For many business owners it can be a difficult exercise to identify the most effective marketing strategies that gains exposure while minimising the required investment.

Taking advantage of free marketing ought to be a given. Social media is proving to be a lasting trend that not only reaches far beyond the regular scope of a simple marketing campaign but is also constant, versatile and universally accessible.  Read More

Customer complaints are a fact of business.  The only way to avoid complaints is to stop interacting with customers.

They are a useful source of information on how your brand is regarded in the marketplace. Therefore you should encourage your customers to speak up if there is an issue. It gives you a chance to put things right and to transform a complaining customer into an advocate for your firm - an invaluable asset.

A customer who takes the time to complain rather than to take their business elsewhere may well be speaking on behalf of the silent majority.  If the complaint warrants a systemic change or if you have taken action as a result of the complaint thank the customer for bringing the matter to your attention and advise them on the corrective steps that you have taken. Read More

The New Year is always a good time for reflection. We touched on this point in last month's newsletter. It's usually when we look back and wonder where the time went.

The question that regularly comes to the mind of the business owner centres on what has really been accomplished over the year. Read More

We often say "what you measure you can manage" and "what gets managed gets done".

When it comes to achieving greater profitability, truer words cannot be found. The fourth way of growing a business, which is improving the effectiveness of the things that you do, is a vital part of assisting you to better manage the results. Read More

Someone once said "An Inbox is as personal a space as an underwear drawer — we all have one and are all embarrassed by both its organisation and contents".

Start 2012 off by applying some simple and effective methods to maintaining an organised and less overwhelming (or embarrassing!) Inbox.  Read More

The measure of the successful pursuit of a lead is based on whether the lead, in time, turns into a sale. The key to this transition lies in both speed and perseverance. A systematic organisation and management of these leads can also help secure their progress through the stages of prospect to hot lead to profitable sale.  Read More

While evaluating the close of one year and making plans for the upcoming year ahead, it is a valuable tip to remember the worth of a reward. Simple tokens of your appreciation towards customers, staff and team members can pave the way to smoother transactions throughout the year. Read More

Often our biggest constraint in business is ourselves. We try to personally take on the expensive tasks that would normally need to be outsourced so that we can preserve our cash resources for other needs within the business. Read More

In order to thrive it is not enough to survive but grow. But a growth strategy doesn't necessarily have to be a high risk strategy.

Too many business owners embark on an unnecessarily dangerous journey by trying to be everything to everyone. Read More

Customer loyalty is not to be overlooked - at any time of year - but during the holiday season it is opportune to show a little extra appreciation for those who keep your business alive.

Depending on what research you look at, selling a product or service to an existing customer can be five to eight times more profitable than selling the same product and service to a new customer. Read More