#MarketingTitbits – Pizza Hut, shopping, Twitter

pizza-shopping-twitter-smaller1. Pizza Hut’s new Xbox 360 app
 In April 2013 Pizza Hut released a new app for the Xbox 360. The app allowed Xbox 360 users to order and pay for pizzas and sides to be delivered to their home, without even having to move from the sofa. In the first 4 months of app’s release Pizza Hut sold $1million worth of pizza, but have still not stated whether they will bring the app to other consoles.

To read more, click here.

 

2. 17 things shops do to make you spend more money

 Have you ever been shopping and returned home with much more than you intended? Despite you not planning on the impulse buys, the shop you bought them from probably did. Whether it was a supermarket or clothing shop, there are many things that shops do to encourage you to spend more money.

Supermarkets tend to place essential items such as milk and eggs near the back of the shop, this is so that you have to walk past all the other items before you reach them, making you more likely to pick something up you don’t really want or need. Not only do shops use sales to entice you, they also use limited-time offers to increase your sense of urgency when making a purchase.

To have a look at the other 15, click here.

 

3. Top 10 UK Twitter trends of 2013

 At this time each year, not only are the biggest trends of the previous year discussed and brought to light, there is also much speculation about what the coming year’s top trends will be.

On Twitter last year, in Britain, 8 out of the 10 most talked about topics were discussions about sporting events. In number one spot on 5th March was Real Madrid beating Manchester United 2-1, knocking them out of the Champions League. Unsurprisingly it was another footballing event in at number 10 on 15th October; England beat Poland 2-0 to qualify for the Brazil 2014 World Cup.

To have a look at numbers 2-9, click here.

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#MarketingTitbits – media mentions, coding, Twitter

media-coding-twitter-smaller1. The companies with the most media mentions in 2013
 Each year, Dow Jones publish their Global Dow Index which includes a list of the companies with the most media mentions for that year. Unsurprisingly US tech giants topped the list with Google being number one, Apple coming in a close second and Microsoft coming in a close third.

To have a look at the rest of the list from Mashable, click here.

 

2. Become a coding expert and a better marketer

 Learning to code is rapidly becoming an indispensible skill; it can open up a whole world of new opportunities, and can make you stand out a mile when looking for a new job. There are many online courses that offer to teach you everything you need to know to become an expert coder, some free and some paid. We think Codecademy is one of the best free websites that can teach you about all different types of coding and how to use them.

To read more about why and how you should learn to code,click here.

 

3. How the top 100 brands use twitter

If your business isn’t already using Twitter then it’s about time you thought about it. It has been one of the fastest growing social networking sites since its launch in 2006. If you don’t yet use Twitter to connect with your customers or if you’re simply in need of some fresh inspiration, have a look at this article which highlights how the top 100 brands use Twitter.

To read more, click here.

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CamKids 2010 Charity

TLC Business has always placed a great deal of importance on its charitable activities. Having raised £1000s of pounds for local hospice Naomi House over the last few years, this year we have decided to direct our fundraising towards a project slightly further afield.
‘CamKids’ (The Cambodian Children’s Charity) is TLC Business’ charity for 2010. Inspired by TLC Director, Joshua Spencer’s, trip to the Far East in 2009, CamKids is a charity which helps disadvantaged and vulnerable children in Cambodia.

Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in the world. Crippled by decades of war, international embargoes, political instability and economic stagnation, Cambodia’s infrastructure and social support networks are only slowly being rebuilt. The majority of the population lives in rural areas, are poor and lack access to even the most basic services.

With over half of the population under the age of 18 years, there are serious concerns for their economic and social well-being. Cambodia is one of the countries worst affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the impact on many households in human and financial terms is devastating.

‘CamKids’ is a development and relief organisation, dedicated to providing direct aid to children in Cambodia who are either poor or whose parents are not there for them: orphans, street children, children living in poor rural areas and children affected by natural disasters, such as flood or famine. In a country where there is a high rate of child abandonment, they also support programs to help strengthen vulnerable families and keep them together by working with local communities, offering support to families through the provision of nutritional, medical and educational support, healthcare advice and vocational skills.

Having seen the poverty first hand, all the team at TLC Business are delighted to focus their efforts on contributing to this valuable charity and, in turn, helping improve the lives of Cambodia’s most vulnerable children.

For more information on CamKids, visit www.camkids.org or their blog:www.camkids.blogspot.com.

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New Year, New You: FREE Marketing MOT

Does your marketing need a kick-start? Not sure where to begin? Need to re-focus your efforts in 2010 or put a plan in place?
TLC’s Marketing MOT is the perfect starting point. This one-hour session with one of our Marketing Managers allows a systematic examination of all of your marketing activities. We’ll put your marketing under the spotlight and get to the heart of your business by asking lots of questions that will help re-examine what you are doing.

The subsequent MOT report provides an invaluable overview of your marketing in the context of your wider business objectives. It is designed to offer fresh perspectives, ideas and inspiration that will form the basis of your future marketing activities.

In the spirit of the New Year, we’ve allocated a limited number of FREE MOT sessions in our diary. To nab one of them for your business, get in touch with Rebecca Pash, at rebecca@tlc-business.co.uk

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Five Minutes and Fifty Business Cards

Five Minutes and Fifty Business Cards

01.02.10 The Golden Rule of Networking

Today we’re off to a speed networking event, and we’re going smugly prepared, determined not to fall into that trap. You know how it is. You come away having met some great people, made some really useful contacts and then several months later you find a pile of business cards gathering dust at the back of your desk.

It’s a fact. A massive 95% of attendees will fail to follow up after a networking event. It’s easily done as we struggle with seemingly more pressing commitments, but no more excuses. None of us are in the business of wasting time so let’s start 2010 as we mean to go on. I’m not in the habit of teaching grandmother to suck eggs, but there’s no harm in a quick reminder here and there, especially when we’re talking golden rules.

1. SET OBJECTIVES: We know what we want to achieve. We’ve had a good think about the connections we want to make; the connections that will help us move our business forward in the next few months.

2. DON’T SELL: We’re not going to win new clients because nobody goes to a networking event to be sold to. If we happen to generate new clients, then that’s an added bonus but it’s not our prime objective.

3. BUILD ALLIANCES: This is what effective networking is all about. We’ve identified who we might be able to build win-win relationships with. They’re people with whom we can share experiences and ideas and build a referral and support network.

4. FOLLOW UP: Needless to say, networking events are a waste of time if you don’t do this. We’ve already set aside some time in our diaries for following up later this week. It doesn’t need to take long. Be selective and only follow up with the people who fit with your original objective for being there.

5. STAY CONNECTED: It takes time to reap the benefits of networking. It’s all about building long term relationships, so make ongoing efforts to stay connected. Set a monthly reminder.

So there we are, the golden rules of networking. I’ll let you know how we get on!

Rebecca Pash, Marketing Manager, TLC Business

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Stationery to Smile About

We’re very excited here at the TLC Business office. Our new business cards, letterheads and comp. slips have just turned up!
Now, new stationery is always exciting, but our new stationery is extra pleasing which is why couldn’t help shouting about it!

Not only does it look lovely but it’s got some serious green credentials which we put top of the priority list when deciding on paper stock, ink and finish. Everything’s been printed on TCF (Totally Chlorine Free) recycled card/paper which is both 100% forest sustainable and 100% recycled. All of the inks are eco inks so use vegetable oil instead of mineral oil, plus we’ve avoided any lamination so no nasty plastics involved.

Smug, us?

If you too want stationery to feel good about then email rebecca@tlc-business.co.uk

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The TLC Business Marketing Formula

We’ve spent a lot of our time recently asking a lot of questions. We’ve blogged and tweeted and spent time in marketing forums. We’ve grilled all the people we’re in touch with and listened closely to their answers.
Our aim – to really gauge businesses’ marketing needs and identify areas where people feel more could be done. It’s been a very interesting exercise and provided us with some fantastic insights.

Almost everyone told us they spend a great deal of time and effort on the ‘doing’, and this clearly makes sense as you don’t get results without hard work. But what about when you work hard and don’t get the results?

Interestingly enough, a lot of people admitted this was the case, whilst also mentioning they probably don’t spend enough time preparing or planning. Now, this is an area we have always put a lot of emphasis on, and we will continue to do so, because without thorough preparation and careful planning the rest simply doesn’t add up.

And thus we have it, The TLC Business marketing formula.

 

 

Marketing-Formula-v

 

 

 

We wanted to break down the marketing process into distinct and logical phases of action so that we are able to meet our client’s expectations and our own in the most effective way.

The sum is, we listen closely, plan thoroughly, think imaginatively, work harder, measure obsessively and deliver more for less. It all adds up to help you achieve the most from your marketing.

If you would like to hear how our marketing formula can deliver marketing results for your business please contact Rebecca on 01962 600 150 or email rebecca@tlc-business.co.uk.

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The Importance of Being Prepared

16.02.10 Part 1: The TLC Business Marketing Formula

OK, so this is going to be a five-part blog where we walk through the five phases of the TLC Business Marketing Formula.

Today we start with ‘preparation’ – perhaps the most important, and most overlooked, phase of all. We know for a fact there are a lot of you out there who could really do with investing some time in a bit of preparation.

There’s always a lot of  time spent ‘doing’ marketing – a lot of hard work – or ‘perspiration’ as we like to call it. Now there’s nothing wrong with that except all too often this perspiration fails to achieve the desired results.

It’s at this point we say STOP! Please don’t spend any more time or money undertaking marketing activities that are destined to fail. It’s time to take a step back and do some thorough preparation. It’s not about looking at the ‘how’ and putting a plan in place. This goes further back. It’s considering the ‘what and ‘why’ which will define everything that goes after.

It’s all about doing research, identifying your target markets and listening to your customers, whilst reviewing your current position. We’re talking competitor analysis, market research, customer surveys, SWOTs and PESTLEs; systematic and thorough research and analysis that provides solid facts on which to base marketing decisions.

It always surprises us how many businesses gloss over this phase and undertake a variety of marketing activities (that usually don’t work) based on assumptions or ideas; it’s a ‘if one thing fails, try another’ sort of approach and it usually results in a lot of time and money being wasted unnecessarily.

At TLC Business we place a great deal of emphasis on the sort of preparation we’ve mentioned and we will continue to stress its importance until we’re blue in the face. Investing time and resources at the outset, will  save you both in the long run and will go a long way to achieving the marketing results you want.

You’ve heard it here, prepare or beware. The first rule of the TLC Business Marketing Formula.

Rebecca Pash, Marketing Manager, TLC Business

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Time to Get Creative

23.02.10 Part 2: The TLC Business Marketing Formula
This is the second in a five-part blog where we’re pulling apart the TLC Business Marketing Formula.

This is where it gets interesting. We’re talking about inspiration. Flair and imagination –yes, but it’s got to be careful, clear, precise and concise. It’s surprisingly difficult to get it right. And if you haven’t done your preparation (see part one) then you’re likely to be lost before you start.

It’s about taking the research, analysis, knowledge and understanding you’ve gathered and making decisions about the best way forward.

To start it’s about defining your unique position within the market, what will make you stand out. We’re talking USPs and MSPPs. Textbook stuff maybe but it’s surprising how many confused and mixed messages there are out there. Your MSPPs and USPs are things that need to be clearly defined, and understood by you and your organisation before you can start trying to communicate them.

It’s funny how widely misunderstood marketing is. For many, marketing means advertising; a costly marketing tool that is hard to get right and thus rarely delivers the desired results. Techonology continues to shape the marketing landscape and there are many new and exciting ways to reach out to and communicate with your target market that are relatively straightforward and inexpensive.

Be imaginative. This is the time to get creative; to come up with that quirky direct mail or e-marketing campaign that captures people’s attention and pushes all the right buttons. Be careful not to get carried away though. You might come up with what seems an exciting idea for an innovative marketing campaign, but if it isn’t tailored to your target market and doesn’t address their requirements then it’s simply not going to work.

Commit your ideas to paper and work them into a clear and logical plan of action that sets out exactly how and when everything is going to happen. Be realistic about time and money, and what’s possible with both.

Once you and your colleagues are happy that everything is in place it’s time to get on with the ‘doing’. But that’s for next time…

Rebecca Pash, Marketing Manager, TLC Business

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Bucket Loads of Perspiration

02.03.10 Part 3: The TLC Business Marketing Formula
We’ve reached part three in a five-part blog all about our TLC Business Marketing Formula.

This is where it all happens. It’s time to get busy and put all the preparation and plans into action. We like to call this ‘doing’ part the ‘perspiration’ phase because, believe us, it takes a great deal of hard work, commitment and perseverance.

If you’ve done sufficient preparation and planning, which we swear by, (see part one and two) then you have a head start. You can be confident that the carefully considered campaign you’re about to embark on is saying the right thing to the right people.  Now it’s about committing to your plan and ticking all of the boxes; ensuring you’re doing the best possible with the resources available to you.

Needless to say, it’s often easier said than done. It’s a common mistake that in ‘doing’ marketing, businesses get bogged down with the detail, carried away or sidetracked. This is where the commitment and perseverance come in.

Make a concerted effort to stick to the plan and keep your objectives in mind. Try to work with clarity and consistency throughout the lifetime of a campaign and ensure that everyone involved has a clear understanding of what you’re trying to achieve. It requires attention to the tiniest details; checking and testing to ensure that everything’s working and looking as it should. Errors, inaccuracies and poor quality will only deflect from the campaign’s objectives and undermine a business’ credibility.

Last but not least, part of delivering a campaign is ensuring that systems are in place to measure its results. A campaign’s success cannot be rated according to gut feelings or assumptions. Without the correct tools in place to measure results, the campaign will never meet your business objectives and give you something to feel smug about. We love results, and we’ll teach you to too…next time.

Rebecca Pash, Marketing Manager, TLC Business

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