#MarketingTitbits – Budget 2014, content marketing, Growth Vouchers

Budget-contentmarketing-growthvouchers-smaller1. Budget 2014: the key marketing takeaways
Less than two weeks ago the Chancellor George Osborne delivered the 2014 budget. The statement nodded heavily towards businesses and pensioners and Marketing Week have written an article highlighting some of the main benefits to marketers.

Some of the points that the article bring to light include “savings overhaul could spark ISA marketing bonanza” and “big data is a big deal for the Government”. To read the rest, click here.

 

2. Introducing the periodic table of content marketing

Chris Lake, the Director of Content at Econsultancy is the first person to ever create a periodic table of content marketing. The table was created to stand out against an ever growing sea of questionable infographics.

Along with the ingenious table comes an explanation of his thinking along the way. The main areas he focuses on are strategy, format, content type, platform, metrics, goals, sharing triggers and checklists. To take a look, click here. 

 

3. 10 ways to grow your business with a Growth Voucher

Growth Vouchers were introduced in January 2014. They were designed to help SMEs grow their businesses by providing match funding of up to £2000 in the form of a voucher. The vouchers can be spent on strategic advice in one of five different categories:

  • Improving leadership and management;
  • Making the most of digital technology;
  • Managing cash flow, late payments and negotiating finance;
  • Marketing, attracting and keeping customers;
  • Developing skills and taking on staff.

Enterprisenation have created a blog explaining the different ways each of the advice offered can help to grow your business. To read more, click here.

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#MarketingTitbits – entrepreneurs, branding, Pepsi

social-apple-pepsi-smaller1. Insights from the world’s best social entrepreneurs
There is a new type of entrepreneur emerging, one who see business as a way to fight poverty and focus on developing products that the third of the global population who live on less than $2 a day can benefit from. These people are known as social entrepreneurs and include the likes of Sam Goldman, Jordan Kassalow and Prema Gopalan. For them, creating products to improve the life of the people who need it most is not only a huge business opportunity, it is a moral duty.

Their mission is to change the world and they have shared some of the strategies they are using to do just that.

  • Hiring local individuals who have the drive to change things in their community but also know the local market is a key to success
  • Think about the bigger picture and how the impact of your product can go further than what one organisation is doing
  • Encourage competition, it means that more people are trying to solve the same problem that you are
  • “You have to be dedicated to a cause. It’s mission, not money, which is the great motivator of people.”

To find out more about the social entrepreneurs who are changing the world and how they are doing it, click here. 

 

2. How Steve Jobs ignored the rules of branding

Steve Jobs, the co-founder, chairman and CEO of Apple Inc. was an inventor, marketer and once upon a time was an entrepreneur just like you. Apple Inc. has been named the most admired company in the United States by Fortune Magazine and the world’s most valuable brand in the Omnicom Group’s “Best Global Brands” report.

To acquire this status, Jobs changed the rules of branding; he didn’t pursue the standard checklist and knew that imitating somebody else’s success would never yield success. The brand that is ‘Apple’  maintained consistency in their products, operations and services and left their competitors to create naff computers with colourful lids and rubbish ads that made the simplicity of Apple look even better.

Steve Jobs taught marketers that “You must deliver a great business. The brand will be the words and emotions people use to narrate it.” To read more about how Apple changed branding as we know it and what tips you can take away from this, click here. 

 

3. Pepsi Max do augmented reality

Last month, Pepsi Max surprised London commuters with an augmented reality experience. They set up a camera and played the normalities of the street onto a screen next to the bus stop bench but added a few extra features to the scenario.

They have recorded the reactions as tigers chase passers-by and flying saucers appear in the sky. To watch the video, click here.

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LinkedIn Changes: April 2014

blog-imageSince its launch in May 2003, LinkedIn has become an essential tool for business professionals and companies. As well as being a networking tool and virtual CV for users, the Company Pages have developed hugely over the years and now enable significant brand development potential. They allow your company to connect and engage with followers interested in your brand.
Currently, if you have a Company page on LinkedIn, you have the ability to display the products and services that your company has to offer. Alongside the specific products and services images, links and descriptions can be added. However, as of April 14th 2014 this will change. LinkedIn have announced that they will be removing all “Products and Services” sections from company pages. To help overcome this, LinkedIn have recommended ways of conveying the same information to your followers. 

Company Updates

Company updates can be seen both on your Company Page as well as on the newsfeeds of your followers; they can be added to and updated on a daily basis. Not only this, but they give you a chance to engage with your followers and the people who are interested in your brand. To take advantage of this, it is important to ensure that the information you are sharing is appropriate for your brand and target audience. Remember it is your Company not you or your individual employees speaking.

Showcase Pages

Similar to the soon-to-be defunct “Products and Services” section, these are subpages of the Company Page. Here, companies can showcase the specific services they offer and post regular updates to their followers.  Contrastingly to the “Products and Services” pages, these can be followed by users in the same way they would follow an individual Company Page.

Other features include:

  • Analytics are available so that you can track what content your followers are interested in and engaging with. This is separate to the Company Page as a whole.
  • Groups can be featured on the page, allowing you to promote networks that you are part of or are linked to your company.
  • Just like the Company Pages, you can add the Showcase Pages to your Hootsuite account, making sharing content that little bit easier.
  • If an individual is following one of your Showcase Pages this does not mean they will automatically be following the Company Page. This means users can be segmented and only be informed of the news that specifically interests them.

Company Recommendations

Company Recommendations are currently a part of “Products and Services” pages. When these disappear there will be nothing to replace them, or if there is LinkedIn have given no indication as to what this might be yet.

If you are an admin for a Company page, you can easily save the recommendations by copying them into a document. If you’re not able to do this before the 14th April deadline, you can still request a copy of the recommendations direct from LinkedIn through their Customer Support Centre until 30th May.

Although the section of the Company Page dedicated to recommendations will be gone, there is nothing stopping you from creating a Showcase Page dedicated to these testimonials, keeping them all in one place and easy to find for your followers.

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#MarketingTitbits – Lego, blogging, Marc Jacobs

lego-blog-marcjacobs-smaller1. Lego to co-create marketing campaign with UK fansLego is calling upon all UK fans to help create a marketing campaign by suggesting new product ideas for a global market. Lego’s head of global community co-creation said despite the fact the company is not expecting the new products to be the next Ninjango or Lego Movie, it is hoping to build on the trust it already has within its UK community of fans. Lego are also encouraging the fans to promote this new marketing campaign via their own social media profiles.

Similarly, in the past, Lego have invited fans to give input to their marketing. For example, students in Canada sent a balloon with a Lego figure attached to the edge of space and scenes in the Lego Movie have been created by fans. To read more, click here. 

 

2. Blogger vs. Word Press: which is better for beginners?

If you’ve never written or had a blog before and you’d like to but don’t know how to get started, this is a great article for you. The two most widely used blogging platforms out there are Blogger and WordPress but it can be difficult to decide which one is best for you.

They differ in terms of ease of use, aesthetics and how easy they are to integrate to social media channels but really it all comes down to what type of blogger you are. If you’re looking for a blog that is simple, without much room for customisation, then blogger may be the one for you. However, if you’re more serious about blogging in the long term and want your blog to be totally unique, WordPress is probably the platform for you.

To read the full article, click here. 

 

3. Marc Jacobs takes to Twitter to find face of new campaign

Last week, Marc Jacobs made a controversial decision to find the face of their campaign not by the traditional method of model agencies, but through Twitter. The designer brand asked fans to post a selfie with the hashtag #CastMeMarc.

This is not the first time the company have taken to Twitter; during London Fashion Week they opened a ‘tweet shop’ allowing customers to make purchases simply by tweeting about the brand! To read more, click here.

 

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#MarketingTitbits – Tesco, Steve Jobs and Twitter

Tesco-Jobs-Twitter-smaller1. Tesco buys into big data to make marketing more personalised
In a bid to make their marketing more personalised and improve Clubcard loyalty programmes, Tesco’s subsidiary Dunnhumby, have purchased big data technology firm Sociomantic. The combined data of the two will mean that Tesco have access to an “unprecedented” database of more than a billion people.

The CEO of Dunnhumby says this “will allow Tesco to improve its online marketing to provide a better experience for consumers and advertisers.” Tesco is hoping to improve its Clubcard scheme by going digital, this will eventually mean away with plastic cards and paper vouchers and will allow customers to collect points via their mobile.

To read more, click here. 

 

2. Steve Jobs’ 13 most inspiring quotes

“Getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.

“Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me… Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful… that’s what matters to me.”

Just two inspiring quotes from Steve Jobs, to read more, click here. 

 

3. Twitter’s redesign: is it turning into Facebook?

You may have noticed the changes Twitter have made in the last week. They have totally redesigned the profile pages making them look and feel much more like Facebook’s profile pages.

Some of the specific changes include:

  • Larger profile photos and banner images that stretch across the whole page
  • Popular tweets will be larger and easier for users to find – these are tweets that have had a high engagement rate
  • A new feature that allows users to pin their favourite tweets to the top of their profile
  • Users now have the ability to filter the tweets of the individuals they follow

To read more, click here.

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#MarketingTitbits – John Lewis, Easters & awards

johnlewis-easter-awards-smaller1. John Lewis’ 150th anniversary marketing campaign

Founded in 1864, John Lewis has become one of the most popular department stores in the UK and what better way to celebrate their 150th anniversary than be awarded for the 15th year running ‘the nation’s best retailer’ award by Verdict?

The company’s Christmas advertising campaigns are eagerly awaited each year by the nation’s consumers, but this year we will not have to wait that long as John Lewis will be launching an anniversary advertising campaign in May to keep us all talking.

The campaign will kick-off on the day the first ever John Lewis store opened on Oxford Street, May 2nd. This day will mark the opening of an exhibition celebrating 150 years of brand development and design, but we will also see the launch of exclusive ranges from Barbour, Silvercross, Ted Baker and Jo Malone.  The television advert will be hitting our screens on May 3rd, so keep an eye out and let us know what you think!

To read more, click here. 

 

2. The best, worst and oddest Easter marketing campaigns

Each Easter we see a battle for the best marketing campaign, not only from the companies selling Easter Eggs but from the likes of B&Q and Mini as well.

Inevitably, some of these ads are well thought out, intriguing and likely to grab out attention, but some of them are not. Marketing Week have highlighted the best, worst and weirdest Easter campaigns of 2014. To read more, click here. 

 

3. 5 small business awards you can enter right now

As an SME it can sometimes be hard to stand out from the crowd and make your mark. Ensuring that your marketing is fine-tuned and working well is a good way to make sure your brand is recognised, but one of the best ways to raise your profile and gain credibility is to win awards.

Lucky for you – there are many you can enter. Not only does entering force you to look reflectively at your business, goals and future (through the application process), but it also highlights your brand to people who may have never heard of it before – a good marketing tool in itself.

Enterprisenation have highlighted five of the best free awards that you can enter your business to and how to do just that. To read more, click here.

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#MarketingTitbits – words, Apple, John Lewis

words-apple-johnlewis-smaller1. Words that people frequently get wrong
Sometimes grammar can be tricky and getting the wrong words in the wrong place can get your writing instantly discredited by the reader. Despite the use of spelling and grammar checkers as standard these days, they frequently fail to identify even the most explicit of typos or spelling mistake. With this in mind, we found a useful article from Business Insider this week.

The article highlights 32 words that people often get wrong and how to use them properly. The list includes ‘elicit’ and ‘illicit’, ‘discreet’ and ‘discrete’ and ‘principal’ and ‘principle’. To read more, click here. 

 

2. Mind-blowing facts about Apple

Apple was first founded in April 1976. Since then it has become one of the largest corporations in the world and certainly one of the most influential.

It can be hard to put the enormity of the company that is Apple Inc. into perspective sometimes, but we’ve found a great article that helps to do this. For example, did you know Apple have $150.6 billion in cash meaning they could buy Netflix, Tesla, Twitter, Dropbox, Pandora and Spotify and still have $59 billion in cash to spend on anything else it wants?

For more mind-blowing facts about Apple, click here. 

 

3. John Lewis brand ‘not as loved as you might think’

John Lewis has become an integral part of British culture. The company have won the Verdict’s award of ‘The Nation’s Best Retailer’ 15 years in a row.

Despite this, Rachel Swift, John Lewis’ head of marketing, says “they don’t love us quite as much as you’d think.” In a recent study carried out by the company itself, customers were asked if they would ‘hang around’ with the brand if it were at a party, the majority answer was ‘not necessarily’.

To read more about why the nation don’t love John Lewis as much as you might expect, click here.

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#MarketingTitbits – Twitter, Ribena, Innocent

twitter-ribena-innocent-smaller1. Like it or not, you’ll have Twitter’s new profile by May 28th
Last month, Twitter announced that they will be updating the Twitter profile design. It’s true that the new design bears more than a passing resemblance to Facebook, but like it or not, you will be using it from May 28th.

You have probably already seen the new design, as new users and some existing users have been using it over the past month. It appears that some Twitter users aren’t happy about the change and have been expressing their opinions over Twitter.

To read more, click here. 

 

2. Ribena ad banned for ‘exaggerated’ health boasts

In a bid to make their marketing “more consumer friendly”, Ribena got an advert banned by the Advertising Standards Authority.

The company had reworded health claims associated with the vitamins present in its products, such as “Vitamin A… helps keep your vision in tip-top condition” and “Vitamin C… it helps immunity”. Unfortunately, the ASA claimed that Ribena implied the vitamins make the body perform better when in reality they just help the body to maintain its normal function.

To read more, click here.

 

 

3. Innocent juice campaign will run despite Indian mangoes import ban

As of May 2nd, the EU decided that the shipments of mangoes from India must be suspended. This is because some consignments of the fruit were found to be infested with fruit flies, which were deemed to be dangerous if brought over to the UK. David Cameron has said he will “do his best to reverse this ban so we can keep the special relationship with India”.

However, in the meantime, Innocent had to make a decision about whether they would run their new advertising campaign, which features the story about Bedrul who produces the mangoes that go into one of Innocent’s juice blends.

To read more and to watch the advert, click here.

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Growth Vouchers – up to £2000 match funding!

e-shot-image-may14
Growth Vouchers were first announced by the Chancellor in the 2013 budget. The drive behind them is designed to help SMEs access the advice they need to help them grow. The businesses that participate will be allocated a voucher up to the value of £2,000, matched with their own funds, to spend on advice and guidance from industry experts. The advice areas include ‘Marketing, attracting and keeping customers’.

If you think you could benefit from strategic marketing advice to grow your business, you may be eligible for match funding of up to £2,000.

If you meet the criteria you will be taken through a diagnostic that assesses your business needs. If you are successful, you will receive a voucher. Once you have your voucher, you are free to choose your supplier; all suppliers are members of Founding Trade & Professional Bodies, to ensure the advice you receive is coming from experienced professionals.

TLC Business are delighted to have been accredited as Growth Advisors for this £30million government funded scheme, in the field of marketing.

We have already started working with businesses awarded Growth Vouchers to help get their marketing on track in 2014. With the extension of the scheme until March 2015, there is still time for your business to apply for a Growth Voucher and benefit from the funding to put towards expanding your business.

To find out if you are eligible for a voucher click here or give us a call for any additional information, on 01962 600 147.

 

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#MarketingTitbits – Canon, sexist ads, Waitrose

canon-sexistads-waitrose1. Canon’s marketing strategy: capture moments that count
Canon, the Japanese multinational corporation known for selling cameras and photography equipment, have a new message for their online customer base. They say that everyone can do better than “good enough” in their photography, no matter what the images are for and they have asked their customers to show the world exactly what this means.

To find out how the 77 year old brand stays relevant in the digital era, click here. 

 

2. Sexist ads of the 1960s that companies wish we’d forget

The 1960s was a very different world to the one we live in today. Not only were products, fashions and design different but so too were attitudes towards women and their place in society.

We’ve found an article from Business Insider highlighting some of the most outrageously sexist adverts that were around in the 1960s, we’re sure some of the companies still around today wish we would forget.

To read more, click here. 

 

3. Waitrose boss: ‘Our strategy is to do the opposite of what everyone else is doing’

The majority of supermarkets these days are doing everything they can to compete on price and keep you shopping in their store. Most of these schemes include matching each other on price, having new special offers every week and discounting their products.

However, if you shop in Waitrose you may have already realised that they have come from a different angle to market their brand. Instead of lowering their prices, the supermarket strive to do the “opposite of what everyone else is doing” and focus on giving their customers an improved customer experience and enviable loyalty schemes.

If you would like to read more about Waitrose’s new marketing strategy, click here.

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