THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNER PODCAST with Rachel Klaver

The demand for our attention is growing everyday. So how do we stand out in a crowd of voices? Today I’m so excited to introduce to you Lisa from Curvature clothing, whose instagram stories are often one of my favourite ways to time waste.

One of the activities I ask many of our clients to do is instagram stories. This is for a few reasons

First it’s a great way to build a deeper relationship with your existing audience

It’s a great place to sell your services or product

And (and this is my key selling point… if it wasn’t very good it disappears after 24 hours!

However our guest today makes stories I wish we could keep

I was already invested in her brand Curvature clothing because she does what I ask so many people to do - when she’s talking to the camera it really feels like you are right in the room with her

She involves people in the design process, and talks through options

But it was her series around bizarre Adelaide crimes that really caught my attention - to the point I was making my entire family stop and watch and read along with me

Lisa used to work in a prison, now she work in fashion. she got so fed up with not loving anything that was available for me to wear, that she set about creating an option for women who felt the same.

Curvature is slow fashion and 100% made to order.

And today - we’re talking all about instagram stories.

During this episode we discuss the following:

• Why Lisa started her business


• How Lisa has used stories to help fidikn her people and feel less isolated


• Why Lisa uses stories to get feedback from her audience


• How stories about crime helped tie into her new range of clothes


• What Lisa finds weird about social media as a whole


• Plus I make her tell the funny story about the potatoes inside the washing machine (it’s worth turning into this podcast just for that!)

Links:

Curvature Clothing

Curvature Clothing on Instagram

IMPORTANT LINKS MENTIONED DURING MAP IT MARKETING EPISODES

MAP IT Marketing Facebook group

Identify’s Free Events and Webinars

Identify Marketing Instagram

Identify Marketing Facebook Page

Rachel Klaver Website

Identify Marketing NZ Website

Identify Marketing Australian Website

Rachel Klaver - Linkedin

Rachel Klaver - Youtube

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Primrose and Co is about putting nature first. So we put nature at the heart of our decisions about our business” - Sarah Primrose

“Going to the markets is like going to see your family every week. It’s been one of the best things for us, including getting to network with other small businesses” - Sarah Primrose

“You can get stuck on a treadmill, to keep that cashflow going, because you’re having to show up all the time in person, and then COVID comes and breaks that treadmill and you realise you’ve built a business with a lot of risk.” - Rachel Klaver

“There’s a perception of what people will pay at a market, and it’s not the same as what someone will pay for at a store” - Sarah Primrose

“I just had this moment where I thought yes, I’m ready to do this. I knew if I didn’t I was going to hate myself so I made myself do it” - Sarah Primrose

“I love working and collaborating with people, sharing knowledge. But I’m having conflicting feelings as some of what we do now I’ve worked so hard to learn and discover. Sometimes I know I need to protect my IP even though I want to be open.” - Sarah Primrose

Living by your own strong ethics around consumerism and the environment while growing a manufacturing and ecommerce business is not without its challenges.

Our guest today - Sarah Primrose, the creator and founder of Primrose and Co has managed to do just that, and successfully moved her business from one that sells at markets, to a brand that is now sold online, and via a range of retailers both here in New Zealand and beyond.

Sarah’s background as a chef, food stylist, menu and recipe developer, nature explorer, avid gardener, keeper of chickens and sheep has helped her create a business that truly reflects her own style and passions. She grows some of the flowers in her products on her beautiful lifestyle block surrounded by gardens, native bush and rolling hills, where she lives with her partner Scott and a menagerie of dogs, cats and other animals. 

Primrose & Co is all about knowing where things come from, where they end up & how we can live more sustainably with Earth Mother & Our Planet. Putting nature at the heart of her decisions, Sarah’s entire brand message is seen through the types of packaging she uses, and how she aligns herself with other businesses and influencers. She’s worked hard to create product packaging that’s refillable, reusable or compostable as part of her sustainability values.

She’s definitely had to step over more than her fair share of hurdles and had to take risks to see the growth the business is now experiencing. 

I’ve had the privilege to watch the progress of Sarah’s business right from the early days, personally use her products and last year we got to work alongside Sarah. I consider her one of the most “sunshiny” people I know.  She truly lives and breathes her values, and this podcast will inspire anyone with big dreams and goals, but has started off small, with a tiny budget. 

During this episode we discuss the following:

1. How small businesses have the flexibility to change and adapt


2. The importance of growing a business that fits in with your ethics and values


3. When and how to take the leaps towards growth


4. The importance of having people around you to be your cheerleaders


5. The lessons learned in moving from markets to retail stores


6. The importance of growing and maintaining a trusted brand

IMPORTANT LINKS FOR THIS EPISODE

Primrose and Co

https://www.instagram.com/primroseandco_nz/

https://www.facebook.com/primroseandconz

https://www.tiktok.com/@primroseandconz?lang=en

IMPORTANT LINKS MENTIONED DURING MAP IT MARKETING EPISODES

MAP IT Marketing Facebook group

Identify’s Free Events and Webinars

Identify Marketing Instagram

Identify Marketing Facebook Page

Rachel Klaver Website

Identify Marketing NZ Website

Identify Marketing Australian Website

Rachel Klaver - Linkedin

Rachel Klaver - Youtube

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Goats in trees aren’t going “Hey, you know what? Today I’m going to be world famous by climbing into a tree.” They’re just doing normal stuff. It’s us that finds it interesting” - Rachel Klaver

“So many business owners are stuck about what to write about for social media because all they see is a boring business. Your potential customers don’t see your business that way at all!” - Rachel Klaver

“Think about your “goat in a tree” wisdom - all that insider knowledge and things that you find easy, but your customers and fans don’t. That’s gold content for your social media” - Rachel Klaver

“We’re talking about anything that helps people build a relationship with you, and helps them know that you’re the person they’ll buy from when they are ready” - Rachel Klaver

“Give people a glimpse about what it might be like to get to work with you.” - Rachel Klaver

If there’s one thing that I hear from business owners (especially my clients!), it’s that it’s hard to come up with great content for special media

Part of the issue of course, is that not everyone is a writer. And we all have writing blocks we need to get over. 

Part of it is a fear that we’ll get it wrong on social media

And part of it’s a fear that you’ll go to all that effort and find out that it’s all a waste of time

I can’t fix all of that in this podcast, but I can help give you a framework for how to write better content by learning to be a Goat in a Tree

Whether you are writing all your own content, or getting someone else to do it, it’s super important that you, as the business owner, take time to work this framework out. This is your business, and it’s your voice that needs to come through everything you do.

Being a goat in a tree is learning to see all the interesting parts of your business you take for granted every day. 

Here’s what we include in your goat in a tree content:

1. Answering frequently asked questions


2. Talking about your “goat in a tree” wisdom and industry specific knowledge


3. Giving a glimpse of what it would be like to work with you

Add to this posts that share your core offers, you and your team, and a little bit of fun and you’ve got a great bank of content

Take the time to write great content, and store it all in a spreadsheet. Great content can be used more than once. (and be sure to look out for Episode 16 where we map out how to write great social media captions)

During this episode we discuss the following:

• Why we often find our business boring to write about


• What people really want to see on your social media


• Why you need to think like a goat in a tree


• Why this sort of content works by removing objections


• What sort of content you need to create


• How this method builds out a strong content base for your marketing


• How to use this no matter what sort of business you have

IMPORTANT LINKS FOR THIS EPISODE

FREE BRAINSTORMING CONTENT PLANNER 

STUFF BLOG: How to be a goat in a tree

Our MAP IT  Express Event (July)

Our MAP IT Express Event (August)

IMPORTANT LINKS MENTIONED DURING MAP IT MARKETING EPISODES

MAP IT Marketing Facebook group

Identify’s Free Events and Webinars

Identify Marketing Instagram

Identify Marketing Facebook Page

Rachel Klaver Website

Identify Marketing NZ Website

Identify Marketing Australian Website

Rachel Klaver - Linkedin

Rachel Klaver - Youtube

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“There’s always ways to help your business stand out in a crowded marketplace” - Jo Murphy

“The ultimate goal of the algorithm is to show people content that they will like, that starts conversations, and they actively seek out.” - Jo Murphy

“Good marketing is something that other people are drawn to and want to become a part of it” -  Jo Murphy

“Loving on your existing customers is something that people often don’t do enough. Email marketing is such a great way to show that love” - Jo Murphy

I am not sure if it’s because for years I did it really tough, or it’s my stubborn independence, but I hate wasting money. (Unless it’s money I want to waste - you know, like on clothes!)

I work with so many businesses who’ve burned through scary amounts of money on digital advertising for little reward. It’s heartbreaking to be honest! 

That’s why I’m so pleased Jo Murphy is with me today - I’ve watched her over two years give amazing, careful and considered advice, often in great detail in Facebook groups for free.

She’s someone I immensely respect and admire. 

Her niche is working primarily with environmentally friendly eCommerce businesses, but her advice is for all eCommerce businesses and can also be extended beyond that for all small businesses wanting to use Facebook ads to grow their audience, get leads and make sales. 

Jo Murphy left the halls of academia in 2013 to pursue a career as a freelance digital marketer. She specialises in Facebook and Instagram, works primarily with environmentally friendly eCommerce businesses, and once sent a slinky down the staircase of a ten storey building. 

As an active contributor in some of Australia and New Zealand’s biggest online business communities, Jo is passionate about providing solid information and education to businesses of every size and believes that meaningful connections and collaborations are one of the biggest keys to success.

When she’s not working with clients through her own business The Ad Nomad, she’s busy working alongside the SmartMarketer team as a community manager for Team Traffic and Train My Traffic Person.

During this episode we discuss the following:

• How Jo went from working with anyone to working with a very specific group of business owners


• The importance of having the same values as your outsourced partners


• Why making sure your offer is clear and easy to understand is crucial


• What barriers you might be putting in the way of your customers


• Why it’s important to not overstress about algorithms


• How to have an authentic voice in your marketing


• What you need to do before you pay someone else to do your ads

IMPORTANT LINKS FOR THIS EPISODE

Instagram.com/theadnomad

theadnomad.com

trainmytrafficperson.com

Jo’s Patreon Link

IMPORTANT LINKS MENTIONED DURING MAP IT MARKETING EPISODES

MAP IT Marketing Facebook group

Identify’s Free Events and Webinars

Identify Marketing Instagram

Identify Marketing Facebook Page

Rachel Klaver Website

Identify Marketing NZ Website

Identify Marketing Australian Website

Rachel Klaver - Linkedin

Rachel Klaver - Youtube

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“The world we live in today is one where there is a huge ability to grow your business on the power of customer proof” - Casey Hill

“When you are a small business you don’t have a huge budget, so you need to find creative ways to differentiate yourself from your competitors” - Casey Hill

“That first touchpoint is a huge opportunity to build a relationship. If you start it off with a human connection it brings them in, and gets them talking.” - Casey Hill

“People often view customer lifetime value too narrowly - it’s not just how much that person will spend. It’s also how much they share and talk about your brand” - Casey Hill

Imagine taking a few moments to create a short, personalised video to someone, that secured  a deal worth thousands of dollars of sales, both in client work and later referrals. 

That’s exactly what happened to me a few years back, the first time I tried out a cool app called Bonjoro. 

And trust me - the video was pretty casual! I was sitting on my sofa at the end of the day, and all I did was talk about how much I was looking forward to sending them a proposal!

(As Casey says in the podcast “You don’t need to be polished” - phew!)

I loved speaking with Casey Hill, the head of growth at Bonjoro, about how personalised video can play such an integral part in different stages of the customer journey to build trust, and create community. 

For me, the stand out was the way it can fit into your marketing automation systems, and allow you to create a more personalised experience at each stage of the marketing journey (Since recording this episode I sat down, made a plan and we’re using Bonjoro ourselves a lot more. 

I’ve recommended Bonjoro during my MAP IT events, and to clients that it’s a perfect fit for, and I am now even more convinced it’s a really simple and effective tool to build trust. (Which is our T in MAP IT) and show investment in your fans and customers (Which is the I in MAP IT)

I’d vastly prefer to send an email than pick up the phone. I love the power of marketing automation. And there’s a lot of ways you can make people feel like the automation is written just for them. 

But if there’s one thing I’m sure of in this world of fighting to keep people’s attention it’s this - when someone knows something was made just for them, it’s going to stand out to them

Casey’s had so much wisdom to share about how we can convert and retain more customers by keeping things personal. 

(Plus, we also discussed Quora and Casey’s cool board game Arkon

During this episode we discuss the following:

1. How Bonjoro works


2. The power of personalization along with automation


3. Why personalised emails are so powerful


4. Our drive for human to human connection


5. The different ways you can connection along the customer journey


6. How to get the most out of using Bonjoro

IMPORTANT LINKS

Link to get a two week’s free trial

Quora

How to Monetise Quora

https://twitter.com/bonjoroapp

Find Bonjoro on Facebook

Find Casey on Linkedin

IMPORTANT LINKS MENTIONED DURING MAP IT MARKETING EPISODES

MAP IT Marketing Facebook group

Identify’s Free Events and Webinars

Identify Marketing Instagram

Identify Marketing Facebook Page

Rachel Klaver Website

Identify Marketing NZ Website

Identify Marketing Australian Website

Rachel Klaver - Linkedin

Rachel Klaver - Youtube

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“My job is not to decide how someone is going to buy from me. Why are we putting hurdles in the way stopping people buying from us?” - Tracey Smith

“We want to buy from artisans. We want to buy from small businesses. We want that real human touch” - Rachel Klaver

“It’s like going out for dinner, we want our visitors to eat with their eyes, and your website is there to create desire and build that need” - Tracey Smith. 

If I could log all the common questions people ask in Facebook groups about their business the question “How do I get more people to buy from my ecommerce business” would be right up there at the top. 

It’s a rude shock to many small business owners just how much work is involved not only in getting people to your site, but then getting them to buy! 

We’ve got a special love for retail and eCommerce at my agency Identify. We really enjoy helping small business owners get more sales. 

While we naturally talk a lot about social media, marketing automation, and digital ads, one of the first areas we look at is the website.

There is so much you can do on your own digital real estate to get more clients. 

I’m so thrilled that Tracey Smith, one of our Identify strategists (and the leader of our Australian team) joined me on today’s webinar. Along with working with us, Tracey has her own ECommerce store, and tests out everything we teach our clients. 

In this episode we’re going to walk through so many areas - this is truly a deep dive of tips, ideas and strategy!

During this episode we discuss the following:

• Why you really need an awesome About Us page (and why it converts people to customers)


• The effects as welcome sequence has had on Tracey’s business


• What you need to add to every page


• What platforms the website should be built on and why


• Why your website needs to “talk to” other platforms on the internet


• Whether you should be using Popups 


• How to protect your online assets


• Cool tools you can use to get a better picture of your business


• Why you might need to simplify your front page. 


• Making it easy for people to click buy now.


• Why your website is a living organism


• How to work out what parts of your marketing you may outsource in the future


• Why you shouldn’t ever use your suppliers' content for your caption as it is


• Walking through your user experience with fresh eyes.


• Remember to take ideas for your business from other types of businesses

Five ways to grow your ECommerce business blog

We have a really helpful checklist to help your ecommerce business

Get our ECommerce checklist

Here are the tools mentioned in the podcast

HOT JAR

GTMetrix

Google Analytics

Great survey tool - Survicate

Laybuy

IMPORTANT LINKS MENTIONED DURING MAP IT MARKETING EPISODES

MAP IT Marketing Facebook group

Identify’s Free Events and Webinars

Identify Marketing Instagram

Identify Marketing Facebook Page

Rachel Klaver Website

Identify Marketing NZ Website

Identify Marketing Australian Website

Rachel Klaver - Linkedin

Rachel Klaver - Youtube

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“If you’re getting frustrated when people are taking you for granted - it’s a sign you might need to put your prices up” - Natalie Coombe

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from working with hundreds of small business owners, it’s that a large percentage of us do not value what we do enough to make sure we’re getting paid for all our hard work.

We definitely pay our team, our suppliers and we’re all about the great deals for our customers… but when it comes to us? We come last!

Today I’m going to ask you to change all of that! Take a listen to pricing expert Natalie Coombe to learn how to drop “burnt chop” syndrome, and begin to create a business that gives you the life you set out to have when you started your business.

Natalie generously shares the two best pricing models for small businesses, and talks about how you can move to a model that values your time, energy and effort as well as helps position yourself as an expert (this works for product based businesses too!)

For me personally, I realised I’m still very much someone who can struggle to put myself first, not because anyone else is pushing me back, but because I definitely was a burnt toast person for years as a single mum (Chops were a rare treat back then!)

It’s amazing how our life slips into our business mentality and vice versa. 

In terms of MAP IT - (Map, Action, Promote, Invest Trust) pricing fits very firmly in the “we need to work this out before we go start marketing out to everyone! Too often it’s a job that’s done after you’ve got to rock bottom, so the earlier you can make sure your products are priced for profit and growth, or your services pricing correctly reflects the value of your offer, the better!

“We’re always learning new things. Running a business is the biggest personal development journey there is” - another great quote from Natalie!

During this episode we discuss the following:

• What blocks we have around our value as business owners


• Why you need to look out for burnt chop syndrome


• The four ways to work out your pricing structure


• Why looking at competitors might not be the best solution


• What factors your pricing needs to consider


• How to move from a cost based pricing structure to a value based one


• Why you don’t need to fear the word MATH!

IMPORTANT LINKS

www.NatalieCoombe.com

Facebook / IG: @NatalieCoombeOnline

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

Natalie has a SPECIAL OFFER for the Month of June ($500 off her programme!)

Find out about NAIL YOUR PRICING here

IMPORTANT LINKS MENTIONED DURING MAP IT MARKETING EPISODES

MAP IT Marketing Facebook group

Identify’s Free Events and Webinars

Identify Marketing Instagram

Identify Marketing Facebook Page

Rachel Klaver Website

Identify Marketing NZ Website

Identify Marketing Australian Website

Rachel Klaver - Linkedin

Rachel Klaver - Youtube

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I used to spend a lot of time getting clients to create a customer avatar/ target persona.

It’s something that big companies spend a huge amount of time on- and it’s foten because they are trying to find the targeted group in an audience of BILLIONS

However, for many of us, we’re not fishing in a barrel of billions.

If we live in a small regional town, or we offer a low competition service, or we don’t need that many clients, we might not need to describe our target persona as “25-35 year old male who loves drinking pina coladas and taking walks in the rain”

In this episode I want to release you from the idea that a target persona is the ONLY way to narrow your target market

And give you seven (yes SEVEN) different other methods you can use to find your people

We personally use a mix of three of these, and since I’ve used this method I’ve found we’ve had far better engagement, growth and qualified leads.

You STILL need to talk to one person in your marketing copy

But this episode will help you narrow that arrow so that one person hears it, sees it, and knows IT’S JUST FOR THEM

During this episode we discuss the following:

• Why it’s really important to Narrow the Arrow


• Why this method is especially effective for people who live in small towns, and cities


• How this method can help coaches and trainers grow their audience


• The seven key ways you can define your target market


• How to apply this in your own business


• How to blend several of these ideas together

IMPORTANT LINKS

Narrow the Arrow Worksheet

IMPORTANT LINKS MENTIONED DURING MAP IT MARKETING EPISODES

MAP IT Marketing Facebook group

Identify’s Free Events and Webinars

Identify Marketing Instagram

Identify Marketing Facebook Page

Rachel Klaver Website

Identify Marketing NZ Website

Identify Marketing Australian Website

Rachel Klaver - Linkedin

Rachel Klaver - Youtube

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lauren Clemett was an already successful business owner of a marketing agency specialising in working with professionals building a personal brand. But it wasn’t until she sharted showing what she could do through becoming an author of bestsellers, and winning awards, that she realised that it wasn’t enough to be the best - you need to make it easy for people to KNOW you are the best

Lauren joined forces with Annette Densham to then found The Audacious agency - specifically designed to help coaches, leaders and consultants become a known brand to help grow thriving businesses

Lauren’s full of information based around her years of neuropsychology learnings, on how the brain sees and understands brands

This is such a full, powerful episode of gems and ideas for any small business owner

During this episode Lauren and Rachel discuss the following:

• Why you don’t want to get to the “WOFTAM” stage (and why that’s the point she normally meets her clients


• How to avoid the “itty bitty shitty committee”


• Why understanding the Amygdala (in the brain) can make us a better marketer for our businesses


• Why it’s important to avoid shiny object syndrome


• How you can position yourself as an expert. 

WEBSITE

https://theaudaciousagency.com/

IMPORTANT LINKS

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

https://www.facebook.com/LaurenClemett68

SIGN UP FOR THE WEEKLY ROCKET

http://bit.ly/RocketLaunchYourBusiness

IMPORTANT LINKS MENTIONED DURING MAP IT MARKETING EPISODES

MAP IT Marketing Facebook group

Identify’s Free Events and Webinars

Identify Marketing Instagram

Identify Marketing Facebook Page

Rachel Klaver Website

Identify Marketing NZ Website

Identify Marketing Australian Website

Rachel Klaver - Linkedin

Rachel Klaver - Youtube

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maria Baker, 34, was left devastated when her dream job became a reality, then was taken away from her three weeks later due to COVID-19. Now, she is pursuing a new dream to innovate women's snow pants and provide them with the best fitting snow pants, ever. Being a pear-shaped, size 14, snowboarder herself, Maria found there was a large gap in the market for appropriately fitting snow pants for women and devised a crowd-funding campaign on Indiegogo to gauge the interest. The successful results of the campaign indicated she wasn’t alone. To date, Nobody’s Princess has raised over $12,000 - based on a concept - and has sparked the interest of women who ski and snowboard, globally.

During this episode Maria and Rachel discuss the following:

• How the idea for Nobody’s Princess came to be


• How her passion for a great result has helped her push through the hard bits


• Whether you need to be an expert in all things to launch a business


• The energy, time and emotional cost of “showing up” for your business


• How “showing up” can be confronting as a person, around self-confidence and body image. 


• How to build a brand before you have a product


• What Maria’s had to work through working in the women’s fashion industry, trying to cater for a wide range of sizes

LINKS

https://www.nobodysprincess.com.au/

http://www.facebook.com/nobodysprincessapparel 

http://www.instagram.com/nobodysprincessapparel

Enter Maria's Competition

https://powdherstash.win/

IMPORTANT LINKS MENTIONED DURING MAP IT MARKETING EPISODES

MAP IT Marketing Facebook group

Identify’s Free Events and Webinars

Identify Marketing Instagram

Identify Marketing Facebook Page

Rachel Klaver Website

Identify Marketing NZ Website

Identify Marketing Australian Website

Rachel Klaver - Linkedin

Rachel Klaver - Youtube

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.