Top Tips on Creating your Personal Brand

1. Everyone has a brand – you just need to identify it. Compare yourself with others who do what you do. What makes you stand out? What differentiates you from others is your personal brand. That's how you rise above the crowd and get noticed.
2. Confirm that your brand matches how others would describe you. Make a list of your brand attributes and ask someone who knows you well to select the five that best describe you. Does their description match yours? If not, ask yourself what you can do to get your brand on course.
3. Set a plan and think long term. Define clear goals for yourself based on the message you want to convey, who you want to influence, and where you want to connect with them online. These questions will guide you in selecting your online tools and brand-building activities.
4. Don’t try to change who you are. People deal with people so remember that not everyone is your customer and you’re more likely to succeed if you identify associates and clients who have a similar approach or personality to yourself. So if you’re bubbly and passionate don’t try and be anything else. People are not just buying your knowledge, but want to know they can work well with you – culture is not to be underestimated.
5. Watch what others are doing online for ideas you can use. Identify experts and leaders in your profession.  Find these individuals online and analyse what tools and strategies they use to promote their brands.
6. Not everyone needs to blog (or should). You don't need to use every tool in the toolbox to establish an effective brand online. Blogging is one such example. If you have the time and are confident in writing content which your audience will find interesting then do it. But remember to keep the momentum up. Only select those tools that best fit you. 
7. Choose strategies which will establish you as an expert or leader. Online offers a wealth of opportunity to promote yourself as an expert in your field, but the most effective tool is to get yourself in front of people. Whether it’s a networking event or speaking at a business group, give people a chance to meet you and you’ll find the process of conversion more effective. 
8. Keep your personal brand separate from your company brand. If you are your business i.e. an accountant then really shine by talking about topics of a financial nature. However, if you're working for an accountancy firm, don't tweet about the company. Establish yourself as the person on Twitter locally who has all the financial answers. Otherwise you're limiting the power of your personal brand (and what happens when you leave that company?)

 

Negotiation Skills

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Have you done much negotiating? No? Of course you have! We negotiate all the time, not only in business, but also at home, on journeys, in restaurants - everywhere!

You are less likely to be 'taken for a ride' when you know you are in a negotiating situation, such as buying a new car. You are much more likely to lose out when you are not aware that you could negotiate. It is surprising how many situations could be open to negotiation, if only people used the opportunities.

Planning for a negotiation

• Goals: what do you want to get out of the negotiation? What do you think the other person wants?
• Trades: What do you and the other person have that you can trade? What do you each have that the other wants? What are you each comfortable giving away?
• Alternatives: if you don't reach agreement with the other person, what alternatives do you have? Are these good or bad? How much does it matter if you do not reach agreement? Does failure to reach an agreement cut you out of future opportunities? And what alternatives might the other person have?
• Relationships: what is the history of the relationship? Could or should this history impact the negotiation? Will there be any hidden issues that may influence the negotiation? How will you handle these?
• Expected outcomes: what outcome will people be expecting from this negotiation? What has the outcome been in the past, and what precedents have been set?
• The consequences: what are the consequences for you of winning or losing this negotiation? What are the consequences for the other person?
• Power: who has what power in the relationship? Who controls resources? Who stands to lose the most if agreement isn't reached? What power does the other person have to deliver what you hope for?
• Possible solutions: based on all of the considerations, what possible compromises might there be?

 

Negotiating techniques

Gaining/conceding territory

• Don't just agree to split the difference
• Don't be the first to concede
• Give concessions in very small chunks, one at a time
• Always get a concession of at least equal value in return
• Put a time limit on concessions
• Work out which are fictitious demands ('I need daily deliveries') and which are real demands ('Well, if you can't do daily deliveries, I'll have 10% discount instead')
• Exchange unreasonable demands ('You'll have to drop that price by 50%!') for real concessions ('I can give 10% off if you order today')

Reaching Agreement

• Emphasise the benefits to them
• Work for an atmosphere of trust
• Gather information throughout and use it
• Make it win/win, so they don't lose face
• Be comfortable with silences to give them time to think

Detecting closing signals

• Counter-arguments get weaker
• Differences become smaller
• They ask about details
• They mention contracts

But watch out for last minute demands!

Marketing and the Law

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All UK businesses are expected to observe the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) Code when advertising and promoting their goods and services.If any of your promotional material is deemed not to follow the CAP Code, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) will list details about your business on its website.You could effectively be blacklisted by some media and they may refuse to take your advertisements in the future.

The CAP Code has a number of clear guidelines that you must follow in any marketing communications:

Advertising your prices

• Prices must be clear and relate to the product advertised and illustrated. Prices should also include VAT and other non-optional taxes.
• If the price of one product is linked to the purchase of another product, you must explain this clearly.
• Price claims such as 'up to' and 'from' should not exaggerate the benefits that customers can get.
• Any recommended retail price that is used must be genuine.

Availability of products

• You must make it clear on any of your marketing communications whether the stock you are advertising is limited.
• You cannot use the technique of 'switch selling' - when staff criticise the advertised product and recommend a more expensive alternative.

 

Offering guarantees

• You should not use the word 'guarantee' in a way that might confuse a consumer about their legal rights. Substantial limitations on the guarantee should be clearly explained.
• Any marketing communication should explain the nature and extent of any additional rights provided by the guarantee.

 

Comparisons

You can make comparisons with competitors or other products within these rules:

• You can make comparative claims on marketing communications, but they should not be misleading or be likely to mislead.
• Only make comparisons between products meeting the same needs or intended for the same purpose.
• Do not create confusion between yourself and your competitors and between your products and your competitors' products.

 

Imitation

• If you make comparisons with identifiable competitors and/or their products, you should not present products as imitations or replicas of products bearing a protected trade mark or trade name.
• No marketing communication should so closely resemble any other that it misleads or causes confusion.

 

Sales promotions

• Ensure that your sales promotion processes are fair, prompt and efficient.
• You should make all reasonable efforts to ensure that promotions are safe and cause no harm to consumers or their property.
• Check the ASA rules when addressing your promotions to children when products intended for adults may fall into the hands of children.
• If a free offer is conditional on the purchase of other items, you must make this clear.
• Promotions with prizes are subject to legal restrictions as they are also covered by gaming and betting legislation.
• Promotions should specify clearly (before, or at the time of entry) that no purchase is required, if this is the case.

 

Database good practice

• You must make sure that personal information is kept secure and protected from any unauthorised use.
• You should make all reasonable efforts to ensure that you don't send unwanted marketing communications by any means.
•  All direct marketing should be suitable for the recipients.
• You should not collect information for marketing purposes from children aged under 12 without their parents' consent.
• You should also comply with relevant data protection legislation.

 

Distance selling

Distance selling means selling and buying by phone, mail order, via the internet or digital TV. If you conduct sales where the consumer pays when they order and before they receive the product or service, you should ensure that your business's full name and address is on all promotional material.

Other information that should appear on the promotional material or your website:

• A description of the goods or services
• The price, including all taxes
• Delivery costs where they apply
• Arrangements for payment
• Arrangements for and date of delivery
• Information about the consumer's right to cancel the order
• How long the offer or the price remains valid
• The cost of any premium-rate telephone, fax or internet charges
• Whether substitute goods will be supplied if the order is out of stock or unavailable (if substitute goods are to be supplied, you must inform the consumer of the cost of returning them)
• The minimum duration for any long-term contract

The Essential Business Guide: P67 Fourth Edition

Why Mobile Websites are Important

Lisa Spann from ISSL (web designers and developers) shares with me the importance of mobile websites.

As more and more people use mobile phones to access the internet, this is not something that is likely to be of less importance over time. All businesses need to think of how their clients - new and old - access their websites and adapt to them.

What is meant by the term Mobile Website?

A mobile website is one that is designed specifically to work on a smart phone such as an iPhone, Samsung Galaxy etc. Although most websites will technically work on a phone (unless there is Flash in which case it won't on an iPhone), the end user is less likely to use the site if they have to stop and use two fingers to scroll and make the visual area larger and therefore unusable.

A mobile version of a website keeps the branding and theme the same as the main desktop site, but is adjusted to usually have a vertical menu with easy to use buttons for fingers. it is a design that is done specifically to fit the smart phone screens and with relevant information for someone looking at it on the go.

Why is it important to have one?

I always tell businesses to load up their website on their phone and see what it looks like as most haven't done this and so have no idea of any issues that their customers may find. As you would expect, some industries need a mobile version much more than others. For example, a locksmith is a key industry that I think should have one as their customers could very well be locked outside their house or place of work and only have their phone to hand!

Then we have estate and letting agents who should have a mobile version for searching their properties online. A client driving around sees a board and wants more information they will more than likely have a look at that agent's website on their phone.

If you have a business premises or retail outlet, then mobile websites assist the client or customer in finding out information such as where you are, your opening hours and contact details. A mobile version will show a clearer map and usually have a phone number that can be easily pressed to call and ask for more information if necessary.

Also it is worth noting your employees may need to access key information off-site. Having a mobile site will make their lives much easier and therefore more efficient!

Apps vs Web Apps

A number of businesses go down the road of having mobile apps developed and yes apps have a place. Personally, I think apps are good for offline content such as games and discount vouchers.

For a business to consider an app you must consider the devices and their operating systems. There is Apple and the iPhone, then Android App Store and the Windows App then Blackberry. Apps need to be developed for all platforms and some are not that easy. They all need to be maintained and when your app needs updating all platforms need updating! This is very costly.

Ideally a mobile version of your website should do the job. Also if you update the content on your main website, in most cases the mobile version will be updated at the same time.

Examples to look at on your phone:
www.dansworks.co.uk
www.reedsrains.co.uk
www.orbissolicitors.co.uk 

Writing a Winning Sales Letter

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You don't have to be a professional copywriter to create effective sales letters. If you understand your target market, can identify a problem they have and can offer a solution (your product or service), you can follow a step-by-step writing process. This will enable you to produce an effective letter that will gain the attention and interest of your target audience.

Step 1: Get your reader's attention

The opening headline is one of the first things your potential customer will look at. If the headline doesn't call out to them and excite their interest, they will ignore the rest of the letter and throw it away.

Step 2: Give a reason to read more

You now need to gain the reader's interest by spelling out their problem and how it feels to have that problem. Focus on their needs and create a desire to read on.

Step 3: Provide the solution

In this section you introduce yourself, your product and/or service. Relieve your readers' minds by telling them that there's no need to struggle through all their problems, because your product or service will solve them.

Step 4: Present your credentials

It's important to give potential customers reasons why you can be trusted. List your credentials, such as prestigious firms (or people) you have done business with, the length of time you've been in business, or important awards or recognitions you have achieved.

Step 5: Show the benefits

At this stage, you should tell your readers how they could benefit personally from using your product or service. Think about the obvious and the not-so-obvious benefits of each feature of your product or service. In your sales letter bullet point each benefit to make it easier to read.

Step 6: Give testimonials to prove it

Testimonials are powerful selling tools that prove your claims are true. To make your testimonials even more powerful include - with their express permission - the names and pictures of your satisfied customers.

Step 7: Make your offer

Your offer is the most important part of your sales letter. A great offer can overcome mediocre sales copy, but great copy cannot overcome a mediocre offer. The best offers are usually an attractive combination of price, terms and free gifts. For example, if you are selling a car your offer might be a discounted retail price, low interest rate and a year of free fuel.

Step 8: Inject scarcity

Most people take their time responding to offers. To motivate people to take action, give them an extra incentive. When people think there is a scarce supply of something they need, they usually rush to get some of it. You can create a feeling of scarcity by telling your reader either that the quantity is in limited supply or that your offer is valid only for a limited time period.

Step 9: Give a guarantee

To make your offer even more irresistible take all the risk out of the purchase. People have an in-built fear that they are going to get ripped off, so give the strongest guarantee possible.

Step 10: The 'call to action'

Don't assume that your readers know what to do to receive the benefits of your offer. Spell out how they can make the order in very clear and concise language. Whether it's picking up the phone and making a call or filling out an order form, you must tell people exactly how to order from you. Make this section of your letter action-orientated; use phrases such as 'Pick up the phone and call now!' or 'Tear off the order form and send today!'. Be explicit and succinct in your instructions.

Step 11: Give a warning

A good sales letter continues to build emotion right up to the very end. Using the 'risk of loss' strategy, tell the readers what would happen if they didn't take advantage of your offer.

Step 12: Close with a reminder

Always include a PS. Believe it or not, a PS is the second most-read element of your sales letter (after the headline). In your PS, you remind readers of your irresistible offer. If you've used scarcity in your sales letter, include your call to action then remind them of the limited time (or quantity) of the offer.

PS: it sounds like a simple step, but postscripts get noticed.


The Essential Business Guide, page 56-57

Content Marketing: what is it and should I be doing it?

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What is Content Marketing?

Put simply, content marketing means creating and sharing valuable, but often free-to-user content, whether that's in a blog, newsletter, podcast, video, white paper, app, viral, tweet, magazine or online TV channel, to name but a few.

It's different from a standard corporate brochure or website, because it's about telling not selling. The content will be closely related to what you sell, but it is driven by editorial rather than marketing or sales content, and as such, is often expected to be journalistic in style. The result is that the brand offers a more personalised customer experience and because the content can be shared, commented on and updated by the audience, it puts customers in the driving seat.

Who's doing it?

There's nothing new about content marketing. From in-flight magazines to seatback screens and highly developed websites, airlines have long believed in content to build engagement and loyalty in their customer base.

Blogging has proved successful for many companies including Microsoft which has invested in training all its marketing teams in blogging strategy and this has helped it to soften its brand values and be seen as more approachable and relevant in local markets.

Meanwhile Moneysupermarket consistently tops Google, largely thanks to content marketing. It produces a lot of information such as how-to-guides, making its offering transparent so customers can make an educated decision.

Tops Tips on doing it well

1. Plan First. Many businesses start without a plan and wonder why they don't know what to do next - or worse, think content marketing has failed when they never gave it a chance. Work out how content marketing could help your business. What type of content would it be and what purpose would it serve? Think about how you'll measure outcomes too. Success will only come if you are strategic.

2. Know your prospects. Customers are willing to tell you about themselves if they believe it's a fair exchange. I'll fill out a survey if I get to see the results, for example. Or I'll tell you if I'm a decision-maker and whether I do PPC advertising if you are giving me a really useful white paper. So make sure there is good perceived value in your content and don't be afraid to ask questions that will help you profile the prospect.

3. Warming up your leads. Content can be a really good way of warming up a lead that, without these content interactions, could have their attention diverted elsewhere. But remember, the more varied the content you provide and enable potential customers to interact with, the more you will understand what their interest is, noting for example the webinar they pick to join versus a white paper on a different subject.

4. Build your own content system. First, plan content topics and when you want to launch them. Second, consider formats for your content - e-books, white papers, webinars? Third, use social tools to publish your content: is your blog your hub? Is Twitter your primary promotional tool? Finally, create, curate, and recreate - what content do you need to generate form scratch and what can you pull together from different sources and then tweak and evolve?

Extracted from 'How to make content marketing work for you', The Marketer, Jan/Feb 2013 edition, p38-41.

Introducing the Gatekeeper

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Never underestimate the importance of the receptionist and the PA. Whenever I went for job interviews I would always speak with the receptionist and just have a general chat. To me this is politeness, but it wasn't until later in my career I realised how powerful the receptionist and PA are. They really do have a huge influence on whether you reach your point of contact or not - and to a certain extent whether you are successful in that job interview!

There are 3 types of Gatekeeper:

1. The 'no way Jose' gatekeeper. You can be fantastic on the phone, but no cold calls are going to be put through. Why? Because it's company policy to bar cold calls and the business will most probably have registered with the Telephone Preferences Services. When you're faced with the immediate rejection, you have to find another route into the company. Ask the people at your networking group if they can give you a contact or how about composing a mailshot. You could even drop on by in person and deliver it.
2. The 'tell me more' gatekeeper. You are definitely in with a shout here. This gatekeeper is like a Doctor's receptionist. They want to know more about why you're calling. Depending on what you say and how you say it, they will make a decision on weather to put you through or politely turn you away.
3. The 'just putting you through' gatekeeper. Before you have even finished the surname of the person you want to speak to, you're through. It's wonderful when this happens and reassuring to know that these types of gatekeepers still exist!

Here are some suggestions for when you're faced with the 'tell me more' gatekeeper:

• Always greet the gatekeeper with 'Good Morning', 'Good Afternoon' or simply a warm and friendly 'hello' followed by your full name and company name. If you are a local business and the business you're calling is local then mention this - it creates and immediate bond and the gatekeeper may even recognise your business.
• If you don't know the name of the person that you want to speak too, then ask for help. if you are then asked why you're calling avoid a rambling speech about your business. Explain that you would like to introduce yourself to this particular person, because you believe that your products or services will be of genuine interest to them. If you work with similar businesses mention this. Don't volunteer any more information at this point.
• If the suggestion is made that you post some information instead explain that you try not to send out unwanted mail and you find that customers often appreciate a brief courtesy before-hand. Mention that you are not a tele-sales executive. This is your business and you intend only to make a brief introduction. 
• If the gatekeeper sounds harassed or busy make an empathetic comment 'I'm sorry to bother you when you sound like you're having a busy day.' Don't most of us like a little bit of attention? If you sound genuine it will make it harder for the gatekeeper to decline your call.
• If the gatekeeper if helpful, make a point of thanking them. If you get a warm greeting from the person that you're pout through to, tell them how professional and helpful the gatekeeper was. You should aim to build a positive impression of yourself and your business with every person in the organisation that you come across.
• Make a note of the gatekeeper's name. Better still ask for it. when you call again, and it's the same gatekeeper, you can build on the rapport that you established in the first telephone call. If it's a different person, then referencing the initial call, including the name of the gatekeeper, shows you are not making a cold call and that you have had previous contact with the company.  

It is vital that you are friendly and courteous to whoever you deal with and the gatekeeper is no exception. So go on, give it a go...but don't forget your magic won't work on every gatekeeper, so don't get disheartened.

Extract from Powerful Marketing on a Shoe String by Dee Blick