Action Coach Portsmouth

Action Coach Portsmouth

Chloe Smith

5 ways AI can help with your marketing

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We don’t know about you, but everywhere we turn there’s some sort of conversation around AI (Artificial Intelligence for those of you who aren’t familiar). And although businesses have been using it for a while in areas such as customer service – think the chat option on a website – there is so much more your business could be using it for.

So, we’ve pulled together 5 ways you can use AI to support your marketing efforts:

  1. Content Creation and Optimisation: AI can assist in generating and optimising content across various platforms. By writing accurate and specific prompts, you create personalised product descriptions, blog posts, email campaigns, and social media content. AI tools can also analyse the performance of your content, suggesting improvements to increase engagement and conversions.
  2. Ad Targeting and Optimisation: AI-powered advertising platforms can help you target the right audience with precision. Platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads leverage AI algorithms to analyse user data and deliver ads to individuals who are most likely to be interested in your products or services. AI also aids in optimising ad performance by automatically adjusting targeting, bidding, and ad creatives.
  3. Customer Segmentation: AI can help analyse large volumes of customer data and segment your audience based on various parameters like demographics, preferences, behaviour, and purchasing patterns. This segmentation allows you to tailor your marketing messages to specific target groups and personalise your campaigns for maximum impact.
  4. Social Media Monitoring and Sentiment Analysis: AI can monitor social media platforms for mentions of your brand, products, or industry. Sentiment analysis algorithms can gauge customer sentiment and identify trends, enabling you to respond promptly to customer feedback and engage in meaningful conversations. This proactive approach helps in building a positive brand image and improving customer satisfaction.
  5. Recommendation Engines: Implement AI-based recommendation engines on your website or app. These engines analyse user behaviour and provide personalised product or content recommendations, enhancing the user experience and increasing the chances of conversion. By offering relevant suggestions, you can keep users engaged and encourage repeat visits.

As you can see, there are several ways you can leverage AI to support and boost your marketing efforts. You need to ensure you still take a customer-centric approach to your strategy but you can use AI to gain valuable insights, provide exceptional customer service and make adjustments to your marketing based on real-time data and feedback.

AI is not going anywhere so find out how you can use it to your advantage to better your business.

 

5 questions to ask a business coach

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Are you thinking of investing in a business coach? Are you wondering what questions you should ask a potential new business coach? Asking the right questions can help you determine how qualified a business coach is whilst seeing how well you connect with each other.

In this blog post, we’re going to highlight 5 questions that you should ask a business coach to see if they are a good fit for you and your business. A good business coach should be able to provide answers to each question and offer a plan tailored to your unique needs and circumstances.

1. What experience do you have in helping businesses achieve their goals?

Your business coach may have worked with clients from different industries and sectors therefore bringing with them a wealth of experience. It’s not essential for your coach to have worked with clients in a similar industry but you may prefer to choose someone who has coached clients who’ve experienced the same challenges you’re facing.

2. What strategies have you used to help businesses improve their performance?

You only know what you know right? So, working with a business coach who can introduce you to multiple strategies to help improve your performance is key. Whether your goal is to build a high performing team, increase your profit or free up more of your time as a business owner, your coach should be able to outline some examples of strategies, structures and processes they’ve implemented to help others achieve these goals.

3. How do you measure success?

You’re choosing to work with a business coach because you have goals in mind that you want to reach. Ultimately your business coach should measure success based on helping YOU succeed in achieving YOUR goals. You need to ensure you both define success in similar ways so that you’re a good match moving forward.

4. What kind of resources do you have to help me reach my business growth goals?

One of the main reasons you’re looking to work with a business coach is because you have goals you want to achieve and need guidance on how to get there. Helping you to stay focused on achieving your goals is one of the main roles of a business coach. Your business coach should have access to a range of resources and tools that will help you plan and track your business goals.

5. Do you have any testimonials from previous clients?

Hearing first-hand from previous clients is invaluable. Not only will you get an insight into the type of companies and industries your coach has worked with, you’ll discover what goals your business coach helped their client to achieve and how.

You’ll have a ton of other questions for your business coach including how their coaching sessions work, how long they’ve been coaching for, pricing etc, but the 5 above will give you a good indication of the depth of experience your business coach has, how their clients rate their services and what access they have to tools and strategies in order to help you achieve your business goals.

Are you thinking of investing in a business coach?

If you’re thinking of working with a business coach, we’d love to speak to you and answer these questions.

As Action Coaches, we have access to thousands of strategies and tactics and a number of programmes that have helped thousands of business owners reach new levels of cashflow, profit, productivity and personal satisfaction.

Hear growth stories from some of our clients and how we’ve helped them achieve their goals.

Business Spotlight with Hayden Taylor

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As part of our Business Spotlight Series, we’ve been interviewing local business owners to hear about their career journey, what they’ve learnt along the way and their advice for others looking to start their own business.

Here, we speak to Hayden Taylor, Managing Director of Unloc, a leading non-profit social enterprise that supports nearly 15,000 young people every year to explore how they can be a changemaker.

Having started the business when he was just 16 years of age, Hayden gives us an insight into the work of Unloc, shares his learnings and gives advice to those setting out.

Tell us more about Unloc

Our aim is to help unlock inner potential, working with schools and colleges, mainly in London and Hampshire, to explore the ways in which young people can make a positive difference to the world.

Whether it’s through entrepreneurship, student voice, leadership in the community, or through careers, Unloc design strategies for changemakers. We want young people to realise that there are definite outlets for their talents, and that they can rise to become a positive force in society.

The education sector was heavily impacted by the Covid pandemic. How did it affect you, and what changes did you have to implement?

We had to pivot quickly, and fast! The greatest challenge for us was the sheer uncertainty of how to deliver our programmes, retain income, and from a staffing perspective, just continue to operate.

We made the decision very early on to pivot to digital, and within three months had built ‘Unlocked,’ our online platform where we could offer online e-learning courses. No two schools or colleges are alike in their technology set up, and therefore we had to master the art of Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and practically every online teaching delivery system you could imagine!

What did Covid personally teach you as business owner?

It opened my eyes to the real power of staff collaboration. Everybody understood their new roles, and worked night and day to develop our online learning platform. It was a real team effort where everyone pulled their weight to achieve something new, and I’d say it was an extremely valuable learning perspective for me in that when everyone’s working to the same objective, you really can move mountains!

Covid aside, what do you consider has been your biggest learning throughout your career journey at Unloc?

Having founded Unloc when I was just 16 years of age, I’ve learnt so many lessons over the last nine years.

Firstly, I’d say the most prominent have been around finding the right partnerships and building relationships. When I first started Unloc, I’d fire marketing techniques to anybody who would listen. Now I realise that when growing a business you do have to be more selective in considering people to connect with.

Secondly, I’ve learnt the importance of my own personal learning in establishing a business. At first, I’d try to pretend I knew all the answers, but overtime I’ve recognised the credibility of acknowledging your weaknesses. You’re not perfect, you don’t have the answers to the big questions, so what can you do to learn and improve?

This has been an immensely powerful part of our journey. Recognising our areas of weakness, and asking for help, has enabled us to work with organisations which have really helped and encouraged us to move forward.

What’s been the biggest issue you’ve had to overcome?

Perceived age barriers to success! I was 16 years old when I established Unloc, I was confident, full of ideas and excited about my programmes. I remember having pitched Unloc to a secondary school and then calling the head teacher about it the following day. He forgot to put me on hold and instructed his PA to inform me that he hadn’t got the time to deal with ‘little boys’.

At the time this was a real blow to my ego, a real knock back. Looking back though, it taught me a valuable lesson. Credibility isn’t achieved by people’s perception of age. Being a young person in entrepreneurship is a real asset as you can bring a different lens to your work. This message has driven me forward and encouraged me over the years.

That leads nicely into my next question. What is your biggest motivator?

Without a doubt it’s seeing the difference we make to young people’s lives. There’s nothing better than hearing someone share that Unloc has enabled them to develop confidence and achieve things they thought were impossible. It proves that you’re making a positive impact in lives, and your work really does have the power to help move the world forward.

What have you learnt about yourself during your career journey?

It’s difficult to achieve that perfect work / life balance! Ambition does come with its consequences, and I’ve had to learn it needs careful moderation. Enthusiasm and ambition are a strength, but can also be a downfall in terms of energy and happy family relationships. I’ll always be fully committed to Unloc and its objectives, but I’ve learnt a lot about realism, and emotional behaviour.

And finally, what would you say to anyone setting up their own business?

Don’t assume you know all the answers. Identify areas where you feel less able, or confident, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Learn from the expertise of others, and remember that great success can come from recognising weaknesses.

You can watch the full interview with Hayden here:

3 Ways a business coach is different from a mentor

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If you’re looking to take your business to the next level, you may be considering taking on a mentor or a business coach. While both are beneficial to business owners, there are three distinct ways that business coaching is different from mentoring.

In this blog post, we’ll discuss those differences so that you can make the best decision for your business.

1) A business coach holds you accountable

Accountability means taking responsibility for your own actions and striving to make progress towards your goals. A business coach helps you stay accountable by providing support, motivation and guidance as you take steps towards achieving those goals. With a business coach, you’ll have someone to report to and keep you on track to reach your desired outcome.

For example, if one of your goals is to achieve business growth, your business coach will keep you focused and motivated to make progress on tasks that are necessary for success. They may also provide valuable insight and direction for achieving the desired outcome.

By holding you accountable, a business coach can help you stay on track and reach your ultimate goal in a timely manner. Business coaches understand how important business growth is and will push you to take proactive measures so that it happens.

With a business coach’s encouragement, you’ll be more likely to set realistic goals that lead to measurable results and consistent business growth over time. In addition, they’ll challenge you to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions that promote business growth.

2) A business coach focuses on your specific goals

When you work with a business coach, they will help you to identify and focus on your specific goals. A good business coach will not only ask you questions about what success looks like for you and your business, but will also take the time to understand what needs to be done in order to achieve that success.

Working with a business coach can help you stay focused on the tasks and processes. A business coach is able to provide guidance and support that will help you to maximize the growth potential of your business. They can provide an outside perspective on what strategies may be best for achieving certain goals and can also provide advice on how to best move forward in order.

By having a business coach’s help in setting specific goals and monitoring progress, you can be sure that you are always headed in the right direction for your business growth.

3) A business coach offers unbiased support

One of the most valuable ways a business coach can support your business growth is by offering unbiased guidance. Unlike mentors, who may have strong opinions on certain topics, a business coach will be more neutral in their approach and help you objectively consider different options.

By remaining impartial and offering a balanced perspective, a business coach can provide an objective view of your business, helping you to make the right decisions for your company’s future. A business coach can also work with you to create a plan to achieve the goals you have set for yourself and for your business.

Ultimately, a business coach’s main purpose is to help you identify what needs improvement and develop an action plan to ensure consistent business growth. The right business coach has the expertise and experience to give your company the boost it needs to accelerate its business growth. If successful, you’ll be able to reap the rewards of improved efficiency, increased profits and sustainable business growth over time.

If you’d like to hear more about how a business coach can help you and your business, please do get in touch.

What are the key elements of an annual business plan?

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Do you know what the key elements of an annual business plan are? Do you know what to include so that it helps you to achieve results? With 2023 only a few weeks away, now is a good time to start thinking about your annual plan. And we’re going to tell you what to include so that you can create a plan that will focus you over the next 12 months and help you achieve the goals you set.

Let’s take a look…

Goal setting

Firstly, what’s the goal? What do you want to achieve in your business over the next 12 months? Some of the areas you can create goals for include:

  • Turnover
  • Profitability
  • Time management
  • Efficiency
  • Customer service
  • New market expansion

Think about the areas you want to improve and how to assign a goal to them. Goals need to be both specific and measurable. For example, you might want to set a goal of “To grow our revenue by 20% by December 2023”.

Learn more about goal setting.

Key initiatives

Then there are the key initiatives. What initiatives are actually going to contribute towards you achieving the goal? Ask yourself, what are the 10 things that you can do in your business in order to achieve the goal you’ve set?

This could include a specific marketing campaign to get new business, or a referral strategy, depending on the type of business you’re in.

Break it down into steps

What are the steps you need to take against every single one of those key initiatives, month by month, so that if you do action them, you will achieve the goal you’ve set?

This is where you can also look at resource. You’ll need to establish what areas the team will support you with and what their role will be in helping you achieve the goals.

You might need to be agile along the way. You might need to change some things, adopt a new way to achieve them, but that’s all OK. More specifically, you’ve got to have that datum point that gives you the roadmap that gets you where you want to be.

If you’d like some templates on this, or you’d like some help developing your annual plan, please contact us.

If you prefer to hear about the key elements of an annual business plan, or want to share this video, you can here:

Business Spotlight with Enes Basar

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As part of our Business Spotlight Series, we’ve been interviewing local business owners to hear about their journey, what they’ve learnt along the way and their advice for others looking to start their own business.

We recently spoke with Enes Başar, Managing Director of Kervan Gida UK who, like many businesses, had to quickly adapt to the changing market and consumers’ purchasing habits. Find out the actions Enes took to make the business more efficient and his advice for those thinking of going into business:

Enes Basar, Managing Director of Kervan Gida UK

Tell us about your role at Kervan Gida UK

As of May 2022, I was appointed Managing Director of Kervan Gida UK.

Following in the footsteps of my father (Sukru Başar – Kervan Gida Chairman), I joined the business, in Istanbul, after finishing high school. In my early years with the company, I studied for an Industrial Engineering degree before taking over the responsibility for managing and improving efficiencies in the supply chain, production, accountancy and export departments.

In 2017 I moved to England, it was at this time I got to work closely with the former Kervan Gida UK MD, Stuart Johnston, and understand the UK business culture. I initially took on a Business Development Role and transitioned into the Operations Manager role in 2019, where I was responsible for the warehouse, finance, and recruitment, before eventually being named MD in 2022.

What’s the biggest impact COVID-19 has had on the business?

Our colleagues in Turkey were quick to implement the necessary safety precautions in our factories, and our office-based teams took to working from home. I’m very proud of how the teams handled the changes so professionally and efficiently.

As a family-owned business, teamwork and safety are a priority to us. We understand the need to work together for a common cause and to be flexible where required. During the pandemic the whole company came together to support one another.

In terms of performance, like many other brands in our sector, the initial months were uncertain and driven by unpredictable consumer behaviour. As things began to settle, we benefited from the uplift in impulse purchasing and demand for sharing packs and fun packs as consumers replaced social occasions with nights in, at home. The enforced lifestyle change led to a sales uplift in treat items and sharing packs, a trend which is continuing to the present day.

What are some of the actions you’ve taken because of the pandemic?

The pandemic provided us with a moment of pause to review our internal capabilities. We know that consumers’ buying habits are changing; consumers are shopping online more than ever and when they do, they’re keen to interact with brands that they know and trust. This learning has definitely influenced our marketing strategy in 2022 as we amp up our social media presence and enhance our web content.

We have also been working hard to make the company more efficient. In the first instance, we restructured our warehouse and distribution chain to cut costs, moving the warehouse from a site in Chichester to a third-party provider in Ipswich.

With this cost saving on transport and warehousing we are currently updating our IT systems including implementing a new CRM to improve our service to customers and our overall efficiency.

Lastly, we have become a more flexible business when it comes to hybrid working. Updating our systems has enabled team members to work from home where it simply wasn’t possible previously.

What’s your biggest learning since you’ve been a business owner?

To embrace change.

Change and evolution are key to growth. As the UK business has grown, I have had to learn to embrace change and to bring in expertise where required. It’s been vital to our growth strategy to have the right people in the right positions and as such, it’s imperative I trust others with the job in hand.

An example of this is the appointment of Phil Hulme, Commercial Director in 2021. Phil brings with him 14 years of confectionery experience and over 20 years in FMCG. Previous appointments include positions with Danone, Katjes and Kinnerton Confectionery Ltd. Since joining the business, Phil has focused on increasing our UK sales turnover and share within the grocery sector, as well as developing new routes to market via branded ranges and private label offerings.

It’s an exciting time as I work more closely with Phil, drawing on his wealth of industry experience and knowledge. I am confident Phil will continue to support our business with his invaluable insight and vision to intensify our efforts in successfully growing the brand.

What have been the biggest issues you have overcome?

The transition from the Turkish business into the UK business. When I moved to the UK, my spoken English was limited, and the UK food and drink sector differs vastly from that in Turkey.

What’s your biggest motivator?

Our long-term plan is to become a leader in the UK sweets market and make sure every household in the UK has a bag of Bebeto in their cupboard! The real motivation for me is to replicate the success of Bebeto in Turkey, in the UK and for the brand to become a household name.

What have you learned about yourself during the journey?

I continue to learn more about myself every day, especially having been recently appointed as the UK Managing Director. I have no doubt that my resilience has helped me to adapt and grow in what was a completely unknown environment when I moved here. Now the UK is my second home, I have started a family here with my wife and newborn baby.

I am also confident that my drive and motivation for the success of the overall business is what helps me to keep moving forward, regardless of the challenges we face.

What does the future look like and what do you see as the main challenges moving forward?

Our business has thrived from a start-up in 2015 to a business with +58% growth in 2021 and annual sales of over £20 million. 2022 is looking even sweeter for our business, with sales already up +20% (YTD).

We have recently agreed a new grocery listing with a major UK retailer, and a €23.5 million acquisition of a Polish confectionery company – all on the back of a six-figure UK TV campaign debut (which ran in the summer of 2021), ‘Everything’s Bebetter with Bebeto’.

Our UK business has grown 58% in the past 12 months; we strongly believe that investment in the European market will be extremely fruitful and will go a long way to strengthen our brand value. Having Phil help drive this forward, we aim to be among the top five brands worldwide in our category.

We are currently working on lots of exciting NPD including vegan and low sugar lines as well as salted snacks from our polish factory, and chocolate products from a further Turkish factory that we own.

Increasing commodity prices and the availability of raw materials is our biggest challenge currently, but we continue to monitor the situation and work with our team in Turkey to mitigate these challenges.

If you started your business again, what would you do differently?

Setting up the UK business was a real challenge, and as such I am very grateful to have spent time shadowing the previous MD. However, if I were to start the set up of the UK business again, I would have spent more time learning the language and the business environment before relocating.

The strategy when I joined was also heavily focused on the wholesale market. If I were to do things differently, I believe we would have moved into the grocery market at an earlier date.

What would you say to anyone thinking of going into business?

Keep moving forward. Be prepared that you may not always get the results you want, but if you keep motivated and moving forward, progression is inevitable.