Aug 7, 2012 | blog, marketing tips
Like many people in Great Britain, I have gone from a vague interest in the Olympics to being fascinated by sports which I hadn’t even heard of ten days ago! We have all been moved by the determination, hard work and courage of the athletes, regardless of whether they won a medal or not. Let’s remember that competing in the Olympics is an achievement in itself.
But as small businesses, it seems there is a huge lesson to be learnt from these athletes. Here are a few ideas:
Get a great support team
So many of the athletes have thanked their support team – their coaches, physios, dieticians… Make sure you have a great support team of specialists and take their advice. It might be your accountant, your partner, your marketing adviser – build a team who believe in you, understand your business and have the specialist knowledge that you don’t have.
Deal with setbacks and move on
If you read the stories of these athletes, they have all had their set-backs but have persevered. Heptathlete Jessica Ennis could not compete in the Beijing Olympics due to three stress fractures in her right foot. She has had to re-train herself to take off for the long jump on her left foot. This hasn’t stopped her winning a gold medal four years later. All successful businesses have suffered setbacks, so we need to learn from them and move on.
Small changes can make a big difference
Many have asked what is behind the success of British cyclists in recent years. The answer is Dave Brailsford, performance director for British Cycling. As Jeremy Wilson in the Daily Telegraph said “There is, quite simply, no more impressive coach or manager in world sport….Brailsford obviously has many qualities, from his eye for the small detail, or what he calls “marginal gains” to an ability to appoint and delegate work to his team of experts.” We have mentioned getting a great support team, but the “marginal gains” is also something we can learn from in business. As a marketing mentor and trainer, my clients often want a silver bullet to solve their marketing issues, but it is often making small changes which add up to a big difference – from a different subject line in an email campaign to how enquiries are recorded and followed up .
Competition and co-operation
In the women’s triathlon, we saw Lucy Hall lead the swimming and cycling, to set the pace and tire others so that team mate Helen Jenkins could save her energy for the running, her own strength, leading Helen to 5th place. This was a great achievement for Helen when she had been injured not long before the race, and Lucy played her part in this too. We all have competition, but sometimes we should consider working with them rather than against then. Co-operation could lead to getting bigger projects, learning from their strengths, and using your different strengths to build a stronger team.
Focus on your strengths
Each of the athletes has their own strengths and uses them. Are you a heptathlete, built for a wide range of events, or is the long jump really your strength? Focusing on what you do best (and getting help in your weaker areas) will give you the Unique Selling Point you need to get ahead.
Don’t forget those who helped you and give back
Jessica Ennis still turns out for her local club, City of Sheffield Athletics Club, even though it is in division 3 of the northern league. When you have achieved success, don’t forget your roots, and those who helped you, and be willing to help others.
Give yourself some credit
It is heart breaking to see the disappointment on the athletes faces when they haven’t achieved the success they were hoping for, but each one needs to remember that taking part in the Olympics is an achievement in itself. We also need to remember that running a business in the current climate is an achievement, and that many would not have the courage to do that either.
So let the Olympic athletes inspire you to do greater things in your business!
Read more about Dave Brailsford here
Author: Beryl Pettitt
Beryl Pettitt is a Marketing Mentor and Marketing Trainer for small businesses and organisations across the UK. She has worked in marketing for over 25 years, and her experience spans both the corporate environment and running her own business. She understands the needs and pressures of managing a business, so clients find her advice both practical and affordable.
This article was also published on Enterprise Nation’s website here
Apr 21, 2012 | blog, marketing mentoring, marketing tips
If like me you have been inspired by the spring sunshine to have a big de-clutter and spring clean at home, you will know what a therapeutic process it is! Once all those annoying jobs and clutter are gone, you feel inspired to make a fresh start – and the same goes for your marketing. So how do you go about spring cleaning your marketing? Here are some ideas:
1. Review your marketing materials
If it is a while since you created your website and business card, you will probably find that they are in need of an update. Do they make your USP clear? (for more on checking your USP see here). Have you got new customers that you could add to your website and ask for new testimonials?
2. Review your Social Media Profiles
Are your Twitter and Linked-in profiles up to date and complete, with all your qualifications and experience? Is it clear what you are offering? Do you have a good up to date photo of yourself on there? Do you need to get some more recommendations on Linked-in? Get in touch with your happy customers and ask for some testimonials. Have you set up your Facebook business page for the new Timeline yet?
3. Update your records
If there is a pile of business cards lurking in the corner of your office, now is the time to add them to your database so that you can bin those cards. Think about keeping separate lists of clients, prospects and referrers, so that you can target them with separate communications. If you don’t have a database, then you can create a simple one using a spreadsheet with separate columns for first name, second name, company, address, phone number and email. This can then be uploaded to an email marketing system such as Mailchimp (for more on email marketing, see here). You could also connect with them on Linkedin – that way you can stay in touch even if they move jobs or company. Linkedin also allows you to download all your contacts which could then form the basis of a database.
4. Check your SEO
Once you have updated the content on your website, do an SEO (search engine optimisation) spring clean. There are a lot of factors involved in SEO, but at least check that the page title on each page (that is the one on the tab at the top) contains useful information for anybody searching for your company, your name, and what you offer. (on this page it is Spring Clean Your Marketing | Ridgeway Marketing). It should reflect the same words used in the text on the page – too many waste this title on words such as “Home” or “Services”. If most of your customers are local, have you registered on Google My Business? This is a free Google service and will help with local SEO. Also think about getting links on high ranking sites.
5. Review your marketing activities
If this is the end of your financial year, now is a good time to review your marketing activities to see what is working and what is not. Think about it in terms of cost and time, and the value of the business (and profit) each activity generates. You also need to consider the Lifetime Value of the customer – though it may cost a lot to get one customer, if they stay with you, what is the Lifetime Value of that customer? This might lead you to re-consider how much time and money you spend on each area of marketing.
6. Get an outside viewpoint
Most of us just get too close to our own business to see the wood for the trees, so do ask a trusted friend or colleague for an outside viewpoint. They may spot something that you just cannot see. A marketing mentor can help you with a fresh perspective on your marketing, and give you lots of new ideas on how to market your product or service – for more details on Marketing Mentoring, see here
Author: Beryl Pettitt
Ridgeway Marketing provides Marketing Mentoring and Marketing Training to small businesses and organisations across the UK. Beryl Pettitt has worked in marketing for over 25 years, and her experience spans both the corporate environment and running her own business. She understands the needs and pressures of managing a business, so clients find her advice both practical and affordable. If you would like some help spring cleaning your marketing, request a free one hour marketing mentoring session.
www.ridgewaymarketing.co.uk Tel 0115 772 2518
Jan 11, 2012 | blog, marketing tips
As small businesses, we find ourselves in increasingly competitive markets, and it is essential that we have a clearly defined Unique Selling Proposition, or USP as it is often called, and that we are communicating this effectively.
So what is a Unique Selling Proposition? It must be something that makes you stand out from your competitors – something which is unique to you, and differentiates your business. It needs to answer the question “Why should I choose you?”
How can you work this out? You need to put yourself in your customers’ shoes – so often we love what we do so much that we forget how our customers perceive us. You will need to understand what motivates the customer’s behaviour and buying decisions – the psychology behind the purchase.
You could also look at what your competitors offer and see if there is a gap which is not being filled by any of them – but make sure it is something which the customers want!
The best way to be sure that your USP is effective is to try it out on both existing customers and new prospects and get their feedback. Ask your customers why they bought from you in the first place – it may not be the reason you thought! If you are part of a networking group where you know each other well, this can be a great exercise – do the other members know what your USP is, and is what they think it is the same as you do?
If you are a one-person or micro-business, your USP may very well be about you, your personality and how you relate to clients. This can be difficult to put across in written materials, so you will need to think carefully about ways to express it, but asking your existing clients will help. They may even give you some glowing testimonials which you can add to your promotional materials.
Once you have refined your Unique Selling Proposition, the next step is to check that you are using it on all your marketing materials, and when you introduce your business to other people.
Author: Beryl Pettitt
