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How to find YOUR brand voice for your creative business
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the_victoriabrown

Host of @creativeslurppodcast
Local leader for @e_nation
📍 Solihull, UK
Get my 5 quick secrets to great writing👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻
#copywriter #writer #blogwriter

Coming VERY soon (as in this week!) and if you’r

Did you know the invention of the post-it note hap

Did you know the invention of the post-it note happened completely by accident?

There was a scientist called Spencer Silver, trying to invent a super sticky kind of glue for aircrafts. Instead he ended up discovering a low-tack kind of adhesive. He didn’t find a use for it. Yet.

A while passed and another scientist, Art Fry, was using scraps of paper to mark hymns for his choir pracice. He realised that using Spencer’s low stick glue on his notes that he could put them on the book without damaging the book. And voila, Post-its were born!

Quite often we’re striving for perfection in life, but so often the best things are happy accidents, and things we don’t plan.

Remember the time you took an impromptu trip somewhere, how good did it feel?

😄😄😄

But to get those happy accidents we have to colour outside the lines. It’s that willing to take messy action and just do something that helps us make the most progress and is the most enriching. Yet, for some reason, we beat ourselves up for colouring outside the lines, for experimenting.

🖍Give yourself permission to colour outside the lines, and see what happens...

Creative Slurp Live - 7 golden rules of Social Med

Creative Slurp Live - 7 golden rules of Social Media - part two!

So this week I’m going through the 3rd and 4th Golden Rules of Social Media - Consistency and Batching and Scheduling.

Find out why it’s important to stay consistent, how to do it and why you must be batching your social media content if you want to maximise your time.

To download your FREE guide on the 7 Golden Rules of Social Media then check out the link in the bio.

What a story! She honestly thought her business wo

What a story! She honestly thought her business wouldn't survive the pandemic - orders were being cancelled and her staff were all furloughed. But what Poppy did next (with the help of her customers) not only saved her business, but actually transformed it!

@poppytreffry is an award-winning Cornish textile designer (specialising in freehand machine embroidery) that started her business in an attic with a 1930’s sewing machine and car boot sale fabric in 2003. When she started freehand machine embroidery wasn't even really a thing! She now has a well-established business employing an army of sewers across rural Cornwall. She's been stocked in some huge names, like Liberty and John Lewis and after nearly 20 years in business, still loves what she does.

Listen to this week's Creative Slurp Podcast episode (link in bio) to hear her tell her story.

Or go to the link here on a desktop: thevictoriabrown.com/podcast - or listen on Apple, Google, Spotify etc.

I really enjoyed our chat and Poppy’s obvious passion, not just for craft, but also business. I can’t wait to share her story with you, as well as tell you how her customers came to the rescue during the pandemic. This is a lesson in following your gut and going for it - enjoy the podcast episode! 🎧

@JUSTACARD / #indieweek I'm just so proud to be

@JUSTACARD / #indieweek

I'm just so proud to be helping with this mission in any way I can, as it's what I'm all about.

With a background in Journalism, Corporate comms, a lifelong love of crafting and a sidehustle Jewellery biz, I decided to start a blog in 2019 (with a baby and toddler in tow, as you do) to help promote artisan jewellers.

To me, it made no sense that no-one knew about these amazing craftspeople out there, and consumers were being shortchanged by thinking that the only jewellery available to them was what they could find on the High St. It was that thought that galvanised me into action and made me Google "How to start a blog" the evening I first had the idea (despite that voice in my ear telling me it was a bad idea with a baby and a toddler - but I've always been a bit of a rebel 😂

Three years (and a pandemic) on, I'm now full-time helping creative business owners with their marketing - it's my mission to help these talented craftspeople be seen by their potential customers. I do this through my podcast - Creative Slurp - that's been in the Apple Top 40 for entrepreneurs, through 1-1 coaching, writing services and group virtual workshops. I absolutely love seeing what people are capable of and seeing talented people making a living from something they love.

I'm fully on board with the mission for #justacard and will be supporting Sarah and the team in every way I can - including sporting my natty pin.

Please help support the campaign by posting, sharing and commenting (and of course, by buying small where you can). 🧡🧡🧡

Wow! Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou to everyone that

Wow! Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou to everyone that voted for me in the @e_nation Advisor of the Year Awards! 🥰 I’m delighted to say I’ve just found out I’ve won the award (for the PR and Content category)!!! What a (nice) shock to wake up to on a Monday morning and so nice to be recognised for what I do.

Thank you again to all you lovely people who voted and Enterprise Nation, of course, for organising and shortlisting me 🥰

Which just leaves me one problem - how best to celebrate on my own on a Monday morning?! 🥂🍾🥳🎉👯‍♀️👯🎈🪩

Business can be a lonely place - that why I LOVE h

Business can be a lonely place - that why I LOVE hosting local meet-ups with @e_nation

It's the perfect place to chat the real stuff around your business - bounce some ideas around with local people - and I've even heard it described as 'therapy' for small business owners!

If this sounds like something you need right now, I'd love to see you - my meet-up is this week on Zoom on Tuesday 22 November at 11am and guess what, it's totally FREE to join. What have you got to lose?

It's so lovely when I see people in my meeting helping each other out and sharing ideas and I'd love to see you there.

Just click on this link in my bio to book your place or if you're on a desktop, you can follow this link to book your place:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-small-business-meet-up-solihull-coventry-warwickshire-tickets-460749483107

#meetups #businesscommunity #support #businesssupport #smallbusinesssupport

🧡 You are not meant to be perfect. Just trying

🧡 You are not meant to be perfect. Just trying to be the best human you can be is enough.

If you're feeling pulled in all directions right now, you're not alone. I felt compelled to pull out my paints and get this down when it popped into my head the other day because I felt it was something we all need to hear. Me included.

Christmas is always a funny time of not feeling enough - whether it's feeling bad you can't afford the so-called 'perfect Christmas', whether you're feeling stretched in your time, you might feel bad that you can't spend enough time with your family, you might think that your sustainability efforts aren't good enough or you might feel like running your business is like staring up the top of Mount Everest, or you might just feel like a rubbish Mum when you can't manage to concoct an angel out of cocktail sticks for the school Christmas decoration competition.

Whatever it is, the pressure is on all of us at Christmas, you're really not alone. Just try to remind yourself that it's enough to do the best you can. It's your intentions that count, and nobody and nothing is perfect.

Something that's helped me is joining communities of like-minded people, whether that's online or real life. The chances are if you're feeling it, others will too. And we know we're all going through it at the moment. If you have any recommendations for great communities - please tag them in below.

We need to stick together and just live our glorious, messy lives together. 💕

(And yes, that is the #colourfriday artwork for @holly.co by the amazing @newtondavey in the background)

Social Media! Yuck 👎🏻or Yay?! 👍🏻 I ce

Social Media! Yuck 👎🏻or Yay?! 👍🏻

I certainly have a bit of a love/hate relationship with it, but it can be a powerful tool for our business - IF we use it the right way!

I’ve put together my 7 Golden Rules of Social Media to help you put the point back into socials and feel like it’s actually serving you in your business - not you serving it!

I’ll be coming on to these lives for the next few weeks to go through the seven rules in detail, and you can ask any q’s you like.

You can also get your hands on a FREE guide with all my 7 Golden Rules in - just head to the link in my bio or check out thevictoriabrown.com/social to gey your copy.

(The glorious necklace is by the amazing @lynnemaclachlanstudio by the way.)

😬 How does Social Media make you feel? I've go

😬 How does Social Media make you feel?

I've got to be honest, I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with it these days, even though I know it can be a valuable tool when you use it in the right way.

Social media can be so overwhelming - which channels to use? What to post? How do you actually get results? How do you stop it sucking up all your time (and your soul) ? Should you use paid ads? And what's actually the blinkin' point anyway?

So, in this podcast I've put together my top 7 golden rules of social media, to make sure you get the benefits of socials, without it sucking the life out of you. These rules will teach you to understand the role of social media in your overall marketing plan and get the most out of it, whatever you sell.

I've also created a handy-andy (and ever so slightly glitzy) FREE downloadable checklist and guide, to make it super easy to implement these golden rules - just go along to thevictoriabrown.com/social to grab your copy - or check out the link in the bio.

Enjoy getting Social Media to work for you - instead of it running your life! 😀

Last chance to vote for me in the Enterprise Natio

Last chance to vote for me in the Enterprise Nation Advisor of the Year Awards!

😬 Sorry if I’ve been banging on about it - but did you hear - I’ve been shortlisted for the @e_nation Advisor of the Year Awards 2022 - in the PR and Content Category.

I was so excited to be shortlisted as I’ve never been up for an award before, and it’s such an honour to be nominated amongst such amazing people 😌

Every vote really does count and it would be amazing to win, so if you could possibly find a minute to vote for me, I’d be ever so grateful!

All you have to do is click on the link in my bio and vote (the PR and Content category is near the end, but you can just click through if you don’t want to vote in the other categories.

Thank you SO Much for your support 🧡

❤️ It’s tough out there - I know all busines

❤️ It’s tough out there - I know all businesses have been feeling it, and it’s even tougher right now, with costs going through the roof and people tightening their purse strings.

That’s why it’s more important than ever that we make the effort to buy small this Christmas and give independent businesses a much needed boost!

Buy from small businesses where you can, support initiatives like @justacard and #colourfriday by @holly.co and @hollytucker and let’s just STICK TOGETHER.

You could make all the difference to a business surviving this Christmas.

To make it super easy for you - I’ve even collated some of my fave indy gift ideas right here on my Instagram Story highlights- scroll through at your leisure, or check them out in this handy twinkly reel ✨✨✨

Creative Slurp this week: my toppest tip for the e

Creative Slurp this week: my toppest tip for the easiest way to boost sales RIGHT NOW! Hint: it involves the ‘e-word!’

Plus find out more about how you can support the @justacard campaign and @holly.co and @hollytucker Colour Friday campaign.

You can also watch this video on YouTube - go to my channel over there and subscribe ☺️

Have you got your @justacard Christmas pin yet (de

Have you got your @justacard Christmas pin yet (designed by the amazeballs @angela.chick.illustration)?

I’m pleased as punch mine arrived in the post next week - all shiny and ready to accompany me to all my craft fairs, zooms and Indie week of course.

To show the world you support handmade and all the brilliant makers out there, you can get your very own pin from the @justacard website (they also do web buttons to put on your website and show your support to the campaign) : justacard.org

Let’s show the world that handmade stuff rocks! ❤️

Ever thought you're never going to succeed in busi

Ever thought you're never going to succeed in business, because you're creative and you're not good with money?! You're not alone - but this week's episode of Creative Slurp Podcast may just change your mind!

Meet @krystle_mcgilvery - Chartered Accountant and Fine Artist - she’s passionate about helping people overcome the mindset blocks they have about managing their money and giving business owners the financial tools they need to survive and thrive.

In this conversation we talk about practical and simple ways business owners can make managing their finances easier and Krystle’s experience of being diagnosed with both ADHD and Dyslexia late in life. This is such a great listen if you’ve ever struggled with money in life or business, and Krystle is living proof that you can be good at both finance and art! Enjoy.

You can listen to the episode right here: thevictoriabrown.com/podcast

Find out more about Krystle on her website: https://www.krystlemcgilvery.com/

Do you ever look at someone else on social media,

Do you ever look at someone else on social media, and think, “How did they do that? Do they have some kind of magical unicorn? How have they made such a success of their business, while I feel like I’m floundering in the deep end of the swimming pool with no armbands?”

Full disclosure: I know I have.

When we only see the top of the iceberg of others’ journeys, it’s easy to believe it comes easy for other people, that we’re not good enough or we just don’t have enough lucky breaks.

But if you’ve ever been close to anyone that succeeded in business, you’ll know the amount of hard work, dead ends, and constant uncertain action it took before they got there (wherever ‘there’ is).

When I start getting myself down about my business, I stop and ask myself, “Why not me? Why shouldn’t it be me and what can I do to take back control and get momentum again.”

You have everything you need in you to succeed, but sometimes you just need to knock on a few more doors, take a few more wrong turns and ANY kind of action to move forward. Life and business are messy, keep taking messy action, go with your gut, never lose faith and you’ll get to where you need to be.

And if you want any proof that everyone has these doubts and messy journeys, check out my Creative Slurp podcast - where you can hear from other business owners about their own journeys and hear their advice and lessons they’ve learned.: thevictoriabrown.com/podcast

You’re not alone. But only you can make it happen for yourself, you just have to believe.

#creativebusiness #smallbusiness #selfbelief #ownership #youcandoit

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but at nearly

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but at nearly one-year-old, my baby, Creative Slurp Podcast has hit number 40 in the Apple Podcast UK Charts for Entrepreneurial podcasts. 😱🙌🏻🙌🏻

When I started the podcast, I had a vision of helping to support and inspire artists and makers to create their dream businesses and help them to be more visible. After many months of hard work, it seems to be paying off, and it’s all thanks to you!

Without your support (and ears!), none of this would be possible, so thank you from the bottom of my heart, and let’s keep on shouting to the world about the amazing makers and artists out there.

And thank you to the amazing guests I’ve had on so far, who’ve been so generous with their wisdom and experiences.

Which gets me thinking - who would be your dream guest to listen to on the podcast? I’d love to know and maybe I could put in a request to get them on the show!

#top40podcast #toppodcast #creativeslurp #creativebusiness #smallbusiness #applepodcastchart

This week on Creative Slurp we talk about producti

This week on Creative Slurp we talk about productivity- and how we tend to overcomplicate it when it should be really simple!

Thank you so much to @clairehowardjewellery for the reminder on her email this week that we should really only aim to do 3 things a day - any more and we risk setting ourselves up for failure (something I’d forgotten recently!)

So look for the needle movers in your business and prioritise them in your 3 a day! If you’ve got any q’s around your creative business for next week’s live, then let me know in a DM. See you next week!

Are you confusing your customers?

For so long, I’ve been a huge admirer of the @justacard campaign by @sarahhamiltonartist and friends.

It works, because the concept is just so stonkingly simple. The campaign equivalent of a paper clip - simple, yet brilliant.

Asking people to buy just one card from a creative is something people can easily understand and get on board with - whatever their budget. And that’s the beauty of the message.

Simple is usually best, when it comes to asking people to do something, whether that’s selling or reposting your social media posts - you’ve got to make the ask simple - if people don’t understand quickly, they’ll move on by faster than a stressed out Mum moving her kids past a toyshop.

Yet, so many of us fail by making our messages overly complicated. When you next visit your own website, put your customer specs on...what would they see? Is everything obvious to someone who’s never heard of you before? Attention span is so short these days that if your customers don’t understand they will just click away.

People want to instantly understand what you’re about and what you stand for...don’t make them work for it.

On a similar topic, did you know that you can now buy @justacard buttons for your website? For just 2 squiddles, you can proudly bear the campaign badge on your website, pledging your support.

Why would you do that, you may ask?

Well, as well as it being a really nice thing to do, it also flags up to your customers what you’re all about in a really simple way. Instantly people see that and know you’re a maker or craft supporter and if they already know about the campaign it will help them create a connection in their brain about your business, making them more likely to remember you and do business with you in the future. Isn’t that a win-win for everyone?

To get your own badge, head to the Just a Card website - my website is already proudly wearing a natty version of its own.

#justacard #simplemessaging #marketingforsmallbusiness #marketingtips #creativebusiness

Introducing the wondrous @lisastickley_studio - a

Introducing the wondrous @lisastickley_studio - a creative who's wonderfully authentic and true to herself. She’s an illustrator who delightfully describes herself as a professional 'colourer-inner'. 🖍

She’s had so much business success - being stocked in household names like @harrods @Liberty @PaulSmith and @Burberry, amongst others. She’s so generous in sharing her experience of when it all went wrong and she walked away from her business and name. She also talks about how she was affected by her dyslexia diagnosis as an adult and losing her Mum during lockdown. Then, how she found a new career as a Children's book illustrator and author.

We talk about imposter syndrome, the importance of tenacity in business and being true to yourself. And she also talks about her love for lidos!

I just loved her honesty and humour despite everything that has happened and think you’re going to love listening to this…enjoy!

Find out more about Lisa at her website: https://lisastickleystudio.com/

Listen to the episode at thevictoriabrown.com/podcast

Photo credit: Clive Sherlock

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