Total Guide to Managing Director Addresses Thames Valley Chamber

Total Guide to founder and director, Liz Ledger discussed her top tips for Business Growth at April's Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce meeting.

Liz shared with attendees how her five-step plan had helped Total Guide to grow from two employees to twelve over three years, and reach over 225,000 unique visitors a month.

Following the successful launch Total Guide to Swindon in January 2012, sites in Bristol, Bath and Manchester swiftly followed.

Earlier this year, the Total Guide to family expanded further with the addition of dedicated news and sports websites. 

The sites provide businesses with the opportunity to promote themselves to a relevant, local and engaged audience; through dedicated email campaigns, advertorials, offers and competitions. 

Liz's first tip was to plan, and to keep referring to the plan. Stick with it, she said, but don’t be afraid to deviate from it if it’s good for the business – like the recent launch of Total Guide to's news and sport mini-sites.

Her second tip was to look after the people – customers, staff, and especially yourself. “Running a business can be tough,” she said. “In my first year I thought I was Superwoman, but after a year I realised holding the business back if I tried to do it all myself.”

Her third tip was to surround herself with experts – accountants, lawyers, insurance companies. “It can be costly, but it’s crucial for a successful business,” she said.

Tip four was her passion for networking. “Getting up early, working late: it’s important to network and not just to drop in – you need to keep going, not dip in and out.”

Her fifth tip was about communication. Social media is free, and measurable, while “not advertising is like winking in the dark – you know what you’re doing, but does anyone else?”

To see what Total Guide to can do for you and your business, visit our Advertising page.