We have two types of stories...

1. Ones we tell ourselves or hear in our heads.

2. Ones we tell others.

The different stories in our heads each have a name...

The big sister - the voice of reason.

The Cheer Leader - You've got this.

The worst enemy - You're so stupid/lazy.

The imposter - Who do you think you are?

These come from our past experiences from...

School bully, Mother, Ex-lover.

Just imagine you're driving a car and the Satnav is directing you.

The voice tells you to turn left in 50 yards, but you can see that if you do that you will end up in a brick wall.

Listening to the voice in your head is just like listening to a Satnav that hasn't been updated.

Be aware of your inner dialogue and reframe your thoughts.

Stories we tell others are a different story altogether (excuse the pun 😉)

We should...

• Believe the value of our story.

• Start with the Audience in mind will it resonate with them, will they feel a level of commonality.

• Have a great start - Headline.

• Always ask a question at the end - has this happened to you?

• Use humour - if you would normally do so.

• Inspire but don't put yourself or the hero of your story on a pedestal.

We can tell stories about our…

• Clients.

• Case studies.

• Feedback.

• Ask questions.

• Who, why, when - you work with?

We can talk about personal subjects our -

• Adventures.

• Aha moments.

• Sad times.

• Victories.

We can talk about our businesses.

• What inspired you.

• What was the tipping point to make you start?

• What does it mean to you having your own business?

• Why do you love what you do?

• What are you most proud of?

Then ask yourself these questions - they will give you lots of content to write about.

⭐️If you could have a billboard with anything written on it what would it be and why?

⭐️How would your parents describe what you do for a living?

⭐️How will your business work if the internet didn’t exist?

⭐️What is the biggest mistake you've made in business?

⭐️Name one good thing to come out of the last 10 months and the restrictions around it?

Have fun with these!

But I know from experience the hardest story to write about is your own - Your Brand Story is your biggest and best story to share, but this can be scary and overwhelming - believe me when I say I can help!

Why not contact me and let’s have a chat on how to make it all easier!

CLICK HERE

Love Sally x

*Image credit Canva July 2023*

One of the master keys to feeling on top of your content is by planning ahead. This will not only help you produce content, but also maintain an audience who are more likely to follow your work. Here are my top tips for planning.

Think about the audience and the value you can bring to each.

Before you get into what you want to say, get to know who you’re writing for. Think about the different audiences that might be attracted to your work, and consider what each of them are looking for.

For instance if you’re a chef, sharing recipes online, your audience will include other professional chefs as well as enthusiastic amateurs looking for a fun cooking experience. It’s important to tailor your content for both groups by focusing on what each person is looking for.

Ask people about what they’d like to see you talk about.

Never be afraid to ask potential audiences what they’d be interested in seeing. Even if it’s just talking to your friend and asking them “if you were reading my blog, what would you like to see?”.

Think about the comments that you receive on your posts on social media. What are the common questions that people ask? If there is something that people are clearly interested in, think about how you could turn that into content.

Listening to your target audience is the best way to know what you should write about next.

Set themes to simplify the planning

The Creative Words blogs have been separated into series, all revolving around a different topic. You can do the same.

Decide on a theme and then produce a range of content, so your live-streams, videos, blogs and social media posts all cover the same messages. Once you have a theme, separate that into four or five key ideas to cover- each one representing a week of content.

This is a great way to make planning easier for you so you’re not scrabbling for ideas to write about, as well as keeping your audience engaged.

Outline everything in advance.

As I mentioned in my blog Think Pyramid the best way to write is to structure all your ideas around a key idea. You can do this with any type of content you produce.

Once you’ve got your topic for the series, grab all the ideas you can and link them to four or five main ideas. This makes writing easier and ensures you don’t get stuck at the last minute. Having an outline also means you won’t keep saying the same things over and over again.

Be realistic

Don’t overstretch yourself by setting an expectation for an unsustainable amount of content. Try do a few content types really well and stick to these until you’ve mastered them. Then add another one or two which add depth to what you are saying.

Don’t forget to set aside time to produce and refine the ‘static’ content such as fliers, logos and banners that don’t change too often but which need to be kept up to date.

In my previous series I covered a lot of tips for planning out individual pieces of content. Remember that these tips don’t just relate to writing, you can use them for other types of content too. Try planning out a content series of your own, think about your topic, key ideas and types of content you’d want to produce.

Let's talk about work/life balance

It’s one of those things that not many people are happy with.

Scenario 1 - the career professional

You’re working in a role that you are bloody good at…BUT.

The hours are long, the stress is off the charts, and you’re giving more and more and more.

And getting less and less and less in return.

Those one-off late nights have turned into early mornings AND late nights. Plus you’re probably checking your emails on your phone at the weekend - or worse… taking your laptop home.

You’re working your tail off and your work/life balance is at an all-time low.

Something's got to give.

Scenario 2 - the entrepreneur

You left that corporate life behind you to create a better work/life balance with more focus on your home life and freedom to LIVE.

Using the skills you developed in your corporate life to start your own business doing the things you love without the politics, daily ‘huddles’ and stress… BUT.

The hours are long, the stress is off the charts, and you’re giving more and more and more.

And you’re not getting as much as you expected in return.

Those one-off late nights have turned into early mornings AND late nights. Plus you’re probably checking your emails on your phone at the weekend - or worse… working on your laptop during ‘family time’.

You’re working your tail off and your work/life balance is at an all-time low.

Something's got to give.

There’s a theme here!

This is the reality for many people when they escape the corporate life and start up on their own. Those same stressors and habits follow them and their work/life balance is STILL not healthy.

That’s because it’s not easy to make the transition and new businesses don’t bring in great revenue immediately. You’ve got a lot to learn and even though you’re now your own boss - you still need help and support.

Work Smarter Not Harder

In the first stage of your entrepreneurial life it’s so easy to waste time AND money building up clients and becoming visible in a crowded market.

Maybe you’re new to business and lack visibility, or you have no Customers/Clients and no clue where to find them.

Maybe you’re a technophobe or unsure how to create engaging content. 

We’ve all been there. Me included!

However, I learnt the hard way so you don’t have to and I’ve put together a FREE client attraction masterclass that will guide you through…

• The 10 Biggest Mistakes New Solo Entrepreneurs Make - These cost you time, money and effort and can often lead to a loss of confidence - learning how to avoid them is key!

• Why A Personal Brand Is The Foundation That Keeps On Giving - The greatest houses, hotels, shops and businesses have the best foundations - learn how to create yours!

• Why Niche Isn't A Naughty Word - in fact it is the quickest and easiest route to gaining clients/customers.

You can watch it here https://www.sallyinkster.co.uk/Registration

You've heard of a triple threat - well this is one with bells on - A Triple A!

Audit

Action

Accountability

The three things you NEED to give you and your business some serious oomph.

In order to get where you want to go - you need to know where you are

So, your first A is AUDIT

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Auditing yourself and your business to asses where you are.

Take into consideration:

• Your daily activities

• Your network

• Streams of income

• Potential streams of income

• What's working and most importantly - what's not!

• Where you want to be in 6 months' time

Once you've thoroughly assessed where you are and what is working and not working you need to outline the gaps in your activities that are stopping you from reaching your goals.

This brings you to your next A - Action

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And here is where you need to be strict with yourself. Now you've taken a look at your activities and what is working and what isn't you need a new plan.

What are the actions you must take over the next 6-months to help you get to where you want to be?

Do you need to do more in-person networking and spend less time on social media? Perhaps you have a gap in your contacts that needs filling. Could a partnership with an aligned business bring in the extra sales you need?

It is different for everyone.

However, I find a really good way to categorise whether an action is a good use of my time is by testing it against the following categories.

1. Will this action take me closer to my long-term goal?

2. Is this action a money-making activity?

3. Does this action bring me joy and allow me to be the best version of myself?

If an action doesn't fit into those categories then it doesn't belong on my to-do list.

The final and most important A is Accountability

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When you work for yourself there is no line-manager checking in on your progress or colleagues to show you up at a progress meeting.

You don't have a morning huddle to kick yourself into gear or colleagues rallying alongside you.

Getting motivated and keeping motivated as a solo-entrepreneur can be tough.

And the harsh truth is that no amount of audits and action plans will have any impact unless you carry them out.

That's where accountability comes in.

There are ways you can hold yourself accountable...

• Carrying out a monthly income and expenditure to check on your progress.

• Taking a look at that to-do list and seeing how many items have been ticked off.

BUT... it's all to easy to make excuses and say "tomorrow, next week or next month".

What you need is someone to keep you accountable, and that's where I can help.

I want you to SUCCEED, I love nothing more than seeing my fellow business owners achieve their dreams and take their business to the next level.

And I'm only a click away if you'd like to have a free, no-pressure chat to see if we can make you a triple threat.

You can find my Calendly HERE.

Dazzle

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Or, if you like so many others find working on yourself and your business near-on impossible you can check out my Dazzle course.

Dazzle is online training that takes you through your audit and actions, including focusing in on your website, branding and communication. Plus it includes an accountability coaching session once you've completed the course to make sure you make the most of your new-found knowledge.

You can find Dazzle HERE.

Sally x

It’s spring here in the northern hemisphere, and with that, comes spring wear. For many, that can mean bringing dresses out from their wardrobes and putting away their thick jumpers.

If you want to bring more dresses to your wardrobe, but are unsure which styles will be best for your body shape, personal style, and requirements, then now is a great time to play with the options available. I have shared a guide below to help you choose your dress style, with some top tips to elevate your look & confidence.

What patterns & colours to choose for your dress:

Patterns and colours are a great place to start when selecting any garment, but in particular a dress. As a dress can usually be most of the outfit (unless you are covering it with something like a jumper or a t-shirt) the pattern tends to be all over. This means it can be a little overwhelming for those who are in the more natural or classical style personality – you can read more about the different personalities and find out which one you are in my blog, here.

If you do fall into the more pattern-averse personality, then I recommend a neutral colour to start with, and a simple pattern such as florals, small polka dots, or one with a minimal pattern repeat. Another option is look for a dress that has more than one pattern on it to break up the look, if you wish. If patterns are too much for you, then select a colour that is within your colour palette, and you can pair with neutrals from your season with your accessories.

If you are more dramatic or creative personal style, then you can look for more abstract or outstanding patterns that work within your colours. There are some fantastic patterns to look for with dresses on the high street, and let your creativity run wild! A patterned dress can also work well with a pattern clashing jacket or shoes, which will continue to showcase your style preferences. You could even pattern and colour clash with your accessories like your bag and shoes.

What dress shapes to look for

The shape of a dress can accentuate certain parts of your body, so depending on where you love to accentuate, you can look for a particular style. Often, I recommend styles based on body shape, as these can be the best options to highlight your shape, and these are general guides, but when you find a dress shape you feel your most confident in, I recommend trying out different lengths and colours to build your dress wardrobe!

With that in mind, here are some of the styles and body shapes they can look best on, to help you get started.

Pear shape (or Triangle) – Separates and Wrap dresses

Pear shapes are those with smaller shoulders compared to your hips. You go in at the waist but have wider thighs. This is why dresses that showcase your waist and glide over your hips can make you feel more confident.

Separates dresses come with a waist cut that will help highlight the waist (which is usually defined in this body type). I’d recommend looking for one that has a gentle flare that starts at the waist. I’d also recommend either looking for an all over print, or one that has no print on the bottom. A square neckline or sweetheart neckline can also bring the eyes upwards and showcase your waist and chest (if you wish). On the contrary, details on the top (such as frills, flounces, off shoulders) will help you accentuate the shoulders.

Wrap dresses work in a similar way, but focus even more on accentuating your waist. Look for a wrap dress that is patterned all over or in one colour, and with the additional v-neck shape, they are a great option for those who want to showcase their chest.

Hourglass - bodycon and belted dresses

An hourglass shape are those who go in at the waist and have similar shoulder and hip ratios. Most dresses that go in at the waist are best for this body type, in particular bodycon and belted. You want to highlight your smaller waist in any way, and using a belt can do this too.

With a bodycon dress, you will be highlighting your whole body, its curves and balanced proportions.

With a belted dress, depending on the length of your torso, you’ll want to look for a specific size of belt. Some of us have longer and some have shorter waists. But in general a slimmer belt can be a great option just to bring you in at your smallest point. Another option is to find a dress with a belt in the same fabric as the dress, so it highlights your waist but doesn’t detract from the style.

Apple or Oval - Empire & tunic

Apple shapes have broader shoulders than their hips, with a larger bust and waist compared to their, generally, slimmer legs. This means you’ll want to highlight your legs, and potentially have a dress shape where the waist is higher up, or glides over your waist.

Empire style dresses have a high up waistline, usually just under the bust. This is great for your shape as it will highlight your bust line, and then go out below the empire line. If you want to feel a little sexy in this style of dress, look for an empire dress that has a shorter hemline, or truly showcase your bust with a square necked style.

Tunic style dresses are great for the summer months and for a more relaxed style. They are currently very popular, and were also very popular in the 60’s – think Twiggy!

Rectangle – straight lines & shift

Rectangle shapes tend to have a minimally defined waistline, and are more athletic in their shape. This means the best looks can either work to create the illusion of a more defined waist or look for a dress that falls straight from the shoulders down.

Straight dresses are great for rectangle body types as they keep the details minimal at the waist, and they're also very versatile, so depending on the hem length, you can wear them for anything from work to dates.

Shift dresses can be a more comfortable style for you to wear, with it having less of a shape it can be a good option for running around, comfort, and feeling confident!

Inverted triangle shape – shift or a-line

Inverted triangle shapes are those who have broader shoulders than their hips. This means the best shapes are those that add volume to the lower half to balance out lines of the body.

A shift dress is a great option if you are an inverted triangle shape and want a comfortable, easy to wear dress. If you can find one with a defined or ruffled hem line, this is also a great solution!

Alternatively, an a-line dress with volume at the bottom will be a lovely dress for this time of year, and if you prefer a longer hemline this will be a great solution if you look for a midi or maxi dress. Patterns on the lower part of the dress, as well as ruffles can be another way to add definition to your lower body.

There are a lot of options out there, as you can see, when it comes to dresses. I hope this guide has helped inspire you to add a few new styles to your wardrobe to enjoy during the warmer months! If you are unsure which styles and colours work for you, and you want to boost your confidence every day with tools and insights that work for you and your personality, I’d love to help. I can support you with a Colour and Style Clinic where we’ll help you understand what shapes, colours and cuts work best for you, and share advice and inspiration on how to shop and dress with confidence.