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
Monday, 17 October 2011
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
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
Hire Station Digital Signage Trial in Homebase - Press Release
Tenterden-based Digital Marketing Agency, Argent Ram Media, is trialling new digital signage displays for one of their major clients - Hire Station.
Hire Station Virtual Hire provide tool hire facilities for a number of national DIY retailers across the UK. The new digital signage system is being trialled in the recently rebuilt branch of Homebase, in Aylesford near Maidstone.
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A 32" LCD screen is set into a purpose-made, branded totem display stand that can be situated anywhere within the Homebase store. The aim behind the display is to increase enquiries for tool hire either by phone, in-store or through the Homebase website. The marketing message on the stand itself is clear - "Pick up a Tool Hire Leaflet". Bespoke video content has been created to be displayed on the screen showing the range of tools and equipment available to hire.
Digital Signage is one of the fastest growing forms of marketing in the UK, with statistics now demonstrating that dynamic and compelling content displayed on visually arresting screens increases customer engagement and, as a result, brand awareness and revenue.
“Digital signage presents a unique and effective way for us to communicate to potential customers. With the correct call to action we hope these trials present new opportunities and increased revenues for us. Working with Argent Ram has been good for our team as they are a modern thinking and flexible team led with a vision, for which this trial is testament to. We hope the trials are effective and look forward to working more closely with Argent Ram.” Mark Moody, Director Climate Hire, Virtual Hire, Lifting Point and Ecommerce at Hire Station.
If the Homebase trial is successful, Hire Station will be looking at adopting Argent Ram Media's digital signage totem displays as one of their main marketing tools for all their virtual hire partners through the UK. The ongoing business relationship would result in significant growth for Argent Ram Media, with commensurate employment opportunities for designers and sales consultants.
To view a very short video of the digital signage system in situ, visit:
http://youtu.be/tvWRIbw6lmg
Hire Station Virtual Hire provide tool hire facilities for a number of national DIY retailers across the UK. The new digital signage system is being trialled in the recently rebuilt branch of Homebase, in Aylesford near Maidstone.
Digital Signage is one of the fastest growing forms of marketing in the UK, with statistics now demonstrating that dynamic and compelling content displayed on visually arresting screens increases customer engagement and, as a result, brand awareness and revenue.
“Digital signage presents a unique and effective way for us to communicate to potential customers. With the correct call to action we hope these trials present new opportunities and increased revenues for us. Working with Argent Ram has been good for our team as they are a modern thinking and flexible team led with a vision, for which this trial is testament to. We hope the trials are effective and look forward to working more closely with Argent Ram.” Mark Moody, Director Climate Hire, Virtual Hire, Lifting Point and Ecommerce at Hire Station.
If the Homebase trial is successful, Hire Station will be looking at adopting Argent Ram Media's digital signage totem displays as one of their main marketing tools for all their virtual hire partners through the UK. The ongoing business relationship would result in significant growth for Argent Ram Media, with commensurate employment opportunities for designers and sales consultants.
To view a very short video of the digital signage system in situ, visit:
http://youtu.be/tvWRIbw6lmg
Monday, 20 June 2011
What a difference design makes
The owner of a Bed & Breakfast contacted us recently, as she had noticed that the enquiries for her accommodation had decreased. Looking at her existing website, it was clear that there were some fundamental problems.
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The dated appearance of the website homepage did little to tempt visitors to get in touch. There was a lot of text and the images were not compelling enough. The website was not optimised to be found in relevant Google search. The owner herself stated that she was only found when a potential client typed in "Bed and Breakfast Biddenden", but as we pointed out, how many customers would be that geographically specific? It would be more likely for a potential customer to search for Bed and Breakfast Kent or South-East, or using one of the better-known towns as a point of reference (Canterbury, Tunbridge Wells, Rye, Tenterden for example).
We were contracted to redesign the website for the client, and the new design can be viewed prior to launch at:
http://tudorcotta.users34.interdns.co.uk/
The use of quality photography to market both the accommodation and the local area draws customers in and tempts them to look further. The textual content is more concise, and there is a clear call-to-action at the top of every page - telephone number and email address.
Of course, the proof of the pudding will be an increase in enquiries for the remainder of this year and beyond. However, there can be no doubt that the new-look website has all the essential ingredients to get the right message in front of the right people.
"The site is looking really good, excellent work. It has a really classy feel to it." Owner, Tudor Cottage Bed & Breakfast.
The website was produced using the Sesome system developed by Argent Ram Media. This feature-rich platform allows you to update the website yourself, and each site is constructed to be search engine friendly and social media-ready. The latter makes it easy for you to start widening your marketing network using Twitter and Facebook to drive potential customers to your website, maximising every opportunity to draw attention to your accommodation. Prices for a Sesome website start at just £299.00 + VAT.
The dated appearance of the website homepage did little to tempt visitors to get in touch. There was a lot of text and the images were not compelling enough. The website was not optimised to be found in relevant Google search. The owner herself stated that she was only found when a potential client typed in "Bed and Breakfast Biddenden", but as we pointed out, how many customers would be that geographically specific? It would be more likely for a potential customer to search for Bed and Breakfast Kent or South-East, or using one of the better-known towns as a point of reference (Canterbury, Tunbridge Wells, Rye, Tenterden for example).
We were contracted to redesign the website for the client, and the new design can be viewed prior to launch at:
http://tudorcotta.users34.interdns.co.uk/
The use of quality photography to market both the accommodation and the local area draws customers in and tempts them to look further. The textual content is more concise, and there is a clear call-to-action at the top of every page - telephone number and email address.
Of course, the proof of the pudding will be an increase in enquiries for the remainder of this year and beyond. However, there can be no doubt that the new-look website has all the essential ingredients to get the right message in front of the right people.
"The site is looking really good, excellent work. It has a really classy feel to it." Owner, Tudor Cottage Bed & Breakfast.
The website was produced using the Sesome system developed by Argent Ram Media. This feature-rich platform allows you to update the website yourself, and each site is constructed to be search engine friendly and social media-ready. The latter makes it easy for you to start widening your marketing network using Twitter and Facebook to drive potential customers to your website, maximising every opportunity to draw attention to your accommodation. Prices for a Sesome website start at just £299.00 + VAT.
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