Should you Hire a Business Consultant to Help Your Business?

If you are new to setting up a home business then you may not be aware of the role a business consultant can play in helping to make your business a success. In fact a business consultant will often specialize in dealing with a variety of different company matters. Often their main role is in advising companies, be these large or small, in making the correct decision to help their company be profitable.

1.Why Hire a Business Consultant?

Business consultants are normally hired to see the issues a business may have from a wider perspective. They are often experts in their specific field and can therefore provide sensible, logical advice and guidance to a business that may need a little help. By having a different perspective it can help a business to establish any areas of concern that may have gone unnoticed, allowing them to attain the best solution.

Business consultants tend to specialize in certain specific business fields in order to meet the specialist demands of each business. For example a management consultant can help to advise on the different areas of corporate businesses such as the marketing and finance. There are also technical consultants able to provide more technical advice for those activities considered as non-management. No matter what field of business you are in you will be able to find an experienced and suitable business consultant that can help to advise on the running of your business.

If your business is relatively new then you may consider hiring a business consultant to help you in the early stages so that you can meet your initial targets and stick to your original plan. They can also help to formulate a business plan as well as advise on the best course of marketing.

2. Business Consultants are Available to All

Many people assume that a business consultant will only be of real use to a larger company but this is not true. Perhaps one of the main reasons for this is that it is assumed that hiring a business consultant will be costly and therefore unaffordable for the smaller business, but this is not always true. They can be equally effective in helping a smaller business to get up and running. If you are just starting out or feel that your business needs some help then a business consultant could really help to improve your current situation.

Video Blogging and Internet Marketing

If you are looking for a new way to advertise your business then why not consider video blogging? This article explains why this method of advertising can be so effective and what you need to get started.

Creating a video blog can be a great way to let people see what it is you do as well as getting to know the person behind the business. This is a relatively new way of internet marketing and not one that is used perhaps as much as it could be. Initially it may require you to make a small outlay for equipment but the benefits often outweigh the cost. Internet marketing with a video blog is a powerful tool and is essentially like creating your own television advert but for free.

1. Why Use Video Blogs?

What makes video blogging such a useful way of advertising is that your potential customers get to see the products that you sell or produce so that they can get a better idea of what is involved. By posting something such as a video blog you are more likely to catch people’s attention as you can do something a little bit different and it is more entertaining for your target audience. Reading through standard blog posts and articles can get a little boring after a while and if what you sell can be demonstrated then this is more appealing to the consumer.

2. Getting Started

In order to get started with this type of internet marketing you will need a web camera, a microphone and some good software in order to edit your video later. You may find it worthwhile investing in a decent web camera in order to give you a better quality picture that will look more professional to those viewing. Make sure that you present whatever it is you sell in the best light to make it more enticing! Once you have created your video you will need to edit and you can find a number of applications that are good, even if you have little or no experience of this.

Although video blogging is a great form of internet marketing there are some drawbacks. If your video requires a certain specification of software to run then some people may not be able to view it, they may also find that it runs slower on their computer if it is very high quality and will therefore switch off. However despite this it is still worth pursuing video blogging as a way to promote your business as it offers a fun way of advertising by showing others the benefits of what you do and therefore can lead to sales. To help you maximise your opportunity a Lutterworth Marketing Company could help you pull this together.

Creating Press Releases to Help Market Your Business

Marketing your business is incredibly important but to begin with you may not have the funds to advertise as much as you would like. This is why creating free press releases can be a useful way to bring your business to the attention of a wider audience, without having to spend a lot of money.

If you have no experience of writing a press release, or perhaps have not seen one before, then you may be wondering what they are. A press release is simply a way of announcing a product, event or business to the press and other areas of the media. Perhaps what makes them so useful is that they look incredibly professional and are therefore a great way to draw people’s attention to your business.

1. Writing your Press Release
Writing a press release may sound scary if you have no previous writing experience but it need not be. As soon as you have written a couple you will soon become at ease in writing and submitting to various sites. It is important that you keep the tone of your press release professional as they are viewed as being an official statement. To make yours stand out from others that have been submitted it is vital that you create a title that will catch people’s attention and include a summary of the contents.

When it comes to the content it is wise to only include what is relevant and to keep it concise. If it is too long then people may get bored halfway through or be put off from the start and not read it at all. State what it is your do, how long you have been working, the experience you have and any other information relevant to your industry. Be sure to include contact details including a phone number, email address and if you have one your website link as these are key for internet marketing.

2. Placing your Press Release
Once you have written your press release you will then need to make sure you place it on websites that receive a lot of traffic. It is a good idea to submit your press release to a number of different sites to enable you to gain as much marketing exposure for your business as possible. Be sure to complete all of the necessary boxes when submitting your press release and think of ways in which you can make yours stand out to readers. Jenkinson & Associates Ltd provides marketing consultants to companies looking to grow their sales and profits.

Tell More . . . Sell More . . . 10 Timeless Copywriting Tips!

1. Plan Your Writing
All successful writers think before they write. What are you selling? What are its benefits? Why should people buy from you? What is your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)?

2. Create a Benefit-Laden Headline
Five times as many people read the headline, over the body copy, so if your benefit isn’t in the headline, then 90% of your audience won’t see it. It really is worth spending time crafting a great headline. One copywriter I know of, won’t start focussing on the ‘body copy’ until he has come up with at least 100 potential headlines!

3. Why AIDA Has Become AIDCA
You’ve probably heard of the Copywriter’s Friend, AIDA, which stands for: Attention; Interest; Desire; Action. In these challenging times, maybe we ought to add Credibility as well. So AIDA has become AIDCA. Following on from your headline, your first paragraph needs to address these points in order.

4. Write Simply and Effectively.
This is not the place to show off with fancy or complicated words. Use simple language. Imagine you are telling a friend about your product, service, or business. Write for an audience of one and your copy will speak to everyone in that target group. And use emotional words rather than intellectual words for added impact.

5. People Buy Benefits.
Your audience is ONLY interested in what you can do for them. The fact that your company has been in business 20 years might add something to your standing, but when it comes down to selling, focus on benefits rather than features. A cosmetic dentist, for example, will focus on the benefits an attractive smile brings, rather than the procedures for fixing crooked teeth!

6. Recognise and Address the Five Basic Objections Your Readers Will Have.
1. I don’t believe you.
2. I don’t need it.
3. I don’t have enough time.
4. I don’t have enough money.
5. It won’t work for me.

Your copy should acknowledge and overcome these main objections.

7. Good layout and type will enhance your copy.
Graphics, fonts and the right layout will make your offer more appealing, but don’t use pretty pictures just for the sake of it. Sub-headings and bullet points are also effective for breaking up copy and making it more readable.

8. Offer a Satisfaction Guarantee
Some businesses are afraid of offering ‘no quibble’ guarantees in case customers take advantage. In fact, the opposite is true. Less than 2% of customers will ever ask for their money back and offering a ‘no questions asked’ money-back guarantee will give your customers added confidence about doing business with you.

9. Testimonials are like Gold Dust
Whenever you buy something on a website like Amazon, don’t you find it helpful that the products and the sellers are customer-rated? This means it’s less likely that you will end up with a product that will disappoint and it also means you can buy from reliable vendors, according to the feedback provided.
Wherever possible, ask your customers for testimonials and feature the best on your website and sprinkled in your sales copy.

10. Tell your readers what you want them to do next.
There’s no point in spending hours crafting great copy if you don’t tell potential customers what to do next! Try to offer as many alternative ways to order from you as is practicable: post, phone, website, fax. Wherever possible include a personalised order form as it’s been proven to increase consumer response rates significantly.

Website copy is important for maximising your opportunity on search engines. If you are looking for SEO Leicester try the SEO Expert.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Internet Marketing

If you are looking at advertising your business then internet marketing is definitely the way forward. However there are a number of factors that you should consider before taking the plunge!

These days nearly all businesses will have some kind if internet marketing as it is fast becoming the most popular way to keep in touch with people. However the truth is that it is not always as simple as people may first think and it requires a lot of planning to make it successful. For example you need to make sure that you have realistic expectations regarding what you wish to achieve and then plan how you can meet these. One of the benefits to internet marketing is that it is a powerful tool and can really help put you on level ground with some of the larger businesses that are around.

1. Advantages

One of the main benefits to internet marketing and being online is that information about your business and any online shop you may have is available 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week. It also means that customers from all over the world and not just locally can see what it is you do.

Internet marketing can be incredibly cost effective as the cost of sending emails is virtually nothing when you consider the quantity you can send. This will work out much cheaper then sending newsletters by post!

Another advantage is that you can update the subscribers that you have immediately via email. Any visitors that click on to your website will also have the most up-to-date news and offers; providing of course that you take the time to update this regularly!

2. Disadvantages

Of course online marketing is not completely free and you will need to factor in the cost of software, hardware, and designing and maintaining your website. The more of this you can do yourself the cheaper it will be.

Not everyone will want to buy online or for that matter will have a computer so you will still need to pay care and attention to other forms of offline marketing.

There is a great deal of competition within the business world and especially during the current economic climate. You will therefore need to make sure that all of your internet marketing such as websites, adverts etc all rank highly in searches. To help you with your internet marketing an internet marketing consultant will be able to provide the resource and assistance you need.

How to Target your Marketing at the Right People

Marketing can be incredibly effective provided that you are targeting the right people. This short article will give you a few ideas on what you should consider before you get started.

When you are considering how to tackle the marketing for your business venture it can be a good idea to take a look at a number of different areas before deciding which is most suitable. You really need to have a good idea what it is you want to achieve as well as working out who exactly your target market will be. Whether you choose to carry out your marketing online or offline the rules in general will remain the same.

Different Marketing areas

Demographics
The first area that you need to consider is your demographic, which could be for example by age or gender. Consider what it is you sell or do and who would most likely need your products or services. For example if you create and sell items for the baby market then most of your marketing will likely be at females of a certain age rather then those who do not fit within the major age group for having children. Similarly you should understand the lifecycle of a person which indicates that consumers will often require different products or services depending on the stage of life they are at.

Interests
One important area to consider depending on your line of business is aiming your marketing at the correct job sector. If for example your line of business involves building or selling items related to a specific trade line of work then you will only need to contact people who are going to have an interest in what you have to offer. Sending out marketing regarding cheap building materials will be of no interest to someone that works in an office for example. It is also worth considering if your area of business could be considered a speciality and if so targeting your marketing just at those who will have an interest in this.

By adhering to these rules it will mean that your marketing is much more effective and gets to those who will be most interested. It can also help to save you time and money that may have been wasted targeting those of the wrong age group etc. Advice can be sort from marketing consultants who will be able to advise you.

Simple Tips to Improve your Organisational Skills

Running your own business can be time consuming and it can be all too easy to forget commitments. This short article gives you a few tips on the areas you should focus on to make your business a success.

In order to run a successful business it is vital that you are always organised otherwise you could find yourself unsure of what you need to do and missing deadlines. It will also mean that you have greater control of your marketing and advertising to help generate work.

1. Organise your Paperwork

Make sure that your files and your filing system are up to date and where they should be to make finding invoices and job information much simpler. Should you find yourself with a lot of files then you may find that implementing some kind of colour code system may help you to find them easier. Keep all of your marketing paperwork together and updated and make sure that you look through it regularly to make sure that you are offering deals and promotions regularly to attract new custom.

2. Creating Lists

You may not be a big fan of lists but the truth is they can really help to keep you on tract and ensure that all tasks are completed on time. It can be all too easy to forget a task that you needed to do so making a list regularly, be it each morning or each week can help. Be sure to add your marketing onto your list regularly to make sure that you keep on top of adverts etc You might even find that ticking off completed tasks is quite satisfying and that it provides you with the motivation to keep going.

3. Organise your calendar

Having a calendar is vital, especially if you have a lot of commitments or a tendency to forget a deadline or meeting. Make sure that you keep it up to date as soon as you get a new appointment or deadline and set yourself a reminder if you are using your phone or computer. This helps to reduce the chance of being under prepared and allows you to make the best of your business. You could even include updates for marketing to make sure that you keep on top of this important task.