What we’ll cover

In each session, we’ll cover various marketing topics so you can learn about the latest trends, as well as get plenty of ideas and tips for your own content. 

Helen will delve into social media topics and I will cover other marketing channels, such as email marketing, blogs, newsletters and articles.

You can also join our dedicated WhatsApp group to get accountability, hands-on ideas and motivation from the group in between sessions.

In each workshop, you will have the opportunity to:

• Review your existing marketing and social media content

• Assess what’s going well and what isn’t

• Plan and set realistic goals for each quarter of 2025

• Create compelling content to appeal to your ideal clients

• Spend time working ON your business, rather than just in it

• Get motivated with your marketing and celebrate your successes!

Firstly, why do you need regular content?

To put it simply, without content, your ideal customers will not know about you and therefore your business will plateau. You need to create content regularly for continuous engagement and growth. 

But regular content does not mean posting every random thought that comes to mind! It’s far better and easier to have a plan and to create content consistently.

To start off, you need to: 

• Know your target demographic – who are your ideal customers?

• Keep a consistent theme regardless of the different topics you might write about.

• Know what you have and haven’t explored. 

So, let’s take a look at some content ideas you could include. 

Tip 1 – Share news on your sector or industry

Tip 2 – Problem solving

Sharing tips to show how you solve people’s problems helps your audience and builds trust between you and them. It demonstrates that you understand their needs. This could become a regular series for you.

Here’s how to create yours: 

• Think about a problem you help your clients solve

• Break the solution down into manageable, bite-sized chunks 

• Each ‘chunk’ becomes a different tip in your series 

• Consider how you will publish your tips on social media. E.g. blog, video, newsletter 

• Think about how you can repurpose your tips. E.g. an Instagram post can become a blog and a blog can become a video. 

Remember, you don’t have to give away your trade secrets! You’re simply pointing your clients in the right direction for an easier life.

Tip 3 – Find useful data and trends

Is there any data that your audience would find useful? 

Sharing data or trends with your audience is an easy way to demonstrate your expertise.This in turn will deepen the trust between you and your audience. It shows that you are switched on and can advise your clients on things that might affect them. 

Things you can share: 

• Up and coming trends – how things are changing in your industry, helping your audience to stay competitive 

• Stats about people’s behaviour – show how things are changing or what people are reacting to 

• Infographics – an eye-catching way to make complicated ideas easier to understand 

• Trivia and ‘did you know’ posts – sharing a simple fact helps to grab attention. 

Remember to keep it simple, educational and fact-based.

Tip 4 – Go behind the scenes

Have you ever shared behind the scenes content with your audience? 

This is particularly useful for social media. In fact, you’ve probably seen lots of accounts you follow doing it. Things you could share: 

• What a typical day looks like 

• About you – bring out your personality. You could do a ‘Get Ready With Me’  (GRWM) post or video

• Introduce your team members 

• Projects you’re working on (GRWM and tease them)

• Some ‘in action’ images or videos, showing what you do 

• Fun facts about you and your team. 

It’s a great way for people to see what you do and get to know, like and trust you.

Tip 5 – Client testimonials

Goal setting for the next half of the year

After the celebrations, we each set a marketing goal for the remaining half of the year.

From posting more on Tiktok to creating a lead magnet, setting up email marketing or building a website, we each came up with a SMART goal. That’s a goal which is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timebound.

Then, I gave everyone the time to work out the steps they needed to achieve their goal. They each came up with a list and shared it with the group.

Being accountable for mid-year marketing goals

Sometimes we all need a nudge to get things done. So, I held everyone accountable for the first step they said they would take towards achieving their goal. And then I contacted them a couple of weeks later to see how they were getting on!

I’m pleased to report that everyone was working well towards their goal and that they’d all mostly achieved their first step:

• 2 have already done their ‘one thing’
• 2 are working through it and have achieved part of it
• 1 is in progress

Don’t worry, I shall be keeping up with each of them to see how much further they get!

No 1 – Don’t stop marketing!

This is the most important tip! While you might be tempted to stop marketing to save yourself some money, this is the exact opposite of what you should do!

You still need customers, so you need to remind them you’re there. Maintaining a marketing presence will help you to build brand loyalty and keep you in mind with your existing customers, as well as helping you to attract new ones.

When times are tough you might also be able to find gaps in the market or new opportunities for your business to take advantage of.

Many successful businesses started during recessions, such as Microsoft, Disney, Apple, WhatsApp, Uber, Sipsmith gin and Airbnb.

And, generally, companies who increase their marketing spend even in tough times will see sales rise. For example, Pizza Hut did this in the 1990-91 recession and saw a 61% rise in sales. Whereas McDonald’s reduced their marketing spend and their sales dropped 28%.

No 2 – See marketing as an investment

Rather than seeing marketing as a cost you need to cut, try thinking of it as an investment. Investments, after all, are meant to inject cash to help your business grow.

And your investment doesn’t have to be expensive or even financial. Investing in small things that will help or investing time can make a difference too.

There are lots of low or no-cost activities that you can do for marketing on a budget:

• Networking – free or low cost networking events are a great way to get in front of other businesses who might become clients or who will spread the word about you to people they know.
• Speaker opportunities – giving talks at events, conferences, networking or to groups related to your industry is a great way to get your business in front of a new audience.
• PR opportunities – coverage in local papers, trade magazines, national press or on TV, radio or podcast interviews also gets you in front of new audiences who would be interested in your products or services.
• Enter awards – entering awards related to your business or area is fantastic for your PR. Whether you win, are nominated or shortlisted, you’ll likely get some profile from the award organisers, including shares on their social media. And, of course, if you win, mention the award in your marketing!
• Collaborate with others – you no doubt know other businesses in related fields or who are trying to reach the same type of customers as you. Can you collaborate with them and jointly offer something? Or get your collaborators to share about your business to their customers and vice versa.
• Email marketing – growing your own email list can have huge benefits for your business. The return on investment for email marketing is on average £35 for every £1 invested. Besides which, you own your list and have direct contact details for those on your list, so you can regularly keep in touch with them. Unlike social media, where you could lose access, get hacked or lose reach because algorithms change, your list is yours to contact as much as you need to.

No 3 – Review and tweak your existing marketing

What’s working and what isn’t? Regularly reviewing your existing marketing is good practice anyway, so you know how effective your marketing activities are.

Look at your analytics – your social media insights, Google analytics and whatever other insights you can track. Do you also track where your sales and leads come from? If not, start tracking them now! Review your analytics and see if there are any trends. Which activities are bringing in more clients and leads?

Which activities aren’t so effective? These are the things to reduce or cull, saving you money in the process. Perhaps you have subscriptions for marketing tools you no longer use? If so, stop these.

No 4 – What do your clients really need?

Have their needs changed recently because of budget constraints or a changing market? As with your analytics, it’s always a good idea to regularly review what your clients need. That way you can tweak your products or services to fit what will most help them.

Start by asking your clients and your wider audience what they need. What problems are coming up for them? How can you help them solve these?

If money is an issue for them, can you create some lower cost options or bundle up items together for them? For example, if you provide one-to-one services, can you offer some group support or workshops at a lower price point? Are there some lower entry-level things you can help them with, such as taster sessions perhaps?

No 5 – Be consistent

Whatever marketing you do, be consistent with it! This will help remind people that you exist and help you to build your brand.

Being consistent doesn’t necessarily mean showing up everyday or doing so much that it overwhelms you. It’s about doing things regularly and showing up so that people know you’re there. Decide what frequency works best for you and your audience and then stick to it. For example, posting on social media 3-4 times a week and doing so every week will be more effective that showing up daily for a few weeks and then disappearing for a few weeks!

It takes at least 7 interactions these days before people will buy from you, these days probably much more. So, if you’re thinking you’re doing too much, it’ll only be you who thinks that. Remember, you’re the only one that will see everything you publish online or on your social media!

And finally, a bonus tip: be flexible and adaptable!

If you’d like more tips for marketing on a budget, schedule a free 30-minute consultation with me.