Welcome


So, here I am, a 'Wandering Scientist'!
This wasn't really part of the plan if I'm honest.... When I was at school, and people asked what I wanted to do with my life, this would not have been the first thing on my list...... That said, neither would it have been the last thing on my list. At the time, I was not aware that there would be possibilities in the future to work in such a flexible way without having a "proper" job.
The purpose of this blog is to act as a vent for my frequent ramblings, to document the successes (and inevitable failures) of my progress starting out on this Freelancing adventure, and possibly to offer some insight to others who may be considering a similar non-conformist career path.

Monday, 25 July 2011

Business Expansion - Capturing New Markets.

Well, the summer holidays are upon us, all the schools are shut, and as a result my entire customer base has vanished for the next six weeks.
Many would see this as a problem, but a Wandering Scientist is not so easily dissuaded!
I have looked at the looming cloud from every angle, and have identified its silver lining.
The activities offered through Dr D's Science Days are all aimed at primary school children (aged 5 to 11), and are intended to be fun, engaging, sometimes messy, and sneakily educational (children learn best when they think they're just having a great time!).
The children may not be in school over the summer, but that does not mean that they have vanished. They are at home with their parents... Parents who may well be looking for exciting activities to keep their little ones occupied over the long weeks ahead, and what better way to do that than a visit from Dr D, the Wandering Scientist?
My marketing campaign should, admittedly, have started a little earlier in order to build some momentum and capture a wider audience through word of mouth, but with a little lateral thinking, and some well placed advertising, I'm optimistic that I can get a few bookings for my services over the summer break and beyond.
So far, I have started a marketing campaign by setting up a business facebook page, and have placed flyers in local shops, pubs, and doctors' surgeries (people will pick up and read pretty much anything while sitting in a waiting room!). The next step will be to go door to door, posting flyers to houses within the more affluent areas, and targeting large family homes with lots of children's toys in the gardens. I am also going to 'speculate to accumulate' by placing an advert in a local glossy magazine with a wide distribution covering many villages which are popular with families.
Who knows, by branching out into children's parties, I may even gain a positive reputation with parents and teachers who have influence within the local schools... That could be a golden lining to my cloud!

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