Extract . . .
"So your customer rings and says, “I need something fast, cheap and cheerful, nothing fancy. Could you have a quick look?” Don’t believe it. This is false economy and the result can be less than satisfying for all involved."
Link
http://www.flyingsolo.com.au/finance/pricing-strategy/false-economy-beware-the-lure-of-the-quickie
Thursday, September 30
Trading with Europe: A Beginners Guide
Extract . . .
"The European Union EU is the single largest commercial market in the world currently with 27 Member States. It is attractive for businesses as all of the EU Member States have ratified trade agreements, legislation, tax and customs regulations to make the EU one of the most straightforward territories to do business with. If your enterprise wants to enter a new overseas market, trading with Europe is one of the easiest parts of the world to move into to start selling your goods or services."
Link
http://www.selloverseas.co.uk/trading-with-europe-beginners-guide.html
"The European Union EU is the single largest commercial market in the world currently with 27 Member States. It is attractive for businesses as all of the EU Member States have ratified trade agreements, legislation, tax and customs regulations to make the EU one of the most straightforward territories to do business with. If your enterprise wants to enter a new overseas market, trading with Europe is one of the easiest parts of the world to move into to start selling your goods or services."
Link
http://www.selloverseas.co.uk/trading-with-europe-beginners-guide.html
Experiential marketing - a bullet point guide
Extract . . .
"Experiential marketing is a cross-media promotional activity which encourages two way interaction and direct physical immersion into a brand. Experiential marketing is a relatively young marketing discipline, but is growing rapidly because it ticks a lot of the right boxes. Compared to mass media campaigns, experiential events tend to communicate on a much more personal level, generate a deeper level of emotional engagement, result in better conversion rates, and all at relatively low cost. Experiential marketing activities can range from high profile invite only events to tasters at a local farmer's market."
Link
http://www.marketing-made-simple.com/articles/experiential-marketing.htm
"Experiential marketing is a cross-media promotional activity which encourages two way interaction and direct physical immersion into a brand. Experiential marketing is a relatively young marketing discipline, but is growing rapidly because it ticks a lot of the right boxes. Compared to mass media campaigns, experiential events tend to communicate on a much more personal level, generate a deeper level of emotional engagement, result in better conversion rates, and all at relatively low cost. Experiential marketing activities can range from high profile invite only events to tasters at a local farmer's market."
Link
http://www.marketing-made-simple.com/articles/experiential-marketing.htm
10 rules to promote your small business website via Google
Extract . . .
"The most sustainable method of gaining relevant sustainable traffic to your website is via Google. Their ex-NASA engineers, massive computing power and 'do no evil' philosophy has made them the most powerful force on the internet today. To get the best results, most of the time you spend promoting your website should be used to improve your exposure on this monolithic search engine."
Link
http://www.marketing-made-simple.com/articles/website-promotion.htm
"The most sustainable method of gaining relevant sustainable traffic to your website is via Google. Their ex-NASA engineers, massive computing power and 'do no evil' philosophy has made them the most powerful force on the internet today. To get the best results, most of the time you spend promoting your website should be used to improve your exposure on this monolithic search engine."
Link
http://www.marketing-made-simple.com/articles/website-promotion.htm
Keeping up appearances
Extract . . .
"Q. I run a one-man band web development company which has the appearance of being a larger organisation than it is. However, it’s always me answering the phone and replying to emails. Is it advisable to go down the route of a virtual office with someone else to field calls and enquiries or should I just be upfront with my clients and let them know it’s just me?"
Link
http://www.startups.co.uk/6678842910891103920/keeping-up-appearances.html
"Q. I run a one-man band web development company which has the appearance of being a larger organisation than it is. However, it’s always me answering the phone and replying to emails. Is it advisable to go down the route of a virtual office with someone else to field calls and enquiries or should I just be upfront with my clients and let them know it’s just me?"
Link
http://www.startups.co.uk/6678842910891103920/keeping-up-appearances.html
The first five of the 15 key attributes to presenting the appropriate entrepreneur image
It’s very rare for one individual to be able to consistently and simultaneously project all 15 key attributes.
It’s debatable that even the most successful entrepreneurs in the world are able to do so. So by projecting a cluster you’ll beat other entrepreneurs pitching to the same potential investor who can’t.
Before getting involved in descriptions as to what these phrases, words or terms mean, consider the following. Which are the most important? Is it possible to rank them in order of importance? The answer is ‘No’. They are all of equal importance. It’s crucial to get the vocabulary correct when describing these attributes. Otherwise they are open to misinterpretation. So let’s start with . . .
1. Conviction
Both entrepreneur and potential investor want to be in control. For the entrepreneur this means being in control of both verbal and non-verbal communication. Don’t confuse this with controlling the entire meeting. To attempt that would bring you into conflict with the potential investor. Controlling your verbal and non-verbal communication won’t result in conflict. Many potential investors try to asses leadership potential in the entrepreneur. Sensible and skilled entrepreneurs in part achieve this through their conviction of purpose. Closely allied to ‘conviction’ is ‘authority’. The combination of conviction, self-control and authority is almost irresistible to an interested potential investor.
2. Belief
This is the entrepreneur’s honest belief in a fact, idea or concept. The belief being of such intensity that it inspires the potential investor to feel the same way.
3. Thoughtfulness
There are three components to this. Foremost, is treating people in a kind and considerate way, especially by anticipating their wants and needs. More relevant and more powerful here though is thoughtfulness as a descriptive word. This means the entrepreneur appearing to be in deep thought and showing the application of careful thought. This is a key component of understanding how to answer a potential investor’s questions. More on this later in the series. Meanwhile – always count one second (at least) before answering. The delay adds impact and gravitas.
4. Credibility
In the context of the meeting with the potential investor this word takes on two meanings. First, the entrepreneur’s ability to inspire belief or trust (probably both) in the potential investor. Secondly, their willingness to accept what a potential investor is saying as true. This second part is often overlooked. If through non-verbal communication the entrepreneur radiates disbelief (somewhat different from a healthy scepticism) then the potential investor will be turned off. From experience, credibility or lack of it shows up in the first ten minutes of a meeting.
5. Empathy
Entrepreneurs often confuse empathy with compassion. Compassion usually and correctly describes the ability to be sympathetic to the suffering of others. Clearly inappropriate in the meeting. Unless of course the potential investor is in some form of physical or emotional distress. In contrast, empathy is the entrepreneur’s ability to identify with and understand the potential investor’s feelings. Those feelings can be negative or positive. It’s the ability to identify with either that is crucial. Remember it as follows. Compassion in this context has a negative connotation whereas empathy has a positive one!
If you want to talk to the author then please phone Howard Popeck on 07870 192618.
Link
http://www.go-between.co.uk
It’s debatable that even the most successful entrepreneurs in the world are able to do so. So by projecting a cluster you’ll beat other entrepreneurs pitching to the same potential investor who can’t.
Before getting involved in descriptions as to what these phrases, words or terms mean, consider the following. Which are the most important? Is it possible to rank them in order of importance? The answer is ‘No’. They are all of equal importance. It’s crucial to get the vocabulary correct when describing these attributes. Otherwise they are open to misinterpretation. So let’s start with . . .
1. Conviction
Both entrepreneur and potential investor want to be in control. For the entrepreneur this means being in control of both verbal and non-verbal communication. Don’t confuse this with controlling the entire meeting. To attempt that would bring you into conflict with the potential investor. Controlling your verbal and non-verbal communication won’t result in conflict. Many potential investors try to asses leadership potential in the entrepreneur. Sensible and skilled entrepreneurs in part achieve this through their conviction of purpose. Closely allied to ‘conviction’ is ‘authority’. The combination of conviction, self-control and authority is almost irresistible to an interested potential investor.
2. Belief
This is the entrepreneur’s honest belief in a fact, idea or concept. The belief being of such intensity that it inspires the potential investor to feel the same way.
3. Thoughtfulness
There are three components to this. Foremost, is treating people in a kind and considerate way, especially by anticipating their wants and needs. More relevant and more powerful here though is thoughtfulness as a descriptive word. This means the entrepreneur appearing to be in deep thought and showing the application of careful thought. This is a key component of understanding how to answer a potential investor’s questions. More on this later in the series. Meanwhile – always count one second (at least) before answering. The delay adds impact and gravitas.
4. Credibility
In the context of the meeting with the potential investor this word takes on two meanings. First, the entrepreneur’s ability to inspire belief or trust (probably both) in the potential investor. Secondly, their willingness to accept what a potential investor is saying as true. This second part is often overlooked. If through non-verbal communication the entrepreneur radiates disbelief (somewhat different from a healthy scepticism) then the potential investor will be turned off. From experience, credibility or lack of it shows up in the first ten minutes of a meeting.
5. Empathy
Entrepreneurs often confuse empathy with compassion. Compassion usually and correctly describes the ability to be sympathetic to the suffering of others. Clearly inappropriate in the meeting. Unless of course the potential investor is in some form of physical or emotional distress. In contrast, empathy is the entrepreneur’s ability to identify with and understand the potential investor’s feelings. Those feelings can be negative or positive. It’s the ability to identify with either that is crucial. Remember it as follows. Compassion in this context has a negative connotation whereas empathy has a positive one!
If you want to talk to the author then please phone Howard Popeck on 07870 192618.
Link
http://www.go-between.co.uk
HMRC tax error could affect up to 15 million
Extract . . .
"Up to 15 million people could be affected by the HM Revenue & Customs miscalculation of tax ranging back over six years, it emerged today, amid signs that a taxpayers' rebellion against the blunder is starting to gather pace.
The Revenue's 2009-10 report and accounts reveal that it has been unable to deal with the bulk of a backlog of 18.2m unreconciled cases dating back to the 2004-05 tax year."
Link
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2010/sep/07/hmrc-tax-error-affects-millions
"Up to 15 million people could be affected by the HM Revenue & Customs miscalculation of tax ranging back over six years, it emerged today, amid signs that a taxpayers' rebellion against the blunder is starting to gather pace.
The Revenue's 2009-10 report and accounts reveal that it has been unable to deal with the bulk of a backlog of 18.2m unreconciled cases dating back to the 2004-05 tax year."
Link
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2010/sep/07/hmrc-tax-error-affects-millions
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)