Interestingly they have set up an investment company - so if you are struggling with funding from a bank, try these guys.
I tripped over all this on Twitter and need to share with you a first in my Twitter usage. It is the first time that I have ever paid any attention to a promoted tweet.
I don't follow many links on Twitter, unless I know the person/business that has posted the link. So there you have it - a perfect example of how powerful a brand can be. Will I watch the programme?
Well, I missed the first one .... but I am definitely following @jamjarinvest
Clients know that I am a bit of a nag about testing and measuring, especially web stats. Checking your web site analytics tool in an effective way is a vital piece of marketing house-keeping. So why do so few SMBs actually do this?
Do you need our help to understand and interpret your web stats?
I am reminded of this because I just took a call from an online directory saleswoman regarding a business whose online advertising we manage. With a sales script that centred on the amount of quality traffic her directory sends to the website in question she felt confident that she was on safe ground, not realising she was talking to a marketing agency. Armed by the stats that I manage for this business, I knew she was blagging. Checking referral traffic from paid sources is a no brainer. We've put in place a sales tracking system which is rigorously followed. It is our job to keep an eye on what is working and what is not. Poor telesales lady! She finished up trying to suggest the client should pay for the directory entry out of loyalty; such a desperate attempt to play on the emotions was wasted on my role. My job is to take this pressure away from the client. Looking at the stats I am certain the client would think re-booking this entry was not best use of a tight marketing budget so I politely thanked the caller and suggested she contact us again in 6 months.
Sales calls to clients are directed to us precisely because we can make informed decisions and not be bamboozled by telesales claims about Google rankings and quality traffic etc. But clearly those sales tactics work or they wouldn't be so prevalent. (By the way, I am not against paid directory entries - far from it, if they work it is great.)
So, please, check your stats. Check them and use the information! If you don't know what all those numbers mean and how to interpret them we can train you. If you can't bear doing this sort of work then for a small fee we'll do it for you. Either way, it is time or money well spent because the information should improve your marketing focus and maybe cut some unnecessary spend.
We'll make your advertising work hard . . . here's how!
Have you heard of AIDA?
Your advertising needs to be eye-catching with something that grabs attention, like an image or a bold statement.
random image - made you look tho
Once you've caught someone's attention, you need to stimulate their interest to delve deeper - key messages in bold text and in image captions often work well. These teasers need to mean something to the readers or they will quickly lose interest again.
The idea is that they quickly understand what it's all about and engage with what you are saying. This is the make or break moment for your copy. What you are saying has to resonate enough with the emotions of your potential buyers for them to take action. This means that you have to create a sense of desire that motivates them. You need to share the joys that the benefits of your product or service will bring. At the same time they have to have a clear understanding of all the facts. So think about exactly what they need to know.
By this stage they have breezed rapidly along an emotional journey, supported by fact, and have alighted at the point of decision. To take action now, or not to take action? Yikes - you don't want to mess up now! Keep them on track . . ..What will swing the reader to jump into gear and not leave it til later? Quick, can you think of a limited offer, a consequence, some way to motivate them to start loving the thing you are offering ...soonest? If you can't quite think of something, I know for certain that we can.
We have ideas aplenty, and lots of experience to back it up. So email us now at marketing@henmore.co.uk and let's put some refreshing sparkle into your advertising.
More opportunities to improve your work life balance!
- work bit is making/strengthening your connections with local business people
- the life bit is enjoying some fabulous scenery and getting some exercise by walking for an hour or so
- the balance bit is the consumption of refreshments afterwards!
So this is what to expect from netwalking! Plus the easy, stress-free nature of this form of networking resulting from the format that Paul arranges.
Next netwalking: 23rd August - Churnet Valley, Staffordshire
meeting in Alton at the Parish Church to set off at 12.30pm.
Walking for about an hour with a quasi-formal facilitated networking structure. Booking via netwalking booking form
Comments about the network following the Carsington Water netwalk
Sort of small print:
Paul, the netwalking leader that we have partnered with (www.skylarkactivities.com), has a netwalker code:
You are your own best medical expert.
Accept the need for the group to make the journey together – being outdoors there is a shared responsibility. Alert fellow netwalkers to any hazards along the way.
Share your expertise - if you spot something interesting.
Help people over difficult patches or obstacles – like up inclines or over stiles.
Set your own pace and re-group every now and then.
Choose what information you want to share, who with and how.
Really enjoyed the discussions with everyone at the event today. Thanks for listening to Chris Woodhouse and me doing our best to share some ideas and strategies to use technology for marketing improvement. Great to listen to fellow presenters Mathew (www.peakdistrictcreations.co.uk) and Paul (www.spinlessplates.com).
I promised a link to the thoughts I shared on how to make marketing work for small businesses. This takes you to a tool I use for sharing documents - box.net. Can be handy for sharing. It also allows collaborators or those you share documents with to leave comments. And it is free so hey, nothing lost.
Insights, ideas, strategies, ----> actions.
Next steps:
Here are a few ideas to encourage you to take further action - some are free, some are low cost and some are regular price but attract grant funding if you get your skates on and talk to our event hosts at Live & Work Rural.
1. Free, anytime, LinkedIn Form: Join our private delegate forum on LinkedIn and post questions and discussions. We'll answer as appropriate, and maybe others will add the benefit of their experiences as well. Click for the Marketing and Technology Series forum on LinkedIn.
2. £30 + VAT: Workshop facilitated by Catherine and Chris Date: 20th July from 9.30am at Riber Rooms in Cromford
Half day workshop delving into the detail of online marketing and social media. Further info: Marketing and Technology Workshop
3. £3 approx: Teleconference Q&A. Date: Thursday 21st July from 2pm for approx an hour.
All delegates of the Live & Work Rural Event are invited to phone in and join some of the panellists from the event today. All you need to pay is the cost of the call which the provider states is 4.3p/minute (so an hour session is approx £3). Ask your own questions or be inspired by those of others. We are using PowWow for this event: Telephone number is 0844 4 737373 and then you'll need to enter a PIN code. If you would like to join us on that call please contact us for the PIN (email: web@henmore.co.uk).
If you would like to submit your question in advance it may help get a more precise reply in the time available.
4. One-to-one consultancy
£400 + VAT for 2 x half days (eligible for grant funding). Training and Advice
Help to get your business properly set up for effective marketing and enabling appropriate use of technology. Making sure you are on track with everything. Either/both Chris and Catherine will come over and help get your business set up right for what you need to be doing. This consultancy and training package is eligible for grant funding if you're quick :-) >
5. Marketing Club
£500+VAT pa (eligible for grant funding): With 6 x group sessions combined with 2 x one-to-one consultancy sessions and a supportive peer group of fellow members makes this programme excellent value for money. We have members of this year-long marketing programme who are grant funded; again, be quick applying. > Marketing Club
And here is that thought-provoking YouTube clip, complete with cheesy music.
A few months ago I ran a day's training on improving your online presence and using social media tools for business and one of the attendees was Lucy Cufflin, foodie and Cookery Writer. In the group there were experienced social media users and total sceptics. I hope that Lucy won't mind me saying that she came to the event yet to be convinced or the merits of any of it; persuaded to come by a business associate. And look at Lucy today, my goodness. She has three Facebook business pages. And check out the comment below if you can read it. . .
Lucy posts"bring your friends, spread the word" and the reply posts says . . . . (I love this bit) "I already am! facebook definitely works, every Friday I get reminded its cake day and almost every week I'm trying a new cake from you . . ."
Lucy has found her online voice and things are going well. I am off to check up on how the other course attendees are doing now.
Do you ever get completely fed up with your website? We certainly have with ours! The old one stayed up way too long and became an embarrassment. It's not that we lack the skills, far from it, the trouble is we always priorise our clients' requirements. . . Cobblers children!
We have prepared ourselves a brief, at least, and put up a 'holding site' while we prepare a new site. The reality is that it will take a while. This is what we are planning:
•Give reassuring examples of the ways our current clients successfully add our marketing communications expertise to their organisations. It's important that potential customers understand what we are all about. It is also vital that existing clients know how to make the most of our range of services. A few case studies should show how we handle ongoing marketing activities and specific projects on behalf of clients.
•Raise awareness of our work with Midlands-based entrepreneurs and business owners that keeps them in charge of their own marketing. In particular we'd like to promote our popular consultancy offerings: the Strictly Marketing Club, a group business development programme, and our hard hitting half-day Team Workshops for marketing trouble-shooting. We have been experimenting with lots of the 'free' marketing tools recently, so that we can advise clients on what works and what doesn't. We created a Google site for Strictly Marketing and a private forum on LinkedIn for members to share ideas and give feedback. Check out the Google site so far, its been a bit of a fiddle: Strictly Marketing Business Development
•Position our business as having seasoned marketing, design, copywriting and web experts. We have been going for almost 20 years. We would like to inspire some extra confidence for potential customers to try us by showcasing our team and focusing on our years of experience organising all sorts of marketing-related projects. We put links on the holding page to LinkedIn and this blog.
Making preparations for the holding site has taken quite a bit of effort. I am reminded how much work goes into preparing a whole new web site. This is a timely reminder of what our clients go through, even with our direction and support. They also have to prioritise working IN the business rather than ON it.
So, cobblers children that we are, a new holding page will have to suffice for the time being
Press Release: Strictly Marketing Club is a year’s programme for business owners.
Businesses in Derbyshire and Staffordshire are being offered a way to make sure their marketing effort isn’t wasting time or breaking the bank. Strictly Marketing Club is designed to help business owners focus their effort and maximise results from their marketing. It’s a programme for the year with a combination of group workshop participation and one-to-one marketing consultancy.
The workshops consist of tutorials, case studies and group discussion, all designed to add insight and inspiration as well as encourage action and add accountability. Catherine Doel, MD of Henmore Marketing and facilitator of the Strictly Marketing Club workshops says: “The programme will help business owners remain in control of their marketing communications and budget for the year ahead. Participants establish clear marketing objectives and create their own calendar of activity to suit their businesses. We cover strategic subjects and make them relevant to participating businesses by addressing tactics they could use and discussing case studies. Ideas and feedback from everyone in the group plays an important part.”
These days, simply being 'open for business' is rarely enough. Businesses need to find ways to get their message out there and convert interest into sales. Business owners have joined the programme to ensure all aspects of their marketing mix are well planned and managed.
Paul Hickman, an experienced business owner who runs Great Business Websites in Belper, explains why his business has joined the Strictly Marketing Club programme: “I know a good deal about marketing already, but there is always more to think about and it is important to take time to focus. The management team at Great Business Websites is serious about what we want to achieve and the part that marketing plays in that. We will be using the consultancy sessions for experienced input to our marketing plans, and the group workshops to get feedback on everything we do to win and keep customers. Starting and running a business means spinning a lot of plates - marketing is not one we intend to drop! This programme will be enough to keep us thinking and is incredibly cost effective for what it includes.”
The first group Workshops are starting in October and November and are being held at Dove Studios in Ellastone.
My sales and marketing presentation to our local Women in Rural Enterprise group was well received yesterday (based on feedback forms and the discussions that followed). Normally a 3 hour interactive workshop, we converted it to a 40 minute presentation. It was hard to leave anything out, so I rattled through it at a pace.
The workshop focussed on the 'virtuous circle' of marketing communications from raising awareness to taking an order and delivering the product or service in a way that meets customer expectations.
We covered many dos and don'ts of marketing communications. I urged everyone to be analytical, make a plan and stick to it, and harness the power of testimonials. Naturally I asked for testimonials and plenty of feedback.
The next event is on 29th April in Fenny Bentley when Derbyshire's business owners are invited to review their sales and marketing plans for 2009.
We have spent the week reviewing and revising most of the pdf download materials for one of our clients. It was quite a fiddly job, with close collaboration between client, copy writer and graphic designer (our web designer has yet to do his bit and upload them all to the client's site).
Many of the pdfs had been in circulation for a while and needed the content editing to reflect new sales messages. To complete the set we researched and wrote new copy for both fact sheets and case studies. Meanwhile on the design side, the client's corporate image has evolved over the years and the pdf fact sheets and case studies now looked dated. It was time for a new template style to be designed and implemented across the whole set. They are now all proofed and with the client for approval or amendment.
Whilst working on this project we received a call from one of our printers wondering if there were any printing projects on the way. I confessed that these pdfs are unlikely to be printed because our client makes them available from their web site and uses them to email to potential clients. Posting printed material is a bit last century.
Henmore took the initiative in school fundraising by running a local networking event in Staffordshire Moorlands.
Catherine Doel, MD of Henmore Marketing and Chair of the local Pre-school Playgroup, broke out of the mould of the usual school fundraising by arranging a business-focussed event.
"The challenge with school fundraising is to find ways of getting people from outside the immediate parent group to part with their cash to help meet running costs. So we organised an event and invited businesses and entrepreneurs from across Staffordshire and Derbyshire to meet and make business connections. Paying £5 per head plus £5 for trade space represents a great return on investment from a company's marketing budget; that £10 then has a huge impact at the school because it pays for another hour or so of top quality care and education for local pre-school children."
Energetic fellow parent Nicki Mosley was involved with the organisation and Louise Cliff, another businesswoman parent, who owns Whiston Hall Golf Club and Mansion Hotel, kindly donated the venue.
Some 40 people came along to experience this relaxed and informal business networking event where people doing business in the Staffordshire Moorlands took the opportunity to mingle and chat to fellow business people. Most also made a brief presentation about their businesses to fellow guests. Some also put up a trade stand or made a table display to present products and services on the night.
The event raised just short of £200 for the organisers' chosen local charities (Ipstones Pres-school Playgroup and St Leonards School). We are very grateful to Whiston Hall for generously providing the venue and facilities
If you would like to receive an email invitation to the autumn event please use the Newsletter Sign up box on the right and select the list for Staffordshire Moorlands Networking Events.
