At Hummingbird Social Media Ltd, we're not only passionate about social media marketing for small businesses and start-ups, but we love discovering the stories behind small businesses, their social media strategies and future goals.
In the first of our blog posts about small business stories, we caught up with Sharne Browning, who runs Sharne's Workshop, a local engraving business based in Dorset...
What inspired you to launch your business?
I started the business in October 2015. It all started because I was looking to start something that used my passion for creativity. I was working hard managing a care home and longed to be able to earn a living from something where I could use my artistic flair.
What are your key business values?
Unique products: All the products I make are personalised to the customer. No two products are the same, so what customers buy from me is completely unique to them and will not be found anywhere else.
Personal customer service: Because of the nature of my products, I spend time getting to know my customers and their needs, so I can tailor their order to make something really personalised to them.
No challenge too big: I like to try and create anything my customers ask for. I'm often asked if I can make something that is new to me and not in my usual product range, and I enjoy the challenge and making something new.
How do you use social media for your business?
I use social media most days to communicate with my customers about current orders they have placed. I use Facebook, Instagram, Etsy, Gumtree and eBay to advertise my products and bring the latest news about Sharne's Workshop.
I'm also interested in starting a YouTube channel as another form of advertising and showing how I make my products to fellow crafters.
I find social media an easy way to communicate with customers and advertise to a wide customer audience. It also encourages me to work on new things for my business that I can show via social media.
Do you have any top social media tips to share with other small businesses?
Try to post something each day on your business accounts, this keeps the business current and alive to your customers. Make posts interesting and interactive for customers and keep them relevant to your business passion.
What are your key business aims for this year?
To keep and grow my happy customer base and work on new products. I'm looking to extend to a new field of fabric printing so that I can offer a wider personalised range.
I'm also looking forward to getting my new website up and running.
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