From Leaflets to Lead Generation: How Michelle Webb Built a 14-Year Class Business
When Michelle Webb started running TinyTalk baby-signing classes 14 years ago, marketing looked very different.
There were paper booking forms, cheques in the post, library taster sessions and plenty of walking around in branded clothing, ready to hand a leaflet to any parent who might be interested.
Social media existed, but it was not yet where local class businesses built most of their visibility.
Today, Michelle runs TinyTalk baby-signing and toddler-talking classes across Bracknell and Wokingham, working with families through community classes and nursery provision. Her local programme combines 30 minutes of signing and singing with 30 minutes of social time, giving children space to play while parents and carers can connect over a drink and a biscuit.
Michelle is also a finalist in the Marketing and Sales Excellence category at The Class Business Awards 2026, recognising not only the longevity of her business, but the clear strategy now sitting behind its continued growth.
Falling Into a Business and Falling in Love With It
Before TinyTalk, Michelle worked in corporate HR as a compensation and benefits analyst.
After being made redundant during a recession, she worked in events management and later had her first baby. Returning to corporate life no longer appealed, and her own experience of attending baby classes opened a different door.
Michelle discovered TinyTalk at a taster session and began using signs with her son at home. He started communicating through signs from around eight months, helping him express whether he wanted food, milk, a drink or something more.
After attending classes for around 18 months, Michelle’s teacher suggested she train to run them herself.
“I sort of just fell into it really, but then fell in love with it.”
Fourteen years later, she is still there.
Communication That Changes Family Life
Baby signing can look playful from the outside, but Michelle has seen how powerful it can become for families.
It can help a baby express what they want before spoken language develops, reducing frustration and giving parents more confidence that they understand their child.
Michelle shared stories including:
• A toddler with a head injury who could still respond to his mum through signing
• A profoundly deaf child whose nursery friends learnt signs so they could communicate and build friendships
In the first case, the child was not responding verbally after the accident, but he was able to sign back to his mother. At one point, overwhelmed by her worried questions, he even signed for her to stop talking.
In another, Michelle taught signs within a nursery so a profoundly deaf child could communicate with his peers. His friends became so confident that they could sometimes interpret his signs when an adult did not understand.
“That’s powerful because his friend was able to translate to me what he was talking about.”
Why Social Time Is Part of the Service
TinyTalk classes are not only designed around babies and toddlers.
The second half of each class gives adults time to talk, ask questions and share the everyday realities of parenting.
Michelle sees this as a vital part of the experience because early parenthood can be isolating, particularly when someone does not already know other families with children at the same stage.
The conversations may be about sleep, feeding, clothes or something as specific as which sleeping bag to use during a heatwave.
“It just gives everyone a chance to connect and meet people in the local area.”
That community cannot happen unless families first discover the classes, which is why Michelle sees marketing as inseparable from impact.
Marketing Has Come Full Circle
Michelle still uses social media, regular offers and email marketing, but she believes providers must now combine online visibility with genuine face-to-face connection.
Her current approach includes:
• Daily online visibility, email marketing and paid advertising
• Events, local conversations and community partnerships
“It’s not just about ‘buy my class, buy my class’. It’s finding out more about them, what they’re looking for.”
That mindset helped Michelle grow her own classes and successfully bring another teacher, Victoria, into the business.
When Victoria’s new class launched, Michelle created a specific offer and placed it in front of the right local audience. All 15 places sold for the full term within one week.
Knowing Your Numbers Changes Everything
Michelle now tracks leads, conversion rates, retention and the number of spaces she needs to fill.
That data has made rebooking periods less stressful because she can make informed decisions rather than relying on hope.
She is also more confident about investing in advertising because she understands how the money connects to bookings and revenue.
“You can have the best classes in the world, but if nobody knows you, then you might as well not be there.”
Free marketing still has a place, but Michelle believes it should sit alongside paid activity rather than replace it.
Her next major project is the Baby and Toddler Showcase, created with Carrie Weston to connect local families with children’s activity providers in the Bracknell area.
Michelle Webb is a finalist in the Marketing and Sales Excellence category at The Class Business Awards 2026.
Watch the Full Interview with Michelle
Watch the full interview to hear more about her 14-year journey, the life-changing impact of baby signing and how stronger marketing systems helped her fill a new class in just one week.
Join us on Saturday 10 October 2026 at the National Conference Centre in Solihull for The Class Business Live, followed by The Class Business Awards & Afterparty.
Watch Michelle’s full interview here.
