Small business coaching - small business support

It can be really lonely being a sole trader or leading a small business, and that’s where small business coaching can make a big difference.

The small business coaching I offer, I think, is pretty different to what’s available generally. However, I know that the support and advice I offer my clients, when followed, generates real results. This part of the blog is an extension of this – of the way I operate and the things I feel are valuable to you.

Here you’ll find tips linked to running your small business and helping it thrive, and you’ll also be able to read about small businesses who are completely nailing it out there. Many of whom I coach. And I’m very proud to be associated with.

Small business coaching can make a huge difference, however you’re looking to grow your business. Just because you’re master of your own destiny, it doesn’t mean you have to go it alone.

How to deal with being copied…

We all know the saying from Charles Caleb Colton that states ‘imitation is the highest form of flattery’ – but it sure as hell doesn’t feel like that when it happens. Being copied can really get under your skin. And that’s why it’s important to work out how to deal with being copied.

At first you feel you’re being paranoid. But then people start to bring it to your attention – you already knew but you decided to take a deep breath and move on. But people keep messaging you and emailing you. And then you remove your head from the sand you realise what’s happened. How do you deal with being copied? Here’s my take on it…

How to deal with being copied

Being copied sucks. I said it. I’ve seen it time and again. It’s happened to me a few times. And I really don’t like it. It annoys me when I put so much time and effort into creating really good copy and content to have someone else apply about 2% of the thought I’ve put in and ‘pay homage’ to it. And then people start to email me about how such-and-such is copying me. Yep. I know. But if it’s not word for word copying, as in, plagiarism, or something that uses your intellectual property/copyright, it’s tricky (although I would advise that if you feel you have a case or you’re unsure, seek legal advice as I’m not a solicitor). You might just need to suck it up! That said, I had two clients a few years ago call me to ask me if I was working for a competitor because the wording they were using to describe their products was the same as ours. I wasn’t. It annoyed me. It annoyed them. And I remember things. I also have clients who deal with various levels of being copied. They deal with it admirably, but it’s still very annoying.

So, why did I tell you that? It wasn’t a rant, but it’s to show that the advice I am planning to give comes from a place, not of blissful happiness about a situation that continues to get under my skin, but one of annoyance as I know that everyone else who is being copied feels. So here goes…

Six ways to deal with being copied

Rise above it. Try and see it as flattery and perhaps the other person having a lack of imagination or ideas. Try not to take it personally.
Take the compliment… if you can. If you copy a sequence of events, like how to make a cake, the chances are you’ll get a similar outcome. Maybe that person wants to be just like you?
Don’t let it hinder you. I know of people who have become so cross about being copied that it’s actually reduced their own growth. They haven’t released blogs, articles or even products for fear of being ripped off. I understand the reasoning, but don’t let them stop you. You’ll always be the first.
Use it to spur you on to be bigger and better. It’s hard, really hard, but try.
Unfollow and unlike. On social media. Unlike and unfollow their pages. It is just going to bug you. Stay in your lane, lovely, and don’t worry about the rest of them!
And, as mentioned above, if your ‘superfan’ has done something that you believe you can do something about, seek legal advice.

How do you deal with being copied? Has it happened do you?

June 9, 2017/0 Comments/by Rhea Freeman

Business, Coaching, Equestrian Business, General Blog Posts, Small business, Small business coaching

Is business coaching expensive?

Is business coaching expensive? It’s a question that I get asked and, actually, one of the areas that usually my clients are pleasantly surprised by. Although, in all honesty, I am a pretty long way from being a normal business coach. However, the definition of expensive different from person to person, but there are other factors too. Firstly, it depends on who you get your business coaching from, secondly it depends on your view of expensive and, thirdly, it depends on how you see real value.

How much is business coaching?

I know – an expected answer for a business coach. That hasn’t addressed whether business coaching is expensive or not! But let me tell you right now that, today, in June 2017, I charge £100 per session. Most people have a session every month, or every other month, and that cost includes an hour (ish) on Skype, Facetime or the phone, follow up notes, and being around on email/chat between sessions, and you can see that I have no skin in this game. I’ve told you my costs. And whether you think that’s expensive or not is completely your call.

But am I typical? No. I’m not. I’ve done quite a bit of research on this. Some people charge less than I do, some charge more, and some charge a LOT more. And when I say a lot, I really mean a lot. Am I having a go at them for this? No. Not even a bit. I’m comfortable with what I charge (I’m not saying it won’t go up in the future, but I’m writing about the now), I want to work with people long term and be part of their team. I love the process and the progression. I get a real kick out of it all. The people who tend to charge a lot more tend to do so for a short period of time, say an intensive course for a few months – it’s a different offer.

What is expensive?

So, what’s expensive? Everyone’s interpretation of expensive is different. And more often than not, it’s connected to the value and what they get back. If something costs you £1 but it’s rubbish, it’s expensive. If something costs you £10k but it’s amazing, life changing, you adore it, use it all the time, etc. etc…. it’s probably cheap. Not the best examples, but you see what I mean.

And there’s another edge to ‘expensive’ the return on investment (ROI). You put in £1, you get 50p back – not good. You put in £1000 and you can use what you’ve learnt to earn over and above that? The £1000 is cheap.

So, what do you think? Have you worked with a business coach? Did you think business coaching was expensive (and it doesn’t matter what you actually paid, let’s think of ROI here)? I’d love to hear your comments.

And you can find out a bit more about my business coaching service here too, you know, in case you’re interested!

June 5, 2017/0 Comments/by Rhea Freeman

Equestrian Marketing, Equestrian PR, General Blog Posts, Small business, Small business coaching

How to get featured in magazines – part 4

In part four of my how to get featured in magazines feature (part one, part two and part three are all available to view too!), I look at you – as an expert. As someone who can share their knowledge on a particular subject for the greater good. This can be a really powerful offer for magazines and is something that has allowed my clients to enjoy a lot of column inches in the past. And you know what’s even better? Everyone wins. The magazines gets free, exclusive content for their readers, the readers learn something the didn’t know before, and you get publicity that could attract work or sales.

So, how does this work?

It can work in a few ways. Some magazines run question and answer sections where, each month, people send in their queries and questions and the most appropriate person from a panel of experts answers it. Or maybe you’re providing a more in-depth feature about a bigger subject, that works alongside a features list or a current, topical issue? Either way, offering your skills as an expert in your field and offering your knowledge for free can earn you brownie points from lots of different directions. Yes, you get the feature in the magazine, but what’s to stop the magazine calling on you again when something else inside your area of expertise comes up? If you’ve played nicely, been helpful and grateful and supplied what the magazine editor or writer has asked for by the deadline they asked for it, very little.

Things to think about…

Again, think about looking at the publications you want to feature in – do they have these sections? How do they work? Do the questions being asked fit into your area of expertise?
Make contact with the editor/writer responsible for that section. Call or email (see what they prefer) and sell yourself (concisely).
Work with them – they might say no, they might have someone who does that area already. That’s fine. That’s life. But be nice about it.
Help them. If you get to the point of contributing do all you can to make their life easy – this will mean providing the info they want when they need it, but also sticking to word counts and maybe providing relevant images in a timely fashion. And deadlines. Respect deadlines. It stresses people out when things come in late and you get a black mark next to your name.
Be grateful. Yep, you’ve helped the magazine out, but they have helped you too – in a massive way – so show your appreciation for what they’ve done to help you.

What do you think? Have you reached out to any magazines and offered your services? I’d love to hear below.

May 29, 2017/0 Comments/by Rhea Freeman

Business, Equestrian PR, General Blog Posts, Small business, Small business coaching, Social Media

When should you stop posting on your social media?

This blog post is not one I had planned on writing. Not one that was on my schedule. But it light of the horrific attack that took place in Manchester on Monday night, I felt a need to write it as it’s something I have been asked a lot since. When should you stop posting on your social media?

I woke up to the news of the bomb in Manchester and that was quickly followed by a stream of DMs from clients who were rescheduling all their posts for that day. We chatted, via DM, and agreed it was the correct thing to do, for the morning at least. People were shocked, Facebook and Twitter was full of people’s thoughts about the incident. Some were trying to find loved ones. Some were sharing useful numbers. Some were offering and organising help. It was a horrifying yet warming scene. Something truly awful had happened but people were pulling together, using social media for good, to allow information to reach more people faster than would have been possible previously. Now. How does a product post fit that picture? Is it appropriate to be shouting about your successes when others are distraught? Should you be telling everyone why they should spend their money on your services when some people have had their world torn apart overnight?

Sounds harsh, doesn’t it. It sounds like I’m having a real go at people who chose to post, doesn’t it? Let me explain.

When should you stop posting on social media?

After being involved in the world of marketing and PR for a very long time, I view things differently to your average person. I look at the possible impact on a brand when something is worded incorrectly, when customer service falls below par, when the packaging isn’t fitting. And also I have children and various other life experiences that change how I views things. We all do. People view terrorism differently too. Some people believe that we are letting the terrorists win by changing what we as a nation do – by letting their actions impact on our daily lives. I get that. But that’s not why my clients halted their social media activities. I think it’s fair to say that they gave little/no thought to the terrorists when they made their decision to pull their social media posts. They were thinking of the families and the people involved. It didn’t feel right to tell people to go and look at a new product or anything of the sort. Some chose to share a message of support. Some chose to share useful numbers. Some waited until much later in the day, when people’s initial shock had subsided and they had started to come to terms with it all.

Was it right to hold back? I personally think so. Social media is social and it’s important to read the mood as much as it is to read a room when you enter it and talk about relevant things. Were people wrong who posted? Not necessarily – well, not in my eyes BUT there are lots of caveats to that. I think some people were. Their own beliefs matter and also the actual content would make a big difference. I saw some posts that were done very well and some than made me wince. Physically wince. Would these posts have made me wince on a normal day? Maybe, but not as much.

Luckily we don’t see that many events on this scale, but in our own niches bad things happen. Horses and riders can sometimes die or sustain horrific injuries in various equestrian sports, drivers die racing, players become paralysed playing rugby. These are all tragic. So what do you do then? Do you carry on as normal or do you adjust your content and your tone appropriately. I would say the latter.

What do you think? Did you stop posting on social media?

It’s not about letting terrorists win. It’s about being human and being respectful to people who are suffering. How you decide to do that is up to you. That might be carrying on as normal or it might be changing your social media plan for the day. But just one final thought – if you’re unsure and you don’t post… will anyone be upset?

May 26, 2017/2 Comments/by Rhea Freeman

Customer experience, customer service, Equestrian Business, General Blog Posts, Small business coaching

A few minutes with… Emma Warren – Hiho Silver, Dimpsey and Doris & Co!

Emma Warren is a lady you’ll hear me talk about a fair amount. She kindly provided a testimonial for my site a little while ago, but she’s best known as ‘Queen Bee’ at Hiho Silver. Well, I say best known, it depends on when you first encountered her! If you’ve been lucky enough to visit the luxury glamping shepherd’s hut Dimpsey, you’ll know her from there, or if you’ve met her British creamware brand Doris & Co you might know her from there… and if you came to the Farm Innovations Show she was a speaker on the Canopy and Stars panel too! She’s a lady of many talents. Here she tells us a bit more…

Tell us about you and your background?

Hi there, I’m Emma and I’m based on a small Blackdown Hills Farm in Somerset with my hubby and two boys. I originally trained as a Management Accountant and worked in manufacturing, ending up as a Finance & Operations Director. I left and started my own business in 2008, helping entrepreneurial businesses to grow. Through that I met some really great companies and now am an owner of Hiho Silver and Doris & Co and run a small glamping business called Dimpsey Glamping.

Inside Emma’s luxury glamping shepherd’s hut, Dimpsey

What made you want to start a business?

I generally worked in small divisions of very large companies – I really enjoyed the energy and vibrancy of them and the fact that I had the opportunity to learn lots about the whole business. However, once I’d had children the long hours I was working made me think it was time for a change. I’d had a hankering to work for myself for a while and decided to it was time to give it a go. I still work really long hours, but I can be flexible and fit other things in as well.

How is your business different?

Oh tough question, because I think we all like to think we’re different from the competition – but I can say hand on heart that customer needs are always at the heart of everything we do.

What makes your products special?

The fact that we are passionate about what we do and I’d hope that shines through whenever someone deals with us – we love our products and we love to share that with people. We work with our customers to see what they are wanting from us – and then we work really hard to deliver that in a consistent and on-brand way.

If you had to sum up your business in five words, what would they be?

Quirky, country, customer-led, trust, quality

Do you have a motto or ethos?

Only work with people you like!

Hiho’s Cherry Roller, photographed by Jake Eastham

If you could give one piece of advice to an aspiring business owner, what would it be?

Just do it – it’s never as bad as you imagine it to be…

One thing that helps you run your business more effectively

I would be absolutely lost without my iPhone and calendar

Best thing about running a business?

Having an idea and making it happen and then seeing if it goes down well with customers. It’s such a great privilege to be able to have such a close connection between rudder and boat (so to speak)

Worst thing about running a business?

The unpredictability and the need to always be on your toes!

Top business blog you follow

I am a big Seth Godin fan and I also really like to read Inc.com posts

Top business book you’ve read

Purple Cow – Seth Godin – I could have chosen lots of books here but I really think Seth makes a lot of good points in this book.

One thing we might not know about you

I absolutely love singing!

Top business achievement

Hiho – launching the cherry roller and the Country Shows Journal – I love working on that with Rhea

Doris & Co Stern Stuff Mug

and Nathalie on the CSJ and the whole of the Hiho team have been involved with the cherry roller and its development.

Dimpsey – winning Gold in the Somerset Tourism Awards

Doris – securing the business

Where can people follow you or your business online?

Hiho – http://www.hihosilver.co.uk

Instagram – http://www.instagram.com/hihosilveruk

Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/hihotweet

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/hiho.silver.jewellery/

Doris & Co – http://www.dorisandco.co.uk

Instagram – http://www.instagram.com/dorisandco

Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/dorisandco

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/Dorisandcolimited/

Dimpsey – http://www.dimpsey.co.uk

Instagram- http://www.instagram.com/dimpsey_glamping

Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/dimpseyuk

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/dimpsey.uk/

May 24, 2017/2 Comments/by Rhea Freeman

Equestrian Marketing, Equestrian PR, General Blog Posts, Small business, Small business coaching

How to get featured in magazines – part 3

In part 3 of how to get featured in magazines (how to get featured in magazines – part 1 and how to get featured in magazines – part 2 are here), we look at how to make YOU something worth featuring. Yes. You. Whether you’re a product creator or you sell a service, this can work for you.

Making you the star of the show

A lot of magazines run profiles on people. This could be what they’ve achieved in their career, the people that they’ve helped, the barriers they’ve overcome, etc. etc. If you’re happy to step into the limelight and reach out when relevant features appear (or, even better, get in touch with the magazine with your angle – which must be something that fits the profile of the magazine and fits their style). Some magazines will run a piece like this in each issue. It might be a case study or a profile – or it might have a million other names too. Of course, as with everything in this how to get featured in magazines series, there’s a way to do this. Here are six tips to help you.

Think about the magazines you’d like to be featured in and buy them. Get a feel for the magazine, the readership, the writing style and the kind of stories that they tend to publish. Do you fit this? Or can part of your story fit this?
Find out who the person responsible for the relevant section/s of the magazine is and get in touch. Email them or call them and make sure you know what angle you’re going for and that you show your knowledge of the magazine.
Be prepared to help them out as much as you can. As in how to get featured in magazines part 1, we discussed making the editor’s life as easy as possible when submitting product copy, the same applies here.
Be prompt. If the editor needs x, y or z by a, make sure you do your best to get it to them them AND keep them informed if there is going to be a problem.
Have imagery sorted. Depending on the title, they might arrange a photoshoot, but it’s always good to have some snaps of you that you’re happy to share with the world.
Be nice. Editors are under a lot of pressure. They might say no. They might have a million people who want that slot, they might not think you’re right for it. And that is fine. That’s life. Be nice. Be helpful. Be gracious. Because although you might not be right for this opportunity, you have no idea what they’ll be working on next week, next month, or next year.

Have you been featured in a magazine? Which one and what was your story? Please comment below – I’d love to hear it!

May 12, 2017/1 Comment/by Rhea Freeman

Business, Coaching, General Blog Posts, News, Small business, Small business coaching

Business tips and the chance to win goodies! Sign up to my newsletter

Newsletter subscriber goody box I know, I know – my inbox gets bombarded with newsletters too, but I promise you that this is a good one. OK. I might be a bit biased, but I will do my very, very best to make sure it provides you with genuinely useful information that you can use to improve your business if you choose to sign up and join the fun. AND, each month, I’ll be sending one newsletter subscriber a box of goodies that I have picked. Interested? You can sign up here.

What’s in the newsletter?

I’ve had my newsletter on the go for a while, but I was very aware that people don’t want to receive ‘crap’ in their inboxes, so I lost my way with it. I then started my 40 day blogging challenge and the response was amazing. People loved the blogs, I know that they have directly helped some people with their businesses, and I was getting lovely feedback. I went through a phase of publishing a blog a day for 40 days, which was great, if not a bit exhausting, and I know that people who really loved them will, no doubt, have missed a few. So I thought, let’s keep this simple, let’s use the newsletter to promote three blogs from the week with info about what’s in each, and let’s add a video on too – because everyone knows I like a good video. And I’ve also added a client shout out as I have so many lovely clients achieving great things, so I wanted to mention them. I decided to just keep it simple, short, easy to read, interesting and useful. And I really hope you think it is. Convinced? You can sign up here.

And what about this box of goodies?!

I regularly talk about good books I’ve read, things I’ve learnt and I am a stationery addict, so I thought that what I would do, as a thank you for agreeing to receive my newsletter and being part of my community, is bundle up some best finds each month and send them to one newsletter subscriber. It’s as simple as that really. I’ll announce the winner on my Facebook page each month, and one lucky subscriber will receive a box of things that I love and/or have found useful. I’m keen to grow my subscriber list and, of course, retain the people on my list, and while I know that content is key and will be a big focus (of course!), who doesn’t love the idea of winning something lovely? No one. So that’s what I’m doing it!

Would you like to sign up?

All you need to do is click here and fill in the form, or if you’re rather, just email me here explaining you’d like to be added to my list and I’ll do it. And if you think any of your friends might like to receive it, please send them a link to this blog, the sign up form or ask them to drop me an email and I’ll add them. I’d be really grateful.

April 17, 2017/0 Comments/by Rhea Freeman

Equestrian Marketing, General Blog Posts, Small business, Small business coaching

How to get testimonials

If you read my previous blog about testimonials, you might be wondering how you can get them. And I’m here to help you with that. So how do you get testimonials and how can you ask for them without feeling ‘weird’? Here’s a quick guide to how to get testimonials.

First of all- do a good job. Yes I know goes without saying, but before you ask anybody for a testimonial, you need to make sure they’re happy with what you’ve done. Not least because the testimonial received back is likely to be a bit noncommittal if they aren’t! It’s also going to be a bit awkward if they’re not entirely happy! Moving on from this though…

Ask people for testimonials. Yes, you read that correctly. Ask people for testimonials. Don’t just assume that they’ll think to send them over and offer them. If you know that they are pleased with the work you do/have done, just ask if they’d mind sending over a few words that you could use. You’ll be amazed how quickly people say yes if they’re happy with the work you’ve done.
Make sure all testimonials are genuine. Do not fabricate them. They lose all value if they are made up.
Display a testimonial with pride – ideally create a section on your website where you can put the testimonial so people can find out more about you. Also say who the testimonial came from and, ideally, link to that person’s website too.
Thank people for the time they’ve taken to leave your testimonial and help you. Even if it’s just a line – they have decided to associate their brand with yours, so make sure you thank them.
Use your testimonials. Yes, put them online, but use them on your social media too, to reach your hard earned following – these people have already become part of your following, so let them find a bit more about you. You could also look to add them to your email signature (in rotation), on newsletters… you can actually make quite a lot out of a testimonial if you think about it the right way.

Do you have any tips? What was the best testimonial you have ever received? Please comment below! And never one to miss an opportunity (!), please have a look at my reviews and testimonials page here if you have a few moments to spare!

March 7, 2017/0 Comments/by Rhea Freeman

Coaching, Small business, Small business coaching

Small business coaching – and why it could help you

If you run a small business, in whatever industry, you’ll feel a pressure. One moment you’re dealing with sales, then marketing, then accounts, then IT, then despatch…and that’s just on a good day! Many small business owners feel pulled in all directions and, at the same time, they’re being bombarded with information. Things they should be doing. Things they could be doing. Especially in terms or PR, marketing and social media. How do you find clarity? Get focus? Get goals? Working a small business coach or mentor, that’s how! And that’s exactly why I do through my small business coaching.

Different areas of business require different areas of expertise, but one essential part is marketing. Nowadays, marketing isn’t just shoving an ad in Yellow Pages and waiting. Oh no. It’s printed media, it’s digital media, it’s collaborations, it’s video, it’s social…the list goes on. You know you need to be doing a combination of the above. You know it’s really important for your business. But your head is so busy with a never ending to-do list and you don’t really know where to start. So what do you do? Lots of people do nothing. And that’s not going to get you anywhere. Start with small steps. There are many sayings that talk about this concept, but it’s true. Now, if you really want help, structure and someone who has your back, working with a small business coach could help you in a big way.

Now, small business coaching, as I see it, isn’t all about cheerleading and telling you everything is going to be fine if you just think really hard. No. I’m afraid it’s not going to cut it. I’m all about action, achievable goals, accountability and NOT spending your life savings/having to sell organs to get all important coverage that will get you in front of your target market. Sound good? It is. I know, that’s a bit arrogant to say, but I’ve worked with a number of small businesses in a range of industries, from equestrian and country to food and recruitment, and ALL have achieved great things. And continue to. How cool is that? Could small business coaching help you? I’m not your average business coach. I’m not your average PR, marketing and social media consultant/coach…or whatever you want to call me. I invest in my clients – I want them to succeed. To win. Why? Because they deserve it and I take their success personally.

But won’t you need a mortgage to work with me? No. No you won’t. I’m not saying that my prices won’t go up, but I really enjoy working with SMEs, and that’s why my charges will always be reasonable. I know I could charge more. I know I could charge a lot more if I’m being 100% honest with you, but I like working with people long term, being part of the team, seeing the growth and development. I’m all about the relationship. Most people have a Skype/FaceTime session a month with follow up notes and then we review, plan and execute month on month on month. And if you ask me a question I don’t know the answer to, I will know someone who will. I’ve run my own business for a number of years too, something I created from nothing that continues to go from strength to strength, so I’m not some 10 year old life coach who hasn’t been there are done it. Of course, I’m not the finished article, NO ONE IS, because systems change and it’s important to grow and develop and evolve. I’d say Facebook was pretty good. But that doesn’t stop Mark and his team building new products and improving it, does it?

My particular strengths are in anything to do with the promotion of your business to your target market. So, that’s PR, marketing, social media, collaborations, working with influencers, video, etc. etc. I’m a bore about social media and why you should be doing it. I’m passionate about working with good people. I could go on…but the chances are you have a to-do list longer than your arm, so I’ll just ask you drop me an email if you’re interested about small business coaching.

February 27, 2017/0 Comments/by Rhea Freeman