Behind the Scenes: Andrea Derbyshire's Tell-All Take on Working with Me

This week's podcast is a little bit different than normal.

Instead of a discussion about marketing, sales or personal development you're gonna hear from Andrea who I've been working with for the past 8 weeks.

We talk about...

• What it was like to work with me for 8 weeks.
• The most surprising part of working with me.
• What could've gone better.
• What went well.
• How we met.
• Her expectations vs. what was actually delivered.
• Whether she'd recommend you work with me.

So tune in to this episode and get the skinny on what it's like working with me 1:1.

Timestamps:

• 00:05 – Nick introduces the podcast episode and guest Andrea Derbyshire.
• 01:20 – Andrea introduces herself and explains her diversity and inclusion consultancy.
• 02:40 – Andrea shares her first impression of Nick and how she connected with him.
• 04:30 – Andrea explains why she decided to join Nick's program.
• 05:15 – Nick and Andrea discuss the challenges of marketing and targeting a specific audience.
• 07:10 – Andrea reflects on the importance of defining her target market.
• 08:45 – Andrea shares the benefits of narrowing her target market.
• 09:30 – Nick emphasises the impact of focusing on a well-defined audience.
• 10:25 – Andrea talks about the helpful tools she learned to use, like Chat GPT, Waalaxy, and Loom.
• 11:30 – Andrea describes the support and feedback she received from Nick.
• 12:15 – Andrea mentions specific templates and models Nick provided, which helped her refine her marketing messages.
• 13:50 – Nick and Andrea discuss the importance of crafting key messages for lead magnets and emails.
• 14:45 – Andrea describes the challenges she faced with her outdated website.
• 16:20 – Andrea talks about hiring a graphic designer for professional branding and lead magnet design.
• 18:30 – Nick wraps up with a discussion about the importance of a cohesive brand image for consultancy growth.

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Transcript

Transcript

Nick Poninski: Okay, let's go. So, welcome back to the marketing, made easy for consultants with me, Nick Poninski here, to help you build a business that is 70k or more. And you can do it under an hour, a day. Normally, I talk to you guys about marketing sales, personal development, all that good stuff that this week. We're going a little bit of a different direction. I'm going to talk to Andrea Derbyshire. Andrea has been working with me for the past, eight weeks, building a pipeline into a business, to get more leads, more clients, more sales, my profits, all that good stuff for a business. and I invited Andrea on to share her thoughts about working with me, and she has agreed to join me. So, thank you for joining me. Andrea.

Andrea Derbyshire: Thank you for inviting me on Nick, I'm looking forward to speaking to you this morning.

Nick Poninski: Yeah, no problem. So let's get right into it. So Andrea. Yeah, just have a little introduction to yourself. what it is that you do and then we can move straight on.

Andrea Derbyshire: Thank you, So, I'm Andrea Derbyshire. I'm a diversity and inclusion I set up. Andrea, Jane consultancy six years ago to provide a quality diversity and inclusion advice and supports of people leaders. I've got around 27 years experience for specializing in my passion of Ed and I've been working with Nick for the last eight weeks.

Nick Poninski: Wonderful, love that nice and succinct, you've been working on your elevator pitch there.

Nick Poninski: Okay Andrea so yeah talk about you first impressions called Obviously I think we knew each other from LinkedIn but

Andrea Derbyshire: And so I've been connected with Nick on LinkedIn and I've been following his posts and I joined a free webinar that Nick had a advertised and for marketing for consultants and my first impression of Nick I thought it was really Very friendly and direct Paul's no punches says it as it is and I like that connected with him.

Nick Poninski: That's music tomatoes. I like hearing that. I tried to be friendly and helpful. So Excellent.

Andrea Derbyshire: Definitely. yeah. Very personal.

Nick Poninski: Good, that's good to hear. So, yeah, so I mean, let's so yeah. Obviously the end of the webinar, you decided to invest with me and so we've been working together for the weeks. So, yeah, of your best impressions of the process overall being the eight weeks what's happening like for you.

Nick Poninski: Put on the spot now.

Andrea Derbyshire: yeah, and so I think 

Andrea Derbyshire: And it's been fantastic. It's been really helpful and been really responsive and come back to me about any questions and queries. I've learned. And awful lot about how much work is involved in marketing and sales that I didn't realize or appreciate from the outset and shared so much with me of your knowledge and experience and marketing and sales. It's really helped me.

Nick Poninski: Yeah, I don't think that they tend to appreciate how difficult it is. Building a business, it's much more of a struggle than people think it is. They see people go online on LinkedIn and it seems like they're smashing it. they're winning that's looks easy. I'll do that.

Andrea Derbyshire: Yeah.

Nick Poninski: But I said, reality somewhat different, right?

Andrea Derbyshire: Yeah, definitely.

Nick Poninski: I guess next up so, For those listening along at home, I've got a list of questions to go free with Andrea. So next question, what were your expectations? And how did they align it with reality?

Andrea Derbyshire: Think my main expectation was that I would learn about how to define a target market for my consultancy business and how to market Andrea Jane consultancy. So the right people and create a lead magnet that would ultimately help me to attract new clients and new contracts for my business. But as I said earlier, I really didn't appreciate or realize how much work was involved in marketing and sales or the amount of support that I'd get from Nick, which I will say did exceed my expectation.

Nick Poninski: That's good. All right here in that Andrea and can I ask you just to go off a little bit away from our questions there because you've talked about the Tiger audience. Now I bang on about this a thousand times there.

Andrea Derbyshire: Yeah.

00:05:00

Nick Poninski: I kind of under emphasize how did you feel about that target audience situation? Because I know consultants love saying they work with SMEs and I say yes and he's don't exist. So

Andrea Derbyshire: Yeah it was quite challenging really so I've had Andrea Jane consultancy for six years and I have worked with different sectors and What you could call target market. So not been really specific in my advertising and attracting clients And it was quite something that had to really think about who is it that I wanted to work with and where I could add the most value.

Nick Poninski: And how do you feel now? You've got that target market.

Andrea Derbyshire: I think that it's the right target market. So I think that's where the focus of my experience and skills is. And I think they're the people that I could really help to solve the problems.

Nick Poninski: And do you think that that's being good for your sales type of target market? Or are you going to go back to having an SME as your target market?

Andrea Derbyshire: And I didn't ever have SMB as my target market, but it was just that I could provide equality, diversity, and inclusion, support the organizations, which is really brought really, really broad. And so, I think it really helps me now, in thinking about the messages that I put out and crafting and Taylor, and those to speak to my audience and the people that I want to work with, and Going forward.

Nick Poninski: So for me I guess I'll have to hear your thoughts on it but for me I found it really helpful when I decided to go Marketing and sales for consultants before that it was Business Console is so broad.

Andrea Derbyshire: Mmm.

Nick Poninski: It was already a little bit niche down. But when I started going for consultancy, I can wake up in the morning, I know that I have to go and find some HR consultants to talk to you but business consultancies,…

Andrea Derbyshire: Yeah. Yeah.

Nick Poninski: Where the hell do I even start? Have you found something similar?

Andrea Derbyshire: Yeah, it's a lot more specific but if I looked at my LinkedIn connections and my professional network the majority of my connections and networker in the NHS because that's where a vast amount of my HR and easy eye experiences. So it makes sense to be targeting those people and wanting to work with those people.

Nick Poninski: Yeah, absolutely. Go with what right go before you can help the NHS isn't going anywhere. so it's a good target markets Achie's. I think Yeah, perfect. Okay so

Nick Poninski: Yeah, I think you've already talked about how the communication and collaboration with. I'm gonna go back to my questions. Yeah. so,

Andrea Derbyshire: He yeah.

Nick Poninski: about working together. Do you think that we've achieved the goals of the pipeline playbook?

Andrea Derbyshire: Yeah, that's definitely. And to thinking about communication and collaboration. I think you were in touch right from the minute that I signed up for the program and keeping me up to date sharing information about what would be covering over the Eight Week program. And we had those weekly catch-ups and you would really responsive and available on email and whatsapp. And got back to me really quickly with replies to any questions that really appreciated, and you gave me the pipeline playbook to work through and that had three recorded videos of you talking through. And what I needed to be doing, what would be covering. I thought that was really helpful because I could watch it in my own time when it was convenient and replay anything that I wasn't sure about and it helped me get into know you and seeing a familiar face on the video content.

Andrea Derbyshire: And then we'd check in on how things were going and my next steps. But the thing that I found really valuable was all of the helpful tips that helped me to save time. So things that I hadn't accessed, or used before different resources, like Chat GPT to help me to develop my messaging further. And while it, see for sending out automated messages to my clients and loom for video replies, are just, I think that I found that really helpful because the things that I wasn't even aware of, I didn't even know how I could use them to benefit me and how much they would help me in terms of being more efficient and effective in the work that I do.

Nick Poninski: Yeah, I think using those methods of SAS, like you said that they save so much time, they make things so much more. Streamlined and quick. So I'm going to you,…

00:10:00

Andrea Derbyshire: Yeah.

Nick Poninski: you've enjoyed those because, yeah, it's not like there's a video talking about these things. As part of the course, it's just things I drip feed in and then, talk to you about. So, I'm glad you found that useful.

Andrea Derbyshire: Yeah, I think I've realized I'm a bit of a technology dinosaur. So there's so much out there that I wasn't aware of that's really I've learned a lot.

Nick Poninski: Not good. Yeah, I mean I'm with you there's loads of technology out there and it's changing all the time, so I'm not all fair. I'm not up to date but there are bits and pieces that I know to use and they make things so much easier. This game changing.

Andrea Derbyshire: Yeah, definitely.

Nick Poninski: So, yeah. So This is a closed question, not positively, loving this one but let's ask. did you feel adequately supported and equipped to implement your strategies and the changes that we needed to make?

Andrea Derbyshire: Yeah, I think you definitely gave me a great level of support and help with checking my progress along the way, check in what I'd done and the work that I produced and to help me to refine it and improve it. And so I wasn't expecting that level of support from unit. So everything that I've done you would review and comment and give feedback and help me to improve it. But as I said, there was a lot of work involved, but I do think it was,…

Nick Poninski: Yeah. But I think it's one of those things,…

Andrea Derbyshire: it was really valuable, then you help. Yeah.

Nick Poninski: Because I can say to you, Andrea choose a target market, put some messages in from them. That's a pipeline for your business job done. But the reality is those messages, to get their attention to want them to download your lead, magnets, read your emails and to be moved to wanting to work with you.

Andrea Derbyshire: Yeah.

Nick Poninski: Those messages have to be key. So it's one thing, you either create them yourself. You either fill in the templates. everywhere, you ask Chat GPT, but Put in that marketing angle on it. And I think that's why I try to do anyway.

Andrea Derbyshire: Yeah, the models that you provided the examples. They were really useful as well to help me to think about what that would look like in reality and apply it to my marketing messages. So good. Rather than starting from scratch, I had something to work with as a model

Nick Poninski: yeah, I think it's one of those things is starting from scratch, like you say, a blank piece of paper is it can be overwhelming, Where do you start?

Andrea Derbyshire: Yeah.

Nick Poninski: Where do you go? So yeah, wanted to do as much of the heavy lifting for you as possible. but it wasn't all good. Was it? Let's talk about. Am I?

Andrea Derbyshire: Who did have some challenges along the way. I think we've realized early on that my website that I set up six years ago when I launched Andrea Jane consultancy, it wasn't geared up to develop an email list or to use email management software and for me to be able to follow the playbook and implement the strategies and I needed to change my website so recognize that I needed to get the website updated and redesigned. and…

Nick Poninski: Yeah.

Andrea Derbyshire: Nick helpfully provided some contacts. And premise experience. Recommending people who'd work to help me with developing the website but also some graphic design as So we're produced a lead magnets. Sorry for my target audience and to make that to look more professional and ing. To my clients recognize that it needed to have professional design input.

Nick Poninski: Because it was who is the graphic designer? He's fantastic.

Andrea Derbyshire: Yeah. Yeah.

Nick Poninski: Yeah, if anyone's been along to the pipeline playbook workshop, I held last week. He designed all the PDF. So he's fantastic, he's great and his job. But then because you hired him as well, right?

Andrea Derbyshire: Yes. Yes. To design the lead magneto is also just like redesign my LinkedIn banner and is doing some work on templates for my business. So that when I've produced reports or presentations have got Andrea James consultancy, Brandon and aligned with the templates and producing an email footer for me. So They all just help to promote my brand and Andrea, Jane Consultancy. Yeah.

Nick Poninski: Yes, I like that. There's that golden Fred, that runs all the way through, people, whatever, touch point they have a voice, they had that same feeling throughout it. Was good.

Andrea Derbyshire: Yeah. I think that's really helpful. So yeah so the work on the website I did delay me a bit but it was essential for me to be able to create an email list and to use email management software that my whole website had to be redesigned and relaunched but I did use that as an opportunity as well. To look at The website and whether it was fit for purpose and used Nick's website checklist to help me to run through what's currently on the website, what's missing? What needs to be improved.

00:15:00

Nick Poninski: Yeah, unfortunately am I wasn't the quickest, though. is somebody I met online in…

Andrea Derbyshire: No.

Nick Poninski: who build and designed my website for me. I absolutely loved it. So as soon as I met Andrea and I know she needed the website, says I don't let me down now, this is Andrea. She needs a new website and then Yeah, he wasn't the best experience for you.

Andrea Derbyshire: It did have some delays along the way. I think we got there in the end. Yeah, so I'm happy with the website as it is now.

Nick Poninski: Yes.

Nick Poninski: Yeah that's the main thing I think is he does a good job. It's just a bit slow. Okay so we're coming to the end now. Andrea two big questions. So the overall satisfaction with the experience of working with me

Andrea Derbyshire: really happy. And I think that Nick's been very personal responsive. It's been super helpful for Someone like me, who's really not got those skills in marketing and sales and recognize that I haven't got those skills. So I would recommend Nick to what those I've moved along And through the pipeline PlayBook got a website that's got an email list on it and I've got Link 29 subscribers and over a week since I've launched my lead magnet and I'm gonna be nurturing those clients. Hopefully moving forward.

Nick Poninski: Yeah. That's now you've got that pipeline, right? So it's about, destroying that feast or if I'm in There, are people who have put their hand up and said, Andrea, I'm interested in what you do. Andrea. Keep in touch with me. Andrea, I'm a potential client for you. And these people that as I said they put their hand up and they're saying Okay and now you've captured these people, you can keep in touch with them regularly and that think you can build up a relationship with them so that …

Andrea Derbyshire: Yeah. Yeah.

Nick Poninski: because not everyone is ready to work with you as soon as they meet with you. so, Yeah, moving them on to there to the mailing list to keep them warm.

Andrea Derbyshire: Yeah, I think I've loved learning about the different ways. I can keeping touch and get in touch, with my client. So, I'm keen to try out some of those different approaches over the coming months. White, lumpy mail, that's really, really grabs people's attention.

Nick Poninski: Yeah I think there's a hell of a lot of them opportunity there for In terms of lumpy mail as well, especially if the NHS aspect. you can send them a little child's. Doll or nurse or a or a tight first aid kit. does your Dei? Prospectors it need first aid. There's all sorts of opportunities there but it depends on your brand, right?

Andrea Derbyshire: Yeah, yeah, and I'm really embracing AI as of such a nick, it's my new best friends and Smarter not harder, just helping me to be so much more productive.

Nick Poninski: Yeah, it generates content just so quickly and so effectively. …

Andrea Derbyshire: Mm-hmm

Nick Poninski: as we were saying before this call It's not perfect and 30% of the time will completely miss them but it gives you that starting point, doesn't it? Yeah. good.

Andrea Derbyshire: Yeah, definitely does.

Nick Poninski: I'm glad that You've embrace that. So yeah. Is there anything else you want to say just before we wrap this up, Andrea

Andrea Derbyshire: Just would encourage other consultants to work with Nick's. I've found it really valuable and as I've said, I've learned a lot and I'm potentially going to be working with Nick going forward as well, to further improve my marketing and sales and we consultancy.

Nick Poninski: Yeah, excellent like that yeah, they have it folks and straight from the horse's mouth working with me is I think certainly something worth exploring. So, is it my website right here interest for the CCS today? And I'll be in touch to discuss next steps. Honestly, I do need to get better name for it. a little bit inside, it's too much of a mouthful every time I say it. And something to think about for the future. But in the meantime, as ever get marketing, because without marketing, And without sales, there's no business. So get marketing. Bye for now. Thanks for joining me, Andrea. Right.

00:20:00

Andrea Derbyshire: Thank you. Bye.