Startup marketing advice

By Nigel TempleNo Comments
Are you looking for startup marketing advice? Here is a checklist which may help you: *  Write a marketing plan. This will make you think through the key issues and your resources. *  Choose your website domain name very carefully: you will have to live with it for a long time. From an SEO perspective, if it contains relevant keywords - you will be found more easily. Here is an article on choosing a website domain name. *  Use a CRM (Customer Relationship Management system) from the outset. Here are the benefits of having a small business CRM system. *  Use the free marketing techniques which are available to you, before you spend money on promotion. *  Think about the different ways in which you will promote your business. Here is a list of 29 promotional categories *  Use social media to promote your business, i.e. Twitter. Share helpful information which is related to your business. Here are some Twitter tips. *  Spend two hours a day on marketing activities, i.e....
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Better Business Management

By Jacqui-Hogan1 Comment
When was the last time you took a step back to think about what you want to do to make your business more successful? Here are are few simple, but essential, tips: Define clear Goals As far as possible, define the goals in terms that can be measured. Then, as changes are proposed (and they will be!), you have a set of well understood and defined criteria against which to measure the impact and relevance of changes. And there will be changes! More>> Review your business plan You do have a Business Plan, don’t you? A good business plan will save you time, money and possibly even your business. But you need to look at it regularly, and update it as business conditions change. If you haven’t reviewed it in the last year, take some time to do it now. More> Innovate Are you stuck for ideas to take your business forward? If you’ve got staff, they can be a fabulous source of new ideas to improve...
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Ecommerce Sites Making Sure Yours is The Best not the Worst

By Ben TempleNo Comments
Ecommerce websites are specifically designed to create a venue from which to sell your business or personal products. If you are selling tangible products or downloadable services from your website, you will at some point require an ecommerce website. How do you determine what is and is not a good Ecommerce website? What are some of the things that you'll need to ensure that your own sites give your visitors a good experience? Think about the best and the absolute worst of the sales websites that you have ever seen or tried to buy from. Needless to say, the best was probably attractive and easy to find exactly what you wanted. The worst were those which were not attractive aesthetically and were very difficult to navigate. Great Ecommerce websites are going to be those which makes the buyer feel at home nearly immediately. The website will offer a great look, clean concise and easy to use. The first thing that you see when...
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What is your main marketing challenge?

By Nigel TempleNo Comments
Hello. What is your main #marketing challenge, from this list? If you had to pick just one - what would it be? * Is it lack of awareness? * Is your visual brand identity out of date? * Have the sales enquiries stopped arriving? * Or have your customers stopped buying? * Do you find writing a challenge? * Does your website let you down? * Is your marketing plan up-to-date? * Does your marketplace understand what you do? * Are you too busy to get the marketing done? * Is social media driving you insane? * Do you wonder where to spend your time? * Is your marketing budget delivering a poor ROI? * Is your competition always one step ahead? * Do you have a clear marketing strategy? * Are you measuring your marketing results? * Is it something else entirely? Have you got a marketing challenge? The Marketing Compass is here to help. We provide independent professionals and small business owners with marketing guidance. You are welcome to ask us questions about any aspect of...
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Marketing is like playing chess

By Nigel TempleNo Comments
When you receive a new sales enquiry or make a sale to a new customer, the chances are that they didn't hear about you from one source. Typically, it goes something like this: A) Someone arrives on your website. B) They join your newsletter list. C) They receive your newsletters and open a few of them. D) Months go by, during which they follow you on Twitter and read one or two or your blog posts. E) They revisit your website to see what you are up to. F) Finally, they have a requirement that you can help with and they send you an email or make a purchase via your website. Exhausting, isn't it? Many people simply give up, because 'my marketing isn't working'. During my marketing seminars, I am often asked which promotional techniques are the most effective. Bearing in mind that I only work with independent professionals and small business owners (who don't have marketing budgets), my initial...
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The elements of marketing success

By Nigel TempleNo Comments
"What are the elements of marketing success?" or "How successful will this be?" I am often asked these questions by business owners, managing directors and nervous investors. They may be about to launch. Or they may be about to kick their product or service hard enough so that it is, hopefully, propelled into orbit. The product or service itself is only one part of the jigsaw puzzle of success. Here are some of the other jigsaw pieces: VISION Successful people know where they are heading. They know their compass bearing. No matter what happens during their journey, they keep on course. Do you have a clear vision of your future business? If I spoke to you right now - could you describe this picture to me in detail? BUSINESS MODEL The internet, rising competition and economic turmoil have disrupted entire industries. The ubiquitous use of technology has slashed costs, made old skills irrelevant and created new opportunities for fast learners. Does your business model reflect...
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The MarketingMessenger – our new printed magazine

The MarketingMessenger – our new printed magazine

By Nigel TempleNo Comments
Over the past few weeks, I have been busy writing the inaugural edition of the MarketingMessenger - our new printed magazine. We will be mailing this out to Navigator members during June 2011. We hope that you find it helpful. By the way, there is no additional charge for receiving the magazine. If you are interested in becoming a Navigator member of The Marketing Compass, you can learn more here. The articles revolve around 7 key topics: 1. PSYCHOLOGY * Are you communicating with both sides of your customer's brain? * The seven step creative thinking process 2. STRATEGY & PLANNING * Your marketing strategy * Should you be a specialist or a generalist? * Do you have clear objectives? * Building your brand * Positioning * How to work out your USP * Naming your enterprise * Are you selling at the right price? * CRM software 3. CUSTOMERS * A customer focused business 4. COMMUNICATION * Professional writing tips and techniques 5. PROMOTION * A colourful...
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Do you have a marketing song?

Do you have a marketing song?

By Nigel Temple1 Comment
Here is a metaphor, which may help you.... Your marketing proposition comprises your central message. It describes the benefits which you offer to the market. Back in the 1940s, the term 'USP' (Unique Selling Proposition) was coined by Rosser Reeves, the copywriter. The challenge is that there is a great deal more competition now. It's harder to make a business 'stand out from the crowd', isn't it? Here are two ways that you can do this: 1. Add value before, during and after the sale. 2. Educate your customers. Your proposition is the 'song' of your business. Is your song catchy and memorable? Will the listener like the sound of your song? Will they want to tell everyone they know about it? They are more likely to do so, if you add value and offer helpful, useful and relevant advice. Ensure that you sing your song in tune, across all forms of promotion. Make this part of your marketing strategy. We wish you all the best with your marketing (and your marketing song!)...
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