Marketing tip: products and services need different types of trust One mistake I see a lot of small businesses make is marketing a service as if it’s a product. But people don’t buy products and services in the same way. 🍪 Product marketing is often low risk If someone buys vegan cookies, skincare, candles, chocolate, or a t-shirt, the decision can be fairly quick. They can look at the product and think: “Do I like the look of it?” “Does it solve the thing I want?” “Is the price okay?” “Can I buy it easily?” The risk is usually quite low. If they don’t love it, they move on. So product marketing often focuses heavily on the thing itself: ✅ the flavour ✅ the ingredients ✅ the packaging ✅ the price ✅ the offer ✅ the delivery ✅ the sensory experience Show the product clearly. Make it look desirable. Make it easy to buy. Simple. 🧑‍💻 Service marketing is different If someone is choosing a coach, consultant, designer, nutritionist, photographer, therapist, VA, accountant, or marketing person, the decision feels much bigger. They’re not just buying “the service”. They’re buying trust. They’re thinking: “Will this person understand me?” “Can I rely on them?” “Will they judge me?” “Will I waste my money?” “Do they actually know what they’re doing?” “Will this feel awkward, stressful, or easy?” That’s why service-based marketing needs to focus much more on the relationship with the person delivering the service. For services, your marketing should reduce risk. That means showing: ✅ what it’s like to work with you ✅ your process ✅ your values ✅ examples of your thinking ✅ client stories ✅ useful advice ✅ your personality ✅ proof that you can help People need to feel safe before they enquire. A product can often be sold with a strong photo and a clear “buy now” button. A service usually needs more warmth, more explanation, and more trust-building. So here’s your tiny action step for today: Look at your latest post and ask yourself: Am I selling the thing, or am I helping people trust the person behind the thing?

The way people look for vegan businesses is changing fast. They are not always typing short phrases into Google anymore. More and more, they are asking full questions out loud on their phones, like: “Where can I buy vegan cakes near me?” “Who sells cruelty-free skincare in Dorset?” “What’s the best vegan café nearby?” That matters, because if your website and content are not built around real customer questions, you could be missing people who are already looking for exactly what you offer. This really matters for the new age of AI searches on things like ChatGPT. People used to do a simple Google search for "vegan cakes Dorset," but now they ask more complex questions. You need to make sure your website is optimized for these complex AI searches. A few things I think are worth paying attention to: - Answer real questions clearly on your website and in your content - Make sure your business location and offer are easy to understand - Keep your site mobile-friendly and quick to load - Think less about clever wording, and more about being easy to find The big shift here is simple: people want quick, clear answers. The best way to do that is to write detailed blog posts that answer these questions. Question: Are you writing blog posts so you get picked up in the AI searches?

How much of this is true in Business do you think? Genuinely curious, I have my own thoughts which I'll share after you👇👇

When you’re running a small business, it’s tempting to think the fastest fix is to make it cheaper. Often, the better fix is to make it clearer. Here’s a simple way to strengthen your service or product offering: • Name the result: Be specific about what someone gets from working with you or buying from you. • Name who it’s for: Make it obvious who will benefit most, so the right people recognise themselves. • Name what’s included: Spell out what they receive, so there’s less guesswork. • Name why it matters: Connect the Service or Product Offering to a real outcome (think about making it emotional), not just a list of features. ✨ People are far more likely to buy when they understand the value. Clear offers feel like a well-lit path. Discounts often feel like waving people forward in the dark. Today, look at one offer and rewrite it in one sentence that says who it’s for, what it does, and why it matters.

If so, which one? A CRM keeps everything organised in one place, so you can see: who has enquired, who has bought, who needs a follow-up, and who may be ready to buy again. That means fewer missed opportunities, better communication, and a smoother customer journey. It also helps you market in a way that feels personal and ethical, rather than pushy. If you are getting messages, email sign-ups, or enquiries but not enough sales, a CRM could be the missing piece. Growth is not always about doing more. Sometimes it is about building a better system for the people already finding you.