Marketing Made Simple: Insights from Our VA Team Call
If there’s one thing business owners agree on, it’s this: marketing can feel overwhelming. Between planning, posting, writing, and tracking, you are somehow also expected to keep up with trends, platforms, and algorithms too.
It’s hard to know what works, what matters, and where to even start.
That’s why, on our recent team call, we dedicated a full session to all things marketing. Our Marketing VA, Charlotte Murrell, took the spotlight, sharing practical insights and examples from her day-to-day work with clients. From newsletters to social media strategy, content pillars to call-to-actions. She just gave us practical advice for business owners who want their marketing to work with them, not against them.
1. Getting Started: What’s the First Step in a Marketing Strategy?
Before you start creating posts, blogs, or emails - just pause. Charlotte reminded us that every successful marketing plan starts with clarity.
“You’ve got to know who you’re talking to, what matters to them, and what you want them to do next. Otherwise, you’re just shouting into the void.”
Your first step… Define your audience and the outcome.
Who are you speaking to? What do you want them to think, feel, or do?
Once that’s clear, the rest of your strategy starts to fall into place.
A simple starting point could be mapping out:
Your audience
Their pain points
Your solutions
Your preferred outcome
This approach keeps your marketing intentional and focused - and stops it from becoming “posting for posting’s sake.”
2. Content Categories and Pillars
When it comes to planning content, think in categories and pillars rather than random ideas.
Charlotte explained that most marketing falls into three key categories:
Educate: share insights, how-to’s, and expertise
Update: keep people in the loop with what’s happening in your business or industry
Expert Voice: showcase authority and opinion on topics that matter to your audience
From there, you can break down your content pillars - the recurring themes or formats you’ll rotate through. Some great examples include:
Updates from your life or business
“Quote of the day” or motivational snippets
“Day in the life” behind the scenes
Blog post highlights
Personal stories and lessons
FAQs and objection handling
Common mistakes or lessons learned
Client success stories or case studies
Tips, checklists, or how-to posts
Real world events that you can comment on
And yes - pain points absolutely lead content. When you address what frustrates or challenges your audience, you grab attention and show empathy.
3. Social Media: What Works, What Doesn’t, and Why
Social media remains one of the most powerful marketing tools for small businesses but we all know the pressure of posting. What to say, how often, whether it’s “on brand” and it can get overwhelming. But Charlotte’s advice here was refreshingly human.
How Often Should You Post?
“As long as you’re consistent, it doesn’t matter if it’s once a week or every day,” Charlotte said. “If you can’t maintain it, it’ll probably do more harm than good.”
The ideal rhythm depends on your capacity, but aim for a regular pattern (for example, 2–3 posts per week). Consistency builds trust, while unpredictability makes audiences drift away.
Finding Content to Share
Charlotte encouraged the team to use existing content, not just create it. One of the easiest ways to be present, maintain consistency and ‘put something out there quickly’ is to use content that already exists on these platforms!
Reposting industry news, reacting to trends, or commenting thoughtfully on others’ posts are all valid ways to stay visible and relevant.
Quick tip - Follow key industry hashtags, publications, or LinkedIn thought leaders to find share-worthy posts quickly.
Repurposing Content
Repurposing saves enormous time and keeps your message consistent.
Charlotte’s advice:
“If you’ve written a blog, use that content again. Take quotes or snippets and turn them into posts. You don’t have to start from scratch every time.”
You can easily turn one long blog into three short, distinct posts.
Best Formats
We also chatted about the types of posts that tend to perform well. Beyond the “day in the life” updates and educational content, Charlotte shared how storytelling and humour can really capture attention.
Laura added:
“I think the struggle is it’s either way too ‘Facebooky’ or way too corporate - it’s trying to get that balance of personal but still businessy.”
We also discussed how people’s attention spans are shorter than ever. Charlotte’s verdict:
Short, digestible content wins.
“If you’ve got something to say, just say it. Don’t waffle on for 20 minutes,” Charlotte laughed.
What’s working now:
Videos (especially conversational or podcast-style clips)
Carousels (swipeable, educational visuals)
Polls (great for engagement)
Short text posts (clear, punchy, relatable)
The golden rule: keep it real, keep it short, keep it consistent.
Commenting Strategy
Engagement isn’t just about posting, it’s about connecting.
Regularly commenting on others’ posts increases your visibility in the algorithm and strengthens your community presence. A good rule? Spend 10–15 minutes a few times a week interacting meaningfully. And that is not just “great post!” but genuine, human comments.
4. Newsletters: Building Connection Beyond the Feed
We covered the classic question: “What should go into a newsletter?”
Everyone wants to send one, but few manage to find the time and make it engaging.
Charlottes first suggestion was having a consistent and clear structure, keeping it between 3-5 sections. Her personal favourite is the 3-2-1 format.
“One of my clients does hers as a 3, 2, 1 — three member wins, two past trainings, and one new training coming up this month.”
This structure keeps things simple and familiar. Readers know what to expect, and you can reuse the same layout each month without reinventing the wheel.
“Have almost like a template,” she explained. “An intro about what’s been happening, what’s coming up, and then maybe events or new launches. Keeping the same format each month just helps you stay consistent.”
The biggest mistake, Charlotte warned, is trying to cram too much in. People want connection, not clutter. If people have to scroll through loads of content, They will get halfway, and then just give up.
Content Categories
We also wanted to discuss what categories or content types can go into the structure of the Newsletters. Charlotte said most successful newsletters combine a mix of:
Nurture (build connection)
Sell (drive enquiries or sales)
Educate (share value)
Community (updates, events, wins)
Call to Actions (CTAs)
We also discussed the importance of CTAs.
“All of my clients, bar one, have a call to action on their newsletter… because you want people to stay with you a little bit longer. If you can direct them to your website or a blog, that keeps them engaged.”
We concluded that the CTA doesn’t always have to be the same - it can flex depending on your goals that month, or what you might want your audience to do.
Frequency & Timing
Charlotte’s advice:
“Monthly works best. Weekly is often too much to maintain, and quarterly makes you easy to forget.”
Her favourite send time?
“Saturday mornings are actually a good time to send newsletters. A lot of people forget about the weekends, but that’s often when your audience finally has time to read.”
5. Time Management: How Long Should Marketing Actually Take?
Marketing shouldn’t consume your life, it should support it.
Charlotte’s realistic time estimates:
Newsletters: 30–60 minutes per month (if you jot ideas down as you go)
Social posts: 20–30 minutes per post including writing, visuals, and scheduling
Quick tip - Batch-creating content often saves hours too and mental bandwidth.
6. Beyond the Basics: Other Marketing Channels to Explore
Social media and newsletters are the most obvious ‘marketing tools’ however there are other ways to get yourself out there.
Charlotte encouraged us to get creative and think about visibility in unexpected places.
“Put yourself forward for things like networking events where you can talk about what you do. It might put the fear of God into you, but that’s what makes people remember you.”
Here is just some other avenues that were mentioned on the team call.
Partnerships & collaborations – cross-promote with aligned brands
PR & podcasts – great for credibility and reach
Webinars or online events – position you as an expert
Referral schemes – reward word-of-mouth marketing
Networking & speaking – get seen, get remembered
Directories & review platforms – build trust and visibility
SEO & blogs – improve long-term discoverability
Lead magnets & landing pages – grow your mailing list with free value
Charlotte summed it up:
“Don’t do the same as everyone else. Try things that make you stand out. Even something as simple as a QR code or clickable link. Once people get bored, they skip to the next thing”
7. General Considerations: Bringing It All Together
Visuals
Images with people tend to perform best as they feel personal and relatable. Mix in icons, banners, and clickable links for clarity, but always prioritise human connection over stock imagery.
Brand Voice
Stay authentic. Your audience connects more with honesty than polish.
Write as if you’re speaking to one person, not a crowd.
Accessibility
Consider readers who consume content differently:
Use clear headings and plain English
Add captions to videos
Provide image descriptions
Avoid cluttered designs
GDPR & Consent
Always get consent before adding anyone to your mailing list. Provide a clear unsubscribe option and link to your privacy policy.
Trigger Warnings
If your post touches on sensitive topics (mental health, grief, stress), add a short note at the start as that builds trust and shows care.
Final Thoughts
Marketing can sometimes feel like shouting into the void. But when you strip away the jargon, trends, and “shoulds,” it comes back to something simple: connection.
As Charlotte put it:
“You’ve got to keep your audience engaged. Make it easy for them, make it interesting and don’t overcomplicate it.”
Whether it’s a heartfelt newsletter, a bite-sized video, or a social post that makes someone smile, the magic is in showing up, consistently and authentically.
Here are a few golden takeaways that are worth pinning to your wall:
Keep your marketing simple and structured. Templates and consistent formats save time and brainpower.
Blend personality with professionalism. A little behind-the-scenes insight goes a long way.
Test and track. Experiment with timing and frequency to see what really works for your audience.
Don’t overthink it. You’re not writing a novel, you’re having a conversation.
Show up consistently. Whether that’s weekly or monthly, just keep showing up.
