| Blog

NewCo to ?? : How to launch a new business in three months

Sun, 8 January 2012 12:00 GMT

It has been quite a week for aardmaan.

We celebrated our tenth year in business, supported the World Record attempt to get a record number of comments on a blog post in 24 hours (see #comment24 on twitter) in support of RNLI.

Completed finishing touches to website in time for launch of a new company and worked on a major web project.

(However, the 5:30 to 22:30 (Monday to Saturday) these last few weeks, aren't our usual hours!)

#Comment24

Thu, 5 January 2012 12:00 GMT

We're supporting this today to mark aardmaan's 10 years in business > if you stumble across this today, the 5th January 2012, please go and leave a comment - any comment on trefor.net . It's for a very good cause . And is a great local tech story too! Let's light up that fiber and put the tech through its paces today ...

Too busy to celebrate our birthday?

Wed, 4 January 2012 12:00 GMT

It is our tenth birthday this week! We opened the doors for business the first week of January 2002. Those ten years have flown - and the tenth anniversary sort of snuck up on us! We've been so busy with projects for clients that we put our own celebrations on the back-burner!

Digital trends for 2012

Wed, 4 January 2012 12:00 GMT

SapientNitro Insights 2012 - How Digital Innovation Impacts Your Business View more presentations from SapientNitro

Just a thought

Fri, 28 October 2011 12:00 GMT

Who do you really think drives your business success? Is it your direct paying customers? Or their customers? The people who actually use your product or service.

So, who do you focus on? Where do you put all your effort? Pleasing the customer or creating something that users will rave about? It's simple really, if you don't excite users, your customers (the guys who sign the cheques) won't get excited either. Users drive sales. Customers only buy because they see there is a ready market - and they're onto a sure thing. They're only really interested in the bottom line and making a good profit. If users aren't going mad about your product or service - where's the incentive?

So, how do you treat the users of your products and services? Do you engage them? Talk to them? Or, ignore them?

Thanks to the Geeks and Anoraks

Wed, 20 July 2011 12:00 GMT

When exactly did the power of the Internet reach your consciousness? Mine was around 1993! Attended an amazing conference in London at the QE2 Conference Centre.

First Prezi - a presentation game-changer

Fri, 24 June 2011 12:00 GMT

Have known about Prezi for a while, but haven't tried it out. What a revelation. Really don't know why I didn't give this a try before. It's fabulous!

Are B2B trade exhibitions dead?

Wed, 22 June 2011 12:00 GMT

One of my lovely clients asked me whether I thought exhibitions were dead! They needed to decide whether it was worthwhile attending a particular tech show, or use other marketing tactics.

Infographic : Changes in way we communicate

Fri, 20 May 2011 12:00 GMT

The world of communications has changed. Is changing. Fast. Just how well are we adapting to these changes - as consumers and as content and media creators?

Would you hand over your marketing budget : to one client?

Thu, 5 May 2011 12:00 GMT

Here's a question! What would you do if an important and valuable client asked you to do something you felt uncomfortable with? In effect, asked you to "donate" a quarter of your marketing budget to their cause? With no discernable ROI if you did!

DeMontfort University Thanks

Thu, 5 May 2011 12:00 GMT

Thought I'd share this with you ... over the moon that a talk I gave earlier this year has inspired the next generation of marketers, business people and entrepreneurs!

Requiescat in Pace : Emilienne Hunter

Sat, 30 April 2011 12:00 GMT

Our aunt Emilienne Hunter died on 13 April 2011

Born in the Seychelles in November 1936, Emilienne was a remarkable woman and led a remarkable life.

Emilienne's funeral is on Monday, 9th May at 10:40 at Barham in Kent. Family flowers only please - donations in lieu of flowers to Kingsdown Cat Sanctuary .

How do I create a great CV : stealing ideas from marketing

Tue, 12 April 2011 12:00 GMT

Want to create a great CV that gets read and people take notice of? You can, using some very simple marketing techniques. We've helped a few friends to hone their CVs and land fabulous jobs, by using common-sense marketing techniques.

Thought we'd share some of that learning here.

5 steps to a winning Executive Summary : Strategic Bidding

Sun, 10 April 2011 12:00 GMT

Writing a bid, pitchbook, or proposal? The most important page to get right is the Executive Summary - the single page at the start of the bid document that summarises the key points.

A good education! What price would you be willing to pay?

Sat, 9 April 2011 12:00 GMT

How much would you be willing to pay for a good education? Its years since I was at university, and thankfully my parents were able to fund my education.

Could you be a victim of web theft? Hallam Case Study

Tue, 5 April 2011 12:00 GMT

A company stole an entire website. Lock stock and web-barrel: all the content, website navigation, unique marketing messages, layout, client testimonials, staff details. The works.

April's for fools >

Fri, 1 April 2011 12:00 GMT

One of the best April Fool's I've seen this year ...

Internet : running out of addresses

Fri, 25 March 2011 12:00 GMT

Nobody thought it would happen! But it has - and incredibly quickly too. Headlines read:"It's the IPcalypse - the internet has run out of space"

Global Service Jammin' in Leeds

Wed, 16 March 2011 12:00 GMT

Just 48 hours to change the world? If you had 48 hours to design a service that could transform your community - your city - the world - what would you do?

Infographic : our ever-expanding Twitterverse

Wed, 2 March 2011 12:00 GMT

Here's a very handy tool for you to understand what's what on twitter. An ever-expanding universe of tools and applications for you to use. You couldn't possibly use them all - but is is good to know they are there - and select the tools most relevant to your business.

Brand new website for aardmaan

Wed, 16 February 2011 12:00 GMT

The day has arrived! Today is the day we launch our brand new website. A content managed website. I must say it is a joy to use. I didn't want a fancy website, but one that I could take control of - add content as and when I wish! I absolutely love it!

A year on twitter for aardmaan

Tue, 8 February 2011 12:00 GMT

Couldn't let this day go unmarked. Its a year to the day since we embarked on our journey with twitter. Has it been worth it? I think so!

3 Fundamental Reasons Why Your Marketing Strategy Isn't Working

Mon, 31 January 2011 12:00 GMT

Don't think your marketing strategy is working? Not getting the sales you want? Not as profitable as you'd like to be? Not reaching the right customers? Here are three fundamental reasons why your marketing strategy may not be working properly:

Understand your customers in 4 steps

Tue, 18 January 2011 12:00 GMT

There a number of fundamental things you need to get right in business. Getting to know your customers is the fundamental to your business success. Having a clear understanding of who your customers are will help you communicate more effectively, connect with your market and drive more business and revenue.

Time to think about your business

Mon, 6 December 2010 12:00 GMT

You probably don't get much time through the year to stand back and think about where your business is going and to think about your business and marketing strategy. Now is the perfect time to stand back and take stock. To help you, here are some handy tips and hints:

6 ways to cut through the noise II

Tue, 16 November 2010 12:00 GMT

Okay, you've built a foundation of relevance, credibility & evidence! What next? Communicate! Keep talking to your customers! Make sure you're not talking at your customers - but try to engage in dialogue. Keep them interested. In this context mass communication is dead. To win, you need to focus on the person. Here are three tried and tested communications tools to help you cut through the noise:

6 ways to cut through the noise I

Thu, 21 October 2010 12:00 GMT

There is so much noise out there - unless you make it easy for customers - they won't take action. As simple as that. But what is the thing that will motivate people to take action. From experience - there isn't a magic bullet that will work every time. But there are six things that will help you cut through the clutter... Here's the first three:

Why AARDMAAN?

Tue, 28 September 2010 12:00 GMT

Quite a number of people have recently asked me why I chose the name AARDMAAN for my business. Let me quickly say it has nothing to do with the fabulous people in Bristol

7 Habits of Highly Effective Customer Value Propositions

Sun, 22 August 2010 12:00 GMT

Customer value propositions. Today, no business can get away with not having and using a value proposition. If you have a website - or business profile on the internet - you will be forced to state what your value proposition is. The good news is that they're fun to do. And, when you get them right, they're incredibly powerful.

Leicestershire Twitter Elite List

Wed, 11 August 2010 12:00 GMT

Okay, I've only been tweeting six months (and three days). Thought I'd give it a go back in February. I'd been watching on the sidelines for over a year - rather sceptical to be honest. To my surprise I really got into tweeting...

Customer motivations: What drives people to do business with you?

Mon, 14 June 2010 12:00 GMT

Found this great Dan Pink video about what motivates people: related to performance and how to motivate your employees. The interesting discovery is that the larger the reward - the lower the performance. Fascinating!

B2B Customer Marketing: The cost of not knowing who your customers are

Mon, 10 May 2010 12:00 GMT

Run a B2B business? Do you really know who your customers are? Is that a question you find easy to answer?

93.3% Customer Focus Score: Beat That Meerkat

Thu, 15 April 2010 12:00 GMT

Love this tool. It measures your website's customer focus rate. Called a "wewe" calculator. Not the best of names. However, the analysis results are truly insightful. Decided to check out a website that I worked on last year. A comparison site.

April Fools: Where Like Minds Meet in Jest?

Thu, 1 April 2010 12:00 GMT

Once again, we've seen an avalanche of April Fools today. However, you need to be really clever to stand out - or be so obscure - that only your tribe will get it. Telling tall stories is a serious business. April Fools can be very good for business. However, it has to be exceptionally done well. And needs to follow the simple rules of communication. Your April Fools' campaign needs to:

March tweets: intriguing, obscure and thought-provoking

Fri, 26 March 2010 12:00 GMT

Here are a selection of tweets twittered in March, which you may find useful, intriguing, or simply interesting. Designed to be a quick and easy way for you to find articles and information related to B2B marketing, copywriting, email marketing, powerpoint presentations, innovation, organisational structure, social media and creativity

LATI Case Study project: Thank you event for successful MBA students

Sat, 20 March 2010 12:00 GMT

The LATi case study 2010 project has been a huge success. A select group of MBA students from the University of Leicester took part in the project - working with local businesses and their customers to create customer case studies - which could be used as marketing material, on websites, in customer proposals, and in presentation material.

The successful completion of the project was celebrated with a game of skittles at the Beacon pub in Loughborough this week.

Email marketing survey: Are companies more sophisticated today?

Fri, 12 March 2010 12:00 GMT

According to a survey published today by Econsultancy/Adestra, companies are becoming a lot smarter in the way they use email marketing campaigns. In summary, their survey has discovered:

Social Media: How do you measure its working?

Fri, 5 March 2010 12:00 GMT

Is the internet is key to your business success? Do you depend on the internet to drive business? Serve customers? Win new business? Makes online sales? Today, that means getting to grips with a totally new online tool: social media.

Favourite tweets: useful things to know

Wed, 24 February 2010 12:00 GMT

Here's my top ten favourite twitter tweets for February. These are items I found interesting enough to tweet about - that may be interesting, useful and valuable to others.

Twitter and social media: 82% jump in use

Tue, 23 February 2010 12:00 GMT

After months of deliberating whether I should twitter or not - I've taken the plunge. Just over a week in - and the experience has been interesting. I'm following folk and miraculously have accumulated some followers too. However, the really useful aspect is instant access to information and views.

LATI project: 7 case studies successfully completed

Fri, 19 February 2010 12:00 GMT

MBA students from the University of Leicester School of Business have successfully completed the 2010 LATI case study project. Seven case studies have been successfuly completed, including full sign-off from stakeholder LATI* members and their customers.

LATI case study project: what it's all about

Wed, 3 February 2010 12:00 GMT

The LATI case study project is in its second year. The project is limited to ten students - usually MBA students - who need to apply to get a place on the sought-after course. The project requires real student commitment and dedication to see the project through. However, provides rich rewards for both students and LATI members.

Dubai Marina: ten years on

Tue, 2 February 2010 12:00 GMT

Ten years ago I worked on the Dubai Marina project. It was fantastic. Probably one of the most exciting projects I've ever worked on. I hadn't visited Dubai in the intervening ten years - and was overwhelmed by the place when I stopped off there a couple of weeks ago. Dubai Marina - is no longer a scale model. It's more than lifesize. However, is it the city we thought it would be?

Congratulations: MBA 2008 intake

Tue, 2 February 2010 12:00 GMT

The 2008/09 LATI case study project MBA students all graduated last week. I'm delighted to report that four out of our group of ten have achieved distinctions.

Huge congratulations go to Edward Kapili, Carmen Lo, Arthur Katende and Rob Crane on achieving distinctions in your MBA at the University of Leicester.

Photo: Social event held to celebrate the successful completion of the LATI case study project, attended by 2008/09 MBA students: Arthur Katende, Edward Kapili, Rob Crane, Carmen Lo, Gillian Hunter and Bodunrin Oyedele

Thanks to all the University of Leicester Business School students who took part in the 2008 /09 LATI case study project. You worked hard - and are now reaping the rewards! Deservedly!

Case studies created by students from the University of Leicester can be viewed on the LATI website

Marconi website frozen in 2001

Wed, 11 November 2009 12:00 GMT

Have a look - quickly - before someone decides to cull this site or the domain name expires ... a Marconi website that gives a history of the company and the man from 1886 to 2000 has become frozen in time ... the clock abruptly stopped for this site in 2001...

MarconiCalling �demonstrates just�how much the world has changed in the last decade. It gives us a glimpse back to what "ambitious" websites were like in the early Noughties. How the world has changed ...�

The "About this Site" page is worth a visit and in case it disappears - here are a few paragraphs from the page: "Named MarconiCalling, the visual style of the site pays homage to the period of the Italian Futurists and the German Bauhaus, artistic periods of the early 20th century that celebrated science, invention and industrial manufacture. It is also a style that lends itself perfectly to Flash technology used on the internet. MarconiCalling is designed as a highly interactive site and provides a number of intuitive ways of accessing information. It requires the latest version of the Flash plugin. The Home Page provides a number of entry points... Visiting MarconiCalling will require considerable time - even a quick visit could take 30 minutes. If you are not paying for the connection time please get consent from the person who is. For visitors without Flash capability there is an HTML version which does not have the Exhibits 1.2 & 3. You can click this flash detector and download the software from here." ��Now, wasn't that fun ... Marconi plc: The Torch is Passed page makes grim reading. It says: Information concerning Marconi plc on this site was correct as of mid-2001 .� "Today, the company that bears his name is at the forefront of the next generation of communications, developing technology that enables the world to communicate more information, faster." The archive on the Search page is worth dipping into too - it tells of a bygone era of wire messages between Royal households and yachts in 1898, Isle of Wight tests to Lizard, BBC begins wireless transmissions, plus photographs, sound clips, film clips, newspaper archives ... its a treasure trove for historians.� Navigation is a bit odd - but this is a history piece in its own right. Will the last person to leave - please NOT switch off this light! [caption id="attachment_580" align="alignnone" width="80" caption="Marconi logo circa 2000"] [/caption] [caption id="attachment_579" align="aligncenter" width="76" caption="Guglielmo Marconi"] [/caption]

Old Marconi site closes

Tue, 10 November 2009 12:00 GMT

The Ericsson site in Anstey in Coventry is to close. Announced by the national news just over an hour ago - what a huge blow to the telecoms industry in the UK - and the dreadful loss of jobs. I worked with these people for over 12 years. The UK's�leading�engineers, scientists, technologists�and business people have worked for Ericsson, Marconi and its predecessors - including GEC, GPT and Plessey. Not one left.� I think of the skills, knowledge and industry contacts that have also been lost. I think of the awe-inspiring �multi-million projects we used to work on across the world. I think of the visionary integration projects. The pioneering work done�developing new products and services. What went wrong? Plenty it seems. See what the press has to say: ZDNet - 700 jobs to go as Ericsson abandons UK R&D Reuters - Ericsson to axe 700 jobs from UK facility BBC - Hundreds of jobs to go at Ericsson A�sad day for the telecoms industry ... but then only those who can adapt quickly to change survive. Understanding trends and where your customers are moving wasn't exactly a strength. Ericsson say their decision to abandon UK-based R&D is " partly attributed to the fact that the UK no longer had a "high-growth" mobile telephony market." � That says it all for me.�Ericsson have been focused on the product - not the customer. A fatal flaw it now seems. Looking back - this is the moment we lost the Marconi name . Who would have dreamt in the bullish 90s that Marconi would be bought by a Swedish mobile phone manufacturer in 2006. Anyone remember the heady mass company acquision days�of�1999?��The cocky confidence of 2000?� And, the dramatic�fall from grace in 2001? Here's a reminder of what�Marconi was like� - they were the best of times and the worst of times ... Even more scary ... found this on the internet today - the only bit of Marconi that still survives in the ether on a forgotten website, marconicalling : MARCONI TODAY Information concerning Marconi plc on this site was correct as of mid-2001 . For current information please refer to www.marconi.com Marconi plc is a global communications and IT company with around 48,000 employees world-wide. Marconi has research and development facilities in 19 countries, manufacturing operations in 16 countries, and serves customers in over 100 countries. It supplies advanced communications solutions and the key technologies and services for the Internet. Marconi plc consists of the following business divisions: Communications, Services, Mobile, Systems and Capital. Marconi Communications: A leading global provider of high performance communications solutions for public and private networks, Marconi Communications has a long history of innovation and technological breakthroughs. It is one of the world's rapidly growing broadband communications companies, helping to enhance the Internet with greater capacity and speed. Marconi Services: Marconi Services is focused on creating the communications solutions, architectures and networks of the future, offering customers the best in class services and products to meet their network needs. Its portfolio of services are marketed under a 'Plan, Build, Operate' banner. Its 'Plan' offer includes business and technical consultancy, network architecture and finance. 'Build' covers project management, civil works, network design, and integration. 'Operate' includes network support, network upgrade, network management and training. ... and so on ... The only bit to survive in any form seems to be the Services business - now telent. Who'll dare analyse where it all went wrong ...

Murdoch puts paid to free on Google

Mon, 9 November 2009 12:00 GMT

Newspapers and content providers are getting tired of giving their content away for free it seems. Rupert Murdoch's response to free content clearly indicates the changing fortunes of the mass media - so ably predicted by the late great Michael Crichton over 16 years ago.

Writers, wine and planes ...

Wed, 4 November 2009 12:00 GMT

In June, on a flight to Johannesburg we were fortunate to nab the "escape hatch" seats. So, extra legroom. However, if you are broad of shoulder - then the bulk heads can really cramp your style.

CEO right to ban twitter?

Wed, 21 October 2009 12:00 GMT

Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are almost derigeur in business today. Businesses that don't use social networking in some way of other are the exception rather than the norm.

404 inspiration

Wed, 21 October 2009 12:00 GMT

How come I never find funny, interesting or relevant 404 pages! Apparently they are out there. The number of times I stumble on a boring 404 page - and then forgot where I was going and what I was looking for...

Successful case study project to run a 2nd year

Tue, 29 September 2009 12:00 GMT

AARDMAAN has been appointed once again to run the successful LATI case study project, working closely with LATI and the University of Leicester School of Management.

aardmaan blog - LATI Members - Case study project launched

Tue, 29 September 2009 12:00 GMT

The 2009/2010 LATI case study project is about to be launched. The University of Leicester are very keen to pursue the programme and are actively recruiting students from their 2009/2010 MBA intake.

Customer Loyalty = Love?

Tue, 21 July 2009 12:00 GMT

Just seen a great definition of customer loyalty on LinkedIn Questions: MAGIC + VALUE + RELATIONSHIP = LOYALTY

The Marketing Dividend Rule

Tue, 21 July 2009 12:00 GMT

Survive or thrive? No matter, whether your business is experiencing good times or bad - you need to be smarter about your marketing. The rules are very simple - but will pay you dividends in the long run.

Talking to me?

Tue, 30 June 2009 12:00 GMT

Words. They're probably the most important thing on your site. It's the one thing that will persuade people to stop and browse - or get away as quickly as they can. Writing for the web is different from any other medium. People read slower off a screen than a book - so you need to be able to interest them quickly. I've been writing for the web and digital media since 1994! We've learnt a few tricks along the way. Before you start writing, you need to get the basics right:

Customer value equals profit

Thu, 21 May 2009 12:00 GMT

How do you price your goods or services? I've often had this discussion with clients ... who say: "Ah, we can't charge so-and-so, because X-company have set the ceiling price!" or "We couldn't possibly charge more because it only costs so much to make!"

LATI project delivers more than expected

Fri, 3 April 2009 12:00 GMT

LATI case study project has gone down a storm with LATI, its members and students who took part in the project - with a couple of students volunteering to take on more case studies!

DIY email marketing with live reports

Fri, 27 February 2009 12:00 GMT

A number of clients have asked about sending their own email campaigns. We now offer an easy-to-use and cost-effective eComm management system - suitable for any size of company or campaign.

Twitter leads - Yammer follows

Mon, 9 February 2009 12:00 GMT

It doesn't seem like that long ago that people didn't know what twitter is. Today it is all over the media in the UK thanks to high-profile twitterers such as Stephen Fry who outed his habit on the new Friday Night with Jonathan Ross show recently.

Barack Obama Inauguration

Tue, 20 January 2009 12:00 GMT

That was quite something ... have just been watching the inauguration. Probably one of the most momentous days we will ever witness.

Leicestershire Universities: knowledge transfer project

Mon, 1 December 2008 12:00 GMT

aardmaan is involved in a unique knowledge transfer project that links local universities and the scientific and high tech business community in Leicestershire - sponsored by LATI.

Happy Thanksgiving: reasons to be cheerful

Thu, 27 November 2008 12:00 GMT

A very happy Thanksgiving to all our American friends, family clients and all the special people we've met on our travels in New York, Boston, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and San Diego.

Feedback creates a Rypple

Thu, 27 November 2008 12:00 GMT

It's always good to get constructive feedback from clients, colleagues and friends. Meet Rypple. A great new online feedback tool - perfect if you want quick feedback on how you're doing. Ideal for the business environment. Particularly if you want to keep honing your skills.

Send eCards this Christmas

Wed, 26 November 2008 12:00 GMT

[caption id="attachment_306" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Snowman Christmas card"] [/caption] Have you considered sending a Christmas e-card this year? e-cards are cheap to send to a large number of people in one go, they are environmentally friendly, and you wont be left with a pile on your desk that you haven't used! We have two different sets of cards, a standard set that you can add your own message to and an animated set where the pages turn just like real cards, you can also have your very own logo and message included with links back to your web site. There is absolutely no charge for using the standard Christmas templates, beyond the small send costs. We have a Early Bird�Offer on the animated Christmas cards. Just let us know what your requirements�are before 15th December. [caption id="attachment_305" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Red Tree Christmas card"] [/caption] Have an account with AARDMAAN? If you already have an email marketing account with Aardmaan then simply login to your account and the set of three standard seasonal card templates are already available for you, if you do not have an account simply let us know and we will create one for you usually the same day. If you prefer to have one of the four animated cards then let us know and we will add your customisations and add it to your account or include it in a new account for you. Early Bird Offer: Animated Christmas Cards The animated cards cost just �200 + VAT - if you place your order and provide customisation details before 15th December. Thereafter the cost is �300 + VAT (at 15%). No charge for Standard Christmas Template There is no charge for using the�standard Christmas seasonal templates. View the eMail Marketing demo system to see the selection of standard templates. Have a play with the eMail Marketing demo system, by typing username: demo and password: demo to login. [caption id="attachment_304" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="North Pole Christmas card"] [/caption] Send your cards for the price of a few buttons ... Sending your cards is simple and inexpensive. You pay only �8 per send plus �0.08 per recipient you send to, so if you send�a standard�seasonal card to 100 people it will only cost you �16. There are no setup costs and no ongoing costs other than the cost to send.�If you only use the service once you will only be charged once. To see a few examples of tried and tested e-cards please click one of the thumbnails, or to find out more please contact us. [caption id="attachment_303" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Blue Christmas card"] [/caption]

Should B2B techs twitter?

Wed, 22 October 2008 12:00 GMT

The social media phenomenon of twittering is spreading over into the business world. If you work in high-tech, chances are if you don't twitter, somebody may be twittering about you...

LATI - case study project announced

Wed, 22 October 2008 12:00 GMT

LATI have announced a new customer case study production service which will be available exclusively to LATI members during 2008/2009. A unique Business Community knowledge transfer project that links local universities and the high tech business world in Leicestershire. A win-win-win for everyone involved. The idea is to produce marketing material that will be useful and valuable to LATI members. In addition, involve university students in the process giving them the opportunity to learn how to produce case studies.

A Case for Case Studies

Wed, 17 September 2008 12:00 GMT

Case studies have long been seen as an effective way for companies to tell their story. To let people know what work they do, who they do that work for, and importantly, what their customers think about the end-result!

Speaking at LATI Showcase

Wed, 17 September 2008 12:00 GMT

Planning to be in or around Loughborough tomorrow? 18 September! AARDMAAN has a speaking slot at LATI Showase at the Innovation Centre at Loughborough University. We'll be talking about the value of case studies for B2B and high-tech businesses.

Six things that have changed our world

Thu, 21 August 2008 12:00 GMT

The world is changing faster than ever - thanks in part to the web. It affects the way we communicate, who we communicate with, how we communicate and the media we use. Communications has become an exciting arena to play in ... because we've been given some wonderful toys and tools to play with.

What's in it for your customers?

Thu, 24 July 2008 12:00 GMT

So you think you are the fastest, the smartest, the smallest, the brightest, the best ... so what! What does that mean to your customer? He or she probably isn't interested. They're only really interested in WIIFM ... "What's In It For Me?"

Case Studies: Tell your story ...

Thu, 19 June 2008 12:00 GMT

There is nothing more powerful than a good customer case study. It provides you with a credible testimonial. It can also help to build strong client relationships.

Where have all the adverts gone?

Thu, 22 May 2008 12:00 GMT

We've seen some clever advertising in our day.

Some very powerful messaging and imagery. Ads that were witty, entertaining and engaging.

April Fools Marketing

Thu, 17 April 2008 12:00 GMT

We've seen a rash of April Fools this year. Some better than others. But, one thing is sure, telling tall stories is a serious business. April Fools can be very good for business. However, it has to be exceptionally done well. And needs to follow the simple rules of communication. Your Apil Fools' campaign needs to:

Six innovation questions

Wed, 26 March 2008 12:00 GMT

For decades, innovators have researched what questions to ask to get the right answers.

Get your customers to say I do

Thu, 14 February 2008 12:00 GMT

Getting people to buy isn't a simple process.

You sell but your customers buy. You have a sales process and your customers have a buying process.

The art of storytelling

Thu, 24 January 2008 12:00 GMT

Storytelling is the most powerful tool we have as communicators. It is the most ancient of art forms and goes right to the heart of what makes us human.

What's your USP

Wed, 31 October 2007 12:00 GMT

This is the one thing companies really struggle with. But without it - you could be missing out on loads of business. Creating a USP need not be difficult. Here is a fairly quick three step approach you can try for yourself. Discover your USP is three (fairly easy) steps:

What's your value proposition?

Wed, 26 September 2007 12:00 GMT

Many years ago Peter Day of the BBC tracked down Scott Adams, creator of the Dilbert cartoon strip, for an interview. Scott made one serious point that successful companies consistently made the best products and services that people wanted to buy and also concentrated on the means of getting the product to the customer.

4 Steps to Creating Customer Value

Fri, 24 August 2007 12:00 GMT

Whenever we buy anything - consciously or subconsciously we work out the value of the item to us. It's such an automatic response - that we're seldom aware that we are doing it. Marketing-savvy businesses are very aware of this 'value' thought process, and hone their offers so that the service or product is irresistable to the potential purchaser.

Know your customers: know yourself

Tue, 24 July 2007 12:00 GMT

If you do not know who your customers are - you will never be able to explain who you are! It is quite simple, your identity is intrinsically linked to who your customers are. Many companies have a huge problem explaining who they are and what they do.

Customer Hot Buttons

Sat, 23 June 2007 12:00 GMT

There a number of fundamental things you need to get right in business. Getting to know your customers is the No. 1 Business Essential. Having a clear understanding of who your customers are will help you communicate more effectively, connect with your market and drive more business and revenue.

The 7Ps are dead - long live the customer

Sun, 20 May 2007 12:00 GMT

For decades marketing students have been taught the 4P's and the 7Ps of Marketing. You know them: Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People, Process, and Physical evidence. There are even more Ps if you are really interested. Not that they aren't important - but they are simply elements in the execution of the bigger marketing picture.

Create an edge in your market

Sun, 22 April 2007 12:00 GMT

Previously I've spoken about being Number One in a market and how that can create a competitive advantage. But, here's what you can do to create a competitive edge. There are some easy tactical things you can do that will begin to set you apart from the rest. And, if you hadn't guessed - it's the little things that count.

Create Powerful Content

Mon, 26 March 2007 12:00 GMT

Content. Content. Content. What do people mean when they say content? In the age of the internet and email communications, content has become increasingly important. Content is about substance.

Speak with a human voice

Thu, 22 February 2007 12:00 GMT

When did you last have a conversation with your customers? A meaningful proper dialogue? About them and not about you? Engaging customers in conversation should be an integral part of the business strategy.

Find creative inspiration

Mon, 16 October 2006 12:00 GMT

Where do you find creative inspiration? No matter what jobs we do - it is our thinking and creativity that makes us stand out from the crowd. And, creativity isn't just for arty types. If you're stuck, use creativity tools such as:

Divergent Thinking

Fri, 22 September 2006 12:00 GMT

I love creativity tools. Stumbled across this Divergent Thinking creativity tool, which I thought you may like to try out: Convergent thinking is all about logical, linear and left-brained thinking, while divergent thinking is about associative and right-brained thinking.

To Blog or not to Blog?

Fri, 25 August 2006 12:00 GMT

Microsoft, IBM, Siemens, Innocent, Bird's Eye ... all have blogs. And, if they're not talking about themselves - somebody else is likely to be blogging about them. Most savvy businesses have realised the value of blogging.