This weekend I was at Class Business Live and the Class Business Awards, hosted by Krissy Monaghan at the NCC in Birmingham. It was an amazing day, with brilliant speakers, plenty to put into action straight away, and an energy in the room I’m still thinking about.

In this episode, I share:

• What I took away from the day, and why so many people who could be seen as competitors ended up cheering each other on
• My journey from presenting at a small strategy day last November to hosting a mastermind table and sponsoring Team-Led Business of the Year
• Why I almost talked myself out of becoming a sponsor because I didn’t feel ready
• What we talked about at my mastermind table, from bringing people onto your email list to using AI to save time, and how often you really need to follow up
• My tip for making sense of your event notes before they go cold, so they turn into a plan you actually use

Key takeaway: you don’t have to feel ready before you say yes. A year ago, standing on a stage wasn’t even on my radar.

This is part one. Next week, I’m sharing how I prepared for walking up on stage and how it really felt.

Have a listen for my full story and what I’m taking into the year ahead.

Want to fill more classes?

Email marking is a great way to stay in touch with parents.

Want to know where you’re at with email marketing?

Take my free Email Marketing Quiz and find out what stage you’re at, what you might be missing, and where to focus next.

👉 Take the quiz here: https://online.kellyreynoldssocials.com/email-marketing-quiz

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast and leave a review. It really helps support the show.

If you've ever thought email marketing was too complicated, this episode is for you. A welcome email sequence is one of the easiest ways to start building trust and connection with your audience, even while you're running classes, replying to messages, or dashing between school runs.

In this episode, I cover:

•What a welcome email sequence actually is, and why it's simply your business saying "hi, lovely to meet you" without you lifting a finger

•Why it matters so much, since interest is highest the moment someone signs up, and a good sequence catches them before they forget to book

•My 6 simple steps to setting it up with no tech overwhelm, from choosing a platform through to testing it properly

•What to include in each of 4 emails, from delivering your freebie instantly through to inviting them to book

•A worked example for a baby sensory class, showing exactly how this could look for your own business

•My pro tips for keeping it simple, conversational, and warm

Key takeaway: once it's set up, it runs quietly in the background, helping new families feel connected and ready to book before you've even met them. That's smart, simple marketing for busy children's activity providers.

Have a listen for the full step-by-step breakdown.

Want to fill more classes?

Email marking is a great way to stay in touch with parents.

Want to know where you’re at with email marketing?

Take my free Email Marketing Quiz and find out what stage you’re at, what you might be missing, and where to focus next.

👉 Take the quiz here: https://online.kellyreynoldssocials.com/email-marketing-quiz

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast and leave a review. It really helps support the show.

This episode wasn't meant to happen. I'd planned a completely different one, all about ManyChat and how to automate comment-to-DM on Instagram, complete with my affiliate link. But after using it myself for over 12 months, and with several of my clients too, I've changed my mind, and I think it's only fair to tell you why.

In this episode, I cover:

•Why comment-to-DM automation works brilliantly for big accounts with thousands of followers, but often isn't worth it for smaller, class-based businesses like ours

•How pricing has changed, with charges now based on contacts across every connected platform (Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp all counted separately)

•Meta's new restriction limiting Facebook posts to 2 links a month

•What I'm considering instead, including Meta One, Meta's newly launched business subscription for AI-powered replies, plus small targeted ads

•Why email marketing is still the one channel Meta can't restrict or charge more to reach

•Practical ways to grow your email list without relying on comment automation, including freebies, QR codes at classes, and teaming up with other local businesses

Key takeaway: no tool is one-size-fits-all, and what works for big brands doesn't always work for small local businesses. Social media is brilliant for visibility, but your email list is where the real relationships happen.

Want to fill more classes?

Email marking is a great way to stay in touch with parents.

Want to know where you’re at with email marketing?

Take my free Email Marketing Quiz and find out what stage you’re at, what you might be missing, and where to focus next.

👉 Take the quiz here: https://online.kellyreynoldssocials.com/email-marketing-quiz

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast and leave a review. It really helps support the show.