Location independent working: 15 reasons to go remote

First published on Medium.com

‘With freedom, books, flowers and the moon, who could not be happy?’ said Oscar Wilde.

And as a modern city worker, these things may feel far from your grasp. You want some more time back for yourself. Time to read, time to be in nature, time to just stand still, take a deep breath, and fully appreciate where you are.

Right?

You might have visions of travelling around the world. Or spending more time at home with your dog. Or fitting more training sessions in for your upcoming marathon. Or simply just having the satisfaction of hitting that snooze button in the morning a few more times.

Whatever your motivation is for remote working, there may be some other added benefits you haven’t considered.

So if you’re considering making the leap towards remote work, here’s 15 thoughts to ponder.

1. Improved mental health

Are remote workers really happier? The research is mixed, often looking at either ends of the spectrum — those remote workers who are employed, and work at coworking spaces, or those self-employed freelancers who work on their own, travelling between Airbnbs or work spaces. As with all things, it appears to be a balance — between having the time to do your own things (more time to exercise, cook/eat better etc) and connecting with others socially. Human connection is vitally important for happiness; it’s important we don’t lose sight of that when we’re finally free of the 9–5. But remote work offers us the opportunity to be more in control of our wellbeing.

2. Less traffic congestion

How much time do you spend sitting in your car in a given week? A month, or a year? By working remotely, not only will you benefit from not having to sit in a traffic jam for hours on end, the environment benefits too. America’s remote workforce currently saves carbon emissions offset to the equivalent of 91 million trees.

Of course, if those same workers are catching lots of planes and travelling around the world it’s not beneficial, so if you’d still like to protect the planet you can search for ways to offset your emissions from air travel.

3. Increased creativity

This all depends on how you make the most of the opportunities remote work brings. Harvard’s E. Glenn Dutcher says: ‘There are times when the home — or the coffee shop or the library — is a much better place to work than the office. For certain types of creative work, you have to be in your favorite room, or listening to your favorite music, or sitting in your favorite chair with your cat on your lap. No other environment will do.’

Personally, I don’t do much creative work at home. My best work came after a 2 month stint in Las Palmas, where I met some innovative and inspiring people. Just being around other likeminded digital nomads seemed to evoke my creative potential. You have to find what works for you.

3. Better physical health

Want to take a 2 hour break to go running in your local park? Well you can, if you’re a remote worker. . A CoSo survey found that 35% of remote workers were getting more exercise than before. Of course, if you’re sitting working in bed all day in your pyjamas, your physical health may decline! With more time on your hands, you can spend that wisely by focusing more on exercise if you so choose.

4. More time to learn/read/research

Even though you always look busy at your office job, there are times when you’re planning your weekend/reading the news/watching the odd cat video and more, isn’t there?

When you’re working remotely, you naturally have time to do more research and learning in a designated area.

Want to research coworking spots? Now you have the extra hour free, that one that you used to spend commuting. Want to learn a new language? Go ahead, because you can choose your hours if you’re a remote freelancer.

5. Productivity hacks

In this section, I was going to mention that remote work could make you more productive, but that’s not always the case. What it most definitely can do is make you lucidly aware of your own motivation and productivity. If you aren’t motivated in the office, chances are you won’t be when you’re working on your own either. Unless there’s certain things you need in order to be productive.

For me, the right productive environment equation looks something like this:

room full of creative entrepreneurs + nice office with comfortable chairs + unlimited tea and biscuits + some good techno to listen to on my headphones (or Mozart if I need to really concentrate) = productive Kerry. For you it might be peace and quiet and an ocean view. For someone else it might be late night on the sofa, when the kids are asleep. Find out when and how you are most productive, and then structure your remote work options around that.

6. Fewer business overheads

Years ago, remote work was called ‘hot desking’. You usually ‘hot desked’ at random offices, and basically had the same experience as an office worker, except for maybe increasing your monthly step counts as you hopped from from desk to desk. American Express noted savings of $10–15 million once it explored its remote work options. If saving money is a priority, location independence could be an option for you.

7. Less sick days

Got the sniffles and fancy a duvet day? Well, hauling yourself out of bed and into an office where you’re likely to spread your germs around has always been the road more travelled when it comes to work. One of the greatest pleasures about remote work in my opinion is that you can take it easy when you have a cold. There’s so much subtle pressure to come into the office when you’re under the weather (‘it’s only a cold’), but now you’re location independent you can snuggle up, make yourself a vitamin c drink, and stay indoors until it has passed. Research by Stanford University shows you’re less likely to have sick days though as a remote worker, so even better!

8. Less reliance on ‘the system’

The way we do things is changing. We no longer have to do things in the way society dictates. Globalisation and technology have freed us from being fixed to our location, and even our loyalties to employers or to brands. We are in control of our working lives now more than ever — of how we work, of when we work, and that means we can start to become self sufficient in more areas than just work, too.

9. More time to travel

You know the feeling. You’ve finally wound down after a week (maybe even two weeks) lounging on the sunbeds in some foreign sunny location, and now it’s time to head back to work. With remote work, you can travel more — not just to grab some more sunshine, but to meet new people, explore new cultures, and get inspiration. Every time I travel, I always get inspired. You don’t even have to go far from home (I’m writing this from a fantastic little cafe in my spiritual home of Chorlton, Manchester, and am staying in an Airbnb whilst visiting friends).

10. Time with loved ones

This reason alone is worth it to me. I haven’t got any fancy statistics here, but needless to say the value of spending more of your life with people that matter to you is inherently soul gratifying. Last week my sister had a baby, and we got the message at the drop of a hat that we could go and see her in hospital. I could rearrange my workload to meet my new niece Rosie along with my two nephews, a truly special moment in my life that I will always remember. You can’t put a price on that.

11. Cost savings for our healthcare system

Professor Cary Cooper notes that a lot of stress-related illnesses are caused by long working hours, and calls for shorter or more flexible working hours as a way to improve wellbeing. It’s difficult to quantify, but imagine the cost savings for the NHS if we all felt a bit happier and less stressed with our lives, as we had a good work-life balance.

12. More time to innovate and problem solve

This is a HUGE one for me, and a real driver as to why I’m so passionate about promoting balance in our work life by working remotely. When we are overloaded or busy, our brains are predominantly in a detrimental state of consciousness. It’s well documented that we get our best ideas when we are in the bath or shower, as Headspace notes. The reason for this is because we are in an alpha state of consciousness, a slower brain wave state which allows for increased creativity. If your brain is always on ‘go’ (i.e. a stressful mode), you’re actually in a state of self-sabotage, because you won’t be able to take in any other information or reflect mindfully on what you are doing.

13. More opportunity to be mindful

Remote work allows you to be with yourself more. It allows you to be more mindful, if you let it. You get to choose. It’s all about your work boundaries and how you choose to look after yourself.

If you’re a remote worker, do you fill yourself with guilt if you’re away for more than 5 minutes on Slack?

In my first remote employed job, I had a manager who would jump on me if I didn’t respond to our client’s email within 5 minutes. He was stressed (despite sometimes working from his villa in Spain), and it made me stressed. I was like an eager tennis player, always ready to pounce on an email or an action, and it was then I decided I had to wave goodbye to the project management life. It just didn’t suit me. Companies such as Intel and Google are into mindfulness as a leadership practice, and for good reason.

14. Time for errands and ‘life admin’

What’s a girl to do if she wants her hair done, nails painted, has a dental appointment and wants to post her friend’s birthday card? Remote work, that’s what. After visiting Bali and unfortunately contracting what doctors thought may be Guillean Barre Syndrome, I was in a bad way, having just got out of a wheelchair. I had a shit ton of appointments. Doctors. Tropical Disease Clinic. Neurologists. Physiotherapy. And because I wanted to help myself as much as I could, I did Acupuncture. Yoga. Flotation Therapy.

Plus of course, when you’ve been through the ringer, you just want to pamper yourself; to look and feel good. Remote work allowed me to do all of these things — work could take a back seat whilst I focused on my wellbeing. Yes, I was just keeping myself afloat financially, but I wasn’t additionally stressed about focusing on work when I needed to look after myself. I’m so incredibly grateful for that.

15. A greater sense of personal autonomy

Most of all, remote work can give you your life back. I can spend my lunch going to the local fruit and veg market, rather than a hurried supermarket run after work. I have more energy, because I work less (about 25–30 hours a week). I can focus on personal goals and creative pursuits. I have time to go in the garden and water the plants and vegetables. I can drive to see a friend on a Tuesday afternoon when the roads are quiet. I don’t get an anxious dread on a Sunday or exhilaration on a Friday afternoon. I have made friends in different countries.

Most of all, I am happier. Of course, there are downsides that crop up — loneliness, lack of motivation and financial instability being the main three as a remote freelancer- but all of these are wholly under my control. I can decide to meet a friend for coffee, go somewhere to invigorate my energy, and work that bit harder to overcome these obstacles.

I am free to make mistakes, but I am also free to create the life I want.

Convinced you yet?

How to Boost Your Creativity To Be Your Most Productive Self

First published on Skillshare.com

In today’s digitally-focused world, creativity is not just something that’s nice to have, it’s an absolute must if you want to stand out from the crowd and be more productive. As more and more jobs are being lost to automation, staying as creative as possible is important to your long-term career — no matter what you do for a living.

Opening the door to new ways of thinking isn’t as hard as it might seem.

Ready to boost your potential for inspired thought and greater productivity? We’ve gathered some tried-and-tested ways to spark your creativity and allow your inner genius to shine through.

Define what creativity means to you

If you don’t know what your ‘best work’ is, then you’ll find it hard to tap into the person you need to be in order to produce it. In his Ted Talk on the subject, creativity expert Giovanni Corozza says that thinking creativity is about not just about thinking outside the box; it’s going beyond the box, exploring the “boundary within our minds- the boundary between what we know, and what we haven’t yet thought about.”  

Take some time to think about what creativity means to you, and what success might look like.

What’s your best piece of creative work so far? What about it pushes that boundary between what you know and what you haven’t thought about yet? What did it feel like to work on that project? Identifying previous bouts of creativity and the conditions that helped you achieve them will give you a better sense of how best to tap into your  creative insights in the future.

Erase self doubt

If you’re feeling uninspired and need to kickstart your creativity, your first task should be letting go of creative doubts. Sylvia Plath once said “The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt” and research bears her out; a 2012 Harvard study suggests that the battle with creativity is  about resisting the urge to judge ourselves our creative impulses, and ideas. To build confidence, they say, do your best to capture every creative thought you have. Use a physical or digital notebook to jot down ideas as they come to you and make a record of creative urges you can reference when you need new inspiration.

Listen to music

Research into creative thinking techniques has shown that listening to uplifting or happy music in particular causes people to think divergently, in other words, to come up with original ideas.

Need some new tunes? Tech has got you covered: Spotify has curated a playlist of ‘Beats To Think To’ that can  help you focus and improve your innovative thinking.  

Listening to music can boost your brain power — and your ability to innovate.

Engage your senses

Burn some frangipani incense. Hang a pleasing visual on the wall. Buy a snuggle-worthy pair of slippers. Listen to some David Bowie. Eat an orange.

Engaging all five of your senses regularly stimulates your mind, boosts your mood, and has been shown to help inspire new creative thoughts. Wake up your senses once and awhile and you’ll create an inviting opportunity for more creativity to flow more easily.

Walk

There’s a reason that people pace when they are trying to figure something out. According to one Stanford study, the simple act of walking can increase your  creativity by up to a whopping 60%. Want to come up with your next great idea? Grab those sneakers and head outside. Your creativity might be right around the corner -- literally!

Going for a walk can do wonders for your cognition (image source)

Relax

If you’re not just walking, but running in circles because your work schedule is overloaded, then it makes sense that you might have a hard time being creative and producing your best work. Experts believe, in fact, being stressed actually shrinks your brain, which means a lot less space to dedicate to creativity. In order to let creativity in, you need to be ruthless about minimizing distractions and find times to switch off. What’s the the best way to refresh your  brain power, according to scientists? Meditate, they say. .

Travel

It’s an old saying that ‘travel broadens the mind,’ but why is journeying so helpful when you need creative fuel?

Traveling somewhere out of your comfort zone is a great way to jumpstart your creativity (image source)

Not only are you outside your comfort zone when you travel, you’re also constantly learning, making new connections, gathering new insights and developing new thought patterns. Travelling forces your brain into new activity, which means it’s the perfect way to tap into the  creativity that may be dormant within you.

...or just move. Even to a coffee shop next door.

Can’t afford a weekend out of town? Try moving down the street.

Changing work environments has been proven to boost creativity, so try a different coworking space, working from a home office, or switching around your furniture for an instant way to kickstart your creativity into a new stratosphere.

Seek out nature

Getting out into nature is essential for creativity. In Japan, they call it ‘forest-bathing’ - people go out into the wilderness for a few days, completely unplug from the modern world, reduce their stress and improve their wellbeing. A recent study  found that subjects who hiked and camped in the wilderness performed 50% better on creative problem-solving tasks than those who did not.

If you don’t have that kind of time, just working alongside a few houseplants can help you with boosting creativity. Biophilic design is on the increase, and for good reason: science shows that the more green your workspace  the more likely you’ll be inspired, productive and creative within it.

Just being around plants can help inspire new ways of thinking (image source)

Play!

Steve Jobs used to doodle to boost his creativity. Google goes to great lengths to provide employees with playful perks like sides and beach volleyball while they are at work. Why? Far from being disruptive, play, in all of its forms, actively encourages creativity.

Even if you’re at a company that doesn’t have a slide in its headquarters, you can still incorporate play into your work day.

Try the “30 circles” creative thinking technique, one that  encourages participants to draw 30 circles on a sheet of paper and then adapt each one into a unique object or illustration. The exercise (and others like it)  will give you the time and space you need to think more innovatively, offering an opportunity for ideas to flow through.

Be courageous

When it comes to producing your best creative work, remember the words of the famous painter Henri Matisse, “creativity takes courage.” Tapping into your creativity  isn’t always easy, and that’s okay. It’s about putting yourself out there, despite the fear you might be feeling.

Being brave is the first step toward finding your inner creative spark

If you’re ready to be creative but aren’t sure where to start, ask yourself where you could trust yourself more? How could you push yourself, and get a little brave? Being willing to try something new, whatever it is, may be the first step toward finding your inner creativity. So get brave and get out there! Your genius may be hiding just beyond the limits of your current horizon.

The power of gratitude-based marketing for your brand

Two tiny words mean the world to customers:

thank you.

When it comes to building customer loyalty, gratitude is the holy grail.

Have you ever received a personalised thank you from a business? If so, how did it make you feel?

Offering that personal touch to our customers after a purchase may seem like a small gesture, but it can go a long way in boosting our relationship with our customers, making them feel appreciated and valued.

In today’s digital age, customers are overwhelmed. Their brains process, on average, a staggering 34gb of online information a day. Our human relationships have become online and digitised- chatbots and ai have overtaken real-time, face to face interactions.

Out of all the ways you can say thank you, offline approaches are becoming increasingly more powerful as a way to surprise and delight your customer - after all it’s easy to insert <name> into a thank you email on Mailchimp, isn’t it?

“Thank you notes are effective because they’re a bit of a lost art. Think about the last time you actually sent a handwritten letter, instead of quickly firing off an email or a Facebook message. Those mediums allow for incredible efficiency, but a handwritten card goes beyond the ephemeral nature of our digital inboxes and creates something tangible and meaningful” - Shopify

Why are thank you letters so effective at building customer relationships?

They’re different:

By doing something that most of your competitors wouldn’t have the inclination or the time for, you’re standing out from your competition. To take a step that to some may seem old-fashioned, you’re adding a thoughtful touch to any customer that purchases from you.

Everybody likes feeling appreciated:

Handwritten notes are the ultimate way to build customer loyalty, and even brand champions.  Your customer is spending valuable time and money interacting with your brand, so by showing your appreciation you’re far more likely to boost their loyalty to you, and continue shopping with you.

Can help boost engagement:

Writing handwritten notes to customers can only serve to strengthen the relationship you have with them. You need to ‘surprise and delight’ in order to boost engagement, and that’s why taking the time out to write a personal thank you note will impress your customer. You’re not just a number to them; you’re a human who you’re interested in building a relationship with.

Aim for hearts, not wallets:

In a recent Forbes article, they note that:

The emotional response that is most likely to drive loyal behavior, according to Boncheck, is gratitude.

It’s really a no-brainer that gratitude increases loyalty.

When your partner thanks you for taking the bins out, it feels good, doesn’t it? That’s the power of appreciation, and it’s no different when building a relationship with our customers.

Thank you notes are likely to be re-shared online:

A handwritten note, if done well, looks cute, and is a true rarity in today’s age. That kind of personal touch will not only get talked about, it’s more likely to get shared on social media - further leading to more valuable and positive exposure for your business.

Rectifies poor experience:

Writing a thank you note to your customers strengthens the emotional bond you have with them. At present, they’re probably just indifferent to your brand, and those lukewarm to disengaged customers will be easily won back just through showing you care.

Drives profits

This kind of ‘gratitude-based marketing’ is not just a passing fad. According to the Pareto principle, 20% of your customers drive 80% of your profits, so it makes sense to focus on cultivating that relationship with them will drive profits. Why? Generosity pays off. Not only will it make those important 20% more likely to buy from you, it will increase sales of referrals from these people, too.

Gives a memorable finish to an interaction:

Hex, a fashion tech accessory brand, made it’s name on Instagram after sending 13,000 personalised handwritten notes to customers thanking them for the purchase. Your customer has been with you along the sales funnel - from seeing an ad about your product, right through to purchase, so this approach really sweetens their overall shopping experience with you.

More human, and thoughtful:

Above all, in today’s digitised world, writing thank you notes to your audience shows that you’re making the effort. In an age where it’s so easy to fire off an automated thank you email, a written note is a gesture that feels human, authentic, and real.

Driving customer loyalty by writing handwritten thank you notes (or these cool letters from Pensaki) could be one of the most cost-effective marketing strategies in today’s digital world.

After all, you can’t buy loyalty - you have to earn it.

The Importance of A Clearly Defined Funnel

Funnel? I hear you say. What’s that?

If you’re relatively new to marketing, you may not know about the concept of a marketing funnel.

Marketing funnels are how you get your client or customer to purchase your product or service.

Each piece of content you create should relate to where each customer is on their journey.

Assuming you already know who your customer personas are, you’ve done your research and know where they hang out. Now you should target them with your copy.

For example, let’s say a new customer has never heard of your business, and what you offer.

This means they are at the awareness stage, also called the attention stage. ❓

At this level, you want to introduce them to your product or service. You want to get them familiar with who you are and what you have to offer.

A great way to do this is with a video or with an organic social media post.

The content should speak directly to their pain point - what problem or issue are you solving for them?

For example, if you were setting up a premium glamping business for busy executives:

‘Here at Orchard View, we know it’s important to take that time out to recharge. So we offer six perfectly formed bell tents in the heart of the idyllic Derbyshire countryside, equipped with your every need. Take a look for yourself. <video> #unplug #taketimeout’

Now you’ve got your audience intrigued. Is this for them? You’ve whet their appetite with some pretty visuals and an explanation of why they might want your product or service, and now they’re at the interest stage. 💭

These are a smaller subset of people who have taken the next step in their mind. You’ve hooked them in with your first piece of content or communication, and now they want to know more.

Think of it like a second date with someone. You’re definitely interested, but there’s a few more things you need to know.

So this is where you delve into the details. You want to get your readers to click more, to get invested in who you are, and what you’re offering.

An interest piece of content may be a blog post which is a feature about your glamping site. It could be something like ‘This Is Why We Chose This Spot For Our Beautiful Glampers.’

Here you want to tell a story. Maybe you talk about taking your dog for a walk over the peaks and you noticed how that part was the perfect spot to watch the sunset. You want to get your audience emotionally invested in what you’re about, and get them picturing using your product or service.

Next, comes the consideration phase, which can also be called the desire part of your marketing funnel. 🤔

This group are an even smaller part of your funnel. Maybe they’ve clicked on your website, read your blog post, and have now signed up to your email list for news and discounts.

These people are clearly interested in what you have to offer - but haven’t yet took the action to purchase.

Content that can move them down the funnel can come in the form of social proof here, so think stats, case studies, and testimonials from those happy customers. These work especially well on your landing page.

‘I absolutely love Orchard View, I’ve been three times now. From the moment you get there, you just feel this sense of serenity. Myself and my husband instantly relax as soon as we step foot inside, and we know that for the next two days, we don’t have to think about a thing’ - Claire, Cardiff.

Of course, your social proof has to be authentic. Get your customers to comment, like or share their views by engaging with them regularly. Get to know them. Understand them, and find out what really pleases them about your product or service - and vow to communicate that to your potential customers.

In your potential customers mind, all the evidence is now mounting to one thing - that making this purchase will improve their life in some way. It could make their life easier, more enjoyable, less stressful, give them knowledge, help them with a problem - but whatever it is, you’ve answered all of their potential objections along the way.

It’s now time to convert. 🛍️

Here, it’s all about those glittering CTA’s (Call To Action). You want them to take action.

Your call to actions should be subtle at first (maybe a ‘find out more’ at the awareness stage), but when it comes to your conversion content, you want them to ‘Book Now’ or ‘Shop Now’.

This could come in the form of a Facebook ad that you’re retargeting to customers that have already visited your site. Maybe they’ve filled in the booking form, but for one reason or another haven’t yet completed their purchase.

An enticing, beautiful ad with the strong call to action ‘Spaces filling up for April - Book now for 2019’ leads them directly back down your funnel, and into becoming your customer.

When you create content, make sure you have it all defined throughout each stage of the journey.

Attention ❓ - Interest - 💭 Consideration -🤔 Conversion 🛍️

also known as:

Awareness - Interest- Desire - Action

Map it out. Know not only who you’re speaking to, but what stage they’re at in their customer journey.

Want to discuss more about creating content that speaks to your audiences? Get in touch to have a chat.

The Art Of A Good Brief

When it comes to commissioning any type of creative work, a great brief is a must.

Not only can a brief make or break a marketing project, it also sets the tone for your working relationship between you and the agency or freelancer.

Some people may think ‘Why bother with a brief? I’ll just tell them what I want over the phone, and we can begin!’

A brief is essentially your roadmap for the project. Without it, someone could get lost along the way.

Whether it’s a series of emails to your customer list, a product description, or a video script, a clear brief sets expectations from the outset and allows both client and freelancer to establish exactly what is needed, and by when.

Here’s what a good copy brief should consist of. I’ve also included project sample text so you can see how it could be filled out.

Copywriting Brief

Title of Project: (i.e. Onboarding Email for New Volunteers - Christmas 2018)

Description of project: ( ‘We need a new welcome email for volunteers that have signed up in the run up to Christmas who are about to do their first charity visit)

Format of project: (Copy for Mailchimp, up to 500 words. Include x2 alternate subject headings)

Rework of existing job, or new: (New job)

Background to your business: (‘We are a charity based in the UK offering hospital visits to sick children to brighten their day)

Include website URL and any supporting documents: (‘MakeAWish.org’)

Target audience: (‘Volunteers who have signed up to our newsletter’)

Core message: (‘We are happy to have you on board and we look forward to you brightening the lives of children who are ill in hospital’)

What is the personality of your brand, and your values? (‘We are warm, friendly and accessible. We value being kind and this is reflected in our tone of voice’).

What do you want your audience to think and feel with this content?

(‘We would like our volunteers to feel welcomed and supported, and that we are pleased they are on board. We want them to think that they have made a good choice, and that they are looking forward to making a difference’)

Who are your competitors? (N/A)

What is your call to action? (To get the volunteers to join our Private Facebook group)

When is this required by? (Final version of copy required by 1.11.18)

With a clear brief, the freelancer can see exactly what’s needed, and ask questions if appropriate. Depending on timescales, a call can be undertaken to discuss the brief before the project begins too, if needed.

A good brief should be clear, and to the point.

It doesn’t always need to have all of the segments listed above - sometimes more helps, or sometimes less - it depends on the size and scale of the project and the business itself. But keep it to one page of A4 if you can.

So why bother with a brief?

Having a clear brief can save time, because everything is in writing, and agreed before the freelancer starts work - so no questions in the middle of the project to clarify things.

Agreeing on a brief beforehand can save money, because by stipulating the proposed scope at the outset and mutually agreeing on the direction, it can mean that amend times are usually minimised.

Clear briefs can also save on resource - by documenting your work, you’ll be able to dig out old briefs, tweak them a little, and pass them on to the next freelancer or agency. It also gives you a template to refer back to when you’ve completed your project and want to review your marketing goals.

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Writing your brand story

How do you tell a story?

You may not be aware of it, but we are telling stories all the time.

From the elevator pitch you do at a networking event, to the way you describe your day to your spouse, stories are the way we communicate.

To tell your brand story to a customer is all about showing them who you are.

It is to give them your 'why' - the reason why you're doing this in the first place.

• What motivated you to set up your business, create that product, or provide that service?

Simon Sinek is one of my favourite experts in this area.

He wisely says: 

'Stories are attempts to share our values and beliefs. Storytelling is worthwhile when it tells what we stand for.' 

Your customers will be more loyal to your brand if you understand why you're passionate about it.

To write your brand story is to communicate to your customer as if they were a trusted friend- and tell them what emotionally motivated you to start your business.

For example:

'After much searching, I wanted to provide parents with a range of affordable yet stylish pushchairs that I just couldn't find anywhere else.'

'My own experience in recovery from addiction led me to study the psychology of addiction, and after I qualified, I decided to become a therapist in order to help others in my position.'

'We wanted to set up a sugar-free cafe as there was nowhere around near us that provided the kinds of guilt-free snacks we really enjoyed at home. So we're bringing our sofa comforts to you!'

When you write your brand story, start with why.

Detail your journey, much like a storyteller.

• Describe the life situation you were in at the time
• Tell your audience how you spotted an opportunity to resolve someone's problem
•  Explain to them how that led you to set up your business

It's important to add emotion - tell the human-to-human story of what you were feeling at the time: 

'I realised that time and time again, the shoes I bought for my children just didn't meet their needs, or were poor quality. I was forever throwing them away. With this in mind I started to think about what an ideal shoe for them would look like - one that would work in all types of weather...'

If writing's not your strength, you can record audio or video, and listen back to it to help you. Imagine explaining it to a friend or a person you've just met, and notice the words and language you use. You can then use elements from the transcription to form your brand story.

Most of all, your brand story should grab the reader emotionally- they should identify with you as a person that's similar to them or understands them, and they should see you as a person that is ultimately trying to help them meet their needs.

Here's a brand story I did for baby brand moKee.

Protecting your brand online

I discuss how to protect your brand reputation online in the age of social media 💻 ✍️#️⃣ 

Direct Response Copy: saying more with less

You want attention, don't you?

That's what we all want for our businesses. We are all vying for eyeballs on our brand.

But you want more than that; you want ACTION.

Seeing is one thing; clicking is another.

In order to create copy that converts, and generates those all-important sales, sometimes less is more. In fact, sometimes we only have as little as 30 or 80 characters to make an impression, as with Google Adwords copy.

How do you write an effective piece of short copy that will attract the attention of your target audience?

Before you start, it's important that:

• you've mapped out your audience personas
• you know which persona this ad is targeting
• you have done your keyword research for that customer
• you have a relevant list of search terms. 

In direct response copywriting, your keyword list is blended with the emotional painpoints of your persona. 

For this example, Let's say we're selling an eco-friendly copper drinking bottle, and we're writing a Google Adwords ad.

The customer is interested in going plastic-free, and they are also potentially interested in the health benefits claimed. They want a better solution rather than buying plastic bottles to take to work or the gym, for example, and are concerned about the effects of BPA.

The keywords we may want to use are variations and a mixture of: 'plastic-free bottles', 'water bottles', 'copper bottles', 'plastic drinking bottle', 'eco-friendly', 'sustainable'.

• We start the ad with:

The 'hook': Posing a question, or answering a question that directly relates to what the customer is needing.

Looking for an alternative to your plastic drinking bottle?

Beautiful eco-friendly copper water bottle

• Then, we provide the second headline, or 'tagline':

Tagline: Here you would support your headline/hook, and include the painpoint if you haven't already:

Copper is sustainable and stylish

Plastic-free with health benefits

•  Next you'd provide a brief description of your product:

Description: This is designed to get the audience's attention and make them intrigued to find out more. This isn't the place to list all of it's features and benefits.

Handcrafted designs inspired by nature, available in 500-900ml.

Minimalistic and stylish bottles, based on Ayurvedic principles.

• CTA: Finally, you need to end on a great call-to-action, that encourages that all important link click!

 Shop Now

Get yours today

That's two variations of the ad, which would look something like this:

“Looking for an alternative to your plastic drinking bottle?

Copper is sustainable and stylish

Handcrafted designs inspired by nature, available in 500-900ml.

 Shop Now ”

“Beautiful eco-friendly copper water bottle

Plastic-free with health benefits

Minimalistic and stylish bottles, based on Ayurvedic principles.

Get yours today ”

Want help with creating copy for your business? Get in touch to see how I can help.

Tips for massive growth on Pinterest

I adore Pinterest. It's basically a virtual vision board where you can attach all of your interests - things to make, clothes to wear, recipes to try, places to go, hairstyles to have - whatever floats your boat, really.

In fact, I find it so useful for my personal growth that I've stopped spending time on all other social media channels, and am taking a break from all of my personal accounts for the forseeable.

Strange for a marketing strategist maybe, but I continue to use social media for my clients, so I'm not out of the loop entirely.

I've been working with Pinterest for my clients for a while now, and it can be a really useful channel, if your business is aligned to the demographic on there.

Here's some numbers at a glance (Jan 2018)

• 175 million monthly active users (75 million US, 100 million outside US)
• 2 million daily users
• 81% of users are female
• 67% of users are under 40
• 2/3rds of pins represent brands and products
• Average time spent daily on Pinterest is 14.2 minutes

At first look, this is nothing compared to the social media big guns, like Insta, Facebook and Twitter. But Pinterest can be very lucrative for product manufacturers, artists, photographers, and anyone with a wide range of products or visual art to pin.

I used to use Pinterest quite sporadically, but now I use it daily. The reason why? I've realised it's value as 'soul food', and the direction it gives to your unconscious mind. It can stop you from getting in a rut with the foods you cook, the thoughts you think, and what inspires you.

You can use it as a tool to create your dream life, searching for things to buy for your home, jewellery to wear, life wisdom to live by, or just images that make you feel all warm and glowy inside.

I've used it successfully with clients in order for them to get traction for their brand. It's a great brand builder, as well as a sales tool. Not only can people pin and then directly buy your product, it allows you to create a virtual values board where you pin images related to your brand essence.

Spiritual Gangster is a good example of this, and has an impressive 33k followers.

Here's some of the things I've learned about Pinterest in order to grow a successful channel:

• Treat it as a search engine

Pinterest isn't really a social media platform; it's a visual search engine. By treating it in this way, you use it like you would do Google, as the strategy has some overlap. Make a list of your long tail keywords and search terms and use these to inform how you title and describe your pins.

• Pin frequently, across timezones

The secret to big success on Pinterest is Tailwind. It's fantastic, and really allows for rapid growth. It's a scheduling and analytics tool that allows you to schedule a large number of pins on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Ideally you need to be posting at least 10-20 pins a day, 7 days a week.

• Think SEO everywhere

Board names and descriptions are important. As well as the more conceptual names you might use, you definitely want to include board titles that specifically match what your customer is looking for. For example a 'Fun books for children' board may include the description :'Here's a selection of some of the fun books for children we stock. Our books for children range from 4-14 years'

• Use hashtags appropriately

Hashtags are great because these are what will get you found. Don't be afraid to use up to 30, like you do on Instagram. Again, think about what your customers may be searching for. For example, if you're a sunglasses store, you might use something like #sunglasses #shades #fashionshades #eyewear #funkyshades #womensglasses #glasses #holidaywear, or similar. Use your SEO research and current keyword list to inform your strategy for hashtags.

• More boards the better

Don't worry about having too many boards. In fact, the more boards the better. Having a large selection of images on your Pinterest shows a strong presence, and will enable you to be found easily. Even if you only have 50 products, you can still create other 'brand vibe' boards that serve as a visual moodboard for your brand identity. For example, I work with a swimwear company and have an 'Inspired by the beach' board where I pin sandy toes, coconuts on the beach, palm trees, and everything evoking the feeling of being at the beach.

•  Use product pins for your products

In the lifespan of Pinterest, product pins are fairly recent. You can connect your website or online store to your pins, so they show the price. Your customer knows what they are getting, and for how much. Make sure you use your product pin description to its full capacity, describing the product, and maybe even an incentive ('10% off your first order!')

• Connect your website to Pinterest

Pinterest's developer tools include an API where you can add a Pinterest 'save' button to all of the images on your website, meaning Pinterest fanatics will be able to save your online store products to their boards, thus increasing the likelihood of purchase.

• Run competitions: 'Pin to Win'

I've found competitions to be very successful, particularly when it comes to building followers quickly.  In order to be successful though, you need a couple of other strong platforms to send traffic there. If you have a thriving Facebook group for example, selling beauty products, you could ask them to pin their favourite product to enter a monthly prize draw. It works, as loyal Pinterest users will usually follow you at the same time.

• Be strategic

This may go without saying, but think about where your customers are coming from (use analytics to inform), and be strategic about when you're posting. It's not just about the time of day, it's also about the season. For example, in November and December you might be focusing on Christmas party pinning. The more you know your customer, the more you know what they'll be searching for, and when.

• Consistency is key

Although you want Pinterest to be an extension of your shop, it is also a brand builder. To do Pinterest for a few months and then stop means you may lose traction with your customers. You want to be seen as much as possible, to the most amount of people. By using a scheduler, you can schedule in your pins weeks or months ahead.

Need a Pinterest Marketing Expert? Contact me for more on how I can help with your Pinterest Strategy, and grow your Pinterest Channel.

All the feels: becoming an Instagram success

Becoming successful on Instagram is a skill. It's not just about the algorithms, knowing your audience and posting at the right times of day (although these are important), it's also about developing a consistent strategy that pulls on the heartstrings of what truly matters to your audience.

Here's a few things to bear in mind:

1. The emotion in the image

When you look at the image, what's your first feeling? (not thought). Does the image make you feel happy, does it make you laugh, do you feel inspired, do you feel excited?

Our reaction to images are primarily emotional and largely unconscious, so it's worth collating a series of images before you pick one. For example, if you want to show an excited face, collect a few examples and go with the one that evokes the most feeling in you.

2. The emotion in the caption

There are a few clever ways of using the caption to engage. Don't forget, your audience will only be seeing the first eight words or so before they have to click to read more, so if you haven't hooked them in. I've seen two techniques work well:

• The minimalist caption. This could be something like 'This is why I love my cat.' Something simple, possibly funny or sarcastic, or inspirational works well for a short caption. It can even be replaced by emojis. Quotes work well here too, for example 'my grandad told me to "never give up on your dreams"'
• The storytelling caption. This is where the user tells a story about the image. 'I remember this day so well. Me and dad had just hiked 4 miles in the pouring rain, and had just stopped to pour a flask of coffee...'. By sharing emotionally in such a detailed way, you're giving more emotional emphasis to the picture. The user now sees it as you see it, as you have contextualised it in a heartfelt way.

3. Hashtags

Hashtags are not just about organic SEO. Try being creative with your hashtags too, and using emotion. You can even use humorous hashtags. For example, if you're selling birthday cakes, you might want to use #birthdaycake #birthday and #celebrationcake, but you might also use #allthecandles #birthdaygirl #itsmybirthday #gettingold . You can use up to 30 hashtags, but 7-15 is a more appropriate number.

4. The uniqueness of the image

How many images do you see a day? Hundreds? Thousands, perhaps, in the course of a week? It's not enough to choose an emotive stock image from Pexels or Unsplash if everyone else is using the same image. It just won't have the same effect. On Instagram, the more different and 'out there' your image is, the better. Of course, the quality matters. Use an app like VSCOcam if you haven't got a good quality camera. The image needs to be aesthetically pleasing, but somewhat unusual, as if offering a different perspective on something. If it's different then people are more likely to not only like it but tag a friend in the comments.

5. Translate brand emotions

Brand emotions are how your brand presents itself online. What is it's personality? Is it cheeky, optimistic, warm-hearted, inspirational or sarcastic? Make a list of your four core emotions and keep them in mind when searching for imagery or writing captions.

Give them the feels - create an Instagram feed that pulls your audience towards you.

(The picture in this article got 13,461 likes. I had seen it on Pinterest and saved it because I liked the feel of it).

Want more advice on how to get the most out of Instagram? Get in touch for how I can help with your strategy.