I was recently asked to write a testimonial for Sejual Shah, a stress resolution specialist, to include on the guest book of her website.  After doing so, I realised it would actually make quite a good blog post, so I hope you find the following either useful, informative or both! Fear of Presenting I am not embarrassed […]

The ‘Secret’! I’ve always been fascinated by the unexplained, such as palm-reading, tarot cards, hypnotherapy but also self-help and the power of positive mental attitude.  So I guess its hardly surprising that ‘The Secret’ piqued my interest! I was first introduced to The Secret in 2009 I believe, at one of the first networking events I […]

How well do you know your customers? I regularly meet with small business contacts through various networking channels and continue to be surprised at the sheer number of individuals who don’t seem to know who their customers are.  Clearly they have some knowledge in terms of name and address for invoicing purposes, but quite often […]

Using Twitter for Business In October 2010 I was asked by Debbie Gilbert, founder of Viva Networking, to give a talk on the use of Twitter for Business at my local business networking group in Berkhamsted.  Such was the response that, not only did I secure a new client for my business, but also a […]

Do you have a little time on your hands between Christmas and the New Year?  The approach of ‘review, learn and refine’ can be applied to almost any practice, but especially at this time of year and in the current economic climate; use it to refocus your business activities for 2011. Review Review what has happened in […]

However you brand yourself or market your business, ensure you are consistent across all mediums and communications, online and offline.  Inconsistency can be both confusing and unsettling for your customers, which would be detrimental to your business offering. The same applies to your approach and consistency of services levels; important to any business but especially […]

“My own business always bores me to death; I prefer other people’s” Much-revered Irish Poet, Novelist, Dramatist and Critic, Oscar Wilde 1854 – 1900 If there is one piece of advice I always give to a small business owner, it is to be passionate about your own business. I’m sure Mr Wilde wasn’t referring to […]

Are you missing a piece from your Jigsaw? Branding is at its most effective when it encompasses not only the name, logo, colour and slogan but also the entire ethos of the business, from product values to consistency of service, whilst capturing the attention of its target market and personality of its employees. Without the […]

Can you DIGG it?  Yes we can! No this isn’t a blog with lyrics to a dance track, its about the social PR and news site DIGG.  If you haven’t yet found your way to DIGG, it’s a very useful way of distributing your PR and news stories to a wide audience with numerous identified categories such as Business, Lifestyle, Sport, […]

Do you know the difference between your Push and your Pull? Pull Marketing is the terminology that we use to differentiate social media from the more traditional forms of marketing which tend to have a ‘broadcast’ style. Examples of  ‘push’ marketing include advertising, leaflet dropping, cold calling etc.  One is literally ‘pushing’ a message out there.  […]