Kickstart Your Business Growth With Expert Marketing Assistance

Have you recently launched a new business or are you about to launch? No matter how confident you are in your product or service, getting your new business out into the world can be a daunting prospect.

According to an article by the National Business Association, marketing is cited as the major reason 64 per cent of new businesses fail. It doesn’t necessarily follow that these companies that went under did not spend any money on marketing, but rather in some cases that the marketing they did was inconsistent or ineffective.

For some inexplicable reason, some business owners view marketing as a ‘bolt on’ activity – a ‘nice to have’ – when the stark reality is that marketing is a ‘must have’ for every single business that wants to survive in these ultra-competitive times we live in.

So should you use marketing companies to take on your marketing for you, or should you take the DIY route?

For any new business, having a marketing expert on board from the start can be a great way to kickstart your company’s growth. The main advantage here is that those marketing companies which are experienced in your trade or industry will have accumulated a wealth of knowledge which can readily be put into practice. Not only will this save you a huge chunk of time over the coming days and weeks, but you will not be wasting your efforts going down blind alleys in trying out marketing activities which may not bear fruit.

As there are now many hundreds of marketing companies online which you may choose to employ, it’s well worth checking out their websites as the first port of call (particularly the sections on achievements and testimonials) to see who might be a good fit for you.

Something you might want to consider: is your preferred marketing company on the first page of Google for all the main ‘marketing’ keywords and phrases? If not, can you reasonably expect they will be able to achieve this for your business?

Once you’ve narrowed it down (anything from 3-6 potential ‘partners’), then why not call up your shortlist of marketing companies and ask them what they can do to kickstart your new business?
One final thing to bear in mind: don’t sign up with anyone who won’t let you have a trial period or who tries to tie you into a long contract. Any marketing professional worth his or her salt should be confident enough in their abilities not to have to resort to these sorts of underhand tactics.

Why AdWords For Mobile Phones Could Make Perfect Business Sense For You

If you run a service-based business setting up a Google AdWords campaign specifically for mobile phone users could be of considerable benefit to you.

You see, more people than ever before are using their mobile phones to carry out ‘service provider’ searches. And that’s across a wide range of industries not just the most obvious. Therefore it makes sense to consider tapping into this particularly lucrative marketing channel before your competitors do.

As well as having less competition (fewer advertisers), mobile advertising clicks generally cost less than traditional PC AdWords campaigns too which is good news for the budget-conscious business owner or entrepreneur.

As you would imagine mobile ads work particularly well for emergency call out type services such as plumbers, electricians and locksmiths. Perhaps a little more surprisingly, they are also proven to get great results for services like web design, jazz band hire and administrative and payroll firms too – services which would traditionally have been located online via a PC – or at one time – Yellow Pages.
Once you’ve registered your Google account it’s easy to set up your mobile advertising campaign in AdWords. Just go to the ‘Settings’ tab and under the ‘Devices’ column click on the word ‘All’. Now select ‘Let Me Choose’ and select ‘Mobile Devices With Full Browsers’. This will mean that your ad(s) will run on mobiles only, not iPads or PCs. Click save to confirm your selection.

To add your chosen contact number click on the ‘Ad Extensions’ tab, then ‘New Extension’ and type in the telephone number you want your customers to use. And that’s it.

It’s helpful to incorporate a tracking device so you can keep an eye on your ROI and the overall success of your mobile advertising campaign.

As well as placing ads onto the mobile network, here’s something else you may want to take a closer look at:

On June 7 2012, Google announced that its advertisers would have access to the 300,000+ mobile apps within its acquired AdMob network, providing marketing companies with a totally customisable advertising experience with global reach across multiple platforms.

To take advantage of this option select ‘New Campaign’ from the ‘Campaigns’ tab, then choose ‘Display Network Only (mobile apps)’. You will be able to refine your advertising campaign further by selecting individual apps you wish your ads to run with – perfect for fine-tuning your campaigns for specific target audiences.

Google AdWords provides highly optimisable advertising solutions along with infinitely customisable communications platforms, allowing you to access the people you most want to reach easily and cost-effectively. If you wish to learn more about the use of Google Adwords then contacting a Google Adword Consultant could be a first step, and how to find one? Try Google!

Joining the Chartered Institute of Marketing

The Chartered Institute of Marketing are an industry wide, highly respected organisation that represents the marketing profession and all those who work within it. The Institute is open for anyone working or considering working in marketing and there is an entire scale of memberships ranging from those just finding their feet in the industry to senior management. Whether you are an apprentice, in education or a fully qualified marketing consultant, there is a membership level for you.

Affiliate

Affiliate membership splits into two branches; Professional and Studying. There are a few subtle differences between the two.

The professional branch is open to anyone who is working in or studying towards a qualification in the marketing industry. It is also available to those actively interested in marketing or considering a career in the profession.

The Affiliate (Studying) membership is a requisite for anyone wishing to study with the CIM.

The Affiliate annual membership costs £140 in Europe on £100 for an International membership. There are discounts available for direct debits.

Associate

The Associate is a rather more respected level of membership than the Affiliate despite being similar in many ways. The major difference lies in the fact that to be eligible for the Associate membership, a person must have one or more of the following qualifications. 

A Professional Diploma from the CIM

A Professional or Chartered Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing from the CIM

A bachelor’s degree in Marketing

An equivalent professional marketing body’s examination certification

The cost of annual membership is slightly higher too at £160 for European members and £130 for international membership.

Member (MCIM)

To qualify for this prestigious level of membership, a person must meet all the criteria required of an Associate member. Also required is at least three years of experience in the marketing industry including a year in a managing role. Current employment in a marketing role is also necessary.

For senior a senior marketing consultant with no formal marketing qualifications, there is an entry route to the MCIM as long as the person is at or near to board level.

European membership costs £180 per annum, whilst the International rate is £150.

Fellow (FCIM)

For all those who meet the MCIM criteria and have a strong level of industry or teaching experience, the Fellow level is a prestigious membership status to hold. To qualify, one must have either held a senior executive position in a marketing role or taught as a marketing professor or senior academic for at least fifteen years.

The FCIM costs £210 for European members and £185 for Internationals.

Chartered Marketer

Whilst there is no additional fee for becoming a Chartered Marketer, the prestige and professional acclaim that comes with Chartered status cannot be overestimated. It is the highest grade of professional marketing accreditation and recognises a person’s outstanding marketing experience and expertise.

To be eligible, a person must hold either MCIM or FCIM membership, as well as satisfy certain requirements of the CIM’s Chartered CDP Programme for at least two years.

For more information and details on how to apply for membership to the CIM, visit their website.

Advertising In Local Publications – Can It Still Work For Small Businesses?

The advertising legend David Ogilvy once said:

“I do not regard advertising as entertainment or an art form, but as a medium of information. When I write an advertisement, I don’t want you to tell me that you find it ‘creative.’ I want you to find it so interesting that you buy the product.”
 
So now, to local advertising. Yes, it can most definitely work, as today’s business marketing consultants will confirm, provided the publication has:

Sufficient readers in your target market
Ask for a media pack or profile of the readership before you make any kind of commitment. Focus on your target audience and the publication’s target audience. Is there enough of an overlap to strongly suggest you will get a good return on your investment?

Good distribution channels
Is the publication actively delivered to its readership or key influencers or decision makers? Or is it something people have to pick up from a shopping centre or train station? Is it a specialist publication which is only available on subscription? If so, how many subscribers do they have currently? Also you need to know how frequent the publication is and on what dates it is published, so as you can plan time-sensitive offers accordingly.

Engaging content
Frankly, a publication stuffed with wall-to-wall ads is unlikely to bear much fruit. Look for punchy editorial and engaging, informative articles people will actively want to read.

Reasonable rates
As well as the advertising space itself, don’t forget to build in any outsourcing costs such as copywriting and design if you are not creating your ad in-house. Don’t be shy about haggling either. Many publications will offer you their standard rate card and will be used to negotiating. If you can’t get a discount on the price of the advertisement can you get extra value in other ways? For example, by increasing the size of your ad, or the promise of a free editorial write-up? Or perhaps a free ad on their associated website?

If the price of your ad still seems unaffordable at this point, tell them ‘no’, with the proviso that they are welcome to phone you back on Friday afternoon if they still have space available – at a heavily discounted rate naturally. You might be surprised at how often this tactic can work in your favour!
Once you have booked your advertising space and designed your advertisement, be sure to have a program or spreadsheet in place to measure its success. And never be tempted to design your own ad (unless you are a graphic designer), because it won’t look professional. Remember, your friendly local business marketing consultants are on hand to help you with any aspect of your advertising, marketing and PR.

Finally, keep in mind David Ogilvy’s advice. Be sure your advertisement is so interesting . . . so compelling . . . that the reader just has to buy your product.

Launching A New Business? A Marketing Company Can Help You Make Your Budget S-t-r-e-t-c-h Further

When you’re launching a brand new business every penny counts. And without careful budgeting in place, it’s all too easy for your start-up costs to spiral out of control. This isn’t the best way to start a new venture as I’m sure you’ll appreciate.

While there are some costs that are (happily) avoidable because they are not essential to your business, marketing is not one of them.

Marketing is a requirement every business will need to consider for as long as that business exists. Marketing is how the world will get to know of your business. At its most fundamental, marketing will bring about brand awareness and a steady stream of customers. At its extreme it has be known to create fame and fortune too, particularly within the realms of Reality TV. But I digress . . .

Either marketing will be a function you will choose to carry out in-house, or else it will need to be outsourced to an competent individual or company. If you’re not sure what kind of marketing activities would glean the best results for your particular business industry or sector and you don’t have the expertise or resources to market in-house, then assigning your marketing function to a marketing company makes perfect sense.

Employing an marketing company to kick-start your online marketing campaign can benefit you in a host of ways:

You won’t waste time and money carrying out ‘random’ marketing activities that might not be right for your business.

All marketing will be tightly focussed and designed to appeal to your target audience.
Your marketing company will create an emarketing campaign that is within budget and where ‘actions’ are fully accountable and measurable.

Your emarketing plan will contain a number of elements designed to maximise your visibility to potential customers and the media. This ‘marketing mix’ generally works much better than singular marketing activities carried out in isolation, which can result in a lack of momentum.

Your marketing company may be able to obtain discounts from relevant publications and advertising platforms by bulk-buying advertising slots.

Your chosen marketing company will be experts in social media and can arrange for you to have these elements (Facebook, Twitter etc) integrated seamlessly into your marketing campaign (if relevant).

As you have seen, there are many reasons for handing your fledgling business to an marketing company to work their magic.

By teaming up with the right specialists early on, you will ensure that your business starts off on the right foot so to speak, and keeps on heading in the right direction.

With So Many Self-Proclaimed Experts Online How Can I Find An SEO Consultant I Can Trust?

With so much misinformation online about what constitutes good SEO practise, finding the right SEO consultant to drive your business to the next level can be a real minefield.

You might think you can only lose money through employing the wrong ‘expert’ – and that in itself is bad enough. But what can also suffer too, is your reputation.

Enlisting the services of an SEO consultant who uses dubious or unethical techniques can do more damage to your business than by you not having a website in the first place. The worse case scenario being that the ‘fallout’ could be catastrophic.

So do make sure you choose a top quality SEO consultant – one that can prove his or her worth by showing you genuine testimonials from real people, together with real life case studies of businesses they have helped.

I’m always amazed when I come across websites who use people’s initials in front of testimonials and no company name. They smack of being made up. After all, why wouldn’t the CEO of a genuine company willingly give a glowing testimonial to a professional consultancy and allow their name to be used for this purpose? It defies logic. Please don’t fall for the explanation that “we do not provide testimonials as our clients’ details are confidential.”

Another warning sign to watch out for is someone who uses all the latest jargon or buzzwords in their pitch to you. So much so that it’s overkill. Could it be they are being deliberately vague or evasive by using words which sound like they’re related to the marketing industry, only you’re not sure what it all means for your business?

Another thing to beware of, do they talk too much about their SEO credentials and marketing solutions, without really taking the time to understand your business first? Do they talk too much in general? A professional SEO consultant will lead with the questions when they first meet with you. But they will also spend a long time listening to your answers and learning about your business before offering suitable and bespoke solutions that should make perfect sense to you.

And finally . . . their prices . . .

How straightforward and transparent is their pricing system. Will you have to pay a monthly retainer? How easily can you cancel the contract? What guarantees can they provide that they will achieve all they promise?

These are just a few indicators to watch out for when you are interviewing prospective SEO consultants to work with you in developing your business. Another good indicator is your gut reaction. If you get bad vibes about the person or company that is presenting to you, then just say no. You don’t have to justify your reasons.

Better that way round than to have to hire another SEO consultant to put the first one’s mistakes right.

Launching A New Business? An Internet Marketing Company Can Help You Make Your Budget S-t-r-e-t-c-h Further

When you’re launching a brand new business every penny counts. And without careful budgeting in place, it’s all too easy for your start-up costs to spiral out of control. This isn’t the best way to start a new venture as I’m sure you’ll appreciate.

While there are some costs that are (happily) avoidable because they are not essential to your business, marketing is not one of them.

Marketing is a requirement every business will need to consider for as long as that business exists. Marketing is how the world will get to know of your business. At its most fundamental, marketing will bring about brand awareness and a steady stream of customers. At its extreme it has be known to create fame and fortune too, particularly within the realms of Reality TV. But I digress . . .

Either marketing will be a function you will choose to carry out in-house, or else it will need to be outsourced to an competent individual or company. If you’re not sure what kind of marketing activities would glean the best results for your particular business industry or sector and you don’t have the expertise or resources to market in-house, then assigning your marketing function to a professional Internet marketing company makes perfect sense.

Employing an Internet marketing company to kick-start your online marketing campaign can benefit you in a host of ways:

You won’t waste time and money carrying out ‘random’ marketing activities that might not be right for your business.

All marketing will be tightly focussed and designed to appeal to your target audience.

Your Internet marketing company will create an emarketing campaign that is within budget and where ‘actions’ are fully accountable and measurable.

Your emarketing plan will contain a number of elements designed to maximise your visibility to potential customers and the media. This ‘marketing mix’ generally works much better than singular marketing activities carried out in isolation, which can result in a lack of momentum.

Your Internet marketing company may be able to obtain discounts from relevant publications and advertising platforms by bulk-buying advertising slots.

Your chosen Internet marketing company will be experts in social media and can arrange for you to have these elements (Facebook, Twitter etc) integrated seamlessly into your marketing campaign (if relevant).

As you have seen, there are many reasons for handing your fledgling business to an Internet marketing company to work their magic. By teaming up with the right specialists early on, you will ensure that your business starts off on the right foot so to speak, and keeps on heading in the right direction.