The growth of social media means that business is now 24 hours a day, seven days a week – what’s more, when a customer complains it’s now laid bare on social media for all to see. So how do companies and brands respond to the new ‘vocal consumer’? Here are a few top tips to […]
Avoid Running your Business by Committee
While large businesses are often run by boards of directors, that approach doesn’t work for a small or medium sized business. A business isn’t a democracy. When it comes to politics, we want leaders who believe in democracy and free enterprise. But in a business, you need a clear-cut leader who makes the final decisions. […]
Why too Much Automation is Not Always a Good Thing
Thanks to advances in technology, there is a constant drive towards the automation of processes within businesses. From running the monthly payroll to producing reports for customers, there is usually a process that can be automated by a system. Managers are focusing on doing more with less in this constant drive towards increased business efficiency. […]
Defining Your Brand
Branding is much more than a logo. Whether you sell products or services, your brand is as much about a customer experience as it is about corporate colours. So, now that we are entering 2014, why not take a look at your brand. Can you write down, in a few lines, what your brand is […]
Planning for Success in 2014
As we move into 2014, many businesses and their management teams are taking a step back, looking at the business, considering how the market will develop over the next 12 months and creating plans to grow the firm and take advantage of changes in the business environment. A typical approach to planning suggests […]
Create impact with your Tenders
The pressure to win new business in today’s market has never been so great. With more firms chasing less work, the market has become highly competitive. Consequently, firms have had to adapt and retune their business development models. How firms design and package their bid presentation can make the difference between success and failure. Be […]
Tips for Buying out a Competitor
As the economy begins to recover, many businesses are finding themselves in a rather enviable position: large cash reserves in the bank and weaker competitors just waiting to be snapped up (for a bargain price!). So you know you want to expand by acquiring another firm, but where to start? Analyse Your Business Start with […]
Improve your Customer Relationships
One thing is true for all businesses; if we have any work, we have customers! One of the most important parts of our work is maintaining and enhancing our relationships with our clients. Maintaining and growing these relationships makes the time spent on a project more enjoyable, satisfying and effective. Improved relationships also improves the […]
Points to Consider When Setting a Marketing Strategy
Your marketing strategy consists of the things that you do in your business to make the phone ring. Each technique requires different combinations of financial and human resources. Here are a few pointers on which marketing decisions to improve the return on marketing investment. Market research Forward-thinking businesses conduct market research to identify market trends […]