We were lucky to catch up with Nancy Cummings recently and have shared our conversation below.

Nancy, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Was there an experience or lesson you learned at a previous job that’s benefited your career afterwards?

For over a decade, I worked as the executive director of the La Grange Business Association, an organization in a thriving suburban community where I had the pleasure of promoting and supporting 300 or so small and independent restaurants, retailers, service businesses and nonprofit organizations in the community.

I learned a lot of important takeaways from that position – but the most impactful one was the realization that nobody works as hard as a small business owner.

Small business owners are passionate about what they do, and where they want to take their business. They are experts in their fields, whether it’s as a gardener or a goldsmith, a banker or a builder or a butcher. But no matter how diverse their areas of expertise, they all share very similar challenges. And the challenges usually come down to the fact that there’s not enough time and not enough staffing to accomplish all that they want to do.

That understanding has opened my eyes to the reality of working with small business owners as clients. My job is to make their lives simpler, their work flow easier, their results impactful. That means they may not open emails on the first send; that they may respond to my text later in the evening after “work hours,” and that they may not have the time to complete a thorough analysis of the social media content strategy that I just asked them to approve. Lots of times they need reminding, they’d like a quick review, and they need a longer response time.

For a start up company, it can be very challenging for the owner to determine what are the essential tasks related to marketing their business. They know what they need – more visibility and more exposure to potential customers or clients – but they frequently don’t have a clear vision of how to get there because they’re so involved in doing what they love most – running their business.

As a marketing consultant, you are very valuable when you can come in and help a business owner both identify and solve their problems. Are they talking to the right customer? Are they reaching that customer through the most effective channels? Is their messaging clear? How are they enticing new customers? Soliciting referrals from loyal customers? Branding their business?

The advice I like to give my clients is never let a good idea go to waste. If you see an idea that speaks to you personally, think about how you can adapt it to your own business. Because if it’s an idea that caught your attention as a consumer, it’s probably an idea that will surprise and delight your customers, too. How can your business deliver that?

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I was very fortunate to have had the experience of working as a hotel public relations director for global hospitality company that prided itself on doing things big, doing things first and doing things best. Creativity in delivering a positive guest experience was a goal of the brand, and I feel like I learned that from the best. I had the privilege of working to promote both small and large scale events ranging from the first Chicago Cubs Fan Convention, the World’s Largest Office Party, and the Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade Queen Reunion to displaying the world’s largest Chocolate Covered Easter Egg or publicizing the annual turtle races held in the hotel’s lobby “lagoon.” The greatest takeaway from that phase of my career was in learning how to think outside of the box, go all in, and look at things from the perspective of the end-user, the customer.

Later, I had the privilege of bringing that philosophy to the La Grange Business Association as its executive director, tripling membership, expanding the services offered to members, and adding an exciting roster of promotions to drive foot traffic into the business district – and to the front door of its restaurants, retailers and service businesses.

That experience gave me an intimate knowledge of the steps involved in running my own small business as a marketing consultant. I’m an idea generator, a creative thinker, and a good networker. I like to take ownership of the marketing challenges that small businesses face. Because I understand the needs/obstacles/desires of small business owners from a variety of disciplines, I can hone in on the problems they encounter and help them find solutions. I know how to differentiate a brand from its competition, find the key selling points of a business, and appeal in an emotive way to customers.

I learned to recognize a good idea when I hear it. And I know how someone else’s good idea can be expanded, improved, or adapted to fit another business to become their good idea.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

The most effective growth strategy for me is also the simplest. It’s networking – finding ways to help others; connecting people with partners that make a difference. I like to call it peer-to-peer marketing. It both builds trust and builds your reputation as a small business resource.

I’ve learned that you really don’t have to be the smartest person in the room, just the most curious. And when you’re networking, think about “how I can help you” instead of “how you can help me.”

We’ve all been in a social situation with the person who takes control of the conversation, who talks only of his or her business, and who quizzes you on how you might be of service to them. My advice is to completely reverse that scenario.

People want to be seen. They want to be acknowledged. And when you show interest or curiosity in them, you’ve effectively layed the groundwork for a budding business relationship. They will remember you. At networking or social gatherings, ask questions that prompt conversations:

“How did you do that?”
“What was it like?”
“Can you tell me more?”

Brainstorm. Meet over lunch or coffee with another business owner to discuss scenarios where you might work together. The saying that “there’s strength in numbers” is true. Find a compatible business with whom you share a customer base and explore areas where you might collaborate. Discover what experts they’ve used to help solve a problem or a challenge that you both share.

Over the years, I’ve found that the best source of new clients comes from existing clients – from their personal contacts, from resources that they’ve utilized, even from contacts that they have on social media. I’ve found that the best way to build a business reputation is one person at a time.

A prominent figure once said that people may not remember what you said, but they will remember how you made them feel.

In the end, you don’t have to be the smartest person in the room. But you should make others feel like they are.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

How to Know a Person: the Art of Seeing Others and Being Deeply Seen, by David Brooks.

This New York Times bestseller opened my eyes to the profound impact our conversations can have on both individuals and relationships. The author digs into the art of truly understanding others—making them feel seen, heard, and valued. He offers practical advice on how to build deeper, more meaningful connections by focusing on the key aspects of someone’s story, asking thoughtful questions, and engaging in conversations that encourage genuine understanding.

How to Know a Person guides readers toward becoming more empathetic and considerate, and helps us discover the joy that comes from feeling truly acknowledged. In a time when our culture is often divided by fragmentation, hostility, and misperception, I think this book can open your eyes on how to change that one person at a time. Ultimately, it inspires readers to embrace empathy and contribute to creating a more connected and compassionate world—which seems like something we could all use more of today.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cummingsmarketing.com