Blog
Why should small businesses use SEO?
SEO ("Search Engine Optimisation" or how to get found in Google/other search engines) can be a bit of a mystery. Many SEO practitioners seem to delight in making it a dark art with their own language (spoiler alert - it's not techie at all and in fact quite intuitive...
How to find out who is visiting your website and what they’re doing using Google Analytics
There are so many different ways you can market your business. How do you know which ones are working for you? There's a really useful (and free) tool from Google, Google Analytics, which is a treasure trove of information about who is visiting your website and what...
9 ways to get more traffic to your website without SEO
Getting more traffic to your website has two key benefits People are more likely to buy/work with you if they visit your website andYou can retarget them through ads or email. People need several touchpoints before they will become customers But it can be hard to get...
Finding your website voice
When I’m speaking to clients or chatting in the Beyond the Kitchen Table Facebook group, people often tell me they find it hard to write for their business - particularly their website copy. There are lots of reasons for this, some real, some perceived: lack of time,...
Taking back control
The last couple of weeks have been challenging - trying to work with children (and the husband) at home whilst the unknown of the Coronavirus looms over us. The "juggle" is one many of us working mums are familiar with, but this time it is different. Unlike the...
5 effective SEO tactics for small businesses
What is SEO and why should small businesses invest in it? Did you know that 87% of adults in the UK are online each day (according to the ONS)? Most of the remaining 13% are over the age of 70. But only about 67% use social media each day (according to Statista)?...
Which website builder is best for small businesses?
Etsy, Amazon, Wix, Weebly, Wordpress, Squarespace, Shopify, GoDaddy. There's an endless choice of platforms to build your website on. It's bewildering. Overwhelming. How are you supposed to choose which website builder is going to be the best one for you to use?...
7 reasons why you need a website
A new website is a big investment - I get that. Especially if your business is still in its early stages and not earning very much. Those early stages seem to involve a lot of paying out money - there's the logo, business cards, accountant fees, maybe a lawyer,...
Setting your Business Strategy for 2020
'Tis the season... ...of vision boards, goals and resolutions. But spoiler alert! Vision boards and goals won’t get you where you want to be in 2020. The reality is that to get where you want to be in 2020 you need a strategy which includes an action plan. A...
It’s not all “me, me, me” – writing your About page
Your About Page is a hugely important page on your website. Website visitors usually want to know more about you before they buy from you. They’re interested in YOU and they are looking to see if they think YOU can help them. We’re all a bit nosey!! I mean I bet...
4 reasons you shouldn’t display your prices on your website
Do you have your prices listed on your website? The issue of whether to display your prices on your website is a bit marmite. It tends to divide the world into those who believe it is a necessity and those who think it is the worst thing you can do. There are...
3 ways to get more sales fast
Do you need more sales? Sales is the life blood of any business. We all like to think (or is it just us?) that customers will find us by magic, or by "word of mouth", but sometimes you need to give sales a helping hand. We are building a business for the long term,...
Our guide to blogging
Do you blog? Like many small businesses, we have a complicated relationship with blogging. We know it is good for us, but sometimes it feels like hard work, we worry about whether anyone reads the posts (and whether they like what we have written) and finding the...
Who is your Ideal Customer and why does it matter?
I was listening to Graham Norton interviewing Kevin Clifton the other day on his radio show. Kevin mentioned that he applied 3 times to be on Strictly as a professional dancer before he was accepted. The first time he was going through a "grungy" phase - wearing all...
My date with Theo
Last week I was fortunate to be invited to Birmingham to spend the day with Theo Paphitis (ok it wasn't just me, there were a few other businesses there too). Theo spoke about the importance of small businesses to the economy and the strength of the community of small...
How to sell products online without a website
One of the questions we often get asked by people setting up in business is Do I need a website? Given we build websites, it is tempting to always answer yes, of course you do, but actually that wouldn’t be true... A website is a big investment in terms of time...
My Miracle Morning
Last night I went to the regular monthly meeting of a local networking group I am a member of. At the beginning of the evening, one member talked about the Miracle Morning. Now, I have heard of the book (by Hal Elrod) and indeed heard various business coaches talk...
Upping Your Game
No-one is entitled to business, it has to be earned A new supermarket has just opened opposite our local Sainsbury's. It's an Aldi - with a reputation for lower prices. I've just made a visit and was impressed. It was bright, spacious, clean and the staff were...
