The Marketing Manager

Diligence Law

2008-08-18T10:00:00.003Z

The Vikings were famous as explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates, who raided and colonised areas of Europe from the late 8th to the early 11th century. These Norsemen used their famed longships to travel as far east as Constantinople and Russia, and as far west as Iceland, Greenland, and Newfoundland.

The Vikings lived by a set of laws known as Viking laws, which Diligence thinks is just as relevant in today’s business world as they were in Viking times with a few tweaks of course to bring them in line with the modern business environment.

Diligence Law

Be Brave and Aggressive

Be direct
Grab all opportunities
Use varying methods of attack
Be versatille and agile

Attack one target at a time
Don`t plan everything in detail
Use top quality weapons

Be Prepared

Keep weapons in good condition
Keep in shape
Find good battle comrades
Agree on important points
Choose one chief

Be A Good Merchant

Find out what the market needs
Don`t promise what you can`t keep
Don`t demand over payment
Arrange things so that you can return

Keep The Camp In Order

Keep things tidy and organised
Arrange enjoyable activities which strengthen the group
Make sure everybody does useful work
Consult all members of the group for advice

Diligence in Kent move

2008-08-04T16:07:00.002Z

East Sussex based marketing agency Diligence Media and Marketing is expanding its operations by announcing the opening of a satellite office in Maidstone, Kent.

The new office represents a remarkable success for Diligence which was established in November 2007, as a result of a merger between two long established companies – Nice Work and Pixel Puppet.

Since its launch Diligence has built a formidable reputation and boasts an impressive client list which includes Legal & General, Kent Air Ambulance, Sea Space, KPMG and Orbital Marketing to name but a few.

“Our new Maidstone office represents an important part of our continued expansion plans” said Martin Burke, Marketing Director.

“Although our roots lie firmly in East Sussex we now have a large number of Kent based clients and the new office will allow us to better service them."
For more information on diligence visit www.diligencegroup.co.uk

Alternatively call us 01424 447858 or e-mail martin@diligencegroup.co.uk.

E-marketing the direct approach.

2008-06-30T15:36:00.006Z

Internet and email technology could be a key enabler of making all forms of marketing more direct, according to one expert.

Lisa Turner of the Institute of Direct Marketing said;

"Technology is playing an important role in integrating previously distinct advertising techniques and shaping them into the broader field of internet marketing."

"Direct marketing used to be just one of these techniques: now with email and the web, everything has the potential to be direct marketing," she explained.

One example of technology's effect on the marketing industry is the fact that research shows that more than eight in ten television adverts carry a website address, while this trend is also prevalent in newspaper and magazine advertising Ms Turner added.

According to the Direct Marketing Association, email marketing is received significantly more positively by consumers than businesses tend to believe.

A study by the organisation suggested that such messages receive a 33% actual positive response compared with a 17.6% perceived positive response.

The Marketing Manager has many years experience of helping companies market their services- why not get in touch if you'd like to know more? call 01424 447858 or e-mail martin@diligencegroup.co.uk

Pixel Puppet launch

2008-06-16T14:20:00.015Z

Diligence Media and Marketing launch a new service designed to help small businesses and start up companies gain a foothold on the internet. The new service also sees the reappearance of the Pixel Puppet brand.

Speaking about the launch Marketing Director of Diligence Martin Burke said: “We have worked with many start up businesses and small businesses over the years and understand that budget is important. That’s why we have developed a range of cost effective websites which are perfect for those looking to get online for the first time".

"In time these companies can look to expand their online presence and incorporate more sophisticated features like an online shop”.

"The launch of the new service is designed to complement the existing range of Diligence design services, including website design, traditional advertising and brochure design".

The Pixel Puppet range includes a choice of three web design packages, with price starting at just £149.99 + VAT or £14.99 month for 12 months.

For more information, please visit www.pixelpuppet.co.uk.

Alternatively, call 01424 447858 or e-mail info@pixelpuppet.co.uk

Online marketing soars

2008-06-10T09:00:00.004Z

The online marketing industry grew by almost 40% in 2007 according to new figures from the Advertising Association. With companies increasingly releasing the benefits of cost affective e-marketing.

With any winner there`s always a loser and in this case its direct marketing. The industry saw a drop in year-on-year growth of 6.5 per cent.

The Advertising Statistics Yearbook 2008 confirmed that digital marketing has now overtaken direct marketing as the third largest channel by market share. Digital expenditure represents 15.6 per cent of advertising expenditure while direct marketing now accounts for only 11.2 per cent.

The direct marketing industry was worth £2.17bn in 2007. Press advertising was still the biggest channel with expenditure of £7.71bn, and a 39 per cent share of the market. This was followed by TV at £4.6bn and a 24 per cent share.

The UK advertising industry grew by 4.2 per cent in 2007 to a total of £19.4bn.

We have a wealth of experience in e-marketing and offer a complete e-marketing service from website design to HTML e-mail campaigns. Talk to one of Diligences experienced professionals today on 01424 447858 or visit www.diligencegroup.co.uk and let us get your business moving in the right direction.

Data is King.

2008-05-28T10:41:00.027Z

E-marketing is a really effective way of reaching your customers – and it can also be the cheapest option for a targeted campaign.

Some of your targets may not like receiving unsolicited emails, so it is important that you structure your campaign properly – enabling those who wish to, to opt out of any future communications easily. If a data subject requests to be removed from your email list, you are legally obliged to do so to avoid contravening the Electronic Communications Act.

Whilst spam is illegal, you are allowed to send unsolicited emails to business email addresses on business matters only. If you want to promote consumer services you must buy an 'opt-in' list.

Renting or buying a list is not always the most effective way of communicating. Certainly you could expect a much better response by targeting those businesses with which you already have a relationship. That’s why it makes sense to ensure you always record your business contacts.

If you are nervous about managing your own email campaign there are a number of online services available to help you – alternatively why not talk to Diligence and let us manage your next email marketing campaign?

The Marketing Manager has many years experience of helping companies market their services - why not get in touch if you'd like to know more?

Contact us now at www.diligencegroup.co.uk

Where will you take your customers in 2008?

2008-04-14T10:21:00.008Z

Looking for somewhere suitable to take your staff, your colleagues or your customers?

One of our favourite events is Glorious Goodwood - one of the highlights of the social summer scene. Indeed, King Edward VII once described Glorious Goodwood as ‘a garden party with racing tacked on’.

The meeting not only offers the very best in top-class racing - ‘Glorious Goodwood’ is a real English summer institution, where racing, socialising and fashion go hand in hand.

Goodwood is reckoned to be one of the world’s most beautiful racecourses. Set high on the South Downs with the most beautiful of views, it really is the perfect place to enjoy summer’s day. The Thursday of the Goodwood Festival is traditionally ‘Ladies’ Day’ and the feature race of the day, the Goodwood Cup, is Goodwood’s oldest race.

Our sister company, Nice Work, has been organising trips to Goodwood for some years now and are now taking reservations for a Glorious Goodwood VIP Package.

For more information, contact martin@diligencegroup.co.uk

Give your website a kick up the pants!

2008-03-28T08:27:00.004Z

It’s a familiar story.

You like your website. It has some good features and looks really good.

But you are not achieving very good search engine rankings. And you don’t seem to get many enquiries.

What’s gone wrong? It’s almost certain that your site probably needs a little kick up the backside.

Your site may look a little dated and, if so, there are a number of techniques you could adopt to help boost your organic rankings on the major search engines.

Naturally, a redesign of your site would help to freshen up the look and feel of your brand. But you can also build in some additional features to help generate not just additional traffic – but additional repeat visits to your site.

The inclusion of additional pages and some more search engine-friendly content will also help to boost your rankings – for instance, more relevant product information, an up to date News Page, the inclusion of Fact Sheets or an online archive library – all these mean you'd have more relevant content that could be picked up by the search engines. More to the point, the information would help project something of the personality of your company, its heritage and its experience.

What else can you do to help drive more traffic to your site?

· A Blog

A Blog can help you to position yourselves as a true expert. It also helps you to secure an additional presence on the web, by posting a substantial amount of additional online content, with a subsequent increase in the number of search results for the company.

You can position your Blog(s) as a forum for discussing issues that concern those in your industry. In addition to being stand alone sites in their own right, Blogs can be placed on a number of other internet platforms including popular and specialist trade Blog directories.

· Backlinking

You should actively seek reciprocal links with other relevant websites – the more links you can incorporate, the higher the probability of appearing more prominently in searches and, of course, securing more referrals.

· email address generator

Why not include devices to encourage visitors to your site to register their email addresses? There are a number of devices you could use ranging from a simple contact page through to more sophisticated and engaging devices such as offering Fact Sheets or a subscription to an e-zine/newsletter.

· Updated news and events section

The facility to add updateable news, photos or event information will ensure that repeat visitors to your site will have new content to read. News of your attendance at events can provide interesting content for the site as can the introduction of new products.

Using seminars to sell your services

2008-02-18T08:41:00.006Z

Seminar selling is not new and many industries use seminars or workshops to market their products or services. Some companies use the medium as their main source of new business leads yet others remain reluctant to adopt this specialised form of selling.

A reluctance to use such a public platform for selling your services can be for a number of quite valid reasons – it may be an understandable nervousness about speaking in public; it could be a concern about the effort required to organise the event; or, it could possibly be the perceived costs and benefits of holding a seminar.

If you are worried about public speaking, here's our top 6 tips

1. Know your material

2. Use personal stories in your presentation

3. Practice. Practice. Practice!

4. Rehearse out loud with all the equipment you plan on using.

5. Know your audience. Greet some of the audience members as they arrive. It’s easier to speak to a group of friends than to strangers.

6. Arrive early and familiarise yourself with your surroundings

A successful seminar offers an opportunity to present your services to an invited audience of interested prospects. They will be there because they want to find out more about the topic you are presenting and they will be there without many of the usual barriers you come up against with some of the more traditional forms of selling.

A successful seminar enables you to impart far more information than any brochure or website could do and you’ll be in a position to answer questions or address concerns immediately. Your clients can experience you, and your service, in action and make valuable judgements about your personality and the culture of your business.

Furthermore, the content of your seminar has the potential to boost interest in your business and the messages you want to get across – the successful seminar presenter will have a real ability to inspire people to buy from them.

It is worth remembering that some people are reluctant to ask questions and would rather remain anonymous. They may be more comfortable when they are part of a crowd and will respond much more positively to you. They may dislike one to one sales situations which could make them feel under pressure to buy. Let your delegates listen to you whilst sitting with friends, family or colleagues – or with complete strangers but people who share their needs and aspirations – and it will comfort them and as a result you may find that you have much warmer prospects. Your seminar will offer them the chance to listen and to observe the reactions of other people in the audience allowing them to form their opinions with no pressure.

Seminar Selling can be extremely cost effective if you compare it with the cost of traditional prospecting. To secure an audience of 20, 30 or more interested prospects in one room at the same time, offers a highly attractive business opportunity indeed.

So, if you're looking for something different - why not try the seminar?

The Marketing Manager has many years experience of helping companies market their services via seminars - why not get in touch if you'd like to know more?

Give your website an early spring clean

2008-01-29T08:15:00.003Z

The start of the year is always a good time for a spot of navel gazing!

You probably have a website - but how many times have you checked to make sure its still perfromaing well for you?

Its always worth making sure your site is still working for you and what it is you expect from your site. For isntance, is is:

To provide an online guide to your company's services?
To offer an online corporate brochure?
To generate sales enquiries?
To provide a profile for your company on the major search engines?
To encourage visits and repeat visits to the site?
To encourage newsletter subscriptions?
To be search engine friendly?

Take a look to at your design objectives.

Does your site look slick and polished - or does it look dated?
Is it inviting? Or does it take some time and effort to navigate?
Does it use appropriate imagery?

Why not give your website an early spring clean? A new fresh look for your site could do wonders for your business.

Dining out with the Marketing Manager

2008-01-07T14:31:00.003Z

The key to the success of any good restaurant is its ability to continue to attract customers. Their customers will either be new people – or those who have enjoyed the restaurant in the past. Attracting additional and increased turnover from your existing customers will be much easier than trying to attract new customers.

It is just so important to build up a database of customers and prospects which you can use to attract new business. Indeed the database is the single most crucial marketing tool you possess - but an astonishing number of restaurants and pubs fail to record their customer's details!

If you can accumulate a database of around 1000 prospects and customers you will (not should, mind!) have sufficient prospects to enable you to rely on database marketing initiatives to fill your establishment – particularly for special occasions, events and themed evenings.

Segment the database into corporate and and personal data and you can personalise the marketing messages accordingly.

Securing more data is a challenge but one that should form the basis for the bulk of your short term marketing efforts There are a number of sources of data – some more easy to generate than others - but all requiring some effort! how about:

collating all your existing customer records, business cards etc and then segmenting into corporate and personal and into customers and prospects
visitors to your restaurant should always be asked for their contact details – either by asking them to complete a contact card, asking them to complete a 'customer satisfaction' card, by leaving their business cards – or all three! There are opportunities to secure these details by displaying material on tables, by enclosing them with the bill and by leaving a receptacle close to the till and restaurant exit for business cards. It may become a chore for staff but it should be stressed how important it is!
initiating data capture exercises – marketing material distributed to potential customers
capture data at exhibitions - try exhibiting at some of your local business exhibitions
PR exercises such as competitions can also attract details that can be added to your database

Finally, you can always look to carry out a data capture exercise to source local business details – this is something you can either do yourselves by searching local directories, websites and publications or you may wish to consider outsourcing.

Once you have your database you can then begin to market your restaurant. A regular programme of both postal and electronic communications should enable you to attract enough enquiries to help you to fill your restaurant for special promotions and events.

You can also use the database for:

special taster events for local businesses
open evenings
wine tastings
charity dinners with entertainment
launching new or special occasion menus

The Marketing Manager has extensive experience of using both electronic and postal databases to maximise business opportunities in the restaurant sector. Why not get in touch to find out more?

Made your new year's resolution?

2008-01-03T09:19:00.005Z

Have you made your New Year Resolution?

Why not make 2008 the year you start the year with a proper marketing plan for your company?

A number of organisations start the year with no real plan in place and then spend the rest of the year stumbling along making ad hoc decisions on marketing and communications activity.

The start of the year is the perfect time to plan for the forthcoming year.The early days of a New Year are usually quiet, your key staff should be refreshed after the Christmas break - and enthusiasm should be at his peak, so capture it whilst you can!

So why not celebrate the new year by examining your strategy, your positioning, your communications and your marketing priorities?

A couple of hours spent compiling a 12 month comms schedule now will bring an added dimension to your new business planning - discipline!

Why not check through your 2007 marketing results and see:

What activities worked for you?
How did you measure your results - if at all?
If you can't measure results, should you repeat the exercise?
What about your company's image? Is it tired or out of date?
And finally, what about your online presence? Does it need a brush up?

The need for teamworking

2007-11-30T12:22:00.001Z

Diligence undertakes quite a bit of teambuilding work with clients. Most organisations would do well to look at improving teamworking skills amongst staff and we are keen to help them develop a defined teamworking strategy.

Doing so, should help you to achieve a positive and more beneficial relationship between staff, particularly those from the geographically disparate parts of the organisation. Teamworking solutions can help build relationships amongst staff as well as acting as a motivational tool.

For any business unit, particularly those working to tight deadlines or seeking to achieve targets, the ability to work effectively as part of a team is an essential skill. The successful development and adoption of team skills will also enhance the knowledge base of the organisation and will encourage individual professional development.

Whilst we would always recommend that teamworking and teambuilding be a continuous process, we are also realistic to understand that it must take its place on the organisation’s priority list!

The key to the success of any teamworking exercise is that staff are made aware of the positive benefits of certain practices, agree to adopt them and are then made to assume responsibility for maintaining and advancing these practices within their respective teams.

The aim of such programmes is to convince staff of the need for team skills and of their own personal responsibility in applying them within their own team environments by:

· motivating staff and demonstrating the importance of effective teamworking
· providing practical examples of how teams should work together
· imposing responsibility for maintaining good team practices
· providing a reward structure to demonstrate the value of good team practices
· helping staff develop examples of good practice and tricks-of-the-trade

In addition, a successful teamworking strategy should assist the development of a real ‘family’ environment by:

· helping to improve communications within and outside of the organisation
· helping to improve the visibility of managers
· promoting staff recognition
· encouraging staff empowerment
· helping to improve workload management

If you'd like any help with developing an effective teamworking strategy, why not drop us a line?

Should I advertise?

2007-08-19T09:50:00.000Z

We are sometimes asked by clients, "Do I need to advertise my business?"

For sure the process of advertising can be expensive and it can take up resources that may be better applied in other parts of the buisnes. So, we say, it's almost like converting to a new religion - only do it if you're absolutely sure it's right for you.

To help you, consider this question - who could use your services now?

1. People who’ve never heard of you.
2. People who use your competitors.
3. People who use your competitor, but have also used your services.

Everybody uses advertising – and not just in business life. We have all had to be deft practitioners in the art of advertising, be it to look for a job, buy or sell a home or find a car. We are exposed to hundreds of advertising images every day, promoting products or services or imparting information. Add to these images – some of them subliminal – the commercials we see, listen to and read, it’s easy to appreciate just how much advertising is such an integral part of our every day lives.

But it is one heck of a crowded environment and whilst we can usually recall some of these messages, the majority will just pass us by. That’s why communication through advertising is not as easy as the armchair advertiser would have you believe!

So, if you’ve decided that your business could benefit from advertising, what should your priorities be?

Well, you should begin your planning by deciding what it is you want to say and ensuring that you know exactly what you want your advertising to achieve. Your advertising needs to be tailored precisely to your audience – remember though that your message is unlikely to appeal to everybody who is exposed to it.

So, you might decide to create messages designed:

1. For those who don't know of you or your services. Your message should be designed to stimulate an initial interest
2. For existing clients to persuade them to buy more from you and less from a competitor. Your message should be designed to help develop their loyalty
3. For your competitors clients. Your message should be designed to help encouraging change
4. For existing clients to reassure them that they’ve made the right purchase decision. To the theorists, this is called cognitive dissonance – to the rest of us, it’s designed to encourage your customers to remain loyal!

So, we'd say to answer that 'should I advertise?' question - think about it carefully, think about what you want to achieve - and then talk it through with an expert!

Event accessibility

2007-07-28T10:14:00.000Z

We came across this useful checklist for conference and event organisers looking to ensure that accessibility for disabled people meets acceptable standards.

Whilst facilities for disabled guests are infinitely better than they used to be, there's still an awful long way to go!If you'd like advice on ensuring your event meets standards, why not contact an experienced event management company for advice and help?

Transport

Does the venue provide accessible transport for disabled people or know where to obtain it?
If accessible transport is not readily available, can it be organised when asked for, or tell someone where to get it?

Parking

Does the venue have designated accessible parking and dropping off points?
Locate accessible spaces on the shortest possible safe route to an accessible building entrance, recommended 45m max.
If more than one entrance, distribute spaces among parking areas.

Approach

Is the approach leading to the venue accessible and easy to traverse?
An accessible approach is one that is clearly signed, well lit, without obstruction or uneven surface, and with a minimum width of 1800mm and distance to parking bay no greater than 45m.
If stepped, then a ramped approach must be available with handrails if required.

Entrances

Are all entrances to the venue accessible and easy to use?
Is the call entry system easy to locate and use?
Is the entrance signed and well lit?
Does the entrance have a minimum width of 800mm with a flat threshold?
Are there clear 'push' and 'pull' signs or symbols on doors?

Reception

Is the reception accessible and easy to use by a disabled person?
Is the reception desk usable by a wheelchair user?
Can a wheelchair user turn around in the reception lobby?
Is the call for assistance facility accessible?

Corridors

Are corridors accessible and easy for disabled people to move around the building?
Corridors require a minimum width of 1200mm with passing places of 1800mm. They should be clear of obstruction, well lit and signed.
Visual, auditory and tactile guides assist movement and orientation, e.g. colour schemes, decor, tactile floor changes, handrails.

Doorways

Are doors and doorways accessible to disabled people?
Doorways should be a minimum of 800mm with flush threshold.
The door furniture must be easy to use and in contrast to the door.
Doorways and doors should be colour contrasted to the surrounding floor and walls.

Signs

Are functional and directional signs accessible and usable by disabled people?
People need clear information about the purpose and layout of buildings.
Often visual information is reinforced by audible and tactile information.
Effectiveness is determined by: location, layout, height, font size, colour and finished surfaces of materials.

Stairs

Are stairs or steps usable by disabled people?
Stairs & steps require contrasting nosing with handrails that guide and assist disabled users.

Lifts

Are accessible lifts provided for upper floor access?
Accessible lifts require: minimum of 1700mm by 1700mm clear floor space outside lifts to aid wheelchair manoeuvrability.
Lift doors should be highlighted and stay open for a minimum of 20 seconds.
The lift car should be a minimum 1100mm wide and 1400mm deep with a mirror on rear wall.
Lift doors should have minimum clear opening 800mm.
Controls should be at usable height, tactile and with audible announcements.

Ramps

Are ramps provided for changes in level or where there is a stepped approach and no alternative access?
It is preferable to have both steps and ramp.
The gradient for the ramp should be 1 in 20 up to 10m.
Shorter distances of under 2m can be 1 in 12.Toilets
Do you provide accessible toilet facilities?
Accessible toilets require space to turn around and transfer (min 1500mm by 2200mm), which can be from the right or left.
If two accessible toilets are provided then both options can be provided.
Grab rails, emergency cords and doors that open outwards with accessible handles are required.

Refreshments

Is the provision of refreshments accessible?
Refectory, dining rooms, sandwich bars, coffee areas, vending machines all need to be accessible.
Alternative dietary requirements need to be catered for.

Telephones

Are the telephones accessible?
Public telephone should be angled and located between 750 mm and 1000 mm above the floor.
A clear space of at least 1350 mm x 1200 mm should be provided within a telephone booth.
Handsets require large buttons, amplified earpiece and able to work with induction loop.

Procedures

Are procedures in place to ensure the safe egress of all users?
Procedures must be in place to assist disabled people who are not familiar with the building and require assistance to leave the building.
Fire procedures must be available in alternate formats, and included in introduction to event.

Alarms

Are there visual, auditory and vibrating alarms?
In areas where disabled people may be alone, such as toilets, flashing fire alarm beacons connected to the fire alarm system should be installed.
For some people with no auditory access, the installation of a vibrating fire pager is recommended.

Exits

Are emergency exits accessible to disabled people?
Are exit routes clearly signed, unlocked and free of obstacles?
Do exit doors open outwards with minimum of 900mm clear passage width and flat/ramped egress to Fire Assembly Points?

Refuges

Are accessible refuges provided for disabled people in an emergency?
Refuges are fire-protected areas providing sufficient space to enable people to wait in safety.
Refuges are primarily designed for people who are unable to use stairs or experience difficulty leaving buildings in an emergency without assistance.

Access Technology

Does the venue provide access technology and equipment so disabled people can take part fully in the training?
Equipment such as: thick black pens for signing or writing, different coloured paper, magnifier, clipboard, CCTV, Induction loops.
Access technology such as: voice synthesiser software, large print screen software, voice recognition software, laptops.

Environment

Is the environment supportive to disabled clients taking part in your service? E.g. noise reduction - low background noise, floor coverings, curtains - controllable temperature and ventilation, good natural and artificial light, adjustable blinds, and suitable colour schemes?

Furniture

Is the furniture provided at venue usable by disabled people, e.g. desks, tables and seating?
Suitable means variable height, adjustable back and arm support.
Desks and tables for wheelchair users should be at a height of 725 - 750mm with a minimum knee space under the desk of 800mm wide, 500mm deep (630mm preferred) & 700mm high (720mm preferred).

Layout

Is the layout and organisation of the training rooms suitable for disabled people?
Can someone who uses walking sticks or a frame, or is a wheelchair user move around freely and without hindrance?
Can the layout of the seating and presentation equipment be arranged to maximise disabled people's participation?

Accommodation

Is the accommodation accessible and usable by disabled people?
Consider the journey, for example: getting to the room, getting in and out, moving around inside, using the facilities (such as telephone, tea-making, television, bathroom), and getting out in an emergency.

Access requirements

Does the venue or training provider check out delegates for access requirements before event and at start of event?
Are access requirements of delegates asked for and acted upon by training provider and venue provider before the event?
Adjustments include: timing, frequency of breaks, alternative format materials, alternative seating, place and method of delivery, the amount and complexity of information.

Assistance

Are venue staff confident and competent to assist disabled people?
Such as 'spotting when assistance is really required', 'establishing the access required', 'enabling independent use of service', and knowing when to say 'no'

Feedback

Do you monitor satisfaction of your service and research the reasons why disabled delegates are dissatisfied?
By monitoring the service provided to disabled people by the venue, there will be an opportunity to increase inclusion at three critical points: a) at promotion - your promotional material is not accessible or available, b) at first contact - delegates' first experience of the venue and training puts them off, and c) after bad experience - something happens that makes them feel excluded or not welcome.

Blogging for business

2007-07-26T13:44:00.000Z

Blogs have quickly become the latest online marketing tool.

They help raise your profile, give you an added presence on all the major search engines – and they can help drive traffic to your website.

The beauty of Blogs is their adaptability, flexibility and ease of use. For instance, the Blog you're reading now can be updated, amended or added to in seconds. The problem, of course, is finding content - and then the resources - to maintain the site so that it stays fresh, attracts regular visitors and continues to help drive traffic to other sites.

Even the experts sometimes suffer from a lack of time, resources and more pressing priorities (slap on wrist for The Marketing Manager!). That's why Nice Work and Pixel Puppet have decided to establish a dedicated blogging service to help organisations establish and maintain blogs for the benefit of their businesses. We research and source new content - and make sure the Blog always contains contemporary and interesting content.

Blogs are also an ideal first step on the Internet if you’re unsure about websites.

One of the big advantages is that they are extremely cost-effective. Nice Work/Pixel Puppet can provide you with a fully functional Blog, together with weekly or two-weekly updates for a very low initial cost - much lower than the cost of a new website). We can also maintain your Blog, keeping it fesh and up to date for a nominal monthly fee.

Why not get in touch and find out more?

In the meantime, check out some of these Blogs we have produced:

http://www.blogger.com/www.followthatlotus.blogspot.com
http://www.themushroomman.blogspot.com/
http://www.gardenexpert.blogspot.com/
http://www.ronhillsalterego.blogspot.com/
http://www.waddiesontheweb.blogspot.com/

Passionate about teambuilding

2007-05-29T13:33:00.000Z

We are passionate about encouraging teamworking and developing teambuilding skills.

We have undertaken team building assignments for many clients over the last fifteen years but one of our regrets is that the phrase 'teambuilding' has been hijacked and, to many, means a day away from the office with a spot of go-karting!

Teambuilding is much more than a day behind the wheel of a vehicle - and a good job too, with the prices of these corporate days now making a serious dent in budgets. We much prefer to concentrate on helping our clients achieve a positive and more beneficial relationship between staff, particularly those from the geographically disparate parts of the organisation - without the need to spend thousands. But that's not to say our teambuilding exercises are not fun!

For any business unit, particularly those working to tight deadlines or seeking to achieve targets, the ability to work effectively as part of a team is an essential skill. The successful development and adoption of team skills will also enhance the knowledge base of the organisation and will encourage individual professional development.The key to the success of any teamworking exercises is that staff are made aware of the positive benefits of certain practices, agree to adopt them and are then made to assume responsibility for maintaining and advancing these practices within their respective teams.

The aim of our teambuilding programmes is to convince staff of the need for team skills and of their own personal responsibility in applying them within their own team environments by:

1. Motivating staff and demonstrating the importance of effective teamworking

2. Providing practical examples of how teams should work together

3. Imposing responsibility for maintaining good team practices

4. Providing a reward structure to demonstrate the value of good team practices

5. Helping staff develop examples of good practice and tricks-of-the-trade

The heart of a teamworking initiative is an attempt to encourage staff to take pride in what they do by focusing not just on their own individual performance but, primarily, on the needs of their customers and others who may be affected by their work performance – such as colleagues in other sections/departments.

We have developed a series of unique teambuilding exercises that focus on performance - by incorporating drama and theatre. Teams are set an assignment to produce a short ‘corporate’ film to show to prospective new business clients - a film that reflects not just the needs of the organisation – but also its strengths and its ethos.

Few parameters are set for teams – but those that are set are vital components and are crucial both to the delivery of the finished film and to how the film is judged. these include:

1. A strict limit on the length of the film – no more than ten minutes

2. A theme. Each team is allocated a theme or genre and the finished product must reflect this. The genre could be generational so that films would reflect changing values and habits. One team could therefore look to produce a Silent Movie; a second team look at producing a film in the style of the 1950’s; a third look at producing a film reflecting modern day attitudes; and a fourth team look to produce a film set in the future. An alternative would be for films to be produced in the style of particular genres – so we could, for instance, have a Spaghetti Western, a James Bond, a Simpsons, a West End Musical or a Humphrey Bogart theme! A third alternative would be to encourage teams to reflect the theatrical nature of their surroundings and look to produce from a particular theatrical style such as Shakespeare or Pantomime.3. A need to incorporate certain core messages in the film.

The exercise should have as its core objective a desire to promote the values of the organisation underpinned with a need to consider the overall business objectives. The initial – and probably most important – part of the exercise is the planning, with teams encouraged to fully document the content of their film, the objectives and the logistics (scripting etc) of the production. We encourage a formal approach using techniques such as storyboards to allow all team members input into the creative process.

Teams are encouraged to be as creative as possible and include traditional cinema or theatrical techniques such as props, location, music and scripts to produce an entertaining end-product.

We acknowledge that not everybody is comfortable 'performing' which is why there are key roles to play in these exercises for the 'behind camera' crew - direction, production, props, scripting and so on. So there really is a role to play for all team members.

Feedback and comment on the finished product is by way of an Oscar ceremony with all team members present - preferably in a social environment - with a screening of the videos and awards being presented not just for Best Film but for Best Actor, Best Screenplay, Best Music, Best Costume etc.

We supply some props and all the necessary Oscar paraphernalia – including a red carpet for that photo opportunity – with delegates encouraged to dress for the Oscars!

We've used these exercises with great success with a large number of clients - and the feedback has always been excellent.

Effective, fun and rewarding team-building - and team building that fits all budgets!

Get in touch if yo'd like to know more!

Marketing your website

2007-04-10T08:16:00.000Z

If you want people to find your website, try turning the problem around. How would you find your website if you didn’t know it existed? What words would you type into the ‘Search’ box?

And remember to be realistic about your chances! If you simply type ‘Investment’ into the search, you are likely to find millions of websites – and the chances of your being ahead of those companies with multi-million pound web marketing budgets are slim. That’s why you need to be clever with your key phrases. Look for key words or phrases that are relevant to your business.

Some research using your own key phrases will also help you identify who your competitors are – so what are they doing on their sites to make them visible? The beauty of the internet is that you can carry out most of your research from your desk – and your only investment will be in time.

To get a website effectively optimised will also almost certainly require some specialised assistance - that’s because the keys to success are contained within the coding used to drive your website. Techniques such as giving each of your pages a unique title – by using the exact key phrase you want to describe the page – will help ensure that people looking for your services end up on the relevant pages within your site.

Beyond the page titles your page content will become the focus of attention for the search engines. The engines like web pages that are well structured and contain classic pages - one that contains a title, a paragraph of text and a sub heading that represents the paragraph. A good tip is to start a paragraph of text with a key phrase.

The importance of links

Hyperlinks are what you use to navigate your way around the internet. And they are also what search engines use to find their way around – which is why links are a crucial part of any web marketing campaign.

Search engines such as Google and Yahoo will help rank a website by assessing how many other websites are linked to it. Links may be one-way inbound links – or they may be two way, or reciprocal, links. In short the more websites that are linked to yours, the more important the search engines think your site is. That’s why it makes good business sense to try and establish these links with complementary websites. Don’t make the mistake though of simply aiming for volume – there are many directory sites that will quite happily accept a link to your site. However, the major search engines are highly sophisticated and will look to ensure that links are relevant and that your links are with ‘ranked’ or popular sites. They have devices that can spot so-called ‘handshakes’ sites ensure there is a relevance to links.

Once again it is worth looking at your competitors to see what kind of links they have. The ones that are successful will have good key phrases a good ranking and relevant inbound links.

Refresh your site

One of the big turn-offs for website visitors is an out of date website. That’s why you need to work on your website on a regular basis – making sure your site is up to date and that it contains modern and relevant information. For instance, if you have a ‘News’ section make sure that you are posting new stories to the site so that visitors know that it is up to date. Remember too that your website is equivalent to a high street shop window. Your favourite store will probably change its window display on a regular basis to continue to attract visitors – your website requires exactly the same attention. If you fail to refresh your website you’ll turn off repeat visitors. Always give visitors a reason to re-visit your site - for instance why not consider publishing articles you have written on to your website?

Make it easy!

2007-03-30T13:39:00.000Z

Marketing is about making it as easy as possible for your customer to do business with you. Remember that each barrier you put in place, each irritation your customer finds with your service is a potential block to a sale.

So why not review the customer experience? Try to put yourself in their shoes.

For instance:

· how easy is it for your clients to contact you?
· how easy is your billing system - do you offer different ways of paying?
· do you review your customer needs on a formal basis?
· do you tailor your products or services to match different customer needs?
· is your literature jargon-free?
· are your opening hours convenient for your customers?
· do you offer an on-line service?

Marketing shouldn’t cause a revolution in your business. If you think ‘common sense’ you should be on the right track!

But it’s quite easy to fall into routines and easier still to work around what is easy and convenient for you – rather than what is easy and convenient for your customers.
So, why not carry out a ‘Make it Easy’ review? Ask your customer to tell you what they think of your service, what they like about it – and then what irritates them. You might also want to consider some mystery shopping to really test the customer experience.

It might help you to modify the way you operate and improve your customer service by making the buying experience more endurable and enjoyable.

If you’d like to discuss making it easy for your customers, why not talk to the Marketing Manager? You can contact us here

Creating the right image

2007-03-15T12:04:00.000Z

The one person most interested in your business is probably …. you! And as much as you’d like to believe that what you do is of interest to the population at large, the truth is, it probably isn’t!

However, and regardless of our impressions, public relations is not just for publicity-conscious corporations, fading celebrities and desperate politicians. PR is also for you! You have a case to make. You want others to appreciate your point of view. You need your voice to be heard. You want people to know that you’re there!

You need PR!

But before you start talking to the press or local radio stations, it’s worth spending a little time in planning a campaign of action.

If you open a new office and let the local newspaper know, the subsequent press coverage may well be good. But, if you’re honest, what you would really prefer is quite simple – you’d like to secure more qualified prospects and sell more business. Anything else you can get from it is icing on the cake.

That’s why you should use PR to support your sales efforts – but don’t expect it to replace them.

So, consider your real objectives, for instance is it:

To raise your profile within your working community
To let people know where you are
To generate new customers
To increase sales
To tell prospects how to find you?

If public relations is to support these objectives, common sense says it must help to get coverage in your target media – be that in your local newspaper, appropriate trade publication or local radio station. It will then allow your prospects to form an opinion about you and your new products.

The problem is that many of us are too tied-up in our own world to really look objectively at our businesses and find a newsworthy story angle that could lead to free publicity. To do so, you need to be able to separate real news about your company from promotional puffery. You need to be able to deliver a sharp and contemporary news story that will be of genuine interest to the audience. And you need to be able to deliver this story in a professional, courteous way.
For instance, you may consider having your press releases checked over by a friendly journalist first – ask him if, in his opinion, the release is likely to be of interest to a local newspaper. The style of your press release is important. If the newspaper can use the words you have used it will save them having to re-write the story. And anything that can save them time will be welcomed.

When you design your public relations campaign, think about the news angles, develop your media materials and begin contacting the press or radio, always think:

"What can I do that will make this more useful to a journalist?"

That means you need to look at developing your story angles from their perspective, not your own. You need to step away from your business and view it as a reporter looking for an interesting story. Remember, he's looking for a story that will satisfy his editor and his readers or listeners. He's not interested in promoting you, only in crafting a story that will make readers stop and say "Now there's something I didn’t know."

If you're looking to raise the profile of your organisation, why not talk to the Marketing Manager? You can contact us here