In May 2010 I participated in the Chartered Institute of Marketing’s ‘Marketing Excellence for Small Businesses’ series, presenting the impact of social media, and how small businesses could now develop their brands to compete successfully in the global marketplace. People were becoming aware of Facebook, heard of MySpace, thought of LinkedIn as an online address … Continue reading
Is this a question you’re about to ask someone? Or planning to ask a potential investor very soon? A recent request from a friend seeking advice on how to secure resources and raise funds, so they could kick start their enterprise, ended up with me writing down a few guidelines and sharing some useful advice … Continue reading
So now the Skyfall DVD has been released, many people will be watching the latest and long awaited 50th Anniversary Bond movie in which Daniel Craig’s steps out a third time as Britain’s favourite secret agent. But is this the end? Has the Skyfall made them (Bond movies) crumble? I have to be honest. I haven’t been … Continue reading
Mr Blue Sky – I am not going to even attempt to make any startling predictions for the future. I have my own take on where I think things are heading and what I’d like to see. However, it’s worthwhile sharing some aspects which I continue to find inspiring, and over the years have seen … Continue reading
Opportunities for small businesses – It was apparent a few years ago when ‘social media’ began to excite the entrepreneur community and small business owners. Immediately, the potential for taking the prime promotional mechanism of the start-up and small business world – ‘word-of mouth’ – and amplifying its reach was recognised. The opportunity lay in … Continue reading
Are we at a similar stage to 1780? – Have we just completed a cycle of 230 years? Back in the late 1700’s the shoots of the Industrial Revolution began to appear. Factories started to emerge and dot the landscape, and the whole fabric of society started to change significantly in a way that shaped our … Continue reading
3. Reputation – the ‘jury is still out’ on the extent social media plays in managing reputation. Depending on the type of business, or sector a business operates in the uptake of social media varies considerably, although stepping into 2012 financial year, many organisations have begun to investigate what social media can contribute given the … Continue reading
“Now then, men’s fashion is a growing industry with menswear sales growing globally by 9% over the past year. Now not a lot of people know that!” as a Michael Caine impressionist might say. So does this ‘blow the doors off?’ And does it mean men around the world are becoming more stylish, are embracing distinctive designs, … Continue reading
WHERE WE’RE AT IN 2012. Social media gives everyone a voice … but so what? The driving ethos of social media is ‘every individual has a voice, and can share it with the world’– in effect it’s taking the ‘one-to-one’ relationship up a notch to a ‘one-to-one-to-many’ dynamic where an individual has ‘networked personal contact’, and … Continue reading
5. Market maturity, marketing gets sophisticated and personal – Market saturation with excess product available required manufacturers to refine manufacturing output to meet specific needs of their markets, and maintain profitability through aiming precisely priced propositions at key customer groups while leveraging additional income streams through low cost, complementary services with a perceived high value. … Continue reading
