Espresso

What’s your business about?

I offer stress relief workshops and coaching, both for individuals and businesses.

How did you get into this?

I was in a corporate running 1000 seat IT implementations – really huge stuff – and became fascinated with how to help people accept change and manage stress. When I set up on my own I decided to pursue my interest.

What do you offer clients?

Stress doesn’t happen to you, it happens inside you. I teach people to be more resilient, by giving them a toolkit of stress-relief and helping them understand their stress triggers. Knowing about triggers helps prevent stress; knowing techniques helps you minimise the impact.

What is your most important business tool?

Telephony is hugely important to me because individual coaching is delivered over the phone. I’m not a technophobe but in the current recession I’m looking for robust, easy to use business solutions. I don’t want an iPhone with high learning curve, short battery-life and poor reception. Bring back the Nokia 6310.

Do you have future plans?

I have a clear vision: public speaking, tele-seminars and I’ve got a book in the works. I’ve been exploring an idea for a great app: stress monitoring, and a deck of idea cards you spin through to find a good technique.

I hear you have been very successful with social media marketing?

Yes, but not initially. I tried Twitter and Facebook but it didn’t seem professional and nothing was happening. I didn’t give up, but needed help and went to Scarletta Media who developed a social media strategy. Now I’m really clear about what I’m doing and why.

So what do you do?

I use Twitter for short light hearted messages, directing people to my blog and sharing tips. I post 6 times a day, organised through a spreadsheet which rotates subjects throughout the month. I use HootSuite, and write the Tweets every Monday morning. Facebook I post once a day and LinkedIn once a week. My blog is connected to my LinkedIn Profile but not automatically posted. My Tweet followers are in the hundreds and growing strongly, and on Facebook I monitor likes. My secret is to analyse responses closely. I’m really careful about having different content on each site, and vary the language and content hooks so I can identify what causes people to click.

Is this doing anything for the business?

Yes, I have been asked to speak at conferences as a direct result of my presence, and I have 2 new corporate clients who found me on Facebook. So I am a huge convert.

Do any suppliers use social media effectively to engage you?

My messages are relevant and interesting to my audience but I don’t hear anything engaging from O2 or Southern Electric. The problem is that big companies have no empathy with small businesses. I want a professional dialogue that informs and maybe even entertains. But as a business owner I am not a consumer and I expect to be treated differently.

What message do you have for others trying social media?

Be clear about your objectives and get organised. It does not have to be time consuming, but to be effective you must monitor responses and adjust your delivery. It has really worked for me.

What are the highs and lows of running a small business?

The highs are new clients. I like interesting conversations, that’s the joy of my work. The lows are being alone all the time. I don’t see people, I’m on the phone. My wardrobe budget is a lot smaller though.

Do stress balls work?

Yes, keeping your hands busy can help distract your emotional brain and mute the impact of stress.

Visit Katherine’s website: www.cognitusuk.com