Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in marketing services but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Rob Phillips, Director of Empower Marketing Ltd, located in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Empower Marketing Ltd is a multi-channel award-winning marketing micro-agency (sorry, a bit of a mouthful). We have extensive experience and a proven track record in developing and implementing strategic marketing campaigns. Thanks to our knowledge and skills in marketing, graphic design, and website development, we can deliver cost-effective marketing that helps take businesses to the next level. Empower works across a variety of sectors and a variety of different-sized businesses. We specialise in understanding the client and their target audience to ensure the right message is communicated via the right channel. We have an excellent success rate at launching start-up businesses, as well as working on some very successful campaigns with some household names.
Tell us about yourself
I started my career in sales before moving into PR and marketing. I find that a lot of businesses experience friction between sales and marketing departments, which has never made sense to me. It demonstrates a lack of communication and understanding between one another, which is kind of ironic, bearing in mind that it's one of the key skills required for both roles! I freelanced for 8 years on various marketing projects, which gave me an excellent understanding of different sectors and different forms of effective marketing depending on the business and the budget. It also meant I needed to consistently show that I was making a difference to that business; otherwise, they could easily stop my contract. Having worked with clients all around the world, my working hours could be all over the place, but this didn't bother me as long as I could still spend time with my family - for example, it gave me the flexibility to drop off and pick up my children from school, or see them take part in sports days (yes, I did enjoy the parents race at the end!).
I worked for 5 years full-time role as Head of Marketing and Communications, which gave me the opportunity to really delve deeper into developing a brand and evolving campaigns to make them work harder and better. Eventually, I launched Empower Marketing with a client I worked closely with before - I really wanted to start a small agency that could deliver quality marketing advice and deliver effective campaigns without charging astronomical prices. I actually enjoy all aspects of my work, from meeting prospective businesses and pitching ideas to implementing campaigns and producing artwork and copy. I guess the one thing I don't like about the business is the additional admin - and in particular, sending out invoices to everyone. I should probably get someone else to do that bit!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I think my biggest accomplishment as a business owner is that Empower Marketing was launched on zero capital. I guess the benefit of being a marketer is that we can market our own services! We developed our own brand and website and started pitching quickly. In month one, we secured contracts. I think our brand, ethos, and quality of work are strong so we could have certainly grown a lot more with additional investment, but Im proud that we relied on our own hard work and tenacity. I'm also pleased that Empower continued to operate during the pandemic while other businesses struggled to operate or find income. While some clients had to put plans on hold, we were agile enough to find new clients immediately that needed to go more digital.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Getting the right balance between running a marketing campaign, delivering an excellent service to existing clients, and prospecting for future business. Above being a business owner, I am a hands-on marketer, so I always focus on delivering quality work at a great price. But I also need to think about where the next piece of work is coming from and what direction Empower should evolve to. I feel like I've been lucky with getting business, as I've never had quiet periods, even during the lockdown. We have benefited a lot from referrals, which is a great indicator that we're doing good work. But it's still important to take a step back and plan ahead.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
I've worked with a number of start-ups, and there are a few common traits between those that succeed and those that fail.
Tip 1. Do your research and be honest with yourself.
A lot of businesses fail because the owner has a "good idea" for a product, but apart from their family and friends, no one cares. Get independent and honest opinions about the idea. Test it. See how many strangers will buy it before getting carried away.
Tip 2. Work smart AND work really hard too.
I've worked with a number of start-ups, and it's shocking how many people think they can get rich quickly with little effort. Building a successful business takes time, and it takes acumen. Be prepared to work days, evenings, and weekends to build a business. Most new business owners need to work twice as hard as someone who is a full-time employee, so be prepared to put in those long hours. But also don't waste time on pointless meetings, documents that no one will read, or adverts that no one will ever see as you don't have the budget for them. The ultimate goal is to sell your product or service - so think about how you can do that every day.
Tip 3. Invest and reinvest in your business
Once those first sales come in, it's tempting to give yourself a pat on the back and treat yourself. But think about how you can invest in your business to make it even better or more efficient. For example, can you improve the product/service to increase demand? Or buy more stock so you can sell faster? Or invest in marketing to build your brand and generate more sales? Or recruit someone for the bits you're not so good at so you can focus on building your business?
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.empowermarketing.co.uk/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robjphillips/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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