NOTE: Will travel upto 40 miles for this offer. Anything after that is subject to additional cost.
Contact Amanda on 0844 811 8464 or email info@koogar.co.uk to book your Video!
Archive for Marketing Strategy
What a Nightmare!
Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) - "A Nightmare on Elm Street."
The amount of stories and problems I have heard recently and over the years about awful customer service or none to be exact!
The Web Design/Development industry isn’t regulated in anyway and anyone can become Web Designers or even Marketeers.
Lack of communication, non-delivery of goods, not getting the results, over promise under deliver; it’s a nightmare out there!
I am sure you have come across “rouge traders” in your time but then found someone who can actually do the job you needed really well.
Some of the stories and problems I have heard:
- Non-delivery/go-live of a website for two years
- Functionality paid for but doesn’t work properly or at all!
- Can’t get access to what I need
- Waiting weeks for a response
- The web guy wants me to come up with the ideas for the design…
The list goes on… and because of this, potential customers start to believe websites and marketing doesn’t work for them, which is a real shame because it does.
So, how do you stand out from these other companies who make a mockery of your industry?
- Be honest – If you’re not sure about something, check it out first and then give an answer. Don’t pretend you know the answer if you don’t.
- Practice what you preach – If you say something works are you using/doing it yourself? Have you got evidence?
- Offer advice – Give a helping hand to those who have had bad customer service or experience. Show them why your different and why they should be working with you.
- Walk your talk – If you say you’re going to do something and do it! Don’t over promise and under deliver, trust is the biggest thing when it comes to relationships!
- Prove yourself – Show testimonials or case studies from others and examples of your work.
We would like to hear about some of your nightmares… and also the ways you make your self stand out from “the others”.
Don’t make your service, experience or company out to be a nightmare for your customers, make it beau-tiful!
Recession proof your business!
What do we currently know?
We know that we are in a recession and businesses start to tighten up on a few things. Marketing and Training are the first things to go out of the window, would you agree?
These are two things we don’t think we need to keep on top of while money is tight and other things rise on our “To Do Lists”, like the work!
Recently attended a seminar and the Council spokes person mentioned that companies who do not Market their companies or Train their staff when in a recession can potentially go under.
At Koogar, I’m keeping up to date with training on Digital Marketing as I will be flying to Amsterdam tomorrow night. I’m attending the iStrategy Conference which is about Global Digital Marketing and how to monetize it.
iStrategy is an inspirational, two-day, digital media conference for senior executives who believe that the success of their business requires a sound digital strategy. More about the event
Knowledge isnt power, its what you do with the knowledge!
I have wanted to attend this for a while and I believe I’ll come back with lots of new knowledge and ideas that I will share with you once I’m back and have digested it all.
So, one thing to help keep your company going through these tough times is to train yourself as well as staff members so you and they can handle enquires, customers, and products in the right way showing your company in the right light!
What could you learn today?
BLUE are proud to have been Koogar’d…
BLUE Whole Blueberries (aka BLUE Sauces): We are a small fruit farm on the Welsh Shropshire border that produce Blueberry sauces, syrups, salad dressings and drink mixers.
We are a new, small, family run business starting out in a tough economic environment. Progress, costs, getting out there, costs, being visible, costs, design work, costs. Advice is readily available from a variety of sources, both government and private, but few have come close to the quality of advice we have received from Koogar.
@BLUESAUCES Tweet on Friday 12th August: Thought you might be interested. Since your course, www.BLUESauces.com are 7th on google list below BBC… Page 14 before…Many thanks :)
Implementing Koogar’s suggestions have boosted our online presence from near obscurity to the front page of search engines. Sounds great but there is a lot of time involved in getting there when you do not have an unlimited budget to bump up the ranks, but all you need is time.
The old adage of “you get out what you put in” has never rung more true than in this case. The key as I see it is persistence, keep at it, keep visible, keep people interested. Social media and websites are a fabulous business tool, a way to educate and connect with the customer.
BLUE are proud to have been Koogar’d…
Guy came up with the new idea for the Koogar’d T-Shirts. Thanks Guy! And we’re really pleased you have got so much from our Social Media Workshop too. Well done!
You could win your very own “Koogar’d T-shirt” by attending one of our courses. Find out more on www.koogartraining.co.uk
Dr.Ivan Misners thoughts on Marketing… (Interview)
On Monday this week I got a fantastic opportunity to interview the founder and chairman of BNI (Business Network International), Dr.Ivan Misner.
He is called the “Father of Modern Networking,” Dr. Misner is one of the world’s leading experts in business networking and referral marketing.
Why?
The reason for the interview was to find out how successful business men and women like Dr.Ivan Misner promote themselves and what they think of Marketing.
I get asked questions everyday about Marketing. For example; What should I do? It is expensive, there’s no point…, I’m not sure what to do…, What do you think I should do to promote the company?… The answer will be different for every business and business owner.
A lot of business owner struggle with marketing not realising that is a necessary activity for all businesses. So, I want to help them in a different way.
How?
I thought the best way to help my clients and other business owners to understand about Marketing is by interviewing people who have been there and done it. I will be interviewing different people in different ways and sharing their thoughts with you.
Where?
This interview took place via Skype, between Liverpool (UK) and California (USA).
You can listen to the the interview below or you can view a transcript of the Interview here in PDF form. The transcript has a few links that Dr.Ivan Misner suggested you took a look at.
It’s not what you know, or who you know, it’s how well you know each other that really counts…
Koogar interviews Dr.Ivan Misner about Marketing by koogarsox
Lets us know what you think and feel free to ask questions!
Koogar interviews Dr.Ivan Misner
Yesterday Koogar interviewed Dr.Ivan Misner to find out what he thinks about Marketing.
At the beginning of 2011, Koogar took a look at the new years marketing plan. One thing I took from last year (2010) and previous years in business is that there are a lot of people in business who are unsure of what marketing is and are also scared to put themselves out there, even though they are in business to make money.
I regularly attend Marketing Seminars to see what others are up to and how they go about promoting themselves as times are changing, marketing is changing and its happening quickly.
I decided to ask people who have been there and done it… I decided at the beginning of 2011 that I’m going to interview a range of successful business owners and ask them “what their take is on Marketing“, to see if they could give us an insight into what has helped them build their empire(s), and also see if they can give us some hints and tips along the way.
The first person I have interviewed is Dr.Ivan Misner who is the founder and chairman of BNI (Business Network International). BNI is the largest networking organisation in the world that help business owners come together and refer each other for business every week. Koogar has been a member in BNI Alpha in Liverpool for over 3 years and thought there was no better place to start.
The interview has been recorded and will be uploaded for you to listen to and will also be transcribed giving you some of the websites and links Dr.Ivan Misner has recommended we take a look at.
If you not currently in BNI and are looking for a new marketing stream for your business, I can obviously recommend it.
Share your stories about BNI and how it has helped you and keep an eye on our website for the full interview.
Wealth from Marketing Event – London
The Koogar team attended the Wealth from Marketing seminar this weekend in London which was put on by ThinkBig.
Before we actually got there we were asked by 5 different people “Why are you going to a marketing seminar when you do marketing?”
The answer to this question is “because marketing is an on going element to all businesses, we have to keep up with an ever changing world . Most importantly we love to learn new things about our industry which again is ever changing.
Nothing ever stays the same, things always move and if Koogar doesn’t move with it, then we will be left behind and we want to be in the forefront!”
This question relates to one of our other blog posts about Health and Wellness: Keep Learning. Whatever business your in, your industry has changed in some way. Even if you went to a seminar or attended a workshop and heard one new way of doing things then its worth it! Every business and business owner wants to be the best that they can be and this is the way to do it!
What we are taking away from this weekend is:
- Delegate!
- Create a meaningful marketing plan
- Anything is possible if you take action
- Learning and education is how you keep your company fresh and up-to-date
The reason we attended this event is because I recently read a book I bought from Oxfam called Guerrilla Marketing Excellence written by Jay Conrad Levinson and its the best marketing book I have read to date. When we saw that Jay was speaking in London we took up the opportunity straight away!
We left London with a pad full of notes and new ideas, not just for Koogar but also for our clients too and all we are going to do is TAKE ACTION! When was the last time you attended a seminar or workshop that is relevant to your industry?
FREE Marketing Workshop!
Marketing: What, How & When
Many peoples’ perception of marketing is that it is too expensive, a waste of money and resource and it doesn’t work. However, marketing is essential if you want your business to succeed.
Therefore, because of all the negativity surrounding marketing Koogar & Azzure Marketing have teamed up and organised another FREE Marketing forum this time in Nantwich, which will discuss marketing and the importance of not only using it, but using it effectively.
Effective marketing can:
- Be the difference between a potential client choosing your business over your competitors.
- Help to sustain as well as grow your business.
- Save you money and time – if done properly of course!
The FREE 4 hour event will consist of two speakers, detailed below, with the chance for questions and networking.
Amanda Daniels (Koogar):
‘Attracting New Clients’ - The key information you need for a successful online presence.
Julie Webb (Azzure Marketing):
‘Promoting your Business’ - Understanding your business position to target your customers, using the right marketing tools.
Event details: Marketing: What, How & When
Date: Wednesday 20th October
Venue: Reaseheath College, Rease Heath, Nantwich, CW5 6DF
Time: 09:00 – 13:00
Places for this event are limited so please be sure to book your place in plenty of time. You can book you place by following the link below:
http://freemarketingworkshop.eventbrite.com
You will also have the opportunity, after the workshop, to sign up for our full day workshop, which will focus on and personalise marketing for you and your business.
*Date and time to be announced.
Tips on choosing the perfect copywriter…
Many people may be at a loss as to why they should consider hiring a copywriter. Luckily for them we have a new Copywriting page on our web site that explains exactly what a copywriter is, what they can do and why they are so important.
However, it’s all very well and good if you decide to hire a copywriter, but how do you go about choosing the right one?
Here are a few tips to help you choose the perfect copywriter for you and your business…
- Determine your key points: Before hiring a copywriter you need to figure out what exactly you want from them. You need to have a good idea about who you are trying to promote to your target audience, what response you are looking for from them and what your Unique Selling Point (USP) is.
- Don’t do business over the telephone: It’s always a good idea to arrange to meet your possible copywriter in person so you gain a better understanding of them and them of you. Although people say there is no emotion in business, it is important that you get along with each other as you’ll be working closely together. Make sure the copywriter knows about your business and more importantly sounds interested in it as the more understanding they have of your business, the better they’ll be at writing about it or for it.
- Remember ~ you get what you pay for: This speaks for itself, but you will always find someone who can do it cheaper. However, why can they do it cheaper? Do they have experience, do you like them, are they professional ,etc? A good copywriter may charge more, but you’ll get so much more out of it.
So, whether this has put your mind at rest about hiring a copywriter or not, remember the importance of wording in promoting your business and products and do not just rely on a well designed website or logo.
New Email Marketing Microsite!
As many of you will now be aware, from our last Marketing Tip, email marketing is an extremely efficient, manageable and cost-effective way to market your product or service. It enables you to measure the success rate of a campaign so you know just how effective it is and whether it is a form of marketing you should continue to use.
Important aspects to remember when sending emails are to:
- Always include a ‘Subject.’
- Add email addresses in BCC so no-one can see them and then add them to their database!
- Most importantly, ensure you have their permission to email them!
Koogar offers an email marketing service, whereby we liaise with you to create an email template, which is both effective in its design as well as its message. We now have a new microsite dedicated to the email marketing service we provide. It contains several pages that guide you through what email marketing is, the benefits for your business, the process of setting up your campaign as well as the price.
So why not be one of the first to visit the site and see if email marketing is the right step for your business. And remember, Koogar offers a 1 hour FREE consultation for you before you make any final decisions!
