MAP IT Marketing

After four people told me about the billboards that Viv Conway’s business Girls Get Off use to market their business, I knew I had to have her on the podcast. 

 

Girls Get Off is a beautifully branded and designed female focussed sex toy brand, designed to provide a range of toys that are more appealing to the female gaze, than to a mans.

 

It can be tricky to use social media to market a sex toy company. Advertising on Facebook and Google is not permitted, and saying the wrong thing in a post can get your profile zapped in a moment. 

 

Finding new ways to get the message out there, for Girls Get Off has included humour, and the occasional parade of women wearing Vulva costumes in the streets of NZ and (hopefully soon ) Australia. 

 

However the biggest part of the Girls Get Off success has been in building an engaged community that both share with each other, and also reshare the content created with others, making it a highly engaged and growing online community. 

 

Viv is a talented marketer, who’s having fun selling… fun! 

 

Plus I think I’ve never laughed so much in a podcast before - this is a great listen (but do check for young ears before you play out loud)

In this episode we cover:

• How Viv came to start a sex toys company
• The difficulties in using online marketing for her industry
• Why billboards have worked well for them, and why it’s not just for the people who see it
• How sharable content is queen in marketing
• How Girls Get Off has created a community, sharing deep dark secrets
• What’s next for Girls Get Off, and why Australia is on the horizon 

 

Important Links

Visit Girls Get Off

 

Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops

Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web

Download the free workbook

Become a part of the MAP IT Marketing facebook group

Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme

Rachel’s YouTube Channel

Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I often say “tell a story, change a mind” Storytelling helps us talk to a part of the brain that is geared towards connection. 

But when we think about storytelling we often think of those big, powerful life changing moments of our lives and use these as our stories. And that’s not where the magic is.

In this episode we take a look at the power of storytelling. We look at how to choose the right story, why it’s not about you at all (annoying!), and how simple your story can be

I also share some examples of stories, and talk about how to present them in a written form, in video and during presentations.

Storytelling is a word that is so overused in marketing - and often small business owners know they need to do it but no one tells you HOW. 

In this podcast we aim to change that. Listen, take notes and then go write a story or two for your ideal client

 

Who knows what brain changes you’re making!

 

In this episode we cover:

• What you need to consider before you create stories
• Why you don’t want to tell them what they needed to learn
• How to find stories everywhere
• How long can a story be
• Why you don’t want to focus on the big stuff
• What happens when you give the story room to percolate
• Why storytelling is so powerful for small businesses

 

 

Important Links

Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops

Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme

Rachel’s SUBSTACK

Rachel’s YouTube Channel

Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School

Become a part of our Facebook group

Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web

Download OUR free Face of your Business checklist

Download the free workbook

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Having to have our face out there building a brand can be tricky. And while there is a lot to be said for making sure we have authentic, off the cuff images and videos, having photos that show our best professional side can really help people connect with us and our business

 

Cate Thomas is a third generation photographer who focusses on helping people create their brand photos. Based in the Manawatu, she couples her brand photography with portrait and equine. 

 

Today on the MAP IT Marketing podcast, Cate’s sharing with us what we need to think about before having a brand shoot. We talk about how to make the photos we take as authentic as possible, how to feel more relaxed on camera and how to avoid looking just like everyone else’s photos. 

 

We also talk about why having headshots, at the very least is so important and why Cate herself once fell into the trap of not having a photo ready, and had to use a photo of her dressed up as a bunny!

 

If you’ve been thinking about whether it’s worth it, whether you should, and what it’s all going to take, this is the episode for you. 

In this episode we cover:

• Why headshots are a must
• What brand photos can do for your business 
• What you need to to to prepare
• Why it’s important to show your real self
• How to think about the different looks you want to convey
• Why sneakers can be a better option than heels for at least part of the shoot
• What to do if the idea freaks you out. 

 

Important Links

Connect with Cate

Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops

Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web

Download the free workbook

Become a part of the MAP IT Marketing facebook group

Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme

Rachel’s YouTube Channel

Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After working with over a thousand of small business owners one-to-one on on their marketing strategies, I know what business owners need in their strategies and action plans and what they don’t 

I don’t hunt around for what other people do, but every now and again I’m sent a strategy from a business owner who has paid thousands for what amounts to a four page document, or a thick array of pretty graphs, or a spreadsheet. None of these have been able to translate into the actions a small business owner needs to take to make their marketing work

So for me, a marketing strategy needs that action plan to sit alongside it. You as the small business owner needs to understand how the marketing proposition bit (all the brain stuff) works with the activity 

I used to apolgise for the lack of spreadsheets and pretty graphs in the strategy and action plan documents we create for and with our small business clients. I used to feel weird I gave our clients lists, and spent so much time showing how to do the things we recommended.

I also knew that often our plans don’t have “razzmatazz” - and now I’m proud of it. A big idea is easy to think of, and plan. But once it’s done, what about all the basic marketing activity you needed to have to keep that growth consistent?

Now I say what we do is exactly the sort of marketing strategy a small business needs. One that meets your stage of business, your goals, your budget, your capacity and your skill levels. All of which can change and adjust as you grow. 

In this episode I’m going to share with you what I consider are the must have elements of a marketing strategy and action plan for a small business 

Follow along, take notes and see if you’ve got all of these elements on hand to help you flesh out your marketing and make it work better for you over the next twelve months. 

In this episode we cover:

• Why a small business strategy is different to one for a large business
• What stresses and needs small business owners need to take into account
• What limitations your strategy needs to consider
• What small business owners often want but are not often required in a strategy
• Why we need to ask tricky questions
• What I believe all small business marketing strategies need
• Closing the circle - what we include that I consider essential practice for small business owners 

 

Important Links

Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops

Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme

Rachel’s SUBSTACK

Rachel’s YouTube Channel

Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School

Become a part of our Facebook group

Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web

Download OUR free Face of your Business checklist

Download the free workbook

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I once swore I’d never run a free challenge. And here I am, with two completed and done at the time this podcast goes live.

 

I blame my amazing client Sheryl Takayama, who is part of The Content Masterweb. As part of our coaching, I want my clients to explore any part of content marketing they need, and Sheryl wanted part of her activity to include a challenge.

 

Sheryl’s a weightloss coach, specialising in helping people thrive on a low carb lifestyle. Her challenge was based around sharing photos of food, trying recipes and winning food as prizes.

 

My challenge was on how to best use chatGPT - and was a fair bit more intense! (The challenge I’ve just run recently was on Tiktok and also intense. I’m sure it’s a marketing thing!)

 

Problem was, though I knew how to do it in theory, I had always avoided running one myself. As a coach who leads by example, something had to give.

 

So in February of this year, Sheryl and I both ran a challenge for our own businesses in the same week. This week happened to be a few days before a catastrophic Cyclone hit large areas of New Zealand. 

 

In this episode, we share what went well, and what didn’t. We talk about our decision to continue on in a time of stress, and what impact the challenge had on our business. 

 

We also share what we’d do differently next time.

 

If you’ve ever thought about running a challenge, or have and it didn’t go as expected, this is our honest take, or learning and advice for you as you make that call.

 

In this episode we cover:

• Why challenges can work
• What was happening the week of the challenge
• What we loved about the experience
• What we found tricky
• The results and impact to our business
• What we’d do differently the next time
• How we’d compare a challenge to other types of activity. 

 

Important Links

Connect with Sheryl

Come to Rachel's free TIKTOK challenge May 2023

Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops

Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web

Download the free workbook

Become a part of the MAP IT Marketing facebook group

Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme

Rachel’s YouTube Channel

Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you don’t know this deep inside your soul, if it’s not something you think about when you create your content, you might end up talking to the wrong sorts of people, or letting your ideal customers go to someone else

 

I was that once! I struggled to really own what I do for my clients. This was a mix of under valuing what I do best, taking my particular skills for granted, being too scared to narrow what I did, and having huge mindset issues around my own value.

 

It was also partly not having quite the right offer sorted that fitted both my skills and what the customer really needed.

 

Once I dug deep into working out what the customer really needed (and wanted, but wants don’t get the yes like a need), then everything changed.

 

We talk a lot about customer avatars, and needing to get a clear picture of who we need to sell to. And yes, you need to know who your ideal client is really well. But we also really need to know and understand ourselves and what we sell too

 

Plus - we’ll talk about imposter syndrome and why we need to hit that on the head.

 

So this episode is all about you. Why you, how it needs to be you, and what will happen if they don’t choose you. Because all of that will help you work out what you really need to say to your future customers.

In this episode we cover:

• Why we need to understand our customer first
• What working through this process might do to your business
• Why you? 
• What social proof counts and what doesn’t as much
• What people need to hear about your offer
• Why you’ve got to get uncomfortable to get the good stuff

 

 

 

Important Links

Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops

Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme

Rachel’s SUBSTACK

Rachel’s YouTube Channel

Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School

Become a part of our Facebook group

Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web

Download OUR free Face of your Business checklist

Download the free workbook

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s actually holding you back from seeing your business succeed the way you wanted to?

 

Have you fallen into the trap of working more, and never seeing growth? Or paying everyone else in your team but not yourself? (I did that once), or just forgotten that it’s ok to make money from a business you own and run?

 

Natalie Coombe is a pricing expert, specialising in working with women in business, paying themselves what they are worth, and growing profitable small businesses.

 

For our 100th episode she walks you through how to modify and change your mindset, talks about why it can be so hard to shift our thinking, and why we need to shake off the barriers of generational attitudes about making money.

 

This is the second time Natalie has been on the MAP IT Marketing podcast, and it was my reward to have her back on episode 100 to share her wisdom with you all. Let’s get working on our money mindset!

 

(and yes, if you are male you can 100% listen too :) )

In this episode we cover:

• Why women in particular can struggle with money mindset
• How to create steps to seeing the “bigger dream” picture
• What generational blocks we might be carrying around
• Why it’s really important to not be scared of budgets
• How to create a business you really want to have
• Why a successful business doesn’t mean you need to be “always on”
• How to grow it your way. 
• What Natalie Coombe can do to help your small business.

Other podcasts about Pricing to Listen to

Your Budget is not their Budget - with Natalie Coombe

What happens when you start charging what you are worth?

Important Links

Connect with Natalie

Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops

Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web

Download the free workbook

Become a part of the MAP IT Marketing facebook group

Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme

Rachel’s YouTube Channel

Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are strategic alliances and do you need them for your small business? How do they work, and what makes a good one? 

In this episode of MAP IT Marketing we walk though one of the most powerful marketing strategies of all, and it’s one that anyone can use, it’s not based around digital marketing and it can help your business continue to grow effectively.

A strategic alliance can help you extend your network, increase the coverage of your marketing and make getting new customers a breeze. The key is choosing the right partners.

In this episode we walk through why it’s better to work together than be ultra independent, how to find the right mix of businesses to be aligned with, whether it needs to be a two way arrangement, or if one way is just fine and whether money should exchange hands under this arrangement

I’m going to share with you what types of strategic alliances we have, my personal rules for who I align with and the positive impact they’ve had on my business. (Plus how I’ve built them without compromising my own values)

Whether you already have some on the go, or think this could be a very good move indeed, then learn how to make these really work for your business. Let’s get ready to build an alliance!

In this episode we cover:

• What a strategic alliance is
• Who you could build them with 
• How to work out the best way to manage them
• Whether there should be a financial arrangement
• What to do if it all goes wrong
• How to maximise the benefits
• Why this needs to be considered as part of your marketing strategy

 

Important Links

Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops

Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme

Rachel’s SUBSTACK

Rachel’s YouTube Channel

Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School

Become a part of our Facebook group

Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web

Download OUR free Face of your Business checklist

Download the free workbook

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When it comes to products on a shelf, what makes someone buy yours (unless it’s a firm favourite they buy all the time” is going to start with the packaging. 

Make it something your target market loves, and they’ll even perhaps be shifted from the same old favourite buy, and choose to check out your range instead.

Designing packaging is an art, and so much more goes into it than “I love that font, and that’s my favourite colour.”

 

Laura Feavearyear, founder and director of Creative Jam has been responsible for the packaging design for brands such as Dose and Co, Lemon Fresh, Dr Feelgood, and Frula Beauty. Her agency specialises in FMCG brands, and packaging design.

What makes Laura’s story so interesting is the rare eye condition she was born with that has left her partially sighted. This has helped her refine designs to make them stand out amongst your competitors.

Laura is so well informed about what it takes to move into Supermarkets, what they are looking for, and the process. In the episode we talk though what you need to be aware of if you are looking to make that move, what to do when deciding on what your packaging should look like, and why it is a good idea to start a regular Supermarket browsing habit. 

I was blown away by Laura’s knowledge, and insight in this episode - we could have gone on for hours! If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to be a successful brand, what to think about when it comes to product design, and what the process for getting into supermarkets is, this is the episode for you. 

In this episode we cover:

• What you need to know about product design in the FMCG space
• Why you need to do your competitor research
• When it’s the best time to do product photography
• The timeframes for getting your product ready for scale
• How you would work with a packaging designer
• How to work with Laura and Creative Jam

 

Other podcasts about Linkedin to Listen to

How Primrose and Co moved from markets to selling in stores

Pepper and Me - with Cherie Metcalfe\

 

Important Links

Connect with Laura

Check out Laura’s Work on Instagram

Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops

Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web

Download the free workbook

Become a part of the MAP IT Marketing facebook group

Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme

Rachel’s YouTube Channel

Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first time I got a Virtual Assistant it bombed. It wasn’t the VA’s fault. It was 100% mine. 

I knew I needed one, but actually my head and systems were too much in disarray to make it work. I felt their expectations pulling on me, and when I did brief them,  I wasn’t able to get the levels of work I wanted from them.

The bad news was it wasn’t their fault. The good news is, I fixed it.

We now have a completely remote team that includes a couple of Virtual Assistants and team members who also need structured guidelines and work. For us to grow as a business we needed to learn how to work best with a team that wasn’t always in the same office. 

One of the first things we recommend small business owners do is prepare to get one to two Virtual assistants. For us, we've got our NZ based kiwi marketing admins, and two VAs as well. Together this incredible group of people make it possible for us to get our work done, serve our clients and help with some of the more “admin-y” marketing tasks.

In today’s episode, we walk through what I recommend to do before you get a VA, what to look for, and how to ensure the working relationship stays positive and effective. 

We’ll also cover what I’ve learned from working with both offshore and NZ based Virtual Assistants, and why we use both. I’m also going to share how we keep on top of all the tasks and how using VAs, and our inhouse admin (remotely based) has helped me become more organised and on top of things as a small business owner

 

In this episode we cover:

• Why it’s a good idea to start using a VA
• Why we use both Domestic and off shore VAs and admin support
• What to look out for in a VA. (And should you have more than one?
• What we recommend to people who want to get started
• What mistakes I made the first time through.
• What we do now that reduces meeting time and confusion
• What the effect of using VAs has been on my own levels of organisation

 

Important Links

Come to Rachel’s Free content strategy workshops

Register interest for Rachel’s content coaching programme

Rachel’s SUBSTACK

Rachel’s YouTube Channel

Join the My MAP IT Marketing Strategy School

Become a part of our Facebook group

Buy your copy of Be a Spider, Build a Web

Download OUR free Face of your Business checklist

Download the free workbook

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.