Nicola Peake is an entrepreneur who’s crafted a life she loves, having consciously created a business to fill her days with her favourite things — people, connection, and incredible luxury experiences. She’s on a mission to support others in business to enjoy life alongside building their empires. Read on to discover her top tips for marketing your SME in a downturn.
Get in a room
The power of connection is everything these days, and whilst I believe that online networking does very much have a place if done right, there is nothing like getting in a room with people. In-person meet-ups are where I see people really build relationships — because we are all craving connection, and we connect in a very primal human way. Eye contact, feeling someone’s energy, being inspired by someone’s conversation, or feeling grateful for the reassuring hug which helps us feel we’re not alone, are all so powerful in the age of online working.
Put others before yourself
Be a connector. This is how networking should always be done — but it’s often not the case. The power of helping people, connecting them, and being the conduit to amazing collaborations, is why connection is queen over just standard networking. Be of service, give without expecting anything back and you will be rewarded — this is how to build meaningful relationships with potential clients and partners.
Create partnerships
Proactively create them. Working with others who already have your target audience in the palm of their hands is a fast-track way to accelerate your growth. Too often we are nervous to approach others who we see having successful businesses, but with the right approach you can ensure a win-win. Think about what you can offer them, be it access to your network or your knowledge, and don’t be scared to value what you can bring to the party.
Speak at events
It’s important to create authority around you as a business leader to help install confidence in working with you. Speaking at events is a great way to be seen as a leader, as you elevate yourself in the room as an expert in your space. This builds credibility as well as visibility, and will keep you front of mind when people are looking to invest in the service you have to offer. You can usually also bring people into your world this way, to get them on your email list, by offering a freebie as part of your talk.
Create your events
This isn’t for the faint-hearted, but when it comes to pulling people towards you, there is a lot of power in creating your own events. This further elevates you as an expert and a leader, and it gives you opportunities to create further collaborations with others whom you can invite to be a part of the event. Events are also powerful marketing tools, as they give you a reason to welcome people into your world — you can market to people without having to sell them your more expensive packages, since they get a “try before you buy” opportunity. They also get to feel your energy, witness you in full flow, and be magnetised to work with you as a result, whilst also growing their network and knowledge, and enjoying the whole experience — win-win!
By Nicola Peake
