Creative thinking for marketers

By Nigel TempleNo Comments
Are you creative? Pause for a moment and reflect on your answer to this question. For some reason, many people's instant response is 'no, I am not creative.' I have asked thousands of business owners and seminar delegates this question. The answer is that we are all creative, as problem solving is part of human nature. Running a business and marketing are both creative thinking exercises. For example, have you ever asked yourself questions along these lines: "How do I attract more customers, without spending money?" "How do I improve my writing skills and what should I write about?" "How can I learn about internet marketing and where should I focus my time and energy, online?" Be open to new ideas Begin by being open to new ideas. It is all too easy to dismiss new ideas and approaches. You hear it when someone says: "Oh, I have tried that before and it didn't work." Or: "That wouldn't work in my business." So with a wave...
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Website strategy – Mind Map image

By Nigel TempleNo Comments
Here is Mind Map showing the key strategic elements of a customer focused website. If you click on the image, a larger version will appear: 1. Customer: because you should be customer focused, not product centric IMHO*. Successful websites provide customer engagement. This is easy for me to say, challenging for you to do - which is why The Marketing Compass is here. (As we provide advice, encouragement and feedback to busy small business owners). 2. Design: because you don't get a second chance to make a first impression. Your website should look professional, particularly to the first time visitor, otherwise they are likely to 'disappear within a click'. Read website design ideas for small businesses. 3. Interactive: because interactivity = the USP of the internet. The more that the visitor can 'click on stuff' within your site, the better. 4. Content: because content is king. The more you write, the more you will attract Google. Read point two of the marketing commitments. As always,...
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Website design ideas for small businesses

By Nigel Temple1 Comment
As the saying goes: "You never get a second chance to make a first impression." Two types of people visit your website: strangers and friends. I have asked thousands of small business owners which of these two groups are more important to them. Overwhelmingly, they answer 'strangers' - because the objective is to turn them into friends (i.e. customers). There is no point in driving traffic to your website, if the site design lets you down. I am not suggesting that you spend thousands of pounds on fancy graphics. I am suggesting that your website should look professional. Here are some ways to achieve this: * Begin by thinking about the objectives for your website, i.e. online brochure, credibility, sales lead generation, online sales? * Decide on the key elements you want to include within your website and where the focus is going to be. For example, for a B2B (Business to Business) company, is it all about building relationships with prospective clients? For...
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The benefits of having a small business CRM system

By Nigel Temple2 Comments
CRM = Customer Relationship Management System. According to David Willis, of Information Drivers (www.information-drivers.com) CRM can be defined as: "A customer-focused strategy, designed to optimise customer satisfaction, revenue and profitability." The important thing is to have 'all of your contacts in one place.' It's all too easy to end up with them scattered all over the place. I was talking to a client about this recently and I asked him how many contacts he had and where he kept this information? "Er," he replied, "well, I have quite a few within my email system. And then I have a few spreadsheets. I throw business cards into a box I keep underneath my desk. Does Facebook count?" I went outside into the street and screamed. You should be coming across new contacts all the time. For example, if you go out networking, you will be collecting business cards (what do you do with this information?) Emails are flowing into your inbox every day (where do you...
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The marketing commitments – a 7 point checklist

By Nigel TempleNo Comments
It order to attract new customers, you are going to have to either spend money or time, or a combination of both. When I ask my seminar audiences to choose, they overwhelmingly opt for spending their time. So the question is: where should you spend your time, when it comes to marketing your small business? Here is 'The marketing commitments' a 7 point checklist, which may help you to decide: 1. Start with your marketing plan   Otherwise you are shooting in the dark. If you don't have one, spend half a day (i.e. a Saturday morning) writing one. Refer to your marketing plan once a week, preferably on a Friday for 20 minutes - so that you can plan activities for the following week. (See Navigator membership of The Marketing Compass). 2. Spend at least half an hour every morning writing   Believe me, if you do this, you will get better and faster. I recommend that you write a blog every day * gasp...
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Choosing a website domain name

By Nigel Temple1 Comment
If you are launching a new business, or considering launching an additional website, selecting a domain name is an important marketing decision. There are a number of factors to take into account. In general, go for a short domain name, as this is easier to say and easier to remember. Your website address = a domain name. For example, bbc.co.uk and wikipedia.org are famous domain names. The domain name for www.nigeltemple.com is split into two parts. The TLD (Top Level Domain) is the part to the right (“.com”). The latter is easy to say (two syllables) and is generally accepted to mean a commercial website. For UK companies / small businesses / independent professionals, “.co.uk” is a popular TLD choice. Sadly, it comprises no less than five syllables, so it is a little long winded to say aloud. Within “nigeltemple.com” the part to the left = the second level domain (SLD). You will probably want to include your business name, or a brand...
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What is Pinterest and how can it help my marketing?

By Nigel TempleNo Comments
Pinterest is an image sharing social network. It enables registered users to create pinboards of images and videos. The pinboards can be used to plan an event, gather ideas, organise your thoughts or show what you do. Pinterest has been gaining popularity and is now used by independent professionals, small businesses and famous brands to reach and influence customers. You can browse pinboards created by other people, in order to find ideas and inspiration from people with shared interests. In order to join, you will need to request an invite. (It can take a little while for this to come through). Pinterest is proving popular within the retail, arts and crafts, restaurant, food, travel and style & fashion sectors. Whilst it is true that Pinterest has more of an appeal for B2C (Business to Consumer) marketers, innovative B2B (Business to Business) marketers are using it as well. Here are some ways in which you could use Pinterest * Upload images of your product(s) or...
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How to add the WordPress blog option to your LinkedIn profile

By Nigel Temple2 Comments
How to add the WordPress blog option to your LinkedIn profile: 1. Login to your LinkedIn profile. 2. Select 'Edit profile' and scroll right down to the bottom. You will see the following link: Applications - Add an Application. 3. Click on the link and you will see a page of options. Choose the option to add your blog link with WordPress. You will be taken to a page where you can add the RSS feed for your blog. For example: http://www.nigeltemple.com/blog/ Having done this, your blog entries will appear within your LinkedIn profile! By the way, did you know that we offer Wordpress training courses? We hope that this helps; any questions, just ask. Join us COMPASS membership is FREE! * Create a profile & promote yourself * Hyperlink back to your website * Connect with other members * Post updates about your marketing * Join knowledge groups & find answers * Download our FREE ebook – 101 Customer Attraction Techniques * Earn money via our affiliate scheme [DKB url="https://www.marketingcompass.co.uk/register" text="Create...
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How to influence people and attract more customers

By Nigel TempleNo Comments
Whatever you push against in life tends to push back against you. The alternative approach is to bring people, resources and customers to you, using the power of influence. The direct approach can appear to be the best option. Which is why so many businesses still cold call prospective customers. I was talking to a business owner yesterday and I asked her how she attracted new clients. "I pick up the phone and try to get a meeting," she said. "OK," I replied, "who are you calling?" "I usually work my way through a directory," she responded. Oh dear, I thought. She must be able to handle a considerable amount of rejection. The challenge with this approach is that she is starting without any relationship at all, with the person she is trying to get through to. Therefore, this is an extreme example of 'push marketing'. Another example would be the knock at your front door in the evening, from someone representing...
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How to write for the web

By Nigel Temple1 Comment
Writing for the web is part art and part science. 'Art' includes the ability to make your words flow and to make them sufficiently compelling to keep the readers' attention. 'Science' refers to your ability to get the reader to follow the journey from awareness through to purchase (or a key action, such as a request for a meeting). It is widely accepted that website visitors scan web pages. As they typically see many website pages in a day, they are hunting for useful, relevant content. They do this by scanning 'signposts' on the page, including headlines and subheads. I have taught internet marketing since 2000. During my seminars, presentations and consultancy sessions I am often surprised at how confusing web pages can be. With regards to the text on the page - start by getting the headline right. Write effective headlines The headline = the signpost for your page content (or newsletter story, blog entry etc). It is critical that it is...
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