PlusOne – Marketing Musings

For the past twenty years many workplaces have operated on the principle that employees are like any other part of the company inventory. People have tasks and that is what they are employed to do. However, with the economic crisis, the value of good staff is seeing this view rapidly changing, and many highly successful businesses, ranging from the largest of corporations to firms of just a few people are finding a new and exciting method of doing business – organically.

Before we start to think the author has gone troppo, let me explain. While the hardware of a business is often important, without the people who make the business happen, most business would not last a week. The fully automated workplace is not a realistic alternative and increasingly staff are expressing the need to have their needs better met.

This is the new challenge facing many mangers. But what exactly is the challenge? Continue Reading»

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I was reading an article on Smartcompany about 10 marketing ideas they claimed were low cost.

The term low cost is a little fluid – it depends on the size of your business and the mention of using an ad agency usually blows the budget out of the water even before the discussion turns to creative and media.

I was a little dissappointed that they had not included SMS under their direct marketing banner.

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Tourism Queensland – the government agency that offered the worlds best job has another winner on its hands it seems with a promotion that offers holidays for only $1.

The secret for Queensland Tourism and the prize providers is that the holidays must be bid on in an on-line auction that naturally saw the starting price of $1 soon gone and higher bids lodged.

It also shows the foolishness or competitive spirit of some of the bidders.

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A primary reason for many businesses failing to succeed can be attributed to a failure by the business owner or manager to correctly identify who their target market really is and if that market is the same as it was a year ago. Too often a business is started or bought because the prospective business person felt within themselves that because they liked to products or services, so would everyone else.

For established business, failure can come about because the market has changed due to economic or political reasons, but the business has remained oblivious to the shift. However, by following some basic steps, not only can a business survive, it can prosper.

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I am yet to be convinced of the ROI of social networking. However for interest here is an article that has The next 15 trends in social networking

Do you use social networking for your business? Has it worked for you and if so what process did you use?

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Here is a nifty article, but you don’t have to be giving a speech.

15 secrets of a great speech

These 15 ideas are great for any presentation. No matter if you are making a conference presentation, pitching for new business or giving a monthly report presentation, you will find something of value.

Do you have other ideas on making presentations better? Share via comments.

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If you are like me and want good customer service when doing business on the internet, this this article is an interesting read.

How neglect of the internet cost a supplier my order

How ANY business with an online presence fails to respond to an email on the same day or at least within 24 hours is beyond me. Even an after-hours business can respond within 24 hours. I know in our business we often respond within the hour. (And yes people are impressed, especially when it is after hours.)

How soon do you expect a response to emails to businesses? Let us know via comments.

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I was reading an article the other day about the progressive inroads that Microsoft’s new search engine Bing is having is the search world.

Admittedly they are still a long way behind and only have a small sector of the market, but its popularity is slowly increasing. If you have not seen it yet, check it out.

Reports are that Microsoft has spent 100 million dollars on advertising to get the new search engine into people’s faces.

But is Microsoft its own worst enemy? I ask this because while Bing is being promoted as a product brand, it is also being branded as a Microsoft product. Seems the powers that be at Microsoft just cannot resist keeping one branding hand on their new baby.

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It seems that placing your order for groceries online then merely dropping by the supermarket to have it loaded into your boot is becoming a reality.

Springwise reports that in France this can now be done, and it does not cost any more than traditional shopping methods.

The service is sure to be a boon for mothers of small children as well as customers who can struggle with heavey trolleys.

In fact a smart operator could set up a semi automated system, similar to the way supermarket orders are put together at the warehouse so that rapid picking and packing can be accomplished.

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The start of the new financial year is a great time to re-evaluate business systems, especially those that only get a good workout once per year.

Things like finalising wages for the year and the production of group certificates.

If doing the wages and group certificates has been a  trial for you this year, why not look at an easy-to-use software program called WagezWindow.

The program does it all and yes, even complete computer novices can use it.

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