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A Day in the Life of a Marketing Executive

By Holly – Marketing Executive, TLC Business

People often think marketing is either all about creativity or all about data. In reality, it’s a mix of both. One minute I’m writing content or planning campaigns and the next I’m reviewing reports and analysing results to see what’s working.

No two days are the same, which is one of the things I enjoy most about the role. Here’s a look at what a typical day might involve…

Morning: planning

I usually start the day by checking priorities and getting organised before jumping into any tasks. Having a clear plan makes it much easier to stay on top of multiple projects and deadlines.

My morning often includes:

  • Reviewing the content schedule
  • Checking client emails and updates
  • Confirming priorities and deadlines for the day

Once I know what’s on the agenda, I can get stuck into the work.

Mid-morning: content creation

Content creation takes up a large part of my day. Depending on what’s planned, I could be working across several different channels and campaigns.

This might involve:

  • Drafting LinkedIn posts or blog articles
  • Preparing email campaigns
  • Updating website content
  • Briefing designers on visuals and creative assets

One of the things I enjoy most is the variety. Every client is different, which means the content is too.

Early afternoon: campaigns & data

After lunch, my focus often shifts from creating content to looking at how it’s performing.

This can include:

  • Reviewing engagement and reach across campaigns
  • Reporting on email marketing performance
  • Updating client reports and sharing insights

It’s always interesting to see what resonates with audiences and where there are opportunities to improve future campaigns.

Late afternoon: client communication & forward planning

Towards the end of the day, I usually focus on keeping projects moving and preparing for what’s coming next.

This often involves:

  • Sending content for approval
  • Planning upcoming campaigns
  • Scheduling posts and activity

Marketing moves quickly, so staying one step ahead helps everything run smoothly and keeps projects proactive rather than reactive.

More than just social posts

One thing that often surprises people about marketing is how much planning happens behind the scenes. The social media posts, emails and blogs people see are only a small part of the process. Behind every piece of content is strategy, testing and consistent planning. The published post might be the visible result, but it’s often the final step in a much bigger process!

Final takeaway

No two days in marketing are ever identical and that’s part of what makes the role so rewarding. Every task, post, report and conversation contributes to a larger goal: helping SMEs connect with their audience, build their brand and grow with confidence.

If you’re looking for a marketing partner to help your business reach more of the right people, generate new opportunities and achieve its goals, we’d love to hear from you.

Get in touch with the team at TLC Business to see how we can help.

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Marketing tools we recommend for growing businesses

By Shannon – Marketing Director, TLC Business

There’s no shortage of marketing tools promising faster growth, better results and less effort. For many businesses, the real challenge isn’t finding tools, it’s knowing which ones are worth using. The goal isn’t to use more tools. It’s to use the right combination that supports clear strategy, consistent execution and measurable results.

Here are the marketing tools we would recommend and why they are important…

1. A central place for planning & organisation

Before content, ads, or analytics, every business needs clarity.

Tools like Monday.com, ClickUp or Trello help teams plan campaigns and content, track progress and deadlines and store key marketing information in one place. As a business, we use ClickUp, which has been extremely useful in keeping track of various client work. Without a central system, marketing quickly becomes reactive rather than strategic.

2. Reliable content creation tools

Strong marketing relies on clear, consistent content and the right tools make this far easier. We recommend Canva for easy branded templates, quick turnaround for everyday design needs and it is also great for brand consistency without heavy design software.

3. Professional design software

For higher-impact creative work, professional tools still matter. Platforms like Adobe Creative Cloud allow for full brand identity development and advanced graphics. Templates are useful – but strong, original design builds credibility and trust over time.

4. Social media scheduling and management

Consistency is one of the hardest parts of marketing and scheduling tools make it realistic. Typically, we use native platform schedulers for best reach (Meta or LinkedIn Business Suite), but equally, Buffer or Hootsuite work well for multi-platform visibility and planning. The right setup depends on how complex your content schedule is.

5. Analytics that inform decisions

Data only helps if it leads to action. As a business, we swear by Google Analytics as it shows how users behave on your website, identifies drop-off points and opportunities, and tracks meaningful actions, not just visits. These insights shape smarter marketing decisions over time.

Building a marketing toolkit that works for your business

Marketing success rarely comes from a single platform or piece of software. It’s about having the right strategy, using the right tools and staying consistent over time. When your marketing systems are simple, organised and built around your goals, it’s much easier to achieve meaningful results.

At TLC Business, we help businesses cut through the noise and focus on what really works. Whether you’re looking for support with strategy, content creation, social media, email marketing or ongoing campaign management, we’ll help you put the right tools and processes in place to support your growth.

If you’d like to get more from your marketing, get in touch with our team for a chat about how we can help.

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What to expect when you work with TLC business

Choosing the right marketing partner is about more than finding someone to manage your social media or improve your Google rankings. It’s about finding a team that understands your business, shares your goals and becomes invested in your success.

At TLC Business, we don’t see ourselves as just another marketing agency. We’re your outsourced marketing department.

That means we work as an extension of your business, providing the strategic thinking, expertise and day-to-day marketing support you’d expect from an in-house team, without the cost of employing one.

We take the time to understand your business

Every successful marketing strategy starts with understanding the business behind it.

Before we recommend any services or launch any campaigns, we take the time to get to know your company. We want to understand your products or services, your customers, your competitors and, most importantly, where you want your business to go.

By taking this approach, we’re able to build a marketing strategy that’s tailored to your objectives rather than offering a one-size-fits-all solution.

After all, if we’re going to become part of your team, we need to understand your business as well as you do.

We’re not just delivering marketing services

Many marketing agencies focus on completing individual tasks.

Need a blog? They’ll write one.

Need a social media post? They’ll design it.

Need an email campaign? They’ll send it.

While there’s nothing wrong with that, we believe businesses need more than a list of completed jobs.

As your outsourced marketing department, we look at the bigger picture.

Every piece of content, every campaign and every recommendation is part of a wider strategy designed to help your business grow. We think proactively, identify new opportunities and make sure every marketing activity supports your long-term objectives.

You gain an entire marketing team

Building an in-house marketing department isn’t realistic for many businesses.

Recruiting specialists in SEO, PPC, PR, content creation, social media, email marketing, design and strategy can be expensive and expecting one person to excel in every discipline simply isn’t practical.

When you work with TLC Business, you gain access to a complete team of experienced marketing professionals. It’s like having your own marketing department, without the overheads.

Strategy comes before activity

One of the biggest mistakes businesses make is jumping straight into marketing without a clear plan.

Posting regularly on social media or running Google Ads doesn’t automatically generate results if those activities aren’t aligned with your business objectives.

That’s why strategy sits at the heart of everything we do.

We’ll work with you to understand where your business is today, where you want to be and what marketing activities will have the greatest impact.

We keep you in the loop

If you’ve worked with a marketing agency before, you may have experienced long periods of silence followed by a report at the end of the month. That’s not how we operate.

As your outsourced marketing department, communication is essential.

We’ll keep you updated on:

  • Current projects and campaigns
  • Marketing performance
  • Opportunities we’ve identified
  • Recommendations for improvement
  • What’s coming next

You’ll always know what we’re working on and, more importantly, why we’re doing it.

We focus on long-term growth

Good marketing isn’t about quick wins or chasing vanity metrics. It’s about building sustainable growth.

Some activities, such as PPC advertising, can begin generating enquiries quickly, while others, like SEO and content marketing, build momentum over time.

We’ll always be honest about what’s realistic and focus on creating marketing that delivers lasting value rather than short-term spikes.

As your business grows, your marketing strategy evolves with it.

We measure what matters

Marketing should never be based on guesswork. Everything we do is measured against meaningful business objectives.

Depending on your strategy, we’ll track metrics such as:

  • Website traffic
  • Search visibility
  • Lead generation
  • Conversion rates
  • Social media engagement
  • Email marketing performance

More importantly, we explain what the numbers mean for your business and use them to make informed decisions moving forward.

A partnership, not a supplier relationship

This is what makes TLC Business different. We’re not here to tick tasks off a list or disappear once a campaign is complete.

We build long-term partnerships with our clients because we believe the best marketing comes from truly understanding a business.

When you work with us, you’ll have a team that’s constantly looking for ways to improve your marketing, support your growth and help you achieve your business goals.

You’ll have people who know your business, understand your industry and care about your success as much as you do.

That’s the difference between hiring a marketing agency and gaining an outsourced marketing department.

Why businesses choose TLC business

Businesses choose TLC Business because they want more than outsourced marketing services. They want a trusted partner that feels like part of their own organisation.

By combining strategic thinking, specialist expertise and proactive support, we give businesses access to a complete marketing department without the costs and challenges of building one internally.

Ready to add a marketing department to your business?

If you’re looking for more than an agency that simply completes tasks, TLC Business could be the partner you’re looking for.

We’ll become an extension of your team, work alongside your business and provide the expertise, strategy and proactive support needed to drive long-term growth.

Get in touch with TLC Business today and discover what it’s like to have your own outsourced marketing department.

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Is AI a replacement for a good marketer?

By Ashleigh – Marketing Assistant, TLC Business

AI is everywhere in marketing right now. It’s often positioned as a silver bullet, faster, cheaper and smarter than humans. For many businesses (and marketers!), that’s created excitement and anxiety in equal measure.

AI is a powerful tool, but it works best when it supports an experienced marketer, not replaces them. Here’s where AI genuinely adds value in marketing and where human input still matters most…

What AI is good at

Empowering a marketer

AI tools are excellent for summarising large amounts of information, identifying patterns and trends and generating starting points for ideas. Used well, they reduce admin and prep time, freeing marketers up to focus on decision-making and more strategic activities.

AI can help with outlines and content structures, headline variations and repurposing content across formats. But without human direction, AI-generated content often lacks nuance, tone and real-world relevance.

AI is brilliant at boosting productivity, undertaking much of the legwork that goes into making an effective marketing function work; however, it needs to be prompted appropriately to do this. An experienced marketer should have the knowledge to do this.

AI is an incredibly powerful tool that has the potential to change the game for marketers, but it needs to be harnessed correctly. It needs an experienced eye to look over the output and assess whether it is ‘correct’.

Where a good marketer still matters most

Strategy & judgement

AI doesn’t understand your business context, priorities or customer relationships. A marketer will decide what success actually looks like, which opportunities are worth pursuing and when data doesn’t tell the full story.

Strategy is still a skill learned and developed over time, through experience, by a good marketer.

Brand voice & trust

AI struggles with tone, personality and emotional nuance. Brand trust is built through consistency and authenticity, something that requires a human touch and oversight.

Creative direction

AI can generate options, but it can’t define a brand’s identity, make creative judgement calls or understand cultural nuance. Great creative still comes from people.

How we use AI at TLC Business

We use AI as a support tool, not a replacement. It helps speed up research and analysis, test and refine ideas, support content creation workflows and enhance efficiency without sacrificing quality. Everything still goes through human review, strategy and refinement.

AI changes the game, but experience still wins

AI isn’t taking over marketing, it’s changing how it’s done.

Businesses that treat AI as a tool within a wider marketing toolbox will benefit. Those that expect it to replace thinking, creativity and experience will struggle.

If you’d like to explore how AI can strengthen your marketing approach and support your wider business goals, get in touch with our team today.

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Meet the Founder: A Conversation with Josh Spencer, Managing Director of TLC Business

At TLC Business, everything starts with people – and that includes our founder, Josh Spencer. With over 20 years in marketing and more than a decade supporting SMEs, Josh has built TLC Business around practical thinking, strong relationships and results that matter.

We caught up with Josh to talk about his journey, his approach to marketing and what keeps him motivated…

Q: Can you tell us a bit about your background and how TLC Business came to life?

“It’s a fairly typical story in some ways; I didn’t set out thinking I’d run my own business. I started out in corporate marketing with BT, then moved into agency life at APCO. Both were brilliant experiences, but very different.

What I found over time was that I really enjoyed working more closely with businesses (particularly SMEs), where you can actually see the impact of what you’re doing. That’s really where TLC Business came from. I wanted to create something that felt more hands-on, more personal and ultimately more useful to the people we work with.”

Q: You’ve worked both in-house and agency-side. How does that shape the way you approach marketing today?

“It gives you a bit of balance. Corporate roles teach you structure, process and how to think strategically over the long term. Agency life teaches you to be adaptable and to deliver – often quickly!

With TLC, I try to bring the best of both worlds. We’re strategic, but we’re also practical. There’s no point producing a beautiful strategy document if it just sits on a shelf. It has to work in the real world.”

Q: What do you think are the biggest marketing challenges SMEs face right now?

“Time and clarity, without a doubt.

Most SME owners are juggling a hundred things at once, so marketing can end up being reactive, or pushed down the list altogether. The other issue is knowing what works. There’s so much noise out there, so many channels, so many opinions.

A big part of what we do is simplify things. Get clear on the message, the audience and the priorities, then focus on doing a few things really well rather than trying to do everything.”

Q: How would you describe the TLC Business approach in a nutshell?

“We are your outsourced marketing department – practical, honest and collaborative.

We don’t come in with a one-size-fits-all solution. Every business is different, so we take the time to understand what’s going on first. Then we build something that fits, whether that’s strategy, campaigns or ongoing support.”

Q: What’s been one of the most rewarding parts of running TLC Business?

“Seeing clients grow – it sounds simple, but it’s true.

When you’ve worked with a business a number of years and you can see the progress they’ve made, it’s incredibly satisfying. Especially when you know you’ve played a part in that journey.

Also, the relationships. That’s a big one for me. We’ve worked with some clients for a long time now and it genuinely feels like a partnership rather than a supplier relationship.”

Q: You’ve been in marketing for over 20 years – what’s changed the most?

“The pace, definitely.

Everything moves faster now – new platforms, new tools, new trends. But interestingly, the fundamentals haven’t really changed. It’s still about understanding your audience, having a clear message and communicating it well.

The tools evolve, but the core principles stay the same.”

Q: Finally, what advice would you give to business owners trying to improve their marketing?

“Don’t overcomplicate it. Start with the basics – who you’re trying to reach, what you want to say and why it matters. Be consistent, be clear and give things time to work.

And if you can, don’t try to do it all on your own. A bit of external perspective can make a huge difference.”

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Short-Form Video That Converts

By Emily – Marketing Executive, TLC Business

Short-form video is everywhere.

Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, LinkedIn video – brands are posting constantly. But there’s a big difference between content that gets views and content that gets results.

As marketers and designers, we see it all the time: great ideas held back by poor structure, weak visuals, or videos that don’t guide the viewer anywhere.

Here’s how to approach short-form video so it works for your business.

The biggest mistake brands make with short-form video

Most businesses focus on what they want to say, not how people consume content.

Short-form video isn’t about:

  • Explaining everything
  • Being overly polished
  • Going viral at all costs

It is about:

  • Grabbing attention quickly
  • Making one clear point
  • Giving the viewer a reason to stay, save, or act

If your video doesn’t hook someone in the first 2–3 seconds, it’s already lost.

The 3-part structure every short video should follow

1. The Hook (First 3 Seconds)

This is non-negotiable.

Strong hooks include:

  • A bold statement
  • A relatable problem
  • A visual interruption (movement, text, jump cut)

Pro-Tip: Big, readable on-screen text matters more than fancy animation.

2. The Value (next 5–15 seconds)

This is where you deliver one clear takeaway.

Good short-form videos:

  • Focus on a single idea
  • Use simple visuals
  • Avoid jargon

Design Pro-Tip: Clarity always beats creativity. Clean layouts, high contrast text (subtitles) and consistent branding make videos easier to watch, especially without sound. Around 79–85% of social media videos are watched without sound, meaning subtitles hold a huge value.

3. The Direction (The end)

Every video needs a purpose.

That could be:

  • “Save this for later”
  • “Follow for more tips”
  • “DM us to chat”

If you don’t guide the viewer, they’ll just scroll on.

A simple short-form video checklist

Before posting, ask yourself:

  • Is the hook clear in the first 3 seconds?
  • Can this be understood with no sound?
  • Does it make one clear point?
  • Is the branding consistent but not overpowering?
  • Is there a clear next step for the viewer?

If the answer is yes across the board, you’re in a good place.

Final takeaway

Short-form video isn’t a trend – it’s a skill.

Brands that take the time to understand structure, design and audience behaviour will always outperform those chasing formats without strategy.

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AI, AEO & the New Rules of Search: What Marketers Need to Know in 2026

By Shannon – Marketing Director, TLC Business

Search is changing fast.

Not gradually. Not quietly. But fundamentally.

Between AI-powered search results, voice assistants and platforms like Google and LinkedIn prioritising answers over keywords, businesses can no longer rely on “old SEO” alone. This is where AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) comes in and why AI is now a core part of modern marketing strategy.

Here’s what it all means and what you should be doing about it.

SEO and AEO: What’s the difference?

Traditional SEO focuses on:

  • Keywords
  • Rankings
  • Traffic volume

AEO, on the other hand, focuses on:

  • Clear, direct answers
  • Structured, trustworthy content
  • Being the source AI tools pull from

Instead of asking “How do I rank #1?”, the better question is now:
“How do I become the answer?”

Why AI is accelerating this shift

AI tools don’t browse the internet like humans do. They scan for clear, authoritative information, prioritise concise explanations and favour structured content and credibility.

If your website content is vague, over-stuffed with keywords, or written purely for algorithms, it’s far less likely to surface in AI-driven results.

Well-written, human-first content now wins.

What this means for your marketing content

Clarity beats cleverness

Content needs to say things clearly. That means:

  • Short, direct paragraphs
  • Clear headings
  • Straight answers to common questions

If a client asks it in a meeting or a sales call, it should be answered plainly on your site.

FAQs are no longer optional

FAQs aren’t filler anymore, they’re strategic. Strong FAQ sections help AI tools understand your expertise, voice search picks up your content and users get quick confidence in your offering.

Pro tip: Write FAQs exactly how people ask questions, not how brands like to phrase them.

Authority is everything

AI prioritises trusted sources. That means:

  • Clear author names and roles
  • Consistent messaging across platforms
  • Content that shows real experience, not generic advice

Blogs, case studies and insight-led posts now matter more than ever.

How we’re approaching this at TLC Business

When we create content strategies for clients, we’re now asking:

  • What questions do your customers actually ask?
  • Can this page stand alone as a clear answer?
  • Would this make sense if read aloud by a voice assistant?

We’re combining:

  • AI-assisted research (to spot gaps and trends)
  • Human-led writing (to keep it natural and relevant)
  • Structured formats that work across search, social and AI tools

The goal isn’t to chase algorithms – it’s to stay useful.

Simple actions you can take right now

If you want to future-proof your marketing content, start here:

  • Review your core service pages – do they clearly explain what you do, who it’s for and why it matters?
  • Add or improve FAQ sections using real customer language
  • Publish insight-led blogs that answer one problem at a time
  • Make authorship visible – people (and AI) trust people

Final takeaway

AI isn’t replacing good marketing, it’s rewarding it.

Brands that communicate clearly, consistently and honestly will continue to win, regardless of how search evolves. AEO isn’t a trend to panic about; it’s a shift towards better content.

And that’s something worth investing in.

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LinkedIn Best Practices in 2026

By Holly – Marketing Executive, TLC Business

LinkedIn has evolved from a predictable space for company updates and job posts into one of the most competitive organic B2B marketing channels.

Many businesses are investing more time into the platform than ever before, but not always seeing meaningful results. The opportunity is still there, but success now depends on understanding how LinkedIn works today, not how it worked two years ago.

How does the LinkedIn algorithm work in 2026?

LinkedIn’s algorithm is far more selective than in previous years. It now:

  • Tests posts with a small, relevant audience first
  • Measures early engagement, especially comments
  • Expands reach only if the content proves valuable

This means broad, generic posting often reaches fewer people. Specific, useful, audience-focused content performs best.

What type of LinkedIn content performs best in 2026?

Across B2B brands, service businesses and personal profiles, the strongest results are coming from:

1. Opinion-led expertise

Posts that explain what is changing or what is being seen in the market outperform generic advice. Audiences come to LinkedIn for insight, not safe takes.

2. Short, scannable text posts

High-performing posts typically:

  • Start with a strong opening line
  • Use very short paragraphs (1–2 lines)
  • Get to the point quickly

White space now matters as much as word count.

3. Native video with subtitles

Short, natural videos continue to grow in reach, especially when they:

  • Open with a clear hook
  • Work without sound
  • Feel authentic rather than over-produced

4. Human stories from brands

Company pages that feel personal and relatable outperform those using corporate language. Even in B2B, people engage with people first.

What no longer works on LinkedIn?

Tactics losing effectiveness in 2026 include:

  • Overusing hashtags
  • Engagement bait with little value (“Agree?” / “Thoughts?”)
  • Posting links without useful context
  • Corporate, jargon-heavy updates
  • Posting purely to stay visible

Consistency still matters, but relevance matters more.

Final takeaway: What drives LinkedIn success in 2026?

LinkedIn is no longer about gaming the algorithm.
It is about clarity, confidence and genuine expertise.

Brands that consistently add value are still achieving strong organic reach, even as competition increases. Those focused only on visibility or vanity metrics are seeing diminishing returns.

At TLC Business, LinkedIn strategies are built to feel natural, sustainable and aligned with real business outcomes, not just impressions or likes.

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