The Smashing Self-Employment Business Podcast

Join host Charlie on "Ways to Wealth" as he chats with Karl Craig-West, a freelance digital marketer and business advisor living in Fiji. Karl shares his eclectic career journey, from property maintenance at 19 to running a web design agency; highlighting the freedom and challenges of self-employment. The episode dives into the freelance economy's rise, AI's transformative role in work (think productivity boosts via ChatGPT and automation), and strategies for building residual income through ventures like YouTube channels. Karl envisions a future with multiple income streams, living on a boat near his daughters in New Zealand, and stresses diversifying beyond property-heavy economies. He offers practical advice: find a passion, serve a paying market uniquely (e.g., his payment plans), and embrace AI to stay competitive. Charlie previews his membership model, blending expert access with financial tools, proving freelancers can rethink retirement and thrive in an AI-driven world.LET'S CONNECT:Web: smashingselfemployment.comYouTube: @smashingselfemploymentLinkedIn: @karlcraigwestGet the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL

Struggling to stay awake in the afternoon? Boost your energy in just 10 minutes with this simple yet powerful habit! Many of us hit a mid-afternoon slump, feeling sluggish and unmotivated after lunch. But did you know that a quick 10-minute walk can completely refresh your mind and body? In this podcast, I'll tell you why this trick works, how it improves focus, and why it's one of the easiest ways to stay productive throughout the day. No need for coffee or energy drinks—just get moving and feel the difference! This is the perfect hack for anyone working 9-5, entrepreneurs, or students looking to stay sharp. Plus, if you're struggling to build an exercise habit, this is a fantastic way to start! Try it out and let me know how you feel.

Episode Description: In this episode of Smashing Self-Employment, we dive deep into a true story that highlights the importance of keeping in touch with your customers and prospects. Discover how a simple habit of consistent communication can turn cold leads into loyal clients—even years down the line! We'll share real-life examples, including how a first aid training company became a customer simply because we kept in touch, and how a small change in email frequency helped a tax consultant grow her client base. Whether you're self-employed or running a small business, staying front of mind with your audience is a game-changer. Tune in to learn actionable tips on how to stay connected without being overwhelming.

In this episode, we dive into the world of marketing through the lens of a game-changing YouTube video. Discover the simple yet powerful ABCs of Marketing: Audience, Broadcast, and Channels, and learn how these foundational steps can transform your marketing efforts. We discuss why knowing your target audience is critical, how to craft a message that truly resonates, and the importance of choosing the right platforms to reach your customers. Plus, we explore advanced strategies like using CRMs, upselling effectively, and the power of incremental improvements through the aggregation of marginal gains. To wrap up, we challenge you to make one small tweak to your marketing this week because small, consistent changes can lead to extraordinary results. Actionable insights, practical tips, and a fresh perspective await—let's dive in! LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com YouTube: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn: @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL

You may have heard that content is King.And, if you want your website to do well in the search engines, you need to be creating regular content (usually blog posts).But that's not the whole picture.When you've created a new content item you need to be sharing it out on your own social media.If the sharing brings traffic back to your website, then it will give Google a good indicator that this content item is popular.And as a result, because of the additional traffic, you get additional points in the search rankings.So, don't just create content; share it.And then share it some more. LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn: @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL

We're often asked "how frequently should you send out marketing emails" and there's no really simple answer. The main factors in marketing email frequency are: ~ Your business type ~ Your customer type If you sell to consumers then you'll probably get away with sending out emails quite often, maybe even daily. If you sell to businesses then you need to be more careful since stuffing your contacts'' inboxes will likely mean unsubscribes or spam labels. The key thing is to be informative and engaging with your emails. If you're providing value then most folks won't mind getting your marketing emails on a frequent basis. You also have to consider how much time you're able to dedicate to this. If you're self-employed you'll not likely have time for daily emails. So you'll need to give your email marketing strategy a bit more thought. However frequently you send out marketing emails, just be consistent. Commit to a regular schedule. LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn: @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL

I heard a saying that "Life happens when you're planning on doing something else!" And when you're self-employed it can have a huge impact on your ability to get stuff done. The challenge for many people is to avoid giving yourself a hard time when your business activity is derailed by life. So, a few things to bear in mind are: Accept that "stuff happens" and that it happens to everyone Look for the opportunity to get something done, even if it's small Do your best to make the best of your situation Talk to someone if your mindset is going down a dark path LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn: @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL

Gary Foster (https://www.linkedin.com/in/thegaryfoster/) is a Sales Hypnotist, sales trainer and salesman. In this interview he shares his thoughts on: Copying successful salespeople Making your sales pitch more comfortable and formal How to be a helpful salesperson Serving to sell Using language to increase sales Making selling fun LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com YouTube: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn: @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL

In this interview with Daria Williamson (www.dariawilliamson.com) you'll learn how to work on your strengths and delegate out the things you don't enjoy and don't leave you energised. As self-employment people we end up doing a lot of stuff we don't enjoy (such as book-keeping) and these tasks often get left until the last minute, which causes stress. Or we won't even start things because they simply don't excite us and don't give us energy. Another thing is that we reluctantly do the boring stuff that goes with being self-employed. For example; not everyone is excited by marketing, so it often gets left or isn't done with real enthusiasm. So, listen to Daria's insights and start working to maximise your strengths and love the work you do. LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn: @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL

Our mind and body regularly need time to recover and refresh from the working week. And a weekly day off is the ideal way to do it. However, when you're self-employed (especially working from home), it can be very difficult to disconnect yourself from your work. The constant input from mobile devices doesn't help. So, here are some pointers on making sure you take at least one day off each week. It'll help. LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn: @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL

You can save yourself a tonne of time and money if you follow these steps to make sure you start a marketing campaign the right way. Make sure you understand your target audience and how you're aiming to help them Test and measure performance on a very regular basis Run split tests, if you can Start small and scale up if (or when) it proves to be profitable The aim is to make sure that every campaign provides a profitable return on investment as quickly as possible. LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn: @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL This episode is sponsored by Social Media Me. Social Media Me is an online community which is home to easy, online courses. Their course, Facebook Ads for Small Businesses will help teach you everything you need to know in order to set up, run and analyse your own Facebook Ads. No more expensive marketing agencies, this course has been designed for small businesses, to grow their business themselves. The course is 100% online, and you can watch and re-watch videos as many times as you like. It's a one-fee too, so once you've paid, there's nothing to worry about. Most members make that money back on their first campaign too! Find out more here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3uFjH8k⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

These days websites are all about content. Decent content gives you a better chance of outranking your competitors in the search engines. And the best way to do this is to write regular blog posts. The challenge is that blogging takes time. So, in this episode we share a few ideas on how to create blog posts in less time. LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn: @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL This episode is sponsored by Social Media Me. Social Media Me is an online community which is home to easy, online courses. Their course, Facebook Ads for Small Businesses will help teach you everything you need to know in order to set up, run and analyse your own Facebook Ads. No more expensive marketing agencies, this course has been designed for small businesses, to grow their business themselves. The course is 100% online, and you can watch and re-watch videos as many times as you like. It's a one-fee too, so once you've paid, there's nothing to worry about. Most members make that money back on their first campaign too! Find out more here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3uFjH8k⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Your marketing should be a process, just like the rest of your business.⠀ In fact, the more you make a system/process out of your marketing the easier it will be to do and more effectively it will help you to (win and keep) customers. You see, successful businesses run on processes. The more efficient and effective these processes, the easier it is to manage and grow a business. So, your mission should be to work out a successful process for your marketing. Look at what you do, how often it's done and what kind of results you get from it. Schedule your activities and monitor the results. It's simple but not always easy. Check out this episode on being Consistent in your marketing: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/auckland-business-builders/episodes/The-Key-To-Marketing-Success-Be-Consistent-e2e855e LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn: @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL This episode is sponsored by Social Media Me. Social Media Me is an online community which is home to easy, online courses. Their course, Facebook Ads for Small Businesses will help teach you everything you need to know in order to set up, run and analyse your own Facebook Ads. No more expensive marketing agencies, this course has been designed for small businesses, to grow their business themselves. The course is 100% online, and you can watch and re-watch videos as many times as you like. It's a one-fee too, so once you've paid, there's nothing to worry about. Most members make that money back on their first campaign too! Find out more here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3uFjH8k⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Rich Ellis, of Fit 4 Life, share his tips on how to prioritise your wellbeing when you're self-employed. Rich's key points include: ~ Have a great start to the day ~ Your eating habits make a difference to your ability to stay well ~ Have something to look forward to (such as a weekend away or a holiday) ~ Take regular breaks (including micro-breaks in each day) ~ Look after your mindset ~ Your self-talk is important The thing to remember is this: "If you're not able to work, you're not able to earn". The buck stops with you and how well you perform. So looking after yourself should be one of your highest priorities when you work for yourself. If you want to connect with Rich you can do so here : https://www.facebook.com/Fit4lifeAHC https://www.f4l.co.nz/ LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn: @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL This episode is sponsored by Social Media Me. Social Media Me is an online community which is home to easy, online courses. Their course, Facebook Ads for Small Businesses will help teach you everything you need to know in order to set up, run and analyse your own Facebook Ads. No more expensive marketing agencies, this course has been designed for small businesses, to grow their business themselves. The course is 100% online, and you can watch and re-watch videos as many times as you like. It's a one-fee too, so once you've paid, there's nothing to worry about. Most members make that money back on their first campaign too! Find out more here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3uFjH8k⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Multi-tasking doesn't work. In fact, it's bad for your productivity. You see, trying to get a load of stuff done, all at once, means that nearly nothing gets finished. You'll simple flick between tasks and get nowhere fast. Even worse is that you run the risk of stressing yourself out because you won't be finishing anything but you'll feel rushed off your feet. So, how do you fix this? Well, it's simple: You work on just one thing at a time. But to give yourself a better chance, it's worth setting a good environment with the following things: Clear your workspace so you only have the current task in front of you Switch off electronic notifications Put your phone on silent (and out of sight) while you work on the task Work in timed chunks (20 minutes is a good start) Once you begin to get the hang of this your productivity will seriously improve. Having said all of that, you need to be tenacious. After all, you're adjusting years of bad habits. LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn : @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL This episode is sponsored by Social Media Me. Social Media Me is an online community which is home to easy, online courses. Their course, Facebook Ads for Small Businesses will help teach you everything you need to know in order to set up, run and analyse your own Facebook Ads. No more expensive marketing agencies, this course has been designed for small businesses, to grow their business themselves. The course is 100% online, and you can watch and re-watch videos as many times as you like. It's a one-fee too, so once you've paid, there's nothing to worry about. Most members make that money back on their first campaign too! Find out more here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3uFjH8k⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

"Shiny New Thing Syndrome" is so easily to fall into where you get distracted by something new and exciting. The issue is that it's far too easy to get sucked up by the hype and fail to question whether this new thing is going to be helpful to you and your business. And just because everyone seems to be raving about something, it doesn't mean that it's any good. A key question to ask is this: "Is this new thing going to help me reach my customers or build my business?" If the answer isn't a definite Yes! then just dabble until it's proven to be useful or not. But, whatever happens, don't just dive straight in because it's popular. Take the time to investigate and learn more. LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn : @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL This episode is sponsored by Social Media Me. Social Media Me is an online community which is home to easy, online courses. Their course, Facebook Ads for Small Businesses will help teach you everything you need to know in order to set up, run and analyse your own Facebook Ads. No more expensive marketing agencies, this course has been designed for small businesses, to grow their business themselves. The course is 100% online, and you can watch and re-watch videos as many times as you like. It's a one-fee too, so once you've paid, there's nothing to worry about. Most members make that money back on their first campaign too! Find out more here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3uFjH8k⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Referrals are usually the cheapest and most effective way of getting more customers. It's the best way of knowing that you're doing good work and that many of your customers tell others about the good stuff you do. In this episode I share the story of a mortgage broker called Gareth. His strategy was to reward his top referring clients with dinner at their favourite local restaurant. Yes it was an expensive reward but each new customer was worth quite a bit of money. So it made sense to properly say thanks to those who'd sent plenty of friends and family. The key lesson is that you should reward your top referrers with something that goes beyond just a gift voucher. If you buy them an experience or something tangible that they can hold then they will be extremely likely that they will tell even more people about how wonderful you are. LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn :@karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL This episode is sponsored by Social Media Me. Social Media Me is an online community which is home to easy, online courses. Their course, Facebook Ads for Small Businesses will help teach you everything you need to know in order to set up, run and analyse your own Facebook Ads. No more expensive marketing agencies, this course has been designed for small businesses, to grow their business themselves. The course is 100% online, and you can watch and re-watch videos as many times as you like. It's a one-fee too, so once you've paid, there's nothing to worry about. Most members make that money back on their first campaign too! Find out more here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3uFjH8k⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Measuring your marketing is important because you need to know which elements of your marketing are actually working. Sadly, far too many smaller businesses and self-employed people just put marketing out there but simply don't know if any of it is effective. These days, with much marketing happening online, you have no excuse for keeping track of your stats. It's a good idea to find out where your customers heard about you or how they found you. It makes sense to work on this because you want to amplify what's working and adjust (or ditch) what's not working. LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn :@karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL This episode is sponsored by Social Media Me. Social Media Me is an online community which is home to easy, online courses. Their course, Facebook Ads for Small Businesses will help teach you everything you need to know in order to set up, run and analyse your own Facebook Ads. No more expensive marketing agencies, this course has been designed for small businesses, to grow their business themselves. The course is 100% online, and you can watch and re-watch videos as many times as you like. It's a one-fee too, so once you've paid, there's nothing to worry about. Most members make that money back on their first campaign too! Find out more here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3uFjH8k⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode we interview Angela Couch who is a Career Coach in Auckland (www.careerinspiration.nz). Angela shares her key lessons after 2 years in self-employment. These include: Don't be afraid to ask for help Be persistent Remember that it will take twice as long as you think to get going Make sure your 'WHY' is very clear Angela works with professionals and managers and can be found here : https://careerinspiration.nz/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-couch-career-coach/ LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn: @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book: https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL This episode is sponsored by Social Media Me. Social Media Me is an online community which is home to easy, online courses. Their course, Facebook Ads for Small Businesses will help teach you everything you need to know in order to set up, run and analyse your own Facebook Ads. No more expensive marketing agencies, this course has been designed for small businesses, to grow their business themselves. The course is 100% online, and you can watch and re-watch videos as many times as you like. It's a one-fee too, so once you've paid, there's nothing to worry about. Most members make that money back on their first campaign too! Find out more here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3uFjH8k⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We all get the same number of hours in a day. But how is that some people manage to get more done than others? Well, it's not about managing time. It's all about managing you and what you do. The key is to aim towards good working habits and your own personal productivity. The main points are: Cut distractions and interruptions Give yourself 'Focus' time Switch things off Give yourself time off Let people know when you're unavailable LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn :@karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL This episode is sponsored by Social Media Me. Social Media Me is an online community which is home to easy, online courses. Their course, Facebook Ads for Small Businesses will help teach you everything you need to know in order to set up, run and analyse your own Facebook Ads. No more expensive marketing agencies, this course has been designed for small businesses, to grow their business themselves. The course is 100% online, and you can watch and re-watch videos as many times as you like. It's a one-fee too, so once you've paid, there's nothing to worry about. Most members make that money back on their first campaign too! Find out more here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3uFjH8k⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Being self-employed isn't always easy. And the main reason it's not easy is because you have to be multi-skilled. You have to get good at marketing, sales, book-keeping, personal organisation, cash-flow management and work-life balance. As well as being able to deliver the products or services you're offering. I've even heard it said that you need to be nearly as good at marketing as you do the thing you're selling. But here's the key thing: If you can't get the hang of all this then self-employment is going to be a struggle and your success will be limited. However, the good news is that almost all of the above things are learnable. You may not start with these skills but you have no excuse to not learn them. And then do them until you can afford to outsource them. So, if you're struggling in self-employment, have a think about what you need to learn or change to make things better. This episode explains. LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn: @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL This episode is sponsored by Social Media Me. Social Media Me is an online community which is home to easy, online courses. Their course, Facebook Ads for Small Businesses will help teach you everything you need to know in order to set up, run and analyse your own Facebook Ads. No more expensive marketing agencies, this course has been designed for small businesses, to grow their business themselves. The course is 100% online, and you can watch and re-watch videos as many times as you like. It's a one-fee too, so once you've paid, there's nothing to worry about. Most members make that money back on their first campaign too! Find out more here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3uFjH8k⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Consistent marketing leads to consistent results. So here's how to make your marketing more consistent and successful. As it sits, fewer than 10% of self-employed people are consistent with their marketing and it's no small wonder that only a minority get meaningful results. The key to fixing this is to develop a consistent marketing plan and implement it. First you need to make time each day for marketing. Without making time you'll struggle to get around to it. Then you should plan your marketing so you know what you'll be doing on each day. Finally, you need to monitor results so you know what's working and what's not. LET'S CONNECT: Web: ⁠⁠smashingselfemployment.com⁠⁠ Insta: ⁠⁠@smashingselfemployment⁠⁠ LinkedIn :⁠⁠@karlcraigwest⁠⁠ Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL⁠⁠ This episode is sponsored by Social Media Me. Social Media Me is an online community which is home to easy, online courses. Their course, Facebook Ads for Small Businesses will help teach you everything you need to know in order to set up, run and analyse your own Facebook Ads. No more expensive marketing agencies, this course has been designed for small businesses, to grow their business themselves. The course is 100% online, and you can watch and re-watch videos as many times as you like. It's a one-fee too, so once you've paid, there's nothing to worry about. Most members make that money back on their first campaign too! Find out more here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3uFjH8k⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Outsourcing some aspects of your work is the only way you're going to be able to focus on the core aspects of your business. As soon as you can, you should be handing your book-keeping over to a book-keeper (unless you're a book-keeper, of course). You should also look to outsource admin work to a Virtual Assistant (VA) too. After all, you didn't start your business to get bogged down by admin tasks. Not only that, it's nearly impossible to grow a business on your own. This means that if you want to grow your business you're going to have to get good at outsourcing or delegating as soon as possible. So, this episode talks you through the key things to consider when looking to outsource or delegate some elements of your work. LET'S CONNECT: Web: ⁠smashingselfemployment.com⁠ Insta: ⁠@smashingselfemployment⁠ LinkedIn :⁠@karlcraigwest⁠ Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : ⁠https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL⁠ This episode is sponsored by Social Media Me. Social Media Me is an online community which is home to easy, online courses. Their course, Facebook Ads for Small Businesses will help teach you everything you need to know in order to set up, run and analyse your own Facebook Ads. No more expensive marketing agencies, this course has been designed for small businesses, to grow their business themselves. The course is 100% online, and you can watch and re-watch videos as many times as you like. It's a one-fee too, so once you've paid, there's nothing to worry about. Most members make that money back on their first campaign too! Find out more here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3uFjH8k⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You may have heard one (or more) of the following phrases: Knowledge is power Leaders are readers Earners are learners However, none of these phrases have any impact until you start putting your learning into ACTION! That's right, you need to do something with the knowledge you gain. So, this episode gives you some ideas on how to make sure you're making the most of your knowledge and learnings. LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn :@karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL This episode is sponsored by Social Media Me. Social Media Me is an online community which is home to easy, online courses. Their course, Facebook Ads for Small Businesses will help teach you everything you need to know in order to set up, run and analyse your own Facebook Ads. No more expensive marketing agencies, this course has been designed for small businesses, to grow their business themselves. The course is 100% online, and you can watch and re-watch videos as many times as you like. It's a one-fee too, so once you've paid, there's nothing to worry about. Most members make that money back on their first campaign too! Find out more here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3uFjH8k⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

I'm often asked the question "Does email marketing still work?". And my resounding answer is usually "YES!" But... There's always a 'but'. You have to make it relevant to your target audience and not just keep bombarding them with 'buy my stuff' messages. Even that last sentence comes with a 'but...' You see, if you're in e-commerce then email marketing is an absolutely essential marketing tool. And you'd be a fool to ignore this. However, if you sell services then email marketing is still a high-priority marketing activity. And this is because it directly reaches your target audience in a way that few other channels can. Even better still is that email marketing is dirt cheap and can have a huge return on investment when used well. So, email marketing is not dead. It's very much alive. Listen to this episode and find out more. LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn :@karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL This episode is sponsored by Social Media Me. Social Media Me is an online community which is home to easy, online courses. Their course, Facebook Ads for Small Businesses will help teach you everything you need to know in order to set up, run and analyse your own Facebook Ads. No more expensive marketing agencies, this course has been designed for small businesses, to grow their business themselves. The course is 100% online, and you can watch and re-watch videos as many times as you like. It's a one-fee too, so once you've paid, there's nothing to worry about. Most members make that money back on their first campaign too! Find out more here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3uFjH8k⁠⁠⁠⁠

When you're self-employed (or running a small business) the mission is to make a profit. If there's no profit then you have a hobby, not a business. And the way to profit is to make sure you're not spending money on stuff you don't need and that, eventually, you bring in far more than you spend. Key points: Keep an eye on cash-flow Ask yourself: 'do I really need this?' with all new expenditure Find out if you can get better deals if you shop around Ask around in your network for people selling stuff cheap Buy used, not new You don't need the latest tech LET'S CONNECT: Web: ⁠⁠smashingselfemployment.com⁠⁠ Insta: ⁠⁠@smashingselfemployment⁠⁠ LinkedIn :⁠⁠@karlcraigwest⁠⁠ Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL⁠⁠ This episode is sponsored by Social Media Me. Social Media Me is an online community which is home to easy, online courses. Their course, Facebook Ads for Small Businesses will help teach you everything you need to know in order to set up, run and analyse your own Facebook Ads. No more expensive marketing agencies, this course has been designed for small businesses, to grow their business themselves. The course is 100% online, and you can watch and re-watch videos as many times as you like. It's a one-fee too, so once you've paid, there's nothing to worry about. Most members make that money back on their first campaign too! Find out more here: ⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3uFjH8k⁠⁠⁠

Even if you're working from your kitchen table, with a tiny business, it's still important to have a website, and here's why: The key thing to remember is that your own website will be the only bit of online real-estate that you actually own and control. The social platforms belong to someone else and they can change their algorithm and shut you down almost instantly, as Facebook has done plenty of times. So, having your own place on the web is essential. But also, you'd want to make sure that you're easily found if someone searches for your business. Social media pages simply don't get ranked by Google. So, listen to this episode to learn why it's vital to have your own website (even if you're a tiny business) and pick up some key pointers on how to get your own website. LET'S CONNECT: Web: ⁠smashingselfemployment.com⁠ Insta: ⁠@smashingselfemployment⁠ LinkedIn :⁠@karlcraigwest⁠ Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : ⁠https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL⁠ This episode is sponsored by Social Media Me. Social Media Me is an online community which is home to easy, online courses. Their course, Facebook Ads for Small Businesses will help teach you everything you need to know in order to set up, run and analyse your own Facebook Ads. No more expensive marketing agencies, this course has been designed for small businesses, to grow their business themselves. The course is 100% online, and you can watch and re-watch videos as many times as you like. It's a one-fee too, so once you've paid, there's nothing to worry about. Most members make that money back on their first campaign too! Find out more here: ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3uFjH8k⁠⁠

Have you ever contacted a company and they didn't respond? Here in New Zealand this is very common, even if you're trying to spend some money. I can only guess that those companies are making too much money or they simply don't give a damn. But here's the thing: Even if they're the best at what they do, I will never try to do business with them again. As far as I'm concerned, their reputation is garbage. Not only that but I've told quite a few people about their lack of response. It's not even poor 'customer service' since the 'service' doesn't exist. So, do you and your business a huge favour and make sure you follow-up with everyone who contacts you. Even if just to say 'no thanks'. This episode talks you through how to make this work. LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn :@karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL This episode is sponsored by Social Media Me where you can learn how to grow your small business with Facebook ads. Find out more here: https://bit.ly/3uFjH8k Social Media Me is an online community home to easy, online courses. Their course, Facebook Ads for Small Businesses will help teach you everything you need to know in order to set up, run and analyse your own Facebook Ads. No more expensive marketing agencies, this course has been designed for small businesses in mind, to grow their business themselvesThe course is 100% online, and you can watch and re-watch videos as many times as you like. It's a one-fee too, so once you've paid, there's nothing to worry about. Most members make that money back on their first campaign too!

This episode is the story of Tom and Dan who tried a crazy marketing idea with expensive and disastrous results. They spent a bunch of money in the 'hope' that it would work first-time. Sadly, marketing rarely works first-time. There is a usually a period of refinement to get desired results. Key lessons in this episode: Get to know your audience as well as you can before starting a marketing campaign. This way you can communicate with them more effectively. Don't throw loads of money/resources at an untested marketing idea. Start small and scale up if it works. Refine if it doesn't. Make your campaign, its message, graphics, and call to action relevant to your audience and your industry. Be clear, not clever. LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn :@karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL

In this example of great customer service you'll learn an important lesson in making sure the buying experience with your company lets customers know that you're there to serve. You see, it's far too easy to take your customers for granted. And when you do, it's only a matter of time before this starts to eat away at customer loyalty. LET'S CONNECT: Web: ⁠smashingselfemployment.com⁠ Insta: ⁠@smashingselfemployment⁠ LinkedIn : ⁠@karlcraigwest⁠ Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : ⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL⁠

In this interview with self-employed trainer and facilitator Steve O'Neill (https://sondevelopment.com/) you'll learn some of the key things that you need to get to grips with when you become self-employed. Key learnings: Don't be afraid to 'go for it' if you get the chance Using your network is a great way to pick up work You have to become multi-skilled quickly You don't have to be a perfectionist. Get it done and get it out there Focus on being productive, not just busy You need to be disciplined And more... You can connect with Steve here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-o-neill-397509b/ You can find his podcast here: https://sondevelopment.com/podcast/ LET'S CONNECT: Web: ⁠smashingselfemployment.com⁠ Insta: ⁠@smashingselfemployment⁠ LinkedIn : ⁠@karlcraigwest⁠ Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : ⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL⁠

We all want to get more done. But it's often a challenge because, when you work for yourself, you're spinning so many different plates. And it's important to get the vital stuff done when you're at your most alert and awake. In this episode you'll discover a simple technique that will enable you to identify your best time of day to get the most important work done. LET'S CONNECT: Web: ⁠smashingselfemployment.com⁠ Insta: ⁠@smashingselfemployment⁠ LinkedIn : ⁠@karlcraigwest⁠ Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : ⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL⁠

Sheila Smith (now retired) shares her business tips in this interview recorded in November 2020 during the Covid lockdowns. The key lessons are: Be adaptable Try new things (even if they're uncomfortable) Partner up with complementary skills Keep your word - your reputation depends on it You're never too old to learn new stuff Don't sit and suffer in silence, speak with someone Look for the value in what you've already achieved LET'S CONNECT: Web: ⁠smashingselfemployment.com⁠ Insta: ⁠@smashingselfemployment⁠ LinkedIn : ⁠@karlcraigwest⁠ Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : ⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL⁠

When starting out in business it's very tempting to just dive into loads of different marketing channels to try and be everywhere. However, this is usually a mistake. Largely because you can't be good at them all if you're spreading yourself too thinly. The best way is get really good at just a few and then add more from there. This episode explains the how and why of this approach. LET'S CONNECT: Web: ⁠smashingselfemployment.com⁠ Insta: ⁠@smashingselfemployment⁠ LinkedIn : ⁠@karlcraigwest⁠ Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : ⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL⁠

Want to beat perfectionism? It's simple: just learn to accept that most things only need to be 'good enough'. You see, very few things in life and work need to be perfect. But most perfectionists get too hung up on making things just right. So, if you're a perfectionist you should listen to this. This episode talks you through a couple of examples of where 'good enough' would have been good enough. You'll also learn some ideas on how you can make this approach work for you. LET'S CONNECT: Web: ⁠smashingselfemployment.com⁠ Insta: ⁠@smashingselfemployment⁠ LinkedIn : ⁠@karlcraigwest⁠ Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : ⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL⁠

Chelsea Baldwin, copywriter and content marketing specialist, shares her thoughts on being a successful freelancer. Her ideas include: It doesn't have to take long to get started You need to get "Business Smart" as fast as possible Learn from those who are doing it well Get good at selling - Pronto! And more... Since this episode was recorded Chelsea has been working as an employee but she can still be found on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelseabaldwin1/ LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn : @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL⁠

This episode was recorded as part of a webinar where I was one of the guest speakers. The intent of the webinar was to help networkers get better at what they do get more out of networking, hopefully to build their businesses and make it into a more successful marketing channel. So if you're into networking, and you want to do better, listen on. LET'S CONNECT: Website : ⁠⁠⁠⁠smashingselfemployment.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram : ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/smashingselfemployment/⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlcraigwest/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL⁠

In this episode of the Smashing Self-Employment podcast we interview Caroline Hunt of Emerald Starfish (www.emerald-starfish.com) who is a self-employed recruitment specialist. After 10 years of being in business, Caroline has been through the highs and lows of being self-employed. She has now become well known in her target market for having a high-integrity approach to her service. LET'S CONNECT: Website : ⁠⁠⁠⁠smashingselfemployment.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram : ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/smashingselfemployment/⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlcraigwest/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL⁠

Getting into a flow is vital when you are self-employed or running a small business. These 3 simple ideas can make a huge difference to how much you get done, the kind of work you're doing and also how well you attract and keep customers. They are: Say NO a lot more Delegate more Do some marketing every day. This live recording talks you through how to make these work for you and gives you plenty of ideas on how to get started with all 3. LET'S CONNECT: Website : ⁠⁠⁠⁠smashingselfemployment.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram : ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/smashingselfemployment/⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlcraigwest/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL⁠

Here, Sebastien de la Hamayde (www.designeering.com) shares his thoughts on how to stay in business for over 20 years. Starting a business can be quite simple but longevity in business takes some dedication and knowledge. Learn from Sebastien's experience and unlock some of the secrets to long-term business survival. LET'S CONNECT: Website : ⁠⁠⁠⁠smashingselfemployment.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram : ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/smashingselfemployment/⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlcraigwest/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL⁠

Libby Langley is a UK-based business coach and mentor (www.libbylangley.com). In this interview she shares some of her top tips for being successfully self-employed and building a small business. Whether you're new to business or you've been around a while you'll discover some real nuggets in this podcast interview.

We get asked a lot whether there is an outright best single marketing tip, tool or technique. The answer is normally quite surprising for many: Do Some Marketing Every Day! Is it that simple? Yes it is. But you'd be surprised to find that very few (like, less than 10%) small businesses latch onto this. So, have a listen and find out how to make it work for you and your business. LET'S CONNECT: Website : ⁠⁠⁠smashingselfemployment.com⁠⁠⁠ Instagram : ⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/smashingselfemployment/⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlcraigwest/⁠⁠⁠ Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : ⁠https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL⁠

Clare McCabe of Purple Star Design (www.purplestardesign.co.uk) shares her top tips for success in self-employment. Clare shares the key things that she's learned in nearly 20 years as a freelance designer. This includes: Being brave Sticking to your values Being prepared for a bumpy start Setting goals and more LET'S CONNECT: Website : ⁠⁠smashingselfemployment.com⁠⁠ Instagram : ⁠⁠www.instagram.com/smashingselfemployment/⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlcraigwest/⁠⁠ Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL

For many people in the self-employed world having a holiday can be a stressful time. There's a risk that you'll end up spending more time fretting about your clients, and what they need, than actually taking the time to relax and enjoy your  holiday. The interesting thing is that your clients won't be surprised that you're having a holiday and will actually expect you to be unavailable during that time. So, this episode talks you through how to set things up so nothing gets missed and you're able to enjoy your holiday. LET'S CONNECT: Website : ⁠⁠smashingselfemployment.com⁠⁠ Instagram : ⁠⁠www.instagram.com/smashingselfemployment/⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlcraigwest/⁠⁠ Get the book : ⁠⁠https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL⁠⁠

Getting things done is key to success in business (and life) but many of us struggle. The key is FOCUS! So, this short episode walks you through a very simple idea that could seriously improve your productivity almost immediately. So here it is: Switch stuff off! It really is that simple. Listen in to find out the how and why of this powerful concept. LET'S CONNECT: Website : ⁠smashingselfemployment.com⁠ Instagram : ⁠www.instagram.com/smashingselfemployment/⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlcraigwest/⁠ Get the book : ⁠https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL⁠

If you don't segment (split up) your target audience then you may end up trying to sell the wrong things to the wrong people. In essence, you're improving your market targeting so your marketing results will be as good as they can be. This episode explains. LET'S CONNECT: Website : ⁠smashingselfemployment.com⁠ Instagram : ⁠www.instagram.com/smashingselfemployment/⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlcraigwest/⁠ Get the book : ⁠https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL⁠

Being self-employed is the best way to work but it doesn't come without it's challenges (like all things in life). Knowing your key reason (or reasons) for being self-employed will help to sustain you and give you motivation going forward. The stronger your reason(s), the easier it will be to keep going into the long-term. This short episode talks you through the why and how of knowing your reason. LET'S CONNECT: Website : smashingselfemployment.com Instagram : www.instagram.com/smashingselfemployment/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlcraigwest/ Get the book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL