Reason's for business presentation failure

Often we develop a business presentation format (content, tone, style, format etc) and expect to be able to replicate delivery of this set presentation. The challenge – You cant deal with everybody the same way

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4 key reasons why Cambridgeshire marketing activities don't work

The short 6 minute video below explores

• The nonsense of not concentrating on selling more to existing customer's
• The energy sapping and inefficient activity of going for new customers

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The following video summarises 5 of the key point covered in the Peterborough Marketing Taster Session held at the Eco Innovation Centre.

This video follows on from a 90 minute marketing taster session. The session covered

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Writing for the Web – CIM event notes

Following the recent CIM 'Writing for the Web' event please find the additional content. Within the video the following writing for the web points are considered. These notes and video should be used in conjunction with the core course notes.

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A school friend and I will be taking a trip of a lifetime to visit and experience life in the largest slum in the world in July 2011. The Kibera Slums, Nairobi in Kenya holds over one million people in the size of a large council estate. Kenya although surprisingly is a strong developing country still has major poverty spots.

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Marketing to a UK population that's getting older (but not fitter)

Went to very interesting Chartered Institute of Marketing event in Cambridge where the subject was marketing to a mature audience. The presentation started with a discussion on what age does youth end and old age begin? A very challenging quandary but the average answers were available!

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I.e. are there customers searching for what I'm promoting and if they are, will they visit my website?

PECT Peterborough Environment City Trust were looking to identify what environmental / green keyword searches were being used. We conducted some keyword research and the results were frightening.

More on Is there anybody out there searching the internet for my services

Working with Cambridgeshire based engineering company Seefold Engineering Services we have developed a range of videos to showcase its wide range of products and services (Key point: it's all about the messages – not the technology to create the video)

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Market Research – can quick and dirty be effective for SME's

For businesses knowledge of what customers / prospects want, need, think, value and what helps them in purchasing decisions is critical, if they wish to develop efficiently and effectively.

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How can we get more done at work

We all want to get more done during the course of the day but what is the key issue that stops us achieving. I have been to a number of events recently where this has been a key focus. In recent business trips to the US I have listened to Dr Lisa Lang talk about the 'Theory of Constraints' and more recently i sat in on a session called the 'power of single focus'. Essentially what both approaches lead towards is as business leaders / business owners we try and take on too many projects and manage too many tasks simultaneously. This results in us constantly stopping and starting.

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Effective Marketing Masterclass

A FREE ½ day Masterclass, providing practical sales and marketing, tips and techniques to apply to your business.

Find out how your website can generate customers

• Generate more high quality contacts through improved networking

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The following 4 step approach seems to summarise the e commerce and internet marketing process.

1. Build your mailing list -

Seems easy but how are you going to do it effectively. In our experience clients who have purchased e mail lists have regretted it. For us quality is everything in the list. better to have 500 quality people in teh list than 5000 randoms.

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How can an SME maximise the value of its brand, in fact for an SME how relevant is a brand. Andrew Goode a Director of Blue Dolphin Business Development on behalf of Angle PlC delivered a 1/2 day workshop entitled valuing your brand.

More on Blue Dolphin delivers Marketing 'Branding' Training to Lincolnshire SME's

A FREE ½ day Masterclass, providing practical sales and marketing, tips and techniques to apply to your business.

Generating business through the web - Speaker Andrew Goode – Blue Dolphin

Profitable sales through meeting people and making contacts - Speaker Brian  Soanes – Business Club (Peterborough)

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As a Huntingdon independent retailer

• Are you looking to increase your sales and grow your business?
• Would you benefit from some practical training, support and advice focused around your business activities?
• Do you want to improve the effectiveness of your marketing activities both offline and online i.e. achieve more at a lower cost?

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Can great customer service improve your business performance?

I recently attended a great presentation on transforming customer service, which was held in Peterborough.
Nine of the key points that i took away from the event are listed below

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Internet marketing tips for small business websites

1. Keeping Google happy

• Make sure your content is fresh - when was the last time you added some new content?
• Ensure you have incoming links

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A current marketing project for a client has been to build them a website. Part of the project has been to develop content both to get found on the web and importantly to get interested parties to pick up the phone.
In developing the copy for the website it became clear that the selection of holiday accommodation is a very emotive decision. This brought home to me how when you tell a story from a personal experience it creates a powerful message. For example

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Events fundraising is on the increase, according to a number of surveys carried out by the Event Managers' Forum. Apparently 46% of charities claim that the recession has had only a small impact on their events fundraising, while 23% say that it has had no effect at all. Mass participation events are still regarded as the 'Holy Grail' of fundraising, such as the 'Race for Life' and challenge events are becoming more popular.
Third Sector, 20 October 2009, p35

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London's The Evening Standard is to become a free newspaper, in the interests of achieving a wider circulation, despite the loss of £12m in revenues. The plan is to distribute the paper in London high streets, supermarkets and railway stations.
The Daily Telegraph, 2 October 2009, p29
The Independent, 5 October 2009, p45

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According to research from the Advertising Association, buy-one-get-one-free (BOGOF) promotions don't necessarily encourage consumers to buy things they don't want. More than two-thirds of consumers see these promotions as a way of helping out with their finances and only one in five say it encourages them to buy things unnecessarily. However the Chartered Institute of Marketing has pointed out that it is difficult for a brand which has price promoted heavily to return to its former premium positioning.
Marketing Week, 1 October 2009, p7

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Are young people the same in these two cities in terms of their needs and interests for marketing purposes? In fact they are probably more similar than they were ten years ago because of the ubiquity of communications and entertainment. However the use of geo-demographics and socio-demographics only allows for segments and sub-segments – one also needs to understand cultural differences.
Springboard, Autumn 2009, p31

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An EU court has ruled that the clothes and jewellery maker, JOOP! cannot register an exclamation mark as a trade mark because it will be seen by consumers as just 'laudatory advertising or an eye-catching gimmick'.  The exclamation mark is not deemed distinctive enough and is unlikely to indicate to consumers the commercial origin of the goods, which is the function of a trade mark. JOOP! had applied to register a trade mark for both a single exclamation mark and a boxed exclamation mark!
Out-law.com, 1 October 2009

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Coke Recycles
Coca-Cola has produced its first ad   encouraging consumers to recycle. 'The Keep it Going. Recycle' campaign will support the company's strategy to reduce its carbon footprint. Southampton will be the first city to benefit from the launch of Coke's recycling bins. Coke Recycling Zones have already appeared at Thorpe Park and Manchester Airport. Research by the Carbon Trust has found that packaging accounts for the greatest proportion of a drinks company's carbon footprint.
Marketing Week, 17 September 2009, p5

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The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) is introducing a social media resource to stimulate debate and understanding amongst its members. The IPA has identified Ten Principles of Social Media and would like agencies and brands to include social media in all marketing activity.
New Media Age, 17 September 2009, p6

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Cadbury's Dairy Milk has launched a music single and video to mark the brand's conversion to Fair Trade products. The single has been released on the Glass and a Half Full Records label, specially created for the campaign and launched on TV at the weekend as a 60-second ad.
Campaign, 18 September 2009, p1

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More on Starbucks rebranding

Creating a high impact sales / marketing presentation has for many companies been difficult to achieve within budgets and time constraints. After years of searching we now have the capability of creating personalised high impact presentations.
With a wealth of knowledge in creating sales and marketing presentations we can help you make an impact.

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MARKETING students from Peterborough have clinched great results in their exams – beating the national average.

Marketers from Peterborough featured prominently in the results of professional qualifications exams published by The Chartered Institute of Marketing last week.

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There is agreement amongst marketing experts that places can be branded in the same way as consumer goods and services. However place brands will have some unique concepts which differentiate them from products and services. This research shows that local people are important for a 'destination brand-building' process. Consumers will use this factor to evaluate destinations and to aid their decisions about tourism. A great deal of a place's image is likely to rest upon the stereotyping of the 'typical' local people.
Journal of Brand Management, Vol 16 (7) pp420-438

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Blue Dolphin will be attending the Stompernet coference 7th to 9th August taking place at the Grand Hyatt in Atlanta Georgia. The event will provide the opportunity to be updated on the latest in proven internet strategies and techniques plus network with internet marketers from around the world. We will provide details on some of the key findings once we return.

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There is agreement amongst marketing experts that places can be branded in the same way as consumer goods and services. However place brands will have some unique concepts which differentiate them from products and services. This research shows that local people are important for a 'destination brand-building' process. Consumers will use this factor to evaluate destinations and to aid their decisions about tourism. A great deal of a place's image is likely to rest upon the stereotyping of the 'typical' local people.
Journal of Brand Management, Vol 16 (7) pp420-438

More on Place branding

Forget about chewing sweets, try some spray candy. Small containers of spray-on-the-tongue sweets are apparently very popular.  All tastes are catered for; there is the marshmallow-like Hello Kitty brand or SpongeBob SquarePants' 'fruity fresh breath' for the kids. Calorie-free simulated dessert sprays, including key lime pie, might appeal more to the adult palate.
Wired, July 2009, p60

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According to the Global Reputation Pulse Study from the Reputation Institute, which looks at the top 140 listed companies, Marks & Spencer is the most reputable company among British consumers. Smith & Nephew and Cadbury are the second and third most trusted brands, while Morrisons comes in fourth place. Companies are judged according to trust, esteem, admiration and 'good feelings'.
Marketing Week, 4th June 2009, p6

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World adspend predictions
Advertising spend in the UK is forecast to decline until 2011 according to latest data from ZenithOptimedia. China will overtake the UK this year as the world's fourth-largest advertising market, behind Germany and Japan. However it will be some time before China catches up with the world's largest market, the US.  By 2011 the internet is expected to have a 15.1% share of ad spend, while all other media will shrink.
The Times, 7 July 2009, p40
The Financial Times, 6 July 2009, p23

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Understanding whats of importance and value to your customers is a fundamental part of marketing. Blue Dolphin has developed "Find Out" a great service for companies  to use to gather vital customer information. If you would benefit from knowing more about your customers likes/ dislikes / opinions / preffered options then Find Out could be the ideal service for you. For more details simply call 01733 361729 and Find Out

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In September the new CIM accredited courses will commence at Peterborough College of Marketing.
If you are interested in studying for any of these courses and want to know more information give Bob Hogg a call on 01733 233658 or visit the website http://www.marketingability.co.uk/news.php

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The PR Week/Brands2Life survey of 102 communications heads reveals how the recession has been affecting PR departments. Half of communications directors claim to have lost more than 10% of their budgets over the last year, while 41% have had to lose staff. It is not surprising therefore that 'doing more with fewer people' is cited as the most pressing issue by 52% of respondents. In-house departments are now spending an average of 15% of their budgets on digital work, while 69% of PR departments have responsibility for social media.
PR Week, 10 July 2009, pp20-23

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All Odeon cinemas are to be equipped with Bluetooth within the next two months, after research showed that 65% of 15 to 24 year-old cinema-goers would download content to their phones. The cinema ad agency, Digital Cinema Media (DCM), expects more than 163,000 downloads a month, consisting of content, vouchers, and promotions for advertisers such as Five, Warner, Xbox and Yahoo.
New Media Age, 11 June 2009, p11

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The European Court of Justice has overturned the Belgian ban on the practice of offering a free product when another is purchased. Marketers are naturally relieved that there will be fewer restrictions on their promotions and campaigns.
Incentive & Motivation, July/August 2009, p8

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Six panellists from banking, technology and social media backgrounds met recently to discuss the future of social media in banking.  They concluded that social media can help banks build trust and communities of customers, as well as support customer service. They believe Twitter, Facebook and the like are not designed for corporate use, but "there will be a bonus for banks that experiment early". Financial services are still in the educational phase with social media, unlike some other sectors. 
Computer Weekly, 23-29 June 2009, p7

More on The role of social media recognised…

New research by B2B Marketing has revealed that three-quarters of BtoB marketers have increased their volume of email campaigns and   messages in the last 12 months. Email was regarded as 'important' or 'critical' as a marketing channel by 93% of respondents.  The most common objective for email marketing was 'driving web traffic' as cited by 75% of respondents, while 'maintaining customer relationships' was mentioned by 73%.  The third most popular objective was 'brand building'. Details of the survey results are presented in a series of graphs.
B2B Marketing, June 2009, pp28-29

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High street fashion may be suffering, but its online counterparts are experiencing something of a boom, as evidenced by luxury retailer Net-a-Porter's near trebling of pre-tax profits last year. Another luxury fashion retailer, My-wardrobe.com, has forecast sales growth of 200% in the year to June. The cheaper online fashion ranges are led by Asos and New Look. Growth in sales from online is faster than offline as people grow accustomed to online shopping. People feel more in control when they shop online and know how much they are spending.
The Financial Times, 10 June 2009, p20

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The big four supermarkets spent £13m more on advertising in the first five months of the year than they did last year, according to consultancy Billetts. This represents an increase of 14% at a time when advertising prices have fallen. The explanation given by Billetts is that shoppers are becoming less loyal and are looking for bargains, so the supermarkets have upped the advertising to compensate.
The Grocer, 27 June 2009, p5

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Advertisements will often try to encourage consumers to imagine they are in a situation where they can benefit from the product being advertised. However where the ad wants consumers to benefit someone else, getting them to imagine themselves in that person's situation can conflict with the image they have of themselves as a helper. This can decrease the effectiveness of the ad. Five experiments were conducted to test this theory. Results revealed that when participants considered the appeal for help, characteristics that increased the ease with which they were able to imagine the situation, such as a photo of the victim, had a positive effect on their willingness to help and on the amount of money donated.
Journal of Marketing Research, June 2009, pp421-434

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Luxury sector resilient in parts
Although the luxury sector appears to be suffering from the recession, and indeed is predicted to shrink by 10% this year, some parts of the sector are thriving. Handbag-maker Hermès, whose Birkin bag retails at £4,000 upwards – Victoria Beckham reportedly owns 100 of them – is selling well, as is upmarket shoe supplier Kurt Geiger and yacht-maker Oyster Marine. These are the "strong, strong brands", that succeed because they are reassuring for the consumer to buy; after all "a Louis Vuitton bag is forever", says Claudia D'Arpizio of Bain consultancy. On the other hand brands such as Dolce & Gabbana, Dior and Chanel are finding things much tougher.
The Guardian, 24 June 2009, p23

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Last Wednesday saw the launch of Microsoft's search engine, Bing. Microsoft states that 30% of searches end without achieving the desired result. But Bing, it claims, can produce results and content more in keeping with how users search. Microsoft aims to be the second-biggest search player behind Google within five years, thus supplanting Yahoo! It also intends to attract advertisers to its search engine through enhanced 'intent to buy' on the part of the user as a result of more relevant search results. In the US Microsoft has a $100m budget with which to advertise Bing. It is certainly serious about its new product!
Marketing, 3 June 2009, p2
New Media Age, 4 June 2009, pp1-2

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According to the Global Reputation Pulse Study from the Reputation Institute, which looks at the top 140 listed companies, Marks & Spencer is the most reputable company among British consumers. Smith & Nephew and Cadbury are the second and third most trusted brands, while Morrisons comes in fourth place. Companies are judged according to trust, esteem, admiration and 'good feelings'.
Marketing Week, 4th June 2009, p6

More on Don't chew it – spray it

The Energy Saving Trust, the not-for-profit organisation, is to change its online strategy as it tries to convince consumers that they can implement energy-saving measures cost-effectively.  The site needs to become more attractive and useful to people who want to save energy cheaply, and aims to increase traffic from 1.5 to 1.7 million by next March. It will also integrate social networking feeds into the website.  
Marketing Week, 25 June 2009, p8

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On the 18th June at Market Rasen a business event about

• Customer attraction and retention
• The need for contented and inspired staff
• Ethical positioning and contribution
• Enhancing sales
• Effective use of the web

More on Racing Certainty – Beating the odds in business

Research by Mintel reveals that the number of new food and drink products in the first quarter of 2009 was down by 51%. However brands are still bringing new products to market, even during the recession. Colgate-Palmolive has launched a four-pack of disposable mini-toothbrushes and an on-the-go mouth freshener called Wisp, while Kimberley-Clark has introduced premium 'pure and natural' Huggies baby products. It is thought that economic conditions are less important to the success of a launch than whether the product addresses genuine customer needs. The trick is to innovate, but at the right price

More on New product still flourishing

Marketing Ability (a partner company of Blue Dolphin) has been awarded Chartered Institute of Marketing status to deliver the E marketing award. Commented Richard Groom "We are really pleased to have developed such an important strategic based E course. By delivering over 3 seperate days we believe it will provide delegates with the maximum ability to consider the E issues within their organisations"

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Peterborough College of Marketing will be starting its latest Postgraduate Diploma course in January. The course is a superb opportunity to take your marketing skills to the next level.

The benefits of the Postgraduate course are immense and include opportunities to:
• Meet like-minded professionals from other industries.
• Discuss and debate marketing strategy, identifying alternative approaches for your organisation.
• Part of the syllabus involves a work-based assignment, giving you the opportunity to look at your business from a broader perspective
• Gain the highest level of Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) qualification.
If you have significant experience in a marketing role or an alternative CIM qualification you may meet the Postgraduate programme entry requirements.

Call Bob Hogg, principal tutor, on 01733 233658 for an informal chat about the Postgraduate programme or find further information at www.marketingability.co.uk/postgrad.php
Peterborough College of Marketing is the education arm of Marketing Ability, the specialist marketing training company managed by Blue Dolphin’s Andrew Goode and other marketing professionals.

More on Marketing Postgraduate course starts in January 2009

Business-to-business marketers should get ready to run Bluetooth marketing campaigns, says the author of this article. Bluetooth was removed from the Information Commissioners Office's list of communication media that requires consumers to opt-in to marketing messages, and debate rages as to whether Bluetooth marketing is ethical. However, there are ways in which the technology can be used without being invasive.
B2B Marketing, May 2008, pp18-20

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The adage "If its sounds to good to be true, it often is"is a wise adage to follow. Listed below are TEN marketing techniques that don't cost a fortune, are incredibly simple but are proven to generate business.

More on Marketing for FREE

Elevator pitch should contain

• A hook
• Maximum of 220 words (i.e. can be delivered in 60 seconds)
• Passion
• A request (call to action)

An example of an elevator pitch for Graphic Designer – How not to do it

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