Friends with Business Benefits

We’re back from our summer break and diving into a topic we’ve been talking about a lot off mic - analogue (or offline) marketing. What is it? What does it entail? And what are the potential benefits? As well as discussing the AI backlash and other broader trends making analogue marketing more popular right now, we share ideas and inspiration for your own offline campaigns. Franky also chats about her experience handmaking and distributing a small run of mini-zine business cards earlier this year. Links and Further ReadingOur Thoughts on the Analogue TrendPolaroid’s ‘The Best of Summer is Analogue’ ad campaignParker’s Anti-AI Billboards Studio-OmBeing FreelanceFranky’s Mini-Zine Business CardsHave you tried any of the analogue marketing methods mentioned in this episode? Join us on Substack to share your thoughts. We’d love to hear from you!Connect With UsFriends With Business Benefits on Substackcharlieswift.comlove-audrey.comFind Us On Instagram@loveaudrey83@_charlieswiftSubscribe to Our Mailing ListsFranky’s Mailing ListCharlie’s Mailing List Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe

In our final episode before taking a break until the autumn, we’re chatting about working in the margins during a busy summer. What would the next six weeks look like if you did this intentionally rather than squeezing things in on the fly? Drawing on our own experience, we discuss visualising what you want the season to look like, adopting the right mindset, and mapping out the next six weeks. We also explore whether things really do go quiet online at this time of year and chat about the impact you can have by staying visible, even when you’re time poor. Links and Further ReadingHow We Savour (and Survive) the Summer Can You Ever Take a Break When You’re Self-Employed?Friends with Business BoundariesThe Lazy GeniusWhat will working in the margins look like for you this summer? Join us on Substack to share your thoughts. We’d love to hear from you!Connect With UsFriends With Business Benefits on Substackcharlieswift.comlove-audrey.comFind Us On Instagram@loveaudrey83@_charlieswiftSubscribe to Our Mailing ListsFranky’s Mailing ListCharlie’s Mailing List Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe

As we hit the midpoint of the year, we’re reflecting on Quarter 2 and looking ahead to Quarter 3 in our respective businesses. Find out what felt good, what didn’t and what we’ve learned in the process.We also talk about our words of the year, dig into our plans for the next three months, and discuss what we’re hoping to achieve before the next time we have this chat.Links and Further ReadingFranky’s Zine Business CardOur Thoughts on the Analogue TrendWhat’s Working on Instagram Right Now?Spark SocialJoin us on Substack where you can share your thoughts on this episode in the comments. Come and tell us your own intentions for Q3 - we’d love to cheer you on!Connect With UsFriends With Business Benefits on Substackcharlieswift.comlove-audrey.comFind Us On Instagram@loveaudrey83@_charlieswiftSubscribe to Our Mailing ListsFranky’s Mailing ListCharlie’s Mailing List Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe

This week, inspired by the work she’s doing on her new website, Charlie’s asking Franky to share her top tips for writing a compelling homepage.We chat about the things you need to know before you start writing, what information goes where, and the things you don’t need to include on your homepage. We also run through some common pitfalls to avoid and touch on topics like niching, SEO, and readability.With more than decade of experience, Franky shares a lot of website wisdom in this episode. If you’re currently writing your own copy, or plan to in the future, it’s a must-listen. Links and Further ReadingBuilding a Portfolio and Sharing Your WorkHow to Write an Engaging About PageHow to Name Products and Services Feeling inspired to revise and update your homepage copy? Join us on Substack to share your thoughts. We’d love to hear from you!Connect With UsFriends With Business Benefits on Substackcharlieswift.comlove-audrey.comFind Us On Instagram@loveaudrey83@_charlieswiftSubscribe to Our Mailing ListsFranky’s Mailing ListCharlie’s Mailing List Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe

If there’s one thing you can count on, it’s Instagram shifting and changing. They’re constantly adding new tools and features, and there’s always different styles of content to consume. As a result, what worked this time last year, probably isn’t giving you the same results today. With this in mind, we’re chatting about current trends and popular types of content on the ‘gram. What’s performing well? What isn’t? And how are tastes changing? From text carousels and tiny mics to creating your own episodic ‘TV show’ via Reels - our conversation is packed with ideas and inspiration to help you market your business on Instagram. Links and Further ReadingGina Slow GoingCari WilliamsonWhat Happened to Online Etiquette? What’s working (or not working) for you on Instagram right now? Join us on Substack to share your thoughts. We’d love to hear from you!Connect With UsFriends With Business Benefits on Substackcharlieswift.comlove-audrey.comFind Us On Instagram@loveaudrey83@_charlieswiftSubscribe to Our Mailing ListsFranky’s Mailing ListCharlie’s Mailing List Get full access to Friends with Business Benefits at friendswithbusinessbenefits.substack.com/subscribe