This weeks episode I’m joined by Sallie King who started her business urbansize in 2015 leaving behind a career in law to establish her own business creating stylish furniture for small spaces. 

Slowly, establishing her business through etsy, not on the high street and DTC, We are debunking the overnight success myth and focusing on real stories, real business , real life 

Her innovative floating bedside tables began to take off with sales initially coming from Etsy,  Sallie shares how she reimagined the product to drive more sales adapting her business to the changing consumer landscape

Some of the key takeaways are:

• Getting validation for your business can give you more confidence and motivation. 
• Starting a business with one product is possible, and diversifying with variations of that product can be a smart growth strategy.
• If copycats emerge, take immediate action. 
• Explore marketing solutions such as blogging, & PR so you are not solely reliant on social media.
• Showing up on social media as an introvert 
• Knowing when to expand - Using a fullfilment center meant Sallie could expand her business faster and increase her income. 

Links 

Sallie King 

https://www.instagram.com/miss.sallieking/

https://www.instagram.com/urbansize_home

https://urbansize.co.uk/

Nicole Higgins Links 

https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/

https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/

https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/

https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/

https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/

Neon Digital Clicks 

Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.  

Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! 

So whether your sales have plateaued or you’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. 

Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. 

https://scaleandglow.com/

https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/

https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/neon-digital-clicks/about/

Want to smash your Q4 in your product business without feeling drained come January! 

Lucy Haslam is the founder of children's lifestyle brand Acorn & Pip, a bricks and mortar store & cafe established in West Yorkshire with a thriving online presence.  Established over 5 years ago with the customer, mindfulness and authenticity at its core. 

In this episode, Lucy shares her Q4 retail checklist so that you can make the most of the last quarter of the year and goes through her tips focusing on sales, logistics, operations and marketing.  Lucy now also works with SME founders through her coaching business and shares her inside tips and secrets to help them build their own successful business. 

Some of the key takeaways are:

Engaging beyond the sales

How to maximise your marketing efforts 

Practical strategies for success 

Evaluating and planning for the business both before and after q4.

Lucy Haslam 

https://www.instagram.com/acornandpip/

https://www.instagram.com/acornandpip/

https://start.coachingwithlucy.co.uk/checkout-q4-retail-checklist

https://acornandpip.com/

Nicole Higgins 

Links 

Nicole Higgins 

The Buyer and retail coach 

Nicole Higgins Links 

https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/

https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/

https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/

https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/

https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/

If you have been in business a few years now then you might be thinking should I rebrand? Or perhaps you started your brand on a shoe string and it doesn't really fit anymore with where you want to take the brand and your business.

This weeks podcast episode with Aiza Cheung founder of Sudio Coya we chat about rebranding and signs that Your business may need a branding overhaul.

Some of the areas we chatted about are

How does branding play a role in attracting your target audience and positioning your products?

What are some triggers that indicate it may be time for a rebrand?

What are some signs that your branding is not standing out in the market?

How does a shift in products or target market affect the need for rebranding?

When should entrepreneurs start prioritising branding, especially if they are starting out on a lean budget?

How can rebranding help a business move to the next level, such as getting into retailers?

What are some small, refreshing changes that can be made to a brand without a complete overhaul?

Aiza Founder of Studio Coya has worked with large and smaller brands for over 15 years on branding and brand strategy. Her passion is to help businesses strategically craft their branding. One that stands out and speaks to the right audience.

Website: studiocoya.com

Instagram: instagram.com/studiocoya

Free quiz: studiocoya.com/quiz

Brand Recipe: studiocoya.com/brand-recipe

Links

Nicole Higgins

The Buyer and retail coach

Nicole Higgins Links

https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/

https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/

https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/

https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/

https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/

Todays Guest Rebecca McCann Founder of Pro blo group and sleep london, her mantra is say yes and make it happen and grabs every opportunity. Rebecca was inspired by her love of a blow-dry and a broken hair brush.  With a vision to create a product range that was luxury yet affordable,

Currently, Problogroup is in its ninth year and has achieved global recognition, selling in over 850 different countries. 

Rebecca decided to venture into a new business and launched Sleep London. Drawing from her experiences with Problo , she implemented the lessons learned and saw tremendous growth and success in a shorter period of time. 

Just like its predecessor, Sleep London has also expanded globally, reaching customers from all around the world.

Rebecca's achievements with her brands have inspired her to support and teach others how to replicate her success. 

She has started tapping into her knowledge and expertise to guide and mentor aspiring entrepreneurs, sharing her proven strategies and methods. With a passion for helping others, Rebecca is determined to empower individuals to achieve their goals and create thriving businesses of their own.

In this episode we chat about 

Starting Imperfectly and Evolving: Rebecca encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to just start and not wait for a perfect product or plan. She emphasises the value of getting feedback, making necessary changes along the way, and not spending years in pursuit of perfection.

Identifying Market Opportunities: Despite challenges in the UK market, Rebecca saw potential in the Middle East, where the supply chain was less affected. She successfully launched her brand, Sleep, targeting prestigious retailers like Bloomingdale's and Sephora in the Middle East, and later expanded to the UK.

Embracing Manifestation with Action: Rebecca initially had doubts about manifestation but learned its power through a conversation with a spiritual friend. She realised that manifestation involves visualising goals and taking concrete action towards achieving them. Hard work is essential for manifestation to come to fruition.

Leveraging Opportunities and Branding: Rebecca's business, initially aimed at selling on eBay, changed its trajectory when well-known figures like Cassie Lomas and Colleen Rooney expressed interest. This allowed her to focus on product branding and packaging, highlighting the importance of getting the product in front of the ideal customer consistently.

Rebecca Mccann 
https://www.instagram.com/rebeccamccann___/
https://sales.rebeccamccann.com/sleigh-the-season/
https://www.problogroup.com/
https://sleeplondoninc.com/

Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links 
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/

Eimer Kelly from The Creative Handle, a social media marketing expert, will be sharing her insights on what's working on TikTok and how to make the most of the platform

Some of the topics shared on this weeks episode are 

- Importance of authenticity on TikTok

- The value of behind-the-scenes content on TikTok

- How TikTok's less curated platform benefits small businesses

- Adding value to TikTok content through humor or education

- Using comments to engage with viewers and drive more engagement

- Tips on saving time with TikTok, including drafts and pre-recorded content

- Where to start with a TikTok strategy

Links 

https://www.instagram.com/thecreativehandle_/

Nicole Higgins 

The buyer and retail coach 

Nicole Higgins 

The Buyer and retail coach 

Nicole Higgins Links 

https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/

https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/

https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/

https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/

https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/

Financing your dream brand can sometimes feel like a mammoth task

This weeks episode of start scale succeed I chat with Jeroo Doodhmal founder of a sustainable childrenswear footwear brand on how she secured over 400k of grant funding to develop her brand Pip and Henry.

Jeroo shares her insights into where to find grants and how to apply,

These are some of her top tips listen to episode 110 to find out more.

1. Research and prioritize grants that align with your specific business needs and objectives. Different grants have different focuses and criteria, so it's important to find the ones that best match your goals.
2. Seek feedback and advice from others who have successfully applied for and won grants. Connecting with individuals who have gone through the grant application process can provide valuable insights and tips for improving your own application.
3. Be persistent and apply to multiple grants. The competition for grants can be tough, so increasing your odds of success by applying to multiple grants is recommended. The feedback and evaluation from each application can also help you refine and improve future applications.
4. Utilize customer insights and data to strengthen your grant application. Providing data, statistics, customer testimonials, and evidence of customer research can bolster your claims and assertions in the application.
5. Demonstrate progress and effective use of previous grant funding. Grant bodies are more likely to provide additional funding if they see evidence of progress and effective utilization of previous grants. Showcasing incremental gains and building upon previous funding achievements can increase your chances of securing further funding.

Pip & Henry

Founder Jeroo Doodhmal

https://pipandhenry.com/

https://www.instagram.com/pip_and_henry/

Nicole Higgins

The buyer and retail coach

Nicole Higgins

The Buyer and retail coach

Nicole Higgins Links

https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/

https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/

https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/

https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/

https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/

Barbie has grossed $1billion dollars in the last 17 days  

Unless you’ve been  living under a rock you’ll would’ve seen the marketing efforts from pink wrapped houses in the hollywood hills to clothing collaborations with Primark 

But as a small business or a start up you won’t have the same kind of budgets to promote your brand or your launch. 

But what can you do. 

Today I’m joined by Steven Moffat of organic publicity who played a part in the UK launch of Barbie and he is going to share his top tips on what marketing you can do when you are launching and how to really connect and create experiences for your target market. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Establish your elevator pitch that connects with your audience. 

Engage people's imaginations: Find creative ways to capture the attention of your target audience, even on a limited budget.

• Persistence is key: Stay motivated and continue promoting your product or service, even if the initial results are slow. Building momentum and generating buzz are crucial for success.
• Provide continuous updates: Keep the conversation and interest going by providing information about upcoming episodes or releases. This helps maintain engagement with your audience.
• Target the right audience: It's important to target your marketing efforts to the specific audience that is most likely to be interested in your product or service. Avoid a one-size-fits-all approach and tailor your content to the right market segment.
• Branding and storytelling: Create a narrative arc and find creative ways to communicate your message. Focus on branding elements that tie back to your elevator pitch and make your product easily identifiable. Tell the story of your product or service in an emotionally connecting way to build brand awareness.
• Provide value to customers: Instead of just selling to them, focus on providing value and benefits to your customers. User-generated content that is emotionally driven can be more effective in marketing than brand claims.
• Think creatively: Even if your product or service seems dry or straightforward, there is always a creative way to represent and communicate it. Use techniques like the "apple test" and the "keyhole test" to uncover emotional layers and hidden meanings behind your product.
• Have a global mindset: Consider how your product or business can be positioned in the market on a global scale, even if you don't have an international marketing team. Think about how to make the overall view of your product or business specific to certain key targets or markets.

Overall, the key is to engage people's imaginations, stay persistent, target the right audience, tell a compelling story, provide value, think creatively, and have a global mindset in your launch strategy.

CONTACT METHOD
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/steven-moffett-8832a3
Https://www.organic-marketing.co.uk

Finding the right suppliers is key to the success of your business. In this episode I talk through where to find suppliers.
What questions you need to ask and what they will need from you.
Are you a small business owner looking for tips on finding the right supplier and pricing your products? Look no further!
We dive deep into the world of sourcing suppliers and calculating product prices.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Ask the right questions when narrowing down potential suppliers. Background information, minimum order quantity, and an understanding of their requirements are important factors to consider. 
• Consider where you want your products to be manufactured. Manufacturing in the UK offers benefits like smaller quantity purchase, ease of logistics, and the ability to visit factories. However, labor costs are higher. 
• Calculate your product price based on factors such as fabric, labor, trims, packaging, shipping, and logistics. 
• So whether you're a budding entrepreneur or an established business owner, this episode is a must-listen to help you navigate the complex world of sourcing suppliers and pricing your products.

VALUABLE RESOURCES

The Buyer and retail coach 

Nicole Higgins Links 

https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/

https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/

https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/

https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/

https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/

Scared of selling and feel uncomfortable asking for the sale?
This week Fashion brand consultant Elizabeth Stile Joins me on the podcast to chat selling with ease and without feeling salesy
Elizabeth, dives deep into the world of sales and provides valuable insights on how to effortlessly promote your business and connect with customers.
One of the key takeaways from this episode is the importance of actively promoting what you have to offer. Many people underestimate the interest their customers have in their products, leading to missed opportunities. Nicole and Elizabeth emphasize the need to make it crystal clear that you have something for sale when promoting your business.
Creating desirability for your products is another crucial aspect discussed. Limited runs and a sense of scarcity can increase sales significantly. People want what others want, so portraying a lack of interest in your products is a big no-no. Instead, focus on building momentum and showcasing positive feedback to generate interest and desire in potential customers.
A central theme explored throughout the episode is the importance of approaching sales from a point of service. It's not just about selling; it's about genuinely solving problems or providing pleasure for your customers. Nicole and Elizabeth stress the value of equal exchange and encourage sellers to overcome the fear of undercharging.

Key Takeaways
1/Many businesses assume their customers aren't interested in what they have to offer and therefore don't promote it enough. But the truth is, the real reason their products don't sell is because they haven't actively sold them.n

2/ When promoting your business, it's important to make it clear that you have something for sale. There's a fine line between sharing personal aspects of your life and promoting your products, but it's crucial to provide details about availability, pricing, and launch times. 

3/ Building up momentum and showcasing positive feedback can generate interest and desire in potential customers. Approach sales from a point of service, adding a call to action to everything and taking the emotion out of selling. It's about creating value for both parties. 

4/ Personalize your interactions with customers by using their names when messaging them. This creates a sense of being seen, heard, and respected. Connecting with your audience on an emotional, human level is crucial for building lasting relationships. 

5/ To create a personal connection, consider sending voice notes. Not only does it lead to immediate responses, but it also helps build an emotional bond with customers. Sharing personal experiences and emotions allows customers to see themselves in you and builds trust. 

6/ People don't only follow for a nice product, but also to connect with the person behind it. Using DMs and voice notes creates a conversation-like atmosphere that helps build relationships. Showcasing your personality helps customers relate to you and your brand. 

7/ Your product should solve a problem or provide pleasure for your customers. They buy based on the perception of great value, desirability, or a cheap price. Don't compete solely on price, but strategically discount to attract customers. 

8/ Highlight the unique value and desirability of your product compared to competitors. Providing detailed information about your product's features and benefits can help attract customer interest. Remember to show your face in videos to build desirability and accelerate the customer journey. 

9/ Clear communication and guiding customers are crucial. People often like being told what to do, so provide reasons for your customers to stay engaged. You play the role of a traffic signaler, guiding them through their journey and creating a smooth experience. 

Recommendations
Words that sell 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Words-that-Sell-Revised-Expanded/dp/0071467858/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3JMPTUZOXOHN5&keywords=words+that+sell&qid=1690318903&sprefix=words+that+sell%2Caps%2C80&sr=8-1

How to be a bad ass at making money
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=how+to+be+a+badass+at+making+money&crid=1Q660YM579ZU&sprefix=how+to+be+a+badda%2Caps%2C91&ref=nb_sb_ss_sc_1_16

Oversubscribed 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Oversubscribed-How-People-Lining-Business/dp/0857088254/ref=sr_1_1?crid=AQG2XYZW83EZ&keywords=oversubscribed+daniel+priestley&qid=1690318863&sprefix=oversubscrib%2Caps%2C79&sr=8-1

Nicole Higgins Links 
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/

Elizabeth Stiles
https://www.elizabethstiles.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/elizabethstilesuk/