Marketing For Power Packed Business Growth

I looked on the Internet for "Troubleshooter"and found this intriguing essay by the original Troubleshooter, Sir John Harvey-Jones.

I'll Show Them Who's Boss was a similar format to Troubleshooter and featured Gerry Robinson from Granda media group analysing companies and suggesting improvements.

Both programmes ran on BBC TV and along with "Back To The Floor" really wetted UK appetites for The Apprentice with Alan Sugar.

As we all know The Apprentice started in the USA with "The Donald" (Trump) at the helm. It has been very successful there.

The Apprentice in the UK has been riveting viewing for those of us interested in seeing how business people tick. We're coming to the final hurdles as the remaining people (Michelle, Paul, Ansell and Ruth) prepare for their interview tomorrow.

Who will stay and who will get fired!?

Putting my money where my mouth is I still think Ansell and Ruth are the most likely to be retained. But we'll only know for sure once we get to see/hear their real CVs.

Interestingly one of the estate agents from episode 9 was interviewed by their local newspaper and said that he got on well with his team (Michelle, Paul and Ansell) and tipped Paul to win.

It's noticeable that we've not really seen that much of Paul until the succesful cruise task. Rather like James Max, who currently helps the Times on their Apprentice Blog.

So, could the BBC be keeping his profile low so he can suddenly burst forth and hit the winning line before Ruth or Ansell?

Personally I don't think so. And we're going to find out...soon!

As Sir Isaac Newton said, ""If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants".

I met up with an ex-coachee over the weekend and what we discussed got me thinking about this quote.

As we talked I realised that his company still appeared to be run almost as a co-op. For instance, they still have no managing director and they share responsibility for decisions. Overall they were making money but really what they had was a job with the extra responsibility for finding work for themselves and their staff.

My ex-coachee recognised that his business needed to change but it was also apparent that his co-directors were quite comfortable with how things were going.

I'll Show Them Who's Boss

Gerry Robinson in the TV programme "I'll Show Them Who's Boss" came across a similar situation. In the programme he was sent in to help SMEs improve their business.

I remembered one episode where he dealt with 3 brothers who all had views as to how to run their business. On searching the Internet I discovered this review of the episode which describes the situation.

The review noted:

"It didn't take an experienced businessman - and Robinson has run Coca-Cola and media giant Granada - to recognise that the company was going down the drain unless one brother was put in sole charge. Trouble was, they only agreed to disagree."

Although the 3 directors in my ex-coachees company don't appear to be arguing at all, how can they have one clear view and leadership direction for their company?

Evidence of this is the fact that the company profit appears to have reached a plateau.

Now the reason that quote came to me was that I haven't discovered every single business wrinkle or copywriting nuance myself.

Yes, some I definitely have. But I've learnt a huge amount, simply by going into companies and finding out how they do what they do. Then improving it based on experience in other companies and from seminars, colleagues and other experts.

You Don't Know What You Don't Know

The main thing I've discovered is that you don't know what you don't know. I can go into company after company and inevitably I will find things I don't know. But equally I'm able to tell each company things they don't know.

That's true for every company, blue chip included, that I've been in.

To get to the next level companies must find out what they don't know. Then take action to implement, test it and modify it until it's working in their company.

How do they find out what they don't know...

There are two ways.

First, they can visit other companies, not just ones in their own sector, and see exactly how they operate. And no, an hour long visit is not enough.

Second, employ a coach because they've often dealt with many companies over multiple sectors and can give a different viewpoint. Don't use a coach who has only worked in one type of company - they'll give you the same advice all your market sector gets.

Which Is The BestWay To Improve Your Company?

It's horses for courses really.

The first way is for companies who are raking money in and can afford to have directors get out of the business for a good chunk of time. It pays back dividends but care needs to be taken to ensure that directors don't take their eye off the ball in their own company.

The second way is for companies who want to get to "standing on the shoulders of giants" by using a coaches experiences in life and business.

And of course as usual "action is they key".

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Sir Alan Sugar has had his work cut out whittling the merry band of Apprentices down.

So next week he’s putting the remaining apprentices forward to be interviewed by 3 or 4 people he trusts.

We’ve seen the preview of this after this week’s episode. But I thought it would be fun to think about how people would come across in an interview and whether I would select them myself. Also bear in mind I’ve not seen their CVs - the BBC web site only gives a few words about each apprentice.

Ansell, ex Millwall footballer comes across as an all-round nice guy. He’s been able to sell and has usually managed keep his cool under fire. He would be my first choice to win at the moment.

Michelle was a freelance consultant of some sort. I’ve not been impressed with her ability at all. She hasn’t really sold much and she also doesn’t seem to manage a team well. Unless she can pull some amazing feat out of the bag - and no managing “global projects” doesn’t impress me BBC - I would fire her.

Paul - He has managed to do a reasonable job of keeping his nose clean and avoiding the flack. He does appear to get a little petulant and can also appear arrogant - as he acknowledges. I don’t think he’s done enough to keep unless he does a great interview. I’d fire him.

The Badger - Ruth is someone who has a very strong view of what needs doing. No matter what she says I don’t think she’s a team player. I’d still keep her though as I’d like to see her go up against Ansell or Paul. Looking at the way the BBC is editing the series Ruth usually comes out pretty well, so she may be the eventual winner - though not my choice.

So there we are a few thoughts ready for next week’s Apprentice. Enjoy!

What do we all do when it finishes?

The Apprentice Sir Alan Sugar fired deserved to go.

The task this week was a fun-filled week on a huge ocean-going cruise liner in the Med.

The teams had to “creatively” come up with a service that the ship’s customers would be interested in doing. Also to win the teams had to get good customer feedback as well as make more money than the other team.

The Badger and Slippery (Ruth and Sayed) were one team. Ansell, Paul and Michelle were the other team.

As project manager Slippery suggested that they have an onboard Olympics. The other project manager Paul suggested a dance instruction class followed by a knockout competition.

Considering there were well over 2,000 people on board neither team had people rushing to sign-up.

Ruth’s marketing effort was a nicely designed flyer and large entry in the onboard daily newspaper.

Paul appeared on the ship’s TV channel and later on, during one of Sayed’s Games, appeared again on a huge TV screen on deck to put his message across.

Sayed noticed the TV effort and tried to do the same himself, not very successfully it has to be said.

In the end Sayed’s team lost.

The reasons...

Sayed - or Slippery

Slippery, who later claimed to be very creative, had suggested what was effectively a games day. So nothing that the passengers couldn’t already do themselves. He also managed, yet again, to be disorganised and not write people’s name and cabin number on the back of lottery tickets he was selling. Nobody turned up to the first event he organised. And he was late to arrive at the tennis tournament. He kept changing his mind about the events they should be doing. He seemed to be in a very reactive mode. And of course he made mistakes.

During the firing he also claimed to have “looked after” Ruth so well.

Ruth...or The Badger

I think she helped Slippery to slip up. She knew the rules said that money used out of their budget would come out of their profits but didn’t push the point with Sayed. When Sayed said they should “lose” the tickets he hadn’t written on the back she said he shouldn’t then on camera said “in her book it was fraud” - which of course it is and she should have said the same to Sayed. She allowed him to put on a games day when she knew the rules had said provide a service to the passengers. She looked as though she’d kept well out of the way so that the cameras could only focus on Sayed rushing around and trying to locate her. She made the (obvious) point very strongly about Sayed’s lack of attention to detail and his disorganisation. She also said her “only weakness” was creativity because “she was a doer”. This said with Sayed playing the creativity card.

Slippery & Badger’s Marketing

Ruth’s marketing was trivial, well to be fair the other team’s wasn’t much better. People must know by now that a key part of marketing is repetition. Repeat the message, obviously tweaking as you go. But repeat it in different ways.

For example for their different games they went into the newspaper and had flyers produced. A good start.

Why hadn’t they asked the cruise director what other forms of marketing they could use. Let me note one or two:

• Do some market research - ask passengers what service they’d like!


• Pre-record a few mini TV adverts to run the previous day and during the day


• Record a radio interview about the games for the ship’s radio


• Pre-record and play radio ads during the day


• Put up some posters around the ship


• Ask if they could do a tannoy announcement over the ships tannoy system

When it came to the boardroom firing Ruth quietly slipped the knife into Sayed about buying bottles of Champagne being his idea and she’d “asked” him about whether the rules said money spent came from their profits - which of course she already knew.

She also made sure that she made the point that Sayed kept interrupting her. In fact at one point the argument between Ruth and Sayed became so heated that we were wondering if they were going to come to blows.

Sir Alan has at last commented on the fact that Ruth puts people in a position so that they are likely to fail. She does exactly that, point to the weakness in someone else so you can’t see hers. She also made a great song and dance about being “a fundamental part” of making her company an extra £10 million over 3 years.

So what?

If you can’t perform on The Apprentice it doesn’t matter how much you say you’ve made anyone else does it?

Anyway at last we say farewell to Slippery as Sir Alan commented that there was some disconnect between what Sayed said and the facts. That’s something I think has been obvious over the weeks!

In a later post I'll be doing a bit of crystal ball gazing of the people who are left and their chances of winning.

Tradeshows exhibiting: you either love it or hate it.

If you hate it the chances are that you don’t get any real leads or business from them.

There are so many reasons why you don’t get good business from a tradeshow.

But the main reason probably comes down to planning.

A tradeshow is an event where it’s vital to have everything you’re doing all coming together before the tradeshow.

I do have a tradeshow planning task list which you get as an added bonus when you sign up for my Marketing Course. The course is emailed in 6 parts and the bonus is delivered at the same time as one of the lessons.

Planning tradeshows splits as follows:

• Planning Strategy before you even decide which event to exhibit at


• Generic planning across all events


• Specific event planning for each show, breaking into:




• Pre-show


• During Show


• Post Show

Planning Strategy

Decide who your key prospects are. Do they attend trade show events? If they do which ones do they attend?

If they don’t attend events why are you planning a trade show? It would be better to spend the money to create customer presentations to educate your prospects individually or in groups.

• Decide which trade shows you’ll get a good section of your prospects and current clients attending.


• Agree your strategic aims for all the trade shows you’re going to


• Ensure consistency for people who attend multiple tradeshows


• Agree a theme and uniform for your stand: Star Wars, Doctors, 70’s Disco, Astronauts, Artists, whatever seems an appropriate and fun theme


• Define the publicity strategy


• Decide whether to provide speakers and decide the topics


• Agree the follow-up strategy

Implement Pre-Show Tasks

The first and most important task is to get the plans for each tradeshow you plan to exhibit at. From these you can see what sort of stand you’re going to be able to build.

Booking space is an interesting conundrum. On the one hand book early and you guarantee the position you want in the hall. On the other hand book late and you’ll get pot luck on position but a discount on the price. You decide!

Once you’ve agreed the stand you’re going to have get signage you can put up in every show. Think about the stand layout. For example don’t make a barrier for people by creating a raised step or putting a wall in that obscures part of your stand and could trap an unwary prospect.

Decide whether you need to create new brochures.

Create a series of press releases for before, during and after the show.

Send the initial press releases(s).

Update your web site with the show details.

Write and send letters to your customers and prospects with an offer to encourage them to visit your stand. Tell them the stand number and where you’re located!

During The Show

Don’t hand your brochures out during the show. Get the details of people you see and send them on. Preferably arrange for someone back at base to send the brochure and well-written cover letter, with offer, the same day. That way your prospect is reminded of you quickly and without having to lug your brochure round in a carrier bag. A carrier bag that will probably be put somewhere safe until “they get around to it”.

Smile, smile and smile some more. You may think you’ve got it bad waiting round on a stand but think of your prospects and clients having to walk round the tradeshow!

There’s a lot more you can do both during and after the show but I cover that in my tradeshow planning list.

Now really enjoy the business you going to get!

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Google and Yahoo pretty much dominate the search engine market. MSN and Ask are there too but to a much smaller extent.

It's been said before but I'll repeat it:

Content and Links are the important pointers for Search engines.

A lot has been said about keyword optimisation that really you can blast right out of the water.

I've seen a web site with a paragraph of dud content on the page the designer created to test the search engine. Within in a few days it was on the first page for the chosen keyword.

But the reason was that the designer had links back to the web site with the freshly designed page on from all the web sites he'd created.

All the links gave the designer's web site a very high page rank.

High page ranked links in, high value in a search.

So you need to get links in, preferably from a high rank site.

The way to do that is to write articles because as you publish each one you can link them back to your web site and/or blog.

Also make comments on blogs that relate to your own or your web site. That way you get known within your Internet community.

Plus again, the comments link back to your blog/web site.

Finally from a content point of view...

By all means optimise for your chosen keywords as you write your copy. But please make sure it isn't meaningless drivel and fluff.

I was browsing the Internet and came across this post by Seth Godin where he suggests we should say NO to average.

I hate to follow the crowd here but Seth has a good point.

Why do you think the marketing most companies use is so average?

It's because they refuse to pay for the people who can take it beyond average.

When I look at a project I look at the hours/days/weeks it will take and decide whether it's worth my while to do it.

That worth is not measured in money. Sometime I do copy for free purely because it's like a crossword puzzle question you've just got to answer!

I want to make a difference in the business world.

So the worth is measured in whether it moves me and the client forward in terms of learning and sales.

Doing run of the mill, safe, average stuff doesn't help your client grow and it certainly wastes your own time.

Like Seth I humbly suggest you ditch average, let everyone else make up the average you go for the above average.

After all someone has to be there, let it be you.

I decided that a copywriting blog would be useful to differentiate tips, strategies and techniques for direct response copywriting from other business building and profit growing thoughts and strategies.

The first post explains why my email to almost everyone I knew about The Achiever's Edge programme resulted in lots of visits to The Achiever's Edge site but few sign-ups.

I thought I was doing everyone a favour.

I realise now that I let them down by not explaining the real benefits that they'd get from signing up for the programme.

I mean it's helped me. I first learnt Windows Of Opportunity from The Achiever's Edge. I've got different ways to market, to sell and it's also helped me keep positive when I've been in a career and when I've been runnning my own business.

But the fact that it's helped me won't wash with everyone. And I explain why in my other blog post.

People who are accosted in the street and offered free money refuse to take it. It's been proven in several studies.

Is it because we're afraid it's too good to be true or do we fear the obligation that may be attached to the offer?

Maybe it's a bit of both.

What caused me to remember that bit of psychological research?

I wrote a post in February this year on The Achiever's Edge a monthly CD programme that I've subscribed to and found very helpful and motivational for over 8 years.

Just recently Peter Thompson, the gentleman who created and runs The Achiever's Edge, offered to let anyone try out 3 months worth of Achiever's Edge absolutely free.

Yes, no cost, zilch, nothing, no pence!

Because I think any business, or career-minded, person benefits from this programme I email everyone I know and tell them all about the new offer.

What happens?

It's the proverbial giving away free money. So people shy away from it.

It's a huge shame because the interviews I've heard with famous business people have been worth the subscription alone. But to get 3 interviews (one per CD) free...

So you'll understand my puzzled expression when I find that only 2 out of 200 people I told about it grabbed this offer.

I know, I know it's because it's such an unbelievable offer there's got to be a catch. And of course there is...

Peter wants you to use his CDs and be so impressed with the content that you'll stay signed up to The Achiever's Edge.

You keep learning about how people perceive offers don't you?

This week the two teams were given the task of letting apartments in the Clapham area of London.

Michelle's team made 6 lease agreements and Tuan's made the same.

During the task the self-styled "The Badger" (Ruth Badger) went off on her own and made 5 sales under her own steam.

Sayed grabbed someone who was looking in the shop window and made one sale. Before that he'd managed to take the wrong keys to a viewing - lost a sale, arranged to meet at Wandsworth Bridge but gone to the wrong bridge - lost a sale. And still managed to blame Tuan for it.

Tuan meanwhile was happy doing his backroom thing and didn't really get into selling until the second day. By which time everyone else had had a go. So he didn't sell anything.

Ruth steam-rolled over Tuan, her project manager, to take most of the viewings herself.

Tuan's team lost by a small amount so his team arrived in the Boardroom for the firing!

Margaret (one of Sir Alan's advisers) told Sayed, "...you need the man with the brush and shovel to follow behind".

When Tuan was talking about Sayed, Slippery said, "Stop pointing your finger at me" and then continued to point his own finger at Tuan!

Sir Alan noted that Sayed was a loose cannon, with the occassional flash of brilliance.

In the end though Tuan was fired. Was it right for Sir Alan to fire him?

Look at what Tuan did...

1) He let Ruth decide what viewings she would do and in fact tell him who should do the viewings
2) He let Sayed pull him down in front of prospects
3) He never went selling by himself he was always with Sayed
4) He couldn't tell Sir Alan why he shouldn't be fired all he could say why he was different to Sayed
5) In the boardroom he looked as though he'd given up and was expecting to get the push so he didn't fight for himself and as good as threw himself on his sword by talking rubbish about being 3 steps ahead of Sayed
6) Last time Tuan had said he did this type of non-aggressive selling but didn't demonstrate his ability during his viewing
7) During his viewing he was really down-beat and not enthusiastic about the place at all

So yes Sir Alan was quite right to fire him.

Now next time promises to be very interesting as the teams are off to a luxury cruise. Watch Sayed blag his way through the task.

Easter, Christmas, in fact any major holiday seems to bring a flurry of activity from the full and part-time marketers who're trying to wring every last cent from their email list.

They all promise that their latest offering will put the world to rights and make the person reading a fortune so that they too can put their feet up and let the Internet marketing machine pour cash into their bank account.

So in the interests of helping without selling anything myself here is a list of my top 10 tips for business growth, in no particular order:

1. Training - no business can get to the next level without training, coaching and/or mentoring. You just don't know what you don't know is stopping you short.
2. Service - You must deliver an excellent product and service that you backup when things go wrong.
3. Time Management - essential to enable everyone in the company to pull together and make the most of their working day
4. Sales Tools - even the greatest sales people need sales tools. Tools like presentations, testimonials, well-written brochures, Frequently Asked Questions, Business Cards
5. Customer Training - and/or Trade shows are essential to educate your customer as to your abilities. And to help your customer use your service or product.
6. Risk Management - Growing means taking some calculated risks. And making sure that you plan the answers to risk scenarios.
7. Sales Staff -you must recruit, retain and train the best sales staff. If that's just you, train yourself. Learn from everyone you can, including your customers.
8. The 7 Musts Of Marketing - apply intelligent, multi-layered marketing to everything you do. Your brochure should support your web site. Your Web site supports your direct mail. Your direct mail supports your sales staff. Your PR supports your direct mail and so on and on.
9. Work On The Business - set aside at least an hour a week to work on your business. Ideally Monday. Everyone in the company should be involved. The aim to make an improvement in the 12 Power Strands that hold your business in place and sustain growth.
10. Yourself - realise that you maybe the owner, CEO or director but you are not the only one with answers to better ways to run your business. Be aware of your limitations and be aware of your strengths and play to them. Recruit others who can fill the holes left by your weaknesses.

That's my top 10.

Some of them do require a little more explanation but I suspect that if you've been following this blog you'll understand exactly the points I'm making.

Sir Alan Sugar fired another of his Apprentice's yesterday.

As always we ask, "Did the right one get fired".

The losing team deserved to be in the board room facing the "firing squad".

The teams were each given the task of selecting and selling two items created by designers.

The one who sold the most by the deadline won.

In my opinion Sayed's team picked one of the worst items - a petrol can. Really nothing different about it. Bad decision. But not just that it had a very low sales value.

So they really had to chase sales hard to get the can sold.

In addition they chose an organiser. Again nothing different, and as one prospect said, it's a piece of bent metal.

Ruth's team made a better choice of items, going for a futuristic coat stand and some concrete-encased lights.

Sayed chased a big order of petrol cans, which he got, but was beaten by the deadline to get the order book to Sir Alan's guardian angels. So he forfeited part of the value of the order.

I think Sayed was quite close to being fired last night. He kept trying to ingratiate himself with Sir Alan. I love The Times' name for Sayed: Slippery!

What did Sayed do that was wrong, or just plain annoying?

He was told to lay-off going for big accounts because they take ages to order, so he went after them anyway

• He just doesn't support his team, at all, Tuan his side-kick for sales actually raised the sales order value when Sayed was desperately trying to close early. Then Sayed took the credit for getting the bumped up sale!


• He repeats what Sir Alan said about Tuan being a "planner" because Sir Alan said he didn't need one of those


• He tells Tuan that he (Slippery) is great on sales over the phone with such as Microsoft. It sounds as though he's closing deals every minute of the day


• When he misses the order book delivery deadline he complains about a "major accident" - if I'd been Sir Alan I'd have checked with his driver


• Sir Alan asks Tuan who should go from Slippery and Sharon, Tuan says Slippery, Sharon isn't allowed to choose and of course Slippery says Sharon because he thinks Sir Alan wants either him or Sharon to go. Obviously he could have made the case for Tuan going, which would have been better strategically


• In selling situations Sayed keeps going on and on about being from the East end and how he's a self-made man and practically begs for sales

What about Sharon, did she deserve to go?

Really the answer to that is not to look at what she did, she successfully sold stuff and obviously is quite capable of doing so. No the answer is that she is not a great team player, she seems to sulk when her point of view is not taken into account and she also doesn't seem to have the obvious drive some of the others do. Her parting shot to Sayed was funny. She called him an arrogant something or other and he seemed to not hear what she'd said. Certainly vintage Slippery.

Should Tuan Have Gone?

Tuan definitely stays in the background but he has his moments. He bumped Sayed's order up to 300 petrol cans when Sayed would have settled for a lower figure. Sir Alan accused him of being a planner, not something they're looking for. But Tuan managed to stand his ground, despite Slippery putting the knife in and confirming that he was indeed a "planner". I don't think he'll win now as he also appears to lack the drive that some of the others have.

At the moment my money is on Ansell.

For more comment on Apprentice check out the Times' Apprentice Blog and the BBC's Saira column. The Times also has an interesting comment about the the difference between journalism and PR - which I agree with. And a little more about Tuan and the vote they had last week about who should win. It sounds like there may have been some vote rigging. Who says electronic voting is the way to go!

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The Washington Post is reporting on Walt Disney's announcement that ABC's "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives are to be offered free over the web.

As I’ve noted previously the BBC is currently offering “The Apprentice” with Alan Sugar on their Broadband site.

The Washington Post article says later on it means that the media world and TV in particular will never be the same again.

Think for a moment what it means:

What Happens To Profits If We Watch "Lost" For Free?

In the short-term Disney are going to be able to get two bites of the advertising cherry for the programmes they've run on the TV channels.

Other countries will get to see these programmes over the internet.

That means that they're going to lose out on the revenue for selling shows like "Lost" and "Desperate House Wives".

How Are Disney, ABC and The BBC Going To Make-up Their Profits?

In the medium-term they're going to work out a model where we pay for watching the shows, of course!

What that means is that the media company will sell direct to the world public.

The media buyer at any country's TV station is going to be buying less shows, or buying more expensive to guarantee first showing. So their revenue/profit is going to drop.

That means other country TV stations are going to have to create their own unique programmes that their audience will watch. Otherwise their advertising revenue is going to plummet through the floor.

Can We Predict What The Media Landscape Looks Like After This?

I've noted in one of my articles that it's easy to see in hindsight how TV and the movies would work together. It's not quite as easy to see how TV and online TV will work together. Mainly because all programmes become video on demand. That means advertising spend can be tied very closely to the number and type of people watching. So why would an advertiser advertise on TV where they’re not even sure their spend is reaching the right people?

Interesting times!

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Bob Parsons, CEO of GoDaddy.com, has blogged about the importance of getting together with your employees and seeking improvements to your business.

Having previously come from a manufacturing background and been heavily involved with the Edwards Deming quality approach I’m a very firm believer in continuous improvement.

The only point I’d make is that certainly in the UK there appears to be a belief amongst managers that ideas should come from them. That means that suggestions put forward via the suggestion box, or through improvement meetings can get squelched.

My point?

You need to make sure your culture changes to one that puts all ideas on an equal footing from whoever they come from.

Marketing benefits from exactly this viewpoint.

Look at an advert you run today. It may be making a loss for you now.

Brainstorm some improvements. Hint: The headline is probably the most important thing to look at in the case of an existing advert.

Then try it out.

I’ve just been talking about yellow page adverts for a company. They already have lots of yellow pages ads spread around several areas.

Their initial headline was not helping people to choose them.

They use classified advertising too. I suggested they brainstorm some improved headlines and run them in the classified ads to see which ones pull best. Then use that one in their yellow page ads.

Often a problem is seen as a huge mountain. Where do you start? Yet if you chip away at it eventually it becomes a molehill!

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Podcasts are starting to take-off with the big boys.

The BBC dipped its toe in the water months ago. They’ve released content from current shows, summaries (Chris Evans’ show) and even “made for podcasting” content.

NBC is looking at it.

The reason?

They can see that advertising in podcasts and particularly video podcasting is going to be replacing, or at least supplementing, the advertising on the conventional TV channels.

I’d like to think the executives realise that podcasts are actually highly targeted and self-selected.

That is the people who watch or listen to podcasts have sought out and downloaded the content. They have a very specific interest in what the podcast is delivering.

That means that highly targeted advertising is going to interest them too.

Which means that the advertiser’s Ultimate Aim - “A Hot Target Market” - can be reached easily using podcast advertising.

Now do you think that the people who are downloading a particular podcast mind highly targeted advertising?

No. Because it relates to the interest they’ve already shown.

Expect to see heavy weights coming into the podcasting arena. All the major media companies, TV and Film are going to need to get involved. Otherwise they’ll lose the market to their competition.

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Google: Podcast, Advert, Advertising, Target Market
Technorati: Podcast, Advert, Advertising, Target Market
Del.icio.us: Podcast, Advert, Advertising, Target Market

I posted previously about how business cards are the one thing that leaves your prospect with a lasting impression.

After all they’re a small - roughly business card sized - advert for you and your company.

Notice I included you in that last statement. The business card is not simply about your company it also helps the receiver decide whether they’re interested in doing business with you.

If your business card doesn’t match your well-cut suit, your polished shoes and polished sales patter you’ll be incongruent.

Guess what? People don’t like incongruent. We don’t trust it do we?

Worse it’s actually a decision our prospects take subconciously.

So it’s important that out business cards really reflect us and vice versa.

Moving onto the analysis I’vè been doing on a sample business cards I’ve collected over the last 18 months.

I looked at 425 cards. Which I think is a fair sample to assess how the cards are being used as adverts.

The final analysis results are as follows:

No customer benefits indicated ................ initial 95%, Final 85%

No explanation of the business provided... initial 75%, Final 69%

The back of the card isn’t used ................ initial 51%, Final 55%

The persons role is not given .................... initial 39%, Final 27%

Flimsy board used for cards ..................... initial 25%, Final 25%

No name on the card ............................... initial 3%, Final 4%

Now as you can see 85% of business cards leave people in doubt as to the benefits that the card’s owner can provide. And 69% of cards leave people without a clue as to what the business itself is. Not really much use if they’ve put the cards away and have got them out to see whether someone can help them with an issue they’ve got.

How are they meant to remember everyone they’ve talked to?

Whoosh... That’s a lost sale!

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Google: Business card, advert, SME, Sales brochure
Technorati: Business card, advert, SME, Sales brochure
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I've already blogged about the Apprentice show this week and my opinion as to why Samuel was fired.

One of last year's Apprentice's (James Max) has his own column in the Times Online where he writes about the Apprentice. His comments on this weeks show are on the blog there.

It makes interesting reading and James' views are different to my own conclusion.

In the end we must remember what Sir Alan is trying to do...

"Find someone who can be used in his company once the competition finishes."

Someone who can't market or make their point of view known just wont survive there. So there really is no point in keeping someone like that.

Also on the Times site they've an online Poll where you can vote for who you think will be the winner. Tuan wins by a long way...

Marketing and the SME.

Do they mix well?

I've talked to and worked with a large number of companies over the last few years.

Companies that turnover a minimum of about $4 million usually understand that marketing is not a cost but a neccesity for them to compete successfully and grow. But often they don't go any further and struggle manfully to grow by selling more goods, selling harder,working harder and sweating to the next level.

Obviously there are exceptions to this observation, life takes no notice of "rules"!

Then there are the businesses that turnover less and eke out a living as their CEO rush around buying sales with their time.

Just look at the bankruptcy figures, or the takeovers or the loss-making companies. They're the ones losing the marketing battle.

Unfortunately they're probably not aware that lack of marketing has got them to that point.

They probably think it's lack of sales, lack of good staff or lack of a more credible product.

These are the companies that truly need to step back and look at how marketing can postively impact their business - before they lose their company.

Who do they turn to?

As well as good marketers (The Good) there are well-meaning but ineffective marketers (The Ugly) and just plain cowboy marketers(The Bad) around.

So how can you recognise the good from the bad and the ugly?

Which Ones Are The Good, The Bad And The Ugly?

It depends... and more to the point you only need to recognise the Good!

When you're talking to a marketing company ask yourself these questions:

1. Did they ask you probing questions about you, your business,your usp, your services, your products, your goals, yourambitions and your current marketing before launchuing into selling mode?
2. Did they test their understanding of what you'd said by paraphrasing your goals for the business?
3. Were they willing to tie part of their compensation to results? And were they honest enough to admit that marketing almost always needs testing and tuning?
4. Finally, did they avoid immediately offering a solution that involved only their skill-set. For example build a web site, set-up a Google Adwords campaign and do some email marketing without mentioning advertising, direct mail or pr.

Congratulations if you get a "Yes" in each question - you've got the makings of a great relationship. Your marketing company understands you and your aims so they've a good chance of helping you.

Any other answers and you need to do a lot more digging to establish whether they're really the company for you.

I've followed cowboy marketers (The Bad) into companies and find that all they've done is take a large retainer and provide boilerplate advice such as "do telesales", "produce a glossy brochure","attend trade shows", "you need an ecommerce web site" and"discount your product or service".

And guess what?

It sours the company on marketing, "because it doesn't work does it?"

I've written a short book for anyone who recognises they need some marketing but don't want to get burnt. It's an easy introduction to using a handful of key strategies and tactics to improve your business and you. Its' called "How To Leap Ahead Of Your Competitors"

Peter Tunbridge says of it "I have just re-read it once again and consider it would be of benefit to most business owners whom, Ifeel, have very little knowledge of how to market theirbusiness(es)."

Robert Craven Virgin Business Books Series Editor and author of "Kick-Start Your Business" said simply "Jim, Love the book..."

So grab it send an email now for your copy ".

Remember, by themselves indivdual marketing tactics help a business. If they're put together as part of a strategy all your effort is co-ordinated and the results, as they say, speak for themselves!

Sir Alan Sugar really put the losing project maanger on the spot. What had she done wrong?

Let me number the ways:

1. She'd given each team member job specs then not checked what they were coming up with
2. She'd been trying on clothes which were not even part of her selling job
3. She'd not stepped back and realised she didn't have the time luxury of helping a small number of people try clothes on in the name of VIP treatment
4. She'd not checked the ideas the poor sap she'd given marketing to came up with
5. She kept away from the main sales area - she didn't have a clue they were underselling their opposing team

And yet she wasn't fired.

Then on the other hand the person who was sacked had no clue how to market, for example:

1. He tried to get anyone passing to take a free bottle of water, even though they were unlikely to come back in their time frame - that day!
2. He forgot their target market was teens and was trying to give away stuff to anyone
3. He'd organised a masseur but hadn't put her in a good place and didn't use her to full effect
4. He'd printed off some flyers which promised something free if people bought several items of clothing - he should have been handing those out to people as they came into the shop!

So in the end Sir Alan was right. You can get by with a rubbish manager as long as your marketing and sales hang together and work well.

I noted that Bob Sutor (Vice President of Standards and Open Source for the IBM Corporation) was a good example of a business blogger. Having rechecked Bob’s IBM site I note that he also likes Bob Dylan. A definite plus on the great blogger score card. Bob is was in reflective mood as he’s putting together his own blogs (based on all he’s been doing) to separate the personal from the business.

In that mood of reflection Bob looked back at over 20 months of corporate blogging and produced a dozen recommendations for the corporate blogger. I’ve summarised what Bob said below, for more interesting details check his blog:

Recommendations For Company Blogging

1. Decide if you want comments on your blog


2. Write like a real person sounds when they talk


3. Don’t write marketing copy - that is don’t write ads


4. Similarly don’t write press releases through your blog


5. Allow some glimpses from your personal life to shine through



6. If you’re angry, wait before posting an entry




7. Talk about competitors with care and




8. Say only positive things about customer and partners




9. Link to other peoples writing




10. No politics




11. Do go back and correct facts, typos, spelling and grammar




12. Do write your own blog, don’t pass off ghost written posts as your own

With Bob’s indulgence I’d like to add a few more recommendations to his list:

Further Company Blog Recommendations

• Timescale - decide how long you’re intending to blog for. Then pace yourself. If you’re only blogging for two weeks (Like Wells Fargo are doing to commerate the San Franscisco Earthquake and Fire) push all out to have lots of content from day one with more added over the period. If you’re in it for the long haul decide how much time you can realistically allow for posting to your blog.


• Write clearly and without jargon - so that your one and only reader the poor blog browser has a chance of reading and enjoying what you’re writing.


• Frequency - If you intend blogging 12 times a day I think you’ll be the only one reading. And if you only blog once per month you’ll probably have the same problem. You need to strike a happy medium. I usually post to this blog 4-5 times per week. It suits me but it does depend on whether you’vè a lot to say or if you’re struggling for inspiration.


• Authority - make sure you’ve been given the go ahead by your company if you’re blogging about what you and they do. Also be aware that postings stay on the Internet for “all time” so if you say something controversial it may be picked up by a prospective employer who’s not of the same opinion and that could affect your employability!

If you don’t already have a corporate blog Bob’s list should help you decide whether to create one.