All too often marketing is aimed at the wrong audience, or it only reaches a small part of the correct target market, either way it could be a costly mistake. Henry Ford famously said: “Half of my marketing is a waste, I just don’t know which half” One way to combat this is to really know who your target market is and then find the best way to contact them. Most small businesses rely on a customer base of up to 100 customers. By analysing the data about these existing customers, it enables you, the business owner, to find more of the ‘same’. This works especially well if you can replicate your top 20%, as usually the top 20% of customers result in 80% of the sales. Logic therefore says that five new customers will result in an approximate 5-25% increase in sales. That’s why when working with clients, I recommend a goal of a small laser targeted marketing campaign aimed at just a few of the ‘very right’ prospects. This is coupled with a great offer that’s ‘too good to say no to’ is often far more successful than saturating the wrong audience with the wrong message. As ever, if you want to have a chat about something like this, start by contacting me here .

I was talking to one of my overseas clients (sounds posh, and I must be honest I love working with people all over the world, but sometimes the Zoom meeting time zones are hard). Anyway, my client is a sales supremo and works with construction companies helping them sell blocks of properties and was looking for a couple of new clients in a specific location. He identified six potential clients and sent each one of them a stack of business books with a note saying: “You need to read all these books, and more like them, or you can just call me...” As you can imagine, this ‘cost a few bob’ say $50/$100 per potential client, but it was a worthwhile investment as the value of each client is in the thousands of dollars bracket. It worked a treat, and now two out of the six potential clients are working with him. Simple question - what could you send to your potential clients?

We all need to take a break… Sometimes when you are about to go head on into a marketing activity the best thing to do is to step back and take a breath. I find personally that I perform at my best when I have a clear objective and am well rested. It’s so important to make the time to rest, have time to think away from everyday distractions and recharge your battery. My favourite is to sit on a sun lounger, under a parasol, on a sandy beach and just watch the world go by. I can feel my mind ‘defragging’ like how it was on an old PC when you had to select defrag to speed it up. I always like to have a good book too but usually find that I struggle to concentrate initially whilst my subconscious mind is sorting itself out. I love sunny days and find sunshine a great mood lifter. I don’t want to be in the direct sunshine but ‘around it’ in the shade just enjoying the warmth. Whatever your preference, the key is to ensure you make the time to take a break and recharge. When’s yours?

We've all heard the famous phrase "walk before you run" at some point in our lives. Whether it was from a wise teacher, a concerned parent, or even in a motivational speech, this timeless advice holds great significance. While it may seem like a simple idiom, it carries a profound message that applies to various aspects of life. In this blog post, we'll delve into the meaning behind this phrase and explore its relevance in personal growth, professional development, and achieving success. Understanding the Metaphor: At its core, "walk before you run" is a metaphorical reminder to take things one step at a time. It emphasizes the importance of building a strong foundation before attempting to tackle more complex challenges. Just as a toddler learns to walk before sprinting, we too must acquire the necessary skills, knowledge, and experience before aiming for higher achievements. Personal Growth: In the realm of personal growth, the idea of "walking before running" emphasizes the value of gradual progress. Whether we're striving to develop new habits, improve our emotional intelligence, or work towards a long-term goal, it's crucial to start small and build momentum. By taking manageable steps and celebrating each milestone along the way, we cultivate patience, resilience, and a stronger sense of self. This approach allows us to lay a solid foundation for personal growth, ensuring lasting and sustainable progress. Professional Development: In the professional world, the mantra "walk before you run" encourages individuals to gain expertise and experience in their chosen field. It promotes the notion that success is not an overnight phenomenon but a result of consistent effort and continuous learning. By starting with entry-level positions, acquiring new skills, and gradually assuming greater responsibilities, professionals can solidify their knowledge base, refine their abilities, and establish a strong professional reputation. Walking before running enables individuals to make informed decisions, avoid common pitfalls, and achieve long-term career success. Achieving Success: When it comes to achieving success, the journey is often filled with challenges, setbacks, and obstacles. The concept of "walking before running" reminds us to be realistic in our expectations and to invest in the necessary groundwork. Rushing into ventures without proper preparation can lead to avoidable mistakes and missed opportunities. By methodically working towards our goals, we gain invaluable insights, learn from our failures, and develop the resilience required to sustain success over the long haul. Conclusion: The wisdom contained in the age-old phrase "walk before you run" cannot be understated. It serves as a guiding principle in personal growth, professional development, and achieving success. By reminding us to embrace the journey, be patient, and build a solid foundation, this mantra encourages us to take steady steps towards our aspirations. So, whether you're embarking on a new endeavour, pursuing personal growth, or charting your career path, remember the significance of walking before running. By doing so, you'll increase your chances of reaching your goals, developing lasting skills, and enjoying a fulfilling and prosperous journey. 

Recently I needed a job doing at home, a job that had been done before by a local company and it all went very well. Therefore, I didn’t hesitate to contact them to give them more work. But on this occasion, it has not gone so well, the job was done incorrectly, then the ‘putting it right’ appointment wasn’t kept, no phone call, I had to chase them up to find out what was happening and get a new appointment. Now currently, as I write this, I am waiting for that appointment to be kept and it’s not looking good, the time slot expired over an hour ago and again no phone call has been received. I accept ‘sh*t happens!’ but it’s how you deal with it that matters. All I need is a phone call with an apology and a commitment to when it will be resolved, I’m a reasonable guy – talk to me. Had things gone the other way, and the company had dealt with this by communicating with me, I would be writing a blog about how good some companies are at customer relations. Instead, I’m highlighting how easy it is to lose a customer and damage your company reputation and image. I know it’s hard to sometimes say sorry, but in the long run, letting your customers down makes running a business that much harder. Rant over - and breathe!

According to www.DaysoftheYear.com, Wednesday 19 th April is National Banana Day . You see at the beginning of each week; I receive an email from ‘Days of the Year’ informing me what is celebrated on each day of the forthcoming week. To be honest 99% of it is drivel, but occasionally something catches my interest. Now with National Banana Day I’m not particularly interested in bananas, but it did remind me of a thank you card I have used in the past. It simply says, “ Thanks a Bunch! ”, it’s bright, colourful and funky, and I send them out to customers to thank them for their business. In a world of digital communication, taking the time to send a handwritten message in a card, that’s then posted the old-fashioned way with an envelope and stamp, will have a big impact on your customer, and all for a little bit of effort and thought. It’s the kind of thing we would all like to receive every now and then. If you would like some help with communicating with your customers, let’s have a chat, click here to get the ball rolling Contact Us (3bmarketing.co.uk)

When writing a blog, I usually have an idea of what I want to say and then look for a suitable image as I find this helps me visualise my message. One thing I always avoid is using images that are potentially subject to copyright, I remember in my early business days an old schoolmate being caught out that way and it bought his business to its knees – a costly mistake!  Recently whilst pushing a shopping trolley around the local supermarket with CJ, I’ve noticed some products using the coronation logo in their marketing and decided to look into it further. I was very impressed to quickly find that there is a government website all about it, (here’s the link: Coronation of His Majesty The King & Her Majesty The Queen Consort ). The website has information about the actual event, how to get involved, other events being held and what I found particularly helpful – a toolkit. Now this is clever, as it made it really easy for me to use the logo, supplied in the right format, and that is exactly what I needed. Now here’s a question for you - how easy is it for your prospects and customers to find you and about what you do? If you’d like some help we should have a chat, Contact Us (3bmarketing.co.uk) Cheers Mike

It was our anniversary on Sunday and CJ and I wanted to have lunch out. The restaurant we wanted to go to was fully booked, we hadn’t booked a table early enough, our second choice didn’t take bookings and the wait was over an hour. We eventually ended up getting a takeaway pizza, we saved a few bob, laughed about it, but it wasn’t quite the romantic meal we had planned. I was telling a friend of mine about this over coffee, and he remarked “how is it that if nobody has any spare money, how come all the restaurants are so busy?” But the truth is, it’s not ‘all the restaurants’ that are ‘so busy’, it’s more a case of it’s the restaurants that are doing it right are the ones that are busy. Albeit based on price, menu selection, location, facilities, or a combination of all and more. Whatever it is, it’s working, and people are spending money in these establishments. If you’re looking to grow your business, which you always should be, it’s always a good idea to look at businesses that are doing well, see what you can learn from them, then adapt it to work in your business. Fancy a chat about it? Send me an email and let’s make a date hello@3bmarketing.co.uk

If it’s good enough for Amazon Recently I received a piece of direct mail, addressed to me personally, in the post from Amazon. They were promoting Amazon Music and the mailer had a card attached with a QR code to scan. It was very reminiscent of what used to be sent out in the post five years or more ago. Those of you that have an Amazon account will be used to receiving multiple emails, every day recommending items or announcing new arrivals of music and video or some other marketing message. Here’s a thing, Direct Mail has diminished significantly over the last few years, I used to send 1000’s of mailers every month but now I send none. It’s all about email and posting on social media platforms. But to stand out from the crowd you have to do something different and that’s exactly what Amazon have done. Look at what others are doing, especially your competitors, and then maybe do something different? As always, if you would like to do something different with your marketing, let’s have a chat... Contact Us (3bmarketing.co.uk)