Rachel Allen – Simplifying B2B Marketing Strategies for SMEs

Rachel Allen: B2B Marketing Collective

Meet Rachel Allen: A Passion for Practical Marketing

Marketing has been the focus of my career for the last 20 years! I’ve seen it evolve through new technology, digital marketing, social media, AI, but the essence of a strong marketing strategy remains the same. It’s all about product/market fit, making sure that what you offer meets a need that your audience will pay you for. Lots of small business owners over-complicate marketing, and the cycle of overwhelm means they don’t take any action or get sucked into something that wastes valuable time and resources.

As the daughter of two parents who ran their own small business, it was inevitable that I was going to use my professional skills to help people like my parents, passionate about what they do but needing marketing expertise to help the world see how brilliant they are.

Outside of working life, I’m a single mum to an 11-year-old boy. I am told that I’m an inspiration to single parents because I don’t let my circumstances hold me back in business, and I’m passionate about single people living their best life when they are on their own. I spend my spare time renovating my house (I’m at B&Q a lot!).

B2B Marketing Collective: Ending Marketing Overwhelm

I founded B2B Marketing Collective to help B2B business owners Stop Random Acts of Marketing. I create a marketing strategy and a plan for businesses to implement using their own resources, but I can provide additional support if needed. Not sure what kind of marketing support would be best for you? Let’s have a chat, I’d love to help bring your ideas to life. Whether you’re looking to clarify your approach, need a sounding board for your next campaign, or want hands-on help to get things moving, I’m here to make marketing feel simpler and more achievable.

My parents ran a small business when I was growing up, so supporting SMEs with their marketing was inevitable! I am passionate about helping talented professionals succeed in their business and hate it when they're hiding their brilliance because they don’t know who their ideal client is or how to reach them.

Creative Marketing Support for Small Businesses

Navigating all the moving parts of marketing can be daunting, especially when you're juggling everything else as a business owner. That’s why the services I offer are designed to make your life easier and your marketing more effective.

Here’s what you can tap into:

  • Social Media Management: From crafting engaging posts to building your presence on platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook, I help you connect with your audience consistently, without it becoming a daily headache.
  • Content Creation: Whether you need blog posts, thought leadership articles, or newsletters, I turn your expertise into content that actually speaks to your clients and showcases what makes your business unique.
  • Copywriting & Brand Messaging: Struggling to find the right words? I can help sharpen your messaging so your website, emails, and marketing materials always capture your voice, and attract the right people.
  • Brand Design Support: Need a refresh or a brand new look? I can guide you through branding basics, from tone of voice to visual identity, so your business stands out for all the right reasons.
  • Campaign Management: If you’ve got a specific campaign in mind, maybe a product launch or an event, I’ll help you plan, execute, and measure it so you get real results, not just likes and shares.

You can choose ad hoc support for one-off projects, or ongoing help if you want to keep things ticking over without stretching yourself too thin. My goal is simple: to lighten your marketing load and help you focus on what you do best.

Tailoring Marketing Support: Ad-Hoc vs. Retainer

Every business is at a different stage, and what you need day-to-day can shift fast. That’s why I offer both ad-hoc and ongoing (retainer) marketing support, so you have flexibility.

Ad-hoc support works well if you just need help now and then, maybe with a campaign, sorting your CRM, or an audit of your LinkedIn strategy. There’s no long-term commitment, and you’re billed for the time you use (perfect if you’re wary of signing your life away!). For peace of mind, I keep things simple: there’s a one-hour minimum, and anything above that is billed in 15-minute chunks, so you’re never paying for time you don’t use.

Ongoing support or a retainer suits businesses ready for regular input, a sounding board, help executing a quarterly plan, or having a marketing expert on hand to jump in when needed. With a retainer, you secure a bundle of hours at a lower hourly rate, plus you can use your time more flexibly (retainer sessions start at 30 minutes, still billed in 15-minute bits). It’s like having a marketing manager in your pocket, but without the full-time salary overhead.

Both options are designed to support you wherever you’re at, so your marketing never stalls because you don’t have the right help at the right time.

Practical Billing That Fits Your Business

When it comes to marketing support, I know that flexibility is essential, especially for small businesses where every minute and pound counts. That’s why I keep my billing straightforward:

  • Ad-hoc support: Perfect if you need help every now and then. There’s a minimum of one hour per booking, and time is tracked in 15-minute chunks, so you only pay for what you actually use.
  • Retainers for ongoing support: If you know you’ll need regular marketing help, a retainer arrangement gets you a better hourly rate. Here, the minimum use drops to 30 minutes per session, still tracked in 15-minute increments, so your budget can go further.

This setup means you’re not locked in, but you’re also not left scrambling when you need a bit of expert input or a steady hand guiding your strategy.

Launching B2B Marketing Collective

Having worked in marketing for over 20 years, I noticed corporates spent a LONG time on strategy (which served them well), but SMEs often jumped between different tactics without a clear strategy. I wanted to speed up the process of helping businesses develop a robust strategy and provide them with the tools and resources needed to execute it.

I am using my own process (Stop Random Acts of Marketing) to fully launch the business, after initially testing it with a small number of direct clients through in-house projects.

Growing Through Networking & Clear Messaging

I am currently at a crossroads, shifting from in-house work to providing tools and guidance to help clients set up and implement their own marketing strategies.

In-person networking and LinkedIn content have proven most effective for me. I also have relationships with people who work with my ideal clients, creating a valuable referral network.

People find the "Stop Random Acts of Marketing" strapline really grabs their attention. It's funny, engaging, and directly addresses a significant, expensive problem.

Lessons Learned: Sell Every Day

Sell every day, or at least do something daily that helps sales. Push through discomfort and consistently move your business forward. Don't try to be perfect immediately. Trial and error will help you figure out what works and doesn't, just ensure you're making money along the way and refine your approach as you go.

Essential Advice for New Entrepreneurs

Trust your instincts, don't fear failure, and ensure you have good coaches, mentors, and business friends around you.

Recommended resources include:

Looking Ahead: Leveraging AI and Semi-Passive Income

My goal is to create more semi-passive income and speed up client work using AI. I've struggled initially to find the best way to work with AI but am keen to use it to expedite processes and provide clients with practical marketing outputs, avoiding emoji-riddled, bland nonsense.

Given rising business costs, many SMEs struggle to afford effective marketing resources or understand marketing fully. By developing this accessible business model, more businesses can benefit from clear marketing strategies and build the skills to implement them effectively.

Connect with Rachel

Reach out via LinkedIn or through the B2B Marketing Collective website to start simplifying your marketing strategy today.