Looking out of my London hotel room this week, I’m greeted by beautiful sunshine, blue skies, and a fan sitting on the windowsill, working overtime – but providing very little relief.
It’s a hot summer in the UK at the moment – and I love it. Coming from South Africa, the heat and sunshine is a welcome nod to outdoor living, al fresco lunches, chilled watermelon in the fridge and random, spontaneous walks on the beach. But (and there’s always a but), one thing is certain – many buildings in the UK are just not built for the heat. They’re built to keep us warm – because it’s usually chilly. And the amount of heat that most experience in the UK is minimal compared to the need for cosy, snug, insulated indoors.
But that’s not what this blog is about.
“We [our hotel, or us physically] are just not built for this heat”, says many, in an effort to excuse or cope in some way. And I realise that we are – we’re just not planning properly.
Or at least, we don’t have the tools we need to be able to cope. Give us a rainy day – and we have an assortment of wellies, coats and umbrellas, anti-wet dog coats and special little water-absorbing mats that we magically pull out from nowhere. We’re geared for that. Because we’re used to that.
So, how does business who is not used to something, overcome in times of challenge? Simple – they look at the tools they need.
The beauty of us as freelancers means that we have years of experience on our side – and we’re accessible.
I’ve worked with one client whose raison d’etre is to equip businesses with access to the best specialist consulting know-how. When organisations know they need help, but they have no idea how to access it – Talmix matches them to an independent consultant who has been vetted, has the experience, has the ability to step in, pick up and move on.
As a freelancer myself, we bring something that many others simply don’t: A flexibility and versatility to work according to your timeline, budget and need. It doesn’t matter if you’re not “built for that”, because we are.
Looking for help to become better? Let’s chat.
Whenever I meet with clients, I leave feeling invigorated, ignited, electrified. This morning, I left the comforts of the Dorset-surrounds and travelled to the the catchment area of the shadow cast by The Shard, to meet with the Marketing and Delivery teams at Talmix – the home of independent talent.
As marketers, we’re always thinking of where next to deliver for our clients – the next plan, the next campaign. But after meeting with the team, who I’ve now come to know well, I left feeling, that although this was a discussion about what next to deliver and how to amplify what we’re doing even more, I’d taken much more than I realised. Meeting with a team who is passionate (I know… I actually detest that overused word) about truly delivering a good customer experience, solving their clients’ problems and helping their community of over 27,000 independent consultants discover their next opportunity – I left feeling completely hopeful and expectant of the next wave of amazing things ahead.
And now, as I find myself on the train back to the countryside, and the view of the Shard gets smaller and smaller, I feel completely blessed in having the opportunity to dip in every now and then, align myself with my client’s expectations, keep check that I am fulfilling what they need me to fulfil – and allow myself to become completely excited and obsessed with the next phase of the project – as I did on Day 1.
Fresh Brew Marketing is offering a great opportunity for a Dorset or Somerset-based student to get to know the world of marketing. If you’re looking to understand more about the Marketing world – and sink your teeth into some real-life experience, Fresh Brew Marketing offers work experience to those who are keen to learn.
The work experience placement is available to suit your diary – and will aim to equip you with the following:
This is an unpaid position and will be based in Beaminster, Dorset.
If you’re someone who is keen to learn, is interested in a career in Marketing – willing to learn – then you’re perfect. We’re looking for someone who is comfortable with creative writing, confident in trying new ideas and someone who is just keen to get DOING.
Get in touch with Katy via the contact page or email me on katy (at) freshbrewmarketing (dot) com.
Almost 2 months ago, I left the corporate life. The corporate world of which I have been a part for over 13 years. More than my entire school career. So, pretty much the biggest chunk of my life so far.
I took a risk and decided to do something brave. I decided to give it a go. With one hand in my husband’s I took a leap and decided to dedicate myself, fulltime, to Fresh Brew Marketing. And here I am – still going.
Sitting at my desk, while pondering my short journey so far, in between Social Schedules and event plan layouts, I, for some strange reason, started scrolling through my friend list on Facebook and it dawned on me just how many there are of us who have taken the same leap of faith – and given it their best shot. Believed in a cause so much, that they dedicated their lives to it.
Some made it. Some are making it. Some didn’t quite get there. But that wasn’t what caught my attention. What had me pausing over my cup of Alta Rica, was the fact that we’d all done something so brave – which many people never, in all of their lifetimes, get to attempt. Who cares if we make it, or if we don’t? Who cares whether we become the Next Big Thing or not. What matters is that these people have stood up and said, “I believe in myself enough to put my life into my own hands, and give this a go”.
And so for a minute, I was filled with such pride to be among peers who have demonstrated bravery, determination and a sense of self-belief that has taken them to the other side of the employment table. For a minute, I was completely overwhelmed by the strength that we as an unintentionally-united group share, and I realised the power that I hold in my hand – to be able to share, spread the word, encourage and support – these brave men and women who are not making a fuss, but just getting on with life and doing what they have dedicated their lives, and some the lives of their family, to doing.
So – next time you see one of us share a blog on our Facebook wall, or a photograph of what we’re getting up to, or we ask you to “spread the word” – know that it’s not just something we say to sound hip and trendy. We genuinely want you to help us grow and develop. We genuinely want you to tell people about what we do. We genuinely want you to think about how YOU can help US in your own business.
And to those amazing customers and clients who have believed in the ability of Fresh Brew Marketing, and the ability of Katy Roberts – I am forever thankful.
So – in the spirit of sharing and spreading the word – next time one of your mates shares a post from their business blog – just click share.
To all you self-employed superheroes, my hat is suitably doffed.
This week, while having the fantastic opportunity to work on a new customer account and exploring the wonderful platform that is Quora (a Q&A social media platform) a little more to promote new business avenues, I came across a question which started the thinking juices.
The question was, “What are some common beginner mistakes in content marketing and how does one not get pointed at and told “you’re doing it wrong”?
Dripping with insecurity, this question floored me.
We (by “we” I mean “us marketing folk”) are social people. We like to share – but it’s also about drumming up noise. Noise to direct traffic to a point. Noise to get people to know about us (or our brands). Noise to make a point. And sometimes, noise, just for the sake of making noise. We’re all guilty of it.
And for a few minutes, I thought back to the starting block of my own career in Marketing – the overwhelming intimidation I felt by all these GREAT resources, top tips, 10 facts, Quick Start Guides, 5 rules, 7 insights that you see in the social hemisphere. And then there are the inspirational, 2 minutes with Richard Branson, the “One thing my mother taught me”, the influencer thought processes, the 30-second thought-provoking video – also aiming to direct traffic, shout about your brand, make a point etc – but in a slightly more passive aggressive way.
Make no mistake – I am a massive fan of the Top Tips and 5 rules content – but at the point of starting out – and taking my first step into the world of representing a brand publically – it was exactly these pieces of quick-fire content that overwhelmed my thought process. Yes, it quickly developed my sense of discernment in terms of who I want to listen to and who I choose to unfollow – but the daunting thought that I was about to leap into the super fast swimming lane alongside professional athletes who live in an “eat-or-be-eaten” marketing world was more than I could bear.
So – looking at my Quora Question-Poser – I took a slightly different approach to the 93 other people answering the question. I was a little more real.
You don’t HAVE to be the best at what you do, when you’re starting out. You don’t need to be. You find just 1 or 2 people that you consider to have great advice and tips – you take what you like, you learn as much as you have the capacity for, you dip your toe into the water…. followed by your ankles, then your knees… and when you’re ready – you jump into the kiddies lane and paddle your way around, until you’re ready to swim under the lane separator and speed up.
There’s no Complete Marketing Degree that will teach you everything you need to know. There are good ways of doing things, and there are bad ways of doing things – but there’s no 1 thing. Marketing is ever-changing. Don’t be scared of it. Embrace it.
Just find the lane that suits your speed, and when you’re ready, you find a buddy, and then you speed up.