Restaurant Marketing - 3 New Ideas for 2014

As an independent restaurant owner, figuring out how to effectively market your restaurant may be the most difficult part of your job. Just coming up with the time necessary to put together a workable strategy often prevents most independent restaurant owners from ever moving forward. Read on to uncover 3 ways to help you stand out from your competition.

Lease a New Website

Maybe you bought into the idea that building your own website was a great way to save money. Now that you've figured out there is a lot more to this than you have the skills for, it might be the perfect time to call a professional. Many web design company's are now offering payment plans that actually allow you to rent a website for a monthly charge. Just like leasing a new car you can have a brand new, professionally design website for as little as $100 per month.

So now instead of having to worry about trying to become a web designer and SEO specialist, you can have all the benefits of a custom designed website for a low monthly payment. Not only are you going to get a professional looking website but you will get the right search engine optimization that allows your customers to find you in their local searches.

Make Facebook Your Friend

Most restaurant owners are hard working do it yourselfers with not a lot of time for chit chat. So when you hear the word Facebook the first thought that probably comes into your mind is "what a waste of time that is." And for years I felt the same way. It wasn't until I learned the power Facebook has to affect my bottom line that I realized it was time to stop criticizing it and make it my friend.

When used correctly Facebook can turn out to be a powerful ally that not only helps you reconnect with potential customers, but becomes a 24/7 marketing machine that allows your best customers to sing your praises to their legions of friends.

Land Some Reviews

Just like a fisherman reeling in a big catch, landing great reviews should become the highlight of your day. And just like a savvy old fisherman getting those great reviews take planning, patience and plenty of persistence.

Contrary to popular opinion, great reviews usually don't just fall in your lap. Getting great reviews begins by developing a realistic strategy and getting all your employees on board. If you are not able to come up with something on your own there are plenty of professionals available to help you.

Whether you do it yourself or hire a professional marketer, it may take a while for you to see the results. Most customer review programs take anywhere for 90 to 120 days before you begin to see significant changes in your Yelp reviews.

Don't give up. You will need plenty of persistence to push through to get the number of reviews that you need to experience a significant breakthrough. But keep in mind that once you have them, you may see the benefits for years to come. Having the most reviews for your cuisine type in your area is like being "king of the hill." All your competitors now have to work twice as hard to simply catch up to where you already are.

To get your free, no-obligation review of your current marketing program, contact David Doty from One Tribe SBO by visiting our Get Started page. By setting aside just 1 hour you'll learn how many times it may be possible for you to double your returns on the marketing dollars you are already spending.

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5 Strategies for Keeping Team Members Engaged

It is critical to know that happy employees are the "lifeblood" of the practice. Before a patient meets the doctor, they make first contact with an employee through the phone or in person. If that first encounter is less than desirable you are at risk of the prospective patient choosing another provider or if they do decide to come, a negative review. Here are five strategies to keep your employees engaged and your patients happy.

1. Define Your Expectations of Employees

It is important to let your employees know exactly what your expectations are. Set the rules early on and you are less likely to have a problem with them. Document your expectations on paper so that everyone can keep track. If you expect your front desk assistant to arrive at the practice 30 minutes before opening to help set up for the day, make sure he or she knows to avoid conflicts down the road.

2. Say Thank You

There is no greater feeling for an employee who does a task than to receive a thank you from their employer. It does not matter if it was a daunting task or an easy one; it is the fact that you acknowledge them that is important. When you repay your employees with gratitude (verbal or monetary), they are more likely to stay engaged.

3. Set Goals

Every year, you probably set practice goals that include increasing patients. Are you setting goals for your employees too? It is highly important that you set time aside and discuss goals with them. When they have a goal, they will be motivated to achieve it.

4. Communicate with Employees

This is quite obvious but many practices lack in the communication department. A doctor should not make all the decisions. Your employees should take part in the decisions you make. Empower them to be part of the solution, not the problem. If you want to start a new rewards program, talk to your employees about it. Do they think it's a good idea? Do they think it will help with patient retention?

5. Develop Relationships with Employees

Every practice should aim to be a business that has employees that look forward to coming to work. Relationships with employees should be built over time by checking in on them regularly. By being involved with your employees, you can understand what it takes to keep them engaged.

Keeping employees engaged is not an easy task. Implementing these strategies is only the beginning and time must be invested to keep it going.

If you need any help implement this strategy, contact Mindstream Creative.

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Key Points To Consider Before Hiring Employees

The pros and cons of hiring employees for your company. The benefits of hiring a good one and the consequences of hiring the wrong one.

If you want to succeed in implementing your business plan and achieving business growth, it is critical that you hire the right employee. Like everything else you want to achieve in life preparation is the key. There isn't much point in hiring someone who doesn't believe in your brand or in your company's philosophy. Hiring the wrong person can damage your business. - Hiring the right one can be instrumental in growing your business.

Systemising your hiring process will make it much easier to employ the right people for this and future positions. Prior to hiring, do your preparatory work. Have absolute clarity about what the post offers, what it entails and the required criteria for the role. (Writing a Job Description/Person Specification/Job Application/Interview Questions, etc. will help with the process.)

Here are some questions you should consider before hiring:

• What type of person do I want to employ?
• Do I want a dynamic go-getter who is eager to progress and contribute to the success of the business? Or, do I just need someone who is happy with routine?
• Do I want someone with minimum qualifications or previous experience?
• What duties do I need to be performed in addition to achieving targets?
• Will I have to provide training?
• What personal qualities and attributes am I looking for?
• Do I need a team player to fit into my current work culture?
• Am looking for someone who will use their initiative?
• What level of communication skills am I looking for? E.g. verbal, written, face to face?
• What support do I need to put in place for them?

While the above questions are not inclusive of all criteria that you may require, they are indicative of the fundamentals necessary in hiring the right employee. However, one major element of hiring the right person is; it is absolutely essential that they share the vision, mission and values that you have for your company. If they don't share your vision, you will undoubtedly struggle to implement your business plan and/or marketing strategy for business growth.

Remember, just because someone has the 'right' qualifications doesn't always mean they are right for the job. Those who have enthusiasm, energy and a positive attitude, will often have much more to contribute towards the success of your business. Moreover, they will want to contribute to your business growth and profitability.

Principal Consultant of Business Reboot, Lorraine Garvie, has significant and comprehensive experience as a Business Consultant for small to medium sized businesses throughout Australia and the UK. Business Reboot is an Australian based advisory firm specialising in marketing strategy and business development and focuses on growing long lasting and dynamic businesses.http://www.businessreboot.com.au

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Why Perform Market Research Before Commencing Marketing Activities?

Market research is an important aspect of every business. It is not a one-time activity. Successful businesses conduct surveys on a regular basis to keep up and surpass its competitors. Irrespective of whether you intend to start a new business or planning to expand the existing one, market research is vital for understanding where your target segment lies and how sales can be increased.

Market research covers a wide range of tasks. It can be applied across a variety of challenges faced during marketing such as knowing target customer preferences, brand positioning and sales strategy. Managers in particular make use of this information to successfully introduce new products or services keeping in mind the needs of the target consumers. However, this perception is always subjective. This is because of the fact that what a consumer may consider valuable today may be quite different from what they may value the next year. Rather than just speculating, it is wise to collect data, analyze and make an informed decision. The goal of market research is to provide both facts and direction that is needed for making important marketing decision.

1. Understand your target consumers:

Why would your target consumers prefer to use your product over your competitors? What are their needs? What draws them? Is it the service that you provide, the uniqueness of your product or the prestige associated with usage of your product/service? Who influences their purchase decisions?

2. Set specific targets:

From the data that you have collected, you can set specific realistic targets concerning areas of sales, growth and introduction of new products and services.

3. Formulate effective strategies:

After conducting a thorough research, you would be able to make an informed decision about how to price your services, how to publicize and promote it, which mode of advertising could prove effectively such as radio, television or newspaper. It will allow you the opportunity to make an informed decision before initiating, building, establishing, diversifying or reducing business activity.

4. Examine and find solution to business issues:

Once you have narrowed down the problem, research will help you work out the root cause of the problem. For example, if you have noticed a fall in sales figures, you might have discovered that a new competitor has entered the scenario or a substitute has been discovered for your product.

5. Plan your business expansion

Market research will help you identify target consumers and test if they are receptive for a new product or service. For example, if you are looking to establish a new chain of clinics, you would have to survey the adjacent location in order to determine if your target consumer base resides there. If not, how do you plan to reach them?

6. Identify new business opportunities

Market research helps identify new venues of opportunity. You may find a completely unchallenged market to showcase your services. You can identify changing trends in the market such as change in preferences, increase or decrease in target population concentration, etc.

Medical writer at a Leading Healthcare and Medical Marketing Firm. Check out his blog a Medical Mantra, a pharma blog with a difference.

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5 Safety Checks for Your Marketing Effort

There are some important questions that managers and entrepreneurs should consider in order to understand if their teams make the most out of their company's marketing efforts. Here are some basic guiding questions for small companies for such a marketing self-assessment.

1. Are your marketing and sales activities out of sync? Sales and marketing must work well together. This is sometimes hard to achieve especially when the responsibilities are shared within/by a large or variable team. Keep in mind that sales and marketing have to reinforce each other within an integrated strategy resolutely centered on your customers.

2. Do you truly understand your clients and your market? The natural answer for an established business is "Yes" but sometimes it is not that easy to keep the pace with the ever-changing market. To answer objectively, break down this question to its relevant bits and pieces. Here are some guiding questions:

- How deep do I know the need of my clients?
- Is my company able to communicate internally and use this knowledge to adapt my products or/and services?
- To what extent is my team proactive and consistent in building long term customer loyalty?
- Can we anticipate the needs of our customers?
- Are we able to effectively influence their buying criteria?
- How can we be more relevant for our clients? How can my products or services create more value for them?

3. Do you truly know your competitors? Ensure that your team systematically gathers relevant data about your direct and indirect competitors. Their products, marketing budgets, sales initiatives, promoting channels, promotional activities and company structure should all be on your radar. Why? Because it helps you see where your market is going, what your customers really need, and which tactics used by your competitors have a positive impact.

4. Negative feedback could be a marketing opportunity or a perfect opportunity to lose a client! Your client-facing personnel should know how to deal with negative feedback in a constructive customer-oriented fashion. A good way to turn an unhappy customer into a fan is to instruct your sales or customer-service people to follow this three simple step-strategy:

- Emphatically understand and acknowledge your client's problem (it's a matter of empathy not about who is wrong or right)
- Give assurance that someone in your company deals without delay with his concern
- Offer a discount or another incentive to make up for your customer's trouble

5. Evaluate open-mindedly if you make the most out of the new marketing must-use tools. SEO, online marketing and social media marketing provide excellent opportunities for almost all businesses to get their products or services noticed.

If you want to try a more systematic assessment to your present marketing effort you can generate your marketing assessment report using Marketing Lens, the business-growth self-assessment available online on tooliers.com. This tool is especially designed for small and midsize companies to help them identify their main weaknesses in their marketing activity.

Try Marketing Lens for free and self-assess your marketing activity. You will receive a report with your main weaknesses. Use them in the process of improving your business!

http://www.tooliers.com/marketing-lens-questions/?utm_source=ezinearticles.com&utm_medium=contentmarketing&utm_campaign=SubmittingArticles

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Sales Concepts - Why People Buy

Some Fundamentals

Today's buyers are more educated, more informed and have more options than ever before. They are buying more and they're buying for all kinds of reasons as such. A thorough understanding of the buying process will enable you to better understand how your customer /client are making a buying decision. A successful sales process can enhance your ability to gain favorable attention, discover needs, get a positive decision and develop a long-term relationship with your customer / client.

Buying The Process

The determining factor as to why a prospect actually buys is not product or service superiority, but the salesperson's ability to discover needs, create urgency and develop confidence in his or her ability to satisfy those needs better than anyone else.

Today's sellers are not selling, they're helping people buy and today's buyers are not being sold, they are buying and buying for many different reasons.

Buying the Why

Before a person considers buying anything, they MUST have a want or need. Once there is a need the buying process begins.

People buy either to gain a benefit, avoid a loss or solve a problem. They buy to gain money, save money or avoid loss of money. Additionally they will buy to prolong life or to improve the quality of life.

One of the most important skills the you, the salesperson, can develop is your ability to help your client / customer identify and recognize their needs.

What your customer / client's tell you they want is very important; WHY they want what they want is even more important.

The more a want becomes recognized as a desired need and the more a need becomes wanted the higher the level of client desire for your product or service.

Buying the Client and You

Clients / customers usually begin their evaluation process within the first two or three minutes of meeting you. First impressions are extremely important. The first and most important step in successfully influencing the buying process is your ability to create a positive and favorable first impression.

This impression will be based upon what you say (what they hear) and how you appear (what they see). You demeanor and your ability to exhibit genuine understanding and appreciation for their needs will influence their perception of you as an individual.

Each and every client / customer will evaluate you emotionally (DO I like this person?) and logically (Will this person bring value to me?) It is essential that you be prepared to talk about who you are as a person in a way that enhances your credibility with your customer / client.

Once your client / customer has developed a favorable impression of you, the evaluation process will turn to your company.

The Question that MUST be answered..

Who are you and who is your company? requires that you validate yourself as a person of integrity. Before someone will buy from you, you must establish that you and your company can be trusted, that you will fulfill your claims and deliver as promised.

My name is Dominick Borzomati my competence / expertise is in STRATEGIC THINKING.

My mission is to educate Business Owners as to the value and significance of pursuing STRATEGIC THINKING.

And in doing so affect lasting change that will advance the success of the entity by developing a Strategy that gives the entity a distinct advantage over it's competition. http://www.dwbassociates.com

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7 Steps to Commercial Success for Your New Product

The first point any business or budding inventor needs to check is that their idea for a new product or service is designed to be a marketable product - as you can make anything, but only marketable products will sell! Here are seven steps which, in our experience, you need to consider to ensure you have a commercially viable offering and the greatest chance of financial returns.

1) Know your unique selling point (your USP)
It may seem obvious but many people get this wrong or simply do not give it sufficient thought. Often what they see is different to what their customer sees. It is important to know the advantages of your product from your customer's perspective. As well as knowing your unique selling point, you need to be able pitch it to a potential customer, quickly and clearly. Often referred to as the 'elevator pitch', you need to refine whatever you say to describe your idea in an accurate, concise and compelling way. It needs to engage a potential customer - or potential investor - and compel them to want to know more. When Sony started getting into electronics in the early 50's the head of engineering said that he would 'develop a radio that can fit in your pocket'. At the time, when radios were the size of cabinets, this was a compelling story and a great USP.

2) Know your market
People often think of an idea and a design that is something that suits them, or solves a personal issue. They believe that the fact they, or their family and friends, like it and need it means there is a market for it. But to assess whether a market genuinely exists, you first need to ensure you have clearly identified exactly who your customer and end-user is and how they will use your product. Market profiling and competitor analysis are essential here. As an example, we work with many different companies who plan to sell to the children's toys, games and lifestyle sector. What they need to be aware of is what children are looking for. They also need to have a scale reference to a young end-user, in order to get the size right.

3) Know how big your market is
If only we received a pound for every time we heard the phrase "everyone will want one... " This, I am afraid, cannot be true. Not everyone will, or can, buy your product or service. Knowing clearly who your target customer/end-user is will enable you to estimate the actual size of your potential market. Competitor analysis will then help you to understand how competitive the market is and how well other company's products are selling. From this you can calculate a market penetration figure - ie the % of the market you can reasonably expect to achieve, provided your product/service is competitive. This can be translated into how many actual units you might be able to sell.

Bear in mind that this process is more of an art than a science and delivers scale rather than precise numbers. However, a number of educated and defendable guesses that deliver a number is better than no number at all! It will require some digging and cross-checking from different sources and a fair degree of estimation and guesswork. Much of the information you need can be found on the web or through reliable sources, such as the British Library. We suggest you identify a best, worst and most likely figure that you can substantiate. You can then refine your numbers progressively over time.

4) Know how your customer will buy your product
Make sure you know how your customer will find and purchase your product or service. For example, is it a direct sale? Or do you need an intermediate, such as a retailer or distributor? Do these distributors use agents and do these retailers buy from businesses like yours? The longer the chain between you and your end-user is, the lower your costs and larger the profit margins need to be. Researching your competitors will help you greatly here and you can watch and learn from them. You may even be able to see an innovative step they are missing and such a step could well end up being your key USP.

5) Know how everyone in the chain will learn about your product
Promotion and branding for your new product/service needs to be considered early on. As product designers, and having developed intellectual property concepts for the entertainment industry, we know that the essence of a design concept typically forms the foundation of any promotional and branding activities. It is common for a branding company to make a brand fit an existing product, but this is tough and can be hit-and-miss. It is far easier and more effective to consider branding and promotion at the beginning of a project, rather than at the end, and to let the two aspects develop together.

6) Know how much your customer will pay
How much will you customer pay for your product/service and so how much should it cost you to supply it? Addressing the earlier points should enable you to answer this question quite easily. We work on the principle you can make anything but only marketable products sell. So not only do you have to know what your product or service will sell for, but then what it will cost to make and deliver, whilst still enabling everyone in the chain to make the money they need to. As an example, a TV advertised product sold on the High Street should cost around a seventh of its retail price to manufacture.

7) Know that all these points are interdependent
All of the answers to the above points are interdependent and so changing one means you have to re-evaluate the rest. As an illustration, you cannot just raise the price of something without re-considering the amount and type of promotion you undertake and the quantity of product you can reasonably expect to sell.

If you would like further information, or to receive some practical advice on this subject, then Bang Creations runs a monthly workshop at the British Library, Business & IP Centre. For details and to book visit Eventbrite or the events section of our website http://www.bangcreations.co.uk

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4 Reasons Why Vending Machines Are Good

A lot of consumers use vending machines to buy products such as drinks and foods especially if they are on the go. These machines offer a variety of items to customers. They can be used by inserting bills or coins into their money slot and after a choice is made, the machines will give the purchased item. This machine comes with a change cup through which a change due will be released to customers. The following are the reasons why this type of machine is good.

1. It Offers Convenience

Any busy person can rely on a vending machine to get stuffs conveniently. The machine is made trendy to offer selections that most customers may need. The machine can drop prepackaged choices or different drinks. Buying product from this machine does not require any hard work. A lot of people even choose to buy their lunch at this machine rather than just snacks. With this machine, workers don't have to order a meal from a caterer or visit a restaurant to fill their stomach. Getting something from this machine can be done at anytime of the day and night.

2. It is Made Functional

Vending machines may have products that are customized based on the needs of a company or group of customers. Most employees would want to have snacks during break times and they get their satisfaction from a vending machine which is restocked by vendors regularly. This machine also maintained periodically to make sure that they can always provide what customers need.

3. It Offers a Variety of Options

This functional machine may be filled with a variety of drinks and foods to select from. A lot of these machines sell non-perishables like stamps and newspapers while others have healthy food options to cater the needs of health-conscious communities. You can also find vending machines that sell a variety of ice cream, sweets and cookies. These machines come in various sizes and shapes depending on where they are placed. They can be found in restrooms that dispense medicines and personal products.

4. Good Investment

Taking part in a vending machine business is a good decision. You have the choice to rent or buy your own machine. This kind of business is not a franchise type. You can find spots that you will need to give a fee to if you put your machine in their premises. If you are decided to have a vending machine investment, you can just purchase your products from a wholesaler to ensure good savings. You can place the machine in as many places as you want.

Want to buy a good quality vending machine for your business? Visit us at www.uptonvending.co.uk

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What Can You Do With A Communications Degree?

Students who earn a communications degree are known to have a plethora of diverse skills that may be applied to a variety of areas. Individuals may find themselves well fit to function in advertising, marketing, media, writing, event planning, public relations, or other business related areas. Communications majors are versed in both written and spoken word through their education, making them a valuable asset to their employers.

Since the business arena encompasses so many different careers, those who have earned a communications degree often find themselves drawn to this field. Marketing and advertising are the two largest divisions located in the business sector. Those who are interested in marketing often find themselves well-suited for a position as a market research analyst. These individuals research, analyze, and gather data about certain products their company is producing. They gauge the effectiveness of current marketing strategies, and deliver the progress report to their company, along with suggestions about how to increase customer satisfaction and overall profit. Advertising areas that are geared towards communications professions include copywriting, the media department, the account planning department, and the account managing department. All of these divisions focus on different aspects, but all have the same end goal: to create effective advertising. Advertising may include brochures, ads, commercial jingles, etc.

If public relations (PR) is more your area, first figure out what kind of company fits your wants and needs. Large companies offer lots of opportunities, a huge PR team, and typically have a high reputation in the PR world. Smaller PR firms are more local and community-focused than their larger counterparts. A company that is not so big will likely have their employees responsible for more than one job. These businesses do not have the luxury of a big PR team, where each person can focus on one task, and one task only. The other bonus of a smaller PR firm is the opportunity to help this business grow and develop. Those who choose to work in these specific public relations organizations often become invaluable to the company because of their role in helping to progress the company. The other public relations option is to work for a non-profit organization. These places will focus on a specific mission, such as the environment, helping children, etc.

Since communication majors have great written communication skills, some find a career writing and editing, either in a freelance medium or for a company. Companies are always searching for individuals who understand and know how to correctly use grammar, prepositions, alliteration, compound and complex sentences, where to put commas, etc. Being able to both write and edit your own work is also a big plus.

While other communications career areas are also available, the three mentioned in this article are the places that contain the most individuals that have earned communications degrees. One thing to remember if you have earned this degree is that you have learned skills that can be applied to almost any field. Don't try to limit the search area to only one field, as writing, advertising, or PR can be found in almost every area!

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Strategic Leadership Makes Your Organization a Cut Above the Rest

Change is inevitable in life and in the business world. It takes a particular level of readiness and plan to cope with any change and even more so to use it to one's advantage. It takes an excellent leader to guide an organization through the sea of changes and take an organization to a level that makes it possible for it to only go forward from there and be successful. Leadership is one of the most important qualities to take an organization ahead. A good leader with good vision and clear goals is important for any firm to grow and succeed.

Strategic leadership, play an important quality for a leader

Change is an unavoidable and unstoppable thing. Whether to get carried away where change takes you, or to manipulate change to work in your favour, is dependent, totally on the person driving the company; that is the leader. Many times, good leaders bring about planned, systematic change so that the organization can prosper and move ahead in a positive direction. Formulating and implementing of strategies is one of the most important functions of a good leader. There is always scope for planning and strategizing when it comes to organizational development and a good leader with a strong sense and ability to bring about planned change in an organization is necessary when it comes to the progress of any organization.

Organizational development and human resource

Much of what happens in an organization depends on the behavioral pattern of its people. Organizational Development taps into this very resource and strives to achieve sustainable improvement in performance through this very important medium. They encourage and monitor various leadership and team development traits such as skills, group dynamics, motivation, inspiration, values and so on to do this. They involve the principles of behavioral science in the conduct of day to day business of the organization and keep the employees engaged and motivated to achieve forward movement and development.

Team performance and development

One of the most important roles of leadership is team development. People are an important resource of any organization and it is important to keep this resource motivated and working in harmony so that the firm can function smoothly and in the right direction. Day to day activities and operations of an organization depend tremendously on the people in the company and team building and team development therefore play an important role.

Strategic Leadership is a qualified Content writer and publisher for Business Growth. Review details on http://www.strategicleadershipsac.com to know more about Organizational Behavior and Organizational Structure.

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Making Sure Your Business Cards Are Successful

Many people may believe that they don't need business cards, and that all they need to do to generate profits would be to send e-mails, Tweet, or post information on their Facebook pages. However, while those are obviously valid methods, there are times where you'll have to meet people face-to-face. When that happens, you want something you can give them that will have a positive impact.

One of the main considerations when it comes to business cards is their design. The better it looks and feels, the better impression you will make on potential clients. If you go for a non-descript design or use a flimsy stock design, you may give off the impression that you haven't felt the need to invest very much in your operation. Quality business cards, on the other hand, show people that you place a great deal of value on your image.

They need to say something about your company that will register with people. If you have a streamlined, sophisticated company, make sure the design you choose reflects that with a gloss finish. A matte finish may be better for a newer, more modern company. Make sure the printing service allows you to upload your own design, or at least has impressive templates from which to choose. You want to present a professional image - people will notice if you use some sort of old-fashioned or basic design that they've probably seen several times before.

Another good idea is to have them printed with some sort of promotional code. Entice people to enter your store or visit your website for discounts or gifts. This will help ensure that people will hold on to your card longer. Your web traffic should increase as well. It could be a coupon for a two-for-one deal or a deep discount on the type of service that you provide. The more buzz you create, the more profit you can reap.

There is some basic information that you need to include. You'll obviously want to include your full name, your position in the company (so you don't have to sound vain to people by stating your title), the address, phone number and website of your company, and your cell phone number. Don't forget your e-mail address, and don't forget to include information on how people can reach your Facebook, Twitter, or other social media pages.

The more effort you put into your business cards, the more confident you will feel when handing them out to people at meetings, networking functions, or even in social settings. Be leery of printers that offer free business cards, however, because they are often lacking in substance as well as style. You need to pay as much attention to your image as you do in running your company.

Need business cards Boston? Then check out the following site for expert printing at an affordable price. http://bostonbusinessprinting.com.

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Coaches Win More Clients By Playing To Your Strengths

A coaching friend of mine was recently bemoaning the imminent loss of her best client, the CEO of a global marketing company.

'He's moving to Dubai, so no more coaching.'

I was astonished!

'What about telephone coaching? He's also bound to be back and forth. Why not meet up when he's in the UK? And don't assume the company won't pay your air fare to Dubai. A global company! Huge budgets! You add great value! Why not check it out? And surely there are opportunities to coach others in his organisation. He is CEO after all, so you have a good relationship with the decision maker.'

All of this was true but it struck me that my friend didn't know how to make any of it happen. This situation seems to play out over and over again. Many coaches have direct access to very senior leaders in global organisations. Leaders who manage multi-million pound budgets and vast numbers of people based in numerous countries. Surely an endless supply of further business opportunities? In theory, yes. In practice, NO! Coaches are good at building coaching relationships but many seem to struggle with the business-to-business (B2B) side of things.

The silly thing is that coaches have exactly the right skill-set for building long-term and highly productive B2B relationships. All coaches, through their training and by their nature, are good at:

• Asking questions and listening
• Helping people plan and make decisions
• Helping people review progress against plans

No need to reinvent yourself as a salesperson. Just do what you do best, to win more clients within your existing client companies.

This obviously makes sense. An individual coach can only deliver, say, 10 to 15 substantial coaching programmes in a year. But very few coaches are able to sell that many coaching programmes through the generally recommended routes, such as networking, presentations and social media. Much better to focus on building the B2B relationship. That way you can win 10 to 15 coaching engagements with the same client company. Imagine that! Winning more business by playing to your strengths as a coach.

Your problem then becomes the risk of having all your eggs in one basket - lose the client company and you lose your business. The simple way around this is to work with 2 or 3 companies: your main client-company where you make most of your money; a second company where you are developing the B2B relationship; and perhaps a third company where you are just starting out.

It really is that simple.

Kevin Oubridge is a partner with Blue Chip Coaching and author of The Leadership Coaching Alligator Handbook. Kevin works with leadership coaches, enabling them to earn a good living doing something they enjoy.

Take a look at the Blue Chip Coaching website for more on building long-term and productive B2B relationships with your corporate clients http://www.bluechipcoaching.co.uk/

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The Secret to Building a More Profitable and More Valuable Business

What do kitchen designers, builders, architects, carpet retailers, funeral directors, wedding dress designers, interior designers, mortgage advisors, car and motorcycle dealers, estate agents and even some web-designers have in common?

For one, they all sell a product that people may not need to buy again for several years, if at all. You don't buy a new car or carpet, website or wedding dress every couple of weeks.

Apparently, 82% of homeowners can't name the estate agent they bought their current home from if they bought it more than two years ago! Imagine the sales that are lost to competitors when it's time to move house again...

On average it's six times more expensive to find a new customer than it is to sell to someone who has already trusted you enough to buy once. So repeat sales are the life-blood of a profitable business. But if repeat sales are the life-blood then recurring income streams are oxygen!

Businesses that don't have predictable repeat business or recurring income streams face a number of problems including:

1. It's harder to make a profit on a first sale than on subsequent sales (think sales and marketing costs), so profitability is lower.
2. It's hard to predict the cashflow of a business if you don't know where the money is coming from 3 months from now. This can lead to uncertainty, stress, funding issues and bankruptcy...
3. It can be morale-crushing to work hard pleasing a customer to get a sale and then having to start from scratch for the next sale - much more pleasing all round to be selling or working with someone who already knows how good you are.
4. When it's time to sell the business, the value will likely be lower. Businesses with recurring income streams are estimated to sell for two and a half times more than businesses with no recurring income stream.

To get more repeat business you could do what Joe Girard, the record-breaking car salesman, did to ensure that more of his customers came back to him when they next bought a car... Ask yourself, how often have you returned to the same car dealership when it was time for a new car? Now look up Joe's story.

To develop recurring income streams you'll need to get creative. You may already have customers who buy from you every couple of months, say. For example, a restaurant might have couples that eat there three times a year, but what if they were members of a VIP Dining Club, that offered a three course meal for two every month with a free bottle of wine for a monthly fee of £40? That would be a recurring income stream, and potentially much more lucrative.

So the question is how can you create recurring income streams in your business to make it more profitable? For some it's easy. Like wine retailers who offer a wine club. Or the web-designers that offer social media or SEO packages. Or the car dealers that offer a monthly payment plan for annual servicing. Not everyone will take them, but those that do represent predictable income.

For other's it's not so easy. But with a bit of creative problem solving and an open mind you can find a way.

And if you come up blank then get in touch. You never know what a fresh pair of eyes might come up with...

If you're interested in building a stronger business that delivers more to you, your employees and your customers in the North East of England then find out more about coaching for business growth and the tried and tested methodologies of the World Number 1 business coaching organisation, ActionCOACH. Book Online for a commitment-free discussion to explore the benefits of working with a certified coach and enquire about funding.

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How to Create an Effective Marketing Plan

Marketing is the soul of your business, it means anything you do for the promotion of your business comes under marketing. However, without a plan or strategy your marketing campaign will not deliver the desired results. Therefore, creating marketing plan for any business is vital.

Now the question arise; how to create an effective marketing plan for a company? We all know the format of a marketing plan. Whether you make a formal or informal proposal, a plan should be such which touches all the essential points to deliver the targeted goal.

To make an effective plan, there is a famous rule called 4P's. Here, P's stand for Price, Product, Promotion and Placement. In this another P is added called People. Today while doing digital marketing or the traditional marketing one should understand people or the customers you are dealing with. It's important to figure out what is significant for the business, and later make a plan accordingly.

Generally, in a marketing plan the following points are considered -

• Market Analysis: First analysis your broader market, where are the opportunities that you can look for? What are the scopes in the current market? After analyzing the broader scope of the market; target on the niche values.


• Identify the Target Customers: Unlike the broader analysis of the market; here you aim on the targeted customers. You look for the scopes where you can promote or market your product to get the higher returns and acceptance. Here from targeted customers to clients, you also find out the needs and demands of the audience. Once you know, who all are your customers and what exactly they are looking for then you can jump to next step.


• Marketing Plan: In this you perform, precise activities which helps in achieving the goals and objectives you are targeting at. Here, you plan how you will promote the product/service? What are the specific areas of promotion? What would be the budget of this plan execution? Etc. Plus, you also estimate the ROI of this marketing strategy.


• Competitive Edge: It's important to define your competitors too. One should know, what strategies are being used by the competitors to reach to the potential customers. If you know what your competitors are doing, you will be able to modify the plan and maybe your marketing analyst will come with something more innovative that can capture the mass attention.


• Sales and Strategy Forecast: If you have a target to achieve you can plan out your work according. It's just like keep the figures real and amenable. Unrealistic figures would not help you ever to get the target on time. Secondly with these forecast, you can compare your marketing strategies and come up with the best solutions for future activities.

These above tips are vital or the stepping stones for any business, but in reality, companies need to incorporate multiple web channels for their business marketing plans. Below are popular web channels that business uses for their planning and strategies:

• Social Media Marketing: One of the most promising way of marketing in today's date. From LinkedIn to Facebook and from Twitter to Google+, companies use these platforms to target the right set of customers. From a survey by social media - 93% of marketers use social media for business.


• Mobile Marketing: Another most prompting way of marketing which is used in today's digital world. The acceptance of smartphones and tablets has helped to change the way companies used to target their customers earlier; these days they implement strategies that reach customers on their devices itself. From a survey via Our Mobile Planet, 89% of smartphone users notice mobile ads.


• Email Marketing: The marketing plan via email is quite an old one. It is an effective and popular way of promotion for many small business owners. Get the email data of your possible customers and send them your customize business emails to let them know what you are offering.


• Blog Marketing: Blogging is a big focus when it comes to content marketing. Blog provides a personal touch and advantage to your social media marketing too. Here you have a freedom or control over the product or service you are marketing for. Companies are hiring full-time bloggers for this job. Although, 62% of marketers blog or plan to blog in 2013, only 9% of US marketing companies employ a full-time blogger.

These are the points you should remember while making plan and strategies and how to reach the customers for a booming business.

The author is writing about marketing strategies and planning from many years. He has good understanding about various marketing channels, marketing campaigns, interactive digital marketing, social media etc.

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21 Benefits of Blogging and 22 Blogging Tips

Combine "web" with "log" and you get "blog." It's a funny word, but serious business.

This post is about blogging for business - with a purpose. We have a lot to cover, so we'll knock it out as efficiently as possible with a series of lists.

We'll get right to it.

Who should read this post?

• Non - blogger - You've never had a blog and you need to fix that now.
• Unfulfilled blogger - You blogged for a bit. Magic never struck.
• Beginning blogger - You blog, but don't really know what you're doing.
• Regular blogger - You'll pick up tips from a fellow blogger.
• Expert blogger - You could steal the good stuff for your blog.
• None of the above - You have nothing better to do, but to read about blogging.

21 benefits of blogging with purpose.

1. Connect with customers - A blog is a practical and powerful way to share useful, relevant information with customers.
2. Connect with partners - Blogging allows you to connect and team up with influencers and leaders who can be instrumental in building your business.
3. Generate traffic - A strategically planned blog, with carefully chosen keywords in play, will show up in search and drive traffic to your landing pages.
4. Establish authority - Your business blog is the hub of your content marketing efforts where you share your expertise.
5. Win business - 60% of businesses who blog acquire more customers, says HubSpot.
6. Inspire your social media - If you're using social media effectively, you're sharing your blog posts regularly and taking advantage of the magical amplification of social networks.
7. Increase reach - Your blog will be shared and find new eyeballs daily.
8. Grow your email database - Your blog should inspire people to opt into your email newsletter list. Also, your email feeds traffic to your blog.
9. Give your company a voice - A blog is your pulpit, your publication, your journal - the place where you talk about whatever you choose, however you choose.
10. Humanize your company - That voice needs personality. Great bloggers are genuine. Your personality comes into play, that is, if you aim to make real connections.
11. Exchange ideas - Blogs obliterate the wall that once stood between a company and its customers. You encourage interaction, comments and feedback. You create a conversation.
12. Get (and stay) customer focused - By blogging, you'll learn how to speak in your customers' terms, perpetually improve this vital skill and grow more in touch with your audience's wants and needs.
13. Inspires content and productivity - Blogging is hard work. You need processes. Commitment. Consistency. You'll need to step up - and you'll be rewarded for doing so.
14. Increase focus - A subtle addendum to the point above, blogging consistently forces you to define who you are trying to reach and why.
15. Generate publicity - As I mentioned, business bloggers establish authority. Stick with it and demonstrate you know your niche and you'll get asked for interviews frequently.
16. Invite outsiders in - While business blogger should refrain from being relentlessly promotional, the blog is an appropriate forum for delivering insight into your company, its values, and people.
17. Get strategic - You'll get in the habit of closely examining the site's analytics and gather all kinds of insights about what does and doesn't appeal to your audience. Your marketing will get more strategic by day.
18. Learn - We'll get a bit warm and fuzzy now, but there's no denying you are going to learn a lot about yourself and the world around you. It comes with being a writer.
19. Get inspired - The research, the conversation, the experience... it's inspiring. Trust me on this: a switch gets turned on and it's impossible to turn off.
20. Have fun - Perhaps not everyone will agree blogging is fun, but I believe every great blogger gets into it and enjoys the ride.
21. Make millions - Maybe, maybe not. However, business blogging with purpose works. Every post is a long - term asset. Learn how to blog and you'll lower your marketing costs and increase sales.

Let's look at how to do it.

22 tips for blogging with purpose.

I have to give a shout out here to my man, mentor, friend, Marcus Sheridan, a.k.a. The Sales Lion. No one understands and teaches the practice of blogging quite like Marcus. I won't be replicating his great post, "50 Qualities of the Best Business Blogs in the World" here, but I did draw these ideas from it (and encourage you to check it out).

1. Answer questions - Listen closely to questions prospects and customers ask and answer every one of them in your posts.
2. Teach, don't preach - Avoid making your blog a heavy handed attempt to advertise your products. Adopt an educator's mentality and you'll win your reader's trust.
3. Converse - Ask questions of your readers, encourage feedback, counterpoints and criticism. Respond to comments as promptly as possible in an effort to exchange ideas.
4. Create a blogging culture - Invite everyone in your company and its constituents to contribute ideas and participate in the blog.
5. Use images - Take advantage of the appeal of photos, illustrations, charts and infographics to increase your stopping power and make the posts more attractive.
6. Make it easy on the eyes - Use short paragraphs, line breaks, white space, subheads and lists to make your posts look inviting.
7. Be transparent - Write with uncompromising integrity and don't be afraid to address real issues, problems, challenges, and yes, prices. Don't avoid the tough questions. Tackle them.
8. Remove internal barriers - There's no place in blogging for corporate red tape. Get permission in advance to write openly and honestly.
9. Don't back down - Some readers (or co - workers) don't love what you have to say? Say it anyway. It's not a popularity contest.
10. Be consistent - The number one reasons blogs fail is they are neglected. Set a schedule and stick to it. Make the time to post often. No excuses.
11. Nix the fluff - Your posts can be short or long. Just don't babble your way through them. Serve meat and go easy on the gravy.
12. Recognize others - Congratulate, write about and recognize customers, employees, partners, industry influencers and even competitors. Being generous will only help. You'll enjoy reciprocity.
13. Optimize - Research and use the keyword phrases that will increase your search engine rankings. Install plugins to assist you with SEO.
14. Write passionately - Make your passion pulse through your prose. Tap into your reader's emotions.
15. Tell stories - Learn how to become a master storyteller. Observe how the best bloggers unravel plots and develop characters.
16. Include customers - Drop the secrecy and anonymity. Cite real customers, real challenges and real solutions.
17. Invest seriously - Blogging only burns time and money when it's a low priority. Invest in the tools you need and put the best writers and designers on your blog.
18. Market and sell - Don't write ads and press releases disguised as blog posts, but do include a call to action and guide your readers along the path to discovering your solutions.
19. Stay tuned - Follow your industry daily and stay on top of what your peers are saying.
20. Encourage sharing - Don't forget to offer social media buttons to make it easy for readers to share and email your content.
21. Promote your blog - Promoting a post can (and probably should) take more time than writing it. Write teasers for your content and promote it across social networks and all potential touch points.
22. Have fun - Never be stiff, formal, or jam useless jargon into your posts. You have the stage. Relax. Be entertaining. Allow yourself to have fun with the writing

Business blogs are a major challenge.

Blogs are the hardest channel for business to keep updated - and to really nail.

Passle, makers of a blogging shortcut service of sorts, recently studied 525 businesses and reviewed their performance across blogs, company news pages, Twitter and Facebook. Their study, "The State of Business Blogging 2013," reported:

• 75% of companies don't update their websites in any way.
• Only 20% have a blog and over one - third of them are inactive.
• 1 in 8 companies have an active blog.

Ouch. Please understand...

Business blogs should/can/will grow your business.

• 57% of companies with a blog have acquired a customer from their blog.
• 61% of U.S. online consumers have made a purchase based on recommendations from a blog.
• Blogs attract repeat visitors who continue to come back to the website for fresh content.
• ­Blogging allows you to team up with people who already have an audience, which is an instantaneous way to attract readers.

The figures above are conservative. Blogging gets more important everyday. Start now.

Visit http://feldmancreative.com/

Barry Feldman is president of Feldman Creative. He creates compelling content by telling stories. He's a content marketing strategist, copywriter, creative director, speaker, and author. He specializes in creating websites, e-books, and integrated online marketing programs.

Twitter: @FeldmanCreative
LinkedIn: Barry Feldman

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