 Often when we think marketing, we think big fancy advertising campaigns, expensive events and flashy product launches. Yes, that is one facet of marketing, but for many businesses it is not the most important part of the marketing mix.
Effective marketing needs to be efficient. It must adjust to the local economic environment and the business objectives. It must be driven by data and this data needs to be analysed regularly to identify trends and make decisions based on this fluid information flow.  The Small Business Digital Grants Program is open!
This is a wonderful opportunity for eligible small business owners to apply for a digital grant of up to $10K in matched funding. In the last round, I delivered professional websites and digital coaching as part of the grant funding.  I love planning out the big picture on a big picture. I think that's why I love a good whiteboard! If you love a good big yearly planner, then this free download is for you.
 I absolutely love the Business Growth Fund! There is so much assistance available right now for small and medium sized businesses and I'm always on the look out for grants that may be of interest to my clients and the wider business community. This one is up to $50K and is a beauty.
 I was thrilled to be part of The Business Over Breakfast Show with Andrew Griffiths and Bree James. The podcast is a great source of advice, guidance, tips and insights for small business owners.
On episode 24, I was interviewed as part of their feature on "How to Effectively Market Your Business".  Today I would like to issue a challenge.
I would like you to enter your place of business in the same manner a customer would. I would like you to do this once a month! When we arrive at our shop, office, warehouse or where ever it is that our business is located, we often park in the same carpark, arrive via the same roads and enter through the back door. Our experience is often nothing like our customer's experience. Which can be dangerous, it can mean no-one is taking responsibility for ensuring our customer journey is a positive one.  Most business owners I speak with all mention that word of mouth is one of their most impressive sources of business however, most don’t resource customers with anything to make their job easier.
When happy customers want to tell their family, friends and colleagues about you and your business, giving them a helping hand can increase the effectiveness of the recommendation.  Generally most people have a basic idea of what they believe a graphic designer does. The list probably goes something like creating logos for businesses or brands, fixing or editing images using Photoshop and probably making magazine ads… correct? Well technically yes, graphic designers do in fact do all of these things, but they’re only a fraction of what makes up a much bigger picture.
Graphic design is everywhere - just look around! I can guarantee you’ve had some interaction with a graphic designer’s work - possibly before you even leave your house of a morning. Did you pick up a cereal box this morning? There’s a great example of graphic design!  Content marketing has become such a big trend in business promotion. Successful businesses have become publishing houses. As a business owner, how do you take advantage of effective content marketing without having to do it all yourself?
 Content marketing is the process of creating and curating high-quality, valuable and relevant content, that aims to engage, inform and attract a targeted audience. In other words, you are educating people about your industry, business, brand, team, product or service, so that they can get to know you, begin to like you and then actually trust you enough to decide to do business with you.
Great content marketing can be a wonderful referral tool. Every business I have ever worked with over the last 20+ years has always cited word of mouth as one of the ways they get new business. Content is a great tool for your happy customers to refer others. |
AuthorRoxanne Grey 
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