Is your business at risk of doing a Woolworths? (…)

Marketing plans don't need to be complicated.  Here's a simple 5 step marketing plan that you can use to great effect to get the ball rolling…

Build a database of customers - capture their details on a feedback card, or by running a prize draw once a month
 
Communicate regularly to your customers - it costs a lot more to win a new customer than it does to make more sales to past customers.  Send emails, SMS messages, cards
 
Create a strong USP for your brand - what is the differentiator that should mean customers come to you and not your competitors?  Write it in plain, bold words and use it everywhere
 
Keep score - measure how many leads you get from every different marketing source you use - Yellow Pages, Internet, telemarketing, customer referrals, newsletters, etc.  If you don't know how well it's working, you don't know what to do more of and what to drop like a hot coal
 
Networking - people buy from people, so put yourself out there amongst others who might be interested in your products and services.  Plan to attend a business networking meeting every week or two. (…)

I was in a fabulous restaurant last week, talking to the owner.  The food was exceptional and prices reasonable, so it was great value for money.  We got chatting about the impact of the recession on his trade. (…)

The fastest way to get your business to the top of the search engines is to use pay-per-click advertising.  Since Google accounts for around 70% of all searches done online, the Google Adwords service is the obvious place to start. (…)

When times are tight you want to cut your fixed costs and make the most of your sales opportunities. (…)

Do you need a marketing calendar?
Are you one of those people who has lots of great ideas, starts them but then they trickle out? (…)

Last week a recruitment and temp agency told me that demand for telemarketing staff has massively dropped in the last few months. (…)

In a fascinating report on the BBC News website, deaths after surgery have been reduced by over 40% after using a checklist before and after operating. (…)

After a nightmare day on Monday when my laptop power adapter gave up the ghost, I was delighted by the help I got from Lee Collins, the MD of Cambridge Laptop Repairs.  While he didn't have an adaptor in place, he told me where I'd get one.  That kind of help is priceless - so I have no hesitation in recommending them. (…)

Yesterday I met a man with a manufacturing business.  He was really fed up with business - he makes great quality product and even supplies the trade, who label it up with their own name.  But he's seen falling sales and from his body language is feeling pretty depressed and fed up with his lot in life. (…)