one coaching so you can learn how to use storytelling to make your business stand out from the crowd.

Just message me on social media or contact me via my blog site.