Business

  • Business

    If you’ve been made redundant, freelancing might be your next career move

    I was made redundant two days before Christmas in 2019.

    I remember it well.

    On Friday, after wrapping up all my work for the year, I asked if I could have Monday (our official last working day) off. I was met with a hesitant “no”.

    On Sunday afternoon, I half-joked to my partner that I was getting brought in on Monday just to be made redundant.

    On Monday, I went to work at usual. At 9:15am, I was asked to the board room by the Finance Director and (no prizes for guessing what happened next) was told my role was being made redundant effective immediately.

    I had no plan B, no emergency savings, and no idea what the near future looked like (apart from knowing that I know had an undetermined extended festive break).

    That unexpected redundancy pushed me to finally try freelancing. And it turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to my career.

    In my first year, I replaced my salary. By my second, I’d set up a limited company. In my fourth, I had my first £100k year. In my fifth, I became VAT registered. Things have slowed down in my sixth year, but the business is still strong.

    That’s my experience. It isn’t a promise that freelancing will work the same way for everyone. It can be uncertain, and it takes more than being good at your job. But if you’ve been made redundant and have a skill people need, self-employment could be one way to keep your income and career moving.

    The job market is tough right now. There are fewer vacancies and more competition. Getting hired is brutal. I’ve seen countless stories of people submitting thousands of applications and being in the job hunting trenches for years.

    Going freelance could be your way of taking your career into your own hands. And, who knows, it just may end up being the best thing that ever happened to your career too.

    If you’re considering freelance work, here’s some practical places to start.

    1. Let people know you’re available for freelance work

    Post on LinkedIn and other social channels to say what you do, who you can help and how to contact you. Yep, even Facebook. You may be surprised where a conversation or lead comes from.

    Make it easy for people to understand what kind of work you’re looking for. “I’m open to freelance work” is a start. But saying “I’m available for project management support for small charities” gives people something specific to remember and pass on.

    And don’t forget to give people a way to get in touch with you. I’d recommend sharing your email address. Don’t give out your personal number or WhatsApp, trust me. It’ll cause more headaches than you want.

    When I posted about my redundancy on Twitter (while simultaneously frustration crying at my desk and packing up all my work stuff 10 minutes after my redundancy meeting), I was blown away by the support I received. My tweet was liked, retweeted, and commented on by thousands of people including Steven Bartlett.

    That led to my inbox being filled with initial lead enquiries and helped me land my first few clients. And for that, I’ll always be grateful.

    2. Tell everyone you know

    Reach out to past colleagues, clients (if you’re allowed), peers, and friends. Let them know you’re freelancing and ask if they know anyone who might need your help.

    You don’t have to make it a hard sell. A simple, personal message can open the door to a useful conversation.

    3. Create a simple website

    You don’t need an all-singing, all-dancing website straight away. And I’m saying that as someone who writes website copy for a living. All you need is a basic portfolio site or one-pager that explains:

    • What you do (make it easy with a clear list of services or “packages” you offer)
    • Who you help (by naming the types of businesses you work with and the problems you help them solve)
    • Why someone might choose to work with you (ideally by showing the type of work you do and the outcomes you help businesses achieve)
    • How to get in touch (AKA a contact form or email)

    Make sure the examples you share are yours to use, and get permission before including any client work or results.

    When I first gave freelancing ago, I had a lifestyle blog called Grandiose Days. So, I quickly added a services page, a “work with me” contact page, and a couple of marketing-related blog posts.

    Grandiose days became my freelance business identity for 1.5 years before I rebranded as Fika Digital and, eventually, shut down my little lifestyle-blog-turned-freelance-business website.

    4. Meet people in person

    Head along to local business events and industry meetups. Go work from a co-working space for a few days. You don’t need to walk in with a pitch prepared. Just start by asking people what they do and what they’re working on.

    Get to know people. Great relationships take time to build and trying to sell-sell-sell from day one won’t win you friends. The people you meet could lead to advice, referrals, and peers you can count on throughout your freelance journey.

    5. Find your people online too

    Freelancing can feel isolating, so look for communities where you can learn from others, share challenges and make connections. I didn’t join until I was three years into running my business but the Digital Marketing Union is my favourite place to spend time online. Here, I’ve met marketing (and now real-life!) friends. These are people I can turn to when I have a work win, challenge, or question. And, transparently, it’s also led to great work opportunities as a nice bonus.

    Look for groups that feel useful, supportive, and aligned to you, rather than joining every single community you come across.

    6. Put yourself forward for freelance opportunities

    Search LinkedIn, sign up to relevant newsletters and keep an eye on sector groups and specialist job boards. When you find an opportunity, tailor your response to the brief and show how your experience fits.

    It can help to set aside a regular block of time each week to find and respond to opportunities. Otherwise, you might find yourself spending every hour of every day searching for jobs or projects.

    You can find a lot with a quick LinkedIn search of “looking for freelance [your skillset]” and similar variations. As a copywriter, I’ve also found a few gems in newsletters like Freelance Opportunities and Freelance Writing Jobs. You can also find sector-specific newsletters like The Wild Path which rounds up jobs in the outdoors sector.

    7. Get clear on your finances

    Work out what you need to earn, how much time you can realistically sell and what your costs will be. Remember to account for tax and other costs, and put money aside as you go. Future you will be grateful for past you putting money aside.

    Your first pricing decisions may not be perfect. Mine weren’t. Whew, I seriously undercharged. Even now, almost 7 years later, I still undercharge at times. It can be a loooong learning journey.

    Review your rates as you learn how long work takes, what clients need, and what it costs to run your business.

    While on the topic of finances, having an accounting system works. I use Mighty* – it’s cheap, cheerful, and great for invoicing, bookkeeping, and reporting.

    Oh and set up a separate business bank account too. It’s a nice, clean way of keeping your personal money and business earnings separate.

    *affiliate link but I’ve previously spent upwards of £250/month on accountants. At only £60+VAT per month, Mighty is fantastic

    8. Make room for life outside work

    It’s easy to spend every waking hour applying for roles or chasing lead opportunities. But try to reserve some time for yourself too.

    While it may be under less than ideal circumstances, it’s likely the first time you’ve had free time. Make the most of it!

    9. Build systems as you go

    You don’t need to have everything figured out before you start. And you most definitely don’t need a full suite of business processes on day one. But it helps to make sure you do build systems along the way. Start with the simple yet important stuff like tracking your income and expenses, having a contract, creating a smooth onboarding process, and a plan for invoicing.

    These are some of the early processes I implemented when first starting out as a freelance copywriter and content strategist:

    • Income and expenses tracker (yep, even though I have accounting software)
    • Tracking my workload in a project management tool so I knew what I was working on and when
    • A simple contract template (in a good ol’ Google Doc)
    • Accounting software with built-in invoicing for smooth finances

    These systems will help you stay on top of the business side of freelancing while also making the experience smoother for your clients.

    Final thoughts on freelancing after redundancy

    If you’ve been made redundant, you don’t need to decide your whole future this week. In fact, I’d argue that you should do nothing career-related for the first week. Go and enjoy your new found freedom before you start figuring out your next steps.

    But freelancing is one route that could help you bridge the gap between role. And, who knows, it might turn out to be more than a stop gap. It might become an entire career in its own right.

    For now, just start by reaching out to people and let them know you’re available for freelance work. Put yourself out there, do good work, and deliver great experiences.

  • Business

    The tools and services I pay for to run my copywriting and content strategy business

    When you hire an independent copywriter and content strategist, you’re not just paying for the hours they spend writing.

    You’re benefitting from all the tools, systems, and safeguards they’ve put in place behind the scenes. Things like MarTech tools used to find opportunities, the insurance that protects everyone if something goes spectacularly wrong (touch wood we never need it), and the project management spaces that keep everything working as expected.

    Like most freelancers, I pay for plenty of tools and services “out of pocket” before a piece of client work ever lands in my inbox.

    Some of those expenses make my work better. Others make projects easier for my clients. Others keep my business organised and compliant. And some I pay for while grumbling about the price every month.

    I purposefully try to keep my tools stack lean. So, I’ve recently done a lot of work consolidating tools and removing anything that could be done with an existing or cheaper tool. It’s something that I think is valuable from both a costs and a security perspective.

    In the interest of being transparent, I thought it’d be helpful to give an inside look at what I currently pay for as a copywriter and content strategist.

    So, whether you’re considering working with me or you’re another copywriter, here’s what’s in my tech stack.

    Google Workspace (AKA the heart of my business)

    If you took Google Workspace away from me, I’m not entirely sure there’d be much of a business left behind.

    I use Gmail, Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Meet, Drive, and Vids. And they all play a slightly different role.

    Every client has a dedicated Google Drive folder where we can keep all our working documents and final deliverables. Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides are part of my everyday workflows whether I’m delivering a messaging strategy project, sharing new website copy, or presenting a recommendations report.

    They also hold a lot of the systems I use behind the scenes to run my business.

    Google Vids has replaced Loom for me. I can film videos and screen recordings, add captions and Fika Digital branding, and share them with clients. It’d really handy when I want to explain my thinking behind something without adding another meeting to everyone’s calendar.

    I even use Google Docs to issue contracts thanks to its traceable eSignature feature. This means I don’t need to pay for separate contract software simply to collect an electronic signature.

    Notion for a tidier client experience

    Notion is where I house client-facing project areas when a folder full of documents isn’t quite enough.

    For some clients, I’ll build a “project zone” in Notion where they can find everything they could possibly need from the overarching strategy to specific deliverables. For some retainer clients, I’ll use Notion to house a social media content calendar or project management board that shows what we’re working on, what’s waiting for approval and what’s already been published.

    I use Notion to deliver my Clarity Action Plans too. It gives clients a practical, interactive document they can actually work through and refer back to rather than static report taht might get downloaded, skim-read, then forgotten.

    Figma and FigJam to turn words into something you can see

    Copy doesn’t exist in a vacuum. A headline that works beautifully in a document might fall apart when somebody tries to squeeze it into a website design.

    That’s why I use Figma to create copywriting wireframes. These show you how the message, structure, and calls to action could all work together on the page.

    I’m not going to pretend I’m a web designer. My Figma skills are shaky but hey, I’ve put in the hours to learn Figma and I’m certified to an advanced level.

    I use Figma to create lo-fi wireframes that get the job done… and they get praised by the designers I work with!

    These wireframes are a business non-negotiable for me as a copywriter. They’re incredibly valuable for allowing clients to visualise how their copy might work in-situ without getting distracted by fonts, colours, or visual graphics too early.

    I also use FigJam to run collaborative whiteboard sessions with clients. It gives us somewhere to map ideas, organise research, and work through strategic conundrums in real-time. These involve a lot of virtual sticky notes and a fair share of typos. But they’re always overflowing with valuable insights.

    ClickUp so I can keep everything running smoothly

    ClickUp is strictly behind the scenes but it plays a big part in keeping client work on track.

    In ClickUp, I have folders for each client, templates for repeatable services, and tasks for every stage of every project. If I need to do something, it gets added to ClickUp.

    My favourite feature is the calendar. This lets me see exactly what work I’ve planned for each day. It’s helpful for balancing multiple projects at once and making sure I don’t overbook myself.

    That matters a lot when you’re managing several projects all at the same time. I need to know that the research session you booked in for next month, the copy audit due next Thursday, and the content strategy waiting for updates all have enough time allocated to them.

    While you might never see my ClickUp board as a client, it’s the tool that makes sure your client is delivered on time and to the highest standard.

    Mighty for mighty accounting

    I recently switched to Mighty for my accounting and so far, I’m a big fan.

    Previously, I was paying more than £250+VAT each month for an accountant and paying separately for FreeAgent. Looking back at last year’s statement makes me eyes water. Now, I pay £60+VAT per month for Mighty which covers my bookkeeping software and gives me access to a bloody brilliant accounting team.

    I don’t need all-singing, all-dancing accounting support as a small limited company of one. Mighty keeps the accounting side of my business nice and simple while still letting me manage all finances, stay on top of cashflow, and invoice clients for the great work I do.

    Monzo pro (and the £9 expense I mildly resent)

    I use Monzo for business banking. Generally speaking, I think Monzo are great. But I kind of resent the fact I have to pay £9/month for Monzo Pro just so I can integrate it with my accounting setup.

    It’s not a huge expense but it’s one of those small monthly charges that exists largely because all my systems need to speak to one another. It’s the type of thing that I think should be free. Alas, it’s not. And hey, the integration reduces manual admin and helps keep my accounts accurate so I’ll keep coughing up my £9/month and saving a good few hours of financial admin.

    PolicyBee so I’m protected for any “just in case” moments

    Your girl wants to make sure she’s covered if anything ever goes wrong.

    Through PolicyBee, I pay for business insurance, including professional indemnity and public liability cover. I keep the level of cover fairly high both for my own peace of mind and because some client contracts require it. It’s a hefty sum each month but one that I think is worth having as a “just in case”.

    Thakfully, I’ve only ever had to make one claim… which was when I smashed a business iPad after owning it for approximately five minutes. I’ve never needed it for anything more serious and I’d very much like to keep it that way.

    Insurance isn’t the most exciting business expense but it matters. Clients are trusting me with their messaging, commercially sensitive information, and sometimes access to their systems. Having appropriate cover is all part of taking that responsibility seriously.

    ICO certificate for data protection

    Speaking of being a responsible business owner, I also pay an annual ICO fee as I handle personal data, both for my own business and sometimes on behalf of my clients.

    This fee is a legal requirement and something that I’ll happily pay each month as part of my duty of keeping my clients data safe.

    Canva for all things creative

    I use Canva pretty much every week to create social media graphics for clients and, occassionally, for Fika Digital itself.

    I also find Canva useful for creating proposals, simple presentation assets, and any other branded elements I might need for something I’m working on. I’ve used it to create my fair share of branded merch too.

    No, a Canva subscription does not make me a graphic designer. But it does let me produce useful, on-brand creative assets for the work I’m doing. It’s helpful for social media retainers where I can take the lead on the copy and visual assets without needing to involve another supplier just because a LinkedIn graphic needs creating.

    ChatGPT for processing, organising, and analysing

    Yep, you read that right. I’m an independent copywriter who pays for AI. But don’t worry, that doesn’t mean I use it to press a button and have it write your website while I put the kettle on.

    One of my useful tools is a customGPT I built to help synthesise and codify voice of customer research. When I’m working with interview transcripts, survey responses, reviews or sales-call notes, it helps me organise large amounts of qualitative information and identify recurring themes for me to interrogate. It’s genuinely helped me cut my research time down from 60+ hours to between 20-30 hours. That’s still a heck of a lot of time, but it means I can deliver it faster and without charging as much.

    I also use ChatGPT skills to support some analytical tasks. Connecting it to Google Sheets is particularly useful during audits. I can brain dump all my observations and findings as I work then use it to help auto-populate the sheet for me.

    It speeds up the admin-heavy parts of analysis so I can use my time on the more judgement and strategy-intensive stuff and less time on moving my notes from one box to another.

    Semrush for SEO insights at a pricetag I begrudge

    Semrush helps me conduct SEO research and analysis for clients. I use it to explore search demand, review keyword opportuenities, understand the competitive landscape, and diagnose clients’ current organic performance.

    It’s valuable when a project calls for it. But it’s also expensive compared to how often I need to use it so, like Monzo Pro, it’s another subscription I pay for somewhat begrudgingly.

    I would love Semrush to create a genuinely useful credit-based PAYG option for small freelancers and consultants. Until then, I guess I’ll keep paying the £110+ monthly fee so I have reliable data when client work calls for it.

    It makes sure my content strategies, website copywriting projects, blog articles, and content audits are grounded in real search data rather than somebody just typing a phrase into Google and deciding it “feels like a good keyword”.

    The Digital Marketing Union where I pay to have friends

    The Digital Marketing Union (or The DMU, for short) is one of my favourite places on the internet. As the name suggests, it’s a community for digital marketers.

    A photo from when a bunch of us DMUers got together for a business retreat

    It’s where I can soundboard ideas with other marketing freelancers and agency owners. It’s also a great place for getting solutions for shared challenges, answers to tricky questions, and for sharing opportunities with each other.

    It’s where I’ve found other independent marketers who I’m proud to call friends. They help make this freelancing malarkey a heck of a lot less lonely.

    A bunch of other things I’ve probably forgotten about

    This isn’t an exhaustive list of everything I pay for as a copywriter and content strategist. It’s just the main things that I think have the biggest impact on the work I do.

    I know if I were to comb through my bookkeeping reports, there’d be a lot more expenses that I haven’t talked about here. Things like website hosting software and other tools I trial.

    But, I do make a habit of routinely reviewing my expenses and finding ways to consolidate them both for my benefit and for my clients.

    A good setup should make the work better

    If there’s one thing I’ve learned while running my own business, it’s that you don’t need the fanciest tools. Sometimes, the most simple tools let you do the best work.

    For instance, last year I forked out £4,000 to get DubSado set up. I then used DubSado as my business operations platform. I lasted four whole months before deciding I hated it. It wasn’t making life any easier for me and it wasn’t suitable for 90% of my clients who were technical B2B businesses. So, I chalked it up as an expensive £4,000 lesson and stripped my operations back to basics by moving back to using Google Workspace.

    My tech stack has changed a lot over the years, and it’ll undoubtedly change again (and again). I’m not interested in collecting software for the sake of having an impressive list of logos on my monthly bank statement.

    Every tool needs to earn it’s place by doing at least one of three things:

    • Improving the quality of my deliverables
    • Making life easier for my clients
    • Helping me run a reliable, secure, and sustainable business

    And if it can’t deliver against any of those? It’s probably not a tool I need.

    When you work with an independent consultant, there’s some things sitting behind the final strategy, wireframe, content plan, or piece of copy you receive.

    Of course, you’re paying for the work itself. But you’re also getting the benefit of a tried-and-tested system that’s designed to make that work even better.

    So, if you’ve ever wondered what exactly you’re paying for when you hire a copywriter or content strategist, I hope this article has helped shed some light on the situation.

    And if you’re ready to hire a copywriter and content strategist who seriously puts her tools to good work, let’s have a chat.

  • Business

    The 15-minute daily habit to set you up for business success

    15 minutes. Half an episode of your favourite Netflix show. A 1-mile walk. A short podcast episode. 15 TikToks. A chapter of your current book. An Instagram doomscroll…

    15 minutes isn’t very long. If I ask you to take 2-hours out of your day, it might send you on a downward spiral straight to panicsville. But 15-minutes? That’s doable, right?

    Well, what if I said you could set your business up for incredible success just by carving out 15-minutes every day?

    I used to experience high-highs and low-lows in my business. I’d have days where I’d wake up, directionless, defeated and wanting to hide under the duvet covers. I had a lot of days like that.

    Building this 15-minute journaling habit saved my business. In today’s blog, I’m going to share the exact journal prompts I use to create business success every day.

    The power of journaling

    I’m a writer by trade. So, it makes sense that I find strength in journaling. Unravelling the ideas in my brain through a stream of black ink on lined paper. But here’s the thing: it works.

    The haptic feedback of putting pen to paper isn’t one to be shunned. When we write, neurons in our brain begin to fire. Areas all over your cerebrum (that’s just a fancy word for brain) light up as they are actively engaged. Writing things down builds neuroplasticity. So, by writing down your business plans and reaffirming your strengths through writing, you’re realigning your own beliefs.

    Journaling is powerful for changing your mindset, overcoming self-limiting beliefs, and setting yourself up for true business success. Trust me, journaling has changed my life as a business owner.

    Got a problem? Journal.

    Thinking of big business plans? Yep, journal.

    Mapping out my future? You got it, journal.

    Finding pockets of time for growth

    Can you spare 15-minute a day to grow your business?

    If you answered yes, great — let’s go! Feel free to skip ahead to the next section to get into the juicy details for how you can level up your business in just 15-minutes.

    If you answered no, I get it and I’m here to offer some perspective and clarity…

    When you’re running a business, every single second of your time is accounted for. If you want to succeed, you’ve got to be organised.

    I schedule my days down to every teeny-tiny moment. From 8am to 5:30(ish)pm, my working day is laid out hour by hour, minute by minute. Without a carefully planned schedule, I wouldn’t get anything done.

    But, running a business shouldn’t be 7 hours a day of client work and zero time to work ON your business or yourself. If every second of your working day is taken up with business tasks, your brain is going to frazzle. Trust me.

    Whether you have a hyper-planned weekly schedule or rollercoaster weeks where two days never look the same, you need to find small pockets of time for growth.

    I used to have days where someone would try to schedule a last-minute project or meeting in my diary and I would fall apart. I mean it. It’d be an instant meltdown…

    “One hour on Thursday? I don’t have an hour on Thursday?”

    “They want me to go for a coffee at 11am? Ugh, but I’ve already planned to do X,Y,Z then… I have no time. I can’t possibly fit them in.”

    But guess what? You do have time. You just need to be smart about how you’re spending those hours. Prioritise your time and create small pockets of time for growth.

    And if you seriously can’t spare 1-hour a week for a spontaneous task, project, or meeting, your business has bigger problems. But that’s a whole other conversation for another time, my friend.

    I’m asking you to spare just one hour and 25 minutes every week. That’s 15-minutes a day, five days a week. Just a tiny window of time in your daily schedule.

    That could be the 15-minutes you usually spend scrolling social media in between tasks, it’s 15-minutes recouped from another meeting that could’ve been an email, or it’s just half of a 3-minute TV show.

    The best part? You can do these 15-minutes while enjoying your morning brew.

    And those 15-minutes a day are going to help you build a powerful business that thrives.

    So, let me ask you again. Can you spare 15-minute a day to grow your business?

    The 3 business questions I ask in my 15-minute daily journaling habit

    Working from home has its perks. The main one is that I no longer have to commute to an office. I used to commute a 2-hour round trip to work. By working remotely, I’ve regained 21 days of my life every year.

    The second bonus, and a byproduct of no longer commuting, is that I enjoy slow, relaxed mornings. 

    Sidenote: I know not everyone has that luxury. Some people will be up at the crack of dawn for work. Others have caregiver duties that mean their waking hours are spent seeing to the needs of someone else. But I can enjoy slower mornings thanks to no longer commuting.

    My workday morning routine typically looks like this:

    • Wake up sometime between 5:30am – 6:15am if I’m going to the gym
    • Wake up between 7am – 7:30am if I’m not going to the gym
    • Gym (if I choose to go), shower, see to the dogs and make breakfast by 8am
    • Sat my desk ready to start the working day by 8:15am
    • Journal for 15 minutes sometime between 8:15am – 8:45am
    • Slowly ease myself into work so I’m ready to crack on with client projects by 9am

    That 15-minute time slot for journaling is small but mighty. It’s a moment to check in with myself mentally and get my priorities straight for the day ahead.

    In my 15-minute daily journaling habit, I ask myself 3 business questions.

    What was Yesterday’s win?

    I start by reflecting on the previous working day. No matter how bad I feel yesterday went, I have to write down one win. It can be as simple as “I showed up to work” or as victorious as “I won a new client”.

    This question is here to remind myself of my power. Reflecting on my wins (no matter how small) is a gentle nudge that I’m doing okay. No one else is going to celebrate your wins. So, you need to step up and celebrate yourself.

    Taking stock of your achievements feels damn good. Acknowledging your wins activates the reward centre of your brain. This releases dopamine and energises you with all those feel-good emotions. Celebrating your wins makes you feel rewarded and sets off a powerful chain reaction for even greater success.

    Celebrating small victories creates a domino effect that sparks extraordinary results. Don’t believe me? Try it. Reflect on your daily wins for 30 days. 

    What are Today’s priorities?

    Next, I journal my priorities for the day ahead.

    I list a maximum of three things that I absolutely must do before the end of the day. This priority list isn’t the same as a to-do list.

    My daily to-do list could contain upwards of 10 tasks. The reality is that it’s unlikely I’d complete all 10 tasks in one day. The ruthless list of priorities ensures I focus on the most important tasks at hand.

    I’ll write down all of the tasks I want to do today. Then, I realistically review that task in terms of my available hours for the day and which tasks have the highest priority.

    You’ve got to be strict with yourself here. Only allow yourself to choose 3 priority tasks. These should be the most urgent or most valuable tasks on your to-do list. Write these down as your priorities for the day.

    I actually find this priority list prevents me from getting overwhelmed by my to-do list. When I first started journaling on my daily priority list, I was dubious. I thought everything on my to-do list was urgent. After a few days of keeping a priority list, my mindset shifted and I found myself able to get more done each day.

    It gets me out of my own head. Y’know that doom and gloom of looking at your incomplete to-do list? All those unfinished tasks staring you in the face, filling you with guilt. The priority list eradicates those feelings. Instead of looking at an unfinished task and feeling guilty, you feel proud knowing you made progress with your priority tasks.

    And those unfinished tasks? Well, they get delegated to another day. Their time will come, just not today.

    It was basically the concept of “work smarter, not harder” in action. Give it a try and let me know how you get on.

    What are this week’s actions?

    Finally, I spend the last 5-minutes of my journaling time writing down my actions for the week. This is different from my daily priority list or a standard weekly to-do list.

    My daily priority list focuses on the client deliverables I need to work on each day. Meanwhile, my weekly actions list focuses on what I need to do to further my business.

    Daily priorities are client-focused whereas weekly actions are business-focused.

    Just like my daily priorities, I try to stick to a maximum of three weekly actions. These actions must in one way or another drive my business forward. These should align with my business goals.

    I’ll write these actions down every single day to remind myself to work on my bigger business goals. If I only ever work on client work, my own business will suffer. Sure, clients will get amazing results and those relationships will flourish. But my own business will be neglected. I need to carve out time each week to nurture my own business development and growth.

    The action included on my weekly actions list could be:

    • Post on Twitter
    • Write a blog post
    • Reconnect with an old lead
    • Request a testimonial from a client
    • Lead proposal planning
    • Pitching to publications

    Whatever I include on my weekly action list needs to be something that will drive my business forward. I keep this list to a maximum of three items to prevent myself from getting overwhelmed. These actions need to be small enough that they are achievable while being big enough to make an impact.

    Set yourself up for business success with a 15-minute morning journaling habit

    That’s it — if you want to really set yourself up for success as a business owner, don’t sleep on the power of journaling.

    Carve on 15-minutes every morning to journal on three key areas:

    • Yesterday’s wins
    • Today’s priorities
    • This week’s actions

    Make yourself a hot drink and take these 15 minutes as soul-nourishing time to reflect and remind yourself of your power. This is a calm window of opportunity to prioritise yourself. Doing this in the morning helps you process your emotions so you can start your day on a positive note.

    You’ll gain greater clarity over the things that matter most in your business. Better yet, you’ll have written reminders of all your daily accomplishments. This quietens the voice of doubt in your mind, shuts down scarcity, and makes room for a mindset of abundance. 

    Give it a try and let me know how you get on.

  • Business

    Six ways to avoid digital marketing burnout

    Back-to-back meetings, never-ending to-do lists and missed lunch breaks – these are just some of the things that can add up to cause burnout. 

    Throw in the need to be constantly in the loop on the latest digital marketing algorithm updates and trends, to be up-to-date on the current memes and social media news, to wear 101 different business hats, and to be the go-to-person for creative brainstorming and online optimisation, and you’ve got yourself the ingredients for digital marketing burnout.

    Burnout is a real issue that needs to be tackled within the workplace. That need to tackle burnout is amplified for the marketing industry where 83.3% of marketing and communication professionals report feelings of burnout. 

    I should know – I’ve been there before. When working in-house at a start-up company, I experienced severe career burnout. I was well and truly exhausted. 

    My pylon light was totally extinguished. 

    Fika Digital - Ways to avoid digital marketing burnout

    After going through burnout, I vowed that I would never let myself experience burnout again. I’m much more aware of the factors that can lead to burnout for me personally and what to do when it’s time for me to take proactive action against burnout creep.

    At Fika Digital, we want to put a stop to digital marketing burnout for good. We want to make sure that you never have to endure the soul-destroying, self-doubting-instilling feeling of burnout.

    So, what can you do to avoid digital marketing burnout?

    Digital marketing burnout: explained

    There’s no one single cause of burnout. And the factors that add up to cause burnout for one person may differ for the next. But that doesn’t make your experience of burnout any less real.

    In fact, burnout has been classified as an official medical diagnosis according to ICD-11. So, if you need something to let you know your feelings are valid, let it be that.

    Burnout can be characterised by the following symptoms, as per ICD-11:

    • feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion
    • increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job
    • reduced professional efficacy

    The culture of marketing is one that can contribute towards a culture of burnout. It’s a culture that we need to change if we really want to prevent digital marketing burnout from happening.

    With it’s ever-changing landscape, rapid growth, high demands and expectations, quick project turn-arounds, and dog-eat-dog competitiveness, digital marketing is a multi-faceted and fast-paced industry that inevitably can cause burnout if not addressed early on. 

    Getting to the heart of digital marketing burnout lies with the industry and company leaders. Our duty as marketers is to make sure our employees and partners are not being set up to frazzle and burn out. 

    However, I appreciate that addressing the issue at that scale is a whole other conversation.

    Right now, I want to focus on the ways that you can protect your own energy and well-being by taking steps to avoid digital marketing burnout.

    6 ways to avoid digital marketing burnout

    If you feel like you are on the cusp of digital marketing burnout, let this article guide you through some of the ways you can put a stop to your digital marketing burnout.

    Summary:

    1. Focus your attention on one task at a time
    2. Outsource work to other marketing professionals
    3. Set distraction-free “Power Hours”
    4. Learn to say No
    5. Keep work-life and personal-life separate
    6. Find ways to improve your workflow

    Focus your attention on one task at a time

    Marketing professionals typically wear several business hats. You may find yourself having to flit between being an SEO specialist to a Social Media Strategist, Graphic Designer, and PPC expert in a matter of minutes. 

    It’s like a game of Buckaroo – you keep piling the tasks on until eventually you buckle under the pressure.

    We recommend getting organised with your to-do list so you can focus your attention on one task at a time. This will help you tackle the weight of a heavy and diverse workload.

    Traditionally, your to-do list will contain a list of everything that’s on your agenda for today. One great big list without any rhyme or reason. As a result, chances are high that you will flit between the tasks on your to-do list as you do your best to get through everything you can.

    Doing this will only lead to more internalised pressure and stress. 

    Instead, you should timeblock your to-do list and group similar tasks together. By using a time- and task- blocked approach, you will be able to sink into more focused work and you’ll find that you tick your tasks off a lot quicker than when you try to complete everything at once. 

    Stop trying to juggle everything at once and just focus on one task at a time.

    Outsource work to other marketing professionals

    Telling you to outsource your work to someone is often easier said than done. But it will help. 

    If you are struggling with your workload, please speak up about it. If you are an employee working for someone else, please tell your senior leaders that your workload is too large and they need to help you reduce it or outsource it to somebody else (either someone in your team, someone new, or someone external). 

    If you are a senior leader or the owner of your company, remember that you do not have to do everything. Owning and running a business is hard work but you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to a trusted marketing professional to outsource your marketing work and reduce your workload.

    It’s okay to admit that you have more than you can possibly manage. By outsourcing work to other marketing professionals, you will be able to free up some of your time to be more attentive to the other tasks on your to-do list.

    Set distraction-free “Power Hours”

    Power hours sounds very hustle culture-esque but stick with me.

    Setting distraction-free “Power Hours” can be a great way to knuckle down and whizz through your tasks. Let your team know when you plan to take a Power Hour and that you can’t be disturbed during this time. Turn your phone on silent and close down your emails to avoid temptation to check your social media notifications, answer phone calls or reply to emails. 

    The purpose of having a distraction-free Power Hour is to give yourself the chance to get stuck into some deep work. So use this time to focus on a large task that requires your full attention. 

    It is believed that one hour of focused time equals four hours of distracted time. By working Power Hours into your weekly work schedule you might be surprised to find how much quicker you manage to get through some of those deeper tasks that take up time.

    Power Hours are also a great way to set boundaries with people and let them (and yourself) know that you aren’t available 24/7. 

    Learn to say No

    Saying “No”, especially in the workplace, can be terrifying.

    But it can also be liberating. 

    By saying “No” to new opportunities, tasks or requests, you will be able to set healthier boundaries and reduce the risk of taking on more than you can manage. 

    Before you straight up start shouting “No!” at someone the next time they ask you to do something, start saying no by:

    • Reminding people know what your work expectations are 
    • Letting people know what your boundaries are
    • Explaining your reasons why you’re saying no
    • Proposing an alternative

    By exercising your right to say no, you’re also protecting your energy and well-being. Saying no can be one of the hardest things to do. But it can also be one of the most powerful ways to reduce your likelihood of getting burnt out.

    Want to take on more and don’t want to say “No” to potential opportunities? Then hire additional resources to help with the additional workload.

    Keep work-life and personal-life separate

    Sometimes, our work-life can blend into our personal-life. In the marketing industry that crossover between work- and personal- life is even easier. 

    If you work in social media marketing, you may find yourself feeling the need to be active on social media all hours of the day. Outside of work, you may listen to marketing podcasts, read marketing articles, follow all the greatest Marketing folk on Twitter… it can be easy for our work responsibilities to creep into our personal lives. Especially when it’s something that we are passionate about.

    When working from home, you may also find yourself slipping into the unhealthy pattern of checking your emails at the weekend or perhaps you start work early and finish later than intended. 

    Stop whatever is happening in your life that is causing your work and personal life to get mixed up. Be strict with yourself and think about what steps you can take to keep work and personal life separate. 

    It is important that you take time away from work. You need to give yourself time to mentally decompress and unwind from the working day. You need to leave work when the working day is finished and not work into your personal time.

    As for weekends and holiday days – take them. Please! Your mind, body and soul will thank you for it – trust me. By taking time off, you will be able to return to work feeling more mentally prepared to tackle your workload and more creatively refreshed for upcoming marketing campaigns and ideas.

    Find ways to improve your workflow

    There’s a great choice of tools and software that can help you improve your workflow and reduce bottlenecks.

    By investing in tools that improve your workflow, you can help reduce some of the work pressure that builds up when burnout is approaching.

    Some marketing tools that can help ease your process include:

    • Social media schedulers
    • Project management tools (we love Asana and Basecamp!)
    • Analytical tools
    • SEO and Keyword research tools
    • …and more!

    There are thousands, if not millions, of tools out there. Whatever you are looking for, there’s likely a tool for it! We also love using automation tools like Zapier and IFTT to automate processes that we frequently do manually. 

    Make note of all the processes that you frequently do or that take up a lot of your time, then research what tools you can use to effectively automate those tasks and improve your workflow.

    Free yourself from digital marketing burnout: Conclusion

    Digital marketing burnout is about more than just having an impossible to-do list. It’s also to do with the unrealistic expectations to work long hours, feeling underappreciated in your role, and feeling the need to keep up-to-date with the latest marketing news. 

    But, it’s also more than that. The causes of digital marketing burnout are unique to each individual. 

    By taking note of the above actions, you can start taking steps towards protecting your energy and boundaries in order to avoid digital marketing burnout.

    Remember, you are not alone. We are here to help you find joy in your social media and content marketing. Together, we can help you reduce your risk of digital marketing burnout as you harness the power of purposeful marketing. Get in touch to learn more about the ways we can work together.

  • Business

    Knowing when it’s time to outsource work

    As a business owner, you are responsible for the success of your business. In the early days of starting your business this responsibility may look like wearing 21 different hats as you resemble each of the different functions required to succeed. In any one day you may find yourself switching from CEO to accounts, marketing, sales, business development, and back again.

    Solopreneuring and being a one-person band can be great in the early days of business ownership. You can keep costs low while also testing your business model, implementing standard procedures and finding your feet in this new venture.

    However, when going solo, you may begin to find your growth stagnating. In order to grow and scale your business you will also want to grow and scale your team. This is where outsourcing comes into play. 

    How to spot the signs that you need to outsource work

    The decision to start outsourcing work doesn’t come easy. If you’re anything like me, you’ll struggle letting go of the reins as you hand over the metaphorical keys to let someone else take the driving seat. Letting other people help you with your business can be scary but, when done right, it can be incredibly rewarding. 

    If you want to find success as a business owner, you cannot do it alone. But how do you know when it’s time to outsource work?

    Here are some of the surefire signs that you need to start outsourcing work:

    • You never get through your daily to-do list
    • You are getting seriously stressed out with work
    • You are doing too many different job roles at once
    • You are spending a lot of time on tasks that you hate
    • There are areas of your business that need specialised skills
    • You can’t provide the quality of work you want to
    • You don’t have time to work on new business development ideas
    • An area of your business is suffering
    • Work-life balance is a thing of the past and you’ve forgotten what you do outside of work
    • You fall behind on deadlines
    • Sales are plateauing or falling

    If any of the above statements ring true for you, it could be a sign that you need to outsource work. Outsourcing can positively contribute to the health and future success of your business. It can be the difference between business stagnation and business growth.

    While outsourcing may seem like an additional business cost at first, the return-on-investment will soon speak for itself when you find business operations thrive as a result of strategic outsourcing.

    Types of tasks you can outsource

    When it comes to outsourcing, the sky really is the limit. As you begin to grow your business, there are many tasks that you will likely want, or need, to outsource. 

    The best place to start when choosing which tasks to outsource is to first consider your answers to the following questions:

    • Which tasks take up the most of your time?
    • Which tasks do you not enjoy doing?
    • Which tasks or areas of business do you lack experience or confidence in?

    Your answers to these questions should give you a good indication of the types of tasks you might want to outsource. From here, you can begin to make plans to outsource work effectively.

    That being said, below are some tasks that you may find yourself outsourcing as your business grows:

    • Customer service
    • Administrative duties
    • Lead generation
    • Marketing and social media management
    • Bookkeeping and accounting
    • Graphic design
    • Sales and business development
    • Product design
    • Event management
    • Human resources
    • Data entry
    • Research and development
    • Calendar Management

    The above list is simply just a small selection of some of the tasks you can outsource as a business owner. In reality, the list is limitless. The luxury of owning your own business is that you have the freedom to build your ideal working day and to build the perfect team to support you in achieving your business goals.

    If you find that you really dread answering customer service enquiries, outsource it to someone who is a customer services specialist. Similarly, if you are constantly forgetting to schedule meetings, then hire an Executive Assistant to help you keep your diary in shape.

    Making sure you are ready to outsource work

    Outsourcing work can be a wonderful thing for your business. But it can also be damaging if not done correctly. Because of this, it is important that you do your research and prep work before outsourcing work.

    Take time to research the type of person, or partner organisation, that you want to bring on board and how you perceive that relationship working.

    Just as you would with onboarding new employees, it is also a good idea to have an onboarding or outsourcing process for bringing subcontractors or partners on board. You can then use this to help make the outsourcing process as streamlined and successful as possible.

    The other thing you want to consider when deciding to outsource work is whether you can afford to do so. Be realistic with yourself and make sure that outsourcing various components of your business will not be a financial strain to your business. When calculating whether you can afford to outsource, be sure to also calculate how much money you are currently losing by not outsourcing work (either through lost income or lost time) and how much money you could gain if you do outsource those particular tasks.

    Why we believe in upsourcing, not outsourcing

    Here at Fika Digital, we believe in upsourcing. By upsourcing, you are reducing the risk-factors associated with outsourcing work. 

    One quote that I always love to remind myself of as a business owner is “if you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room”.

    And that quote rings true for outsourcing. When it comes to your business, it is important that you are not always the smartest person in the room. Otherwise, how will you grow? If you find that you are the smartest person in your business, then it might be time for you to begin inviting smarter people to join you. 

    This is essentially where upsourcing differs from outsourcing. Outsourcing refers to the process of handing specific work tasks and processes over to a third part. Upsourcing, on the other hand, means you are handing specific work tasks and processes over to someone who is highly experienced in those particular areas of work.

    When you begin to look at outsourcing as upsourcing, you begin to see it as a way to invest in your business and reach your next business milestones or objectives.

    Starting your outsourcing journey

    Deciding that it’s time to outsource elements of your business is a milestone moment in business ownership. 

    Before outsourcing (or upsourcing!) work, first make sure you perform an analysis of your current business performance. Consider which tasks you would benefit most from outsourcing and start with the area of your business that you can easily outsource and that is expected to have the highest performance impact in return.

    From here, begin researching the best partner for your outsourcing needs – being sure to choose a person, or company, that is a good fit for your needs, budget, deliverables, and culture. 

    The relationship between your business and the person(s) you outsource work to is central to your success so make sure you choose a partner that is the right match for you and your business.

    Once you’ve found the ideal partner, it’s time to get handing some tasks over. We always recommend having standard operating procedures (SOPs) – or playbooks as we like to call them – so that you can easily transfer all of your existing processes and expectations for how tasks should be performed.

    When upsourcing, you may want to go easy on the SOPs and trust that the person coming on board will be the one to lead on how to implement winning processes for your company.

    If you are ready to upsource your social media and content marketing activities to an experience agency, we would love to hear from you. Get in touch to discuss the various ways that we can partner with you to create purposeful social media and content marketing for your business.