Running a small business is tough, right?
 
The ever-changing landscape can be overwhelming, but today I’m seeking wisdom from an unexpected source.
 
I asked my almost 9-year-old (“It sounds more grown-up than 8, Mum”) for her tips on running a small business. Trust me, her fresh perspective will blow you away and make you see things in a new light! 💡
 
So, get ready to embark on a journey of discovery as we explore the pearls of wisdom from an 8-year-old entrepreneur-in-training (she has plans to open her own art gallery/restaurant one day).
 
You never know, her insights might just inspire you to update your approach and implement some simple yet effective strategies to help take your small business to new heights.
 
Let's do this! 👇

​Are you taking part in National Novel Writing Month?
 
I LOVE this month!
 
I always make time to write during #NaNoWriMo, and this year is no exception.
 
I'm working on a fiction project in my free time, but #NaNoWriMo is the perfect opportunity to work on any type of writing.
 
Falling behind on your blog or email content? Set aside some time this month to focus on building a backlog of posts or ideas that you can whip up and share with your audience.
 
How about that book for your business you've always wanted to write? Use #NaNoWriMo as the perfect excuse to get started.
 
Maybe you want to try your hand at fiction or poetry? There’s never been a better time to start than right now.
 
But, if you’ve never written anything before, or you’re feeling out of practice, the dread of getting started can start to feel a lot like writer’s block. 
 
If you want to #write this month, but you're not sure where to start, here are a few tips to get you going:

You don't NEED a virtual assistant. 

You also don't NEED to be able to put your feet up at the end of a long day and revel in the fact that all your tasks were completed on time. 

But it sure is nice, isn't it?

​How many times have you uttered the words, “it’s easier if I just do it myself.”

We’ve all been there, whether it’s something as simple as helping your child get dressed in the morning when they’re refusing to do it themselves or writing a new blog post for your website because the idea of handing the task to someone else is a little terrifying.

There are usually two main reasons people choose not to delegate:

“I can do it myself. I don’t need any help.” – Translation: “I don’t want anyone to think I can’t manage. I don’t want to feel like a failure.”

“I’d rather do it myself.” – Translation: “What if they get it wrong?”

Both are understandable mindsets, and trust me, as a business owner and especially as a Virtual Assistant who’s used to being delegated to, I still find it difficult to let go of certain tasks and responsibilities to someone else.

​Reviews and testimonials are valuable and crucial to the success of any small business.
 
Each review acts as a word of mouth referral about your business, and potential customers will actively seek out reviews from previous customers to ensure that they’ll be getting a good product/service.

Did you know that simply having readily available reviews from past customers can build a potential customer’s trust and lead to increased sales?

The key thing to remember is that your reviews should be everywhere, and there’s no limit to how and where you can use customer reviews to market your business.
​
Try these top tips to make the most of your small business reviews: 

Far too many businesses start blogs for the sake of starting blogs.

Unfortunately, this means the web is awash with ghostly wreckages that were once big content marketing ideas.

Using a blog to reach a wider audience is something every business should do, but this form of content marketing it’s just as adept at speaking to an existing customer base.
 
If you’re unsure, here’s seven ways to communicate with your customers via a blog:

The term ‘copywriting’ seems curiously old fashioned in a world of social media, Emoji's and one-hundred-and-forty character micro blogging.
 
Despite this, copywriting remains a vital facet of marketing and is a skill people spend years perfecting. Much like the ability to work with numbers, writing comes naturally to some, while others have to work hard to express themselves in a form that will be engaging for others.

As a self-published author, your life can be pretty hectic.

If you're not starting a new project, you're probably already working on one (or several). Maybe you're editing your latest creation, researching a fact that you need to reference, proofreading your work, sending out ARC copies to bloggers and reviewers, arranging interviews, updating your blog to keep your readers up to date on what's coming next, answering emails from your readers, dealing with press enquiries, submitting your finished manuscript for publishing and then you have to move onto marketing which can include signings, book tours, email newsletters, social media, more blog updates etc. 

With all of this going on and the characters buzzing around your head, who's stories just want to be told, it can be hard to focus on the one thing you love doing most, writing.