1. Tell us a little bit about yourself. I'm a marketing coach, based in the UK, and am an enthusiastic proponent (and certified master practitioner of) Guerrilla Marketing. I knew pretty early on that I always wanted to work for myself (the first indication was that my favorite childhood activities involved running various pretend businesses!), and except for the odd job as a student, have always stuck to that aim. My first business was freelance translation (technical German to English), and the freedom and independence convinced me even more of the benefits of working for oneself.

That love of working for myself gradually and naturally led into helping others to achieve self-employed success. So for the past couple of years I've been helping small business owners create greater business success and profits, and I'm now following a dream to offer practical, affordable help to women business owners in running a successful business via an online resource – The Women's Marketing Forum.

2. What was your first year as a marketing professional like? What were/are some of the obstacles you have encountered (overcome)? Exciting and nerve-racking – at the same time! I'll be honest, the biggest hurdle for me was learning to trust my own knowledge and experience and believe in my ability to help others. I wanted to do it, I theoretically knew I could do it, but getting out there and pitching my service to potential clients was pretty scary in the beginning. As a great lady once said, it's often a case of "feel the fear, and do it anyway!"

3. What is the most unique aspect of your business? And what do you enjoy most? The concept of the Women's Marketing Forum includes several unique features. It's a membership website based on the principle of women helping women (we're renowned for helping others, why not put that to good business use?) and it's designed as a collaboration between business success experts, rather than as a showcase for any one person's skills and services. Probably the most unique thing is the 'Success breeds success' scheme. Here, members are offered the opportunity to claim a refund of their monthly membership fee in return for sharing their own successes within the forum. It's a bold concept from a business point of view, but it's also a reflection of my strong commitment to helping members create greater business success. What do I enjoy most? Seeing others really enjoy being self-employed!

4. How has your experience, credentials and background helped you in marketing to new clients? My work as a marketing coach is based on a firm commitment to being self-employed. I really enjoy the freedom and independence that working for yourself provides, and I also understand what the challenges of running a small business are. There's a huge difference between marketing for a large corporate, for example, and knowing how to help a small business owner increase their profits.

5. What, if any significant partnerships have played a role in your success? That's an interesting one. I've gone from being a real business loner (being a freelance translator is about as isolated as it gets - you don't even have to speak to your clients on the phone!), to a point where now my business is largely based on collaboration. Creating mutually beneficial partnerships has been somewhat of a revelation to me, to be honest, and I've been bowled over by the support and enthusiastic response that I've received from everyone regarding the Women's Marketing Forum.

6. I noticed you are developing your website. Tell us a little bit about how you plan to market it? The main promotional tool I'm using at the moment is the marketing e-course. This is offered free of charge via the Women's Marketing Forum website. I wanted to make sure that the course would be something people would really benefit from, so it's a little longer than most free e-courses, but I'm delighted to be able to offer it as a complete marketing course in its own right. I'm currently preparing joint venture relationships with other women's business organizations to promote the WMF, and in due course, I'll be seeking to obtain accreditation and recommendations from official and government bodies representing small business, both in the UK and abroad.

There is also an affiliate scheme for members to refer new members and create an additional revenue stream for themselves. I'm just starting a press campaign, and am submitting articles to relevant publications (online and offline). At a "grass roots" level, I'm also running a small-scale pay per click campaign on Google, participating personally in online groups and forums, and asking my networking contacts to spread the word (by offering the free e-course).

7. With regards to establishing a website filled with resources you will ultimately offer your clients, what’s the best advice you have ever received about website development? Don't be talked into paying more than you need to for website development work. In the vast majority of cases, it is just not necessary to pay a small fortune for bespoke solutions when so much is available as open source software. If you're really on a shoestring budget, like I was when I started my first online business, find a dedicated and enthusiastic web developer who is just establishing their business and offer to act as a reference client in return for a discounted rate (that was the trick I used to get an outstanding site for a bargain price).

Also, think hard before tying yourself to one particular company. My personal preference is always to retain control of my own websites. For example, if you want to be able to make changes to your content, ask your designer if they can include the facility for you to use the Macromedia Contribute software so that you can update the site on your own. I must say, though, I am enormously lucky with the Women's Marketing Forum as my partner Jason is a highly talented web programmer and designer. He's done everything: from designing the logo, to integrating the content and membership management systems and the ecommerce solution – and everything in-between. He's been an absolute star throughout, and the site just wouldn't exist without him. His own site is http://www.pushkadesign.com.

8. What are some of the trends you are noticing in your industry? In many parts of the world, including the US and Canada in particular, women are starting businesses in ever increasing numbers. It's the same story here in the United Kingdom, and a lot of support from the private and public sectors is now available to women wanting to start their own business.
There's also a lot of research being conducted on how best to help women start and run successful businesses. The latest research shows that while there is a lot of support for start-ups, the amount of support available dwindles as companies go beyond the start-up phase. It's well-known that the majority of businesses fail within a few short years (whether run by men or women), so something is clearly wrong somewhere.

Naturally, as a marketing coach I'm rather biased, but for me, the answer to this problem has to be easy access to practical help and advice from experts in marketing and business growth, at an affordable price. It's easy to find information on the 'nuts and bolts' of starting and operating a business, but marketing still appears to be an area where there's a considerable lack of clarity. Part of the reason for this, I feel, is that there is no 'one size fits all' answer when it comes to choosing which specific marketing activities to use in your business, and that again is a reflection of the need for affordable, personalized advice.

9. With regards to the Women’s ECommerce Association, how do you see being a member as a benefit to you and your organization? I'm a huge fan of ecommerce, from both sides of the fence! I first entered the arena of ecommerce in the late 1990s when I started an online shop offering cruelty-free bodycare products (you can read about my exploits there in the free e-course, incidentally!), and I make a good proportion of my personal and business purchases online. The internet has long been my first port of call when searching for any information on products and services, and general information, for that matter.
Ecommerce offers a relatively easy entry point to greater opportunities for doing business with customers around the world in your chosen business niche. I'm delighted to be a member of WECAI and to support its mission to assist women business owners create successful online enterprises.

10. Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers? At the risk of sounding corny, for me, being self-employed and running my own business is an attitude of mind and a way of living. Love your business, and love the freedom and independence it gives you. Commit to doing whatever it takes to make your enterprise a success and most importantly, commit to creating business success…on your own terms.

Louisa Bird the Founder of Women's Marketing Forum can be reached at louisa@WomensMarketingForum.com. You can find more information about the Women's Marketing Forum at http://www.WomensMarketingForum.com.