Business Coaching

Pain Free Marketing For Consultants, Coaches & Service Professionals

My good friend Ian Brodie has just released a super free report called the "Pain Free Marketing Blueprint".

Don't We All Want Pain Free Marketing?

I think we do.

I love the intuitive feel of the idea of "pain free marketing" because too often marketing is painful:

• it takes time we don't have;
• it sucks up energy we could use elsewhere; and
  
• it costs money

For what?

Michael Porter Value Chain Management

One of the key management ideas, and especially in business strategy over the last 30 years, is value chain management and analysis by Michael Porter.

What is The Value Chain?

The value chain is a way to look at your business in detail and how it creates value for customers and profit for the owner.

Small Business Problems & Solutions

There are plenty of small business problems which can cause difficulties for the business owner but with the time to think and focus, solutions can usually be found.

The symptoms of small business problems are clear - no cash in the bank (or even worse a large overdraft), low profitability or losing money, few customer orders or enquiries, difficult staff, broken promises and commitments.

Small Business Problems & The Pathways To Profitability

In my free report, The Profit Tipping Point, I look at the five pathways to profit:

Critical Success Factors & Key Performance Indicators

One of my favourite ways to help a client to focus is through the use of critical success factors (CSF) and key performance indicators (KPI).

Yes we are back in the land of the three letter acronym and these two are particularly important to remember and they apply to any business, large or small, manufacturing, retail or service.

What Are Critical Success Factors?

Quick Wins In Social Media - Is It An Oxymoron?

I blow hot and cold on social media marketing and every time a new killer applications comes out like Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter and now Google Plus, there are people who rush out "make money on XXX" products.

The problem is that I think the idea of quick wins for social emdia is an oxymoron - that's a contradiction e.g. living dead or I liked this one on the list of oxymorons - Microsoft Works.

Build Your Own Client Attraction Website by Ian Brodie

Ian Brodie, an expert coach and consultant for professional service providers including coaches and consultants has just launched a new training video course - Build Your Own Client Attraction Website.

Why A Client Attraction Website Is The Cornerstone Of Your Marketing

I believe clients find you in two ways:

1. They go out looking for a solution to a problem and, to be considered, you need to be found. Where do they look? The Internet or they ask family, friends or colleagues.
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2. They respond to some kind of marketing outreach campaign that puts you and your irresisitible promise in front of them through networking, speaking, telemarketing, direct mail etc.

The Internet is the main channel that lets your business be found by anyone searching for what you do.

It's also where people go to check up on you. A good website gives you credibility and the potential client confidence to get in touch.

Imagine you meet someone who you're interested in buying from at a networking meeting or you receive a sales letter in the post. You may immediately fix an appointment but more often - because your time is valuable and you don't want to waste it - you'll check up on them on the Internet.

You'll want to make sure that what they said to you is what they are saying to the world (in case they are spinning you a line) and you'll want to see if there is any bad publicity now that social media has made everyone a powerful critic.

The bottom line is...

If you don't have a website you need one.

If you don't have a very good one - a client attracting website - then you need to upgrade.

Ian Brodie Is...

Ian is a good friend of mine, one of the first people I invited to join my coaching mastermind and he asked me what I thought he should include in a course to teach people how to set up their own websites and blogs to attract clients.

I'm also an affiliate so I receive a commission if you click through and buy and he's given me free access to take a good look around at the Client Attraction Website course.

Client Attraction Website - affiliate link

5 P's of Marketing - Who Is Right?

The traditional marketing mix created by Jerome McCarthy consisted of the 4 P's. This model has been extended an number of times - Extended Marketing Mix - and one of the most popular is the 5 P's Of Marketing.

The standard 4 P's (see my free pdf - it's very good) are:

• Product
• Price
• Place
• Promotion

The 5 P's Of Marketing - A Variation On The 4 P's

The variations on this theme which have been developed by various experts are reviewed below and I even give you my own version.

As you will see, some take the standard 4 P's and add another P. Others have more imagination and come up with 5 different P's of marketing.

I'm biased but if you're going to move away from the traditional 4 P's, I think my version is best.

Free Marketing Mix PDF Report

I've written a very popular blog on the various permutations of the P's of marketing in the marketing mix.

This report is not available any more.

Today I thought I'd share a free pdf report on the marketing mix and how you can apply this fundamental technique to improve the success of marketing in your business.

What You Will Learn From This Marketing Mix Report

New Enterprise Allowance - Support To Become Self Employed

The New Enterprise Allowance scheme in the UK is being rolled out to help the longer term unemployed to start a new business.

The New Enterprise Allowance scheme is open to anyone who has been claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance for 26 weeks and has a viable idea for a business.

It helps fund the move from unemployment to self employment by providing an allowance of £65 a week for the first 13 weeks then £33 a week for a further 13 weeks.

A Can Do Will Do Attitude Is Exciting

I get excited when I meet or talk to an entrepreneur with a "can do will do" attitude. 

There's normal something electric about them.

A secret energy source which lets then power through any difficulties because they know they can do it and they are determed that they will do it.

Free Marketing Seminars: Are They A Good Use Of Your Time?

I received a direct mail piece today about a free two day marketing seminar and a few minutes later, an email from another organisation offering me a free two day coaching course.

On the face of it, the offer of free training is very tempting for the simple reason that...

it is free.

But it's not really.