My mother is 83. She doesn't look it, and she is still fiercely independent.
It disturbs me, though, that now my mother has reached a venerable age, she appears to be increasingly vulnerable to cold-callers.
In the summer, she had a very persuasive sales person call, and after some time, she was persuaded to sign an order for new soffit boards around her house. If my mother has a fault, she finds is very hard to say "no", particularly when the sales person comes across as being so charming.
I managed to get the order cancelled, and we had her soffit boards striipped and re-painted by a reputable builder for a fraction of the signed order price.
Yesterday, my mother was called again, on the telephone, by a company offering to come and survey her security at home. Again, finding it hard to say "no", mother tentatively agreed to make an appointment. Fortunately, I was with her when the company called back to confirm the appointment. With mother on the phone, I told her to inform the company that she wasn't interested, and this message was passed on.
The reply from the company representative?
"Oh, he's a mind reader is he?", and with that the representative hung up!
I appreciate that economic times are tough, but I would urge companies to deal with the ageing population with a modicum of respect and compassion. It must be relatively easy for the unethical sales person to get their foot in the door of someone of a certain age, and then charm them into signing a piece of paper that they barely have time to peruse. I would question whether that was selling at all, or just insidious bullying.
In the past couple of years, my mother has lost her husband, broken her arm in a fall, had an attempted burglary at her home while she was in bed and had a suspected heart attack (she is fine!). She loves her home and her independence, and doesn't need to be badgered by sales people looking for the quickest and easiest route to commission.
Tuesday 29 November 2011
Friday 25 November 2011
A contentious perspective?
BBC Breakfast ran a report this morning on Nick Clegg's scheme to boost employment for the 1m out-of-work 16 - 24 year olds.
Unfortunately, the two guests they had on the sofa, representing youth unemployment, were not, on the face of it, wholly marketable. I know that may sound disparaging as the young man being interviewed has had learning difficulties, by his own admission, so is at a disadvantage. What I couldn't understand was the angle at which the BBC was trying to approach this story.
There is no doubt that something has to be done to improve the employment prospects in this country for the 16 - 24 year old population. One of the fundamantal issues that needs to be addressed before anything else is the commercial viability of such employees.
No amount of government incentive, or schemes to encourage apprenticeships, means a thing if the individuals who are employed are not educated to a standard that gives them a chance to offer the employer some hope of recouping their investment. The employment, training and ongoing development of any employee is a heavy investment! Any employer will want to see a return on that investment at some stage.
It has got to be remembered that the commercial sector is not a charity, and if any decision is taken to employ someone, there is a cost involved. I applaud any scheme that encourages business to employ young people, and if there is a financial incentive, then even better. BUT, at the end of the day, the employee still has to prove their worth to the employer.
Of the 1m young people who are unemployed, I know that there is a vast percentage who could be extremely commercially viable with the right training, encouragement and opportunity. Business needs to see these people, and they need to be encouraged to give these people a chance. It is a hard fact that business will not want to invest in young people who do not represent value for money or increased productivity, and no scheme will change that point of view.
Concentrate on getting the employable 16 - 24 year olds into work now, and then look at ways to help the more disadvantaged to get the right work placements that will be of benefit to both them and their employers.
Unfortunately, the two guests they had on the sofa, representing youth unemployment, were not, on the face of it, wholly marketable. I know that may sound disparaging as the young man being interviewed has had learning difficulties, by his own admission, so is at a disadvantage. What I couldn't understand was the angle at which the BBC was trying to approach this story.
There is no doubt that something has to be done to improve the employment prospects in this country for the 16 - 24 year old population. One of the fundamantal issues that needs to be addressed before anything else is the commercial viability of such employees.
No amount of government incentive, or schemes to encourage apprenticeships, means a thing if the individuals who are employed are not educated to a standard that gives them a chance to offer the employer some hope of recouping their investment. The employment, training and ongoing development of any employee is a heavy investment! Any employer will want to see a return on that investment at some stage.
It has got to be remembered that the commercial sector is not a charity, and if any decision is taken to employ someone, there is a cost involved. I applaud any scheme that encourages business to employ young people, and if there is a financial incentive, then even better. BUT, at the end of the day, the employee still has to prove their worth to the employer.
Of the 1m young people who are unemployed, I know that there is a vast percentage who could be extremely commercially viable with the right training, encouragement and opportunity. Business needs to see these people, and they need to be encouraged to give these people a chance. It is a hard fact that business will not want to invest in young people who do not represent value for money or increased productivity, and no scheme will change that point of view.
Concentrate on getting the employable 16 - 24 year olds into work now, and then look at ways to help the more disadvantaged to get the right work placements that will be of benefit to both them and their employers.
Monday 17 October 2011
Client Testimonial
In this post, I am not going to drivel on for a change. I am going to let the words of a satisfied client do that for me. I hope that doesn't sound too smug, but it is always gratifying to know that you have done a job well.
Dear Ian,
We have now had our new website for three months and it has been a resounding success.
Not only has our business increased considerably as a result of our new site, we also receive regular compliments on the professionalism and detail that our website offers.
We are finding we are getting a far broader range of clients which can only be good when it comes to growing the business.
Once again, many thanks for all your creative work, it has proven to be money very well spent.
Best regards
Philip Morris.
The website in question: www.tudorcottagebiddenden.co.uk
Dear Ian,
We have now had our new website for three months and it has been a resounding success.
Not only has our business increased considerably as a result of our new site, we also receive regular compliments on the professionalism and detail that our website offers.
We are finding we are getting a far broader range of clients which can only be good when it comes to growing the business.
Once again, many thanks for all your creative work, it has proven to be money very well spent.
Best regards
Philip Morris.
The website in question: www.tudorcottagebiddenden.co.uk
Monday 12 September 2011
Missed Opportunities
The economy is doing very little to help small businesses in the UK, and certainly, over the past few months, it has become evident that every one of us is having to watch our budgets very carefully.
By the same token, it has always been said that businesses should market their way out of a recession, which is often easier said than done when you consider that every penny counts.
Marketing does not have to cost a lot, and carefully considered marketing will help your business generate more income, and grow.
Let me give you a recent example:
Last week, we organised one of our regular monthly business Tweet-Ups at a local hotel.
The networking meeting receives a good deal of publicity - local press coverage, local business radio, business websites and emails to Chamber of Commerce members, plus lots of social media chat. Word of mouth is also important when it comes to these events, and we rely on attendees to bring along colleagues or spread the word aboout the events.
When I arrived at the venue - a function room adjacent to the main hotel - I noticed immediately that there was absolutely nothing in the room to publicise the hotel. Whilst the hotel had very kindly let us have the room free of charge (they made money from the sale of refreshments), they were missing a great opportunity!
The people who attend these networking events are all local business people. They have clients, suppliers and other contacts, and this was the ideal time for the hotel to advertise their Christmas menus or functions to a local, captive market. I mentioned this to the hotel staff and we got some of their Christmas menus to spread out on tables. They may not receive any bookings as direct result, but marketing is not always about generating immediate direct sales. It is far more than that. It is about knowing and understanding your target market, making sure that your name is in front of those people and that they identify with both your brand and your marketing message.
So, there are opportunities out there. Find out where your target market is, and make sure you are visible there. Make the most of every opportunity; don't take it for granted that potential customers will simply come knocking at your door, because the likelihood is that they won't. You need to be there when they look for a service or product that you provide.
By the same token, it has always been said that businesses should market their way out of a recession, which is often easier said than done when you consider that every penny counts.
Marketing does not have to cost a lot, and carefully considered marketing will help your business generate more income, and grow.
Let me give you a recent example:
Last week, we organised one of our regular monthly business Tweet-Ups at a local hotel.
The networking meeting receives a good deal of publicity - local press coverage, local business radio, business websites and emails to Chamber of Commerce members, plus lots of social media chat. Word of mouth is also important when it comes to these events, and we rely on attendees to bring along colleagues or spread the word aboout the events.
When I arrived at the venue - a function room adjacent to the main hotel - I noticed immediately that there was absolutely nothing in the room to publicise the hotel. Whilst the hotel had very kindly let us have the room free of charge (they made money from the sale of refreshments), they were missing a great opportunity!
The people who attend these networking events are all local business people. They have clients, suppliers and other contacts, and this was the ideal time for the hotel to advertise their Christmas menus or functions to a local, captive market. I mentioned this to the hotel staff and we got some of their Christmas menus to spread out on tables. They may not receive any bookings as direct result, but marketing is not always about generating immediate direct sales. It is far more than that. It is about knowing and understanding your target market, making sure that your name is in front of those people and that they identify with both your brand and your marketing message.
So, there are opportunities out there. Find out where your target market is, and make sure you are visible there. Make the most of every opportunity; don't take it for granted that potential customers will simply come knocking at your door, because the likelihood is that they won't. You need to be there when they look for a service or product that you provide.
Tuesday 9 August 2011
London Riots - a comment
"The family of Mark Duggan has condemned the riot that broke out in Tottenham last night as eyewitness reports emerge that trouble erupted after a 16-year-old girl threw a rock at police.
Mr Duggan was shot dead by marksmen on Thursday and his fiancee, Semone Wilson, has said that she wanted answers, not trouble, while his brother, Shaun Hall, called for the community to remain calm."
Daily Mail, 8th August
The shooting of Mark Duggan had been used as the reason behind the initial riots in Tottenham, and the Metropolitan Police have described the incident as "regrettable". A full investigation is under way.
We have to accept that in today's society, incidents such as the shooting of Mark Duggan are bound to happen, as the police go about their business of trying to protect society. Provided that subsequent investigations are thorough, fair and open, and then appropriate action is taken, then we should be satisfied.
There is no excuse for what has happened since, but I notice that the police have come under attack for not responding quickly enough:
"The police were already facing criticism for allowing rioting to break out in Tottenham after what started as a peaceful protest over the death of Mark Duggan at the hands of police armed response officers, and Sunday night's events will intensify claims that the police response has been inadequate."
The Guardian, 8th August
The police simply cannot win!
During the course of a police operation, a man gets fatally wounded; the circumstances surrounding this incident will become clear in time.
Mindless, anarchic imbeciles ride on the back of the incident to create mass destruction.
The police are accused of a slow response, but had they taken an immediate and forceful approach to quell these riots, then there is every likelihood that someone would have been hurt, or even killed....in the course of police action to protect our society.
It is time for some of these do-gooding commentators to get to grips with the fact that there may be rare times when individuals do get hurt, or even killed, as a result of police activity to safeguard our communities. They also have no right subsequently to criticise the police when they adopt a less-then-bullish approach to quashing the recent disgusting actions of mindless criminals. Such action would surely have resulted in the injury of one of the "poor souls" helping themselves to bags of rice from Tesco or the entire stock from PC World. Would such unabated "police brutality" have sparked yet more protests?
The police are doing their job, in the same way that the armed forces have to do their job. It is a sad fact, today, that in the course of their activities people can get hurt or even killed.
The shooting of Mark Duggan has nothing to do with the most recent riots. If you were to ask 95% of the perpetrators if they had heard of Mark Duggan, they would look at you blankly. They are scum, intent on creating mayhem for some perverse sense of amusement. They are opportunist thieves, out to get what they can with no thought for anyone else, and who couldn't give a jot for the communities in which they live. Do-gooders will undoubtedly try to find excuses for their behaviour, blaming the government cuts, erosion of society etc etc. Don't make excuses for these people. There is NO excuse. We are a democractic society and we have ample opportunity to make our opinions known without resorting to violence and vandalism.
To my mind, it is everyone's duty to report anyone they believe was involved in these riots. Prison is not a punishment for those people who are caught and arrested. They need to be made to pay back society in a genuine way, by rebuilding the communities they have willingly destroyed.
Mr Duggan was shot dead by marksmen on Thursday and his fiancee, Semone Wilson, has said that she wanted answers, not trouble, while his brother, Shaun Hall, called for the community to remain calm."
Daily Mail, 8th August
The shooting of Mark Duggan had been used as the reason behind the initial riots in Tottenham, and the Metropolitan Police have described the incident as "regrettable". A full investigation is under way.
We have to accept that in today's society, incidents such as the shooting of Mark Duggan are bound to happen, as the police go about their business of trying to protect society. Provided that subsequent investigations are thorough, fair and open, and then appropriate action is taken, then we should be satisfied.
There is no excuse for what has happened since, but I notice that the police have come under attack for not responding quickly enough:
"The police were already facing criticism for allowing rioting to break out in Tottenham after what started as a peaceful protest over the death of Mark Duggan at the hands of police armed response officers, and Sunday night's events will intensify claims that the police response has been inadequate."
The Guardian, 8th August
The police simply cannot win!
During the course of a police operation, a man gets fatally wounded; the circumstances surrounding this incident will become clear in time.
Mindless, anarchic imbeciles ride on the back of the incident to create mass destruction.
The police are accused of a slow response, but had they taken an immediate and forceful approach to quell these riots, then there is every likelihood that someone would have been hurt, or even killed....in the course of police action to protect our society.
It is time for some of these do-gooding commentators to get to grips with the fact that there may be rare times when individuals do get hurt, or even killed, as a result of police activity to safeguard our communities. They also have no right subsequently to criticise the police when they adopt a less-then-bullish approach to quashing the recent disgusting actions of mindless criminals. Such action would surely have resulted in the injury of one of the "poor souls" helping themselves to bags of rice from Tesco or the entire stock from PC World. Would such unabated "police brutality" have sparked yet more protests?
The police are doing their job, in the same way that the armed forces have to do their job. It is a sad fact, today, that in the course of their activities people can get hurt or even killed.
The shooting of Mark Duggan has nothing to do with the most recent riots. If you were to ask 95% of the perpetrators if they had heard of Mark Duggan, they would look at you blankly. They are scum, intent on creating mayhem for some perverse sense of amusement. They are opportunist thieves, out to get what they can with no thought for anyone else, and who couldn't give a jot for the communities in which they live. Do-gooders will undoubtedly try to find excuses for their behaviour, blaming the government cuts, erosion of society etc etc. Don't make excuses for these people. There is NO excuse. We are a democractic society and we have ample opportunity to make our opinions known without resorting to violence and vandalism.
To my mind, it is everyone's duty to report anyone they believe was involved in these riots. Prison is not a punishment for those people who are caught and arrested. They need to be made to pay back society in a genuine way, by rebuilding the communities they have willingly destroyed.
Friday 29 July 2011
Love it or hate it?
I love a good debate!
My son passed round the following website this morning: http://www.alittlebitofsomething.co.uk/
It instantly started a healthy discussion about whether or not it was a "good" website. Like Marmite, there didn't seem to be any middle ground; the reaction was either "love it" or "hate it".
The discussion continued on Twitter, with contributions from our followers along these lines:
"I think it goes too far and is in bad taste and I wouldn't use him"
"Yep, good site and makes him stand out from the crowd."
"He will stand out from the crowd as an individual designer but his approach will alienate a lot of clients."
"Exactly! "He will stand out from the crowd as an individual designer". I expect this is his aim, so it works."
So, when is a website in bad taste and when is it effective as a marketing tool?
You will recall that French Connection was considered to be in bad taste when it ran its various campaigns based on the acronym FCUK in the 1990's. However:
"Launched by French Connection in the late ’90′s it was a hugely successful ad campaign which went on to sell millions of clothes emblazoned with the acronym. A hallmark of the ’90′s, the brash, bold and controversial campaign summarised the decade perfectly, an era which brought us Brit pop, ladettes and girl power." Fashionbite.co.uk
That said, the 2001 campaign that extended the FCUK acronym to include the words Kinky Bugger was deemed to have gone too far, and the campaign was banned.
Marketing can, and often does stretch the boundaries of good taste in order to get noticed. A successful campaign is also about increasing brand awareness, and there is no doubting that both the French Connection campaigns were hugely successful as far as brand awareness was concerned.
With the website above that launched this discussion, the designer obviously has very clear ideas about how he works and the clients he wants to attract. Yes, he will very likely alienate some prospective clients, but has he decided that he doesn't want those clients anyway? Who is his target market? This is a question I ask every client I go to see. Understanding your target market, and making sure they identify with your marketing message is of paramount importance. Depending upon what you do, you cannot be all things to all people.
The FCUK campaign of the late 1990's tapped into that decade's zeitgeist; it wasn't intended to attract in customers aged over 40. Did it alienate some sectors of the consumer world? Most definitely, but it hit home where it was meant to hit home.
I ask every client I see to describe what makes them unique. 95% of these clients will use the words "professional", "efficient" or "providing good customer service". This is not uniqueness. These terms should be the basis on which every business is run as standard. What makes YOU unique? What makes Marmite unique? Do you love it or hate it?
This particular website has done the viral rounds, been noticed, and has got people talking. Can you say that your marketing methods have got people really talking about you and your brand?
My son passed round the following website this morning: http://www.alittlebitofsomething.co.uk/
It instantly started a healthy discussion about whether or not it was a "good" website. Like Marmite, there didn't seem to be any middle ground; the reaction was either "love it" or "hate it".
The discussion continued on Twitter, with contributions from our followers along these lines:
"I think it goes too far and is in bad taste and I wouldn't use him"
"Yep, good site and makes him stand out from the crowd."
"He will stand out from the crowd as an individual designer but his approach will alienate a lot of clients."
"Exactly! "He will stand out from the crowd as an individual designer". I expect this is his aim, so it works."
So, when is a website in bad taste and when is it effective as a marketing tool?
You will recall that French Connection was considered to be in bad taste when it ran its various campaigns based on the acronym FCUK in the 1990's. However:
"Launched by French Connection in the late ’90′s it was a hugely successful ad campaign which went on to sell millions of clothes emblazoned with the acronym. A hallmark of the ’90′s, the brash, bold and controversial campaign summarised the decade perfectly, an era which brought us Brit pop, ladettes and girl power." Fashionbite.co.uk
That said, the 2001 campaign that extended the FCUK acronym to include the words Kinky Bugger was deemed to have gone too far, and the campaign was banned.
Marketing can, and often does stretch the boundaries of good taste in order to get noticed. A successful campaign is also about increasing brand awareness, and there is no doubting that both the French Connection campaigns were hugely successful as far as brand awareness was concerned.
With the website above that launched this discussion, the designer obviously has very clear ideas about how he works and the clients he wants to attract. Yes, he will very likely alienate some prospective clients, but has he decided that he doesn't want those clients anyway? Who is his target market? This is a question I ask every client I go to see. Understanding your target market, and making sure they identify with your marketing message is of paramount importance. Depending upon what you do, you cannot be all things to all people.
The FCUK campaign of the late 1990's tapped into that decade's zeitgeist; it wasn't intended to attract in customers aged over 40. Did it alienate some sectors of the consumer world? Most definitely, but it hit home where it was meant to hit home.
I ask every client I see to describe what makes them unique. 95% of these clients will use the words "professional", "efficient" or "providing good customer service". This is not uniqueness. These terms should be the basis on which every business is run as standard. What makes YOU unique? What makes Marmite unique? Do you love it or hate it?
This particular website has done the viral rounds, been noticed, and has got people talking. Can you say that your marketing methods have got people really talking about you and your brand?
Thursday 28 July 2011
Digital Signage Coverage
We have been delighted to see such a positive response to our recent articles and announcements regarding Digital Signage projects for some of our clients. If you haven't seen some of the recent coverage, then click on the links below:
RetailCustomerExperience.com - our White Paper on Unlocking the Potential of Digital Signage in Multi-Department Retail outlets.
DigitalSignageToday.com - our White Paper on Unlocking the Potential of Digital Signage in Multi-Department Retail outlets.
SignageInfo.com - Homebase Totem Trial for Hire Station
DailyDOOH.com - Homebase Totem Trial for Hire Station
DigitalSignageToday.com - Video of Homebase Totem Trial for Hire Station
RetailCustomerExperience.com - our White Paper on Unlocking the Potential of Digital Signage in Multi-Department Retail outlets.
DigitalSignageToday.com - our White Paper on Unlocking the Potential of Digital Signage in Multi-Department Retail outlets.
SignageInfo.com - Homebase Totem Trial for Hire Station
DailyDOOH.com - Homebase Totem Trial for Hire Station
DigitalSignageToday.com - Video of Homebase Totem Trial for Hire Station
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