Because Great Products Deserve Brilliant Businesses

Ooo! Hello!  I love that you've scrolled down...

You're ready for some ecommerce growth but you're not quite sure about subscribing... yet!

I get it. 

This is a transaction. 

You need to trust me before inviting me into your inbox.

Just because I say 'you're in the right place if you're looking for ecommerce growth strategies that get results' how do you know it's right for you?

How do you know that my emails are worth your time to read?

The subject lines tease anything from the practical to the sublime...

• Great Photos = More Sales
  (Good advice and a big kick into action)
  
  
• TikTok and Trends
  (Guidance on solid long term STAND OUT marketing.)
  
  
• Be as ludicrous as you like: personality matters!
  (this was LONG, but well worth it, one subscriber replied to tell me  'This might just be my favourite email ever.' )
  
  
• Say Goodbye to Writers block and hello to your new best buddy
  (this was a little controversial!)
  
  
• If you know, you know... not the best marketing strategy!
  (This is one of those emails that's a wake up call!)
  
  
• Coffee shop or pub?
  (This email was one heck of a marketing lesson!)

OK, subject lines might not be my forte.

But ecommerce growth for independent brands is. 

Which is why every email has something which is going to provide ecommerce growth support - sometimes it's insight and advice, other times it's a way to work with me to give you an ecommerce advantage.

Now, if you've already heard of me or received glowing recommendations, you'll likely trust me at my word.

However, if you're new to my world or simply curious to see where this is going, you need proof... and yes of course that means social proof ...

I have a  confession. 

I don't have any reviews or testimonials specifically for emails. 

I regularly get replies to emails which like these two. 

Why not more? Well, truth be told, I've never asked.

That doesn't mean I'm here empty-handed though. Far from it.  

I've collected hundreds of testimonials for other things over the years, some from freebies, some from paid offerings, which are perfect to give you a feel for who I am and how I serve.

I see you. You're still scrolling

You do your due diligence.  Which is something to be admired. Many customers do this - depending on the produc they're buying.

You check everything out and come to your own conclusion. 

You need to know the nitty gritty before you'll take the next step.

Me too.

Which means it's time to bring out the big guns.

The 'WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU' section! Otherwise known as the benefits section.

And the 'As seen on' section...

Because even though I know this is going to become your new favourite ecommerce growth email to open as soon as it lands in your inbox.

You haven't made your mind up... yet.

Sometimes my emails will feel fun and frivolous and other times they'll be serious or sassy, but one thing is for sure. 

They'll ALWAYS be full of marketing lessons or guidance.

How they are written, will depend on the day and the wisdom I am sharing.

Sometimes my intention is to inspire you. 

Sometimes it's to inform or guide you, to help you make the right decisions for you. 

Sometimes it's to kick you into action.

And sometimes it's all three at once!

Now they are fun!

Oh and in the interests of complete transparency, sometimes it will be to tell you about the wonderful things you can pay me to help you with too.

This is when I have something special up my sleeve to add rocket fuel and inject new found energy and strategies into your business and marketing.

What you can be assured of, is that whatever the style, whatever the tone, whatever the subject matter it's all about growing your business so you can make more sales and profits!

There's no get rich quick schemes or dodginess.

No icky spam.

Just great advice, information and inspiration.

I'm here to help you craft your best business so you can turn your vision into a reality and live the life you dream of! 

You're probably wondering how often a Shop Talk email will land in your inbox.

It's a great question.

Maybe in the future I'll have a schedule, but right now there isn't one.

It depends on what's happening in our wild and wonderful world of ecommerce and marketing...

Some weeks it could be daily and others it might just be two or three times.

Occasionally I might miss a week. If that happens, then life - good or bad - has thrown something up. But I'll make up for it.

Oh and if I've messed up a link - which has been known to happen. Or if I want to make sure you've seen something crucial. It could occasionally be more than once a day.

Now we can't forget the authority boosting 'As seen on' section... 

This combined with Social Proof and UGC is like when the old timers discovered a gold vein running through their claim.

Being quoted, featured, interviewed, profiled in or on TV shows, Radio, Newspapers, Books, Podcasts, YouTube Channels, Industry Publications, Blogs, Influencers or Podcast - not only gets you seen it also elevates your kudos.

Me - I've interviewed on Channel 4 discussing Amazon, featured on BBC celebrating an independent seller, asked for a quote on marketplaces and featured in The Standard... and an honoury mention in a book for marketing a successful ecommerce business, that I only found out about when. reader contacted me to tell me!

As Seen On:  Channel 4, BBC, The Street, The Standard

You want to know more?

OKIDOK let's dig into the 'About Us' info...

But just before we do, have you noticed how much information you want and need to know before subscribing?

The Ecommerce growth Insights emails won't cost you a penny and you can unsubscribe at any time if you decide they aren't for you...

but you still want to feel like it's the right choice for you.

Of course you do. Why wouldn't you!

You're doing your research.

You're doing everything you can to avoid buyers remorse, because no-one wants to feel disappointed and duped.
(Reassuring note: You won't be!)

You are currently living, breathing and experiencing a customer journey.

You're moving from Stranger to Shopper or Browser to Buyer....  Or in this case subscriber. 

Here goes...  The whistle stop tour of what I bring to your table and why I'm your go-to gal for all things ecommerce...

With over 20 years of experience running my own independent brand and helping others with ecommerce growth, I've seen it all.
Probably!

From working as a professional photographer, having a photography side-hustle to teaching photography at the local college.

One memorable moment was when I cheekily gave an instruction to then Prime Minister Tony Blair at a private photo opportunity - the bemused look on his face was priceless! (But he did do as I asked!)

I don't get out faced by authority.  I'll say what needs to be said, and my motto is 'if you don't ask you don't get'!  It's served me well. 

 

To working in some brilliant and creative marketing, PR and sales departments.

One year I managed the recruitment launch for an outstanding FE college - it was the most successful recruitment year EVER!
I instigated collecting and sending emails - it was revolutionary at the time! Yes I'm showing my age, experience and breath of wisdom with this one!

And I still advocate email marketing today!

To (profitably) crafting my own independent stationery brand for both joyous weddings and somber farewells.

Making the products was a chore - the marketing and selling, now tat's where I excelled.  I ran it for nearly 10 years.

My biggest game changer - Niche-ing!

And now, it's all about A Handcrafted Business, which I founded in 2012.
A change in personal circumstances led me to bringing together all my skills, knowledge, wisdom and experience in a brand new but bloody brilliant way.

Being able to help independent brands and ecommerce business owners grow,and scale to reach their full potential and thensome.

It's safe to say my journey has been a whirlwind of marketing, creativity and entrepreneurial ecommerce spirit.

 

Now it's time to write your own ecommerce growth story!

 

You should also know... This could be a dealbreaker.

I'm a tad obsessive about doing things 'the right way'! 

Which for me means:

- NEVER COPYING OR STEALING SOMEONE ELSE'S IP

-  original ideas are the best, so don't steal someone else's!
If I see anyone doing this, I remove them from my email list and won't work with them.

- COMPLYING WITH REGULATIONS AND BEING LEGAL

- I know it sounds boring but it protects you and your customers!

Important small print: I can't give legal advice, I have taken some training so I can give pointers in the right direction and i try to stay up to date! But please always to do your own due diligence.

All this means I've got the knowledge and experience to guide you through the ever-evolving world of marketing and online.

Just before we close the About Me Section,  there's one more important thing you should know...

 

I don't believe in one-size-fits-all Ecommerce Growth strategies or using dodgy, unethical tactics.

 

- Each and every business is, and should be, as unique as each customers fingerprint!

Yes of course there are some esablished and proven strategies to use, but HOW you apply varies.

- Each and every business should be trustworthy and above board.

That doesn't mean not playing the game, but it does mean real reviews and no fake offer ending countdowns!

If that all sounds good, subscribe and get SHOP TALK emails straight to your inbox.

 

It's time for you to rise to the top!

It's time for you to become the ecommerce store others look to and say 'what's their story?" 

Seen on:   BBC.    The Street.    The Standard.    Channel 4.

You still want more?

That's impressive. You're a keeper!

 

OK I hear you.  Now it's time to bring out something bigger than the big guns...

That's quite an ask but I've got just the thing.

It's photography time. One of my all time favourite things, because once upon a time it was my day job. and it's something which most ecommerce growth specialists don't have.  I can spot a photography problem from a mile away!!

Can you spot me in the photo?  I've added a little label to help you.

 

If this was a physical product listing I'd have some stunning shots to show you and they would have been in prime position on the page.

But this is for emails... hmmm?

Good job I rise to a challenge!

I could ask subscribers to send me photos of them reading my emails. They might think it a strange request.

Instead I'm going all in on good old stock photography showcasing the reactions I want you, my dear future subscriber looking for ecommerce growth, to experience.

Including the surprise and 'that's genius' WOW factor.

And the 'why didn't I think of that' and the 'Oh my word she's bonkers but right'.

We can't forget the magical light bulb moments and the 'that's exactly what I needed to hear right now' breakthroughs,

Oh and the the 'I must write that down' pen grab and of course the 'has Nicola been spying on me?'.

I can't tell you the number of times I get emails back to ask if I've been inside someone's head! But it's a lot!

Because it's all about the reaction... and this is what I'm aiming for...  maybe even from just one email!

Fantastic!  You're still here.

Good job I have more tricks up my sleeve!

This next step is the one that nearly everyone jumps in way too early with.

Instead , it's about being patient and waiting for the 'tempted so tell me more' signals... in this case, it's reading this far down the page.

It's time to cut to the chase.  The nitty gritty.  The specifics.

Like 'what size is it?' - though what they really want to know is 'will it fit me/my space?'

Or 'what's it made from?'  - which really means they want to know how to look after it or how it will hang.

It's so far, so good but they need to check the ins and outs before they add to basket and checkout.

So here are the finer details... usually known as the features.

Which means it won't be long until you'll know whether you want to click the button and subscribe, or wave goodbye.

If this was a physical product or even a digital product then I'd have much more to tell you...

Let's keep it simple and start with the facts.

This is an email marketing list subscription.

That's a free service where I send Ecommerce Growth Insights emails direct to your inbox.

To help you craft the independent brand, wit the product sales and profit you dream about.

There aren't really any materials or ingredients to list...

Each email consists of words on a virtual page, with links and the occasional image.

There aren't any sizes to share either...

Though I can tell you that every email will vary in length, depending on what I have to say.  Some may be quite long. (Though not as long as this page!)

Every email is completely unique.

One of a kind.

There may be the odd tpyo, because when the words aer flowing, my brian works quicker than my fingres can type.  And proof raeding your own wrods is hard, becsaue yuo raed what you expcet to ees!

The grammar probably won't pass any English A-level exams and I'll occasionally use way to many ... or !!!!! because I type as I talk!

It's these irregularities that add character. And how you know they are written by me and not AI!

All this happens even though I will have read every line out loud, several times, before hitting send.  And, yes I still read out loud if I'm sat typing in a coffee shop.

 

You'll get around one email a week, sometimes more. 

Occasionally I may miss a week, but I'll make up for it.

All my emails will have a call to action - because there's only so much you can cram into even a very long email.

So I'll always want you to know how you can work with me further or apply the content to your business.  You're more than welcome to take full advantage of these offers or ignore them.

You are free to unsubscribe at any time too. I'll be wishing you all the best as I wave you goodbye.

 

Are you still here?

Somehow I'm not surprised.

You need some more reassurance.  Something to put any worries you still have to rest.

Something which helps this offer to stand out from the of the crowd.

If we were chatting in person, you'd be asking questions and I'd be happily answering them.

Online it's about information about delivery/lead times, shipping details, any additional costs and returns policies.

Double checking reviews.

And the Queen of them all - THE GUARANTEE.

How about two guarantees and a lifetime warranty?

WOW!!  Well if we are doing this let's go big...! Kind of...

...But it's a free service, you say. 
I know, I say with a cheeky smile.

This 'guarantee' is risk free to both of us.
And I'm confident you won't ever need to use it.

*Note: this guarantee only applies to this email list subscription.

No ickiness or spamminess here because I'm only ever
going to send you everything we've already talked about.
And if anything changes on your side,
I know you'll simply unsubscribe and we'll part ways with a smile.

Ok, so I'm still pushing the boundaries of the guarantee.

But it's all in a good cause.

And you can unsubscribe easily at any time, which makes it a satisfaction guarantee.

 

Oh and as well as guarantees, extended RETURNS POLICIES
are a conversion game changer...

So I've just introduced an

EASY PEASY RETURNS POLICY

 

To return an unwanted email just hit reply and send the email back to me free of charge.

Forgive my flippancy.

Ecommerce is serious business but that doesn't mean we can't have fun at the same time!

The thing is the Unsubscribe option really negates the need for a guarantee.

Guarantees and Returns Policies are all about reassuring and creating enough trust to purchase - but in this instance I was aiming for a smile or even an eye roll.

Are you still on the fence?

Well we need to fix that fast as it isn't a comfy place to be!

That means, it's GO GO GO for the FAQs.

If you're intent on reaching the end, you'll be pleased to know we're getting near to the end.

The FAQs are where a lot of what has already been said is repeated but in a really simple, findable, reassuring fashion.

Making it quick to filter and find the details you've skimmed past.

Which I know you've done.  I do it too.  We all do.

Research shows that on average visitors to a page only read about 20-28% on a typical visit...
it's heartbreaking when you've taken so long carefully crafting your copy.

But it's what we have to work with.

No matter how hard you've worked on creating a product listing, a blog post, a landing page or in fact any written copy on any platform, your readers are skipping through, absorbing some facts and missing others.

Which is why the FAQ section is crucial to bring everything together and avoid any confusion.

Still not sure?

OK, what else do you need to know?

We've had the Welcome, the Social Proof, the What's In It For You (Benefits, the About Me, the Photography, The Finer Details, the Guarantees and the FAQs... and let's not forget lot's of Calls To Action to subscribe using some lovely buttons...

And you're still scrolling. 

Maybe it's pure curiosity or maybe you still want to be convinced...

 

Many years ago I was lucky enough to photograph Olympian Kris Akabusi, he is a lovely man!

When I said 'Just One More', he laughed, that gorgeous laugh of his, saying 'we'll see...!'

It seems old habits die hard, as I still have one (or maybe two) more things to share.

It's the 'What Happens Next' or 'How This Works' details...

It's a clear simple, short description of how the process works... to allay any concerns about what happens next.

One of my motto's is 'Keep It Simple Sunshine'

And this really is as easy as 1, 2, 3...

All you need at hand is your name and your best email address.

Then all you do is click a button like the one below, type in your details, and press one more button.

And BINGO! 

A daring welcome email will then wing it's way over to your inbox. 

And now it's over to you

You've got all the information.

You've got a sense of how I write.

You've got a feel for my sense of humour.

The only thing to do now, is to decide... do you want to receive and read my SHOP TALK emails?

Crafting Growth. Crafting Trust.
Crafting Ecommerce Businesses That Last.

Because Great Products Deserve Brilliant Businesses

The eagle eyed may have noticed I've skipped past a few very important things...

 

The small print / The legalities / The things that show you're a professional...

The truth is, most people won't read your carefully put together T&Cs, your Terms of Website Use, your Privacy Policy or Cookie Policy...

Which is while usually you'll find them tucked away. But they do an essential job, on top of keeping you safe.

They help reassure your visitor that this is legit, the real deal and not a dodgy deal from the back of a van.

They protect you and your customer...

You can find them all in the footer, below this final (yes really!) section... you are, or course, welcome to read them in full.
(They're actually written in a way that makes sense because I know a very good lawyer.)

If you'd rather just glance over the TL:DR, to reassure yourself that everything is as you'd expect then here you go.

Please be aware the TL:DR only covers a light hearted summary, which is a fraction of the full documents - I have to say that legally so you know there's more to it!

TL:DR Privacy Policy - When you subscribe here today, you're giving me your first name and email address.  Firstly, thank you.  I appreciate this is your  personal data, and such I will do my utmost to look after it and only use it as you'd expect - which in this instance is to send you interesting and useful emails to help you with your business growth. This is all done in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018.  (The Data Protections Act 2018 is the UK’s implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation, otherwise known as GDPR.)

 

TL:DR Cookie Policy - You'll find cookies on this website, and in my kitchen cupboard too. They are only used for reasonable purposes.  The ones in the kitchen are for emergency nibbles.  The ones on this site (which are kept to a minimum) are to give you a better user experience... like remembering what you added to the shopping cart.  It's also used for monitoring how the website is used and for marketing obviously - which allows us to continually improve the site and services. If you don't like them, you can block them using the cookie consent button.

 

TL:DR Terms Of Website Use - Ok, this is where the responsibility for using this site and the information shared is put on your shoulders. I don't know your business, or your personal circumstances.  And even though I will only share information which I believe to be good and true, to empower you. None of the content in any of our material, including but not limited to emails, blog posts or social media posts should be relied upon as advice, guidance or information personal to your own situation or circumstances. If you choose to make a decision based upon information provided you do so at your own risk - do your due diligence in the same way you would before a bungee jump.

 

TL:DR T&C's - These are really written for paid products but equally apply here too. Basically the T&Cs explains that the info page (this page) sets out what you can expect. And how I reserve the right to change things. Also it stipulates that there's no guarantee that any of the information will work for you - there are simply too many variable including but not limited too how or even if you do the work.

Also at all times the intellectual property rights, trademarks and copyrights stand. I wouldn't come and copy your products, services to sell or share your intimate business knowledge.  I expect the same respect in return.

Of course you have the right to use the materials as learning tools but please do not duplicate or provide or share copies to third parties for free or for profit is a no, no. If it happens I have the right to seek relief against you.  And neither of us wants that.  These provisions remain in force after the Service has been completed or ended.

 

 

And that my new friend, really is the end of this page now. 

All you need to do now is click subscribe below... or it's time to say farewell for now.