The BrandUp Podcast

Do you really know what your clients want, or are you assuming? 

Our guest today is Katie Tucker, author of the newly released market research book for small business called Do Penguins Eat Peaches? Katie’s brilliant writing and practical tips make a dry subject feel interesting and manageable – a great plus for ADHD and other neurodivergent entrepreneurs!

Katie’s mission is to save you from your own assumptions, and help you find the real gold in your audience, through customer conversations.

Before you build your next offer or make your next product: STOP!! Listen to today’s episode about market research and why it’s an absolute must for all small businesses. 

In this episode you’ll learn about:

• The right time to do market research (hint: it’s always a good idea)
• The mindset shift that will save you time, money and help you avoid big mistakes
• How to ask good questions
• How interviewing your ideal clients builds loyal client relationships
• The power of “good enough” research (helpful for founders with ADHD)
• How testing by doing is a great hack for you if your ADHD brain doesn’t want to lose momentum

Curiosity really is the way to side-step the traps many entrepreneurs fall into when they’re “certain” they know what their clients want. Check out Katie’s book to find out more, and be sure to use the market research guides she’s created so you can get closer to your clients. 

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Resources:

Learn more about your audience on Answer the public and Also Asked. 

Order Katie’s book here https://www.productjungle.co.uk/book.

Sign up for Katie’s useful newsletter about market research here https://www.productjungle.co.uk/newsletter

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Katie Tucker is the author of the recently released market research book for small business called Do Penguins Eat Peaches? She is an inspirational product leader with over twelve years’ experience leading teams and delivering stand-out products and services. In 2020 she founded Product Jungle, helping hundreds of businesses understand customers better. She is also a mentor, speaker and the pen behind the popular newsletter Jungle Juice.

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Ready to focus on what you do best because marketing is easier, faster and more affordable? Then let’s talk. You can contact me via email here [email protected], on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/iamannedferguson/, or on LinkedIN here https://www.linkedin.com/in/annedferguson/. 

Let’s get everything you know about your brand out of your brain, so your business can grow. 

The BrandUp Podcast is produced by Decibelle Creative 

Are you distracted by marketing that keeps you busy, but doesn't lead you to the money?

Ashanti Bentil-Dhue isn’t. Instead, she’s building a legacy of lasting change with Good Soil Leaders, a business she built on her skills and unique delivery of diversity, equity and inclusion work.

Her methodology and language focus on bringing people closer instead of pushing them apart, and put clarity and competency at the center of everything. 

Find out how she and her team grew to be a global force for good, without wasting time on social media or going down marketing rabbit holes. Spoiler: you can do the same.

And learn how taking an unpopular position in her industry has meant Ashanti’s clients feel confident working with her, because her approach keeps emotion and advocacy out of the picture. 

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Ashanti Bentil-Dhue is the founder of Good Soil Leaders® which is an inclusive work culture training and coaching company specialising in helping diversity, equity and inclusion teams and professionals globally. 

She works with senior leaders to create lasting cultural change that makes workplaces safe and positive for everyone who works there. She’s a rebel in disguise, choosing effective, consistent and non-trendy relationship-based marketing to grow her successful business.

Find out more about Ashanti’s work here and connect with her on LinkedIN here.

If you’d like to talk to me about how to make marketing easier for your neurodivergent brain, drop me an email on [email protected] or connect with me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/iamannedferguson/ or on LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/annedferguson/

I’m always open to talking about your brand, and how we can take what’s in your brain and share it, so your business can grow. 

The BrandUp Podcast is produced by Decibelle Creative 

We’re BACK! Welcome to Season two of the BrandUp Podcast, where we talk all things brand, brains and voice.

Today’s guest is Helen Perry, a marketing expert who helps creative people market their thing online. Helen is brilliant at helping people get the word out with smart, fad-free marketing that works.

In this episode we talk about:

• How hard it can be to talk about what you do (spoiler: even the pros find it tricky)
• Why providing true value in your content is more important than being likeable
• How the lessons we’ve learned about being likeable keep us busy but not profitable
• The power and profit of email marketing
• How to truly connect with your audience
• And how important it is to always be the same everywhere you connect with people

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Helen Perry is an experienced marketer and former journalist who teaches busy, creative people to market their work online. She teaches her clients how to grow an engaged online community and rocking email list that supports their work. 

Helen hosts the highly popular #Just Bloody Post It podcast, which is one of my favourites. I highly recommend you listen to here. 

You can connect with Helen here and sign up here to receive her brilliant weekly email called The Switch here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/008-value-beats-people-pleasing-every-time-with-helen-perry/id1601735726?i=1000633165661

If you’d like to talk to me about how to make marketing easier for your neurodivergent brain, drop me an email on [email protected] or connect with me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/iamannedferguson/ or on LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/annedferguson/

I’m always open to talking about your brand, and how we can take what’s in your brain and share it, so your business can grow. 

The BrandUp Podcast is produced by Decibelle Creative

WELCOME BACK to The BrandUp Podcast, a show for neurodivergent founders and their friends who feel overwhelmed by marketing and know there is a better way. 

In this new series you’ll hear cracking conversations with experts who’ve stepped away from the shoulds and musts to craft marketing that works for their brains AND grows their business.

You’ll also hear occasional episodes like this one, where I’ll talk about how to market when your brain chases every new thought (squirrel!), or you feel overwhelmed by the immensity of a marketing task. 

This new episode is a bridge between the first series and today. When I started the podcast I expected to go great guns and be consistent.

Then life needed me, and my ADHD brain had other ideas. Chiefly: rest.

But I’m BACK, baby! And thrilled to be with you again. 

In this episode you’ll hear:

• What I’ve noticed about marketing when you’re a neurodivergent human, and why taking a break was a good idea (despite what the experts say)
• Why you might want to consider making joy your Chief Marketing Officer
• How opening up to a safe person on your team can free you up to do your best work

If you’d like to talk to me about how to make marketing easier for your neurodivergent brain, drop me an email on [email protected] or connect with me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/iamannedferguson/ or on LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/annedferguson/

I’m always open to talking about your brand, and how we can take what’s in your brain and share it, so your business can grow. 

This podcast is produced by Decibelle Creative - @decibelle_creative

Welcome to Season Two of The BrandUp podcast! This brand new series is packed with useful information about how to market and grow your business. All without drowning in the overwhelming marketing advice that works for some people – but not for your neurodivergent brain. 

If you’re looking to grow your brand and your business in a way that makes your brain and your bank balance happy, you’re in the right place. 

I created this podcast for neurodivergent business founders and our friends who are tired of feeling like marketing is all too much. To share different ways of spreading the word without running out of energy, time or money. 

Marketing can be more fun, much easier and a lot less exhausting when you keep your brain and its workings in mind – promise.

Season Two brings you cracking conversations with industry experts, solopreneurs on a mission to make change and people who run businesses in ways that suit their brains.

Every once in a while you’ll hear a solo episode, when I’ve got something that feels juicy and relevant enough to share. For the most part, though, you’ll be joining me and a brilliant guest to talk about marketing, brand voice and how to use both to stand out in a crowded marketplace.

So brew a cuppa and get ready to join us for useful, fun conversations about marketing that works. 

A new episode will drop every day next week, so be sure to share with your neurodivergent friends (and everyone else!) so we can get a rich conversation going.

Speak very soon, you brilliant being!

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If you’d like to get in touch to ask a question or to talk about your brand’s voice, drop me an email on [email protected] or connect with me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/iamannedferguson/ or on LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/annedferguson/

I’m always happy to learn about your brand, and to talk with you about how to take what’s in your brain and share it, so your business can grow. 

Can’t wait to share this season’s servings of brilliant insights about marketing with your neurodivergent brain in mind.

This podcast is produced by Decibelle Creative

In this episode:

• Being filter conscious.
• What’s driving your choices?
• The impact of internalising.
• Generative factors.

Did you know that internalised feelings can not only affect your speech but also the individual words your choose to use?  Anne walks through three main internal feelings, Trauma, Fear, and Shoulds to explain how each one of these factors can create restrictions to our brand voice.

Generative factors are those that help you to generate ideas, hooray! Context, Positioning, and Ready-to-receive are the elements that can helpfully shape your offering. Anne expertly explains how these generative factors can help you talk about your brand and your product.

Links & Resources:

Doors are now open to apply for Anne’s LOUD & CLEAR workshop. Sign-up here: https://voice.annedferguson.com/

Find Katie Tucker of Product Jungle here: https://www.productjungle.co.uk/

Ready to BrandUp, with Anne D Ferguson, brand voice and messaging strategist? Connect with Anne here: www.annedferguson.com// @iamannedferguson

Is there something you would like Anne to talk about on the BrandUp Podcast? Email your suggestions and feedback to [email protected] 

Love what you hear? Take a moment to leave a review, and perhaps you know another female founder who could use some brand voice guidance too? Thank you for helping us share The BrandUp Podcast far and wide.

The BrandUp podcast is produced by Decibelle Creative

In this episode:

• Be brand mindful.
• Branding Up.
• Discovering your brand values.
• Continuing development.

Anne brings more great analogies to help illustrate and clarify the difference between understanding why you need to find your brand voice and knowing where it can take your business. She sympathises that the process can be complex, sharing the difficulty she had with her own brand journey that led to her seeking help from a fellow brand strategist. 

Anne gives us another helpful client case study to highlight her Branding Up concept. Plus, an introduction into her passion for real estate as she gets loved up over tiny houses.  

Links & Resources:

Your brand voice is The Missing Piece. Sign-up for Anne’s free brand workshop here: https://voice.annedferguson.com/

Check out Anne's brand strategist Rebecca McKay-Miller here: https://www.blocandrose.com/

Ready to BrandUp, with Anne D Ferguson, brand voice and messaging strategist? Connect with Anne here: www.annedferguson.com// @iamannedferguson

Is there something you would like Anne to talk about on the BrandUp Podcast? Email your suggestions and feedback to [email protected] 

Love what you hear? Take a moment to leave a review, and perhaps you know another female founder who could use some brand voice guidance too? Thank you for helping us share The BrandUp Podcast far and wide.

The BrandUp podcast is produced by Decibelle Creative

In this episode:

• Brand language - how you use words.
• Why words matter and what they can do.
• Relaxing your audience and breaking the rules.
• Building a community.

To help emphasise the importance of brand language, Anne goes back to basics. She explains that how words are used and how we string them together can significantly impact the success of a business.

Anne talks through the three main functions of brand language and what to expect when you get it wrong. She shares some wisdom from researcher and academic Dr Brene Brown and discusses millionaire business leader, Gary Vaynerchuck, reflecting on his use of emotional language.

We get to hear another insightful case study of Anne’s as she teaches us about clarity, plus; why you shouldn’t throw spaghetti at the wall but can rip up the rule book. 

Links & Resources:

You can catch Jonathan Field’s WICKED Good Life Project podcast here: https://www.goodlifeproject.com/podcast/

Sign-up for Anne’s free brand workshop, The Missing Piece, here: https://voice.annedferguson.com/

Ready to BrandUp, with Anne D Ferguson, brand voice and messaging strategist? Connect with Anne here: www.annedferguson.com// @iamannedferguson

Is there something you’d like Anne to talk about on the BrandUp Podcast? Email your suggestions and feedback to [email protected] 

If you love what you hear please take a moment to leave a review, and perhaps you know another female founder who could use some brand voice guidance too? Thank you for helping us share The BrandUp Podcast far and wide.

The BrandUp podcast is produced by Decibelle Creative

• Setting boundaries with your brand.
• Being relevant.
• Creating space to get creative.

It’s time to stop taking things so personally when it comes to your brand. Anne discusses the importance of separating yourself from your brand and setting boundaries. She looks at the correlation between knowing your brand voice and understanding what content is (and isn't) relevant to share with your audience.

Anne also examines the personal space that can be created when imposing these boundaries, and how using this to explore creativity can be a great way to not only stimulate business growth, but improve your wellbeing as a business owner too.

Ready to BrandUp, with Anne D Ferguson, brand voice and messaging strategist? Connect with Anne here: www.annedferguson.com// @iamannedferguson

Sign-up for Anne’s free brand workshop, The Missing Piece, here: https://voice.annedferguson.com/

Is there something you’d like Anne to talk about on the BrandUp Podast? Email your suggestions and feedback to [email protected] 

If you love what you hear please take a moment to leave a review, and perhaps you know another female founder who could use some brand voice guidance too? Thankyou for helping us share The BrandUp Podcast far and wide.

The BrandUp podcast is produced by Decibelle Creative

• Brand voice disconnect 
• The concept of cognitive dissonance
• Closing the gap 

Anne delves into brand voice disconnect, looking at how and why it can make audiences uncomfortable and less likely to trust your business. Researching the medical version for this type of mental conflict, cognitive dissonance, Anne breaks down why this disconnect causes discomfort and, most importantly, how it can be fixed.

Applying the science in a way that’s easy to understand and sharing a client case study, Anne highlights what you can do to remain consistent with your brand voice and how to spot gaps between your brand, messaging, copy and language.

Ready to BrandUp, with Anne D Ferguson? Connect with Anne here: www.annedferguson.com// @iamannedferguson

Is there something you’d like Anne to talk about on the BrandUp Podast? Email your suggestions and feedback to [email protected] 

If you love what you hear please take a moment to leave a review, and perhaps you know another female founder who could use some brand voice guidance too? Thankyou for helping us share The BrandUp Podcast far and wide.

The BrandUp podcast is produced by Decibelle Creative