Pick And Mix Your Marketing

Many small businesses find a marketing method that works to some extent and then just repeat it again and again because they are afraid to change it.
Forms of marketing that worked a few years or even months ago can dry up.
Unless you measure it on a regular basis by using unique codes, offers or tracking telephone numbers it's likely you will get caught out.
Using the measuring techniques invest a little time and money to trial new marketing channels while keeping your staple methods going.
Have a great weekend :-)

Customer Recommendations Beats Other Marketing By A Mile For SME Businesses

When marketeers approach a small business it is wise to bear in mind they will exist initially due to word of mouth recommendation than any other marketing medium.
When was the last time you recommended a business just because you wanted too?

We all say we will recommend our local guys but unless they ask us we plain forget. So the challenge for the business owner is not to be good enough to recommend but to be good enough at asking in the right way to get recommended.

Depending on the product and market One of the social platforms Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ or You Tube should fit.
Once the best of these has been selected then the right approach must be implemented and remember.

"Interaction Creates Consumer Action"

The better the relationship you build with existing customers the more they come back and use you.

For more on how to do this get in touch :-)

The right tools and planning makes social media easy

Have you ever wondered how the big boys manage to do so much more with their marketing?
It's a bit like the difference between a builder who does a good job and one who does a great job. A lot of the time it's down to the kit they use.
If they are bothered enough to get the best kit to do the job then they are bothered enough to do more with it.
The same with marketing if you are bothered enough to get the right tools you should be bothered enough to make the most of them.
Many of them use sophisticated CRM systems that allow them to follow up and measure responses to campaigns what are you using?
Social media has become a massive tool for many and managing it has become one of the biggest headaches for them.
To manage a social campaign it's all about how you set it up. Most platforms have apps that interact with other platforms allowing single postings to appear in multiple locations. There is however a danger of creating a loop which causes it's own issues.
Most businesses fall down by missing the most important part which is monitoring and responding to people's comments. This is why it's called social media.
If you need any help with organising your campaigns we can help so give us a call.
07990640374

When Employing A Telesales Company Make Sure They Fully Understand Your Business!!

I can't believe there are marketing companies out there who use Telesales companies to promote their products and don't check they know about them and their products.

I was called today by a lovely lady who at first didn't realise I had answered and was talking to a colleague, she did apologise.

She wanted to know who the marketing director was as the company she represented sold marketing tools to the advertising industry.

She knew nothing of what the products were or what they did and seemed unsure of the company name.

Needless to say I didn't go any further because there was no credibility for a marketing company doing such a poor job on the first contact.

There is a lesson here for ALL of us you only get one chance to make a first impression so be very careful who you get to do that for you and check they have enough information to represent you well :-)

Sent from my HTC

When You Get your Marketing Right People Just Appear Everywhere

Why is it that people suddenly appear in the strangest places? Coincidence is there such a thing?

Have you ever decided to buy a certain kind of car and suddenly there are hundreds of them passing you every day? This can be classed as coincidence or as many people understand it's more an awareness thing its being open to the opportunity of it.

Do you remember the unlucky guy in Paul McKenna's programme about the "Lucky Dog Statue"? His problem wasn't about being unlucky but not being open to the idea that good luck was all around him until he became aware of it. The same happens for the car above and for business opportunities to grow. You have to take action to create the interest then you have to be open to the possibilities of the business coming in.

I have as you are probably aware been taking action to interact with many Leicester businesses through numerous ways to create the interest in joining me to build something special. I have networked, taken voluntary roles with organisations, helped charities, spoken to many on a one to one basis and been very active on Social Media.

I have been working very much at bringing benefit to the Leicester Businesses by building a Community of Excellence to serve the people of the city. This is made up of independent locally recommended businesses so we know they are providing great customer service.

Sounds pretty straight forward until you try to do it, then you find it's like moving a super tanker you have to keep pushing forwards without any noticeable change for months, then it moves a little and then a little more and now it's got momentum and growing naturally.

As a result of all my efforts and being open to possibilities I am now finding exactly the kind of businesses we want just turning up and contacting me. The human nature of curiosity is amazing as people notice me in one network they want to connect with me through another and then another until before you realise it you know each other well and doing business becomes second nature.

This is all brought about by lots of little efforts of engagement on my part as adding value to them and the more value I add the more they want to join in what I'm doing. This build a mutual respect between me and the prospects as it becomes obvious that by doing business with me we both gain which is how it should be.

Now people are connecting on LinkedIn and then through Twitter and then seeking me out on Facebook, sometimes through a chance meeting in the streets of Leicester or at a networking event but the result is the same. Look out for those opportunities to add value to everyone you meet and before long the same will happen for your business.



Looking forward to hearing from you soon. P.S. Remember you have a choice how you feel about things in life don't let others or the inner voice of doubt stop you from being who you really are! Enjoy life and have a great day... :-)

Why Return On Investment No Longer Works In Marketing

We have all heard how we must get a ROI or return on investment for everything and that has been fine for many years in marketing to people and other businesses.

Although you will still be able to use this form of marketing for your business it is not as effective as it used to be and in many cases will damage your long term relationship with your clients and yes even your prospects.

The buying public have become sensitive to pushy or transaction marketing and tend to pull away from it as soon as they feel their choice is being taken away from them.

How then can you get them to buy from you?

Well it's called relationship or community marketing where it's not about ROI but ROE return on Engagement, how much you are valued as a reliable source of advice and information rather than how cleverly you can sell to them.

What has to be taken into account here are a number of factors:

1) At any one given time only 3% of the people you are marketing to are likely to be looking to buy right now.

2) With the rise in the internet and Social media platforms such as Google+, Facebook, Twitter, You Tube and LinkedIn just to name but a few, there is so much choice and opportunity for people to research before they buy.

3) Customer service is not just about remembering their name when they come into your shop / business they want to feel you care all the time not just when they are buying.

4) Once people decide to buy they want to be able to buy NOW! and get on with their lives so being in touch often is key to getting and keeping them as clients.

5) The real value of a business is not how good your product is but how a customer feels when they buy from you.

Bearing all this in mind have a look how you are interacting with your customers!
Are you meeting them on their level? i.e. do you have a Facebook page? Twitter profile? You Tube channel?

These are all places where you can interact with your customers freely and easily (if set up correctly) for just 10 mins/day and as a result you will be the place they come to when they are ready to buy, you will be the place they recommend to their friends and family and yes you will be the place they mention in their social networks for the whole world to see.

This is why a return on your Engagement is much more powerful than your Investment.... if you want more information on this subject then let me know and I will post further blogs or you can email me direct if you have a specific query that needs resolving at realtimemarketingonline@live.com



Looking forward to hearing from you soon. P.S. Remember you have a choice how you feel about things in life don't let others or the inner voice of doubt stop you from being who you really are! Enjoy life and have a great day...