'There are two rules to staying an expert. 1 - Never tell anyone everything you know.............and that's it.

Forgive me for repeating a somewhat timeworn tale but I’m confident you will identify with it. It’s about what can happen when you become so effortlessly expert at what you do that folk think it’s as easy as falling off a log!

The tale is about the industrialist whose production line breaks down at a cost of many millions per day. After a long search he finds an expert who upon investigating his machine takes …

Continue Reading

'I'm trying to daydream but my mind keeps wandering.'

I am a huge advocate of the compelling power of daydreaming. Finding a comfortable space in which you can drift into superstardom without those all encroaching ‘what ifs’ blotting your landscape. I don’t know about you but when I daydream I visualise myself in a place where I want to be even if attaining that coveted place entails a huge amount of effort and overcoming of obstacles. I’d like to share with you how one of my dreams has …

Continue Reading

'Hang on, just have to put this customer on 'ignore'.'

I had an interesting conversation with my mother-in-law yesterday which prompted this blog. She was telling me about a good friend of hers who is very generous, and is always buying presents for friends and family. In particular, there is one shop that she has been frequenting until recently. The shop retails baby clothes – not your usual baby-gros but pretty special top of the range baby clothes. Every month my mum in law’s friend …

Continue Reading

Some of you will know that just a few days ago I launched my second book, The     Ultimate Small Business Marketing Book. My book launch was a delightful event; an opportunity to catch up with many lovely people. I was very lucky in that the entire event was paid for by one of my clients keen to raise his profile through being my sponsor.

The generosity of my sponsor enabled me to support two charities – Ovacome and The Cystic Fibrosis Trust. It showed me just how easy it can …

Continue Reading

'And our toast is made in the shape of a spaceship!'

A recent stay at a bed and breakfast inspired this particular blog.

My husband books a bed-and-breakfast online.  It’s at the higher end of the pricing bracket for bed-and-breakfast establishments in this particular neck of the woods, so he is reasonably confident with his choice.

We pull up outside a very modest looking semi detached house and the owner, brimming with enthusiasm, shows us to our room.  As she is lavishing praise on the filtered water in the fridge, …

Continue Reading

'Right, that's the warm-up done....'

I suspect that like many of us, one of my New Year’s resolutions is to become physically fitter.  And so a few days ago I contacted a local gym that was advertising a women’s fitness programme.  Their advert looked promising.  There was a special offer to encourage newbies, a description of the type of short, sharp and successful workouts they provide plus a very promising before and after picture. And the icing on the cake was that they are part of a national …

Continue Reading

'Now if I wasn't an expert, this could be awkward.'

Within you is an expert.  It may be struggling to get out suppressed by the voice that tells you that you’re not really an expert when you compare yourself to others.  It may be in its early stages of infancy.  You acknowledge that there is some way to go before you’re comfortable with the title of expert.  It may be that others have awarded you the expert title, based upon the help and advice that you bestow – …

Continue Reading

'Mmmm, would adding S.W.A.L.K. seem a bit forward?

The sales letter has got plenty of mileage in it yet.  If you sell products or services to businesses or consumers, it can be impossible to connect with sufficient numbers online. Even if you have their online details, it’s an absolute fact that they will rarely make the decision to do business with you at the very first asking.  A blended campaign that integrates your online and off-line communications is vital if you are to build sufficient trust and confidence …

Continue Reading

"and another thing...." "Ooooooh, I know."

A couple of days ago I was asked by the editor of a business magazine if I would whip up an additional business article, something along the lines of a rallying cry to marketing action.  I settled on writing  about the importance of delivering value and how it’s the small things that count, illustrating my musings with six easy to implement, but oh so easy to overlook, tips.

Now it just so happened that later on that day I met a friend on …

Continue Reading