I'm looking to build relationships with those needing marketing advice - it's free!

[WeAreFunkyFresh]

Hello,

I'm looking to build relationships with businesses here in the North West who would like free marketing advice.

I've started what I like to call the 'After Hours Marketing Surgery'. But of course, you can chat to us any time during the week - it's just that we know that your day is packed full with client meetings and projects, so perhaps the evening is an ideal time to have a chat?

The marketing surgery sessions are free, confidential and of course, no obligation. It's just a nice and friendly informal chat for us to get to know you and your business and for you to receive a free review on your marketing! If you're looking for ideas on raising your profile and getting your message out there then this is an ideal opportunity to discuss thoughts.

Would anyone here be interested in this?

Thanks

Liz

 

[Direct Print Int]

Hi,

What advice would you give to a printing company looking for innovative new products and services to help people promote their business?

Would you suggest a Porter's five forces approach to positioning or Kotler's Blue sky strategy?

Regards.

 

[Paul Norman]

Hi,

What advice would you give to a printing company looking for innovative new products and services to help people promote their business?

Would you suggest a Porter's five forces approach to positioning or Kotler's Blue sky strategy?

Regards.

I hope that Funky Fresh would speak of neither of these, and give plain, jargon free, practical advice on how to create visibility for your business.

 

[Direct Print Int]

Hi,

It's not really a visibilty question that I asked it's more a marketing/business strategy question.

Sorry about the jargon Paul. The two concepts I refer to are from two of the most influential and respected business brains of modern times, Micheal. E. Porter and Philip Kotler.

Regards.

 

[Direct Print Int]

Hi,

What advice would you give to a printing company looking for innovative new products and services to help people promote their business?

Would you suggest a Porter's five forces approach to positioning or Kotler's Blue sky strategy?

Regards.

I was meant to ask what advice would you give to help a printing co develop new products and services!!

 

[NextPoint]

Welcome to UKBF Miss Fox .

 

[arfurd]

Hi,

I have a full-time job, and I do web design and building part-time at home.

After just reading a post on UKBF (someone asking if there are any sales reps wishing to do commission only sales). The responses are that of negative ones for the op.

So what would be your advice for myself and any others in my position as to raise my sales?

 

[NextPoint]

It's all about relationship building and identifying what your USP is. Web design is a very competitive business - not just because there are a lot of web designers, but also because a lot of alternatives now exist to hiring a web design specialist. Although not up to the same standard, there is nothing to stop people from using Word (yuck!) to create a website or simply to set up a page on Facebook instead - Adidas now promote their Facebook page instead of their website.

By having a unique selling point that enables you to offer something different that the alternatives don't, you are able to clearly identify where you fit within the market and work from here on building relationships with people of interest. Places like UKBF, LinkedIn and Twitter are great for this.

 

[WeAreFunkyFresh]

Hello, would you both like to send me an e-mail, or chat on Skype (WeAreFunkyFresh) /over the phone?? As this will enable me to understand more about you. I currently know little about you both BUT here's my initial thoughts...

Arfurd - Generally there are people out there who won't do something for nothing, and I'd assume you probably wouldn't give out web sites for free on the promise that it will get people business. In your line, it's all about having a portfolio and strong relationships. I know quite a few web designers and they've found networking a really good way to do this. They've had work directly from those they've met and also via referrals through those people. But networking isn't to be all or end all, there are lots of ways to promote yourself - I'd love to chat more about it with you.

Direct Print Int - What Paul Norman said is exactly right about Funky Fresh! It's about knowing what your clients will want and creating products and offers around this. It's all well and good creating products but it's pointless doing so unless there's a need for it or at least an interest.




For anyone looking for advice, please feel free to call 08450 181 062, add me on Skype (WeAreFunkyFresh) or send an e-mail, [email protected]

Thanks
Liz

 

[NextPoint]

Best not to think about it as promoting yourself, but as more about creating ways to exposure yourself to the right people, at the right places at the right times.

 

[Direct Print Int]

Ah, Ok you specialise in the marketing comunication side of marketing.

My question about new product development is more of a marketing strategy issue. i.e researching the marketing environment of a business particularly the microenviroment (it's customers, suppliers) to identify new opportunities to capitalise on.

Once a business has found these new products and services they come to you to generate awareness.

 

[arfurd]

Best not to think about it as promoting yourself, but as more about creating ways to exposure yourself to the right people, at the right places at the right times.

At the moment this is the way I have got my current clients, through referrals and face to face.

I did a chip shop website, I simply asked him whilst waiting for some chips.

The others are meeting people or word of mouth.

 

[WeAreFunkyFresh]

Which is great and you can build more on that. One way could be to write an introductory type letter to businesses in your local area and follow this up with a call to see if you can assist at all.

Relationships are key as you'll have already discovered.

 

[Paul Norman]

Hi,

It's not really a visibilty question that I asked it's more a marketing/business strategy question.

Sorry about the jargon Paul. The two concepts I refer to are from two of the most influential and respected business brains of modern times, Micheal. E. Porter and Philip Kotler.

Regards.

I can honestly say, that as a fairly significant buying of marketing, if anywhere in your pitch you included this kind of waffle, I would just abandon the meeting.

If, instead, you were trying to catch out a fellow marketeer, then it will fail, because I could easily google these things and work out what they meant.

Now, I do accept that this is harsh. But remember. I am a potential customer of your marketing services, and at the moment, Funky Fresh are in front.

 

[arfurd]

Which is great and you can build more on that. One way could be to write an introductory type letter to businesses in your local area and follow this up with a call to see if you can assist at all.

Relationships are key as you'll have already discovered.

What I have tried is going through the yellow pages and local ad mags, looking to see who has email address like joe@yahoo and missy@btinternet then sending these an email giving them better examples of email address that come with a website.

A lot of emails I send out don't even get a reply. Even with me saying that as I'm local and support local businesses, I can offer huge discounts/better rates. Still no takers!

I even offered a lady a site makeover for free, and I will foot the bill to transfer her hosting to my account. The reason was, I believed her current hosting company was taking the pee. I would've saved her hundreds of pounds every year....She still said no thanks.

 

[Direct Print Int]

Hi Paul,

We are printing business not a marketing business.

Marketing promotion businesses like Liz's provide the creative ideas and businesses like ours then produce the end product.

It's not harsh at all what you have said, in fact it's very valuable because it demonstrates our marketing message is not clear.

We are in the process of trying to find new printed products to help promote businesses. Which is why Im asking Liz and anyone else for thier feedback and ideas.

Kind regards.