Posted on July 15th, 2008 by Adam in
Marketing Sales and Marketing - cost or investment? Which mindset do you have? Regardless how you perceive it, history has shown that companies who continue to invest in Sales and Marketing during an economic downturn stand a better chance of surviving it. Those who cut their spend, reduce their sales potential and lose out.
Inflation has just hit 3.8%, up 0.5% since May. This is an 11 year high and much greater than our Governments 2% target. As a result the Bank of England is unlikely to cut interest rates, currently 5%. The BBC and Financial Times both report daily on the impact of oil prices and the credit crunch on our economy. It is not going to improve overnight.
It is not enough to offer a fantastic set of products and services, unless of course you can survive on repeat business!. Your message needs to get to your potential customers. Your message will come in a variety of forms from advertising and web presence to verbal and sales materials. It is even in the emails and invoices you send. If your message is not up to scratch change it. If your message is not reaching your target audience or the wrong audience, change that. Continual improvement and investment will help you survive this economic downturn.
Posted on January 31st, 2008 by Jane in
Networking Business Networking is a boon to solo professionals and SMEs. In fact, for some of us it’s our main way of getting new business. ‘Word-of-mouth Marketing’, as they call it, is very powerful indeed.
But there’s more to effective Networking than a row of jollies in your diary. There’s a skill to learn. An etiquette you need to perfect.
The first and, in my humble opinion, the most important rule is this:
Networking is NOT selling.
It’s about building relationships and growing a network of people who you can help and who can help you. The work comes from those relationships.
There is nothing more off-putting than going to a networking meeting and having someone pin you in a corner and try and hard-sell you.
Equally irritating – and stupid – is being ignored because you’re not an obvious, immediate customer, as this story from my friend Michelle McDines, the House Coach, illustrates.
‘A guy came up to me at a networking meeting and asked who I was and what I did. I told him, and he said: “Well, there’s no point me talking to you. You won’t buy anything from me.”
‘So I stared him straight in the eyes, smiled and said, “Try me!” He gave me his spiel, and I replied: “You’re right, I won’t. But I know about twenty people who might be very interested in what you’ve got to offer. And that’s how networking works!”‘
Indeed, it is.
It’s about building up trust, being remembered and being referred. It is not about coming away from a meeting with a list of done deals.
Don’t forget, people refer people they like, respect and get on with. Michelle admits that she can’t remember a thing about that obnoxious guy’s business. ‘And with an attitude like his’, she told me, ‘I wouldn’t refer him to anyone I know, anyway.’
So, now you know.
Posted on January 17th, 2008 by Adam in
Branding Brand design involves much more than producing attractive images or just graphic design. It is also about effective communication techniques. A good brand designer will help you get your business message across to your customers in ways that are more subtle, and therefore more efficient, than text alone.
Skilled brand designers will understand about marketing, customer psychology and the corresponding effects on these of combinations of colour, imagery and text. For example, a cartoon logo may be perfect if your business provides products or services for children, but that kind of image might not suit a more ’serious’ business such as one providing independent financial advice.
Posted on January 14th, 2008 by Adam in
Branding A brand (or graphic) designer creates brand logos and other imagery for use on business stationery, promotional literature, signage and websites. Your leaflets, advertisements and stationery provide an important representation of your corporate image to customers, so it is important to have these designed professionally.
Well-designed marketing materials and stationery can convey the impression of a dynamic, successful and trustworthy business, while badly designed literature can say exactly the opposite.
Choosing a brand designer who is right for your business is a critical decision, so make sure you Make the right choice!
Posted on January 9th, 2008 by Adam in
Branding A Brand is a series of perceptions in the minds of consumers
A brand or corporate identity is the cornerstone of virtually every business, or at least it should be. It should express the companies’ values and what it stands for. Or put in simple terms. It needs to look great.
Brand Development
The development of a brand is a key area of design management, dealing with the preservation of your companys most important values. Strong, established brands have often achieved a state of harmony between the actual product or service being offered (Brand identity), the customers experience with that product or service (Brand image), and the wider public perception of the company and/or brand (brand profile). Any further brand development must allow for the need to maintaining control over the image and profile in particular.
Your brand is your most valuable asset!
Without a strong brand and consistent brand strategy and identity, you risk becoming just another shade of grey in the consumer consciousness. As competition intensifies, it becomes more difficult to stand out in a crowd. But to thrive in an increasingly competitive environment, a brand needs to be nurtured.
Why network?
Business is fundamentally about building relationships with people… in building a business you need to make your relationships productive.
Networking, whether on or offline, is finding and establishing relationships with people and it can be a powerful opportunity for you to find more business contacts and therefore, ultimately, to do more business and do it better.
Organised networking events are a simple way of meeting new people and making new contacts but there are some Do’s and Don’ts you should be aware of:
Do
- Attend a group at least twice as a visitor and establish if that group is right for you before deciding to join - and certainly before parting with any of your valuable marketing budget!
- Join different groups to fulfill different purposes.
- Welcome newcomers after becoming a member of a group. Remember what it was like for you to walk into a room not knowing anyone.
- Drop the “What’s in it for me?” attitude.
- Thank the person who gave you a referral, and follow it up within 24 hours.
Don’t
- Enter a room and just hand out your business card to people who you don’t know.
- Try to be all things to all people or your message will be lost.
- Think you will come out with a sale.
- Force the conversation to you all the time.
Here are some UK Networking groups you may be interested in:
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