Posted by Penelope Herbert on February 22, 2017 · 2 Comments
Keep your enemies close? Really? Well, you have to be better than average to make it in this industry. In fact, you have to be pretty exceptional. Why? Because there are so many rivals on the market that consumers have a lot of choice. If business standards aren’t up to scratch customers will simply choose … Continue reading →
Filed under Strategic Planning + Brand Management · Tagged with analysis, Brand Personality, Branding, clever business advice, competitors, easy business ideas, Nathan Gotch, protecting your business, Shoestring Marketing, small business, small business promotional ideas, strengths, SWOT, your competition
Posted by Penelope Herbert on December 5, 2016 · 1 Comment
Selling online and running an online retail business shouldn’t be hard. But a combination of a lack of experience and sheer stubbornness can make it that way for the majority of entrepreneurs who start up in e-commerce. The main problem with selling online, as with so many retail businesses, is in managing the products. Often, … Continue reading →
Filed under Sales + Sales Pipelines · Tagged with being found on the internet, Caroline Stanbury, customers, digital marketing, Direct Marketing, e-commerce, ERP, funding, internet marketing, online, online promotions, online shopping, processes, sales, sales pipeline, Shoestring Marketing, shopping online, small business, small business sales, strategic marketing, systems, viral advertising, website content, women in business, Working ON your business
Posted by Penelope Herbert on November 30, 2016 · 2 Comments
Marketing is essential for any business – as you must surely be aware if you’re on this blog! But a key aspect of memorable marketing is your branding. When you’re developing your brand, you need to think about at least three things. Your branding is about creating a personality and look for your business that … Continue reading →
Filed under Strategic Planning + Brand Management · Tagged with being found on the internet, Brand Personality, Branding, clever business advice, communicating with clients, communications, creating more sales, customers, design, graphic design, protecting your business, sales, Shoestring Marketing, small business, small business promotional ideas, small business sales, trade shows, trademarks, viral advertising, viral marketing, website content, Working ON your business
Posted by Penelope Herbert on October 28, 2016 · 1 Comment
So you’ve set up your new business. You’ve had the idea, and you’ve put in the work to make it a reality. First of all: congratulations! Being able to take that first step of conceptual to concrete is difficult and takes no shortage of hard work. But now you’re faced with a new dilemma: how … Continue reading →
Filed under Advertising + Promotional · Tagged with being found on the internet, Brand Personality, Branding, clever business advice, communicating with clients, communications, creating more sales, customers, incentives, insanely clever marketing, internet marketing, marketing communications, online, recession busting tips, sales, SEO, Shoestring Marketing, small business, small business sales, social media, strategic marketing, target audience, target marketing, Working ON your business
Posted by Penelope Herbert on October 25, 2016 · 1 Comment
Are you looking for useful ways to increase website sign-ups? Successful websites have a lot of people signing up to their updates and newsletters. These are incredibly useful when it comes to converting users to customers. Here are the ways you can increase website sign-ups today! Don’t rely on pop-ups Many people make the mistake … Continue reading →
Filed under Strategic Planning + Brand Management · Tagged with being found on the internet, Brand Personality, clever business advice, communicating with clients, creating more sales, creating new business, digital marketing, easy business ideas, google, insanely clever marketing, internet marketing, marketing communications, sales pipeline, SEO, Shoestring Marketing, small business, small business promotional ideas, small business sales, strategic marketing, viral advertising, viral marketing, website content, Working ON your business
Posted by Penelope Herbert on October 16, 2016 · Leave a Comment
Wasting money on marketing is one of the biggest challenges facing small businesses. Money wasted on bad marketing campaigns is mostly money down the drain. What’s more, even if you don’t get any tangible return, you can’t get that money back. It almost feels like gambling, but with really really bad odds. So where are … Continue reading →
Filed under Shoestring Marketing · Tagged with being found on the internet, budget, Customer Service, digital marketing, Direct Marketing, google, Google adwords, internet marketing, mailing lists, marketing communications, SEO, Shoestring Marketing, target audience
Posted by Penelope Herbert on October 12, 2016 · 1 Comment
Marketing for small business is always a challenge predominantly due to small budgets. However, another major challenge facing is how to spread the word. Marketing application covers different tactics so there’s no such thing as one method that trumps them all. Every small business is different, and so are the marketing needs of each of … Continue reading →
Filed under Advertising + Promotional · Tagged with apps, budget, customers, digital marketing, Direct Marketing, guerilla marketing, insanely clever marketing, internet marketing, Marketing, marketing communications, online promotions, online shopping, search engines, SEO, Shoestring Marketing, shopping online, small business promotional ideas
Posted by Penelope Herbert on October 6, 2016 · Leave a Comment
Snoop competitors is what you may need to do because the world of SEO and backlinks can be a tricky one to navigate. In fact, there are so many variables to consider that it can sometimes get a little overwhelming. But, as with many tricky things in life, there are short cuts. Probably the best … Continue reading →
Filed under Strategic Planning + Brand Management · Tagged with AR code, backlinks, being found on the internet, billboards, blogging, Business, clever business advice, competitors, creating more sales, design, digital marketing, Direct Marketing, domain authority, flyers, google, Google adwords, guerilla marketing, guest posting, insanely clever marketing, internet marketing, keywords, Marketing, offline, recession busting tips, Research, sales, SEO, Shoestring Marketing, small business, small business promotional ideas, small business sales, strategic marketing, target audience, viral marketing, Working ON your business, your competition
Posted by Penelope Herbert on October 4, 2016 · 1 Comment
SEO. Search Engine Optimization. Many marketing professionals have tried to insinuate for years that SEO is going to die. However, we’ve learned by now that SEO is never going away. The only thing that happens to SEO is change. Here’s why SEO is never going away: Giving Value To Customers Over the years SEO has … Continue reading →
Filed under Advertising + Promotional · Tagged with AR code, backlinks, being found on the internet, billboards, blogging, Business, clever business advice, competitors, creating more sales, design, digital marketing, Direct Marketing, domain authority, flyers, google, Google adwords, guerilla marketing, guest posting, insanely clever marketing, internet marketing, keywords, Marketing, offline, recession busting tips, Research, sales, SEO, Shoestring Marketing, small business, small business promotional ideas, small business sales, strategic marketing, target audience, viral marketing, Working ON your business, your competition
Posted by Penelope Herbert on October 1, 2016 · Leave a Comment
Offline Marketing? I know, it sounds crazy suggesting that you should be marketing offline in this day and age. But it makes a lot of sense. When you sell online, you do get the chance for a massive reach, but there’s no guarantee that anyone sees your business. Competition is so extreme online that … Continue reading →
Filed under Advertising + Promotional · Tagged with AR code, backlinks, being found on the internet, billboards, blogging, Business, clever business advice, competitors, creating more sales, design, digital marketing, Direct Marketing, domain authority, flyers, google, Google adwords, guerilla marketing, guest posting, insanely clever marketing, internet marketing, keywords, Marketing, offline, recession busting tips, Research, sales, SEO, Shoestring Marketing, small business, small business promotional ideas, small business sales, strategic marketing, target audience, viral marketing, Working ON your business, your competition
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Posted by Penelope Herbert on September 13, 2016 · 1 Comment
Brand building is always a challenge especially when you’re a startup. And it’s even tougher if you have little money to spend on your marketing strategies! For many businesses, money is tight as banks aren’t so keen to lend cash to startups these days. So how can you start brand building on a budget? You … Continue reading →
Filed under Strategic Planning + Brand Management · Tagged with Advertising, Brand Personality, Branding, Business, clever business advice, communicating with clients, communications, creating more sales, creating new business, cross promotion, crowdfunding, Customer Service, customers, recession busting tips, Shoestring Marketing, Small Business Advertising, small business promotional ideas, strategic marketing, viral advertising, Working ON your business, workshops
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Posted by Penelope Herbert on September 5, 2016 · Leave a Comment
Marketing your business is never easy yet it’s something that every business owner has to do. If your business has a few unique features that other businesses don’t have, you should promote them. They can be used to market your business better and reach new customers. So, what are the best features to focus on … Continue reading →
Filed under Communications · Tagged with Brand Personality, Business, clever business advice, communicating with clients, communications, creating more sales, creating new business, digital marketing, green credentials, marketing communications, public relations, recession busting tips, recycling, Shoestring Marketing, small business promotional ideas, sustainable office design, unique selling point, USP, Working ON your business
Posted by Penelope Herbert on August 5, 2016 · Leave a Comment
#What will you lose? Customers would rather NOT LOSE something than gain something. Instead of saying “This software will save you $50 per day in overtime costs” its more effective to say “You are losing $13,000 per year in reduced production” It’s called Selling the Consequences. What will you lose if you don’t provide this … Continue reading →
Filed under Quick Tips · Tagged with clever business advice, communicating with clients, cross promotion, easy business ideas, recession busting tips, sales, Shoestring Marketing, small business, small business promotional ideas, small business sales, strategic marketing
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Posted by Penelope Herbert on January 22, 2016 · Leave a Comment
In Part One of simple ways to segment your market, I outlined the first five steps. Here are the remaining three steps to help you maximise your marketing dollar and reach the exact audience you seek. Bite Six: Why Would They Choose You? Formulate the FEATURES and BENEFITS that will attract your audience. Here are … Continue reading →
Filed under Communications, Sales + Sales Pipelines · Tagged with Advertising, Business, clever business advice, communicating with clients, communications, creating more sales, easy business ideas, insanely clever marketing, marketing communications, public relations, sales, segmenting, Shoestring Marketing, small business promotional ideas, small business sales, strategic marketing
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Posted by Penelope Herbert on January 21, 2016 · 1 Comment
Do you know how to eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Which means you need simple ways to segment your market. The biggest marketing mistake small business owners can make is trying to cover too much ground at once. Business owners may say ”Oh, I can sell to anyone” and that may be … Continue reading →
Filed under Communications, Sales + Sales Pipelines · Tagged with Advertising, Business, clever business advice, communicating with clients, communications, creating more sales, easy business ideas, insanely clever marketing, marketing communications, public relations, sales, segmenting, Shoestring Marketing, small business promotional ideas, small business sales, strategic marketing
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Posted by Penelope Herbert on January 19, 2016 · Leave a Comment
Many people think of public relations as only being media relations – relationships with the media. However, you must have public relations in the marketing mix. Public relations is about the relationship your business has with your ‘publics’. That includes staff, customers, suppliers, contractors, government departments… in fact, anyone who interacts with your business. You … Continue reading →
Filed under Quick Tips · Tagged with clever business advice, communicating with clients, cross promotion, easy business ideas, public relations, recession busting tips, sales, Shoestring Marketing, small business, small business promotional ideas, small business sales, strategic marketing
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Posted by Penelope Herbert on December 29, 2015 · 1 Comment
As business owners it can seem like we are rowing the boat ourselves, and everyone else is on the shore enjoying a picnic lunch… with great Adelaide Hills wines. Sigh. Rather than seeing other companies as competition, working together can produce some excellent business cross-promotion ideas. In the quick tip on adding value, and the … Continue reading →
Filed under Quick Tips · Tagged with clever business advice, communicating with clients, cross promotion, easy business ideas, recession busting tips, sales, Shoestring Marketing, small business, small business promotional ideas, small business sales, strategic marketing
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Posted by Penelope Herbert on December 28, 2015 · 3 Comments
It’s a strange phenomena that people seem to value a small gift over a discount. It’s true. If you offer customers a 10% discount they will, of course, take it. But they don’t really value it. And that 10% discount hits YOUR pocket and profitability considerably harder than theirs. So you might need some ideas … Continue reading →
Filed under Customer Service · Tagged with clever business advice, communicating with clients, creating more sales, cross promotion, easy business ideas, recession busting tips, sales, Shoestring Marketing, small business, small business promotional ideas, small business sales, strategic marketing, women in business
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Posted by Penelope Herbert on December 28, 2015 · Leave a Comment
It is too easy for a small business owner to give a discount in order to win over a customer. But discounts hit YOU harder in terms of your profitability than adding an extra service or providing a small ‘gift’ will to keep the relationship sweet. Practice how to add value to a client instead … Continue reading →
Filed under Quick Tips · Tagged with clever business advice, communicating with clients, cross promotion, easy business ideas, recession busting tips, sales, Shoestring Marketing, small business, small business promotional ideas, small business sales, strategic marketing
Posted by Penelope Herbert on October 12, 2015 · 5 Comments
Marketing on a Shoestring Budget© Lets face it, most small business owners would rather spend less on marketing than more, So if you are marketing on a shoestring budget or are looking for ways to do more with less outlay, then these ideas are for you. 1. Keep the Customer Satisfied Testimonials are the strongest … Continue reading →
Filed under Shoestring Marketing · Tagged with clever business advice, creating more sales, customer satisfaction, easy business ideas, insanely clever marketing, Marketing, recession busting tips, sales, Shoestring Marketing, small business, small business promotional ideas
Insanely Clever Marketing 