I’ve been preaching (soapboxing?) to my clients lately about expressing what sets them apart from their “competition” - what makes working, shopping, and choosing YOU different than the next guy. It’s not always easy to share these aspects of ourselves or our businesses, but it is vital to share with our customers and clients so they KNOW without a doubt why they should choose YOU!
How do you see your brand? Your business? How do your ideal clients view it? Are they the same?
In an effort to stop the “Do as I say, not what I do” conundrum, here are a few aspects, a behind the scenes if you will, of what it’s like to work with me for website design, email marketing, SEO, and coachsulting in your small business.
Take notes as you skim, because I have a little challenge for you at the end!
Communication, relationship, a solution mindset, education, experience, and integrity are just a few ways that 2 Sense Social works to ensure clients’ online success.
Communication & relationship
Understanding the client’s needs, how their business will function, and the systems they have in place or will need are all elements that I spend time on with clients. Small businesses’ online and commerce needs are rarely cookie-cutter, so taking the time to truly understand their needs is vital in the design process.
I always view my client’s success as my success. The client is in charge, I’m here to offer expertise, listen to their needs, and help them meet their goals. As a small business owner myself, I’m able to understand and relate, offering valuable insights that often get missed in the silo of entrepreneurship.
A solution mindset
In most website design, but particularly in commerce, there’s always a little something that needs ‘figured out’ and often this is done through trial and error.
“Everything is figureoutable” is something I say to my son on a regular basis, and is a motto I repeat to myself daily. Trial and error is a necessity in website design, so long as it’s done through the lens of solution. After years as a Squarespace website designer, I have quite a few tricks up my sleeve when it comes to making Squarespace sites excel for small businesses without complicated web development, over-the-top coding, or expensive third-party services. Every business has unique needs, and nothing is ever one-size-fits-all.
Having the capacity to troubleshoot and find solutions is a reason clients chose to work with 2 Sense Social. You get a personalized experience and someone who is truly invested in your needs and success.
It’s an extremely rare occasion when a client hears me say “No, sorry, that just isn’t possible.” If you’re hearing that from anyone on your team, take this as your sign to get a second opinion. Everything is figureoutable.
Education - yours & Mine
Our brains all work a little differently. Having an understanding of how adults think and learn is part of my secret sauce (thanks, M.A. in Educational Psychology). Whether it’s an in-person meeting, video tutorials, or ongoing guidance, offering a learning avenue that works for you is a key piece in the website and small business consulting success formula.
Being able to put myself in not only the business owners’ shoes, but the staff, and most importantly, their client’s shoes, can make a world of difference when it comes to design and increasing profits.
Making sure that a client’s website works for them is a top priority. A clean and functional design is always the goal, but that doesn’t matter if the site isn’t working for you and your small business. Taking the time to teach these skills and adapt my skills for clients is a unique challenge that I’m happy to take on.
Keeping up with tech is a big piece of the pie as well. I spend a good percentage of my time on weekly continuing education so you don’t have to!
Experience & Integrity
Because I live and breathe Squarespace daily, I’m able to understand how to manipulate the functionality in a way that benefits small businesses online and in real life.
Most websites have the ability to do just about anything these days. However, how well it’s done, how well it works, and how long it may take you to figure it out is a whole other can of worms. When it comes to design, functionality, commerce, lead generation, email marketing, SEO, and all things small business + Squarespace— I’m your gal!
Integrity is inherent in my work. Without it I wouldn’t have the business I do today. Respecting where a client is coming from, their choices, and meeting them where they are, helps to create a working relationship that is based on trust. Offering help and doing so with a good work ethic and honest advice is the only way I work. When it comes to coaching and consulting, there are often hard questions to ask and answer in order to meet big goals, and honesty is the only way to get there! I prefer efficiency and being direct to fluff any day of the week.
How can you express your uniqueness to your clients?
Let’s make this a goal for 2023! Never again should you hear from a client “I didn’t know you did X” or “I never knew you could…..”
Challenge: Answer the following questions and choose 3 to implement today!
Here are a few ways to get started:
Pop a story on Instagram about what sets your business apart
Make a reel, podcast, blog post, etc. re-introducing yourself and your business (welcome the new folks and remind the longtime followers)
Make sure the vibe on social matches your website, and matches in real life!
Update your “home” and “about” pages
Are your services and products up-to-date online?
Write a blog post (you can steal my format!)
Send an email (or start an email campaign)
Ask for feedback - in person, in stories, make a poll, send an email
bonus idea- offer an incentive to ensure you get responses