In this episode of the Talking Business Australia Podcast, we share 7 common mistakes we see on business websites and run through what you can do to improve each area.

We know small businesses are always looking for ways to improve their business and we hope that by highlighting these common website mistakes, we can help you to fix them and improve how potential customers use your website, and learn more about your business.

In this episode we cover:

•Issues with the speed of your website and how to determine the problems

•The importance of having an SSL certificate and website security through hosting

•The need for a site map to ensure your site can be indexed

•Setting up google analytics and the benefit of using google search console

•The importance of call to action buttons

•Ensuring your website has contact buttons in multiple locations

•The importance of contact forms and keeping them easy to fill out

•Including personal touches on your website like photos of yourself and your team

•Ensuring that you have a click-to-call and click-to-email functionality on your websitr

Links mentioned in the show:

•Talking Business Australia Website

•Talking Business Australia Facebook

•Talking Business Australia Instagram

Find Cath at:

•The Digital Laneway Website

•The Digital Laneway Facebook

•The Digital Laneway Instagram

Find Mel at:

•Regional Roar Website

•Regional Roar Facebook

•Regional Roar Instagram

In this episode of Talking Business Australia, we chat with Jahna Koehler from Keeping Balance. We learn her top tips to help business owners bring balance to their business and their life.

Jahna is a business manager, coach and consultant who helps business owners achieve their own version of balance through systems, processes and management strategies. She's on a mission to help business owners who are time-poor, take control of their business, so they feel confident in growing a successful, sustainable, and profitable business.

In this episode we cover:

•The benefit of sharing past experiences and helpful tools with business owners who might be struggling

•The difficulties and stressors associated with starting a business

•The importance of taking time out to focus on our health and wellbeing

•Holding yourself and your employees accountable

•The power of outsourcing

•The importance of overseeing work even if you're not the one doing it

•How to find balance when running a business

Links mentioned in the show:

•Keeping Balance Website

•Keeping Balance Instagram

•Talking Business Australia Website

•Talking Business Australia Facebook

•Talking Business Australia Instagram

Find Cath at:

•The Digital Laneway Website

•The Digital Laneway Facebook

•The Digital Laneway Instagram

Find Mel at:

•Regional Roar Website

•Regional Roar Facebook

•Regional Roar Instagram

In this episode of Talking Business Australia, we chat with Julia Spicer from Engage & Create Consulting.

Julia runs her business, Engage & Create Consulting from Goondiwindi, South West Queensland. Engage & Creates' focus is to support the viability and vibrancy of businesses and community organisations across regional Australia.

Julia works with regional communities across the country on a range of projects, with a focus on identifying needs in business and implementing creative solutions to address them. Her passion lies with small businesses, sustainable agriculture, and regional women in leadership.

In 2018, Julia was honoured to be one of the 100 Faces of Small Business for Queensland Government and listed as one of the Australian Financial Review 100 Women of Influence Award. In 2017, Julia won the Queensland Rural, Regional and Remote business owner of the year. Julia was listed as one of the 100 Women in Australian Agribusiness in 2014 and was a finalist in the community contribution category.

In this episode we cover:

How rural and remote communities are best placed to support women and their skills when they move into the area

The necessity of staying strong and resilient when living and running a business rurally

The more time & money it takes to start a business when you're living rurally

How the networks you can establish in rural and regional Australia are second to none

The beauty of starting your own business and embedding your own vision into what you do

Links mentioned in the show:

•Engage & Create Consulting Facebook

•The Goondiwindi Business Hub Facebook

•Talking Business Australia Website

•Talking Business Australia Facebook

•Talking Business Australia Instagram

Find Cath at:

•The Digital Laneway Website

•The Digital Laneway Facebook

•The Digital Laneway Instagram

Find Mel at:

•Regional Roar Website

•Regional Roar Facebook

•Regional Roar Instagram

In this episode of Talking Business Australia, we chat with Simone Kain co-owner of creative agency Hello Friday, and the co-founder and author of award-winning educational brand George the Farmer.

With a vision for all children to connect to the earth, food, and farm, the George the Farmer brand encompasses picture storybooks, free curriculum-aligned teacher resources, stage performances, and paddock to plate short films which can be viewed on YouTube and ABCTV.

Simone sits on various boards and has received a number of awards including the NAB Women's Agenda Regional Entrepreneur of the Year, Brand SA Flinders Education Award, and national runner-up in the AgriFutures Rural Women's Award.

In this episode we cover:

•What goes into creating an inspirational children's character

•The importance of teaching children about the reality of farming

•The support you receive when you start a business regionally

•How the freedom that comes with living rurally can serve as a creative inspiration

•Staying true to your brand

Links mentioned in the show:

•George the Farmer Website

•George the Farmer Instagram

•Talking Business Australia Website

•Talking Business Australia Facebook

•Talking Business Australia Instagram

Find Cath at:

•The Digital Laneway Website

•The Digital Laneway Facebook

•The Digital Laneway Instagram

Find Mel at:

•Regional Roar Website

•Regional Roar Facebook

•Regional Roar Instagram

A big thank you to Feedspot Blog Reader for featuring Talking Business Australia in their list of top 45 Australian marketing podcasts you must follow in 2021. Check out the list below!

https://blog.feedspot.com/australian_marketing_podcasts/

In this episode of Talking Business Australia, we chat with Cara Peek from The Cultural Intelligence Project.

Cara Peek is a Yawuru/Bunuba woman and lawyer by profession. Having worked primarily in Native Title Law, Cara now focuses her skills as Head of Innovation and co-founder at the Cultural Intelligence Project, an independent director of the National Rural Women's Coalition, Rural Women of the Year for WA, and Churchill Fellow.

In this episode we cover:

•The freedom that comes with being a small business owner

•The Lack of resources & opportunities afforded to those living rurally

•Being able to provide real solutions to people who need them

•The importance of building and maintaining networks

Links mentioned in the show:

•The Cultural Intelligence Project Website

• The Cultural Intelligence Project Instagram

•Talking Business Australia Website

•Talking Business Australia Facebook

•Talking Business Australia Instagram

Find Cath at:

•The Digital Laneway Website

•The Digital Laneway Facebook

•The Digital Laneway Instagram

Find Mel at:

•Regional Roar Website

•Regional Roar Facebook

•Regional Roar Instagram

In this episode of the Talking Business Australia Podcast, we explore 7 free and low budget marketing ideas for your business. We know that small businesses are always looking for ways to spread their marketing budget further, so we've put together our top ideas for where you might like to focus your attention.

In this episode we cover:

•The importance of having a Google My Business account

•Posting & engaging on social media organically

•Social media advertising

•Email marketing and the importance of customer data

•SMS marketing

•Attending networking events and business groups

•Customer referral and loyalty programs

Links mentioned in the show:

•Talking Business Australia Website

•Talking Business Australia Facebook

•Talking Business Australia Instagram

Find Cath at:

•The Digital Laneway Website

•The Digital Laneway Facebook

•The Digital Laneway Instagram

Find Mel at:

•Regional Roar Website

•Regional Roar Facebook

•Regional Roar Instagram

In this episode of Talking Business Australia, we chat with Jo Palmer from Pointer Remote.

Jo founded Pointer Remote after noticing a gap in the market for connecting employers with the educated and talented candidates available in regional, rural, and remote areas. Jo is motivated by the new global attitude towards remote work and what this means for rural communities attracting new populations.

In this episode we cover:

•The positives of working from home

•The importance of challenging misconceptions of people living rurally

•The resilience of people who live in regional, remote, and rural areas

•How to market yourself and your rural location

•The power of financial independence

Links mentioned in the show:

•Pointer Remote Website

•Talking Business Australia Website

•Talking Business Australia Facebook

•Talking Business Australia Instagram

Find Cath at:

•The Digital Laneway Website

•The Digital Laneway Facebook

•The Digital Laneway Instagram

Find Mel at:

•Regional Roar Website

•Regional Roar Facebook

•Regional Roar Instagram

In this episode of the Talking Business Australia Podcast, we chat with Ange Taylor, founder of Country Allure.

Ange founded Country Allure in 2017 from outback Queensland. Her business has continued to go from strength to strength, fast becoming one of Australia's leading lifestyle brands. Ange is passionate about closing the gap between our city sisters and country queens, with a focus on design classical pieces that remain authentic and of the high quality the brand has become known for.

In this episode we cover:

· How to tackle self-doubt and imposter syndrome

· The importance of chasing your career goals

· Letting go of the fear of failing and how to just have a go

· The advantages of running a business in a rural area

· The challenges of working full time whilst establishing a business

Links mentioned in the show:

•Country Allure Website

•Country Allure Instagram

•The Confident CEO Instagram

•Talking Business Australia Website

•Talking Business Australia Facebook

•Talking Business Australia Instagram

Find Cath at:

•The Digital Laneway Website

•The Digital Laneway Facebook

•The Digital Laneway Instagram

Find Mel at:

•Regional Roar Website

•Regional Roar Facebook

•Regional Roar Instagram

In this episode of the Talking Business Australia Podcast, we dive into email marketing and share our top ten email marketing tips for small businesses. Email marketing continues to be one of the most effective ways you can reach your customers and is equally important for those running small businesses.

In this episode we cover:

•The importance of creating a strong marketing list and choosing the right email marketing software

•What you should and shouldn't be including in your email subject lines

•Email automation and how to use welcome emails effectively

•Email design and how to effectively incorporate images and graphics

•Call to actions, email scheduling, and how to keep your email marketing personal

Links mentioned in the show:

•Talking Business Australia Website

•Talking Business Australia Facebook

•Talking Business Australia Instagram

Find Cath at:

•The Digital Laneway Website

•The Digital Laneway Facebook

•The Digital Laneway Instagram

Find Mel at:

•Regional Roar Website

•Regional Roar Facebook

•Regional Roar Instagram

In this episode of the Talking Business Australia Podcast, we chat with Kym O'Leary from Co Gear.

Kym founded Co Gear back in 2013, originally known as 'She's Empowered' - a brand that identified a need for maternity workwear. She's Empowered was initially focused on empowering women within the workplace by providing workwear options that catered to the needs of pregnant women. After much success within the women's maternity range and crucial support from large companies promoting diversity and inclusion, the brand expanded into workwear that catered for all women's sizes and shapes.

In this episode we cover:

•How your place of employment and its culture can provide the perfect opportunity to create a business idea.

•The difficulties working regionally and trying to keep connected.

•Building up resilience. How that helps with building a business.

•The process and journey taken to cement your position in an industry.

•Getting it right by listening to your customers.

•The challenges that come from a ramp up in business, logistically and keeping momentum going.

•The payoff that comes from keeping your products inclusive for everyone.

•How to make a change, the significance of keeping your eyes open and self-belief.

Links mentioned in the show:

•Co Gear Website

•Co Gear Instagram

•Talking Business Australia Website

•Talking Business Australia Facebook

•Talking Business Australia Instagram

Find Cath at:

•The Digital Laneway Website

•The Digital Laneway Facebook

•The Digital Laneway Instagram

Find Mel at:

•Regional Roar Website

•Regional Roar Facebook

•Regional Roar Instagram