Category: Business Resilience

make it easy to

This article will give you ways to make it easy for customers to buy from you. It’s important that marketers like us remember that Effort is part of Prof. Paul Fifield’s price/value equation: Value = Benefit – Effort – Risk – Price (source Prof. Paul Fifield, Marketing Strategy Masterclass, 2008), available at:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Marketing-Strategy-Masterclass-Implementing-Strategies/dp/B019TM71OC So , this… Continue reading make it easy to

Help your customers to feel safe when they buy

Previously, I have talked about how marketers like you can add value by listening to your customers. You can remind yourself of this by revisiting the post here  Prof. Paul Fifield talks about how you can add value in his Value Equation: Value = Benefit – Effort – Risk – Price In this article, I… Continue reading Help your customers to feel safe when they buy

How much care do you take to thank your customers?

The season of goodwill lasts all year for Marketers, you always need to consider the best way to thank your customers. Therefore, Winter berries illustrate this topic well. Berries are a gift that trigger a cycle of growth. Recently, I gave you some tips on how to find new customers  That post explained that it… Continue reading How much care do you take to thank your customers?

8 metrics you must track to master change with a Marketing Information System

Change can affect any business at any time. Therefore, it is crucial for you to maintain an effective Marketing Information system that will allow you to keep control during periods of instability. The piece of kit that you need in your Marketing toolbox is a Marketing Information System (MKIS). And, during any period of instability,… Continue reading 8 metrics you must track to master change with a Marketing Information System

When is price-cutting good for your business?

Price-cutting has become a seasonal tradition.  This blogpost examines its drawbacks and explains when price-cutting can be good for your business. It has become traditional for firms to join the frenzy of price-cutting in November and December called Black Friday and Cyber Week/Month. I shared my fears about how it can damage the direction of… Continue reading When is price-cutting good for your business?

What is CRM for sole traders?

CRM for sole traders does not need to be complicated. CRM is a buzz term, you may have heard Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a process that’s used by a company to monitor and analyse its interactions with its past, current and potential customers. The objective is to maximise customer satisfaction and the firm’s profitability.A… Continue reading What is CRM for sole traders?

Marketing tips for surviving winter

Trading conditions in winter are often difficult, or quieter than usual. Many small businesses need Marketing tips for surviving winter. I can reassure you, if you have a strong grip on your Marketing processes there will be actions which you can take immediately to mitigate the challenging times you face in winter.  These marketing tips … Continue reading Marketing tips for surviving winter

Where should I sell?

The meaning of Place in Marketing Where should I sell? This question concerns more than the physical location of your business. Place is the final tactic for you to deploy speedily in the series of 4 main P’s in the Marketing Mix (Product, Price, Place, Promotion). Place in Marketing theory is also called Distribution. The… Continue reading Where should I sell?

How to get more followers on twitter

Twitter is an extremely useful broadcast medium, which is free. Knowing how to get more followers on twitter will enable you to build an audience.  So that when you have important news to share with your clients or potential customers, you will have a ready-made following to receive your news. Many small businesses will emerge… Continue reading How to get more followers on twitter

How to adapt tactics to stay relevant to your customers

“Our abilities to adapt, innovate, and learn will be a key factors in resilience and recovery.” Rohit Talwar and J Walker Smith , 17 Aug 2020  (Kantar Futureproof podcasts available on spotify)  Here, I focus on how to adapt tactics following any type of market disruption. Many small business owners are wondering how to adapt… Continue reading How to adapt tactics to stay relevant to your customers

How to promote your brand’s story

Nowadays knowing how to promote your brand’s story should be at the heart of your Marketing Communications activities. Telling your brand’s story can be an extremely powerful and cost-effective method to promote your business, build awareness of it, and attract the right customers. There are many opportunities for you to tell your brand’s story, I… Continue reading How to promote your brand’s story

How to develop a brand identity

It is important for every sole proprietor to understand how to develop a brand identity and maintain it at times of disruption. The latest McKinsey research has shown that during the COVID-19 crisis consumers  became less loyal, and increasingly tried new retailers and new brands. As the loyalty dynamics of the retail sector shift, it is… Continue reading How to develop a brand identity

Strategies to maximise your competitive advantage in tough times

A cactus has developed its competitive advantage, in order to grow tall and strong in an arid desert. Its lack of water is akin to the possibility of no customers, in tough trading conditions. So, how does a cactus survive without this basic necessity? It deploys two strategic methods from which we can learn: Survival… Continue reading Strategies to maximise your competitive advantage in tough times

How to prepare your business to pivot

Whenever there is disruption in your marketplace, or your personal life; it is important that you’re ready to pivot.It’s good for your business resilience to have some preparation in place so that you’re able to adapt whenever there’s a significant change in your personal circumstances or in your marketplace. This type of alteration is called… Continue reading How to prepare your business to pivot

9 things you need to know about niche marketing

As a small business owner you’ll hear many remarks about  others having a  preference for niche marketing,  but is it right for yours, or not? Find out  with my checklist 9 things you should know about niche marketing”. You should keep these in mind to ensure that you remain strong and don’t become vulnerable to… Continue reading 9 things you need to know about niche marketing

How to drive traffic to your website

An image of a macaw is a reminder of how to drive traffic to your website

Whenever you’ve spent time or money on your website.  It’s important that you know how to drive traffic to your website, so that you can attract new customers to your business. This activity doesn’t require lots of technological or digital skills.  It is a type of pure marketing which I seek to enable you to… Continue reading How to drive traffic to your website

What is social listening?

While chatting with friends and clients about my main business service, I’ve often been asked “What is social listening and how can it assist me with marketing my business?”  Social listening is the action of paying attention to your current and potential customers across social media platforms with the purpose of generating new leads. I’ve… Continue reading What is social listening?

Remember to communicate clearly to inform customers

Though it is important to communicate clearly with your customers at all times,  now it is more important than ever, as businesses prepare to re-open as lockdown eases. Why do you need to communicate clearly after disruption? After any period of disruption for a business, customers are likely to be wondering about what might be… Continue reading Remember to communicate clearly to inform customers

Prepare for long-term growth after disruption

This week’s theme is: Prepare your business for its long-term success. There is a flippant saying in Marketing Strategy circles: “You can only get to enjoy the long-term by getting through the short-term first”. Recently, I expect that you’ve been working hard during disruption to get through each day while developing your new projects which… Continue reading Prepare for long-term growth after disruption

How to accelerate growth of a new product

Last week we took steps to protect our young business development ideas/seedlings from any additional threats which might jeopardise their success after the period of disruption ends.  This week’s focus is to find methods which will encourage them to grow quickly so that they’re no longer fragile seedlings.  Hence, this week’s illustration shows well-established plants.… Continue reading How to accelerate growth of a new product

How to prepare to take a new product to the market

I hope that you have stayed well, as you navigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on personal lives and commerce. In your journey of business development following the disruption that’s arisen during the lockdown period, it is now the time for you to harvest your new ideas and prepare to take them to your… Continue reading How to prepare to take a new product to the market

Anticipate opportunities for business development

n this series of memos, I have been guiding you on how to prepare your business for growth post disruption.  If you need a recap, you can find all the relevant memos here. Last week, I told you about my long-term decision to switch to holding consultations virtually.  That’s the adaptation which I’ve identified for… Continue reading Anticipate opportunities for business development

Anticipate threats to your business development

Welcome back to the next stage for helping your business to continue to thrive after disruption.  By now, I hope that you’ve planted the seedlings which represent your new ways for moving your business forward post-disruption. This week, it’s time to nurture them with care to give them the greatest chance for success. This means… Continue reading Anticipate threats to your business development

How to capitalise on loyalty during uncertainty or crisis

A period of crisis is a good opportunity for you to develop your Marketing, by understanding the topic  “Customer Loyalty”. It will come as no surprise to any of my regular readers that your most valuable customers are those which you already have.  In this period of uncertainty, those customers must be cherished more than… Continue reading How to capitalise on loyalty during uncertainty or crisis

Prepare to adapt your strategy during uncertainty

This post will help you to consider how to adapt your strategy at a time of crisis.  It was written at the height of the COVID19  Pandemic, its advice applies to any period of crisis or disruption.There’s no point in avoiding the topic that’s dominated everyone’s lives this week.  The current Public Health Emergency has… Continue reading Prepare to adapt your strategy during uncertainty

Satisfy the new normal

Last week, I encouraged you to do all the groundwork that is needed for your business to be ready for life after lockdown.  You can access that Memo here if you missed it. This week’s activity is the next stage. I have assumed that, like me, you’ve completed the steps for preparing your metaphorical Marketing Vegetable… Continue reading Satisfy the new normal

How can you be ready for whatever happens next?

As the Government begins to make hints about its lockdown exit-strategy and the timing of the possible loosening of the current restrictions, it is important for all businesses to use this quiet period to prepare for doing commerce again after lockdown. Get ready for a changed business environment It will not be a simple case… Continue reading How can you be ready for whatever happens next?