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Brad Burton, the entrepreneur behind 4Networking, talks about his business on BBC2's Working Lunch.
What networking groups do you belong to and what groups do you recommend? Where do you get most success - what do you actually define as networking success?
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Thursday 19 May 2011
Wednesday 18 May 2011
Don't be a Powerpoint Time Vampire - Video makes for Snappy Business Presentations
Tweet “I hate being presented to. Long, windy overhead presentations bore me to tears and I switch off when they’re on. I don’t need to hear all the underlying research that lead to the conclusion presented on the final slide. What I need to hear is your recommendation and why you think it is the best course of action for us. That’s it. If I need to ask questions about the data or the supporting evidence then I’ll ask them. But if I don’t then leave it out. I need the process to be efficient and meaningful. I don’t want to waste time – yours or mine. So get to the point and make it snappy”.
What's not to love about any of that?? One little tip I'll add - use video! We already know how much more interesting your website is when you use video clips or sequences on it. The video SEO benefits are well documented if you care to Google! In the same way, a simple slide show can be revolutionised by using the images in a video sequence format at the outset. You can grab everyone's attention with a tailor made presentation showing your subject or perhaps a brief overview of who you or your business are by kicking off your session with an audio visual wake up and pay attention call! Read the full article by the Bull on making powerpoint business presentations effective here
Are you using video on your website yet? If not, why not? What needs to happen for you to get a video commissioned for your business?
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What's not to love about any of that?? One little tip I'll add - use video! We already know how much more interesting your website is when you use video clips or sequences on it. The video SEO benefits are well documented if you care to Google! In the same way, a simple slide show can be revolutionised by using the images in a video sequence format at the outset. You can grab everyone's attention with a tailor made presentation showing your subject or perhaps a brief overview of who you or your business are by kicking off your session with an audio visual wake up and pay attention call! Read the full article by the Bull on making powerpoint business presentations effective here
Are you using video on your website yet? If not, why not? What needs to happen for you to get a video commissioned for your business?
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Avoid Cold-calling! Part 3 & 4
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To quote Smart Marketing Blog - "Cold-calling makes you a commodity" .
So here, in part 3 of my blog series on avoiding cold-calling, are their number 3 & 4 tips:
3. Strategic partnerships
"This is one way you can maintain contact with your clients, even when they aren't ready to buy. By establishing a network of professionals in various business sectors, that you trust and to whom you have no problem sending work, you can leverage those respective relationships to increase your brand's value. You can become a connector with the sole purpose of making business easier for your clients. Done right, it's a two-way partnership. Because every time those clients need the services you offer. they are far more likely to refer you. It pays to be thinking about other service providers, not just your own business, when you meet potential clients.
4. Referral rewards
There is nothing more powerful than testimonials and word-of-mouth recommendations. Frankly, they're more effective than any paid-for advertising. If you have a solid product and loyal customers, offering referral rewards to those clients to help spread your brand awareness will work wonders. Empower your current customers to be your advocates. Give them the opportunity to tell their friends and family about your business. And when they do, and when you close that sale, give your customers a percentage of that new sale. Because remember, you wouldn't have had it if they didn't make that referral. When you do this, you're expanding your network so your brand is exposed to new paying clients. And with every client, you're exponentially increasing your revenue potential. Concerned about losing 20 percent of a sale? Don't be. 80 percent is better than zero percent, right? And remember, whatever you are doing on the marketing front, you can engage in social conversations on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Quora, comment on blogs and even interact on YouTube and Flickr with people of the same interests and link them in ways never before possible. Proactively seek conversations between users in your industry, in your region, in your city. These are the people you want to connect with. These are the people that'll help you grow your business by connecting you with new business opportunities."
Which of these, if any, are you currently working on in your business?
Tweet
To quote Smart Marketing Blog - "Cold-calling makes you a commodity" .
So here, in part 3 of my blog series on avoiding cold-calling, are their number 3 & 4 tips:
3. Strategic partnerships
"This is one way you can maintain contact with your clients, even when they aren't ready to buy. By establishing a network of professionals in various business sectors, that you trust and to whom you have no problem sending work, you can leverage those respective relationships to increase your brand's value. You can become a connector with the sole purpose of making business easier for your clients. Done right, it's a two-way partnership. Because every time those clients need the services you offer. they are far more likely to refer you. It pays to be thinking about other service providers, not just your own business, when you meet potential clients.
4. Referral rewards
There is nothing more powerful than testimonials and word-of-mouth recommendations. Frankly, they're more effective than any paid-for advertising. If you have a solid product and loyal customers, offering referral rewards to those clients to help spread your brand awareness will work wonders. Empower your current customers to be your advocates. Give them the opportunity to tell their friends and family about your business. And when they do, and when you close that sale, give your customers a percentage of that new sale. Because remember, you wouldn't have had it if they didn't make that referral. When you do this, you're expanding your network so your brand is exposed to new paying clients. And with every client, you're exponentially increasing your revenue potential. Concerned about losing 20 percent of a sale? Don't be. 80 percent is better than zero percent, right? And remember, whatever you are doing on the marketing front, you can engage in social conversations on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Quora, comment on blogs and even interact on YouTube and Flickr with people of the same interests and link them in ways never before possible. Proactively seek conversations between users in your industry, in your region, in your city. These are the people you want to connect with. These are the people that'll help you grow your business by connecting you with new business opportunities."
Which of these, if any, are you currently working on in your business?
Tweet
Avoid Cold-calling! Part 2
Tweet I started a short series of blogs recently on how to avoid cold calling if, like me, you're not convinced it's as effective as many other methods of getting new business - they are based on an article on Smart Marketing Blog which states- "Cold-calling makes you a commodity"
Here's their second tip on better ways to get more business.
2. Establish authority
What's the difference between a sales rep and a trusted consultant? A sales rep asks for business cards, a trusted consultant establishes cordial relationships. The question is how you do that - networking is great for collecting a whole pile of biz cards but the art would be to develop the relationship by taking an interest in what they do - perhaps email relevant links you may have found, recommend a book you think they may like to read, get to know what makes them tick a bit by engaging on Twitter, LinkedIn or whatever Social Media Platforms they may be using... It's not as touchy feely as it sounds. When you know what people are saying, talking about, interested in - you can build a relationship so that you are the "go-to" they think of when they have a need for whatever product or service you provide. There's also a huge value in respecting a prospects' buying cycles. If you are patient and personable, and don't pressure prospects into a quick, price-driven promotion, they'll come to you when they need to, providing you have maintained the relationship. When the client regards you as a trusted advisor — somebody who's invested in their business as much as they are — instead of an easily-replaced commodity, there's no need to lower your prices. Clients will gladly pay extra knowing without a doubt you're the best at what you do and that you have their interest in mind, instead of your invoice. Does this work for you in your business? Are you using social media to build these sort of relationships? Tweet
Here's their second tip on better ways to get more business.
2. Establish authority
What's the difference between a sales rep and a trusted consultant? A sales rep asks for business cards, a trusted consultant establishes cordial relationships. The question is how you do that - networking is great for collecting a whole pile of biz cards but the art would be to develop the relationship by taking an interest in what they do - perhaps email relevant links you may have found, recommend a book you think they may like to read, get to know what makes them tick a bit by engaging on Twitter, LinkedIn or whatever Social Media Platforms they may be using... It's not as touchy feely as it sounds. When you know what people are saying, talking about, interested in - you can build a relationship so that you are the "go-to" they think of when they have a need for whatever product or service you provide. There's also a huge value in respecting a prospects' buying cycles. If you are patient and personable, and don't pressure prospects into a quick, price-driven promotion, they'll come to you when they need to, providing you have maintained the relationship. When the client regards you as a trusted advisor — somebody who's invested in their business as much as they are — instead of an easily-replaced commodity, there's no need to lower your prices. Clients will gladly pay extra knowing without a doubt you're the best at what you do and that you have their interest in mind, instead of your invoice. Does this work for you in your business? Are you using social media to build these sort of relationships? Tweet
Friday 13 May 2011
Avoid Cold-Calling! Part 1
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To quote Smart Marketing Blog - "Cold-calling makes you a commodity"
Ryan Barton - author of said blog - has 5 tips for us to grow our businesses ethically and with longevity in mind...
Here's number 1:
How to build business - tip number 1
"I've told you what I think about cold-calling, and how it can effectively destroy your brand. So instead of being (too) critical, here's the first of five ways for you to give your business a boost in a responsible and professional manner.
1. Permission-based marketing
This was the soap-box for my initial comment/rant. Under the permission marketing umbrella, we only reach out to those people who expressed an interest in our product. They raised their hand, they said they want to know more. And unless they do that, we consider them off limits.
It may be tempting to take a customer’s email address and drop it into your email blast client, but unless they gave you permission to ping them with follow-up email marketing, we don’t do that. It’s easy, but it’s not right.
Here’s a few blatant examples of both the bad, and the good:
Bad - Buying a list of email addresses and auto-deploying an email
Good - Establishing sequential messaging based on buying cycle status
Bad - Poaching email addresses from web pages
Good - Establishing a list that’s 100% permission-based via submission
Bad - Putting business cards on random front doors and car windshieldsGood - Providing strategic content on request
If you’re concerned with the longevity of your business, if you’re looking for a long-term growth strategy, you need to utilize permission-based marketing. Ignore the overnight shortcuts, keep your business blinders on, and pound the pavement."
So, do you agree with Ryan's points? Are you careful about creating a permission -based culture within your marketing?
Are you using social media to reach out and find your potential customers by listening to what they are talking about and what they are interested in? Do you know what they are saying about your business and are you using that information in your marketing strategy?
Do you use pinpoint marketing in your business by creating a message and then delivering it to potential customers who want to hear it?
Or do you have trouble seeing the point in all that - are you a scatter gun fan? Leave me a comment below and tell your thoughts...
Tweet
To quote Smart Marketing Blog - "Cold-calling makes you a commodity"
Ryan Barton - author of said blog - has 5 tips for us to grow our businesses ethically and with longevity in mind...
Here's number 1:
How to build business - tip number 1
"I've told you what I think about cold-calling, and how it can effectively destroy your brand. So instead of being (too) critical, here's the first of five ways for you to give your business a boost in a responsible and professional manner.
1. Permission-based marketing
This was the soap-box for my initial comment/rant. Under the permission marketing umbrella, we only reach out to those people who expressed an interest in our product. They raised their hand, they said they want to know more. And unless they do that, we consider them off limits.
It may be tempting to take a customer’s email address and drop it into your email blast client, but unless they gave you permission to ping them with follow-up email marketing, we don’t do that. It’s easy, but it’s not right.
Here’s a few blatant examples of both the bad, and the good:
Bad - Buying a list of email addresses and auto-deploying an email
Good - Establishing sequential messaging based on buying cycle status
Bad - Poaching email addresses from web pages
Good - Establishing a list that’s 100% permission-based via submission
Bad - Putting business cards on random front doors and car windshieldsGood - Providing strategic content on request
If you’re concerned with the longevity of your business, if you’re looking for a long-term growth strategy, you need to utilize permission-based marketing. Ignore the overnight shortcuts, keep your business blinders on, and pound the pavement."
So, do you agree with Ryan's points? Are you careful about creating a permission -based culture within your marketing?
Are you using social media to reach out and find your potential customers by listening to what they are talking about and what they are interested in? Do you know what they are saying about your business and are you using that information in your marketing strategy?
Do you use pinpoint marketing in your business by creating a message and then delivering it to potential customers who want to hear it?
Or do you have trouble seeing the point in all that - are you a scatter gun fan? Leave me a comment below and tell your thoughts...
Tweet
Avoid Cold-calling! Part 2
Tweet I started a short series of blogs recently on how to avoid cold calling if, like me, you're not convinced it's as effective as many other methods of getting new business - they are based on an article on Smart Marketing Blog which states- "Cold-calling makes you a commodity"
Here's their second tip on better ways to get more business.
2. Establish authority
What's the difference between a sales rep and a trusted consultant? A sales rep asks for business cards, a trusted consultant establishes cordial relationships. The question is how you do that - networking is great for collecting a whole pile of biz cards but the art would be to develop the relationship by taking an interest in what they do - perhaps email relevant links you may have found, recommend a book you think they may like to read, get to know what makes them tick a bit by engaging on Twitter, LinkedIn or whatever Social Media Platforms they may be using... It's not as touchy feely as it sounds. When you know what people are saying, talking about, interested in - you can build a relationship so that you are the "go-to" they think of when they have a need for whatever product or service you provide. There's also a huge value in respecting a prospects' buying cycles. If you are patient and personable, and don't pressure prospects into a quick, price-driven promotion, they'll come to you when they need to, providing you have maintained the relationship. When the client regards you as a trusted advisor — somebody who's invested in their business as much as they are — instead of an easily-replaced commodity, there's no need to lower your prices. Clients will gladly pay extra knowing without a doubt you're the best at what you do and that you have their interest in mind, instead of your invoice. Does this work for you in your business? Are you using social media to build these sort of relationships? Tweet
Here's their second tip on better ways to get more business.
2. Establish authority
What's the difference between a sales rep and a trusted consultant? A sales rep asks for business cards, a trusted consultant establishes cordial relationships. The question is how you do that - networking is great for collecting a whole pile of biz cards but the art would be to develop the relationship by taking an interest in what they do - perhaps email relevant links you may have found, recommend a book you think they may like to read, get to know what makes them tick a bit by engaging on Twitter, LinkedIn or whatever Social Media Platforms they may be using... It's not as touchy feely as it sounds. When you know what people are saying, talking about, interested in - you can build a relationship so that you are the "go-to" they think of when they have a need for whatever product or service you provide. There's also a huge value in respecting a prospects' buying cycles. If you are patient and personable, and don't pressure prospects into a quick, price-driven promotion, they'll come to you when they need to, providing you have maintained the relationship. When the client regards you as a trusted advisor — somebody who's invested in their business as much as they are — instead of an easily-replaced commodity, there's no need to lower your prices. Clients will gladly pay extra knowing without a doubt you're the best at what you do and that you have their interest in mind, instead of your invoice. Does this work for you in your business? Are you using social media to build these sort of relationships? Tweet
Avoid Cold-Calling! Be more intelligent about how you get your new business.
Tweet
To quote Smart Marketing Blog - "Cold-calling makes you a commodity" .
So here, in part 3 of my blog series on avoiding cold-calling, are their number 3 & 4 tips:
3. Strategic partnerships
"This is one way you can maintain contact with your clients, even when they aren't ready to buy. By establishing a network of professionals in various business sectors, that you trust and to whom you have no problem sending work, you can leverage those respective relationships to increase your brand's value. You can become a connector with the sole purpose of making business easier for your clients. Done right, it's a two-way partnership. Because every time those clients need the services you offer. they are far more likely to refer you. It pays to be thinking about other service providers, not just your own business, when you meet potential clients.
4. Referral rewards
There is nothing more powerful than testimonials and word-of-mouth recommendations. Frankly, they're more effective than any paid-for advertising. If you have a solid product and loyal customers, offering referral rewards to those clients to help spread your brand awareness will work wonders. Empower your current customers to be your advocates. Give them the opportunity to tell their friends and family about your business. And when they do, and when you close that sale, give your customers a percentage of that new sale. Because remember, you wouldn't have had it if they didn't make that referral. When you do this, you're expanding your network so your brand is exposed to new paying clients. And with every client, you're exponentially increasing your revenue potential. Concerned about losing 20 percent of a sale? Don't be. 80 percent is better than zero percent, right? And remember, whatever you are doing on the marketing front, you can engage in social conversations on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Quora, comment on blogs and even interact on YouTube and Flickr with people of the same interests and link them in ways never before possible. Proactively seek conversations between users in your industry, in your region, in your city. These are the people you want to connect with. These are the people that'll help you grow your business by connecting you with new business opportunities."
Which of these, if any, are you currently working on in your business?
Tweet
To quote Smart Marketing Blog - "Cold-calling makes you a commodity" .
So here, in part 3 of my blog series on avoiding cold-calling, are their number 3 & 4 tips:
3. Strategic partnerships
"This is one way you can maintain contact with your clients, even when they aren't ready to buy. By establishing a network of professionals in various business sectors, that you trust and to whom you have no problem sending work, you can leverage those respective relationships to increase your brand's value. You can become a connector with the sole purpose of making business easier for your clients. Done right, it's a two-way partnership. Because every time those clients need the services you offer. they are far more likely to refer you. It pays to be thinking about other service providers, not just your own business, when you meet potential clients.
4. Referral rewards
There is nothing more powerful than testimonials and word-of-mouth recommendations. Frankly, they're more effective than any paid-for advertising. If you have a solid product and loyal customers, offering referral rewards to those clients to help spread your brand awareness will work wonders. Empower your current customers to be your advocates. Give them the opportunity to tell their friends and family about your business. And when they do, and when you close that sale, give your customers a percentage of that new sale. Because remember, you wouldn't have had it if they didn't make that referral. When you do this, you're expanding your network so your brand is exposed to new paying clients. And with every client, you're exponentially increasing your revenue potential. Concerned about losing 20 percent of a sale? Don't be. 80 percent is better than zero percent, right? And remember, whatever you are doing on the marketing front, you can engage in social conversations on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Quora, comment on blogs and even interact on YouTube and Flickr with people of the same interests and link them in ways never before possible. Proactively seek conversations between users in your industry, in your region, in your city. These are the people you want to connect with. These are the people that'll help you grow your business by connecting you with new business opportunities."
Which of these, if any, are you currently working on in your business?
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Thursday 12 May 2011
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