growth

  • Entrepreneurship

    Why you need to create your ideal client avatar

    When you are marketing your business you need to know who you are marketing yourself to and that is why I wanted to share with you today all about the ideal client avatar. Now let’s get this cleared up straight up, I didn’t come up with this idea at all and try as I might I have tried to search for who did so I can credit them, but I couldn’t really find a definitive answer, but it definitely isn’t mine.

    The ideal client avatar, in short, is sitting and creating your ideal client. You will think about the type of person they are, their interests, why they follow you and what their life looks like. It is also one of the steps that people tend to miss or skip over when they are creating a business, brand or community. 

    So I wanted to come on today to share with you a quick titbit on why I think this step is so important and some common mistakes people make. I am also going to share with you my own ideal client avatar in the hopes it will inspire you to create your own.

    How to create your own ideal client avatar

    As I mentioned above, the ideal client avatar is for you to create the ideal person who you want your business, brand or community to reach. In creating this ‘person’ you can ensure all your content is aimed and directed towards this ideal person. Of course it isn’t just one person but an ideal of the person you want to reach and inspire. 

    A common mistake in marketing, and something I hear from my clients frequently, is that they are worried about not appealing to everyone and want to reach everyone with their content. I am here to say that you need to start giving yourself permission to not appeal to everyone and start getting really comfortable with that idea. In business or even in community building you cannot appeal to everyone, there is no way that you ever could, and something we all need to get comfortable with is to stop trying to appeal to everyone. 

    What does the ideal client avatar do

    I know, you’re already tensing up at the idea of not appealing to everyone. Don’t worry that is completely natural but if we take a second to think it over we will realise that there is no way on the planet that we would ever be able to appeal to everyone. We are all different, we are all our own unique person and voice and not everyone is going to like us. Some of you will hate that idea, but like I said above, this journey in building our own community needs to have us getting more comfortable with getting uncomfortable.

    By creating your ideal client avatar you will start to realise that there is an audience out there for you, that they are like minded and will want to consume your content. They will support your every move, cheer you on and celebrate your wins. These are your people.

    You don’t want an audience of the opposite. You don’t want people who don’t support you, who don’t clap when you win or who are waiting for you to fail. Trust me, as a person who has built an audience with a mix of the two I can promise you that you don’t want these people around you. Let these people go with good grace. 

    I have created a free ideal client avatar sheet for you guys to download, feel free to use it and I hope it really helps you think about the type of people you surround yourself with. Whether you are growing a business, brand or Instagram community this short exercise can help no end, so really take the 10 minutes it takes and think about who your ideal person is. Then create every piece of content with this person in mind and you will be well on your way to building a like minded community who really have your back

    Download your ideal client avatar worksheet

    Grab your ideal client avatar worksheet below.

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    My ideal client avatar

    To help you get started and focused on your ideal client I thought I would share mine below, to help you get an idea of who I want in my community. I know sometimes reading others work can help you get started on doing your own.

    Rachel is a female, aged 35 and married for 5 years. She has two children, a four year old and a baby, and has just finished maternity leave. She works as an accounts assistant part time but doesn’t necessarily want to return to work after her second baby. She lives in the UK and took a year off for maternity leave with her second child.

    She enjoys creating content and meeting other mothers. She started a blog while on maternity leave and would like to learn more about how she can bring in an income from content creation, mainly using Instagram and through her blog.

    She doesn’t want to return to her job or wants to bring in an additional income, and wants to spend more time with her children alongside doing what she loves. She also acknowledges that she needs something for herself. She would like to earn an additional income to bring more money into the house.

    Rachel and her husband have debts they want to start paying off and she wants her business ideas to do that. She wants them to be able to live an easier life. Rachel doesn’t have much spare time and believes that holds her back. She is extremely self motivated and has a want to achieve.

    She is looking for hints, tips and products to make her life easier. She knows in her heart that she can have the life she wants and is ready to put it into action.

    I hope this helps you understand a little more about what is behind creating the ideal client avatar and how to create yours. I urge you to take a little time on creating this today!

  • Entrepreneurship

    Building a brand: Why less is sometimes more

    Social media is exploding and more than ever building a brand and building a business are hand in hand with sharing yourself, your passions and who you really represent as a person. This can sometimes mean showing up as your whole self online and can leave you burnt out and wondering how to do it all. There are so many social media platforms out there combined with so much pressure to feel as though we need to show up everywhere and never does this feel more overwhelming than when we are building our brand online.

    Whether it be to work for ourselves, to share our creativity and content with the world, or while building our empire we know social media presence is important but what if we didn’t have to do it all in order to succeed? Today I wanted to come to you, with a little a revelation I have had since coming back from maternity leave, about finding deep joy in the power of saying no and the realisation that when it comes to developing your own brand sometimes less really is more.

    Why can less be more on Social Media?

    Since the emergence of social media and the evolving understanding on how important it can be when building a brand or business online we’ve tried to do it all. We’ve tried to grow a Facebook page, build up and Instagram following, grow our Twitter reach and so much more. Businesses, brands and content creators around the world have come to the conclusion that they *need* to be on social media without really reliving into how to do it all effectively. I was no different and diligently set up a Twitter profile, Facebook page, Instagram account and more recently I briefly dipped my toe into the world of Tik Tok (and then quickly retreated) and tried to figure out each platform at mostly the same time, posting appropriate content for each one, spreading myself thin, making myself stressed and, for most, unable to excel in any one place. 

    So, what did I do?

    If I have learnt anything over the last 14 years it is this: Less is always more. Three years ago I decided enough was enough with my social media game, I was going to stop spreading myself so thin, stop ploughing my time and work into platforms that I didn’t love (Facebook I am looking at you!) and start using my time to build my brand not only productively but intentionally too. If you would have asked me a decade ago what my favourite social media platform was I would have probably said Twitter (and I’ll always have a place for it in my heart as it is where I first connected with my husband). As time has moved on, the social media space has become more varied, platforms have come and some have gone and the world of social media is a vastly different space than it was 10 years ago. Now, my favourite spot on the internet is Instagram; its the place I love the most, it’s the place where I have connected with some of the best humans and it’s the place where I have thoroughly enjoyed building my brand. I am a creative at heart and therefore I think Instagram is my natural social media home. It allows me to marvel at other peoples beautiful photos, connect with other mama’s who are going through this crazy journey of motherhood alongside me, read the in depth stories behind the photos, keep up with friends every day lives and create and curate the beautiful content that I love for myself.

    I very much find my joy in creating beautiful photos (I’m no photographer but I do my best), sharing my own story (because everyone has a voice) and serving with integrity. Instagram is my passion project when it comes to social media and I have carved my own corner of the internet just for me. It is where I work, play and serve and I’ve been so lucky that I am now able to share my knowledge with others with the pre-release of my 5 days to level up your Instagram free course. Aside from Instagram as my social media platform of choice you can also find me here on my blog and curating and saving on Pinterest, but you won’t find me many places else, or at least you won’t find me active anywhere else. For me, for enjoyment and growing an online brand, I only commit to spending my time doing things I love and that I am passionate about. For me, less is most definitely more.

    So how can I start?

    Focusing on one social media platform, at least at first (there is nothing to say once you have cracked one you can’t move onto being awesome on another), gives you the ability to do it and do it really well. I don’t know about you but I would rather see success in one place than see little success because I have to spread myself too and thin and end up overwhelmed. I know many of you feel it too and I just want to say that it is ok not to be everywhere, it is ok to have focus in one or two places and it is absolutely ok to rock one platform before moving onto figuring out the inner workings of the next. Not only is it ok but you heard it from me: I encourage it. It will strengthen your brand, your voice, your exposure and most importantly it will go some way to supporting you, the creator, in not getting overwhelmed and burnt out. 

    But can I really be successful if I am not everywhere?

    The simple answer is of course you can and this is why you will see that people may be doing particularly well on Instagram but not so much on Facebook, or someone will come along and take a platform like Tik Tok by storm. My advice here is not to leave other platforms entirely (although that is totally your call) but to just take them one at time or in a way that feels authentic to you. For example, like I said above, Instagram is my passion project on social media and it is the place I want to be and I enjoy being. I have profiles in other places that I don’t use or rarely use so my brand is visible, Maybe when I feel like I have Instagram, Pinterest and Blog all where I want them to be I might move onto Twitter and/or Facebook, but the point being that you don’t have to do it all, have it all and make time for it all. Find one that you love, work hard, grow and serve with authenticity and integrity and see where that takes you.

    So which Social Media platform’s do I pick?

    This is going to be a different answer for everyone because we all have different passions and skills, and what works for one person/business/brand won’t necessarily work for another. The biggest piece of advice I can give you is whether you’re a business or individual you want to start showing up and growing a true brand on social media. A brand where people recognise you for your authenticity, honesty and the way you show up. Being who you are will always be more important on where you are.

    Social media isn’t supposed to be a chore and I cannot emphasise enough the power in saying no to some and only indulging in those that bring you joy. It’s ok to not have the same passion projects as others in your industry and it is ok to pursue your own things. If you can show up on your chosen platform, excel there and share and serve in an authentic way then this is your first step to finding your way as a true brand online. 

  • Entrepreneurship

    How I grew my Pinterest to 100k in 30 days + grab my free Pinterest Guide

    Pinterest has kind of always been there hasn’t it? The platform that we run to when we are looking for a new recipe, a DIY idea or when we are looking at some creative ideas to do with the kids. But, did you know it is also one of the most incredible marketing tools out there and you literally cannot afford to be on the platform if you have a business, brand or side hustle?

    Today I want to share with you my free Pinterest guide & tangible tips on how I grew it to 100k in just 30 days with a few simple steps. Keep reading for all the good stuff.

    Isn’t it just another Social Media Platform?

    You’d definitely be forgiven for thinking that it is just another social media platform because Pinterest has long been lumped in the same category with the likes of Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, but while these platforms are often focused on vanity metrics such as likes and follows (which mean absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things)Pinterest is more a search engine.

    Think about it for a second, are there any other social media platforms you can search so intently for what you are looking for, such as a recipe, a craft tutorial or tips on how to write the perfect blog post? The answer is of course no, there is no easy way to look for these things on the likes of Facebook and Instagram with any particular ease, if even at all.

    Going forward with the notion of Pinterest being a search engine will help you so much in being able to show up and serve your audience. They aren’t just interested in what you had for dinner but are interested in every step in how they can make it too. When you look at it this way it will be easier for you to show up and share the correct content on Pinterest to serve your audience and beyond.

    Grab my Quick Pinterest Guide for FREE

    If you are looking for a way to grow your Pinterest and understand how it all works then grab my free Pinterest guide below.

    Grab your Quick Pinterest Guide
    & get my exact roadmap in how I grew my Pinterest to 100k (and beyond)
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    How did I grow my audience to 100k in just 30 days? 

    I know this is most likely the reason you clicked on this content, because it sounds pretty alluring doesn’t it? Growing your Pinterest to 100k in just 30 days just seems like a feat that you wouldn’t even know where to start with.

    First things first, grab my Quick Pinterest Guide for free above because it has all the tangible tips you need to know and apply to understand what you need to be doing on the platform to grow. Pinterest has an ever changing algorithm that has recently undergone some big changes so don’t miss out on getting in on the ground floor. You have a very real chance to grow and fast right now so I really recommend jumping in and just taking the leap and learning as you go.

    My 3 step plan to conquering Pinterest:

    1. Create fresh, new pins for all current and new content. This can include multiple pins linking to the same content on your website.
    2. Repin your appropriate content.
    3. Pin content that is connected to you/your brand.

    This simple three-step plan along with all the knowledge I have shared with you in my free Quick Pinterest Guide is the exact strategy I used to grow my Pinterest to 100k in just 30 days.