By Kristine Aitchison
Author & Content Specialist
Thinking about setting up your own digital marketing business? Leeann Bassett from Face Up Now says “surround yourself with experienced people.”
Running your own digital marketing business can be both exciting and challenging. We spoke to Leeann about her personal experience and gathered some useful tips and insights for anyone embarking on their own business journey.
Get the foundations right
Leeann says it’s important to recognise you need help when running a business. When she first started out, she had no idea what to charge, but she worked with a business coach who helped guide her and gave good financial advice. She says you need to get yourself into a position where you can pay yourself, and when thinking about your pricing, keep in mind your expenses and business costs.
“I used to think I was super rich because I was getting paid more per hour than when I was employed. But when you took out all my business expenses and taxes it was probably less than my employment rate. I hadn’t thought of it like that.”
She advises getting your website set up, getting your social media set up, having a plan, and having the basics going at the beginning, rather than focusing on all the fancy stuff that’s nice to have. Initially, she started with just a one-page website, just to see if her business was viable. After a few years of being in business, she then invested in a website designer and copywriter.
Furthermore, she says that networking groups – especially in-person networking groups – are really important when you first start out. “It’s important to surround yourself with people that you want to be like, people who are further ahead in their business journey.”
People want to work with people
It’s important to be authentic and true to yourself when running your own business, Leeann says.
She adds, “It took me a long time to realise that people want to work with people and that using generic images and quotes on my social media wasn’t helping people get to know me.”
“If you go back and look at my Instagram at the beginning it was very text and graphic-heavy. You didn’t see me at all. And then slowly, you start seeing more of me, and now my feed is actually more of me than anything else.”
When she first started producing video content for social media, she was told by her teenage children that it was embarrassing and hurting her brand. However, she persevered; and now, she intentionally shares her early video content with workshop participants, as it instills hope, and demonstrates that everyone has to start somewhere.
Finding your point of difference
It seems like a bit of a leap to go from teaching to social media consulting, but for Leeann, it has been a journey. For the most part of her career, she has worked in education, apart from a short stint as a copywriter while living in London. The turning point for her, was when she realised she needed more time for her kids. So, she looked for work she could do from home.
She says she “wasn’t one of those techy people.” She often had her passwords written down on pieces of paper all over her desk. But she thinks that’s what makes her different. She remembers what it was like to be a beginner and says that a lot of her clients relate to her because she’s patient and takes time to explain things.
She says that a lot of her international customers come from online webinars and although it’s challenging to get these leads, she finds that often it’s when these people get to know her and like her, they purchase her services.
Written by Kristine Aitchison: Guest Writer & Content Specialist
Kristine is an experienced content writer, specialising in marketing and communications. Showcase your expertise with regular blog content. Visit morethanmerewords.nz.
