Sales & Marketing

There’s an old adage: It’s not what you know—it’s who you know. But when we are starting out in business, our networks are often limited, consisting of former colleagues, friends and family. And while these people will help get you on your way, very few of us can rely entirely on them for business success. That’s where networking comes in. Read more

A novel way to target clients.*

You may think it odd to discuss an online tank game in a business blog.

Yet this product holds the Guinness World Record for player (read ‘customer’) engagement.

A feat achieved in its first year.

If we captured clients like this crew, we’d be sunning ourselves in the Bahamas right now.

Plus, it’s Russian!

So let’s take a look … Read more

What lies beneath?

We’ve talked stuff-ups.

We’ve revealed hidden hurts.

We’ve even taken blood money.

Now it’s time to table the sins within.

Not Happy birthday!

When I turned 40, the day was doubly profound: our nightmare renovation was (theoretically) nearing its end.

Fonnie spoilt me rotten: gifts, grog, home-made cards, a best-mate lunch, a Tiger Moth flight and a family dinner.

Then, as we packed our bags for a casino-suite adventure, something very bad happened. Read more

No hawkers?

You may have experienced the pay TV onslaught.

And before that, the home insulation scam.

Now electricity companies are pounding our pavements.

And man, they’re really going for it.

So, does door-knocking prospects make things better or worse for you, me, them and our respective sectors?

Door stop

According to the papers, some power firms (or their flunkeys) are: Read more

To change your life, change just one thing.

Why do some businesses prosper while others perish?

They have a point of difference.

It doesn’t have to be big to be brilliant (small ones often work best).

It just has to be …

Different.

Here are two examples.

Banana benders

I can think of few things more generic than a banana. Read more

How low can you go?

Just as there are few ponds in Moonee Ponds, there are few goodies in goody bags today.

Gloomy pundits, frugal accountants, jaded marketers and fearful business folk have made modern ‘freebies’ a sorry lot.

But even the darkest cloud has a silver lining.

Paper tiger

A while ago, my secretary wife attended a swish industry do.

She came home with a very nice looking goody bag.

Flushed with bubbles, she sat and pawed for the treasures within. Read more

Accounting practices need marketing just as much as anyone else. Marketing isn’t, as many people imagine, just about advertising and trying to help the sales team make a sale. And yes it may eventually come to that, but marketing in the truest form, the very foundation of it, lies with the customer. It is understanding what your customer’s points of pain are, what they need (not necessarily “want” in the words of Steve Jobs) and then creating a solution. It doesn’t end there. You need to ensure that the solution is delivered in the right way, the easiest way for your customer to access – deliver the optimum customer experience. You also need to consider how what you are offering is going to differ from what everyone else in the market offers. What is going to make you unique? Why should they buy ‘it’ (whatever ‘it’ is) from you? There are then decisions on how to price the product, where to distribute it and only then do you start the work of promoting it. Read more

Holiday trading. Risky business?

If you are reading this blog post, I have been murdered.

(Oops! Sorry; wrong client.)

…

If yer readin’ this post, yer either:

• Filthy rich, with way too much time on yer ‘ands.
• Slavin’ yer guts out on a public ‘oliday.

Either way, yer … un-Australian. Read more

The business race can blinker.

This post explores the risk of one-size-fits-all marketing.

In short, it doesn’t.

In long, it can do far more harm than good.

Starter’s orders

I received an email from a real estate agent (what is it with these guys?) inviting me and my family to a fun-filled day for the entire family.

As I’m childless, this stung. Read more

2011 was a tough year for Aussie small business despite much passionate hard work, long hours and persistence.  With local economic obstacles and an unpredictable global economy, it was no surprise the latest MYOB Business Monitor Report found only 19% of business owners increased their revenue (compared with 35% in 2010).  MYOB CEO, Tim Reed commented on this issue late last year, outlining why he thinks we should see optimism, confidence and conditions improve in 2012. Read more