Brougham Blog

Stay ahead of the Competition in 2011

2010-12-10T10:42:00.000+10:30

Read Andy Prestons' 7 ways to stay ahead of the Competition in 2011.

His first tip reads......
"Ringfence" your Existing Accounts

In order for you to stay ahead of the competition in 2011, the first thing you need to do is ‘ringfence’ your existing customers. More and more companies are looking to replace lost revenue and profitability through acquiring new business – and some of the ‘new business’ your competitors are targeting will include your existing accounts!

As a lot of salespeople (and a lot of companies) have got complacent, they’ve tended to neglect existing accounts – and those are now the ones that have been taken by their competitors, or the ones most at risk.
What are your relationships like with your existing accounts? What about the ones you haven’t spoken to for a while? The ones you don’t get on as well with? Would they tell you if a competitor had been in? And if they did, would you retain the business at the same price, or would you have to ‘price match’ to keep it?…..
Read other tips here

Don't Overlook Mature Employees!

2010-11-24T08:38:00.000+10:30

There are many prospective employees now entering the market that never expected to be there, i am talking about Men over 50:
Why are corporate companies rejecting these extremely experienced people and putting them out to pasture?
Men over 50 are able to concentrate on their business activities more than younger men, they have less concerns in their home life
to distract them from their careers.
Some of the credits offered by men over 50 are:-

• They bring maturity and confidence
• They tend to be less 'flappable' and react well in a crisis
• They offer a wealth of skills and experience
• They make excellent mentors
• They offer strong organisational skills
• They have excellent people skills and are able to communicate across the generations
• They are reliable and motivated to work
• They tend to take less sick days
• They can take their holidays outside of the peak school holiday period
• They stay in their jobs longer so reduce recruitment costs and create more continuity

I feel sure that men over 50 can add to these skills, so why not consider, first, keeping them on your staff using them in roles that
can enhance your business strenghths of other employees. Talk to them and see what they believe they can do to help you grow. And secondly,
when a man over 50 applies for a position you have advertised, consider the expreience he will bring to your comany and us this to your advantage.
He will take less training to fit the position unlike a younger person who will need a great deal of hand holding to get him up to scatch.

Do these people (and yourselves) a favour and keep them employed in a position where you both benefit, don't just reject them as 'Has Beens', because they are certainly not that.

Thanks to Penny Power for the idea of this Blog and the fact that I have been Mentoring several such men over 50 during this last month.

Half Day Marketing Workshop

2010-11-04T16:50:00.003+10:30

Marketing is a skilful art and many companies waste their marketing budgets without producing the right results.
Selecting the right tools for your sector is a critical part of delivering increased sales. This workshop is to help you get results from your marketing activity, boosting your business profile for long-term consistent growth.

The Workshop will-

Trigger incredible concepts and strategies to make your marketing campaigns profitable.
Give you Fresh, New, Exciting Marketing Ideas to grow your business

By applying these concepts in your business, you can improve the im-age, turnover and profits of your company.

You will also receive a copy of “Marketing Your Difference” eBook. (Value: $39.95)

“Without MARKETING something terrible happens - Nothing!

Tom O’Toole, Owner & Entrepreneur, Beechworth Bakery

Who Should Attend
Any business owner/manager who wants to improve their marketing knowledge and subsequently activity. The workshop will also assist anyone who wants to understand the basics of marketing.

VENUE
Uni of SA, Mawson Centre, Room 121, Main Street, MAWSON LAKES, SA 5095.

COST
ONLY $55 inc GST, Workbook, Morning Tea and eBook.

Ring 0438 095 058 for booking details.
Get more details here....
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Free eBooks Available from Brougham Associates.

2010-10-29T11:45:00.000+10:30

We would like to offer you the choice of 2 x eBooks by Rory Sheehan. All we ask is that you sign up to receive our regular Newsletter.

Go to www.brougham.com.au/newsletters and complete the form on that page, easy.......

The newsletter gives up to date topics on how to get the best from your marketing. A must for an Small to Medium Enterprise business.

Looking forward to sending you some terrific information over the next year or so.

Latest business ideas on social marketing

2010-10-28T16:49:00.000+10:30

Thomas Power, Chairman of Ecademy, a major Online Networking Group, gives his views on Social martketing, very interesting views.... Watch this video.......

Just another piece on Marketing from our many contacts worldwide, why not 'follow'this blog by clicking below and ensuring you don't miss any of these posting.

Ready-FIRE-Aim

2010-10-23T07:19:00.000+10:30

I am currently in Melbourne at a Sales & Marketing conference, and after talking with other delegates from most of the other States of Australia, the image of South Australia is at an all time low. One the the Speakers at the conference, Paul McCarthy, has a format for his marketing presentation of Ready-FIRE-Aim, in other words, as Nike says "Just do it".
During breakfast I was reading the Weekend Australian and came across this article by Stephen Gerlach which I find compelling reading and this should be past on to all pollies, no matter which side of the bench they sit, and somehow we shoudl all put pressure on them to start implementing ways and means of restoring Adealide and South Australia to it's glory.
I urge you all to read this and pass it on to your contacts to try to make some movement within our great State.

Ready - FIRE................

The 10 Biggest Sales Mistakes People Make On LinkedIn…..

2010-10-15T14:26:00.000+10:30

In this article, leading Sales Expert Andy Preston explains that although LinkedIn is one of the best business development tools available, many people don’t use it properly, and even worse – make mistakes that actually LOSE them sales, rather than WIN them…..

Whenever I’m talking to salespeople or business owners about online sales tools, the one that they mention most often is LinkedIn. Yet I’m often amazed at how many people admit they don’t really use it properly – and even those that ‘think’ they’re using it properly don’t get the sales results they could from it.

Even worse that, some people make various ‘sales mistakes’ over LinkedIn – often without realising – that cost them valuable leads, connections and ultimately sales.

If we’re not connected already, connect with me here – http://uk.linkedin.com/in/andypreston/ for specific ideas on how to get better results for your time spent on there, but in the meantime, here are the 10 biggest sales mistakes people make on LinkedIn…… More...

by Andy Preston on October 11, 2010

Being Different works for this Ventriloquist........

2010-10-14T09:46:00.000+10:30

Brougham Associates' tag line is "We Market Your Difference". I was recently sent this video for a laugh, but I see the correlation between our tag line and how this guy promotes himself.

He is Different, have a look.......

You should look at how you can be different in your marketing activities.......

Enjoy

Profile

2010-10-13T14:42:00.000+10:30

Just a short intro into Brougham Associates......

Hope this explains the basics of what we can do for you.....

One of our clients

2010-10-12T14:50:00.000+10:30

I thought that this video is worth watching and for all our followers to get a feeling of South Australia and the Adelaide Hills......

Hope you enjoyed it, pass it on to anyone you think might be interested.

"Do you REALLY need to Market" Workshop

2010-10-11T11:46:00.000+10:30

Brougham Associates are now able to offer you an introduction to marketing workshop. Why not book in for our upcoming workshop on

Thursday 18th November 2010 @ 9am

"Do you REALLY need to Market"

a three hour session that tells you Why, Where, When, Who & How to Market.

You will also receive a copy of our free eBook "Marketing your Difference".
Terrific value for only $50 + GST.
Book now by emailing admin@brougham.com.au

Richard Branson: Five Secrets to Business Success

2010-09-14T21:46:00.000+09:30

I thought you might like to learn from one of the BEST.....Sir Richard Branson, needs no introduction, here are his five secrets of success.

"I am often asked if I have found a secret - or at least a consistent answer - to successfully building businesses over my career.
So I’ve spent some time thinking about what characterizes so many of Virgin’s successful ventures and, importantly, what went wrong when we did not get it right. Reflecting across 40 years I have come up with five “secrets.” More....

A Guide to Hiring Sales People

2010-09-03T15:29:00.002+09:30

Recruiting

Starting your search:

I would suggest that you start the recruiting process by organizing a planned search. Though you may have to interview several candidates before you find the right person, the good news is that the time invested is worth it. In the end, the right person will not only be the one you want, but also the one that wants you.

How do you find potentially strong candidates? The following three ways normally work well:

Advertising.
This is the most conventional way to hire new salespeople. I would like to make a suggestion, pre interview candidates on the phone. If they cannot sell you on their capabilities on the phone, don't bother to arrange a personal interview.

Head Hunters or Recruiters.
One out of three sales positions will be filled using recruiters or "head hunters" in the future. A good agency or service will have a clear idea of the capability of candidates. While such services can be expensive, it is not really possible to put a price on finding the best individual for the job. For best results, make sure the search firm clearly understands your needs and your corporate culture.

Check your Competitors.
It is very likely there is a person involved in sales at one of your competitors. If you can, find out who that person is and see if that person is interested in talking with you about your position.
More......http://www.brougham.com.au/site_files/85/Hiring%20Sales%20People.pdf

Increasing Sales with Promotional Products

2010-09-01T07:56:00.000+09:30

Business Owners are always looking for new ways to increase sales. One way to do this is by allocating a percentage of your advertising budget to promotional products.

Instead of spending 100% of your budget on advertising, allocate 25% to promotional products.

If you are sending promotional material by direct mail then include something cost effective like a pen, letter opener etc. Make sure that your business logos, phone numbers are printed / engraved on the gift.

If you are creating a radio campaign then include a free gift for the first 100 customers who reply to your campaign. It could be as simple as a mug. Every time the customer has coffee you will be on his mind!

If you are running a newspaper campaign then include a voucher that entitles the user to a free gift. Maybe a tee-shirt or a baseball cap with your logo on it.

Arrive at your present client bearing a small carefully thought out gift and ask him for a referral. You will be surprised at the response! Diaries, calculators & calendars go down well and you will be in the customers mind long after you are gone.

Bear in mind that it is important to have your details on each product you give and you will reap the benefits long after your campaign has stopped!

Before you ask - Yes, We do sell promotional products and we would be delighted to help you with your promotional marketing activities.

Is your business making the most of the internet ?

2010-09-01T07:37:00.000+09:30

The internet has been around for some time now, but some businesses are still not using it to its full potential. Virtually every business can find multiple benefits from tapping into online resources effectively. If your company is currently lacking an online presence, it is highly recommended that you hire a web designer to build you an official website. This will provide a portal for two-way communication between your business and its customers.

In addition to sharing news and information about your company, a website also enables you to showcase your products and services in a variety of different ways.

•    Blogs - A regularly updated blog serves several purposes. Firstly, it functions as an effective and dynamic way to keep customers updated about new developments regarding the company and its products. Secondly, it provides a forum to discuss relevant issues. Finally, a less obvious benefit is that frequently updated content will help the company website to rank higher in search engine results, thus increasing exposure.

•    Email newsletters - Another vital way to keep in touch with your customers, emailing lists can be used to launch new products, promote special offers and raise awareness of what the company has to offer.

•    Online shop - A virtual shop with a secure payment system can be used in addition to or instead of traditional retail premises. Both quick and convenient, an online catalogue can provide in-depth information on each product or service.

•    Videos/ interactive content - One of the major benefits of online content over more traditional means of marketing, such as catalogues, is its capacity to integrate both videos and interactive displays into the website. These can be used to give product demonstrations, sales pitches and to fulfil a whole host of other purposes. Viral videos, which can spread like wildfire once they become popular, are also a highly effective marketing technique that is unique to the internet.

Posted with permission from:

Terry Irwin, MD, TCii London (A Brougham Associate)

Make a Difference

2010-08-28T17:17:00.000+09:30

Marketing, are you successful at it or will you make a difference and use a professional? To be successful in marketing you not only have to 'put your mind to it', but you have to 'put your heart into it' too, you need to use people who know the subject and not expect to just advertise and hope it works for you. It can be difficult to use other if you are doing what you love. It can also be difficult if you don't truly understand the full aspects of marketing. When your efforts don’t bring the results you were expecting, you then become anxious about your ability to secure enough business to maintain the income you require for your life-style. Instead of being focused on what your customer wants/needs and look at the BENEFITS, you become obsessed with your offerings. You transmit negative vibrations. Your customers pick up on this and question your ability to deliver your promises. If you're working at something you love doing, you are probably working IN your business and not ON your business. Concentrate on the thongs you do well and employ others (even on short term programs) to do the things that they can do best for you.

Make a difference with your marketing now and consider to use experts to help you get the message across.

Networking by Numbers.....or how NOT to run a networking event

2010-08-28T13:01:00.000+09:30

By Andy Lopata on 27th August 2010

I really thought networking events had moved on. It turns out that I might have been wrong.
I met with a corporate lawyer this morning. Earlier this week he attended an event run by his local Chamber of Commerce. The event was billed as 'Networking by Numbers' and, as he outlined the format to me, I was horrified.
As I understand it, as well as the usual name badge, each delegate at the event was given a large number to wear. That number corresponded to their entry on the delegate list. This would allow delegates to hone in on the people they wanted to meet and ignore those they didn't.
I can't think of many worse ways to organise a networking event. I understand the reasoning behind it, helping attendees seek out their ideal contacts, but there are three major issues I can immediately see with this format:
1 - It invites preconceptions: One of the golden rules of networking is to be open to all connections, regardless of someone's industry or job title. The person you approach may not be immediately relevant to you or a prospective client, but you don't know to whom they are connected or the extent of their experience and expertise.
Focusing on an entry on a delegate list rather than finding out much more about other people in conversation leads to tunnel vision and missed opportunities.
2 - It encourages selling: Networking is not a sales process and when events become a series of pitches, most people are turned off. After all, if everyone comes to sell, who is going to buy? The right approach to networking for business development is to sell through the people you meet, not to them.
The approach adopted by this particular Chamber sends a subliminal message (or perhaps more overt than that). Check the people around you against the delegate list and then decide whether they are worth speaking to (for which many will read "selling to").
3 - It discourages conversation: I picture this room and see people wondering around staring at their delegate lists, looking for the people they want to meet and ignoring everyone else. Purely focused on why they want to meet that person (and rarely why that person would be interested in meeting them) they will ignore all other people in the vicinity as they hone in on their target.
As you might have gathered, I don't see many bright points about this approach to running a networking event. The errors above were compounded by giving one colour badge to lawyers and accountants and another colour to everyone else. The lawyer I met with felt stigmatised by having to wear a different colour.
You simply can't network effectively by pigeon-holing people before you've even had an initial conversation with them. It is far more effective to find people with whom you have interests in common and can develop a rapport than rushing around trying to chase job titles.
Yes, there is a role for studying a delegate list and knowing who you'd like to meet while at an event; but that should never be at the expense of random conversations with the people around you. I fear that this approach won't have encouraged positive networking.

Andy Lopata is a leading Networking specialist in the UK. He is a professional speaker and cna be booked for events in Australia through www.speakersadelaide.com.au /andylopata/

Brougham Newsletter (August 2010)

2010-08-17T18:47:00.000+09:30

Read our latest newsletter, many interesting articles on marketing etc....... here

"Do you REALLY need to Market" Workshop

2010-08-05T16:53:00.000+09:30

“Do you REALLY need to Market?”

Marketing is a skillful art and many companies waste their marketing budgets without producing the right results.
Selecting the right tools for your sector is a critical part of delivering increased sales.
This workshop is to help you get results from your marketing activity, boosting your business profile for long-term consistent growth.

The Workshop
This workshop will introduce you to the reasons of why you should market and it will help you understand-

· What Marketing REALLY is
· Why you should market at all!
· Where should you market
· When you should market
· How you should market

By applying these concepts in your business, you can improve the image, turnover and profits of your company.

You will also receive a copy of “Marketing Your Difference” eBook. (Value: $39.95)

Who Should Attend

Any business owner/manager who wants to improve their marketing knowledge and subsequently activity. The workshop will also assist anyone who wants to understand the basics of marketing.

Where: Uni of SA, The Mawson Centre, Main St, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095.

When: Thursday 16th September 2010 @ 9am until 12 noon.
___________________________________________________________________________________

ADVANCED RELATIONSHIP MARKETING

2010-07-26T15:36:00.003+09:30

Have a glance at this video to see one method of Relationship Marketing.

Then if you want to try it out, email me at bsquared@brougham.com.au and I will arrange for you to send a card or two to someone special.

Believe me. it works....

How do you differ from your competitors?

2010-07-22T16:35:00.002+09:30

Ask yourself a few questions......

2. Do you know what your share of market is and what market share is held by each of your major competitors? Know where you stand in the market, do you have to build in any one area so that you are seen to be THE one for your client to use regularly. Has your competitor got a bigger share? Why? If you don’t know, find out.

3. Have you conducted a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis on your business? Are you prepared to deal with any competitive threats that might be identified? Know all your strengths and weaknesses, this will allow you to take advantage of the strengths and minimise the weaknesses (or even eliminate them).

4. Do you know what is happening in the legislative environment that might affect your company ‑ that any pending legislation doesn't pose a threat to you or mean that you will have to change the way you conduct your business? Keep abreast of all the legal aspects that could affect your business, knowing allows you to make changes to minimise any problems that may occur because of any legal changes.

5. Do you keep a check on your competitors' advertising and promotions? Do you look at their advertisements? Have you visited their premises or looked at their websites? Again, this is paramount in understanding your competitors. Know what they are doing and you can counter any ‘objections’ from your prospects about what your competitors are offering.

6. Have you spoken to your suppliers about your competitors? Do you collect information about what they're buying and how many they purchase? Your suppliers are many times a terrific source of information about what is happening in the marketplace, ask them and they will tell you, don’t and you may not find out.

7. At your staff meetings, do you ask your staff to keep an eye on the activity by your competitors’ marketing and inform you any good ideas? Involve your staff in your market research, it will help them understand the business better and they will feel important in your business and consequently be happier in their work.

8. Do you keep up to date with technological changes in your field and will you know if your competitors adopt any new technology into their business activities? In this day of Hi Tech, you need to be aware of all the new devices that are available, somewhere there is one that will ease your workload or marketing activities.

9. Do you know what opportunities there are that could help you to grow your business - either by taking business away from your competitors or by expanding into new market areas? Look for new opportunities for your products/services, maybe they could be used in developing countries, or in another totally different marketplace? Keep thinking…….

10. Do you regularly research your products against those of your competitors? Are you able to respond quickly if you find your product offers fewer features and benefits or needs improvement? Are your products being kept up to date? Do you have an R & D policy? Again the world is changing and new technical aspects could damage you if you don’t keep up date with your offering.

As a Business Manager you should be able to answer these questions with a positive ‘tick’. They relate to the basic need of identifying and understanding your competition.

If you find yourself giving a 'no' answer to any of them it means you could be short of valuable information that would provide you with a competitive advantage.

There may be a lot of work involved in finding the answers to all these questions and using it to improve your product but, thankfully, yours aren't the only eyes and ears available to monitor your marketplace. If you work together with your team you’ll be in a much better position to answer the questions and to make gains against your competitors.

If you know and understand your competition you will have a better chance of being able to combat any competitive actions in the market and then to make plans to take business away from them.

Competition is a fact of life, but you must manage it effectively and use it to improve your own business activities and gain the success for your business. By improving your knowledge about the competition and the marketplace in general, you can get a real edge on the competition.

The key factor in any Marketing is to BE DIFFERENT.

Pricing Strategy

2010-07-20T10:06:00.004+09:30

Getting your pricing right will make an big difference to your turnover and your profits. But it's a complex procedure - set it too high and your customers will go to lesser priced competitors; set it too low and people will think your product or service is low quality and stay away from you.

Competitive pricing

In many markets, competitors' prices will tell you what you can or should be charging. Consider how your product or service compares to theirs - and the value your prospects put on the different features and benefits you offer - will also give you an excellent idea of what your own product/service should be worth.

Setting your prices near to those of your competitors is a safe strategy because potential customers won't rule your products out immediately for being too expensive. You'll also avoid the risk of starting a price war by undercutting rivals.

Premium pricing

If you have a good knowledge on your market prices, it is tempting to set yours lower to give yourself a competitive edge. In fact, setting a slightly higher price is often a far better pricing strategy.

In the minds of many customers, a higher price suggests better quality and any reduction in turnover caused by high prices can be more than offset by larger profit margins. If it doesn't work, you can always reduce your prices to a more competitive level.

With higher unit costs, smaller firms can't afford to compete on price alone and need to focus on adding value - this could be your market difference.

Discount pricing strategies

Setting your prices lower will tighten your margins, but it can be a good way to seize market share, particularly if you're offering a new product or service. You'll be sacrificing short-term profits, but you'll also be discouraging competitors from entering your market. As your volumes grow, your unit costs will fall and you'll have a lasting cost advantage over new firms trying to grab your share of the market.

If you're a larger firm, you can use your cost advantages to follow a low price strategy in your established markets. This works particularly well if you're selling commodity products with little opportunity for product differentiation.

You can also use discounted prices to encourage advanced bookings or sell off perishable stock at the last minute.

Pricing a range of products

The chances are that you sell a range of products or services. When pricing these, you should aim for consistency, so your customers feel there is value across your whole range.

Lastly, you might aim to capture customers with low initial prices and then profit from continuing purchases once your relationship has been established. IT companies, for example, aim to simply break even on the sale of hardware or software, but profit from maintenance and support contracts. This sort of pricing strategy can deliver a consistent revenue stream as well as significant profits.

THREE WAYS TO ENERGISE YOUR BUSINESS.

2010-07-10T05:35:00.005+09:30

From our UK Associate, Terry Irwin)

There are times in every business when sales are slack and you feel like all your efforts are in vain. But making subtle changes can turn things around and bring the good times back.

In this blog post we take a look at three such ways in which you can kick-start your business.

• Take a chance on something different. Chances are you've got a well established set of products or services that you provide to your customers. If sales are stagnating, don't be afraid to offer them something different. Take a calculated risk in an area you would not previously have thought about going into, and you may be surprised at the results. If you can provide something your competitors have yet to even think of, you can corner a valuable share of the market and mark your company out as an innovator in its field.

• Focus on improvement areas. Identify key areas of your business that are currently underperforming. Ask yourself why, and think about how the situation can be improved. Consult your employees for their thoughts on the matter, as they may be able to offer fresh insight gained from dealing closely with customers and the product or service itself.

• Optimise for the web. The sales potential of the internet has long been known, but some companies are still missing out on a market share that is there for the taking. If your web sales are low, ask yourself why, and consider hiring professional web-designers and SEO copywriters to revamp and relaunch your website.

2010-07-06T09:34:00.001+09:30

Working with Park Australia on their Caravan Park Planning Program, see interim site http://ping.fm/hqZvg any sites need a f/lift

2010-07-06T08:22:00.001+09:30

Talking with several SA speakers over the next week. Ashley Knoote-Park today see her at http://ping.fm/MY4Np boy she is good.

2010-07-05T18:01:00.001+09:30

Any South Australian Public Speakers out there? Email me at bsquared@brougham.com.au for info about a promotional web site for SA.

CANCER -What Now?

2010-07-01T16:10:00.007+09:30

Cancer - What now? is a DVD aimed at helping you understand your emotions and cope with the often difficult task of telling your friends and family that you have cancer.
It will explain types of treatment available to you and some positive steps you can take towards recovery.
The DVD will also provide details of other information and support services.
Graeme Goodings has been a News Presenter with 7 News Adelaide since the early 1980's. He's married with three children.
In 2004 he was diagnosed with colorectal cancer and underwent surgery, chemo and radiotherapy in conjunction with complementary medicine. After 8 months convalescing Graeme returned to the newsdesk to read the weekend news bulletins.

I wanted to show this to as many people as I could, so on a Blog about marketing, I feel this is worth while promoting, I suppose in a way I am marketing the DVD for Graeme's cause.

Maybe you know someone who might find some benefit from this DVD.

In aid of the Cancer Council of SA

Advertising, advertising, advertising

2010-06-28T21:47:00.003+09:30

– the three A’s of successful marketing in troublesome times From our UK Associate, Terry Irwin at TCii

With the global economy still experiencing patches of heavy turbulence, the temptation to reduce advertising budgets to cut overheads is ever present. But doing so can be counterproductive, and the resulting loss in sales and diminished company profile can hurt your company's books far more than the cost of keeping the engine of advertising chugging along. This week we take a look at the importance of advertising in maintaining an edge on the market.

Advertising = investment. When you invest in something do you expect immediate and guaranteed returns? Advertising should be recognised for what it is - an ongoing investment in future growth. While it may not guarantee increased sales, the more effort, attention and financial resources that you invest in advertising, the greater your chances of reaping the benefits.

Don't blink. It's highly probable that your competitors are faced with the same dilemma of whether to cut down on advertising. Can you afford to risk losing out on a share of the market due to a conservative marketing strategy?

Focus your efforts. Do you have a particular product that you believe in but which has yet to prove its worth in terms of sales? Now may be the time to invest a larger portion of your marketing budget on growing the brand image within the consumer psyche. Conversely, it may also be time to pull funding from advertising campaigns that have failed to strike a chord.

Shake it up. It may be particularly tempting to reduce your advertising budget if past results have been underwhelming. Yet doing so may merely compound the loss. Instead, consider turning it on its head and trying a radically different approach.

LEAVE IT UP TO A BEER COMPANY

2010-06-23T21:50:00.012+09:30

Andes Teletransporter Booth

The object of the Andes Teletransporter booth is to give your spouse the impression that you are somewhere else, maybe at the doctor’s office, or even at a Bar Mitzva, by emanating sound that fits the bill. Watch the video ‘cause it’s absolutely hilarious.

Leave it up to a beer company to come up with an innovative and controversial way for beer lovers to get some extra time in at the bar. The Andes Teletransporter booth is a fantastically naughty sound proof cheater booth strategically placed in night clubs in Argentina.

Now imagine that you—girl or boy—are in the bar and get a call from your wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend. You can a) answer the call and get crucified later, b) don’t answer the call and get crucified later, or c) go into the Teletransporter booth, choose a lie, press the option, and then pick up the phone as the ambient sound changes.

When can we expect one in Adelaide???

Get higher fees by using social networks

2010-06-23T21:19:00.006+09:30

Peter Morgan is the Director of Communications at Rolls Royce - and he is not a fan of social media. Indeed, at a recent corporate communications meeting he largely said it was a waste of time. He was scathing about the potential of social media to alert corporates to problems and he said that social media hadn't affected share prices. Perhaps someone ought to mention "BP" in his ear...? Or the Hudson River airline crash? Perhaps, of course, he might know I am talking about him if he were to use social media - but my guess is he doesn't know I am saying any of this.

In which case he could be in for a shock in the years to come. His next job might not be easily won and when he does get it, the chances are his salary will not be as high as he might like. This is because a new study from the Department of Management at the University of Wisconsin shows that users of social networks are more likely to get a job and when they do get the job they get higher starting salaries than people who do not engage with online social networks.

True, this research has some flaws - it was theoretical, rather than based on actual job applications in real situations. But, nevertheless, it shows the way hiring managers think. When faced with job applications that show a clear use of social networks they said they favoured such candidates over applicants who had no use of social networks. And when it came to salaries they were prepared to pay the social networkers more money than the people who did not use the likes of Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

There was a twist in the study; the social networking profiles were written in three ways. One group of profiles were business-like, another were focused on friends and family, while a third group concentrated on the alcoholic exploits of the candidates...! Needless to say, the alcohol-related applicants were rejected - but the other two were treated equally. This squashes the myth that you should separate your social networks into one for friends and another for business. Employers, it seems, are just as happy to take you on if your profile is family related.

Why? Well, the clue is in the name - "social networking". Business depends upon people who get on with other people. If you are employing someone, yes, you want their technical skills or specialist knowledge, but you also want to be sure that they will fit in, that they will be able to get on with others in your organisation and outside. Evidence of a good online social network suggests that these potential employees have the networking and social capabilities a business requires.

As ever, it is not what you know - but who you know. Demonstrating to potential employers that you know plenty of people suggests you are social, that you get on with others and that you put the networking work in. That's highly attractive to potential employers.

It is also what customers want to hear from potential suppliers; if a company bidding for some work appears to know lots of other people in a sector, they must be more valuable than a company that doesn't know anyone outside it's immediate circle. Even though you may know plenty of people in your industry, having an online social network presence confirms that to potential customers or employers. What this new research suggests is the possibility that social networkers will earn more than those who do not engage with the online social world. They will be able to gain bigger salaries or charge higher fees. And that, surely, must be a good reason for joining in the world of social networking.

Even if Rolls Royce's Mr Morgan cannot see the point of using social media in his company, perhaps he might see the point for boosting his take home pay...? But there again, we may never know, because he probably isn't reading this.

Article written by Graham Jones - Internet Psychologist (UK) Blog 23.6.10

RELATIONSHIP MARKETING

2010-06-22T14:46:00.007+09:30

Everyone loves getting a card in their real mailbox. It shows that someone thought about you

enough to select a card, purchase it, write a note, buy a stamp and drop it in the mail. It

demonstrates true thoughtfulness and a commitment to your feelings. And, more often than not,

the message is so perfect that you smile as you read it.

Contrast that to getting a text message from your co-worker: HBTU (Happy Birthday to You). Or consider an obvious bulk-mail postcard from a pest control service advertising a sale-after you've just paid full price for the spring treatment. Neither of these will make you feel very valued. But there's a feeling of comfort, even in a business message, if someone shows they know you and have invested thought into what you might want or need to hear.

LOSt ART

Sadly, this sort of consideration seems to be in decline. The average teen today knows more

about text abbreviations used in instant messaging and texting than about active verbs. Grammarians

and literary experts across the world are abuzz with the fear that the written word is in decline.

Electronic communications are fast, easy and convenient-but often a grammatical mess and

relatively impersonal.

So if you can write a quick, handwritten note with relatively good writing skills, you will stand out.

Think of the Hope Diamond: Its rarity is what makes it valuable. By taking the time to convey your

thoughts in a card, you become a diamond in your own corner of the world.

ADVANTAGE: YOURS

Businesses are typically built on relationships. Service-oriented companies like house cleaning,

auto repair or health care are as much about how you treat people as what you can deliver. And

even traditional retail operations like clothing and electronics stores benefit from the personal

touch. That's why those big-box stores often have poor reputations for service-personal attentiveness can be lacking, to say the least. Small businesses have an advantage here. They know their customers and can reach out with individual attention. Adding cards to the relationship marketing mix can make a big difference for small business.

In this day of rising prices and a tightening economy who couldn't use an easy advantage? Working to preserve existing income is a necessity, but this plan for continual contact with customers can increase business during a downturn. It’s virtually a no-brainer, and there are ways to reallocate advertising dollars and put them into extremely cost-efficient and convenient card campaigns. Industry Statistics reports that the average card costs between $3 and $6 at a store. But it's possible to find cards that start at 62 cents if you do your research and connect with cutting edge companies. Starting a successful card campaign doesn’t have to be a time and money drain if entrepreneurs do their research and find a system that works within their constraints.

Small companies thrive when they use their existing customer bases to build more business –

whether it’s from increased sales with each existing customer or from enthusiastic referrals. Sending a

well-timed reminder or thank-you card, or even a congratulatory note on special events like customers' birthdays, anniversaries, grand openings etc., can give a small business the edge. The next time a customer wants or needs the same service or product, guess who they'll think of first.

This savvy relationship marketing is easier for a small company. It has personal written all over itliterally.

And only a small-business owner can know enough about each customer to make it work.

As a personal banking officer noted when she began sending personalized greeting cards through a

clever online system offered by SendOutCards: "It has saved me so much time and has given me

an easy way to stay organized when sending cards to my clients. About a week ago, three clients

came into my branch thanking me for the lovely card I'd sent them. They said that when they received the card it made them think about how they needed to come and see me!"

It doesn't work just for small businesses, though. If you're not looking to be an entrepreneur but

are looking for a job, a personal thank-you note after an interview is imperative. Sounds basic and

simple, but the sad fact is that only about 10 percent of applicants ever send thank-you notes.

Those who do add another star to their file, showing they have proper business etiquette and the

drive to follow up.

IT IS PERSONAL

Research shows that one-third of adults have a stash of cards that they will keep "forever" because the contents are so special. Cards have a way of saying what we can't say face to face without feeling a bit self-conscious or awkward. And their very presence shows that we appreciate the recipient.

In our hectic lives, it's hard to keep up with things like sending cards for special occasions. It's not

that people disregard their friends and families; it's just that time and organizational crunches get in the way. Think of how many good intentions you've let slip by, whether by failing to buy a card in the first place, not having the right postage an hand or forgetting to mail it on time. Only the most

organized people can handle these three time-consuming tasks consistently throughout the year.

Still, sending greeting cards is doable. The Greeting Card Association says that U.S. consumers purchase approximately 7 billion greeting cards annually, including holiday cards. That's nine out of 10 households buying cards, for an average of 30 greeting cards a year each. Unfortunately, we don't

know how many of those purchases were actually sent. There are still the stumbling blocks of addressing, stamping and putting them in a mailbox. That's probably one of the reasons behind the estimated 500 million e-cards sent annually. But they're not as meaningful to recipients as traditional cards.

Just ask a mother whether she'd be OK with receiving an e-card from her children for Mother's Day.

The answer is probably not one you'd want to test with your own mother. Thirty percent of adults

sent their mothers cards this past year on their special day. That's among all adults, so the percentage is fairly high considering that many older adults no longer have living mothers to whom to send cards.

Compare that with our poor dads, whose easygoing manner about such things may shortchange them: Only 19 percent of adults put a Father's Day card in the mail in 2008. The point is that it's

important to both senders and recipients to send cards.

Sending well-timed and well-intentioned greeting cards can make a difference in personal relationships

and business profits. As this "warm-and-fuzzy" practice wanes in our country, being the person who

always remembers to send a card will make you stand out. You will be the favorite relative, the

business that earns repeat customers and the one who sleeps soundly at night because you're not

worrying about which holiday or opportunity you've missed.

Sending well-timed and well-intentioned greeting cards can make a difference in personal relationships

and business profits. As this "warm-and-fuzzy" practice wanes in our country, being the person who

always remembers to send a card will make you stand out. You will be the favorite relative, the

business that earns repeat customers and the one who sleeps soundly at night because you're not

worrying about which holiday or opportunity you’ve missed.

___________________________________________________________________________________

Brian Ballard is a Relationship Advisor with talk to him about how he can help build a better Client relationship using cards saying good things to your clients and their staff, or visit

www.sendoutcards.com/bsquared1007 and see for yourself, and at the same time send out a card to someone on me at my expense, with my thanks for reading this Blog.

EXPORTING: IS IT FOR YOU?

2010-06-18T14:06:00.007+09:30

For the first time in human history, the world marketplace is open all day and every day, unrestricted by, technological barriers distance or country of origin. The entire world is within our reach in ways that weren’t possible before. Like any business activity entering the arena of global trade presents both challenges and opportunities.

You may not be sure how exporting can help your company, or what the drawbacks of such a project may be. Experienced exporters have a good idea of both the benefits and problems of exporting.

For example, they know a business can gain a lot from a successful exporting venture, including:

Increased sales – if domestic sales are good, exporting is a way to expand yourmarket and take advantage of demand around the world. You may also find foreign niche markets where your product is rare or unique.
Higher profits – if you can cover fixed costs through domestic operations or other types of financing, your export profits can grow very quickly.
Economies of scale – when you have a larger market base, you can produce on a scale that lets you make the most of your resources.
Reduced vulnerability – if you diversify into international markets, you avoid depending on a single marketplace. A domestic downturn, for example, will be less damaging if you have other markets where demand remains high.
New knowledge and experience – the global marketplace abounds with new ideas, approaches and marketing techniques. You may find them very successful in your domestic market too.
Global competitiveness – The experience your company gains internationally will help keep you competitive in the global marketplace.
Domestic competitiveness – if your company succeeds in the global marketplace, it means your product can compete with the best the world can offer. This helps you succeed at home and ensures your resilience when faced with foreign competition in your domestic market.

Keep watching for more postings on Exporting;

IS YOUR BUSINESS CARD REALLY WORKING FOR YOU?

2010-06-17T16:21:00.002+09:30

I read once, the man who the Guinness Book of Records regards as the World's Greatest Salesman, Joe Girard, revealed that he went through a couple of thousand business cards a month! He unashamedly handed out business cards to everyone he met and used them like confetti (I would like him to be one of my clients, because Brougham Associates, my company, supplies business cards to almost all of our clients).

It seems whenever he went to the college football match in his town (and he made sure that he never missed a match) he threw hundreds of his business cards into the air every time his team scored a touch down. When he bought something at a store, he gave the shop assistant a card. At the service station filling up with petrol, he gave the pump attendant a card. He gave his doctor, dentist and chiropractor a business card every time he saw them! He thought the cost of the cards he gave away day in, day out was only a few dollars, but the sales they bought him were worth thousands. How good would that be to have him as a client?

For years, I've swum against the masculine flow and carried a handbag, which goes with me wherever I go. It's with me on all business calls, at a barbecue, at the movies, when I'm out on the town or just anywhere. But it's not the handbag that's of interest it's what's inside it that's important. You see, in there is my card case. I've always got a supply of business cards, so I make sure I give one to everyone I meet.

Contrast the way Joe and I use our business cards with what many people in business do. You ask them for a card and, after searching every pocket or taking everything out of their bag, they either can't find one or produce a crumpled up card on which they've written themselves a note they can no longer read or understand, which they apologetically hand you. Boy, have they got it wrong.

In your marketing armoury, nothing is more important than your business card. After your smile, greeting and handshake, it is part of the formalities you exchange on meeting someone that will help determine the first impression they have of you. Yet people either do not carry their business cards, or have ones that do them a disservice.

Here are some simple rules to observe about business cards:

1) Always carry them with you everywhere you meet people with whom you may wish to establish a business relationship everywhere you go, so just because you're relaxing by the pool or walking through the supermarket, doesn't mean you shouldn't be carrying your cards.
2) Make sure everyone in your office has a card the cheapest marketing material you will ever have is the business cards you give to your team, so that whenever they meet people they can pass on a card that may bring them into your business.
3) Train your team so that they know how to use them they should proffer a card to everyone they meet, particularly after they've been asked the question "where do you work?", to which they must answer, I work for the best widget dealer in town let me give you my card'.'
4) Proffer cards with a flourish, not an outlandish one, but with some theatre so that people know that your cards are of value. Produce them from a cardholder for example, rather than fumbling through your pocket or purse for one
5) Accept other people's cards with respect so that they know you are interested in them, their card and value it (even if you are going to dump it later!)

6) Have a card that is memorable most business cards are boring and bland and they never deserve a second look so it's important that you incorporate a memorability factor into your card.

Here's how to have a great looking, memorable business card:

1) Your name should be the most important feature of the card companies don't build relationships, people do.
2) This means your company name and logo are secondary to your own name, so make sure your name is more prominent in the natural centre of eye gravity of the card.
3) For maximum comprehension, your name should be printed using a serif 11 typestyle (times roman or bookman, for example) with only the first letter of each element of your name in upper case (Brian Ballard not BRIAN BALLARD)
4) Never use a bland title like Manager, Partner, Consultant or Sales Executive, because these rate low on the memorability scale. If you are good at what you do (and, if you're not, why are you doing the job) you should tell people.
5) More than half your market probably need glasses to read, so don't use small type that makes them go looking for their glasses because, by the time they've found them, they'll have forgotten why they went for them.
6) That means then that the next most important elements, your phone number, e mail address and web site, should be in at least 12 point type (and please no difficult e mail addresses with full stops, underscores and other fiddly, hard to read bits.)
7) When it comes to phone numbers less is more, so don't have business, mobile and after hours. Where possible have one number where people can generally get you or that has a re direct facility. Forget the fax number unless its vitally important to your business and new prospects have unquenchable urges to fax you immediately.
8) Now you can add that which normally dominates business cards your company name and logo, preferably down the bottom of the card. Remember, nobody cares about your company until they know what you can do for them.
9) Personally I'm not a big wrap for photos on cards but if you believe that your countenance is irresistible or it will aid their memory go ahead and put it on.
10) You may want to have a statement that really succinctly and simply summarises you business. Put this on the back, use the back for telling people what your company has to offer.
11) If it's appropriate, you can have a free offer on the reverse of the card. For example, a bar may offer "The first drink is on us when you produce this card any evening."
12) Now give it to your designer and get them to make it look pretty without breaking these rules. Remember we want our card to help us feed families not egos.
13) While your designer is creating your business card, get them to look at your letterhead, with compliment slips, invoices and all your other stationery to incorporate the same style into those too. That way you'll have total consistency in the image you project to the marketplace.
14) Make sure you check out how your business card (and that other stationery) looks when you fax it because some colours don't fax well.
15) Resist the urge to design and print your own card on your computer. They always look like they've been done on the cheap and create a negative perception of you. Keep our artists and printers employed use their skills and talents!

Summary:
So there we are then. A few simple ideas that will make your business card work gangbusters for you. That's assuming, of course, that you have one to give to every one you meet, because business cards stuck in desk drawers or left on the bedside table guarantees that you'll have skinny kids.

ENGLAND v USA (in Lego)

2010-06-16T16:29:00.005+09:30

Something a little different, but very topical, enjoy

MARKET SEGMENTATION

2010-06-16T11:41:00.000+09:30

This part of your marketing planning will help you determine who your customers are, their geographic location, how and why they will buy from you, what makes them unique, and what you have to do to keep them loyal.

The concepts of market segmentation have become known as niche marketing. Instead of trying to compete on a grand scale, businesses choose to compete in smaller areas. These are called niches. Within these niches, businesses must identify certain characteristics to differentiate customers from one another.

Now you are ready to segment your market. You have to determine if the market has potential for you. You may want to review the market attractiveness. Or, you may want to determine if the market can afford your services, if there is growth potential, who the competitors are, and the cost of doing business in this marketplace.

You can take the process one step further by identifying the customer characteristics of your market segment.

This can be done

Geographically
Demographically
Psychologically
What is purchased
Type of organisation

We can use any or all of these techniques to find out in which market segment our product or service fits.

Geographically: It is necessary to look at the geographic area of where we are aiming to sell our product/service. This can be broken down into Continent, Country, State, City, Urban, Inner City, Regional. We also need to consider the distance that the market is from the base of the product development and storage.
Demographically: Demographics looks at the makeup of the prospective buyers. We should consider the Age, Gender, Education, Occupation, the Disposable Income and any special characteristics.

Age: Is the target market, a child, a teenager, an adult or retiree?
Gender: Is the product aimed at Males or Females?
Education: Consider if the product would suit people with a Secondary, Tertiary or University education.
Occupation: Is the product to be used in a special occupation?
Disposable Income: Is the product/service priced to a higher salaried bracket of the market? Special Characteristics: is the prospective customer a member of a special religion, race or nationality? All of these need to be considered to put together a quality Marketing Campaign. Miss the consideration of any one of these areas could mean the failure of the plan.

Psychologically:

Every buyer is different and their reasons for buying are different. They could be influenced psychologically by their lifestyle, status, preferences and usage patterns. They could have special fashion needs, or follow fashion trends. Personal preferences could effect buying trends, the customers hobbies, sporting activities or special interests will have to be considered. Religion, ethnic requirements, political trends all have to be considered for possible areas of marketing actions.

What is Purchased?

The product could be deemed to be a volume purchase, that is customers would buy many units at each purchase.
This needs to be considered in the pricing area of marketing as an example, and should be discussed in market research and planning.

What type of purchase will be made to secure this product? Will it be purchased by cash, credit card or on lease or term payment basis.
This is an integral part of all consideration in getting the product to the market and should be considered in the Market Planning.

Type of Organisation:

This section discusses briefly what type of organisation is your target. Is it:
Industry: Manufacturing, Service
Business: Partnership, Company Sole Trader, Franchise, Agent
Building: Residentia,l Flat, Townhouse, Private Home, Industrial, Leased, Rented, Owned

All these factors have to be considered if you are to market your product to get the most return from your marketing activities.
It is vital to research every aspect of your market niche to see how best you can meet the needs of your market and then balance this with your differential.
You should consider many other characteristics when analyzing your customers. Your primary market consists of the customers with whom you do the most business. Your secondary market consists of customers with whom you do business, but either not as often or for not as much volume. Both these markets are important, and you should analyze them carefully. Even if they exist within the same market segment, you may have to develop separate marketing plans for them.

This point is critical to your success. When you have segmented a market and selected your customer targets on the basis of specific criteria, you must develop a separate marketing plan or program for each market.

Other Ways to Segment the Market

There are other categories or classifications that may be used to segment the market even further. The tighter you can make your marketplace, the more effective your marketing will be. Some other primary market identifiers you may want to consider include:

Financial Volume or Size: How much money can your participation in this marketplace generate? Are there enough prospective customers to make it financially viable for you to compete?
Socio-psychological Needs: What is the emotional state of the marketplace and does your product or service relate positively to that emotional state?
Purchaser/User: Quite often, the user is not the purchaser, as seen when a parent buys children's clothing. You must know both the purchaser and the user.
Buying Influences: These include all outside people and events that can affect the purchase of your product or service.

Loyalty: Will your customers be loyal to your product or service? Try to find this out before settling on a particular market segment to do business.

Getting to Know Your Customer

It is essential to know who your potential customer will be and what makes them tick, so to speak. Ask…

Who is our customer?

Is our customer male or female, married or single, white or blue collar, educated or not? · What does our customer need from us?
What does our customer want from us, and how does this differ from what she/he needs from us?
Can we satisfy those needs and wants, and if not, what changes must we make to satisfy them?
What does our customer expect from us in sales and service?
What must we do to meet and exceed those expectations?
Where will we find our customer?
What must we do to keep our customer loyal?
How do we get our customer to refer new customers to us?
What must we do to make sure that what we are selling is what our customer is buying?

These questions should help you get to know your customers. You should perform a SWOT analysis on your customers or interview several of them to find out who they are, why they do business with you, and what you have to do to keep their business. Put all this information into your marketing plan. It is as important as your demographic and statistical information.

Extract from "Markeing Your Dfference" by Bran Ballard

OUR UK ASSOCIATE

2010-06-15T12:31:00.000+09:30

Terry Irwin, TCii CEO and Head of UK Office.

Terry Irwin was appointed CEO of TCii in 2004. Born and brought up in Wales, he studied Economics and Marketing at university, followed by an MBA.

Before joining TCii, Terry spent over 20 years in the corporate world with GSK and Henkel, managing consumer goods and services businesses and living and working in Europe, Asia and the Russian Federation. He has also served as a UK Director of Carphone Warehouse and as a Non-Executive Director of Holt Lloyd.

Terry has consulted for a wide range of businesses, from multinationals to start-ups and growing organisations. He has a “hands on” approach and stays involved with client projects through to the achievement of agreed results.

Areas of expertise

FMCG/services/telecoms
Business and strategic planning and implementation
Business turnaround, outsourcing and cost reduction
Acquisitions, mergers and post acquisition integrationInternational trade and distribution
Venture capital
Exit strategy
Organisational development
Succession planning
Board-level executive coaching
Sourcing key people - both executive and non-executive - for clients.

In the wider world Terry participates in, contributes to and occasionally presents to a wide range of organisations, including the GLG Councils, Directorbank, the Institute of Directors, Vistage, the Association of MBAs and The Executive Network.

We are pleased to be the Australian arm of such a prestige company. Should you have need for any of Terry experise in the UK, don't hesitate in contacting us for an introduction.

HOW DO YOU DIFFER FROM YOUR COMPETITORS?

2010-06-15T07:32:00.000+09:30

1. Do you know who your competitors are? How big they are? Are there any new competitors in your market? You should keep abreast of everything your competitors do, they are trying to be different, so you need to be aware of these differences and ensure that yours are more attractive.
2. Do you know what your share of market is and what market share is held by each of your major competitors? Know where you stand in the market, do you have to build in any one area so that you are seen to be THE one for your client to use regularly. Has your competitor got a bigger share? Why? If you don’t know, find out.
3. Have you conducted a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis on your business? Are you prepared to deal with any competitive threats that might be identified? Know all your strengths and weaknesses, this will allow you to take advantage of the strengths and minimise the weaknesses (or even eliminate them).
4. Do you know what is happening in the legislative environment that might affect your company ‑ that any pending legislation doesn't pose a threat to you or mean that you will have to change the way you conduct your business? Keep abreast of all the legal aspects that could affect your business, knowing allows you to make changes to minimise any problems that may occur because of any legal changes.
5. Do you keep a check on your competitors' advertising and promotions? Do you look at their advertisements? Have you visited their premises or looked at their websites? Again, this is paramount in understanding your competitors. Know what they are doing and you can counter any ‘objections’ from your prospects about what your competitors are offering.
6. Have you spoken to your suppliers about your competitors? Do you collect information about what they're buying and how many they purchase? Your suppliers are many times a terrific source of information about what is happening in the marketplace, ask them and they will tell you, don’t and you may not find out.
7. At your staff meetings, do you ask your staff to keep an eye on the activity by your competitors’ marketing and inform you any good ideas? Involve your staff in your market research, it will help them understand the business better and they will feel important in your business and consequently be happier in their work.
8. Do you keep up to date with technological changes in your field and will you know if your competitors adopt any new technology into their business activities? In this day of Hi Tech, you need to be aware of all the new devices that are available, somewhere there is one that will ease your workload or marketing activities.
9. Do you know what opportunities there are that could help you to grow your business - either by taking business away from your competitors or by expanding into new market areas? Look for new opportunities for your products/services, maybe they could be used in developing countries, or in another totally different marketplace? Keep thinking…….
10. Do you regularly research your products against those of your competitors? Are you able to respond quickly if you find your product offers fewer features and benefits or needs improvement? Are your products being kept up to date? Do you have an R & D policy? Again the world is changing and new technical aspects could damage you if you don’t keep up date with your offering.

As a Business Manager you should be able to answer these questions with a positive ‘tick’. They relate to the basic need of identifying and understanding your competition.

If you find yourself giving a 'no' answer to any of them it means you could be short of valuable information that would provide you with a competitive advantage.

There may be a lot of work involved in finding the answers to all these questions and using it to improve your product but, thankfully, yours aren't the only eyes and ears available to monitor your marketplace. If you work together with your team you’ll be in a much better position to answer the questions and to make gains against your competitors.

If you know and understand your competition you will have a better chance of being able to combat any competitive actions in the market and then to make plans to take business away from them.

Competition is a fact of life, but you must manage it effectively and use it to improve your own business activities and gain the success for your business. By improving your knowledge about the competition and the marketplace in general, you can get a real edge on the competition.

The key factor in any Marketing is to BE DIFFERENT.

GOAL SETTING

2010-06-14T18:59:00.000+09:30

People in todays’ world tend to believe that what most people think and do has to be right. The majority of people follow this philosophy, assuming that everyone is doing the same, and that is the way it has to be done. The truth is very different from what we are led to believe.

By the age of 65 only 6% of the population are financially self‑sufficient.

Leaving 94% are broke or dead.

Even with pensions, retirement funds and dramatically increased standards of living, the majority of people still do not achieve financial independence. Most people allow themselves to become easily influenced by media, education, friends, and parents’ point of view. They work in jobs they do not like working 8 hour days and 40 hours per week and sometimes more.
They stay the same. They have closed minds and set opinions. They do not change the way they think or do things. They retire (if possible) at age 65 and die within 5 years with their hopes and dreams un‑fulfilled.

Don't allow yourself to predict your future... Create it

If you desire success against failure, you have to believe, think and act differently than the 94% of the population who fail to achieve financial independence.

Make the decision today to be one of the 6%.

If you continue to do what you have always done, you will continue to get what you've always had.

Understand where the majority are going, and choose today, to alter your behaviour, attitude and actions wisely and thereby the results of those choices. Choose today, to stock, analyse where you are, and plan for a better, brighter future.

WHY YOU SHOULD USE A PROFESSIONAL

2010-06-14T18:30:00.000+09:30

Using a professional marketer is like using your accountant to help with your accounts and your lawyer to help with your contracts, they are trained to do a specific job.

Marketing is a specialty which unfortunately most SME's believe they can do themselves, mostly with little success.

Why do large corporations have marketing departments, because they know it is a specialized topic of business, so why do SME's not follow suit. One reason often offered to me is, "It is too expensive".

Well is doing it yourself and failing not expensive?

You can employ a full time marketer and get the success, but that could cost you $100,000 p.a. and to recoup that amount could take some time, on the other hand you could employ a Marketer on short burst contracts, to help with specific programs, or to get a product to a specific market or to enter into the export area of business. This would be less expensive and offers you a greater chance of ROI for their services.

A professional marketer will work closer with you on your programs and bring to you the experience of having accomplished similar activities before, where you as an SME could be just testing the water, so to speak. A professional marketer will have created a large range of contacts around the country and even the world, which experience they can draw upon to help your program succeed.

Yes there are people who purport to be professional marketers, but you must find the ones who have been trained in the "School of Hard knocks" in other words, the real world. Have they spent time working on truly marketing areas, not just selling or advertising or research, Have they done all of these things? Who have they done this for? When did they do it? What success have they had?

Before you next enter into a new market or an export marketing activity, give serious thought to using some professional marketing help to ease you into that market with fewer obstacles to overcome. You wouldn't enter into a contract without having your Lawyer look at it, why enter a new market without a professional Marketer's advice and support.

Brougham Associates have over thirty years experience in Marketing both in corporate areas and with SME's. We highly recommend you seek out a Professional Marketing company to help you through the minefield.

Check out the web site at www.brougham.com.au

COLOUR PSYCHOLOGY & MARKETING

2010-06-14T18:00:00.000+09:30

Business, Sales and the World Wide Web Are In Colour.

Colour is a meaningful constant for sighted people and it's a powerful psychological tool. By using colour psychology, you can send a positive or negative message, encourage sales, calm a crowd, or make an athlete pump iron harder.

Employ the latest colour psychology in all facets of marketing and particularly in logo design, web site design, the cover of a book, or the package of a product.

The field of industrial psychology has a sub-field that studies only the psychology of colour. It is no accident that Campbell's soup has used the same four colors on their labels for years and years. When I mentioned that product, I'll bet an image of that label popped into your head.

Below is a quick overview of the meaning of basic colours in the Western Hemisphere. This information will help you decide what colours to use in your marketing projects. The psychology of colour changes with lighter or darker shades of the colours below are often associated with much different meanings. And remember for the World Wide Web, and different cultures have differing views on the meaning of colour.

Black: Is the colour of authority and power, stability and strength. It is also the colour associated with intelligence (doctorate in black robe; black horn rimmed glasses, etc.) Black clothes make people appear thinner. It's a somber colour sometimes associated with evil (the cowboy in the black hat was almost always the "bad guy"). In the western hemisphere black is associated with grieving. Black is a serious colour that evokes strong emotions; it is easy to overwhelm people with too much black.

White: For most of the world this is the colour associated with purity (wedding dresses); cleanliness (doctors in white coats) and the safety of bright light (things go bump in the night ... not the bright sunshine!). It is also used to project the absence of colour, or neutrality. In some eastern parts of the world, white is associated with mourning. White associated with creativity (white boards, blank slates). It is a compression of all the colours in the colour spectrum.

Gray: This colour is most associated with the practical, timeless, middle-of-the-road, solid things in life. Too much gray leads to feeling mostly nothing; but a bit of gray will add that rock solid feeling to your product. Some shades of gray are associated with old age, death, taxes, depression or a lost sense of direction. Silver is an off-shoot of gray and often associated with giving a helping hand, strong character (sterling in-fact!).

Red: If you want to draw attention, use red. It is often where the eye looks first. Red is the colour of energy. It's associated with movement and excitement. People surrounded by red find their heart beating a little faster and often report feeling a bit out of breath. It's absolute the wrong colour for a baby's room but perfect to get people excited. Wearing red clothes will make you appear a bit heavier and certainly more noticeable. (Some studies show red cars get more tickets but that maybe because the red car owners drive faster or the ticket giver notices the movement of the red car more prominently). Red is not a good colour to over use but using a spot of red in just the right place is smart in some cases (one red accent in a otherwise neutral room draws the eye; a red tie with a navy blue suit and white shirts adds just the right amount of energy to draw the eye (no wonder it's the "uniform of the day" at the seats of government). Red is the symbol of life (red blooded life!) and, for this reason, it's the colour worn by brides in China. Red is used at holidays that are about love and giving (red roses, Valentines hearts, Christmas, etc.) but the true colour of love is pink. Pink is the most calming of all colours -- often our most dangerous criminals are housed in pink cells as studies show that colour drains the energy and calms aggression. Think of pink as the colour of romance, love, and gentle feelings, to be in the pink is to be soothed.

Blue: Ask people their favorite colour and a clear majority will say blue. Much of the world is blue (skies, seas). Seeing the colour blue actually causes the body to produce chemicals that are calming; but that isn't true of all shades of blue. Some shades (or too much blue) can send a cold and uncaring message. Many bedrooms are blue because it's calm, restful colour. Over the ages blue has become associated with steadfastness, dependability, wisdom and loyalty (note how many uniforms are blue). People tend to be more productive in a blue room because they are calm and focused on the task at hand. Some studies are showing that weight lifters can lift more weight in a blue gym - in fact, nearly all sports are enhanced in blue surroundings.

Green: The colour of growth, nature, and money. A calming colour also that's very pleasing to the senses. Dark forest green is associated with terms like conservative, masculine and wealth. Hospitals use light green rooms because they too are found to be calming to patients. It is also the colour associated with envy, good luck, generosity and fertility. It is the traditional colour of peace, harmony, comfortable nurturing, support and well paced energy.

Yellow: Cheerful yellow the colour of the sun, associated with laughter, happiness and good times. A person surrounded by yellow feels optimistic because the brain actually releases more seratonin (feel good chemical in the brain) when around this colour. It is the colour associated with optimism but be careful with yellow, when intense, it is the colour of flames and studies show babies cry more in (bright) yellow rooms and tempers flare more around that colour too. It has the power to speed up our metabolism and bring out some creative thoughts (legal tablets are yellow for good reason!). Yellow can be quickly overpowering if over-used, but used sparingly in the just the right place it can be an effective tool in marketing to greater sales. Some shades of yellow are associated with cowardice; but the more golden shades with the promise of better times.

Orange: The most flamboyant colour on the planet! It's the colour tied most this fun times, happy and energetic days, warmth and organic products. It is also associated with ambition. There is nothing even remotely calm associated with this color. Orange is associated with a new dawn in attitude.

Purple: What colour were the robes of kings and queens? Yes, they were purple, our most royal colour that is associated with wealth, prosperity, rich sophistication. This colour stimulates the brain activity used in problem solving. However, when overused in a common setting it is associated with putting on airs and being artificial. Use purple most carefully to lend an air of mystery, wisdom, and respect. Young adolescent girls are most likely to select nearly all shades of purple as their favorite colour.

Brown: This colour is most associated with reliability, stability, and friendship. More are more likely to select this as their favorite colour. It's the colour of the earth itself "terra firma" and what could represent stability better. It too is associated with things being natural or organic. Caution however, for in India it is the colour of mourning.

If you are looking to re Brand and looking at colours, then consider using a maximum of three colours in your design.

We may look at more on this subject in a later Posting if the responses are there for it.

BUSINESS CARDS

2010-06-14T17:26:00.000+09:30

A standard business card provides a name, company, address, and phone number. Savvy marketers create business cards that really mean business by also including their company theme line, logo, fax number, email address, and website address.

Many cards use colour and artwork if they wish to convey their identity more eloquently. Increasing numbers are fold‑over business cards that open up to become mini‑brochures.

On the front is the standard information; inside is a list of the company's benefits, products, services, mission, clients, or information to further the sale.

These informative types of business cards do a lot more than the standard ones, which are really mere reminders and not much else.

Business cards can be powerful selling tools, marketing weapons that set you apart from your competition. Stick with the standard business card size so that your cards fit easily into a card storage file, wallet, or can be stapled to an address file card. Be sure to include your area code, zip code, and other important details‑it's surprising how often these pieces of critical information are left out.

Computer software enables you to design first‑rate cards on your own, ready for your printer, and ready to be distributed to your prospects at trade shows, at presentations, in mailings, in networking functions, and wherever you encounter potential customers.

The main points to remember about a business card are: The business card is a marketing opportunity. Use it. Be unique without calling attention to your cleverness. Give more information than standard business cards. Invest in a card that looks and feels great. Don't be skimpy when passing out your cards‑be generous.
And most importantly, don't leave home without them.

MARKETING HEALTH CHECK

2010-06-14T16:23:00.000+09:30

We offer a free Marketing Health Check to managing directors or owners of any business employing more than five people. The Health Check is available to you here.

It will help you to focus on the areas most important to you. There will be questions that come from this health check and this is where we want you to call us and we can assist you further with these questions (the first hour is FREE) this should give us ample time to look at any issues, opportunities or problems.

What can you expect?

At the end of the discussion we will review the issues and highlight areas where you can gain a competitive advantage and achieve sustainable, profitable, growth.

What do we need from you?

We take a structured approach in order to get a good understanding of your business in a reasonable amount of time. The meeting will last around one hour, and we ask that all decision makers attend. That way, we have input from all the 'stakeholders' when discussing key business issues.

Your Marketing Health Check meeting will cost you nothing, but it could be the most profitable meeting you arrange this year!

The Marketing Health Check is a derivative of a document issued by our UK Associate TCii Ltd

WHAT IS MARKETING:

2010-06-14T16:01:00.000+09:30

The word Marketing is sometimes confused with Sales Management. The definition of Marketing has been described in many sentences. The one I like most is “Marketing is the Ability to Identify customer needs at a Profit”

Mike Southon says, “The best, and simplest, definition of marketing I’ve heard comes from the person who taught me much of what I know on the subject, Graham Michelli. “Marketing is happy customers.””

The aim of Marketing is to have the Right Product or Service in the Right Place at the Right Time for the Right Price.

To a Professional Marketer, products are not just what they are but what they do. “Selling the Sizzle not the Steak” is a statement that has often been used to describe Marketing.

It is the marketers aim to create an image of the product that meets the customers needs or wants. In the process of achieving this a marketer must look at all the aspects of the products evolution, the companies structure and the desires of the people within the company to meet the companies overall target.

Marketing activities are the creative element of business activity. They are the means by which the company’s income is obtained. They are an integral part of the business and should be considered as much a part of the business and included as a part of the cost of supply as the production process itself.

Without marketing expenditure there would be no sales; production would be unnecessary. Marketing expenditure results in a level of pricing that could not be achieved without marketing techniques.

In Short, without marketing there is no business.

More information can be found at www.brougham.com.au