Being a local business can be frustrating. You know you need to reach out to the community and build alliances and find customers but it can seem daunting …
However, if you are a local business that wants to …
- Find new customers
- Build partnerships with like-minded organisations and businesses
- Promote your business locally and online
- Integrate your local presence with your online presence
… I can help.
With over 30 years’ experience supporting community economic development in partnership with businesses and local government I have found the pressures of doing business day-by-day with the need to maintain work life balance, soon crowds out the time needed for thinking strategically. I know from personal experience how easy it is to lose sight of my original vision under the pressures of the day-to-day slog.
So, why not take a step back from the pressures and consider how a period of strategic reflection can lead to more effective action?
Working with me, you will clarify your aims and map a route to integrating your online presence with your local objectives. Whether you are seeking increased profits, higher outputs and more creative outcomes. new ideas or insights into your neighbourhood, I will help you increase clarity and set your feet on the right path.
Local Economy and Online Transformation for Local Businesses
This package is for businesses who want to Do It Yourself (DIY) but need help to get started.
Are you fed up because you set out to bring economic activity to your neighbourhood and have lost sight of your aims tackling the endless challenges of running a business? Do you feel isolated, lacking contact with people who share your vision? Do you fear being distracted by non-business agendas and yet sense there is more to life than just making a living?
I can help local businesses promote their distinctive vision in their city or neighbourhood and online. My approach works on a national or international scale too but the online approach will predominate.
I can help business owners who are clear about their business aims but sense more could be done to help others in their neighbourhood, town or city. Perhaps you dream of investing in your neighbourhood and want to find like-minded people who can work with you.
You will work out how to:
- Find clear objectives and the confidence to make then happen
- be introduced to an open source marketing method that will support you as you consider the context in which you operate and how your current plans address it. (As the content for this is open source you will have continuing access to the information you need free of charge.)
- recover your vision and find out how to convey it to potential customers
- identify business assets you are not promoting fully
- co-ordinate local and online marketing plans
- build a tribe of committed customers and supporters
- find partners in all sectors who can help you promote your business
My offer includes:
- Two 50 minute sessions per month focusing on how you your business can champion economic activity in your neighbourhood, town or city.
- Up to two 10-minute “on-demand” coaching sessions per month to provide extra support when you are feeling stuck or something happens where you need to prepare a quick response
- Email support for issues that arise between meetings, which can be resolved by email or in preparation for the Effective Purpose sessions.
Optional Bonuses
This package assumes you are confident about building your own website and so need minimal support. If you need significant support, consider using my 6-month project development package. However, with this package I can help with setting up a new site or making significant changes to an existing site, for example by changing themes or plug-ins. We can agree how much of this support to include when we agree the package. For modest projects, a three-month package may be sufficient.
Please note where you need to purchase a domain name, hosting, certain premium applications, themes and plug-ins, these will be between you and third-party suppliers. I can help you find the most cost-effective approach but these purchases are your decision. It is possible to work with your current website if you have one and this can often be the most cost-effective option.
These optional bonuses may apply depending on our agreed strategy. They assume you are creating a new site using WordPress. I can provide
- online instruction in the use of WordPress and associated themes and plug-ins as a part of our consultancy sessions should you need it. (If we work with your current site and it is not WordPress based, I can offer this service if I have access to the site’s content management system.)
- At set up, installation of plug-ins to take care of security, back-up, analytics and search engine optimisation. This list can be adapted to meet your needs. (Most modern content management systems allow these facilities, I can help you check they are up-to-date but there may be additional costs depending on your current supplier.)
- Free access to certain premium themes and plug-ins and guidance for choosing a theme that will work for your business or organisation. Crucial to this is selecting a theme that is mobile responsive. (For non-WordPress sites I can help you select a theme but can not provide free access to premium themes.)
If you are interested, your first step is to book a free consultancy session.