Sharing your IT expertise could pave the way to a profitable IT consultancy. However, to compete with larger companies, you will have to progress past the constraints of a start-up in its first year. There are a few methods of doing this that will help you to build up your IT company and attract more potential clients.
marketing
As the bells and fireworks signal the dawn of another new year, we feel just enough optimism to make ambitious resolutions that, while well-intentioned, are often ditched come February. Rather than recommending you neglect Netflix in favour of a gym membership or swap your weekend (and evening) drinks for kale smoothies, I’d instead like to give you five reasons why 2019 is the year you should crowdfund your business.
Storytelling has become an essential part of PR and marketing. It allows businesses and big corporations to connect with their audience and customers on a human level. By telling a story, you are allowing your viewers to experience emotions, which makes you memorable. Over the festive period, a number of huge companies invest in making emotional adverts that tell a story. These have become an annual event, with John Lewis usually leading the way. They are so popular because they play on emotions. If you are making people think and feel something, then you have their attention.
2019 is fast approaching, and with the New Year comes new opportunities in almost every sector. Among these opportunities, some of the major ones will include creative new small business ideas.
There’s been a general view over the last few years that email marketing has had its day. Newer digital forms seem to make marketing easier, while the various problems associated with spam filters can make email feel like a lot of effort for not much gain. And it can be that way – but it needn’t be. If used correctly, email marketing is 40% more effective than Facebook and Twitter combined according to McKinsey.
[continue reading…]
Affiliate marketing in the UK is growing every year. In fact, in 2017 the sector topped £550 million and it is expected to get even bigger by the end of 2018 and beyond. This is great news for both affiliates and businesses alike. Small business owners in the UK are being boosted by this rise in affiliate marketing. It means that small and medium-sized businesses can set up an affiliate program and make sales without the big marketing budget – all it takes in return is a commission to the affiliate for their efforts.
This advice is based very much on experience. Only two years ago, I was about to close my digital agency. I had been forced to let six staff go and it was down to just me and one other.
A business needs to increase its customers in order to grow. One of the most obvious ways to do this is through advertising. But advertising comes at a cost and doesn’t always guarantee results. With that risk in mind, is there such a thing as free advertising and can you use it to grow your business?
You might have a fantastic business idea that you think can make you an instant success, however it pays to be a little cautious. You need to invest time in making sure that this new incredible idea you have is actually reasonable. Starting a business can be a risky affair, however, if you take the plunge of starting a business without a reality check, then failure may be inevitable.
The word millennial seems to be on everyone’s lips and in most news headlines, but who are they and why do they matter? The age bracket for millennials, also referred to as Generation Y, stretches from those born between 1981 and 1996. Meaning that numerous potential consumers fall into this classification, making it a generation worth targeting.
Your website may be the best tool you have to improve your public relations and boost your image. However, in order for your site to be effective, you first have to learn what elements make for a great site, and how users will be affected by your web design decisions. Here are some ideas from Webs Union to get you thinking about your site in terms of PR.
Giving to charity is an honourable, kind-hearted thing to do, yet for many, the giving stops once we enter our office or place of work. Although putting money in charity collection boxes, donating to food banks and homeless shelters or even just volunteering an hour or two of our time is becoming increasingly commonplace, when we are at work, the options for giving seem to dwindle.
Jose Melico is the latest entrepreneur to join others in our success story series. Jose came up with the idea of Zypho when he was just fourteen. Zypho is a water heat recovery device that reduces shower water heating energy bills. Being energy conscious and thinking about a solution to a problem enabled Jose to come up with this winning business idea at such a young age. In his success story, the entrepreneur discusses having a solid team and the skills required to keep a business going.
Within the arsenal of today’s most effective marketing tactics is SMS (aka text messaging) campaigns. While mass texting can yield an incredibly high return on investment, as it lands directly in the hands of your target audience, you need to incorporate the best practices into your strategy to ensure your recipients are actually paying attention to the message you’re seeking to deliver.
[continue reading…]
If you need some marketing inspiration, there’s no better role model than Apple. The marketing geniuses at Apple know that the secret to super-effective ads lies first and foremost in their simplicity.
If you enjoy photography and have a good eye for architectural details, you may be a good candidate to start your own business as a real estate photographer. Photography has never been more important to selling real estate than it is today. High-quality images on websites, apps, and virtual tours are the primary way that people decide which houses to include in their search.
[continue reading…]
It is actually quite easy to reduce your business’ carbon footprint significantly. A few simple changes in the office don’t have to cost the earth to implement; it may take some getting used to but change is good for us all. Of course, you can seriously invest in cutting your business’ effect on the environment, which may seem expensive for the initial outlay but actually will save you money in the long term and more importantly reduce your environmental impact. Here are some ways given by Emma Evans from My Power on how to make your small business eco-friendly.
Running a successful and profitable business is impossible without a strong marketing strategy. After all, a business will never take off without a pool of loyal consumers. Proper marketing techniques can supply your business with just that. And these days, there is a lot to choose from.
In our latest success story, we discuss the success of Stem + Glory, a vegan restaurant, with the owner Louise Palmer-Masterton. Louise, a yoga instructor turned entrepreneur gives us an insight into her business journey, from discussing future plans to the rise of veganism.
[continue reading…]
Emotions can play a vital role in business. From emotional intelligence increasingly becoming a requirement for business leaders to emotional TV adverts. To connect with customers and make a lasting impression, small business owners need to consider using emotions in marketing campaigns. A great example of this is the release of John Lewis Christmas adverts, which is now a national event in the UK. This is because they create content that tugs on the heartstrings of the audience.
[continue reading…]
