Do you know how Uber got started in Australia?
Not the way you might think.
Without giving away too much, it involved an airport and some paper fliers tucked under the windscreen wipers of limo drivers’ cars. The rest is Uber history.
This is just one of the many, many examples Bernadette Schwerdt uses to illustrate each idea, suggestion, or nugget of advice she offers throughout this comprehensive book.
Who is Bernadette Schwerdt?
Author, speaker, entrepreneur, copywriter, and trainer, Bernadette Schwerdt is also the founder of the Australian School of Copywriting.
Visit Bernadette’s website for more info.
What is the book about?
Part collection-of-interviews, part advice-manual, and part step-by-step-guide, this book is a fabulous business and technology resource.
Primarily, it covers numerous aspects of starting and growing an online business, from identifying a market problem to solve, right through to marketing and promoting your business, including chapters on ways to develop good business ideas, content marketing, business storytelling, and a step-by-step guide to preparing great presentations (relevant for anyone who does public speaking—even if you hate it).
One key aspect of the book looks at what Bernadette called the four ‘factors of digital disruption’ (more on what these are later) and includes input from a number of successful Australian online entrepreneurs who have utilised these factors in growing their businesses. Bernadette synthesises her own ideas, formulas and templates, with advice from these entrepreneurs—making this book a goldmine of practical ideas.
How is the book structured?
The book is pieced together using a 5-step roadmap from brainstorming business ideas, through to launching, and then growing a business.
Entrepreneurs can follow this map when building an online business, working through:
Mindset
Minimum Viable Product
Momentum
Marketing
Motivation
Each step is covered by a section in the book, with each section being made up of a number of relevant chapter. For instance, the ‘Marketing’ section includes chapters on content marketing, writing effective headlines, and search engine optimisation.
Why should I read it?
It is a must-read for anyone working in the digital jungle (which is most of us, really). Particularly relevant for copywriters, marketers, web developers, PR experts, project managers, business owners, business development managers, just to name a few.
Most importantly, the book is aimed at anyone who owns (or is thinking of starting) an online business—regardless of the industry, product or service.
Top 3 Takeaways for Online Business Owners
(or anyone thinking of starting an online business)
1. Don’t ignore the factors of digital disruption
The book places a great deal of emphasis on ‘four factors that enable digital disruption’, and points out that all successful online businesses utilise these factors to their advantage, and ensure their businesses are supported by them.
The factors are Cloud, Big data, Social, and Mobile.
Bernadette herself quite aptly states, “we’re all in the technology business”. So there is no ignoring these digital factors when growing an online business. The book covers numerous examples of businesses and explains how they have utilised these factors to help their businesses succeed.
She also suggests having an ‘entrepreneurial mindset’ to assist with future planning. This includes having a broader understanding of what line of business you are really in.
A great example offered in the book is Officeworks—seems to be a stationery company, right? However, the business they are really in is small business support. When thinking about it this way, how much broader are the company’s options for product and services sales?
2. Collaboration is key
Remember group assignments? Not your favourite thing? No, us too.
However, in business, there are few stronger ways to get things done than by working with others.
The advice given in the book particularly refers to collaborating with particular types of people with particular skill sets when brainstorming a business idea and getting it off the ground. To help a business succeed, it’s ideal to combine the knowledge and passion of what Bernadette calls a ‘hacker’ (inventor), a ‘hustler’ (marketer), and an ‘expert’ (someone on the front line who knows the industry/product closely).
The other way the book discusses employing a collaborative approach to business is in calling on the ‘gig economy’ to collaborate or delegate tasks which you (as the business owner) either would rather not do, or can not do for want of knowledge, skills, or time. Great advice! Several examples of digital marketplaces for sourcing contractors for these tasks are provided in the book.
3. Know your business’ pinch of salt
That is, why your business is unique (sometimes called a USP, or ‘Unique Selling Proposition’).
To truly understand why your business is relevant, Bernadette advises knowing what problem your product or service is solving. This is best done by looking ahead (though it might make your ideas seem crazy at the time). But Bernadette’s question for you is: “can you stick with your idea long enough for the market to realise they have a problem that needs solving?”
The book includes useful tips and tricks around finding your business’ pinch of salt.
And Bernadette points out that this pinch of salt doesn’t have to be huge, or revolutionary. It just needs to offer a new approach to a problem.
A great example the book offers is that of Wholesome Hub, an Australian online store for organic food and products. Their pinch of salt is the ‘values-based’ search option on their website, where customers to the site can choose to search for ‘Australian made products’ or ‘BPA free products’, rather than having to search in a more conventional manner for specific types of products – make-up, skincare etc.
Top 3 Takeaways for Copywriters and Content Marketers
1. Content is king
What business are you in, as a copywriter?
We’re in the writing business… right? Yes, but we are also in the marketing business, not to mention all the sub-sectors involved in that: digital marketing, print advertising, corporate storytelling, branding. And all this marketing involves content.
Content marketing is an increasingly utilised means of selling used by business owners. As copywriters, our job involves writing the content which is used as marketing material.
Overall, Bernadette reminds us that all content we write must be useful or entertaining (or, preferably, both).
The book also includes an entire chapter on business storytelling; this, too, is a powerful marketing tool. And who better to craft a story than a copywriter?
For more on brand storytelling, read our in-depth article on it here.
2. Headline formulas work
As copywriters, Bernadette reminds us that we are in the business of writing words which convert. That is, they are impactful enough to result in a customer making a purchase. Words can’t actually make the customer purchase, but they can influence their decision.
So, how do we write headlines which do this?
Bernadette’s book explains that the headline must serve certain purposes on the page:
- The headline is “the ad for the ad”. It needs to powerfully and succinctly summarise the ad or blog (or whatever the piece is) so effectively that the reader is interested enough to read on.
- Also, headlines must allow a reader to scan the page and still understand what is on offer, or what the article is about. Again, the importance of making them succinct and precise can not be understated.
The book helpfully offers several useful headline formulas.
3. Know how to speak to Google
An entire chapter of the book looks at search engine optimisation, albeit briefly (it’s not a book about SEO, after all).
It does include some tips around conducting keyword research, plus where and how to use the keywords in your copy.
Bernadette also emphasises the importance of quality content as a factor which can positively influence your ranking on Google.
As copywriters, this quality content falls to us to create (it is our bread and butter, really). Not only must the content be well-written, but it must also be regularly updated, keeping it new and relevant.
Overall, a fabulous business book with practical advice and ideas. Well worth a read!
Publication note
Full title: How to Build an Online Business: Australia’s Top Digital Disruptors Reveal Their Secrets for Launching and Growing an Online Business
Author: Bernadette Schwerdt
Year: 2018
Publisher – John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd
City: Melbourne
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