I love marketing.  Seriously!  I love being a smart thinker, being strategic, being thoughtful, and working with creative people.  So many things I don’t know where to start.

Of all the aspects of a business, marketing is the most all encompassing piece of the puzzle. Every single area of the business is on your radar when you are a marketer. You have to think about anything and everything that your customer will experience.  You rarely work in isolation. In the corporate world you are dealing with different departments everyday. As an entrepreneur you totally understand that marketing draws on every aspect of your business.

But do you want to know what the best thing about being a marketer is? The customer. The reason we are in business. It is your job to understand as much as you can about your customers so you know what they want, what they need and what they want to feel. So often I find myself advocating on behalf of this person in a business and helping others see or feel things the way our customers would.  I love being able to do this.  It’s kind of like putting yourself in someone else’s shoes – a lot!

I’m glad I have the capacity to have empathy for my customers because this is such a critical thing in business. You’ve got to get your people. You don’t have to have been them, or have been in the same place they are, you just have to be able to tap into their feelings – empathy.  Critical in business. Pretty much one of the core pillars of good marketing. And you have to be damn sure you’re not just assuming everyone in the world is like you because that’s a pretty big mistake to make.  Respect the differences, embrace them, understand them.

And you know what else I don’t do as a marketer? I never take advantage of my customers. Never think they don’t deserve better. Never try to give them less than what they deserve.  Never think they aren’t smart enough to find a better alternative if I am not giving them the best I possibly can. Never treat them like fools or disrespect them.  It is so important to keep on striving when it comes to your customers, always innovating, making things easier, simpler, stronger, softer – whatever it is make it better, always.  Show them the love.  Just like any good relationship you can’t sit back and think they stop deserving the absolute best you can give them.

Marketers know this. We understand that it takes a lot of work to keep everyone happy in this dance. You have to keep pushing the envelope and finding the next little piece of awesome to give your customers; this journey is so exciting and I love being a part of it with every brand or business I work with.

As my five year old would say, I love marketing so much I want to marry it! 😉

Thanks for reading lovely,

Kate

 

The absolute most important factor that will ensure you have the biggest and best possible impact when you are marketing your brand is CONSISTENCY.

And this means consistency throughout the whole CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE. So every interaction your ideal customer has with your brand reinforces your brand values and what your brand means.

So, for example, if you are a retailer that positions itself as a discount fashion outlet, but when you get to the store you find the prices are actually not low at all, then you are creating a conflict for your customer that will translate into the way they feel about the brand.

Or, if your promise is that you can always get the customer service you need, but when you get to a store or make a phone call you actually cant get the help you desperately need, then you are letting your people down and making them feel confused about your brand promise.

What I would really emphasise here is that it is not that hard to do.  Don’t over think this.  Keep it simple.  It goes like this:

1. It starts with clearly understanding your customer and what they need or want.

2. Genuinely creating something that fills this gap in their lives.

3. Clearly and simply defining what your brand is going to stand for

4. Working out what the right price is for your customer

(so this means relative to your ideal customer – that could mean a jumpsuit for a newborn baby or a $150,000 mercedes for the local real estate agent),

and for you, because obviously we are in business to make money aren’t we?

5. Getting the word out that you have got the answer for them.

6. Making this accessible to them – wherever they hang out.

7. Growing and strengthening your relationship with them before AND after they buy your thing.

So, throughout all of these moments is an opportunity for the customer to experience your brand.

And at all times it’s is important you are representing the brand consistently.  By doing just this you create a the greatest possible impact because every time your customer experiences your brand they feel the same sentiment and their thoughts and feelings about the brand are reinforced.

This is what creates the content, warm, good feeling we want them to have when they hear our brand mentioned.

Thanks for reading.

What does dynamic mean mummy?  Well, it means changing and moving.  For a 5 year old I felt like this was a descriptive enough answer that would give her the context she needed for the word.

Afterwards I couldn’t help thinking about what a great word it was, if it means changing and moving in its simplest terms, I think I always want to be dynamic.  And businesses need to be dynamic too.  Because if you never change, are always the same, and you don’t move in a forward direction, then other businesses will overtake you. You would just be standing on the spot.

It can be overwhelming sometimes to think about the pace everything around us is changing and moving, technology, attitudes, beliefs, education, the list goes on.  As a business owner you could literally go a little bit mental if you thought you had to keep up with everything.

But for business owners its not just about change for the sake of change, but changing and keeping a forward momentum, so that you are always relevant to your ideal customer.  So that your people stick with you, remain loyal, continue to love you, and even in the face of increased alternatives they will always come back to you.  If you make an effort to understand them, their changing needs, the dynamic nature of their lives, needs, and wants, they will appreciate you and want to stay with you.  Provided you can still give them what they need.

When you write your marketing plan that is an iterative document.  It’s never really finished.  But that shouldn’t mean you think to yourself – why bother?  If it’s not set in stone what’s the point?  But that would be like trying to get to your destination without a map.  You could try, but it probably wouldn’t be the best route, or the most scenic route, or you wouldn’t go down the route you want to go on – well you might but that would probably be a fluke right?  How much easier would it be if you had a map – you know your destination because you know what your vision is.  You marketing plan will give you clarity on your vision and the roadmap to get there.  That’s why they are so important for your business, no matter how big or small.

Your marketing plan is dynamic but there are certain parts of it that will always provide you with the guiding light you need to keep you headed in the right direction.

As always, thanks for reading.  I hope this helps you in some little way in your business today.

Kate

I am a dreamer, there is no denying it.  I think that is one of the reasons I love marketing because I can see a vision for the future, in business and in life.  When it comes to marketing this is one of the most important  skills you need.  Just as an architect can visualise exactly what a building will look like, or a graphic designer just knows how good a design will look when they have created it, a marketer needs to be able to visualise a future state for a brand or a business to create the path forward.  I love this.

It’s the same in life.  I am the dreamer in our marriage. My husband is the realistic.  I think we are good for each other because of this.  I’m not the completely removed from reality type dreamer (we all know some of those right?!).  But I am the dreamer who can see what’s possible, what the future could look like, what a brand could mean to so many people, what your business could be in 12 months time, what the renovation on my house will look like, what country we could live in a few years for our children to experience another culture…  Oops sorry got distracted!  But seriously this is what I am about, keeping it real but aspirational.

Being aspirational in marketing is really important.  It’s about evolving and growing and staying relevant.  Because what looks good to people now may not look so flash in 12 months time if you don’t maintain the connection with your customers.  I see it around me all the time, businesses don’t grow with their customers, they take them for granted.  Although I think entrepreneurs and micro-business owners are much better at staying relevant and understanding this dynamic than some big brands are; they are just better at staying connected and not losing touch.  Yes it is easier when you are smaller but that’s no excuse now is it?  We all have to work hard to stay focused on what it’s really all about – our customers.

You can’t keep it too real or be soley focused on the troubles of the here and now when you are trying to grow and build and create.  It’s like a relationship really, you’ve gotta keep the passion alive, you have to stay enthusiastic, and that comes through knowing how good things could be, even when they’re not. Frankly, even when they’re shit.  It takes a lot of courage to keep believing in what can be.  This is why I’m passionate about marketing. It’s about making sure businesses and brands keep moving forward, about visualising what the future could be, and making it happen.  The same as in life, dreaming AND doing. Love it.

Thanks for taking the time to read.

Kate 🙂

I’m doing Michelle Bridges 12WBT right now and loving it, right now, she is my cheerleader.

My mum has been my biggest cheerleader in my life – always cheering me on and telling me I CAN do it.

And now I am the biggest cheerleader for all three of my children.

When he is nervous about his first day at crèche, I am his cheerleader.

When she is learning how to do handstands at gymnastics, I am her cheerleader.

When he is too scared to grab the ball at footy, I am his cheerleader.

When they wake with croup in the night and I tell them it will be ok, I am their cheerleader.

When I do something my kid’s love they tell me I am doing “really good mummy”, they are my cheerleaders.

When I am bringing in some real dough, or nursing a sick babe, my husband is my cheerleader.

When I go to a spin class at the gym, the instructor is my cheerleader.

When I do my shrink session at home Erin is my cheerleader.

When I am down & I need someone to let me complain, my sisters are my cheerleaders.

When I need encouragement and reminders of how awesome I am, my best friends are my cheerleaders.

When I jump in to the online group of fabulous entrepreneurial women I am part of I am surrounded by cheerleaders.

When my assistant at work makes sure a project runs smoothly, has a great idea, or is struggling with something, I am her cheerleader.

When a client comes to me ready to make the big leap I am their cheerleader.

When they show fear and I encourage them to push through it anyway they can I am their cheerleader.

When they are confused I will give them clarity, I am their cheerleader.

When they have a big win I am seriously jumping up and down for them, I am literally their cheerleader.

We need them, and we need to be them.

Who are you cheering for right now? And who are your biggest cheerleaders?

Kate xo

When it comes to customer loyalty being a small business gives you a BIG advantage.

Being an entrepreneur or a small business owner gives you a huge advantage when it comes to one on one communication with your customers. What I mean by this is actual individualised and relevant communication with your customers. So not a blanket email to all of your customers in broadcast media style, but an email or a phone call or a text message that is only for them, and that genuinely gives them an opportunity they need. For these businesses it is much easier to really know and understand our customers and give them what they need.

Large corporates, particularly in Australia, still struggle to develop meaningful one on one dialogue with their customers. Even with all the technology available to them. So much so that many Australian consumers are wondering why, when they are part of any number of ‘loyalty’ programs, they are still mostly being communicated to through mass media – TV / catalogues / press etc. They give all their details and expect something in return, something special, something unique, something tailored to them. And nothing comes.

How good though that we can maintain a close enough relationship to our customers to be able to understand them and try and give them what they need even before they know themselves! You may be still small enough that you can actually remember all of this in your own little head, or you may be slightly bigger that you use your own Customer Relationship Management systems to make sure you remember everything about them. By the way this doesn’t have mean some super fancy pants expensive IT system – I mean whatever system you use to keep all the relevant data you need together in one place for you to access whenever you need it.

We live in a world where customers are becoming increasingly promiscuous when it comes to the brands they choose. So much choice. So much information. Sooo easy to buy. These are just some of the reasons why you and I, and of course our clients & customers, make damn sure we are getting the best possible value for whatever it is we need.

By value, of course, I don’t just mean the lowest price. I mean whatever each individual person perceives as valuable to them – convenience, cost, time, colour, feel, service, or a combination of things – the list is too long to explore.  It is up to you to discover what value means for your ideal customer and GIVE IT TO THEM!

So take advantage of this great truth about being an entrepreneur or a micro-business owner – cherish the relationship you have with you’re your existing or potential customers. Know them, understand them, never forget what they bought from you, and thank them for being with you regularly. Surprise. Delight. Blow their mind with the fact that you really do care. Make them feel special – even if they have never bought anything from you they are still your potential customers and so it is important they know that you are there for them. Like really there for them, not just pretending!

I know that when I feel like a person or an organization cares about me that I will go out of my way to work with them when the time is right.

What a great point of difference this is in when you are swimming with the big fish!

Take care of them & take care of you,

Kate 🙂

Does my business fit with my life? Does my marketing reflect whats important to me personally? Am I living my life or someone elses life? Is there a contradiction in what I am doing? Does it jar with me in some way? Do I long for something more?

It is so important to think about your life and what you want when you are thinking about creating, growing or evolving your own business.  What is important to you?  How do you want to feel? What do you want to be known for? What do you want your children to see you as?

If what you are doing everyday somehow conflicts with what you really want to be doing, it’s going to end in tears isn’t it? Now I totally understand that there are things we all do to pay the bills, and that we have to do at times for ourselves & our families that may not be ideal. But what I really want from you is to not let these times be the reason you give up on your dream.

How many of you have found yourself sitting at a desk, in someone elses office. Working for the man. The whole time knowing that you have an idea you know is good. If only you had the time or the money to make it happen. I know I have.

Or maybe you have been on maternity leave. After having your babes you know that going back to that desk is not right for you or your family.  You’ve got a business inside you. You know its good. If only you had the time or money to make it happen.  I know I have.

There are ways & means.  I’m not saying you should sacrifice the mortgage payments to set up your biz. Or pimp yourself out to the highest bidder. 😉 I am saying if you really want this you can do it.  Do the work you have to to pay the bills while you build your business.  But don’t let that be the end.  Make sure it is a means to an end.  And that end is the business you love & the life you want.

Ask yourself about what you really want.  Don’t settle. And don’t let others make you settle because of what they think you should be doing. Yes, you have to be fair. You have comitments, you have family, you have bills.  They can’t just all dissappear while you set up your business, I know that all too well. But you can do what you want, find your focus.

Create your vision. And share it with people that will encourage you on your path to achieving this vision. Put it out there to the universe and let the world know what your intentions are.

And take action! Take action! Take action! Get off your butt and just do it. Don’t wait for perfect. Don’t wait for someone elses approval. Don’t wait for a magic sign or fairy godmother. They are not coming.  If you don’t take action and make shit happen yourself, no one else is going to do it for you.

Yes there is no denying if you have to work to make money, or if you are a full time mum, while you build your business it is going to be hard work. Damn hard. Sometimes so hard you will be thinking or even saying to anyone who will listen “fuck this for a joke I don’t want to do it anymore I just want to go to bed!”

But think about the reasons why.  Think about the life you want.  You will get there – you will absolutely get there.  And it will be so worth it. Your partner, your kids, you friends, your parents, they will all know that when you achieve your business dreams that you are in the right place. Picture yourself there already. Imagine how good it will be.

Even when fear creeps in and puts his hand on your head so you feel like you can’t move, brush him aside and keep on going.

Be Smart. Be You. Stay focsued on the Vision. And live the life you love with the business you create.

Not quite sure if I have written this for you or me today… either way I do believe it’s true for all of us.

Big love,

Kate xo

At the moment I am doing Mindful in May and loving it (you can read all about it here). I have been pretty good so far with my daily meditations and certainly reestablishing my connection to meditation and all its awesome benefits.

And last week I had the privilege of going to a great Earth Events event called Soulprenuers – wow!  I was drawn to the event because I have worked with 3 out 4 of the girls (Susana Frioni, Rachel McDonald & Denise Duffield Thomas) and also spent a lot of time with the fourth, Julie Parker.  All of whom I met through the wonderful world of Marie Forleo’s B-school.  How lucky am I to be surrounded by such amazing women?!

I almost didn’t go because I had had a very long day, I’d left the house before my kids were awake for a breakfast and I knew if I went I wouldn’t see them before they went to bed. But I did go because I felt like I’d be letting them down by not turning up (not that they were really going to notice!).  Well I am so grateful I pushed myself and went because I would have been letting myself down not them – the positive energy in the room was brilliant.  Now I know that’s easy to say and it gets said a lot, but there was so much authenticity, energy & love emanating from these gorgeous babes that I was totally inspired, again, by their stories of success.  And I bloody love the way these women talk about their success too; in the past I may not have appreciated this but now when I hear this coming from such a good place I am so open to it.

The girls spoke all about the importance of being authentic and how only this can result in the flow that creates success in your life.  Of course I love this because it is totally what I am about.  My new tagline is Be Genuine. Be Smart.  This is what I believe for all entrepreneurs and business owners, no matter what size that business is.  You may have seen my post wondering what it would be like if big business in Australia came from that beautiful heart-centred place? This I believe is all in the same thinking space, creating customer centric businesses that genuinely want to create a better place for people.  I don’t believe for one minute this can’t be the premise for big business as much as it can be for smaller business.

The combination of this and some other signs I have been shown in the past couple of weeks makes me think a lot about mindful marketing, and about heart centered business that comes from the right place inside you – whatever that is for you.

It’s not always easy to be mindful in your marketing; there are so many external pressure that frankly sometimes make tis feel impossible.  But I think, just as if you slip a day or two in your meditation, you can always come back to this place.

You may be thinking to yourself what on earth has mindful got to do with marketing Kate? Seriously.  If we look at mindfulness as described by Dr Russ Harris in his book The Happiness Trap it could shed some light on what I am thinking about:

“Consciously bringing awareness to your here-and-now experience, with openness, interest and receptiveness.”

Dr Harris then goes on to talk specifically about the benefits of mindfulness for therapists & coaches and I wholeheartedly believe that this applies to how I can help people I work with as their marketing coach:

The Benefits of Mindfulness for Therapists & Coaches

• Facilitates empathy, compassion, and unconditional positive regard.
• Allows you to stay focused and present, even when your client is not.
• Helps you stay grounded, centred and composed, even in the midst of clients’   emotional turmoil
• Enables a healthy attitude to therapeutic outcomes: neither complacent nor overly-attached.
• Helps you maintain direction and focus for therapy.
• Increases your skills at observing your clients’ responses.

(BTW I do realise Im not a therapist but sometimes I feel like one!)

Just a little food for thought for you and some insight into where I come from in my marketing.

Take care & thanks for reading lovely,

Kate xo

Or at least it should be.  Is your marketing, business, or brand, coming from the right place? Or are you just flogging off some crap you can’t get rid of to people who really don’t need it?

I wonder what the retail landscape in Australia would look like if big brands put their ideal customers at the centre of their business. Or, if they were being driven by real passion or talent, or a genuine desire to make this world a better place.

Like so many awesome small businesses and entrepreneurs are.

With all that money, and all those resources, what would we see?

A world where we could get genuine value all year round, on whatever we needed? Where innovative, newness was flowing through in products and services at prices we could afford, not just for the elite?  Where philanthropy of the actual helping people kind, not the sponsorship and brand awareness kind, was rife and making peoples lives easier in some way every day?

I wish all these businesses were heart centred the way so many individuals are.  Sure they need to make money, that’s why they exist.  I get that, I’m the same!  But the power they have could have so much more purpose if they were driven from a better place.

I’m not sure how to sign this off – either “I guess I can keep dreaming” or “I know it will happen one day soon.”

Which would you choose?