I love MARKETING TRAINING
I LOVE teaching all aspects of marketing, both STRATEGY and EXECUTION ๐ And there is nothing better than doing it FACE-TO-FACE ๐ This week it was my pleasure helping a marketing services agency get into the shoes of their clients, really thinking about the persona of...
I love Lavazza
I love Lavazza. It is one of my favourite brands Lavazza Lavazza Group ๐ I appreciate as a marketer, I think far too hard about brands, as the range of functional and emotional benefits which constitute the brand and a consumer interaction with it ๐ Here at the...
Marketing? – I can help!
Yes, I know I help LOTS of businesses with MARKETING STRATEGY ๐ But I do get involved in lots of other marketing-related activities too! ๐ In March – – Finding a conference venue, Midlands-based, to accommodate 250 people, with overnight accommodation and...
SME Marketing Support
A lot of the MARKETING SUPPORT I give to SME’s is not highfalutin strategy ‘stuff’ ! ๐ It is simple, straightforward and solid marketing advice, based upon a) an understanding of their business and b) a lot of my experience working in marketing...
Doing MARKETING properly!
OMG, a Hotel Chocolat salted hot chocolate with whipped cream ๐ Now that is really impressive. If you going to do it, do it PROPERLY (and I did ๐คฃ ) Talking about doing things PROPERLY… How much of your MARKETING is just “do it and see” kind of stuff?...
Face-To-Face Events & Networking
Face-to-Face EVENTS are always more fun when you are NETWORKING with a long-standing client! ๐ Spenbeck is a wonderfully entrepreneurial business, with consultancies in sustainability, building health and interior design. ๐ It has and continues to be a privilege to...
OMG…Marketing Strategy and Execution!
A few weeks ago I spent AN HOUR OF MY LIFE tuned into a “marketing strategy” WEBINAR ๐ค Even though marketing strategy is what I do for lots of businesses, AND I TEACH IT TOO, I thought you never know, I might learn something ๐ค AND I DID. I learned that...
Woo Hoo…I won the Lottery!
I AM HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE I WON THE NATIONAL LOTTERY ๐ถ ๐ถ ๐ถ I will stay on LinkedIn for the time being. After all, it was only three numbers, I got ยฃ30 ๐คฃ But you are still reading, right, 5 lines into my post. LOOK, GRABBING ATTENTION is really important ๐ Especially if...
Supporting SME’s with Marketing Thinking and Delivery
SMEs represent 99% of all businesses in the UK ๐ So why is it that 99% of marketing case studies showcase the bigger corporations, like Apple and Nike and McDonalds with their deep marketing resources?! ๐ก Not much use really, as a guide to an SME ๐คทโโ๏ธ That’s why...
Pros and Cons of freelance marketing!
Working for yourself has its PROS and its CONS ๐ One upside is the variety of clients – different sectors, B2C and B2B, with a heap of different opportunities and challenges. 100% stimulating ๐ I particularly like the “GETTING TO KNOW YOU” phase....
Be Better at Strategic Marketing!
Most businesses are doing some kind of MARKETING ๐ค , so thereโs a need to be better at thinking and planning what you do (right?!). There’s a lot of choice too when it comes to MARKETING STRATEGY TRAINING… A lot of what is available can be complex and...
Chris Lewis v Mark Ritson, OMG!
“Chris Lewis vs. Mark Ritson ๐ค ” OMG ! ๐ So, I am in comms-mode again for my new #1 Marketing Strategy Programme for Business; emails, social media posts, even old-fashioned (but very effective) word-of-mouth! ONE RESPONSE was “Chris Lewis vs. Mark...
Feature or Benefit?
“People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole!” ๐ FEATURE or BENEFIT? ARE WE SELLING A DRILL OR A PERFECTLY FORMED HOLE? Such an obvious question ๐คฃ So many businesses talk a lot about what they do, but they sometimes...
Networking with long-standing clients – what fun!
Face-to-Face EVENTS are always more fun when you are NETWORKING with a long-standing client! ๐ Spenbeck is a wonderfully entrepreneurial business, with consultancies in sustainability, building health and interior design. ๐ It has and continues to be a privilege to...
Grabbing attention !
ARE YOU LISTENING? ๐ถ GRABBING ATTENTION ๐บ It’s all part of marketing, right? Yes, of course. But anyone can shout, or post a cute picture of pets looking right at you, to grab attention! THE QUESTION IS ARE YOU SHOUTING ABOUT THE RIGHT THINGS? The things which...
BRASS, MOULA, DOUGH ๐ท
You might know I have just launched my new on-line marketing strategy programme for business ๐ (if not, well you do now! THE NEXT INTAKE IS MONDAY 30th OCTOBER, and it runs on-line for 5 weeks, thanks for asking!) ๐ Some of the initial feedback received is about the...
L E S S T H A N 5 W E E K S T O G O ๐
I know it is still 5 weeks away to the start of the #1 Marketing Strategy Programme for Business, but the clock is ticking ๐ And the most asked question (so far!) is, WHAT DOES THE COURSE COVER? So, we cover the building blocks to developing a marketing strategy for...
STARTUPS AND SMALL BUSINESS NEARLY ALWAYS GET THIS WRONG! ๐
I am a big supporter of entrepreneurs, start ups, and smaller businesses In fact, a fair chunk of my time is pro bono work, helping small businesses with marketing, mentoring, supporting them to grow at a pivotalย stage ๐ I know that 100% of their time is devoted to...
ARE YOU JUST THE “COLOURING IN” DEPARTMENT?
I get a little frustrated when I hear this phrase ๐ Often fired off by sales people at the marketing junior As a marketer, we are definitely here partly to service other departments I was a senior (and a junior) marketer for many years, and I had no issue ensuring...
Thinking, thinking, thinking
Thinking, thinking, thinking! For the businesses I support and advise. Have we an agreed set of business objectives? Are we focused on the correct work streams toย deliver to those objectives? Which customers are we targeting, and why? Why are we better and different...
Some thought-provoking stuff!
So what is thisย thought-provoking stuff, I hear you ask? ๐ Well, that is a very good question! For the past 5+ years, I have been supporting and advising lots (and lots) of businesses in many sectors, B2B and B2C. Focusing primarily on marketing strategy – what...
The need to ‘Keep It Simple Stupid!’
I love the acronym KISS I know you know what it means – Keep It Simple (Stupid) It’s a principle I can confidently say I am good at Especially when it comes to marketing strategy Being able to break down complex subjects into manageable bite-sized chunks,...