What do you think of niching?
For many small business owners who hear the word “niche”, they often shudder, frown or shake their heads. “But I want to help lots of people! If I niche, I’ll close myself off to too many people.” is the phrase I hear a lot. I remember the guy who called me about launching his new [...]
Twestimonials: how to use your tweets as testimonials
The problem with tweets is that they only last about 3 or 4 hours at best. Once tweeted, they disappear down the Twitter feed, never to be seen again. Yes, using the Favourites feature is a great way of highlighting your favourite tweets – both tweets from others that you find useful, plus tweets of [...]
Are you laying out the welcome mat for your email newsletter subscribers?
When someone signs up for your email newsletter, that first contact is very important. Just imagine walking in to a new boutique that you have never seen before and the sales assistant behind the counter ignores you. Or even worse, the sales assistant jumps out from behind a pillar and starts to sell the most [...]
Failed Life Coach turned Business Owner
I have a t-shirt stored away in the back of my wardrobe. On the front (in Wham! 80’s style font) is emblazoned “Failed Life Coach”. When I first started my own business, I was an accredited Life Coach. I had big ambitions to building my practice. You know, the usual stuff … a 6 figure [...]
Do you double opt-in?
Building your own database of potentially interested customers is one of the most important marketing strategies to put in to place as a small business owner. Whether you offer a free report or download or an action packed newsletter full of tips, tricks and strategies – giving people an opportunity to share their email address [...]
Social Media and Emperor’s New Clothes
Up and down the country, there appears to be a domino effect. Advertising agencies, marketing departments, web masters – they all seem to be bolting on “Like Me” Facebook buttons and “Follow Me on Twitter” links to websites. People are being friended on Facebook by national carpet companies and major coffee chains. And I don’t know [...]
Need another client?
You probably know a little (or a lot!) about how our internal chitter chatter can affect our attitude and results in business. If we are feeling stressed and worried about failing or a project or not working … we usually do just that. And it’s the same with marketing. If during your working day you [...]
Automated marketing: spam or sprinkles?
Whenever I start talking about automated marketing, I always hear the odd intake of breath from certain people in the audience. The very word “automated” makes the whole process sound robotic and sausage-factory-like. And yet, if you don’t automate part of your marketing process as a small business owner, it’s easy to run out of [...]
Perception is reality when it comes to your marketing
Exchanging tweets this morning with Marc Lawn of @businessgp about Tesco, reminded me of the recent Channel 4 programme Food. They looked at a shopping basket and compared the prices of identical products with all the major supermarkets – Waitrose, Sainsbury, Tesco, Asda and a few more. The results surprised me. I had always considered [...]
What comes first? Your products or your clients
You all know the conundrum of the chicken and the egg, don’t you? The chicken comes first because what lays the egg? But if chickens hatch from eggs, the egg has to be there first. And it’s the same dilemma for small business owners when deciding to create to products. If you haven’t got any [...]
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Jade Pluck on Reasons why your social media marketing won’t work
Great article Karen, I can't wait to read the book!Caroline on Opt-in offers: are you giving away the wrong stuff?
Thanks for another very insightful article Karen which I have duly shared to my networks. I am helping my partner to...Kevin Cook on The Magpie Syndrome
FB and Twitter are really making people more close and the best way of sharing your thoughts but sometime it...text loans no credit check on Personalised Marketing: How up close and personal do you get?
Very useful tips, well i have lots of doubt before in my mind which are cleared after going through this...Sherrill church on The Magpie Syndrome
Sounds like you're writing about me there and the conversation we had :)
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