Working freelance is great, if offers a flexibility and freedom that simply cannot be achieved in a  regular working environment. Working from home though, can be quite isolating. The distractions are plentiful and before you know it you're washing pots or just 'having half an hour with a cuppa' (I'm very guilty of this). 

So you can imagine how excited I was when I heard about new venture 'The 404' in my hometown Grimsby. The open plan space (formally a nightclub) offers flexible working options for freelancers. With work stations, meeting areas and tea and coffee. The space is a great option for those who need to get out of the office or fancy a change of scenery. 

As you enter the building you are greeted by some big and bold wall art, (proud wife moment) hand drawn by my dearest husband Michael or Clumsy Pickle as he's known! 

Head up the stairs and you enter the open plan space. Bearing in mind this was a former nightclub and the guys were on a tight budget, I think they've done an amazing job. 

Michael and I attended the opening event, an informal gathering of local creatives, freelancers and business folk, where we chatted and had a few beers and some of us (Michael and I included) gave some quick talks on our particular fields. 

There was a real buzz about the place, not only about the venture itself but Grimsby and North East Lincs as a whole. Slowly but surely there is a real shift in peoples attitudes towards the area, more and more new and unique businesses are popping up. Levels of investment are rising and the face of the town is definitely changing for the better. As someone Grimsby born and bred, this pleases me no end. I love my hometown, I'm proud of where I live and the people who inhabit it. Ventures like this just cement that for me.

A huge congratulations to Louis and the team! Be sure to follow The 404 Grimsby on twitter and for more information on their opening hours and locations check out their Facebook page! 

And finally, a quick proud wife moment again - Michael stood next to his hand work! 

As a business owner we all know what a drain on time social media can be, but anybody in business should also understand how incredibly important social media is in today's market place. More than ever, customers and other businesses are using social media to communicate with each other. For a lot of customers, social media will be their first and immediate port of call - and this is why it is vital that businesses, large and small, get social media right. 

As a blogger, I interact with brands of varying sizes on a daily basis. I use social media throughout the day, every day. So you can imagine, I come across brands who get it very right, and are a joy to communicate with and yes, on the flip side I come across brands who get it very wrong too. Blogger status aside, I am ultimately a consumer and nothing turns me off a company more than bad social media. Endless scheduled content and stock 'customer service' responses will not cut the mustard. 

Building brand image
Social media gives you, as a brand, a unique voice. Through tweets and instagram images, Facebook content and blogs, you can build your brands image. You can communicate to customers, who you are and what you stand for. It gives you, in a very real, genuine way, the chance to reach your customers on a personal level. Yes, balance is important as I spoke about in my 'Finding your Social Media Voice' blog but once you've established your 'voice' so-to-speak, you can't go wrong. 

Customer loyalty through genuine interaction
No one ever gained loyalty through mass messages and stock responses. Imagine you stood in the street outside your business, megaphone in hand. In your best, most interesting voice you began shouting out all the wonderful things your business had to offer.

Getting the balance right
Now I'm not saying there isn't a place for scheduled content and marketing messages, of course there is and the frequency of those is entirely down to you. There are several schools of thought on how often you should transmit marketing material across social media. I personally think a couple of times a day is plenty, but if you have a large, international customer base or audience, pitching it at different times of the day, several times a day is perfectly acceptable. 


What you should be doing though, is mixing those marketing messages with other content. If appropriate for your business, maybe post some inspirational messages, or funny lighthearted content. Share content from other businesses or news outlets relevant to your industry, get the conversation going with your customers, because it's then, with the help of varied and engaging content, that you start to build rapport and relationships. 


A dash of personality goes a long way, but be aware that too much personality can also be a turn off. Know your audience, make content visually appealing, don't use language they won't understand. 


And above all else? Just talk to them, ask questions, be friendly. After all, it's called social media for a reason. Be social. 




If you're still feeling unsure, or don't think it's something you can take on, then contact me. I offer 1:1 sessions with personal advice tailored to your business and I can also offer social media management at affordable rates - hello@beckybarnes.co.uk 

So you're up an running on Twitter. You've got yourself a Facebook page, Pinterest and Instagram. What now? 

Knowing what to populate your social media with and how exactly to get it across to people can be tough. We all know how to interact face to face with each other, we can hold a decent phone conversation and by now, hopefully, compose a decent email. But what about social media? 

If it's something new to you, it can all seem a little daunting and all too often I see businesses give up after a month or so. But in today's fast paced world, a lack of social media, or quality social media interaction simply isn't an option. Customers and businesses alike want information and they want it now. 

Getting social media right can be tricky, but done well, it can have a huge impact on your business. 

What kind of business are you?
Social media is unique in that it has to potential to connect us with almost anybody in the world. Which means many of the formal barriers one might experience in real life don't really exist on social media. Before you embark on you first tweet or pop up your first snap on Instagram, think about the kind of business you are and who your customers are. There is no point being terribly formal if it's just you in a sewing room making dresses or indeed at the other end of the scale, if you are a solicitor for example, it's probably best to avoid posting pictures of your lunch. How would you expect to be spoken to by your kind of business? 

What is your message?
Are you a corporate brand, is it all about the business? Then reflect that in your posts. Your content should be engaging and relevant to what you do and your industry. If you're an organic food brand, shape your content towards that, retweet news pieces on organic farming, post pics of the farm or where the products are packaged up. Your customers want to know about your business. Social media gives the customer a unique insight into your brand. By posting information about the workings of your business, it makes them feel part of that and builds brand loyalty. 

Adapting your content to its surroundings
What's good for one social media platform isn't necessarily good for another. Which means for starters, never linking your Facebook account to your twitter account or visa versa. Each social media has its own 'language' if you will. 

Top tips for a more effective social media presence

• Don't alienate your customer with jargon or the wrong kind of language - be approachable, be answerable and be visible.
• Be unique - make your social media just that yours. Don't copy everyone else, try and make you content one of a kind. 
• Get the balance right - scheduling your content ahead of time can be a lifesaver for most busy businesses, but make sure you fill in the gaps with real conversation and interaction. It's called social media for a reason. 
• Make sure your account information is up to date and useful (see my absolute beginners post) - got a business address the public are welcome at? Then put it in your bio/information. Got a website? Makes sure there's a clickable link in your information section too. 

Still not sure about it all? Want some help getting started or maybe some help running your accounts - then get in touch! Email hello@beckybarnes.co.uk and let's chat!

Getting to grips with Social Media can be scary. It's not something we've all been brought up with. For the more *ahem* mature of us, it doesn't necessarily come as second nature. I've come up with some handy tips to ensure you can become a fully fledged tweep, not a twit!

1. The functions of Social Media 

2. It's all in the set-up.
Spend some time getting your profiles right. I cannot tell you the amount of times I've clicked on a Twitter profile or a Facebook page and thought to myself "But what do they do?!" 

It is an easy mistake, I've made it myself. You know in your head what the function of your business is, but sometimes, getting it down in words is something completely different. 

• Make your bio clear and concise. Say what you do, where you are and how to get in touch.
• Add a great photograph.  It could be your business logo or if you're a lone freelancer like me, it could just be a headshot. Retailers and restauranteurs? Showcase your best product or dish or maybe a picture of you in action. 
• Location, location location. If you have a physical base, where the public will want to visit, then put the address on! (no, really, this happens). In this day and age, customers want instant information. If they've stumbled across the twitter page of a shop they really like, they don't want to have to ask where it is or google it, they want the information there and then. 

3. Getting the balance right
Great! You've got your profile set up, but now what do you do? It can feel a little like you're throwing random information into the ether (and sometimes you are!).


Each social media is a different beast, but effectively, your output should be a good mix of self-promotion, conversational aspects and sharing. 


Use interesting imagery, there are some great sites like www.canva.com where you can create free pictures and poster art. There are also some great apps where you can upload your own picture and add writing, this great if you have a new product in stock. 

4. Maintaining and updating
I'm not going to lie. Social media can be time consuming and it really is something where you have to put in, to get out. But the rewards far outweigh the efforts. You have to update regularly.  Social media is a hugely effective communicative tool between you and your customer, and you can't maintain a relationship if you don't communicate. Even if it's a quick tweet to say it's a busy day in the office, but as always you're contactable on email, that lets the customer know you're there.

Tools like Hootsuite for example are massively effective for general upkeep. You can use them to schedule content, this means you can set up tweets and Facebook statuses in advance and then hootsuite will automatically send them out for you. Which is great for promotional material, like special offers and website promotion for example, but scheduling should not be relied on completely. You still need to share other peoples content and have conversations with people. 

There are no set rules as too how much is too much, but my biggest piece of advice is keep it natural. If you're quite a chatty person then enjoy the interaction. Make your content personable but professional. 

• Find the voice of your business. Every business is different. 
  

If you're still unsure about the state of your social media or don't know where to start, I can help. For just £50 I can do a 'social media health check', I'll have a look at where you're at, and put together an action plan with helpful information on how to improve and grow. Email me on hello@beckybarnes.co.uk and we can have a chat! 

Blogging, in the grand scheme of things is still a relatively new media. For some people, what on earth a blog is and why they're so important, might be somewhat of a mystery. I know 5 years ago when I was first introduced to the blogging world via twitter, I didn't really have a clue. I wasn't quite sure what the point of it all was. It wasn't long though, before I realised how powerful blogging was becoming. 

I started (and am still highly involved) in the world of fashion blogging, I run the plus size fashion blog - Mrs BeBe Blog. It's something very close to my heart, I love how an outfit can change your mood and the worlds perception of you. Fashion is a very powerful tool and exciting industry. It became very apparent, very quickly that blogging was a fast growing industry and more and more businesses were enlisting the services of bloggers to promote and sell their products. I think the fashion industry in particular were very quick to realise that and took full advantage of it very early on. 

Nowadays you can find a blogger for pretty much any sector of the market or even specific product, the remit can be as wide as travel bloggers or lifestyle blogs through to people who blog specifically about beer for example. 

So how can bloggers help you and what are the benefits of enlisting a blogger to promote your business?

Well firstly in comparison to print media, bloggers are relatively low cost. Secondly, their reach through social media and established, loyal readership can be far greater than that of traditional print media too. 

If you are interested in working with bloggers to promote your business, there are several ways in which you can engage. 

• Blogger Events - Want to shout about your product from the roof tops? Then hold an event and invite some bloggers. The key here is to make the event engaging, make it worth writing about. There is nothing worse as a blogger than turning up to a hot stuffy room, being served a tepid beverage and being ignored by the host or PR's.
• Product Reviews - This is a relatively low cost way to get your product out there. By sending a sample product, or experience (got a restaurant? Invite them and a guest for a free meal) the blogger will then let readers know all about it. 
• Sponsored Posts - Maybe you have an event you'd like promoting, or a new product launch. A blogger can write a post on their blog for a fee. Contact them and ask them for their rates. These might be negotiable. We appreciate small companies don't always have a huge budget at their disposal, so talk to us, come to a mutually beneficial amount. 
• Collaborations - Working with a blogger on the design of a new product or service is an exciting way to promote your business. It creates a huge buzz and excitement. 

I've covered some of the ways in which companies can work with bloggers, what is important to remember is that these opportunities have to be mutually beneficial. These people are giving up their vital time and energy and valuable space to promote your product. Keep the lines of communication clear and friendly. And more importantly , don't expect something for nothing. Bloggers have a reach that often excels that of traditional print media. They are valuable marketing tools that could potentially increase your customer base and sales. Utilise them effectively and respectfully. 

If you'd like to learn more about blogging, working with bloggers and how it can benefit your business then get in touch. I hold 1-1 sessions either face to face or via Skype and I'm currently finalising the details of my first workshop based around just this and how having your own business blog can improve customer communication and sales. 

Well I never thought I'd see the day I'd be starting a new blog. But here I am with something completely different to anything I've ever done before. 

For those of you not familiar with my story (and why would you be?) I'm Becky Barnes. In the world of plus size fashion, most people know me as Mrs BeBe or Beebs. I started my blog "The Ramblings of Mrs BeBe" (known nowadays as just Mrs BeBe Blog) around four years ago. I never dreamed for one minute it would lead to a career. Let's be fair, most days it's me, flouncing around in pretty clothes and being silly. But what I did do with this tiny acorn was nurture it and let it grow organically. 

I built relationships with brands and readers alike. I made contacts and used my blog to set my stall out so-to-speak. And slowly but surely I started picking up little bits of writing here and there, I started reviewing products for brands and eventually even fronted some campaigns. But it was always the writing side of things I enjoyed the most. 

To cut a long story short, that four years of work has lead me here to www.beckybarnes.co.uk, and this moment. So as the title says... Here we go! 

I intend to use this space as a means to communicate, inform, entertain and enrich. I hope you find my musings on business, blogging, writing and more, of some interest! 

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