My biggest lesson in marketing (so far)

This is an entry into the JupiterJasper Marketing lesson blogging competition

I thought this would be really easy to answer … and I’d be able to write an awesome post on how amazing I am 😉 haha!! Not quite!

My biggest marketing lesson hummmm …… Never miss an opportunity!! Always see a way to work your business into a situation.

Everyone knows how much I love twitter for finding great #journorequests there is usually an opportunity for you to promote your business.  I sometimes reply to journalists looking for case studies for parenting magazine and ask everso nicely if they will mention Charlie Moo’s.  If they say no, I send this image …

IMG_0010 (2)Although Megan is only a baby in it! She is clearly holding a Charlie Moo’s bag and if the image is large enough in magazines/newspapers you can sometimes make out the the name and webaddress.  There is also the possibility that they may google Joanne Dewberry and Fabric Bags and viola there we are!

I recently sat reading a Trade Party Suppliers Magazine and was annoyed by a comment made about children’s party ware.  So I emailed the editor and left my feedback plus a few lines about myself and Charlie Moo’s.  The next day the editor emailed me, after checking out my website.  I then did a phone interview with her and am now appearing in the next edition talking about more eco-friendly children’s parties and they are compiling and A-Z of greener retailers.

No clever PR tricks or paid advertising, just a bit of research and out of the box thinking.  You know your business better than anyone your USP and what makes you great!

Never miss an opportunity!

Just to remind you – I’m mummy to 3 lovely children, partner to one bolding man and owner of 3 small businesses.

Charlie Moo’s – specialising in handmade fabric party bags and Charlie Moo branded products
Networking Mummies – support networking for mums in business
www.joannedewberry.co.uk – business mentoring and support

Found this useful wondering how you can show me your appreciation? Well, there are some ways you can say thanks and support my website: ➡

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6 Comments

  1. Charlotte
    July 8, 2011 / 7:17 am

    Great post as usual Joanne! I’m really trying to figure out the whole marketing/PR for No Sacrifice atm instead of aimlessly throwing money at adverts which don’t seem to work!
    We have a twitter but just getting to grips with it!
    I will definitely be using your advice.
    Thank you x

    • Joanne
      July 8, 2011 / 8:49 am

      Hello love thank you for the comment .. its important to remember that adverts don’t necessarily = PR
      Good Luck shout if you need me!!

  2. July 8, 2011 / 8:08 am

    Fantastic piece, Joanne! As I provide a service and not a physical product I do find it really difficult trying to promote myself and get away from the traditional “boring” accounts angle. Do you have any tips you could share please?

    • Joanne
      July 8, 2011 / 8:51 am

      Ooo but isn’t that the point …. your not a conventional accountant??

  3. July 8, 2011 / 6:10 pm

    In many ways the idea of ‘seize every opportunity’ is exactly what this blog competition is all about. What has been absolutely proven to me again, in seeking entries to the competition, is that the businesses that can seize every opportunity are the ones that have the strongest idea about their business and who will benefit from it. If you are clear on those two things, you need to present why your version of the product is unique and you’ll be up and away – easily making the best of the opportunities that present themselves, and finding more just by ‘going’ where your target market goes.

    • Joanne
      July 9, 2011 / 9:41 am

      Completely agree … I meant businesses all the time who miss even the simplest things from making sure they have branded their packaging (a branded sticky label can be easily made). I sometimes wonder if marketing is an art/skill or whether its just common sense.