62 episodes

Join host Kate Hejde of Dear Kate Brand Strategy as she chats all things business and marketing for creative entrepreneurs. Kate is a big believer that you can build a  business that fits your life, just How You Pictured It. There is no one right way to run a business. You can absolutely base your decisions on your priorities and values so that your business is aligned and joy-filled. With 11+ years in creative small business, Kate shares practical tips, inspirational stories, and the ups and downs of being a business owner and parent. Listen in for short weekly episodes on a variety of topics including pricing, marketing, social media, and mindset. Find more from Kate at dearkatebrandstrategy.com

How You Pictured It Kate Hejde

    • Business
    • 5.0 • 8 Ratings

Join host Kate Hejde of Dear Kate Brand Strategy as she chats all things business and marketing for creative entrepreneurs. Kate is a big believer that you can build a  business that fits your life, just How You Pictured It. There is no one right way to run a business. You can absolutely base your decisions on your priorities and values so that your business is aligned and joy-filled. With 11+ years in creative small business, Kate shares practical tips, inspirational stories, and the ups and downs of being a business owner and parent. Listen in for short weekly episodes on a variety of topics including pricing, marketing, social media, and mindset. Find more from Kate at dearkatebrandstrategy.com

    7 lessons for DIY Website Builders

    7 lessons for DIY Website Builders

    This week, I dive into essential tips for anyone looking to take the plunge into building their site, touching on the importance of selecting the right platform, the power of starting with a solid template, and learning just what you need - nothing more, nothing less. I also emphasize the game-changing impact of having a strategic roadmap, staying motivated, and the accountability factor in bringing your website dream to life. Moreover, I discuss the undeniable value of DIYing your website, from clarifying your business message to updating your site as your business evolves. Don't forget, I've wrapped up these insights into a handy, free checklist. Find it at dearkatebrandstrategy.com/list Whether you're here to learn, planning your next website project, or just curious, I've compiled every lesson learned into actionable steps. Let's make web design less daunting together! Dive in, and while you're here, feel free to like, subscribe, and drop your thoughts below. 

    00:00 Introduction to a Photographer's Journey into Website Coaching
    00:14 The Serendipitous Shift to Website Coaching
    00:55 Essential Tips for DIY Website Builders
    01:00 Choosing the Right Platform for Your Website
    02:23 Learning What You Need to Know: Simplifying the Process
    02:49 The Power of a Good Template
    04:55 Navigating Website Design Jargon and Language
    06:06 Creating a Roadmap for Your DIY Website
    07:20 The Importance of Motivation and Accountability
    08:20 The Value of DIYing Your Website
    09:32 Recap and Final Thoughts
    Follow Dear Kate Brand Strategy on Instagram
    Learn more at Howyoupicturedit.com

    • 10 min
    Turning Symptoms into Sales for Your Small Biz

    Turning Symptoms into Sales for Your Small Biz

    So many small business owners make the mistake of misdiagnosing business issues due to focusing on the wrong symptoms. Today I'm sharing how I pinpoint the symptoms of problems in my business with tools and data. We talk about the use of analytical tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Hotjar to collect meaningful data on website traffic, user behavior, and email marketing effectiveness. We also discuss how our email marketing stats and post-sale feedback can help. Next, we examine common hurdles at various sales funnel stages—from awareness to action—highlighting problems like insufficient traffic, poor traffic quality, weak brand messaging, and technical issues. Using our data at different points through the stages of the customer journey makes it easier for us to make effective decisions in our business and close more sales. 


    00:00 Introduction: The Common Mistakes of Small Business Owners
    00:27 Identifying the Real Problems Behind Business Symptoms
    01:23 Harnessing Data to Diagnose Business Issues
    01:44 Essential Tools for Gathering Business Insights
    02:07 Deep Dive into Analytics and User Behavior
    03:36 Leveraging Email Metrics for Business Growth
    04:49 Utilizing Customer Feedback for Strategic Adjustments
    05:56 Navigating the Sales Funnel: Common Problems and Solutions
    10:35 Conclusion: Making Informed Decisions with Accurate Data
    Follow Dear Kate Brand Strategy on Instagram
    Learn more at Howyoupicturedit.com

    • 11 min
    Using AI for Market Research

    Using AI for Market Research

    This week we're talking about the power of market research in creating your offers and attracting your dream clients. But we're putting a spin on it! Market research can be a very time consuming and costly endeavor especially for solopreneurs. I'm sharing how you can use AI to help analyze and access research into you target audience. Making it easier for small business owners to get the data they need to create magnetic marketing. Prefer visuals? Find this episode over on youtube. https://youtu.be/1OMuBSd8GgI?si=i0CXqpqZTDCFsDdt
    00:00 Introduction to a Unique Podcast Episode
    00:20 The Power of Market Research and AI
    01:03 Understanding Your Ideal Client Avatar
    01:50 Gathering Market Research Data
    02:29 Leveraging AI for Market Research
    04:25 Crafting Effective AI Prompts
    08:07 AI-Assisted Competitor and Testimonial Research
    10:19 Innovative Market Research: Interviewing AI
    12:09 Conclusion and Invitation to Engage
    Follow Dear Kate Brand Strategy on Instagram
    Learn more at Howyoupicturedit.com

    • 12 min
    A quick pep talk: Done is better than perfect

    A quick pep talk: Done is better than perfect

    Sitting with things unfinished, unpublished, and maybe even unstarted for fear of it not being perfect? Listen in to this quick pep talk about the power of getting things done and letting the perfectionism go. 
    Follow Dear Kate Brand Strategy on Instagram
    Learn more at Howyoupicturedit.com

    • 2 min
    Simple Smart SEO: Practical Tips for Improving Your Website's Search Rankings

    Simple Smart SEO: Practical Tips for Improving Your Website's Search Rankings

    Get the Website That Sells Launch List: https://dearkatebrandstrategy.com/list

    Welcome back to 'How You Pictured It'! It’s been a while since our last get-together, and I'm thrilled to catch up. During our break, I’ve been busy crafting new offerings for you all, including launching my Showit template shop, and unveiling the Website Writer Workbook and Website Writer AI tools to make your website copywriting a breeze. You can check these out at dearkatebrandstrategy.com/shop. But let's dive into today's meaty topic: SEO, or search engine optimization. It might sound daunting, but trust me, it's simpler than it appears. We're going to unravel how to make sure our websites are Google's best friend, making them visible to the right crowd. Today, we'll talk about three key strategies - utilizing the precise words people actually search for, structuring our web pages for ease of use, and tagging everything properly. I'll share how making slight adjustments, with tools like SEMrush or Google's Keyword Planner and ImageOptim, can significantly impact your site's visibility. We'll also cover how to write content that engages users first - because, at the end of the day, it's all about making sure they find what they need on our sites. Plus, I’ll touch on some off-page SEO strategies to take your site's visibility up a notch. Whether you're a newbie just starting out or looking to refine your strategy, these insights are designed to help you navigate the SEO maze with ease. If you're diving into SEO for the first time or just looking to brush up, I hope this episode sheds light on how straightforward it can really be. Feel free to reach out on Instagram @dearkatebrandstrategy with any questions! Looking forward to our next chat; there's more where this came from!
    00:00 Introduction and Welcome Back
    00:36 Understanding SEO Basics
    01:10 Optimizing Website Design for SEO
    01:33 Keyword Research and Usage
    04:59 Structuring Web Pages for SEO
    08:07 Image Optimization and Labeling
    10:44 SEO Titles, Meta Descriptions, and URLs
    12:46 Off Page SEO and Final Thoughts
    Follow Dear Kate Brand Strategy on Instagram
    Learn more at Howyoupicturedit.com

    • 14 min
    Perfecting Your Power Pitch and Networking with Intent with Lisa Raebel

    Perfecting Your Power Pitch and Networking with Intent with Lisa Raebel

    Today I'm chatting with Lisa Rebel of Rebel Girl Marketing, an expert with over 30 years of experience in corporate America in sales and marketing. Lisa discusses the importance of networking for business success and shares practical tips on crafting a 'power pitch' for effective introductions at networking events. She offers advice to introverts on building confidence and managing nerves for networking events. Lisa also highlights the importance of follow-ups after networking events.

    00:00 Introduction and Overview
    01:17 Lisa's Approach to Marketing and Her Book
    02:48 The Importance of Networking for Small Business Owners
    03:47 How to Get Started with Networking
    06:47 The Art of Introducing Yourself at Networking Events
    10:50 Creating an Effective Pitch
    18:14 The Art of Networking: Making a Lasting Impression
    18:57 The Power of Repetition in Networking
    20:21 The Art of Follow-Up After Networking
    21:49 Networking: Not Just About Selling
    23:08 Finding Networking Opportunities
    26:26 Overcoming Networking Nerves for Introverts
    28:30 Where to Find Lisa and Final Thoughts
    29:04 Lightning Round of Questions
    33:17 Conclusion and Final Remarks

    Find Lisa at
    https://rebelgirlmarketing.com/
    LinkedIn
    Facebook
    Instagram
    The Rebel Girl's Guide to Marketing Podcast

    Book Recs:
    The Midnight Library
    Speak With Confidence
    Follow Dear Kate Brand Strategy on Instagram
    Learn more at Howyoupicturedit.com

    • 34 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
8 Ratings

8 Ratings

happy fortune ,

Packed full of great information

Kate is so generous with her knowledge and organized in her presentation. This podcast is easy to listen to and an excellent resource- and I’m an painter and sculptor, not a photographer. Thank you Kate!!!

Colie James ,

Bite-Sized Actionable Tips for Photographers

Kate keeps her advice short and sweet for photographers looking to move the needle forward in their business!

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