The theme of this week’s blogpost is collaboration and how you might view your “competitors”. The mindset with which you approach your business can significantly affect your business growth. This week’s blogpost is illustrated by a clownfish and an anemone. These two sea creatures enjoy a symbiotic relationship; each one benefits from the presence of… Continue reading How to supercharge your growth from the start
Category: Resources
Why it’s invaluable to have an agreed marketing strategy document in a changing world
The clocks went back this weekend. Will the shorter hours of daylight affect your business? This change will mainly affect only those who work outside, like my sole trader clients, a gardener and a window cleaner. For most of my followers, the shorter days will impact their domestic life more than their business activities. But… Continue reading Why it’s invaluable to have an agreed marketing strategy document in a changing world
Is good customer service as easy as it sounds?
This week has been a typical, busy week. I have been delivering a project to a client and welcoming new clients, too, while catching up on some days I’d forfeited to illness. The common theme throughout my activities has been customer service, hence my topic for this week’s blogpost. Is there more to customer service… Continue reading Is good customer service as easy as it sounds?
How to make a little go a long way; 6 tips for making your business more efficient
Bees have a limited supply of wax, so they must make the wax which they have stretch as far as possible. This is why they choose to create their honeycombs out of hexagonal shapes. The question about what is the most efficient way to divide a space into equal parts, known as “the honeycomb conjecture”,… Continue reading How to make a little go a long way; 6 tips for making your business more efficient
From seed to strong plant; Understanding your product’s lifecycle
After I wrote last week’s blogpost about product range management, I considered my findings for my own business. I realised that one service which has performed poorly to date is not a “dog”, it is a “?” which is still in an early stage of its development and requires nurturing. It has reminded me of… Continue reading From seed to strong plant; Understanding your product’s lifecycle
The key to grow your business and enjoy it too; how to manage your product range
This week has been very busy and productive and has reminded me that no small business owner should lose sight of enjoying the venture which you chose to establish. Is there a trick to having a business which can grow while you can enjoy seeing it flourish? The trick which I would encourage my clients… Continue reading The key to grow your business and enjoy it too; how to manage your product range
New ways to consider Packaging
There’s lots more to think about with packaging than plastic wrapping and brand name. Think about it as the means to deliver your product/service to your customer. Packaging is visible in nature. Consider the variety of ways which plants disperse their seeds in fruits, berries, horse chestnut conkers, sycamore helicopters….. There’s a wide range of… Continue reading New ways to consider Packaging
How to sell: A guide for those who feel uncomfortable about it.
All businesses need to sell their products or services to remain commercial. I’ve noticed several of my clients express unease about selling, so I thought I’d give a quick review of what’s involved, in the hope that it might allay some of their fears. There are some important steps to take for successful selling. First,… Continue reading How to sell: A guide for those who feel uncomfortable about it.
Keeping things in order; The importance of a marketing information system
This week has been all about keeping my material organised for the gradual development of my website. The activity reminded me of the importance of keeping systematic control over information streams to be certain of maintaining an effective marketing process over time. So this week’s post addresses the importance of an ongoing Marketing Information System… Continue reading Keeping things in order; The importance of a marketing information system
An introduction to marketing for small businesses
This week has been all about delivering my services to my clients. Sunflowers are also known as the “happy” flower because of their close association with the warmth and optimism of sunshine. My approach to pure marketing means that I adhere closely to the definition of marketing which is given by my professional body, the… Continue reading An introduction to marketing for small businesses
The small business’ introduction to pricing and discounting
This week I’ve noticed quite a few posts which have promoted discounts for products or services. So, with an ‘end of summer vibe’, it’s a good time to focus in depth on the fundamental topic of pricing. How to calculate your price? There are two distinct routes which you can follow when setting your price:… Continue reading The small business’ introduction to pricing and discounting
Listen to these top tips on how Twitter can help you generate sales for your business to grow
This week I have reaped rewards from listening and would like to share with you my reasons for valuing social listening so highly. I think that a strong business should listen as attentively as a hare. Social Listening is the process of monitoring news feeds on social media and it’s important because: • You can… Continue reading Listen to these top tips on how Twitter can help you generate sales for your business to grow
The seed contains the plant: four lessons for start-ups which want to grow
Last week’s blogpost addressed the topic of growth and development. It concluded with a flower in bud, waiting to bloom. This week I have been reminded that my business proposition, like those of my potential, future clients, is still in its infancy, or in the start-up stage called MVP, as are those of many of… Continue reading The seed contains the plant: four lessons for start-ups which want to grow
Developing the business for growth
Last week I reiterated that I have applied the Ansoff matrix to identify how I plan to fill my performance gap by concentrating on two types of development: market development and product development. • Market development: This means that I will take my existing product range into a new area, or segment. The risks which… Continue reading Developing the business for growth
Making Gap analysis work in strategic marketing planning for small businesses
Gap analysis at its simplest “is about identifying gaps and seeing how these might be filled to the profitable, long-term benefit of the organisation”*. What kind of gaps should you look to fill? I have been giving thought this week to the most frequently considered type of gap, the Performance Gap. In other words, how… Continue reading Making Gap analysis work in strategic marketing planning for small businesses
A guide for small businesses to maximise the impact of your marketing communications
Having written about Promotions last week, and thinking about what we can all learn from peacocks, I’ve spent this week developing my communications mechanics. Specifically, a printed flyer, my website, and blogposts, both my own and those I write on behalf of my clients. To recap, last week I described how we can learn three… Continue reading A guide for small businesses to maximise the impact of your marketing communications
Discover your inner peacock. Make promotions powerful with a strategic marketing plan
Promotions. This is the final P which I introduced at the end of the previous blogpost about the P’s of the marketing mix. Today I will provide you with some insight into Promotions – what it’s all about and importantly, the pitfalls to avoid. What is a promotion? It is a term which describes ”the… Continue reading Discover your inner peacock. Make promotions powerful with a strategic marketing plan
What are the P’s of the marketing mix? Key points for small businesses to consider when implementing a strategic marketing plan.
This week, I realise that I’ve been busy with client facing work, and have therefore been considering my product, so this week’s topic is the P’s/peas of the marketing mix, a well known aide memoire for anyone who’s familiar with marketing theory. The traditional 4P’s of the marketing mix are: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion.… Continue reading What are the P’s of the marketing mix? Key points for small businesses to consider when implementing a strategic marketing plan.
How to develop a healthy business skeleton with planning and control
This week, I’ve spent much of my time on physiotherapy which will strengthen my muscles and my skeleton. For my business, I’ve been concentrating on my planning and my systems, and I realised that well-managed planning and control, and the use of established theory and models and mechanisms for a business, are akin to a… Continue reading How to develop a healthy business skeleton with planning and control
An introduction to the value of making time for blue sky thinking
The series of blogposts which I write genuinely reflects the activities I’ve been doing to build my own business. I hope that if I can build a strong business for myself in the long run, by following my own advice, I will represent the proof to my potential clients that my approach really works. So,… Continue reading An introduction to the value of making time for blue sky thinking
Look inside – what would you create with what you find?: Writing courses by Charlie Bell
A list of courses and workshops I am teaching this summer and autumn HURRY! Time is running out to book. Annual Weekend Writing Retreat at Aylesford Fri 20th – Sun 22nd July. A relaxed weekend for those seeking creative inspiration, peace and good companionship. It will be the seventeenth year of this very special event.… Continue reading Look inside – what would you create with what you find?: Writing courses by Charlie Bell
Understanding your audience: An Introduction to Market Segmentation
In my last blogpost about competitor analysis I introduced the idea of segmenting the market should you choose to pursue a focus strategy whereby you will aim to satisfy for a particular type of customer, not any buyer. In such a scenario you are not serving the whole market, or “mass” market but a distinct… Continue reading Understanding your audience: An Introduction to Market Segmentation
Technology: friend or foe?
My last blogpost ended with the introduction of Technological, as the T in a PEST analysis, which requires more than a couple of sentences to explain. I have chosen the cute, harlequin ladybird as the “pest” to illustrate technology because it captures the conflicting qualities of technology. On the one hand, like the ladybird, technology… Continue reading Technology: friend or foe?
An introduction to the marketing tool PEST analysis for small businesses
In this blogpost l will discuss the marketing tool PEST analysis, which is used when you develop a strategic marketing plan. After you have closely examined the potential of your chosen market, it is necessary to take a wider view by examining the environment in which you plan to conduct your business. When you are… Continue reading An introduction to the marketing tool PEST analysis for small businesses
6 reasons why it is relevant to include public speaking in the media /marketing planning process for a small business
Flamingoes can walk, fly and swim. They choose the method which best suits their current requirement; they adapt to their need at the time. A small business owner should be equally adaptable. I have realised this for myself in the last few days, while I have been privileged to receive input from the public speaking… Continue reading 6 reasons why it is relevant to include public speaking in the media /marketing planning process for a small business
The small businesses guide to media planning: Reasons why you should make time for it or seek advice
It is likely that you don’t currently consider media planning to be a priority while you’re busy building your business, but I will explain why it’s important to consider it as a key component within your marketing activity. Like a squirrel storing acorns for winter consumption, if you get your media planning in place, you… Continue reading The small businesses guide to media planning: Reasons why you should make time for it or seek advice
How to identify and reach a niche target group
It can often be the case that a small business or sole trader knows exactly who they’d like to reach with their message, but doesn’t know how to make contact with the specific group. Here I will share with you the process which I followed recently to attract a specific audience to an event which… Continue reading How to identify and reach a niche target group
The Small Business’s Guide to Buying Advertising
Flowers are nature’s way of advertising. They fulfil the key functions of good advertising by: • Attracting attention • Guiding the customer/pollinator to take the required action • Being a memorable prompt for the customer/pollinator to repeat the same rewarding action in future • A combination of stimuli, colour, fragrance, and shape combine together to… Continue reading The Small Business’s Guide to Buying Advertising
Finding Influencers
“How do I reach influencers in my field?”, asked one of my followers. Here are my top tips for finding influencers in your chosen field. My first caution is: be clear why you want to reach influencers in your field. Is it to obtain some endorsement from them to build your credibility, or is it… Continue reading Finding Influencers
A guide to social media for small businesses
Social media offer great opportunities to small businesses, but may be new and unfamiliar to many; so here is a concise guide to the main platforms, identifying their strengths and relevance.