Emma Hughes Marketing Coaching, Bristol (2026)

24/04/2023

Your USP is what sets you apart from the competition and makes you memorable, relatable, and trustworthy in the eyes of your audience.

Here are some tips on how to develop a strong USP:

Define your niche and understand your target audience's pain points.
Think about your personal brand and what makes you unique.
Analyse your competitors to identify how you can differentiate yourself.
Use your USP to create a strong brand message that resonates with your audience and reinforces your unique value proposition.
Be consistent - ensure that your USP is evident in everything you do.
Be open to feedback from your audience and experiment with new ideas and approaches.
By developing a strong USP and personal brand, you can build a loyal following and achieve influencer success. Remember, your USP is what sets you apart from the competition, so make sure it's unique, relevant and valuable to your audience.

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23/02/2023

I was reminded of this quote today during a networking session...

This famous quote is attributed to John Wanamaker, a pioneering American merchant and marketing pioneer in the late 19th century.

The quote highlights a common frustration faced by many business owners relating to the difficulty in accurately measuring the effectiveness of marketing efforts.

So Mr Wanamaker, if you’ll allow me, I’ve got some advice for today’s business owners that will help us better understand how effective our marketing activity is:

1. Focus on your target audience: Invest in advertising and marketing efforts that reach your target audience most effectively. This will ensure that you are getting the most value for your investment.

2. Use data-driven insights to make informed decisions: Rather than relying on guesswork, use data to inform your marketing decisions. This will allow you to make more informed decisions and optimise your marketing budget to maximise ROI.

3. Track and measure your advertising and marketing spend: Use analytics tools and metrics to track the performance of your campaigns and channels. This will allow you to identify which campaigns are driving the most conversions, revenue and ROI. 

4. Test and refine your campaigns: Experiment with different advertising and marketing strategies to see what works best for your business. Continuously analyse the results of your campaigns, make adjustments as needed and don’t be afraid to test new approaches (we’re not simply clutching at straws, we’ll still use insight) as sometimes the creative campaign we don’t always expect to land with our audience delivers the results. And if something doesn’t work, move on, fast!

22/02/2023

Starting a business is one of the most exhilarating, exciting experiences (if it’s not, maybe don’t read on any further, as not sure this one’s for you).

If you’re lucky, you get to turn your passion into a profitable venture, set your own rules, be your boss and feel a sense of personal achievement (at least, that’s how I feel anyway).

But, running a business is not always vision boarding and extended holidays. There are moments when everything feels like it's falling apart and you don't know how you will keep going. It's important to remember that tough times are part of the journey and it's how you navigate them that sets you apart from others.

I’m all about helping my clients use strategies that help keep them motivated when things get tough. Here are some of my tried and tested strategies:

1. Stay Focused on Your Vision: Every business starts with a vision. It's the reason you took the risk of starting the venture in the first place. During tough times, it's easy to lose sight of that vision and get bogged down by day-to-day challenges. Remind yourself of why you started the business and how far you've come. This will help you stay focused on the bigger picture and keep you motivated to keep going. 

2. Work on Your Mindset: Your mindset is a powerful tool that can either work for or against you. During tough times, it's essential to cultivate a positive mindset that will help you see the silver lining in every situation. Start by acknowledging that challenges are a natural part of running a business and that you have what it takes to overcome them. Focus on what you can control and don't let setbacks discourage you. Remind yourself everything passes and tomorrow is another day. Try not to let yesterday’s setbacks leak into tomorrow.  

3. Surround Yourself with a Support System: Running a business can be lonely and it's essential to have a support system to lean on during tough times. This could be a group of trusted friends, mentors, or a business coach. Surrounding yourself with positive, like-minded people will provide you with a safe space to share your challenges and get feedback. They can also offer new perspectives and help you stay motivated. 

4. Take a Break: It's easy to get burnt out when you're running a business. Long hours, constant pressure and a never-ending to-do list can leave you feeling drained. Taking a break is essential to recharge your batteries and come back refreshed. This could be anything from taking a walk at lunchtime to get some headspace, or taking a longer break to relax and unwind. Whatever it is, make sure it's something that helps you disconnect from work and recharge your mind and body.  

5. Keep Learning: The business world is constantly evolving - it's crucial to keep on learning to stay ahead of the curve and for your own personal development. I find learning helps me feel empowered and armed with useful, relevant knowledge. It’s very easy for those of us working from home to ignore the world outside our office walls, so by keeping connected with the wider business world, we can grow our knowledge and our business. I recommend attending conferences, workshops, taking courses, or reading books on topics that interest you. Keeping your mind engaged will help you stay motivated, as well as help you identify new opportunities. 

Running a business is an exciting journey, but it's not without its challenges. During tough times, it's crucial to stay focused on your vision, cultivate a positive mindset, surround yourself with a support system, take a break, and keep learning.

Remember, every challenge presents an opportunity for growth, and how you navigate them will determine your success.

21/02/2023

There's a lot of pressure on business owners to do everything themselves. But when you're the one making most of the decisions, running the day-to-day operations, and managing all your employees, it can be incredibly overwhelming.

Overwhelm is usually the well trodden road to stress and burnout. And burnout is not just damaging to your business, it’s harmful to mental health and physical wellbeing (it’s all connected heh?).

So how can you stop yourself from being overwhelmed by the ever-growing tasks on your over-flowing plate?

I've got 5 top tips for small business owners who want help managing their time and energy better:

1. Prioritise self-care: As a business owner, it can be easy to put your work ahead of your own well-being. However, neglecting self-care can lead to burnout. To avoid this, prioritise self-care by setting aside time for exercise, getting enough sleep and doing more of the activities that help you to relax and recharge. 

2. Learn to delegate: Many business owners feel like they have to do everything themselves. However, taking on too much can quickly lead to burnout. Instead, learn to delegate tasks to others, whether it's employees or contractors. This will help you lighten your workload and free up time for other important tasks. 

3. Set boundaries: It's easy to feel like you need to be available all the time. However, this can quickly lead to burnout. To avoid this, set clear boundaries with clients, contractors and employees. For example, establish specific office hours or designate someone else to handle certain tasks when you're not available. 

4. Take breaks: It's important to take regular breaks throughout the day, even if it's just for a few minutes. This will help you avoid burnout by giving your mind and body a chance to rest and recharge. Consider scheduling short breaks throughout the day to help you stay energised and focused. 

5. Seek support: It can be easy to feel like you're in it alone. However, seeking support from others can help you avoid burnout. This could mean talking to a business coach (*ahem*), joining a professional association, or connecting with other business owners in your community. Having a support system in place can help you stay motivated, inspired, and focused!

I want to add to this post, that as well as being a marketing coach, I'm also a qualified yoga and meditation teacher - which means when I work with clients, I take a unique, holistic approach in my coaching - it's not just about numbers and £s in the bank, your mental health matters (more).

20/02/2023

Many small business owners tell me they rely heavily on word-of-mouth for increasing their visability and attracting new customers.

It's easy to sit back and allow word-of-mouth to do its thing, but with a tiny bit of marketing elbow grease, businesses can turbo boost this powerful marketing tool and maximise its money-making shine.

I've got five steps up my sleeve that will help you use word-of-mouth marketing for maximum effect:

1. Provide great customer service: The foundation of successful word-of-mouth marketing is providing excellent customer service. Make sure your customers feel valued and appreciated, and go above and beyond to meet their needs. When customers have a positive experience with your business, they are more likely to recommend you to their friends and family.

2. Encourage reviews: Encourage your customers to leave reviews on your website, social media pages, or other review sites. Positive reviews can be a powerful tool to attract new customers, as potential customers often look to the experiences of others before making a purchasing decision.

3. Offer referral incentives: Consider offering referral incentives to your existing customers for referring new customers to your business. This could be in the form of a discount, a free product or service, or another type of reward.

4. Get involved in the community: Participate in local events, sponsor local organisations or charities, and get involved in your community. This can help you build relationships with potential customers and increase your visibility in your local area.

Which other word-of-mouth tools do you use?

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