Latest Guides & Tips
How to find customers
Targeting the right person in a company is critical, but not always easy. The most cost effective way is to ring up the company and ask for the name of the person who occupies the position you want to contact. However, there are some companies who do not release this information as a matter of policy irrespective of how polite or professional you are on the phone.
Guide to setting prices
What price you charge is a tricky proposition. Should you go for dirt cheap or reassuringly expensive? This step-by-step guide will help.
Marketing on a budget
What is the difference between the businesses that succeed and the ones that don’t? Quite simply, customers. They’re the lifeblood of any business and without them no company can survive. Read on for top tips for increasing your customer base, written in conjunction with marketing expert Jackie Jarvis of marketingco.biz…
How to stand out from the crowd
As a small business owner in a competitive market, you need to differentiate your business from your competitors. It is what makes you different, your unique selling point or USP, that motivates people to choose you over anyone else. This guide from SmallBusiness.co.uk should give you some useful tips.
Make the most of marketing
Marketing covers many different areas – and is not just another name for advertising! It is about understanding your customers and the market in which you operate better than anyone else. It’s about providing what your customers want at the right price, through accessible channels and promoting your business’ product or service.
Redefine your market
If you’ve hit a ceiling in terms of your rate of sales and number of customers, it may be time to find pastures new. Three owner-managers explain how it can be done
Is radio advertising for you?
You can’t close your ears. That’s the principle behind claims that radio is one of the best mediums for advertisers. Growing businesses in a range of sectors find it significantly boosts brand awareness, especially in conjunction with other media.
Bidding for public sector contracts
Winning a contract to supply central or local government can be a great way to grow your business and enhance your reputation. But be warned: it’s a lot easier said than done.
Guide to identifying your customers
This guide will help to get you thinking about who will want to buy your product or service, why they will buy, and, perhaps most importantly, how much they are willing to pay.
Writing effective marketing copy
Writing clear marketing text or 'copy' helps to attract more customers, so it's worth honing your skills in this area. This article from SmallBusiness.co.uk and Nigel Temple, author of How to Get Clients to Come to You, will help.
