People The Biggest Barrier To Growth

You could turn this statement around and say good people are a key catalyst of growth.

The statement comes from the research that I undertook when I did my MBA.


The dissertation was examining barriers to growth in small to medium sized companies  and does the Internet Internationalise businesses faster. This was back in 1998 when the Internet was still 'young' so we all know the answer to the second part of the question now.


What I wasn't expecting though was the response to the wider question of what's stops small businesses growing. It wasn't cash flow or marketing it was people.

Every managing director more or less said the same thing; getting and keeping the right people was the biggest thing that was stopping them growing their businesses.


People that have the right attitude, skills and motivations these were their observations.


What are yours? What's stopping you I would be interested to hear your comments.


If you don't want to admit it publicly as a comment below send me an email and I will publish the results without revealing your identity in a future post.


So what's holding you back what's stopping you from growing at the rate of growth that you would like?


Take Care


Regards


Mark

P.S. I am still interested in more guest writers




Integrated Marketing  Copyright Mark Wheatley 2010 All Rights Reserved

The Human’s Guide to Blogging

A few weeks ago I asked for some guest blog writers, this is the first contribution. It’s a great post about the "The Human's Guide to Blogging" which gives you some great tips on writing effective articles, whatever your niche written by Gavin Whittaker.

More about Gavin is at the bottom of this first guest article.

Let’s get on with the Human’s Guide to Blogging.

Big eyes, green skin, from mars? - If you’re an alien then sorry this short article sharing some great secrets of blogging is not for you...

What? - you’re human?...great, you’ll get this then.  

Us humans consider it a challenge to put pen to paper, or write online articles.  Why? - because we simply try too hard.

Now Sssh...don’t tell anyone this as it’s a ‘trade secret’ but the trick is to just be yourself. 

And here’s some great tips on composing your blog articles from scratch too:

• A great headline – clear, succinct and if appropriate a play on words
• 250-350 words...don’t turn off your readers with essays.  Chunk it down and live to blog another day
• A mug shot – a picture says a thousand words.  No Hawaiian shirts or grumpy faces however please
• Bullet points – The human brain responds well to these
• Tell the reader early on how they’ll benefit from this article – ideally within 8 seconds
• Media –a video and a couple of pictures make it feature rich
• Cross reference other information sources that add value and are related to your article
• Don’t sell – social media is about liberty.  People choose to follow you because you’re human, interesting and add value.  Don’t spoil it with a sales pitch
• A footer that follows every blog.  Some common ground that reminds people who you are, what you do and what they need to do next - a call to action
• Proof read, spell check and word count it! - don't damage your brand with silly little mistakes
• And...be human.  Tell people how you see the world and the situation...but do be sensitive to other people’s beliefs and values too.
• Give your post some tags – buzzwords that help others find your article and boosts your presence on the search engines
• Write an excerpt of your blog so at a glance visitors can get a summary of what you’re harping on about
• Link your blog to your other social media sites so your message is spread far and wide
• Metrics – what’s the purpose of your blog? - Ensure the call to action matches that and then put some financial and non-financial metrics alongside your posts

Why don’t you use these tips as your checklist for every blog you write?  Print it off and check against it every time you’re about to post your blog up...it’ll help, promise!

About Gavin

Gavin Whittaker is an IT Author, Social Media Consultant and Trainer, and a Member of the Technology Channels Association.

Gavin runs a variety of training courses and workshops in and around Nottingham to boosts businesses effectiveness and profits from social media.

You can visit Gavin's blog - www.fastsecurepc.co.uk for some great PC performance and security tips - to keep you safe on the Internet.

Similarly, Gavin's first book 'Avoiding Fraud on the Web' can be downloaded FREE at www.avoidwebfraud.co.uk.  This book highlights the 10 most common scams on the Internet and how to ensure you don't get caught out.  His next book 'The Beginner's Guide to a Fast & Secure PC' will be available later this year.

Signing off

If you want to become a guest blogger on subjects relevant to this blog just contact me.

Take Care.

Regards Mark 


Integrated Marketing  Copyright Mark Wheatley 2010 All Rights Reserved

Positive Affirmations something an old boxer said

Positive mental attitude and self belief mantra is a massive industry with solutions provided by Guru’s and would be Guru’s trying to sell their latest recordings, books, seminars and so forth.

Now clearly a positive mental attitude isn’t the solution to everything, but when you are leading a business, particularly a business that’s in difficulties, its far better to have one, to transmit your positive beliefs and mindset to your colleagues, rather than being a defeatist and being negative.

Having turned around businesses in the past myself, I believe that being positive and keeping your emotions under control are part of the ‘tool kit’ required to deal with difficult situations.

Positive affirmations, such as; ‘I always can find a solution to a problem,’ or when you are going into a meeting with the Bank for example; ‘I am prepared for this meeting they can ask me anything and I’ll be able to answer it.’ ‘I’m a bloody negotiator; I’m a great salesperson etc.’

These kinds of statements do help.

I often recalled a story which my Father told me that he would recount when facing difficult situations.

He used to say to me, ‘You cannot let it beat you Mark, if you believe you can get through it you will.’

He told me on a number of occasions about what his brother in law Bill had told him.

Bill was a boxer who was a prize fighter in the 1930’s who took people on who challenged him, as well as fighting other professional boxers.

‘Let me tell you what your uncle Bill told me, after a particularly bad fight, Bill asked another older and more experienced boxer, called McKinty a question.’ Bill said; ‘What do you do McKinty, when you are in trouble in a fight?’ McKinty's reply was; 'Well when you are faced with a situation of great adversity, what you need to do is, get your head down and box on.’

My Dad would then reiterate the point, ‘So you see Mark we’ve got to not let this beat us, lets get stuck in like McKinty, get your head down and box on.’

I was reminded by all of this the other day, when I came across a board minute when I was clearing out some old papers. If was fifteen years ago when I put forward a plan to turn a group around, it certainly helped being positive.

Signing off for now, if you have any of your own story’s about being positive or positive affirmations, let me know and we can feature them on this blog.

I’m looking for guest writers.

Take care; get your head down and box on!!


Regards Mark 




Integrated Marketing  Copyright Mark Wheatley 2010 All Rights Reserved

Repurchase Systems

A repurchase system is a hidden marketing asset. (See my earlier posts which explain more about hidden marketing assets).

Your customers or clients should benefit when they purchase your product or service when it’s needed. 

You might think that's an obvious statement, but do your customers or clients purchase at the optimum time?

Do you have repurchase systems in place?


For example, it might be better for you to get your hair cut every four weeks not every six weeks.

So the optimal time is four weeks not six, to avoid those bad hair days!

What does that mean if you own a hairdressers business or hair salon owner, if your from the USA? 

Lets say the price is £10 for a cut for man. If someone purchases every six weeks that's it works out at 8.66 haircuts a year, well we don't have a .66 of a haircut, so lets say its 8 haircuts a year.

For at least two weeks out of this six week cycle, your hair might look slightly untidy.

Its £80 sales revenue per customer, per year without any extras.

Now if the hairdresser pre-booked the appointment and managed to get their customers to have their haircut every four weeks, that would generate 13 haircuts a year or £130 per customer in revenue an additional £50 per customer on the six week repurchase cycle or 62.5% more.

Just by changing the repurchase pattern, you can achieve a significant increase in sales.

In our Results Driven Marketing coaching program we have around 23 different proven marketing strategies like this one, to increase sales and profits. Creating better repurchase systems is one of the approaches we can use.

The program is available internationally coaching takes place via the telephone or video.

If you implement the ideas and strategies that we create for you, your return is guaranteed. 


Significant levels of growth is possible with the system.


Why not email me to find out more.

Regards




Mark




Integrated Marketing  Copyright Mark Wheatley 2010 All Rights Reserved

Hidden Unique Selling Proposition

I went to see a new prospect today, a really nice chap with an interesting business.


Without giving away who he is; its an online business which helps other business owners manage their people.


He has advantages in his services that are superior to the major competitors. 


When I asked him what are his concerns about his marketing he complained that 'people don't understand our service.'


Well prior to the meeting I reviewed his website and considered the notes from my first phone call with him. During the meeting he told me about other features and benefits, about how his system worked and guess what?


What do you think it said on his website and in his sales copy about the advantages of dealing with him?


Not a lot , he really wasn't telling anyone about his unique selling points or the extra value he was providing or about why people should do business with him as apposed to his competitors. So no wonder people didn't  understand his service.

A Hidden USP

If your business isn't communicating about 'what's in it for me,' from your prospective customers point of view, why should they care why should they buy from you?


Anyway here is the ad. If you need a new USP creating to convert more sales, just email me and I will explain how I work etc. It does not matter where in the world you are, this service can be handled via the web.


Take Care 


Regards


Mark



P.S. If what you do is good TELL PEOPLE.!!!!



A Results Driven Approach To Your Business Success


Mark Wheatley associates is a business development company that helps companies and professional firms grow providing low cost business growth strategies and sales techniques through coaching training and consulting services www.wheatleyassociates.org

Copyright Mark Wheatley 2009 All Rights Reserved