Gear Up to Grow with Jayne Moore: Expert in the Marketing Industry

Following the announcement that non-essential retailers can now open, most businesses across the UK are now gradually starting to operate again – whether this be online or in person. As lockdown restrictions begin to lift further, we hear from some of the regions brightest business minds on their own journey through lockdown and what advice they would give businesses transitioning into the new normal.

First up in the Gear up to Grow series, we hear from Jayne Moore, Founder of Jayne Moore Media who shares her experience of managing a small business through lockdown and why it's important to seize opportunities and push forward.  

Jayne Moore

As a small employer, I think we are all a little frazzled, so my first piece of advice is to be kind - to yourself and your team. As we emerge from the safety of the sofa, we may not all be as quick to bounce back and embrace this ‘new normal’ - don’t dismiss how scared everyone is of this crazy virus, and don’t underestimate the stress everyone has been under during lockdown.

The first thing I did with my team is to work together to create a bounce-back plan -  collaboration and communication are key to this new way of remote working - and I was aware that our main power is in our collective brilliance, so remote working makes that all the more challenging.

I have found this time of reset and reflection really powerful in giving me space to plot the future direction for myself and the business, allowing us both growth potential. I’m also keen to diversify, lockdown made me realise my own vulnerability - so we are pushing forward with a new focus and a diversification mission. I have launched three businesses in my time and in each occasion it has been in the teeth of a recession, so it keeps me keen and focused on not wasting energy, time or money on things that are not going to fly. Mistakes are how we grow and learn, don’t beat yourself up, take the lesson and move on.

It is important to know what you want to achieve with your life and your business and have clearly focused and articulated aims and objectives for both your personal plan and your business plan. Once you write it down it will begin to realise, and when you start to drive forward you will be on the right foot with the map in your hands and the knowledge to get you where you want to be.

I also think good advice is to only work on stuff you love. I know it sounds a bit trite, but I have to love who I work with - not in the romantic sense of course - but people that I work with become some of my best mates because we share similar values. Do not compromise your values. A wise lady once said to me that “money is only an energy, it only has the power we give to it”, and I have stood by that in making decisions in business and in life.

That said, I also say that people will pay you what you believe you are worth - so it’s ok to be profit making as it will help you deliver on your personal missions, as well as create wealth for others around you.

Despite all but two of my clients pausing our retainer in April - we are all back from furlough, with new projects to focus on and our clients beginning to wake up - there is a lot to be excited about for in this new normal. To-date we have had no grant support, yet – (here’s hoping for discretionary grant) and my pandemic insurance was not worth the paper it was printed on - meaning that we have serious losses during lockdown, however, I am rested and recharged, I have my health and my family, who I still love after 12 weeks in the same house!  I consider myself to be so fortunate to have an amazing team, who are happy and healthy, if a little frazzled around the edges, and who are chuffed to bits to be back working again for the clients we love and a few new faces we have just started dating.

I am sure we have a long road ahead to recover, but it is up to us to seize the opportunity and push forward. As a city we have only known recession in my working lifetime, but we are a resilient group of talented scousers (and James). I for one have done it before, and I intend to do it again, hands in the bucket if you are with me?

You can connect with Jayne Moore Media over on their website, Twitter, Facebook & blog 

Looking for help to grow or adapt your business? For more information about the support available through The Women’s Organisation to help you and your business, please contact us via e-mail at hello@thewo.org.uk if you're based in the Liverpool City Region.

5 Tips to Grow Your Business with Digital Marketing

Digital marketing is one of the most powerful tools in your marketing repertoire. Digitisation is impossible to avoid; it’s present in every level of our lives, and enables us to target specific demographics like never before. We’re bringing you 5 top tips on how to grow your business with the help of digital marketing.

In-App Advertising

Ultimately, advertising ties into your visibility, and right now you’re probably invisible to most of your target market. Increasing your visibility and tapping into your desired market can be difficult, making in-app advertising a boon for appearing to your audiences. Unlike traditional advertising avenues, in-app advertising is pretty affordable – you make it as expensive or inexpensive as you like, and you have control over who is targeted by your ads.

Studies today show that users engage with apps more than websites, and mobile devices were used for more than 50% of web traffic in 2018. Consider what platforms are best to connect with your customers, and for placing yourself in the minds of your buyers. For example, if you run a wedding cake business, using visual platforms that brides frequent such as Instagram and Pinterest would be best for capturing your target audience’s attention.

Understanding SEO

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is getting your digital presence to appear highly in search results. It can be a difficult game to play, but it’s a powerful tool when you know how to use it. You could take all the time and energy in the world to make sure you have a functional, well-presented website, but without proper SEO, there’s a chance no one will ever see it.

Start by researching the most highly-searched keywords in your industry, and write some blog posts that add value to these topics. Again, though, SEO is difficult to master, so you may want to outsource your needs to someone who is SEO-savvy to get the most out of your strategy.

Establish a Strong Social Media Presence

It’s not impossible to grow your customer base solely through social media networks, so establishing a strong social media presence is key. It opens up a line of communication between yourself and your customers like never before, giving you access to valuable customer feedback and the chance to make a lasting good impression.

Building your brand on social media does require frequent posting and engagement, but you don’t need to spend half your time scrolling through Instagram and tweeting incessantly. Scheduling tools such as Hootsuite and Buffer allow you to plan your content in advance, but it is a good idea to do some live engagement with your followers every once in a while, too.

Build and nurture a mailing list

Having a solid email list offers you direct access to your customers and audience. In the age of ever-changing algorithms, when you post on social media, there is no guarantee that your posts will be seen by your followers.

Gathering information from your customers allows you to directly contact them with any upcoming events, promotions, or news, and cut through the noise of social media. There are plenty of tools out there, such as MailChimp, that allow you to send out blanket emails to your customers and split them into groups according to their interests. It also allows you to see the proportion of emails opened and links followed through – be careful you don’t send too many emails, though, or you’ll risk being consigned to the spam folder!

Create Shareable Content

The content you create can make or break your marketing strategy. High quality content can help build your brand and improve your relationship with your target audience, whereas low quality content can damage your image. Additionally, you don’t want your good content to go to waste by not being seen, so it needs to be shared by the right people to reach as widely as possible.

Make your content useful and practical to your audience, and make sure it’s engaging and relatable so that people are more likely to share it. Dry content isn’t going to evoke a reaction from your followers!

If you are a woman running a business in the Greater Manchester area that is working through these dilemmas and other business growth pains, our Excelerate Labs team may be able to help.

Part funded by European Regional Development Fund, Excelerate Labs can link you with a local adviser to explore growth strategy and help you to get all your ducks in a row.

Contact excleratelabs@thewo.org.uk for more information.

5 Tips on How to Grow Your Business

You’ve done it: you’ve finally started a business. You’ve got clients and money coming in, but how do you take that next step to make your business grow into something bigger and better?

Here’s five to tips on how you can successfully grow your business:

Get to know your customer base

Your existing customer base can provide you with invaluable information on how you can make your services better. Encourage honest feedback, and really get to know their needs – that way, you can develop your services with the knowledge of what your customer really wants. Be sure to nurture your existing customers, too, maybe by offering a loyalty scheme or survey incentives, to encourage them to provide that much-needed feedback on your business. You can gather contact information and send them regular updates through several email marketing platforms, making it simple for people to see what’s going on, and allow them to opt out if they wish to.

Look for new customers

It’s all fine and well nurturing your existing customers, but you will need new ones in order to grow. Use market analysis to see where the people you want to sell to live, work, socialise etc., and get to grips with what social media is most popular amongst the market you wish to break into. Opportunities are everywhere, so always be on the lookout for trends that you can get on board with that may open up your customer base to a wider market.

Use social media

On average, people spend at least 2 hours and 15 minutes on social media per day – that’s one minute out of every three!

It’s impossible to avoid social media if you want to create and grow a successful business. It’s now the most powerful tool for marketing, and it’s free! It’s easier than ever to promote your services and reach a massive potential customer base.

Social media allows you to gain a valuable insight into social trends through ‘social listening’: what are your customers thinking? What do they want? What appeals to them? Using social media allows you to stay ahead of the trend and provide your customers with what they really want.

Plan, plan, plan!

There is truth in the old adage: ‘fail to prepare, then prepare to fail’. If you fail to plan for the future, you may well be caught unawares of dips and trends in business; there will always be obstacles that you can’t foresee, so plan for every eventuality. Do plenty of research, and be aware of the possible risks that may affect your business.

It’s not all doom and gloom, though. Planning your milestones for where you want to be in 1, 5, 10 years helps you stay motivated and driven towards making your business successful, and helps set a benchmark for you to know if your business is improving.

Think innovatively

If your current model isn’t working, then change it! Fundamentally, innovation means introducing something new into your business. Is there a way you could diversify your business to make it appeal to a wider market? For example, a wedding cake maker might make ‘how to decorate a cake’ tutorials, or provide workshops for those wanting to learn. You could collaborate with another business to introduce new services, or learn a new skill which you could incorporate into your business model. Whatever you decide, innovation is key in making sure your business remains new and exciting.

If you are a woman running a business in the Greater Manchester area that is working through these dilemmas and other business growth pains, our Excelerate Labs team may be able to help.

Part funded by European Regional Development Fund, Excelerate Labs can link you with a local adviser to explore growth strategy and help you to get all your ducks in a row.

Contact excleratelabs@thewo.org.uk for more information.

Double award success for our growth clients ADHD Foundation 👏

Dr Tony Lloyd, chief executive of Liverpool-based ADHD Foundation - the largest user-led ADHD agency in Europe - is celebrating two award wins. Dr Lloyd is listed in the prestigious OUTstanding LGBT+ Role Models List 2019 for the third consecutive year and also takes home a Northern Leadership Award.

Dr Lloyd has been named by diversity champion, INvolve in their OUTstanding LGBT+ Role Models List 2019, supported by Yahoo Finance. The lists celebrate the work being done by LGBT+ and ally leaders across the globe in both the private and public sectors, promoting LGBT+ diversity and inclusion in the workplace. It is the third consecutive year Dr Lloyd has featured on the list.

As CEO of the ADHD Foundation, an NHS provider and consultancy for government and national agencies, Dr Lloyd has embedded inclusion across all aspects of the Foundation. He actively champions local and national charities and community groups through the Foundation and its staff, including the LGBT+ charity, the Michael Causer Foundation, Liverpool City Region Pride, anti-racism charity the Anthony Walker Foundation and Sahir House HIV and Aids charity. Dr Lloyd states that ‘Diversity is Inclusion’ and is also a champion of ‘neurodiversity’- advocating for the one in five people who have dyslexia, ADHD, autism and dyspraxia. He also supports a number of LGBT+ organisations and networks outside of his role and acts as a mentor to young LGBT+ people, supporting them through school and careers.

Dr Lloyd also won the Public & Third Sector Leader 2019 award at the Northern Leadership Awards, which celebrates the people and organisations across the north who are role models for their teams and raise the bar for their competitors. Held at the prestigious Queens Hotel in Leeds, the awards showcase the best qualities of modern leadership - of inspiration, collaboration and empowerment.

Speaking about his OUTstanding LGBT+ Role Models List 2019 accolade, Dr Tony Lloyd, chief executive, ADHD Foundation, said:

“I am truly honoured to be recognised alongside so many amazingly talented and dedicated people, whom I hold in such high esteem. Awards are significant as they give inspiration to others, and for others to see an LGBT+ person being celebrated shows that it is ok to be out at work. It is so important to promote diversity and inclusion in workplaces to ensure everyone can live up to their full potential.”

Commenting on his Northern Leadership Award, Dr Lloyd added:

“My work comes from the heart and I passionately strive to ensure that the neurodiversity conversation is promoted on a local and national level and that the gifts, intelligence, talents and employability of neurodiverse people are understood and celebrated. It is particularly encouraging to see neurodiversity being discussed, supported and welcomed in the business community and that so many more leaders are wearing their neurodiversity with pride.”

Founder and CEO of INvolve, Suki Sandhu OBE, said:

“We’re delighted to be celebrating another fantastic group of people from across the globe who are collectively driving cultural change and creating workplaces where everyone can succeed. LGBT+ discrimination is still prevalent in a lot of the world’s biggest economies, but highlighting the work of successful role models changes people’s perceptions. They demonstrate that you can be successful and out at work, but most importantly inspire the next generation of LGBT+ leaders.”

The accolades come after a record year for ADHD Foundation, who just last month, welcomed experts from across the globe to its Annual Conference at ACC Liverpool, the largest multidisciplinary conference of its kind in the UK with over 700 delegates, and for the first time staged the first SEN (Special Education Needs) conference exclusively for 600 parents and carers.
ADHD Foundation is a charity that over the last 12 years has grown to become one of the global leaders in the neurodiversity movement that is campaigning to change our outdated views on intelligence, ability and employability so they are relevant to our 21st century economy, communities and schools.

The charity’s iconic national campaign, the Umbrella Project, attracted the patronship of Patricia Ward Kelly, wife of the late Gene Kelly earlier this year after Patricia became enamoured with the dazzling array of colourful umbrellas at Heathrow Airport T5.

The Umbrella Project is part of an initiative to raise awareness and celebrate ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), autism, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia and dyspraxia - which all sit under the "umbrella" term of neurodiversity. The project aims to flip the disabling perception of neurodiverse individuals on its head and, instead, celebrate cognitive differences.

The project launched on Church Alley in Liverpool in 2017, where it has returned every year since; it debuted at BBC North, MediaCityUK, Salford Quays in 2018 and returned again this year; and launched at Heathrow this summer, marking the first time the artwork has been available to view in London or at an airport.

For further information about ADHD Foundation visit www.adhdfoundation.org.uk. You can also follow on Twitter @ADHDFoundation, Facebook @adhdfoundation and Instagram @adhdfoundation. 

Construction Q take home a big win at the Northern Power Women Awards 2019

The Northern Power Women Awards marked their forth year at Manchester Central last night with Excelerate Labs very own graduate Construction Q taking home the Small Organisation of the Year Award. 

Construction Q at The Northern Power Women Awards 2019

Celebrating strong role models, gender balance and the nights theme of #WeCan, founder and director of the quantity surveyor firm Fiona Hull and her team at Construction Q were certainly at home in a room full of inspirational people.

Deciding not to follow the traditional career path into a female centric role, Fiona started Construction Q in 2010 and since then the business has gone on to work on successful projects ranging from £100,000 to one of their largest £30,000,00.

Spending her time supporting local charity events, Fiona has been a significant figure in helping to raise the profile of females working in construction, showing that an industry commonly thought of as a man’s sector is an inclusive workplace to all.

Construction Q are no strangers to winning awards, with them winning 'Woman in Construction Business' at the Excelerate Labs Celebration of Success awards in 2018. When speaking to Fiona in 2018, she spoke about working with Excelerate Labs and how Construction Q have been able to open themselves up to a wider networking opportunity helping them accelerate their business growth. “Excelerate Labs was a great sounding board for ideas but also supportive and full of suggestions for the business”

Helen Millne, Deputy CEO of The Women's Organisation presented the award for Mentor of The Year, sponsored by Excelerate Labs to Gill Hodgson, founder of Flowers from the Farm, a not-for-profit business that encourages the growth of British agriculture took home the award

Helen Millne and Flowers from the Farm 

Well done to all the winners and nominees of the night! The north certainly is one of the most exciting places to be at the moment and we can't wait to see what the rest of the year has in store. 

If you are in Greater Manchester and would like to find out if Excelerate Labs can support you and your business, then get in touch with us today! Email us on exceleratelabs@thewo.org.uk

We Discovered #WomenCan on International Women's Day 2019 at The Women's Organisation

International Women’s Day is a worldwide event that celebrates women’s achievements – from the political to the social – while calling for gender equality.

 It began in the early 1900’s and is now recognised each year on the 8th of March. The day isn’t simply a celebration — it’s a call to action for everyone to continue to push for complete gender equality.

Women have a come a long way since the early 1900’s with many people believing most the battles have already been won for women but is not the case. According to the IWD website, women are still not getting equal pay, there are lower proportions of women to men in government positions, and women’s education is still being withheld across the world.

Battles have been won, but the battles aren't over yet.

To celebrate International Women’s Day here at The Women’s Organisation we held a special panel event with two inspirational women who are breaking the boundaries in business, celebrating the fact that #WomanCan because we believe that there are no limits to what #WomenCan achieve.

Sue Grindrod who is responsible for the strategic development and management of The Royal Albert Docks and is leading its next phase of evolution was first up on our panel

Also joining us was Marnie Millard who joined Nichols PLC in 2012 and was appointed her current role in just over a year of being with the company with a group turnover of over £130m. She was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for her services to International Trade and Businesses in North West England.

The Women’s Organisation’s CEO Maggie O’Carroll started the morning off with a few words, she asked to audience to “think about what you can do to promote the next generation of women” as the audience was full of potential future business leaders and women already in business. She then went on to reiterate the fact that 100 years on we can’t give up the fight and there are still many battles to be won.

“We haven’t achieved everything we need to, there’s still a gender pay gap and we need to make sure there’s the same opportunities for all.” 

There are still many women who face huge challenges and they need our help.

Next, we welcomed Sue to talk, after working at Tate Liverpool and then volunteering as a member of the board for The Albert Docks she spoke about how she had to be “brave and know her worth.” She told the board she was going to leave then they offered her the job as CEO because of the incredible work she had already done for the docks, then led the team to gain the royal status for The Royal Albert Docks.

When speaking about personal development, Sue said she did a lot of training and developed through her work life experiences. She went on to add that every journey isn’t easy and it's hard work, but you will always find a way round these obstacles if you have the determination.

“Barriers will always be there, but you will always be able to get over them, use this determination and realise your true potential.” 

The inspiring Marnie Millard started by discussing the fact she didn’t go to University, in a world where University is sometimes seen as the only option, she reiterate that it isn’t and with hard work you can get where you want to be.

She spoke about how she did ‘ok’ at school but definitely wasn’t the smartest student but “Brains grow, the harder you make it work the better it becomes.” After taking nearly 4 years off from working when having her children, she spoke about wanting to find a job that excites her and that she could make a real difference in.

“Sometimes at certain points in your career you have to be brave, seize the moment and embrace it.” 

People doubted Marnie when she started her new job, meaning her family had to relocate and hire a nanny because of her long working hours but slowly it payed off and now she has her “dream job.” 

Marnie went on to add that always thinking about what’s next is the way to improve, don’t just settle for what you have now, strive for the best.

“Being out of your comfort zone is when you learn the most.” 

Thank you to our amazing panelists for taking the time out to speak to us and share their stories advice and experiences. They are two examples of extremely inspiring, hardworking and strong business women who really prove that #WomenCan.

Massive thanks to our event partners Natwest for helping make this event happen.

Would you like to be a better leader and grow your business?

Do you want to develop leadership skills for your business? University of Liverpool are looking for individuals to take part in their GROWTH CATALYST programme to improve their skills & confidence.

The University of Liverpool has secured funding to deliver an Innovative business growth programme in the Liverpool City Region called Growth Catalyst.

Growth Catalyst is a six month leadership development programme, which includes business coaching, a series of masterclass talks, skills workshops, Action Learning and a business exchange visit, all underpinned by a network of likeminded individuals, keen to grow their businesses in an atmosphere of mutual support and trust.

Developed by experts in the field of leadership and management, Growth Catalyst employs an integrated delivery model, aimed at improving the performance of the business and the personal development and confidence of the owner/manager.

Elements include:

• 2 Day Leadership Retreat - Improve your leadership skills and set business development goals.
• 6 Hours of Business Coaching  - Help define your growth strategy 
• Action Learning - Progress ideas for new products and services through a Non-executive board of likeminded peers.
• A Series of 7 Master Classes with leading experts in marketing, leadership, strategy and growth.
• A Business Exchange - Take part in exchange visits to another business on the programme.

Benefits of the programme include:

• Proven improvements in the productivity and profitability of the business.
• Tools and Techniques to help you work ON the business rather than IN it.
• Help with the development of new products and services.
• Help to plan and execute a strategy for growth.
• A network of likeminded individuals that can help you grow your business.
• Improved leadership abilities and greater confidence.

For more information on how you can apply for a place on this EU funded programme, starting on the 9th May 2019. please contact Richard Holloway:

Or Visit the website: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/management/for-business/growth-catalyst/about/

How bringing a new approach to the table supercharged business growth for Willows Financial Planning

Since leaving the fast-paced world of banking to set up his own financial advice service, Jonathan Causey hasn’t looked back. We worked with Jonathan under our New Markets 2 programme to set Willows Financial Planning on the path to business growth.

We sat down with Jonathan to find out how business is going and why surrounding himself with mentors has been key to his success.

Willows Financial Planning is an independent financial advice service modelled around good old-fashioned honesty. “Bespoke, honest, personalised service that always puts the client first, no matter what”, that’s what director Jonathan Causey says makes his business unique.

Having worked for some of the UK’s biggest banks for several years, Jonathan was growing tired of big corporates in an unrelenting industry. When he was made redundant in 2016 (along with 250 other colleagues), the time seemed right to set up his own business.

Using his own savings, Jonathan took the plunge and Willows Financial Planning Ltd was born. Adjusting from regular monthly pay cheques, to putting all his time, money and energy into making a self-sustaining business was one of the biggest challenges for Jonathan. But all a challenge that has all been worth it.

Today, Jonathan is responsible for over £12 million of client money.

The last two years has certainly seen an impressive level of growth for Willows Financial Planning and this can be put down to Jonathan’s stellar work ethic, staunch values and watertight business planning.

Working with our expert advisor Francine Taylor under the business growth programme, Jonathan was able to identity the strengths and weaknesses within his business. The pair worked closely to map them down and come up with a plan to build and improve on the business model moving forward.

Jonathan says that one of the main takeaways from his time with Francine was around his marketing and social media. He explains: “Francine helped me to understand how putting proper strategies in place is not only essential to attracting new clients and helping the business to grow, but also to reinforce what we do and build our brand values.”

Since working on our business growth programme, Jonathan has received regular, ongoing support and mentoring from our Enterprise Enabler, Ali McGrath.

Talking about the support he receives from Ali, Jonathan says: “We sit down every few months or so and discuss what is happening in the business and look at other things which I could be doing. The support I receive from Ali is amazing - she is such a massive asset to me.

“I think mentors are key to any business, whether you’re a start-up or established business. They can bring things to the table that you've never even thought of before but can totally turn your business around.”

Speaking to Jonathan its clear to see how proud he is of Willows Financial Planning and how far he’s come with the business. And with good reason.

His advice to anyone considering self-employment? “Never rest on your laurels. It’s harder than anyone will ever tell you, but it will also be the best thing you ever do! Calculate the risks, keep looking forward, work hard and make sure you’re structured.”

To find out more about Willows Financial Planning, visit the website here.

Jonathan received growth support through our New Markets 2 Programme, which is aimed at women who are running a business focussing on business to business activity in the Liverpool City Region (Liverpool, Sefton, Wirral, St Helens, Knowsley and Halton) and who are ready to take their business to the next level, either by expanding their team or significantly increasing turnover.

For more information, contact us on hello@thewo.org.uk or ring us on 0151 706 8111.

Helping EasyTots take its first steps to international growth

Helen Davies, founder of EasyTots needed help to secure funding to take her product to the international stage. Since approaching The Women’s Organisation, Helen has secured £80k in funding and taken her product worldwide, from Europe to South Korea, Australia and beyond.

We caught up with Helen to find out how business is going and what’s in store for 2019…

Anyone who has experienced feeding time with a little one will know that it can be a messy business. This is where EasyTots’ unique range of baby feeding products come in.

Designed to make it easier for babies to feed independently throughout the weaning process (that’s the transition from milk to solid foods), the EasyMat has quickly become a must-have in the baby feeding world.

Helen’s flagship product, the EasyMat is the world’s first compact and foldable suction plate. It’s designed to make the weaning process easier for little ones aged between 3 months to three years. The placemat encourages exploration and independence at meal times, helping to foster a lifelong love of food.

Since launching her first product in March 2016, Easy Tots now carries 21 products in its range with even more in the pipeline for the New Year.

Helen explains that the aim is to carry a full range of weaning-led dinner ware products, adding to the current range of placemats, spoons, cutlery and bibs. All EasyTots products are designed to be complimentary to create a complete dining set, with a range of colours available.

As a proud mum to two girls, Helen first developed the idea of a range of products dedicated to the weaning journey whilst on maternity leave with her youngest daughter.

Helen tells us how meal times often ended up with more food on the floor than on the plate. After discovering this was a common problem for parents, she decided to see what products were on the market but couldn’t find the right solution for her family.

She explains that developers in America had made some headway, but there was still a major gap in the UK market. And so, the EasyMat was born.

Keen to develop the idea, Helen went on an e-commerce course where she learned about the practicalities of selling using online platforms such as Amazon.

After 12 years building up a commercial window cleaning business as Managing Director, Helen decided it was time to pursue EasyTots and dedicate herself to growing the product.

She says: “I just had a gut feeling that I needed to run with it and work to make the product reach its full potential.”

She sold the commercial cleaning business and launched herself into EasyTots full time.

After a whirlwind start to the business, quickly building momentum on social media, EasyTots soon entered an exciting stage of business growth. Helen was referred to The Women’s Organisation where she received support under the New Markets 2 programme.

In order to secure the funding needed to take the business to the next level, Helen needed a watertight cash flow forecast for the next two years.

Working with business advisor Claire Pedersen, Helen received “fantastic support” over a number of sessions to put the forecast together. This enabled Helen to secure £80k in funding from Merseyside Special Investment Fund (MSIF) to fund the growth of her business into international trade.

What started in St Helens, is now a worldwide product. EasyTots is exporting across Europe, with a large customer base in South Korea and now Australia and New Zealand.

International success is not without its challenges, though. Helen explains that managing shipping and cash flow require tight management, alongside striking the balance in exporting in the B2B market, whilst continuing sales directly to consumers.

At the tender age of two, the business has seen a lot of traction. This year alone, Helen is celebrating two prestigious award wins. Winning Retail Business of the Year at the MIB awards just last week, Helen also picked up a WeAreTheCity Top 100 Rising Stars Award earlier this year.

It’s certainly been an exciting couple of years for Helen and we’re sure we’re going to be seeing a lot more of EasyTots over the next few years. With ongoing talks taking place with some big names, watch this space…

If you would like to find out more about EasyTots you can visit: https://easytots.com/

Helen received growth support through our New Markets 2 Programme, which is aimed at women who are running a business focussing on business to business activity in the Liverpool City Region (Liverpool, Sefton, Wirral, St Helens, Knowsley and Halton) and who are ready to take their business to the next level, either by expanding their team or significantly increasing turnover.

For more information, contact us on hello@thewo.org.uk or ring us on 0151 706 8111.

5 Easy Tips to Make Great Videos For Your Business

Figures show that 98% of people have watched an online video to gain an understanding about products and services. This is because videos can help demonstrate notions that are difficult to understand, such as how do products and services work. Creating videos is a must in interacting and engaging with potential customers, so here are five important tips in creating a video for your business.

1. Location 

Location is important because it is the overall visual aspect of your video in which it will set the mood and feel for your business. For example, you could provide videos from either inside or the surrounding areas of your business which could set the overall tone and feeling of your business. 

The location could provide a background to surrounding areas of your business in which people could recognise and could make the viewers more inclined to watch your video and make them engage more. Recording Inside your business could provide viewers with the background of the office. An office location and background could transfer a sense of realism about your business by seeing people working.

2. Audio 

Once you have found your ideal location you need to make sure that no unnecessary sound disrupts your video, for example, if you are recording outside you need to make sure that traffic noise does not interrupt the quality of your video. Other aspects like the wind can also be a problem with the audio. Therefore, location is important, you need to find an area where none of these potential factors could be an of issue in effecting your video. 

3. Landscape video camera 

By recording videos vertically, the content will appear crammed due to having less coverage area. Therefore, videos should be recorded in landscape mode. This is mainly because videos need to be presented in widescreen format in order to be viewed on TV and computer screens etc. 

4. Be prepared with a script 

By having a prepared script before the video, it will give you the chance to practice what needs to be addressed before you record it on the video. Therefore, this will ultimately save you time. 

5. Using subtitles on videos 

There are a number of reasons why you should provide subtitles on your videos, these include, providing the opportunity for people who are suffering from hearing loss or people who are deaf the chance to watch your video. This is a big issue within the UK with figures suggesting that 11 million people have problems with their hearing. By 2035 this will increase to 15.6 million people. By providing subtitles you are giving a large portion of the total population a chance not to miss out on any important information about your business. 

Providing subtitles are not just for people who can’t hear, it can be for times when it is unsuitable to play sound such as work offices, public transport; subtitles presents people with additional alternatives to view your content. 

Engaging visually is a much easier way to understand your business message compared to text-based content. By implementing these five easy tips you could then share your video on your social media which will increase traffic to your website. 

If you'd like to find out more about services we offer around digital marketing and growth strategies, contact our team on 0151 706 8111 or hello@thewo.org.uk.

Why LinkedIn Should be Part of Your Growth Strategy

The majority of people mainly associate LinkedIn with job searching and increasing their own personal professional network, LinkedIn also as the same significance in relation to forming business relationships and helps to direct your business to valuable sales leads.  

A company page on LinkedIn will offer your organisation with the chance to express your brand story, which will encourage followers to interact and engage by sharing your content for other LinkedIn viewers to see. Furthermore, LinkedIn also displays your public image on an international level as a reliable company.

The following tips can help your organisation be viewed on a much wider scale and therefore should be apart of your overall business growth strategy.

1. LinkedIn allows for your company to differentiate from their competitors.

On LinkedIn, you can provide a description about your organisation to highlight the unique attributes about your organisation and how you differ from your competitors. It should comprise the latest organisation news and share information about the culture, values, mission and vision to increase the views of your business.

Another way to differentiate from your competitors is by providing visual aspects to your brand storytelling. Visual content in the form of videos, photos and artwork will provide your followers with a sense of trustworthiness and an optimistic feeling about your organisation and provides users with a clear idea of how your business thinks and acts.

2. Increase your ranking in search engines 

Search engines favour LinkedIn company pages and posts. Therefore, by providing regular updates to your company page and enhancing posts for SEO will increase your search engine ranking in the results page. This will develop your business, with more viewers interacting and engaging with your organisation and the offerings, with the rise of online traffic you could receive through LinkedIn.

3. Search states that LinkedIn may be most effective platform for product launches. 

LinkedIn as now become the main channel to introduce products. This is because LinkedIn has a bigger influence on how to spread the latest product news with a much bigger reach to the media, bloggers, and customers. According to polling done by Regalix, LinkedIn is now the #1 platform used for product launches among B2B businesses. A whopping 81% of B2B businesses say they use LinkedIn for launches, compared to 71% who use Twitter and just 54% who use Facebook.

4. Checking on what your competition is doing. 

By viewing your competitors LinkedIn pages, it is a simpler way to observe any changes which could be taking places within your industry which could have some impact within your business. You can also take notice to what your competitors are currently doing and have achieved in which you could use to your own advantage by obtaining ideas which could be implemented for your own business.

This will ensure that your business will be staying relevant by keeping up to date with the latest trends and ensuring that you will not fall behind with your competitors. Therefore, this is an important factor in developing growth within your business. According to the Content Marketing Institute, 94% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn to distribute content, making it the social media platform used most often.

5. Create awareness and improve reputation. 

LinkedIn is a social media for professionals. Research suggests that more than two professionals every second are now creating a profile and signing up to LinkedIn, and organisations currently have the chance to interact with a growing number of different contacts. By using different features LinkedIn offers, organisations can increase their visibility and credibility.

If you'd like to find out more about services we offer around digital marketing and growth strategies, contact our team on 0151 706 8111 or hello@thewo.org.uk.

The maker space making its mark on Liverpool's creative scene

The Make Liverpool team approached The Women’s Organisation for business development support under our growth programme; New Markets 2. We caught up with co-director Kirsten Little to find out how business is going.

Kirsten Little, co-director of Make Liverpool

Describing itself as ‘a place to play, make and fix; bring an idea and take away your invention,’ Make Liverpool is a maker space which crosses the boundaries. It’s a place where digital and creative businesses work alongside artists and crafters, offering up a creative hub for honest conversations and unique skill shares.

The brainchild of co-directors Kirsten Little and Liam Kelly, the team are on a mission to support makers, artists and small businesses across Liverpool.

Communal space at Make Liverpool

It all started back in 2012 with a post from Liam on Facebook venturing the idea of a unique co-working space for creative makers. Having experienced first-hand the isolation of working remotely and the impact this can have on your mental health, Liam set his sights on opening a co-working space. The post immediately caught Kirsten’s eye. Having recently completed her masters degree in fine art it was the ideal next challenge.

The pair set off on a research mission, taking inspiration from maker spaces across Europe. 4 months later and their Baltic Triangle space was born and already filled with nearly 30 residents from a whole host of creative backgrounds. From those working in graphic design and photography to fine art, Kirsten says that it is this diverse skill set which has been the catalyst for their success.

Make resident, Max Rawhide hard at work

Fast forward four years and the team soon saw the need for a second space. Kirsten explains: “The problem with the Baltic space was that we couldn’t offer maker spaces and our residents wanted to grow their businesses without having to invest in equipment. One of our tenants needed access to a laser cutter to create her product meaning that she had to outsource this element, a cost which would ultimately impact on the final cost of her product. We wanted to create a one-stop shop of equipment where our residents could freely create and experiment.”

Make North Docks was born.

Another maker, Chris Wylie of Puppetuity

With their sights firmly set on business growth and having received support from The Women’s Organisation at the inception of the company, the team decided it was time to return to the organisation to find out what support was available as they entered this new era of high business growth.

Working closely with our business advisor, Francine Taylor, the Make team were able to identify new opportunities in the current business and gain the support to enter this new phase.

Of their time with Francine, co-director Liam says: "Francine was very supportive and easy to talk with. It’s great having knowledgeable and trustworthy people around you when you’re focused on growing a businesses."

With a third venue now in the pipeline, there’s no sign of Make Liverpool slowing down now. 

Kirsten and the team received growth advice through our New Markets 2 Programme. part funded by European Regional Development Fund. The programme is aimed at women who are running a business focussing on business to business (B2B) activity in the Liverpool City Region (Liverpool, Sefton, Wirral, St Helens, Knowsley and Halton) and are ready to take their business to the next level, either by expanding their team or significantly increasing turnover. 

For more information, contact us on hello@thewo.org.uk or ring us on 0151 706 8111.