Wednesday 11 April 2012

The Year of the Dragon-it certainly has been so far...

Breathing its fire and lashing with its tail, 2012, the year of the dragon, has been a somewhat turbulent and unnerving year so far for businesses throughout the South West and the rest of the UK.

Many of the businesses we've spoken to have experienced unprecedented growth or on the opposite end of the spectrum, sales have bottomed out completely. There's one thing for sure, allowing a business to just drift along, å la year 2000 just doesn't work anymore!

Our offices, like many of our customers', are based in a rural area and we have noticed shops closing on a weekly basis, companies who once thrived disappearing in to oblivion and 'drifters' no longer being able to sustain themselves by just being there.

It's cut throat in the country...okay, so that is a little dramatic, but let's just say what we make up for in countryside views, we certainly miss out on in passing trade and surrounding commerce thus we must do our best to stay ahead of the pack!

Not quite the First Design Print Web mantra, but some simple rules we do our best to embrace and adhere to:

Know your customers inside out.
They are your life source so it's crucial that you are always learning about them, their interests, their habits, where they are and what they are doing.
We
data.

Embrace social media.
It's free, fun-filled and frankly, it's everywhere. It gets people talking, it creates a stir and it's a great opportunity to learn about your potential and existing customers.
We ♥ free promo' tools.

Keep your customers happy.
It's far more difficult promoting to new customers than to sell products to existing customers.
We ♥ happy customers.

Stay inspired.
It sounds pretty cheesy but it is crucial that your eyes and ears are always open. Knowing trends, habits, what's cool and what's not is important for any business. So sign up to blogs, get Tweeting and look out for super cool sites. One of our favourites is www.pinterest.com, an online pin board for things people love from food to fashion to farm shops-it's all there and it's free!
We
♥ cool stuff.

Evaluate, evaluate, evaluate.
It's important for businesses to take stock of their promotion, their marketing, where they are, what they are doing and where they want to be.
We ♥ taking stock.

Stay fresh
Nobody likes a stale brand or product so businesses shouldn't think what looked great 5 years ago still looks great today. Change and refreshment instill confidence in customers and shows your business is always pushing its way forward.
We ♥ being up to date.

Be concise.
Think 'Coke', think 'Apple'...it's immediately obvious who they are and what they do. Okay, so you probably won't have their gazillion pound marketing budget but the idea is clear-don't dilute. Be sure of your brand and your products. Don't be tempted to be reactive...
We
♥ clarity.





 

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