There’s a great deal of discussion these days in regard to branding and re-branding. Typically branding is seen to be the domain of the big players in the marketplace. But what was formerly thought to be only available to them is now available to the rest of us – small and medium size enterprises (SME’s) who wish to use strategy to win. They are intrigued that they can absolutely succeed through taking a leadership position. SME’s turn to graphic designers to facilitate their “branding.” It’s this writer’s opinion that a good percentage of graphic designers see branding or re-branding as…

When you’re picking a telephone number to promote your small business, getting a memorable phone number, rather than any string of digits, could make a significant difference to how many of your customers, or potential customers, respond. So, what constitutes a memorable number? This can depend on a number of factors, including whether you want your business to be recognised in a particular geographic location, whether you want to offer free calls to your potential customers or whether you’re a charity or other not-for-profit organisation. Some examples of memorable numbers include: 020 3151 1555 0800 955 22 55 0333 444…

Understanding Your Sales Model For all the talk about the best ways to shift traditional sales models and techniques to the online world, there’s one important aspect you always need to keep in mind. In contrast to a traditional brick and mortar store, an online customer can’t really look at the product you’re selling – they can see pictures of it, but they can’t actually pick it up in their hands and look at it directly. This is why it’s absolutely essential that you effectively tell them about what you’re selling. You accomplish this by writing solid product descriptions for…

I read an interesting blog today. The author felt that using differentiation as a brand strategy was misguided. He felt that being different wasn’t enough considering that many people purchase things based on a commitment in their minds. Being different wasn’t enough of a reason to change their minds. I think he was well intentioned but he took ‘different’ too literally. Using his theory, it’s easy to understand that if you’re a fan of say, Apple products, it’s not likely that your next purchase will be swayed by a brand that is completely different than Apple. Different doesn’t necessarily mean…

You have a concept for a product and a business plan — or maybe you already have the product or service, itself, all ready to go. But, you can’t market a product or service without a name. It’s the single-most important aspect to your marketing strategy, so it’s imperative that you choose wisely. If you have kids, chances are that you thought long and hard about what to name them… you looked at every angle: Would other kids make fun of them on the playground? Would it be a name that could transition from childhood to adulthood? Would there be…

There is a seemingly endless supply of advice for small business owners to follow on their path to success. Here are 10 of the most important ones (and a few inspirational quotes from successful business people to back them up): 1. Be Nice. Being a business owner doesn’t mean you can put your manners on hold. Be nice not only to your customers, but also your suppliers, business partners, and any one else you come in contact with on a professional level. 2. Take Risks. Owning a small business is in some ways the opposite of having a job and…

[Entrepreneur] according to Webster’s dictionary one who undertakes a business venture, taking both control and risk. I would add to that – a commitment to one’s vision or dream. When you decide to put up that shingle, you’re making a promise to yourself and your customer to work in the best interest of both. In this world economy of ours many people found themselves out on the street for the first time in their careers through no fault of their own. Streamlining, down-sizing – whatever the cause has had a lot of people “re-inventing themselves.” You may have noticed a…

If you own a business, or do marketing for one, you likely are looking to sell your brand not only locally, but in the global marketplace. For better or for worse, taking your brand online gives it the potential for worldwide customers. And, in this day and age, just about every business in the U.S. has an online presence, even if it still exists as a true brick-and-mortar business. Why construct a brand? It’s crucial that you build a brand for your business. Your “brand” encompasses everything about how your business is perceived by its customers. It’s not just having…

A confusing state that pre-occupies the mind of small business owners is whether to direct or not to direct their digital marketing strategy. As in most cases executives delegate it to the IT and marketing teams, but they do not like their way of handling. So, should we direct or should we delegate? When you delegate every aspect of digital marketing to IT and marketing firms, then you have to depend on their vision. And that makes your business dependable on the data provided by the IT firms. Beginning of every week, IT teams forward you a spreadsheet showing your…

When did you last use a  Press Release? If you’re having trouble generating leads for your business, you want to make the most of every tool at your disposal. However, many businesses don’t consider using the age-old tactic of sending out press releases to bring readers in. This may be because many believe it to be old fashioned. This may be true – press releases are positively ancient compared to some of the mediums we rely on these days – but it doesn’t make them any less viable for generating leads. Here’s how: Online Exposure  One thing many forget is…