Ready to Grow: Recent Episodes
Rechenda Smith
Greetings! Welcome to Ready to Grow - the marketing podcast for small business owners.
I'm your host, Rechenda Smith. I'm a marketer with 18 years of experience in the game and I'm here to equip you with all the mighty marketing tools you'll need to grow your business.
As your marketing mentor, I'll help you get organized, get going, and get results. So what are you waiting for? Let's get started.
What's in store at the Royal Norfolk Show this year? Listen to find out.
Head over the foodhall this year and try the Royal Norfolk Shows exclusive cocktail for this year only, made in conjunction with Niche Cocktails and Bullards.
Have you booked your tickets for the Royal Norfolk Show yet? Book your place below
https://www.royalnorfolkshow.co.uk/tickets/
Have you seen the new extension at the Norfolk Showground & Events Centre? They have several rooms available for hire. Visit https://www.norfolkshowground.co.uk/ to find out more.
Have you been to ROARR!? Join us as we walk around the 85 acre park with Adam Goymour, Park Director at ROARR! and discover more about the Goymour Group, which was founded in 1929.
Did you know the Goymour Group launched Banham Zoo and Africa Alive as well?
How has modern technology improved customer experience and the attractions at ROARR!? Listen to find out.
This week we were joined by Georgina Postlethwaite, Marketing Manager at the Maids Head Hotel.
Come along with us as we tour the Maids Head Hotel and discuss their local suppliers and the history of the venue.
Did you know all guests at the Maids Head Hotel receive a complimentary trip around the City in a Bentley?
Joining us this week in celebration of World Theatre Day is Lauren Farley, Business Development Manager, Norwich Theatre.
Discover how Norwich Theatre collaborates with other businesses and how they survived during the pandemic.
We also discuss the the sustainability initiatives the Theatre are taking.
About LaurenMy career has spanned varying industries and roles, from finance, insolvency, arts administration, events and business development. I’ve worked across a myriad of industries as well as both the charity and commercial sector, which I believe has equipped me with a varied skillset, which I can now bring to my current role.
I’ve always been a passionate communicator and love working with people. There is something incredibly satisfying about bringing ideas to fruition and seeing the end result, which I think is why the majority of my career has stemmed in events, a field I am very enthusiastic about, having now worked in organising and delivering events for clients across the county for the last 6 years.
However, my main passion is musical theatre, watching that is, although I do come from a performing background, which I think might inform some of my behaviours, which is why I feel incredibly privileged to now work at Norwich Theatre, working with businesses to enhance and encourage their staff and clients to engage with the theatre.
This week we were joined by Ben Marshall, General Manager at Pensthorpe.
Join us as walk and talk around Pensthorpe Nature Reserve and discover how Pensthorpe has diversified to attract new visitors and keep families returning with their trails and activities.
About Ben
Ben Marshall has 14 years in the hospitality industry, with a specialism in leading independently operated diversified farm and visitor attractions.
Ben is the current chair of Norfolk and Suffolk tourist attractions network and former committee member for the national farm attractions network. Known for thinking outside the box, pushing boundaries in the industry and changing the fortune of struggling businesses, by the means of creative thinking, a keen eye for exploring opportunities and a bold approach to gaining customers and generating revenue.
This week we were joined by Carrie Stretton, Project and Design Coordinator for In2action.
In2action has been providing exceptional activity services and customer service training for tour operators, holiday companies, adventure centres, tourist attractions and more for over 20 years.
Discover what In2action is and what it can do for businesses in East Anglia.
Why is customer service training and tailoring your activities to suit various age groups and customer profiles important? Listen to find out.
Is it too early to talk about Christmas? Carrie talks about how businesses need to get Christmas right, not just for young children but for adults creating those all-important memories.
On this weeks episode of the Ready to Grow podcast I was joined by Isabel Blackman, Head of Marketing for Visit Norwich and the Norwich Business Improvement District.
Did you know Norwich castle will be the most accessible castle in the UK? What is Norwich BID and how can business owners in the Visitor Economy sector work with Norwich BID? Listen to find out.
About IsabelIsabel is originally from Nottinghamshire, and relocated to Norwich for university over 10 years ago. She currently leads the marketing and communications at Norwich BID, which includes the city’s visitor marketing (through VisitNorwich), and more recently the brand and campaign work for Norwich’s inward investment brand: Work in Norwich.
Norwich launched its city rebrand in 2019, unveiling ‘Norwich, the City of Stories’ across VisitNorwich and Norwich BID brands, just before the Covid-19 pandemic. By 2021, the new brand had been shortlisted for City Nation Place’s ‘International Place Brand of the Year’ award, and VisitNorwich had seen record-breaking results across all digital channels and PR.
By 2022, work was underway to add another brand to the City of Stories family: Work in Norwich. Funded by the Town Deal, and with objectives spanning cluster growth, staff recruitment and retention, as well as attracting investment into the city, this was a project with big ambitions. Following stakeholder research, and a year-long creative process, the brand launched in October 2022, followed by an extensive campaign to encourage people to relocate to Norwich for work. In 2023, the campaign won ‘Best Marketing and Branding Scheme’ at the Town and Industry Management Awards.
Join us for our latest podcast with John Kerr, CEO of Royal Norwich.
Discover the hidden gems of Royal Norwich as we take a tour around the beautiful grounds and discuss upcoming development plans.
About John Kerr
"With a background in private equity and senior leadership through multiple vertical sectors, the opportunity as CEO to build on the success of Royal Norwich as a Community Hub was an opportunity that I grabbed with both hands.
Having the opportunity to create a Country Club that Norfolk can be proud of while spearheading the blueprint for the future of Golf, Padel and more sports has become a driving personal passion.
Inclusive access to sport and the wellbeing benefits for both mental and physical health that we can all can gain is a cornerstone of my vision. Couple this with a fabulous Hospitality facility I am proud to have the opportunity to build a special venue for everyone in Norfolk and beyond to enjoy.
I am partial to a Skinny Mocha, I love to play Golf, Squash and Padel Tennis, I do not like the cold and my playlist is Hot Country with a extra helping of Luke Combs!"
To kickstart 2024 I was joined by Graham Peers, Economic Development Officer and David Disney, Market Town & Business Development Service Manager at Broadland and South Norfolk District Council.
How much is the visitor economy of the East of England valued at? How can business owners in this sector work with the council to boost their profits and profile?
Listen to find out.
'How to do sales without being salesy' - Brian Bush from Impact Services unveils his secrets in this week's podcast episode.
Selling doesn't need to be scary or robotic, yet for some of us we feel uncomfortable about the whole process. Let's start to overcome some of that by simply talking passionately about what it is we do and most importantly, how it can help your customers.
Brian loves sales and almost everything about it. Having been involved across all sectors and represented private companies, worked in public sector at local and national levels he has sold most things to most people. From small to very large (the things, not the people!)
Sales is an art and we can all do it and in this weeks episode Brian explains why he believes we are born with all the requisite skills as his career has proven.
Who doesn’t like a good bit of publicity these days? It’s something that may be part of your social media strategy, but we mustn’t forget the power of the traditional press.
So roll up, roll up...and tune in to this week's episode featuring the Head of News from the Eastern Daily Press, Ian Clarke to find out how to hit the headlines.
Ian has been with the EDP since 1988 and is a proud Norfolk man. He worked in a number of the paper's branch offices, before becoming head of news.
So let’s take advantage of his wealth of experience, whilst learning how he spots a good story and how you can provide a good angle to your local journalist, because who knows… they may just put you, your business, and its story as front-page news!
Find out more about Ian here edp24.co.uk or contact him about your story via email: ian.clarke@newsquest.co.uk
Nurture Marketing, OJay Health and Barnham Broom are joining forces to help the business community in East Anglia get fit for business this summer.
To take part and be in with a chance of winning one of our fabulous prises, sign up here: www.strava.com/athletes/rechendas
One of the buzzwords that we may all be aware of these days is Mindset, but what does that mean for you, your business?
This week in the lair, we had the pleasure of speaking with the fabulous Gemma Crane from Mindset-HR.
Never has there been a better time to understand how your people 'think' and 'feel' about work and their working environment. We are living in a world where Human Centric Behaviour is required to be at the heart of leadership. This means leadership needs to be Authentic, Adaptive and Empathetic. No longer are your people be seen as just employees they want to be valued as a ‘human being’. This takes a change of mindset in the workplace and some actions to be taken.
As well as discussing our beautiful businesses based in Norfolk and of course our newest team member Hugo! Gemma shares some powerful ideas as to how how we, as business owners, can help our business thrive by taking the time to invest in those who have the biggest hand to play - our employees.
Join us as we explore why Gemma has such a passion for helping businesses to be creative and think differently about their people practices, frameworks and strategies.
With over 24 years of HR experience, Gemma has worked in a variety of sectors and industries and is a member of the CIPD.
She has also studied the Mind in great detail including: Neuro Linguistic Programming, Life Coaching, Quantum Physics, Theta Healing and a member of the Gallagher Institute. Whilst doing so have identified that there are connections with the Mindset and how HR processes and frameworks can help impact the bottom line of businesses and how they perform. This influences how they attract, retain and have a culture that fits with the demands of the ‘new era’ employee and the expectations people have now to be an employer of choice.
Keen to explore how Gemma can help your business with a new People Strategy to support with future growth and to become an employer of choice by changing their practices and priorities? Why not follow her on LinkedIn/GemmaCrane or visit Mindset HR (mindset-hr.co.uk)
Nurture Marketing, OJay Health and Barnham Broom are joining forces to help the business community in East Anglia get fit for business this summer.
To take part and be in with a chance of winning one of our fabulous prises, sign up here: www.strava.com/athletes/rechendas
Energy is something that we all rely on, yet if we think about how we use and source it, as a business we could turn an overhead into an opportunity!
This week we are blessed to feature Energy Legend, James Groves. Not only do Rechenda and James discuss how energy can be a big influence, but they also dig into ideas about business culture and leadership, so this one is not to be missed!
Watch James's TedX talk on company culture here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z4zLuu8_rc
*Please note, we did have a slight microphone issue that may cause a slightly less than perfect listening experience. We hope that you agree that the audio imperfection is worth the gold that is discussed in this episode.
Find James and Indigo Swann using the following links:
Linkedin: James Groves 🦢
Indigo Swann: indigoswan.co.uk
MyBigSky:mybigsky.co.uk
Nurture Marketing, OJay Health and Barnham Broom are joining forces to help the business community in East Anglia get fit for business this summer.
To take part and be in with a chance of winning one of our fabulous prises, sign up here: www.strava.com/athletes/rechendas
When you hear that the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce uses the motto of "what you need, is what we do", you may be left wondering, how and what exactly is it that they do?
If that's the case, then this week you're in luck!
Join Rechenda and Andrea as they discuss all things Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, from their mission to help businesses in Norfolk to grow, whilst offering traditional and innovative ways to help you develop and thrive.
If you have any questions about anything discussed in this weeks episode, or ideas you want to share, be sure to contact Andrea by dropping an email to andrea.wilson@norfolkchambers.co.uk.
If your keen to see what Chamber events are taking place in Norfolk, be sure to visit their website www.norfolkchamber.co.uk
Nurture Marketing, OJay Health and Barnham Broom are joining forces to help the business community in East Anglia get fit for business this summer.
To take part and be in with a chance of winning one of our fabulous prises, sign up here: www.strava.com/athletes/rechendas
Selling doesn't need to be scary or robotic, yet for some of us we feel uncomfortable about the whole process. Let's start to overcome some of that by simply talking passionately about what it is we do and most importantly, how it can help your customers!
Brian, who joins us with his leopard print socks, loves sales and almost everything about it. Having been involved across all sectors and represented private companies, worked in public sector at local and national levels he has sold most things to most people. From small to very large (the things, not the people!)
Sales is an art and we can all do it and in this weeks episode Brian explains why he believes we are born with all the requisite skills as his career has proven.
As well as partaking in sales first hand, Brian has also taught charities, companies and even a high street bank how to improve their practice.
If you would like to know more about Brian and his role as the Head of Business at Impact Services, a leading renewables business covering East Anglia, and the health and wellness CIC - Walk to Run based in Brundall, use the links below.
LinkedIn/bbushonline
impact-services.co.uk
www.parkrun.org.uk
Nurture Marketing, OJay Health and Barnham Broom are joining forces to help the business community in East Anglia get fit for business this summer.
To take part and be in with a chance of winning one of our fabulous prises, sign up here: www.strava.com/athletes/rechendas
Rather than riding the financial roller-coaster with your business or personal finances - not knowing if next month will be feast or famine, take time to plan how the good months can support you throughout the bad.
This week we are blessed with the wisdom of Kim from the Financial Wellbeing Academy, join the conversation to learn how you can start taking small steps to make a big impact on your balance sheet.
Kim Uzzell is a Certified Financial Coach and Chartered Wealth Manager. She has been working with people and their money for over 30 years and is passionate about creating greater financial strength for today, and for the future.
Money worries and challenges know no boundaries and Kim is keen for us all to know that we are never alone in the way we are feeling and behaving around our relationship with money - good, bad and downright ugly! Kim encourages us to look beyond the numbers and to explore our behaviours around money, the emotions and the money stories that influence our day to day decision making so that we can create a better financial future for ourselves, our families, and our wider communities.
Find Kim using the links below
www.thefinancialwellbeingacademy.com
www.mymoneymovement.co.uk
www.linkedin.com/in/Kimuzzell
Nurture Marketing, OJay Health and Barnham Broom are joining forces to help the business community in East Anglia get fit for business this summer.
To take part and be in with a chance of winning one of our fabulous prises, sign up here: www.strava.com/athletes/rechendas
Are you overlooking your health, even though this could be the key behind our wealth?
Ollie and Rechenda explore how to make small changes to your everyday habits that will help you create a life of abundance, because a healthy mind and body affects every aspect of our lives.
From our physical and mental wellbeing to our relationships and career, health is the foundation of our success.
That's why investing in yourself to work with experts like Ollie isn't just about adjusting and improving your nutrition, exercise, and mental health, its how to create a personal plan to help you create a life of balance and fulfilment.
Follow Ollie on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ollie-matthews-78460199
Or to find out more at ojayhealth.com
When you think about agriculture or an event like the Royal Norfolk Show, do you just think of the produce and displays or have you taken a moment to consider the business development opportunities on offer?
This week Fearn pops into the lair, we explore some obvious and other less visible ways that businesses both big and small can benefit from all year round.
Join us as we look to the future and how we can showcase everything that is great about Norfolk and our amazing region.
For more about the Royal Norfolk Agriculture Association visit their website: rnaa.org.uk or to reach out directly to Fearn contact her using her email fearn.ainsworth@rnaa.org.uk
Pensions - not the most exciting product to think about when reviewing your business finances, however this tax deductible asset is something not to be overlooked.
Shane makes his second visit to the leopard print lair to give us the best personal finance planning advice that can help you make the most of your money.
Find Shane using the following links:
LinkedIn: Shane Julian
Website: brancasterhouse.co.uk
The social media landscape is an increasingly noisy place. As a business owner, how do you get prospects and clients to stop their scroll and focus on your message?
We grab video marketing expert Stokely Howard from Norwich-based video marketing and creative agency Trendy Grandad to find out how.
Find Stokely and his creative agency using the links below:
LinkedIn: Stokely Howard
Website: trendygrandad.com
This week we are joined by our guest expert in recruitment and business owner Rebecca, who's built and managed her agency R13 for 10 years.
Be sure to take on the tips and tricks Rebecca shares so you can adopt the best recruitment practices, especially when it comes to finding new people to join your business, whilst helping you to retain the talent you already have.
To learn more contact Rebecca via the links found below.
Rebecca Headden | LinkedIn
R13 Recruitment | Website
This week we speak with Mark Hollinger who gives us an insight into his family business whilst delving into the topic of print marketing. Has print had its day? Or does it still have a place in 2023? Mark shares some tips on how business owners can make the most of printed marketing assets.
Contact Mark on LinkedIn or visit www.hollinger.co.uk
Why should you, as a business owner, support a charity? I got together with Chris Elliott, Marketing Manager at social enterprise The Feed and Amy Bramble, Community Fundraising and Marketing Manager from Priscilla Bacon Hospice to ask them:
- Why is it important for companies to have a corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy?
- What benefits does a business gain from supporting a not-for-profit?
- How can businesses support a charity?
- How long should a business support an non profit for?
- What initiatives do you have at your current non profit that businesses can get involved with?
- What would your advice be to a business owner that is considering supporting a charity for the first time?
The Feed: https://www.clapham-collinge.co.uk/
Priscilla Bacon Hospice: https://www.priscillabaconhospice.org.uk/
Nurture Marketing: https://www.nurturemarketing.co.uk/
#businessadvice #businessowner #entrepreneurship #entrepreneur #business #businessplanning
As busy business owners, we rarely stop and think about what would happen to our companies if the worst should happen. Ed Jacobs from Clapham & Collinge solicitors in Norfolk joins me to discuss what business owners should have in place.
Clapham and Collinge: https://www.clapham-collinge.co.uk/
Nurture Marketing: https://www.nurturemarketing.co.uk/
#businessadvice #businessowner #entrepreneurship #entrepreneur #business #businessplanning
Client retention can play an essential part in maintaining profitability in a recession...and is good for business generally. Take a deep dive into retention marketing in my latest podcast episode for a step-by-step guide to making the most out of your current customers.
Recession is looming large. The eventual toll of the cost of living crisis, war in Ukraine, sky-rocketing fuel and energy costs and ongoing transport and logistics issues due to Brexit, will mean many business owners are in for a rocky ride.
The good news is, recession is not quite yet fully with us, so there is time to invest in marketing now. Having robust marketing, customer service and business development strategies in place will ensure you retain your business and continue to grow, when your competitors fall by the wayside.
So what marketing techniques can you employ to futureproof your business from the effects of a recession?
Check out my top tips on this episode.
Rechenda x
It's time to talk tactics. What tactics should you use to successfully market your products and services? I like to divide marketing tactics into inbound and outbound. And also by the four different layers of the marketing funnel. Curious? Let's deep dive!
I speak with a lot of business owners who are in the same boat. They are experts at what they do, but not necessarily experts in marketing and business development.
So they try a little bit of this, and a little bit of that to find out what sticks.
However, this can be time-consuming and expensive. Before doing any more marketing, social media posts or ads, make sure you have set the foundations with a solid written-down marketing plan for your business.
This episode covers:
- What are the benefits of having a written down marketing plan?
- What should be included in a written down marketing plan?
- How many months should my marketing plan cover?
- What format should it be in?
- Should I be using a sales and marketing funnel?
Thanks so much for listening. Visit my website at www.nurturemarketing.co.uk for all the goodies.