Whin Big - A UK Marketing Podcast

Today's guest is the wonderful Abi Sea, long term friend of the podcast and returning guest.Our conversation today has been all about growing an audience with Instagram Reels, but maybe a little different than the conversation you're expecting.We talked about the imperfections of our approaches to Reels, the things we find challenging and the ways we've worked to overcome them. We also talk, in a pretty unfiltered way, about how much we both DON'T want to go viral on Instagram - although we're very curious to hear from you if that's a goal of yours!Abi's my only guest on today's episode, so settle in for a cosy conversation between two Instagram-loving, real-life marketers for a warts-and-all conversation about growing an audience with Instagram Reels. I can't wait for you to hear it! Show notes: https://thewhin.co/podcast/Abi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelaunchlifeline/

Today we are talking about Pay Per Click advertising as part of our ongoing series about strategies from growing your audience online.My guests today are Becky and Michael, from Digital Gearbox, and Josh from Serious Readers, and I'm really looking forward to diving into those conversations.If you're on the fence about running ads, or trying to work out how to get started, our first two guests, Becky and Michael, should be able to help. Beck is the Managing Director, and Michael is the Creative Director, of a specialist ad agency called Digital Gearbox. They help their clients place ads on Google and on social media, and they have loads of tips and advice to share.Following on from those expert insights from Michael and Becky, I wanted to share a different perspective, from the business side of things. Of course it's all well and good hearing about ad strategy from experts, but it also helps to hear how that's worked out for people on the ground, and to look at a bit of a case study.To help me out with that, I spoke to Josh Smith from Serious Readers. He's the head of their marketing team and was responsible for running their initial ads, and for their partnerships with ad agencies in the past. They're now working with Digital Gearbox, so you'll hear a little bit from him about how that is, and how he went about finding an ad agency to work with who met his specific criteria. Full shownotes: thewhin.co/podcast

Today I'm chatting with an expert and a business owner on the subject of Marketing Automation, and how that can help you capture an audience early on, and set you up for forming good audience relations in the long term.Our first guest is Kenda Macdonald, from Automation Ninjas. Kenda is an expert in behavioural marketing, and helps her clients use marketing automation at all stages of the customer journey, from first contact through to client onboarding.Our second guest for today's episode is Richard Edwards, who's the founder of The R&D Community, which is a training academy and support service for accountants and specialist tax consultants doing R&D claims. Don't worry if that's not something you know much about - we don't really talk about R&D claims, we talk about marketing! Particularly LinkedIn and list building, which are very important subjects.Shownotes: https://thewhin.co/podcast

Today we're chatting about using Partnerships to help you build an audience when your business is brand new in the early stages. First up I'm going to speak to Tina Clark, the marketing manager at an app development agency called Bad Dinosaur. Although a lot of her role is to market the agency itself, she also supports their clients with marketing strategy. Our next guests are Hilary Mines and Tess Caven, from the new start up trundl. Trundl is a non-competitive activity motivator app, which encourages people to go outside and get some exercise, and offers charity donations as motivation. Hil is the original founder and Tess is the strategy and marketing director.In my conversations today we touch on a few different techniques for developing your brand as a new business, and for developing your audience along with it. Partnerships are a great way to do this on a shoe string budget, and that's where a lot of our focus is today.Find all the links and resources for today's episode in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

Today's episode is a special one! I spent the last few weeks catching up with some of our earliest guests on the Whin Big podcast to find out where they are now, and what they've been up to over the last 2 and a half years.I spoke with Marc Keys, Claire Watson, and Laura Westring.You find their details and links to their original interviews in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

Hello everyone, welcome back! Here we are into 2022, and I'm very excited to be launching a brand new season of the Whin Big podcast with today's episode. What with there being another 50 or so episodes out in the world it's time for a new volume of our Greatest Hits collection. Stay tuned for clips from 6 of our best interviews since October 2020. Welcome back to Avesha, Kenda, Cameron, Suse, Heena, and Tanessa!You can find the shownotes of today's episode on the website at thewhin.co/podcast

It's the final Whin Big Podcast of the year! And, as you know by now, we love to spend this end-of-year episode reflecting on goals. In this episode, Katie reminds us of her 2021 business goals and whether she achieved them or not. She also gives the low down on the four goals she's setting for 2022. LISTENER SURVEY: https://thewhin.co/surveyIf you fancy having a go at working on your own goals for next year, head to the resources section, where you can access a free download to worksheets. https://thewhin.co/podcast

This week on The Whin Big Podcast, Katie speaks with Kenda Macdonald - founder of Automation Ninja. In this week's episode, Katie and Kenda talk about how psychology and brain functions influence the way we make purchasing decisions. Kenda also shares details on ‘the purchase formula', the best way to go about email marketing and explains how social media fits into her marketing mix. You can find all the links and resources from today's episode in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

Want to know what to post on your Instagram feed right now in 2021 and going into 2022? You're in the right place! Welcome to episode 96 of The Whin Big podcast, where we go behind the scenes of The Whin Instagram masterclass and take another look at one of the modules. This week we're focusing on Your Instagram Feed.You can find all the links and resources from today's episode in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

This week on The Whin Big Podcast, Katie speaks with Phillip Gibbs - a business coach who is an expert in referral marketing. In this week's episode, Katie and Phillip talk about how referrals work best - and how to create a system to strengthen the process. He uses a simple six-step framework to ensure he builds and maintains great relationships and collaborations and shares it with us here. Notebooks and pens at the ready! As always, you'll find all the links, resources and other references in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

This week Katie is talking about all things marketing and mental health. In today's episode, Katie opens up about her own mental health story, and gives some insightful and practical advice to keep on top of your marketing - while looking after yourself at the same time. You can find all the links and resources mentioned in this episode in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

In this week's episode, Chris and Katie talk about the mindset for success in both fitness and business. And Chris talks about his experiences of combining real-life networking with online marketing. They also talk about how their mental health has changed over the past 18 months, how mental health challenges affect marketing activities, and how they make it through the challenging times. There's a lot of honest talk about the realities of mental health issues, so if this is something you've been struggling with, we've included some valuable resources in the relevant section of the show notes. You can find all the links and resources mentioned in this episode in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

How do you know what information your potential customers need to hear from you so they can get ready to buy from you? In this week's episode of The Whin Big Podcast, Katie invites you behind-the-scenes to one of our latest marketing workshops: Marketing and Instagram. In this excerpt, Katie guides you through an essential exercise for more robust marketing, and by the end of the podcast, you'll have a much clearer idea of your customer's growing awareness of their problems and how you can help them. Workshop details: https://thewhin.co/igmasterclassShownotes: https://thewhin.co/podcast

This week on The Whin Big Podcast, Katie speaks with Tanessa Shears, a biohacking expert who helps business owners like you find more energy for your work. In this week's episode, Tanessa shares her strategy for creating content for just five people, as well as her plan for getting more email sign-ups - and sales online. And Katie shares details of how you can market your business just as successfully as Tanessa by joining our free webinar - six steps to selling online. Katie and Tanessa talk about the importance of unwinding after work and ways to find your optimum sleep rhythm. Tanessa shares resources to help you biohack your brain for better sleep and focus throughout the day. And you'll discover something truly disgusting about your pillow that you may never, ever forget!You can find loads of links and resources from today's episode in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

Ready to get real results from Instagram Reels? Then you're in the right place. This is episode 90 of The Whin Big Podcast, and today, Katie's taking us under the hood of Instagram Reels. It's not all-singing, dancing and pointing - there's so much more to using Reels as part of your Instagram marketing strategy. In this week's episode, Katie guides us through some strategies for using Reels for audience growth and some easy do's and don'ts for getting started. Let's get started! You'll find all the links and resources in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

This week on The Whin Big Podcast, Katie speaks with Jen Cadger, founder of Belter Marketing. In this week's episode, Katie and Jen chat about finding the balance between traditional and digital marketing strategies, running a free Facebook challenge, and using a bigger picture approach to your marketing will help you with your overall business goals.You'll find all the links and resources mentioned in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

Do you find it easy to keep up with all the content you need for Instagram and all your other platforms? Nope? Well, you're in the right place. This week on the Whin Big Podcast, Katie shares one of our favourite hacks for spinning lots of different pieces of content out of one. Also known as repurposing your content, this brilliant activity goes a long way to help you feel relaxed and inspired by your content instead of stressed out and frustrated! Let's get to work! Find all the links and resources mentioned in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

This week on The Whin Big Podcast, Katie speaks with Avesha DeWolfe of Spiral Tide Pottery.In this week's episode, Katie and Avesha talk about the challenges of balancing Avesha's social work career with her pottery business and the importance of taking time to breathe, think and just be. They also talk about how traditional marketing advice doesn't always leave room for each business's unique personality and character. You can find all the links and resources from today's episode in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

If you struggle with converting your Instagram audience into real-life customers, then we've got you covered. Welcome to this week's episode of The Whin Big Podcast, where Katie opens up the Instagram Stories treasure chest and shows you exactly what's inside. It's a packed episode - with lots of insider secrets on leveraging Instagram Stories for your business. Among many other ideas and tips, by the end of this episode, you'll know exactly how to create your Stories strategy to help you regularly get more customers. You'll find all the links and resources mentioned in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

On The Whin Big Podcast this week, Katie speaks with Keith Easton from the WEL Podcast Studio and Woosh Entertainments. In this week's episode, Keith and Katie talk about the importance of clear and honest communication. Keith shares his best podcasting tips for beginners, his keeping-things-simple approach to marketing and a few things he's watched recently that have inspired his business.You can find all the links and resources mentioned in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

Have you ever struggled to get back into your marketing routine after a big break? This week's theme is all about getting back into your marketing-strategy-groove after taking time out.Katie shares the exact 5-step process she uses to get back into posting content regularly and marketing her business after taking much-needed time out. You can find all the links and resources mentioned in today's episode in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcastCORRECTION: You may notice in the recording that I declare there are only 13 Wednesdays til Christmas. Sorry if that gave you a mini-heart attack. Fortunately, it was an error on my part and as of 25 August, there are 17, of course!

This week on The Whin Big Podcast, Katie speaks with Abi Sea from Sea Change Creative Content. In this week's episode, you'll hear Abi and Katie chatting about keeping momentum during a launch, why Abi's moving away from Instagram as a marketing tool and how she sets about creating a brilliant video newsletter every week. Abi and Katie also talk about unconventional book recommendations and lots more besides. As always, all resources are available as links in the show notes at thewhin.co/podcast

Fed up of marketing strategies and advice that don't make any sense for your own business? This week's episode comes with a free mantra: YOU DO YOU! Katie talks us through filtering out the expert marketing advice that makes your life - and business goals - more complicated. This week's theme is insightful and empowering and looks at the three times in your life you absolutely should ignore the experts and go your own way instead. You can find links and resources from today's episode in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

This is a repeat of our original conversation with Gin, first published 9 April 2020. We're offering this repeat as a companion to today's catch up episode of Quarantalks Season 2.---In today's episode of Quarantalks, I had a chat with Gin Lalli, a psychotherapist who helps people handle stress and anxiety. We talked about how her business has adapted to the crisis, and the most important thing we can do to help ourselves stay sane - get more sleep. Gin shared her best advice on sleep hygiene and napping and making the most of the sleep you have.

Welcome back to Quarantalks, season 2!Last year we ran a special series of the Whin Big podcast where we interviewed small business owners and experts on how the pandemic affected their lives and their businesses.Now, a whole year later, I'm catching up with a few of our former guests to see what difference a year makes.Head to thewhin.co/podcast to listen to Season 1, and find links to connect with today's guest online.Back in April I caught up with psychotherapist Gin Lalli. We talked about the stress and conflicting emotions of coming out of lockdown and the easing of restriction, and Gin had lots of useful advice. You can find Gin on LinkedIn and on her website, ginlalli.comGin's blog post on post-lockdown anxiety is here: https://ginlalli.com/post/post-lockdown-anxiety/

This is a repeat of our original conversation with Stacey, first published 9 April 2020. We're offering this repeat as a companion to today's catch up episode of Quarantalks Season 2.----In today's episode of Quarantalks, I spoke with Stacey Macdonald about how we can adapt the stories we tell in our marketing. It's more important than ever to show some humanity and connect with your customers, and Stacey's got some great tips on that. You can find us on Instagram at @the.modern.storyteller @thewhinco

Welcome back to Quarantalks, season 2!Last year we ran a special series of the Whin Big podcast where we interviewed small business owners and experts on how the pandemic affected their lives and their businesses.Now, a whole year later, I'm catching up with a few of our former guests to see what difference a year makes.Head to thewhin.co/podcast to listen to Season 1, and find links to connect with today's guest online.Back in April I caught up with Stacey Macdonald, of The Modern Storyteller. Stacey shares with us some of the roller coaster she's been on in the last year, and has advice for others who, like her, are looking to swing from failed launches to sustained success. You can find us both on Instagram at @the.modern.storyteller @thewhinco

In this week's episode, you'll hear Katie and Alan talk about Facebook groups, LinkedIn. Alan also shares his tips on keeping on top of a hectic content calendar, and how he pre-sells new product ideas to validate them. You can find links to all the resources mentioned in today's episode in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

Have you got questions about Instagram? Don't worry - we've got the answers! Well, Katie does! This week, Katie does a deep dive on YOUR Instagram questions. For episode 80 of The Whin Big Podcast, we've chosen three of the most asked listener questions to help you with your Instagram marketing strategy. We cover a range of Instagram topics, like dealing with spammer comments, how to share other people's content with respect, and how to keep hold of your Instagram followers. You can find all the links and references from today's episode in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

This week on The Whin Big Podcast, Katie speaks with Jo Mathewson, owner of JoJo Co. Candles. Jo shares the story of how her business began by accident, and she's grown it to support her whole family and a small team of staff.In this week's episode, you'll learn first-hand that it is possible to run a business with humility and authenticity whilst avoiding strategic planning. This is an inspiring and refreshing episode, so get ready to re-think your hobbies!You can find all the links and resources from today's episode in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

You're probably already using Canva, but are you using it strategically? Does it support your marketing strategy and help you grow your business? If that sounds like something you could be doing more of, then you're listening to the correct episode of the Whin Big Podcast! This week, Katie looks at harnessing the power of Canva AND Instagram and combining them so you can support your marketing strategy and bring in new customers. This is 100% strategy, so grab your notebook and let's get to work! You can find all the links and resources from today's episode in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

This week on The Whin Big Podcast, we're talking with Suse B. Bentley, a coach and trainer who works to improve gender equity in the workplace. In this week's episode, you'll hear Katie and Suse talk about the importance of building your business around your values, and Suse shares insights from her wonderful, relationship-based approach to marketing. It's a busy episode, but as always, Katie finds time to chat about business books, personal development and tips for valuable resources. You can find all the links and resources in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

Are you making good use of your Instagram insights? Welcome to the Whin Big Podcast episode 76. This week, Katie's taking us on a deep dive into your Instagram insights. She'll walk you through all the different data you can use and show you how they fit into your marketing strategy, business goals and how to measure the value of your work on Instagram. You'll find all the links and resources mentioned today in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

This is a repeat of our original conversation with Allison, first published 8 May 2020. We're offering this repeat as a companion to today's catch up episode of Quarantalks Season 2.----Today on Quarantalks I'm chatting with Abi Cornwall, who is a creative copywriter with a background in marketing. We talked about how lockdown impacted Abi's clients, but also the impact that had for her on helping her get on and do the type of projects she'd always wanted to do, but had put off in the past, whether that's creating training content, learning WordPress, or making the mindset switch from 'Freelancer' to 'Business Owner'. You can find us both on Instagram at @seachangecreativecontent @thewhinco

Welcome back to Quarantalks, season 2!Last year we ran a special series of the Whin Big podcast where we interviewed small business owners and experts on how the pandemic affected their lives and their businesses.Now, a whole year later, I'm catching up with a few of our former guests to see what difference a year makes.Head to thewhin.co/podcast to listen to Season 1, and find links to connect with today's guest online.Today I'm catching up with Abi Cornwall, to hear about how she's rebuilt her business from scratch in the last year. Sea Change Creative Content has transformed more than once over the last year, and it was great to hear how Abi has anchored herself around the exact clients she wants to work with and finding the right way to serve them. You can find us both on Instagram at @seachangecreativecontent @thewhinco

Are you looking for the best hashtags to use on Instagram? Then you’re in the right place! Welcome to episode 75 of The Whin Big Podcast, and this week, Katie shares the latest insight, advice and tips for finding and using the best hashtags for your business on all your Instagram Reels, posts and stories. You can find all the links and resources mentioned in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

When it comes to marketing your business online, do you find it hard to balance business strategy and structure with showing up in an authentic and genuine way every time? If the answer is ‘hell, yes,’ then you’re not alone, and you’re in the right place. In this week’s episode of The Whin Big Podcast, Katie shares her insight on blending marketing strategy, planning, and income with self-compassion and showing up authentically. You can get all the links and resources from today's episode in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

This is a repeat of our original conversation with Allison, first published 8 May 2020. We're offering this repeat as a companion to today's catch up episode of Quarantalks Season 2.----Today on Quarantalks, I'm chatting with Allison Harrison, owner of Hot Yoga Edinburgh. We chatted about how their class teachers and students responded to the move to live-streamed yoga classes, including the impact it had on their Yoga Teacher Training programme. It was also wonderful to talk about the beginnings of Allison's reopening plan - all very tentative and hypothetical at the moment, but it was nice to have a glimpse of a light at the end of the tunnel. You can find us both on Instagram @hotyogaedinburgh @thewhinco

Welcome back to Quarantalks, season 2!Last year we ran a special series of the Whin Big podcast where we interviewed small business owners and experts on how the pandemic affected their lives and their businesses.Now, a whole year later, I'm catching up with a few of our former guests to see what difference a year makes.Head to thewhin.co/podcast to listen to Season 1, and find links to connect with today's guest online.Today I'm catching up with Allison Harrison, owner of Hot Yoga Edinburgh. It's been a very disruptive time for her and the studio, and it was interesting to hear the impact of that on Allison and how she coped with the challenges.

This week on The Whin Big Podcast, Katie speaks with Emma Worrollo, founder of The Playful Den - an online community committed to making life more playful. They talk about Emma’s decision to leave the agency she founded to do something new and how the pandemic affected her decision. In this week’s episode, you’ll hear Katie and Emma chat about making the Instagram switch from doing it for fun to doing it for business and the commitment it takes to make content meaningful, authentic and strategic all at the same time.You can find all the links and resources mentioned in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

This week on The Whin Big Podcast, Katie speaks with Flavilla Fongang, expert brand strategist and founder of 3 Colours Rule and TLA Black Women in Tech. In this inspiring episode, Katie and Flavilla talk about creating on-brand content, marketing through relationships and reaping the real (and realistic) benefits of PR opportunities. Flavilla also talks about the magic that comes from unearthing the soul of your brand and gives a few tips on how you can discover yours.You can find all the links and resources mentioned in today's episode in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

This is a repeat of our original conversation with Keith, first published 1 April 2020. We're offering this repeat as a companion to today's catch up episode of Quarantalks Season 2.---In the first episode of our new special series, Quarantalks, I had a chat with Keith Easton, owner of The WEL Podcast studio. We discussed how businesses are adapting the way they make podcasts, and why it's important to stay connected. Find us on Instagram at @thewhinco @thewelpodcaststudio @keithwoosh

Welcome back to Quarantalks, season 2!Last year we ran a special series of the Whin Big podcast where we interviewed small business owners and experts on how the pandemic affected their lives and their businesses.Now, a whole year later, I'm catching up with a few of our former guests to see what difference a year makes.Head to thewhin.co/podcast to listen to Season 1, and find links to connect with today's guest online.Today I'm catching up with Keith Easton, of Woosh Entertainments and The WEL Podcast Studio. After a whole year of remote recording and online events, Keith shared how he and his business partner have been affected and how they're thinking of changing up their business and brand in the next few months.

This is a repeat of our original conversation with Steph, first published 14 April 2020. We're offering this repeat as a companion to today's catch up episode of Quarantalks Season 2.---Today on Quarantalks I’m chatting with Steph Douglas, founder of Don’t Buy Her Flowers, about how her business has adapted to new restrictions and an increase in demand. We talked through the change in how she manages her team, how they’ve changed their marketing, and how she’s managed to get things done with her kids at home all the time as well. You can find us on Instagram @steph_dontbuyherflowers @thewhinco

Welcome back to Quarantalks, season 2!Last year we ran a special series of the Whin Big podcast where we interviewed small business owners and experts on how the pandemic affected their lives and their businesses.Now, a whole year later, I'm catching up with a few of our former guests to see what difference a year makes.Head to thewhin.co/podcast to listen to Season 1, and find links to connect with today's guest online.Today I'm catching up with Steph Douglas, owner and founder of Don't Buy Her Flowers. Orders for their personalised gift packages have been through the roof since the first lockdown was announced, and Steph talked about how that had been for her, and what she thinks the long-term impact will be on the business.

This week on The Whin Big Podcast, Katie speaks with Jacky Clarke - an online strategy business coach. She shares how her experiences with burnout lead to her starting a business that gave her the freedom to live a life she loves. Katie and Jacky talk about the importance of figuring out what you want out of your business, focusing on tasks you enjoy and ways to align your business and marketing strategy. You can find all the links and resources in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

Do you ever feel like everyone’s playing the Instagram game, but nobody’s explained the rules to you? This is episode 70 of The Whin Big Podcast, where Katie runs through the four aspects of Instagram marketing. Consider this your very own Instagram rule book! You'll find all the links and resources mentioned in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

Ever feel like giving up trying to market your business altogether? Then spare a thought for professionals in the sexuality industry, where marketing challenges are an everyday occurrence. Welcome to Episode 69 of The Whin Big Podcast with this week’s guest Cameron Glover, a sex education business coach and founder of Successful Sex Ed.Katie and Cameron discuss the unique challenges that face business owners in the sexuality field and show us how we can all take lessons from this important industry to add value to our audience. Her insight in creating a premium experience for her communities and finding ways to have fun with marketing and relationship building is relevant to business owners across every industry and sector.

How well do you know your customers? Understanding your ideal clients and customers is the foundation of all great marketing, so it’s important to do some work in this area. Ready to learn more?In this week’s episode of The Whin Big Podcast, we cover everything you need to get to know your customers - and potential customers - better. Katie covers everything from what questions to ask yourself, how to create your ideal customer avatar, what research to carry out, and so much more.You can find all the links and resources in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

Ever get the feeling you’re getting in the way of your business financial success? This week’s guest - Heena Thaker from Intentional Wealth Creation - shares tips on how to get out of your way so you can move toward wealth with ease and grace. She shares the necessary steps to take to wealth and tips on living more abundantly. Katie and Heena talk about their favourite business books, the power behind recognising your zone of genius, and how great it feels to outsource and seek advice from the right experts.You can find all the links and resources mentioned today in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast

Do you have any idea what really goes on with the Instagram algorithm? Nope? Didn’t think so! All of that is about to change in episode 66 of the Whin Big Podcast. This week, Katie shares the plain English explanation of all things Instagram algorithm and 3 key points to focus on and get your content in front of more people of the right people. You can find all the links and resources in the shownotes at thewhin.co/podcast