As you can see in the email, there’s no reason for the meeting, although by the service they provide, I have an idea what they are wanting.

The ‘YM’ reference is The Yorkshire Mafia.I have just copied and pasted it and the names have been changed to protect the innocent!

How would you respond?

Hi Danny

Hope your well!

I have noticed you do a lot with the YM!

Would it be possible for us to meet up for a coffee and a chat at some point next week.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Kind Regards

NAME
COMPANY ETC

What I found so interesting was that many people took one look at the new ‘logo’ and decided it was too simple and rather than add value to the brand, actually took away from its messaging, which at present communicates the essence of the company – coffee.

Although I do think that the new branding is very simple, this is typical of a premium market place and synonymous of organisations which have global domination on their radar. The new brand is just one element of an entire marketing strategy and the first step to what we can presume will be a long, and I would predict, very interesting journey.

Chief executive of Starbucks, Howard Schultz, has confirmed that the updated brand is a result of the company seeking to expand further into the grocery market and who can blame them? In a world which seems to be dominated by bad news, doom and gloom and predictions of further job losses and economic downturns I personally wish them well.

The new brand is inoffensive, it’s simple and as far as I can see it is an obvious evolution of an image which has become a house hold name. Having a strategy in place which allows a company to evolve and progress, offering a greater range of products, to a market which is already receptive, seems to me to be good business sense.

Even if you don’t like the new branding, just look at the PR which has been generated as a result of the announcements – which have been strategically released two months before the new look will be revealed to its customers.

All you need to do is Google ‘Starbucks rebrand 2011‘ and the blogs and comments, opinions and articles come up in abundance.  Twitter was inundated with comments when the rebrand was announced and that is exactly what the company is hoping for, noise. Noise around its brand and comments about the business.

Interestingly the company did not want to disclose the cost of the rebrand – but then that’s not surprising. I would guess that they have already achieved a return on investment with the PR that has been generated as a result and for those who still need convincing that a marketing strategy really does encourage brand engagement – watch this space.

I expect that this is just phase one of a very detailed and methodical communications strategy, which will see Starbucks taking greater market share and reporting record breaking profits in the years to come. It remains to be seen but I think we will be hearing a a lot more from Starbucks, not just about its branding, but its extensive variety of products as they take to supermarket shelves throughout the globe.

So, anyone fancy a coffee?

Or will they?

If used properly and maximised on, the two methods work well along-side each other. Research shows that 89% of decision makers will use Google first to find new suppliers. Then they turn to word of mouth referrals and social networking sites such as Twitter, and ask for recommendations from the people they follow, and those who are following them.

But isn’t that time consuming? And even after all that research they may not find the right supplier / product.

On the other hand, Mr Decision Maker could be sat at his desk, working away when the phone rings. The caller introduces themselves, they give their elevator pitch and pique the interest of Mr DM by mentioning that this product is in limited supply, a much reduced, time sensitive promotion. Whilst the telemarketer continues to sing the praises of their product, the buyer has looked at their website and has seen that this is indeed a brilliant money and time saving offer, and although they already have a current supplier he will not hesitate to change – it’s that damn good!

So the deal is done, but then the buyer is further impressed by his new supplier. Why? Because they have just asked if their new customer is on Twitter? Facebook? Can we connect on Linkedin? This company is clearly at the forefront of their industry, and a new relationship manifests itself, strengthening the customer – supplier chain.

Not to be under rated is the value of Linkedin. As every credible telesales company will tell you, the outcome of a call is influenced by the amount of research that is done before even picking up the phone. This is where Linkedin plays its part. Search for the buyers name and all of sudden you have their current position and responsibilities as well as their previous roles and experience. Take a look at the people they’re connected to – any cross over with your connections?

We’d love to hear what you think, do you agree with the above? What’s been your experience?

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CHAPTER 11

Cutting Ties

Trapped in a hellish prison of insomnia I battled through another night just tossing and turning. When I finally drifted into an exhausted coma resembling sleep, the same nightmare propelled me back into consciousness. I looked at the clock. Two hours had passed. That was hardly sufficient time to recharge my batteries. How much longer would this go on? It had got to the point where I didn’t even want to close my eyes because I’d only wake up in a cold sweat, weakened by the same anxious feelings pressing down on my chest.

Memories of the events leading up to this traumatised state replayed in my head, cruelly reigniting painful emotions and my darkest fears. Nothing could shift my thoughts away from the cause of my anguish. I lay awake contemplating the enormity of the mess I was in and considering all the options I could have taken, mentally kicking myself constantly. During the day I cried in frustration and disappointment and at night I lay awake. I was so tired… If only I could rewind my life by a year.

I didn’t regret doing Dragons’ Den; it had been a great oppor-tunity to gain investment. But the reason I did it was for help and moral support and the potential to leverage my product into their proven markets. I made it clear in my pitch that I only needed a modest amount of money and I certainly didn’t need a new business plan. I just wanted someone to help me make choices and decisions. More importantly, I craved encouragement and the knowledge that I wasn’t alone.

Let me be clear, the programme wasn’t the problem. The premise of this BBC series is that it offers participants a very real possi-bility of investment, guidance and support to take their product to the next level. Plus, in terms of advertising cost, the amount that would need to be spent to achieve the same amount of national exposure would run into tens of thousands. Viewers watch as the candidates stammer and sweat in the face of relentless scrutiny from a panel of investors because they know the rewards are worth it.

People who choose to enter the Dragons’ Den show, place their hopes and dreams openly on a plate and gamble with the chance of being publicly humiliated. They enter the den desperate for help, support and money. As for the promises that are made to the lucky few, it would be wonderful to think that the letdowns I have experienced are just a recent phenomenon and previous entrepreneurs have been more fortunate.

I reasoned that with such a large number of previous winners, the Dragons could no longer spare any time for their protégés in addition to running their own businesses and fulfilling their new roles as TV celebrities. Or perhaps the brutal truth was just that I had made a really bad choice. Whatever the reason, I had got myself into a huge mess and had to find a way out.

I requested a meeting with Kenny the following week. Just making that call gave me a sense of relief. At last, I’d made a commitment to address the issues that were destroying my passion, energy and will to continue. As I came off the phone I looked up at Pete who was working contently. He smiled sympathetically and asked, “Is that it?” He knew I had reached breaking point and things had to change. I could not pretend any more and told him how I felt.

A tale of personal strength and character, Mother of Invention is not to be missed! Visit http://motherofinventionbook.co.uk/

Here are four proven techniques that can double your customer base in four short weeks simply by generating leads and converting them into valued customers:

1) Cultivate Your Raving Fans

Raving fans are a tremendous source of new customers. If you make an effort to personalise every sale and give every customer the VIP treatment, you can build a customer base that become cheerleaders for your business. Raving fans can’t help but tell others about your service and products. These are your most prized customers and your investment in service should be based on the value they bring to your business, which can be exponential.

2) Create A Referral Program

Referrals are a natural way of growing your customer base, but do you go about generating referrals the right way? Aside from terrific value and customer service, do you offer customers who bring referrals to your business anything special for those referrals? It is important to always reward customer referrals. Most people wonder, “What’s in it for me?” when it comes to promoting someone else’s business, that’s why you have to make referring your business worth it to them. Gifts, closed door sales, special events or even discounts are all ways to keep the referrals coming.

3) Form Strategic Business Alliances

Partnering with other businesses that aren’t in direct competition with you is one of the easiest ways to grow your customer base. If you own a home decorating firm would partnering with someone who sells real estate make sense? Consider your business and other businesses that share your views and philosophies, but sell a different product. How could access to their customers grow your business? Customers trust businesses that have shown their loyalty and will be inclined to follow their recommendations. Why do you think corporate sponsorship is so big these days? When you build strong alliances with other businesses that share your philosophy, you create a win-win situation for everyone involved, including the customer.

4) Build a Trained and Skilled Workforce

A team that is empowered and has a sense of ownership can boost your customer base dramatically. Remember, your team comes into contact with people both in and out of work every day. Every one of those interactions can be a marketing opportunity for your business. Your responsibility is to teach your team the skills they need to promote your business to everybody they come in contact with. To do this, your team needs your attention, guidance, and training, and don’t forget about your team’s bottom line either. They will need to be incentivised to do the job properly.

If you make these investments, you’ll find your team will do a better job at converting prospects into sales, building your customer base.

Are you free on the evening of Tuesday 5th October? If so, don’t miss seeing the world’s number one business coach Brad Sugars who is presenting in Leeds that evening.

The event itself is free provided you use the following code YKLKACU008 which is good for you and 3 guests to attend.

Visit http://www.businessisboomingemea.com/ for more details and to book.

Networkers look for opportunities for those they LIKE, KNOW & TRUST.

Networkers don’t look out for people they think are idiots.

“I NEED bigger businesses”
No, no you don’t. When I hear that I, I ask the question, are you a bigger business? If the answer is no, then what right have you got to demand. At seminars I’ve said “will all the smaller businesses please piss off, so Mr X can network with the bigger business.” Empty rooms do not make for great networking opportunities.

“There is no one here I can sell to”
Well done, you are right, no one goes to a network to buy. But often networkers do…
The key here is BUY. Not sell.

It’s not just about the people you are sat in front of; it’s all the people they each know. How do you access someone’s personal network? By being trusted and you don’t build trust up in networking circles selling.

“There is already someone in my profession there, what’s the point”
Defeatist attitudes.. geez. This is like saying you have no USP. Nothing, that sets you apart from others in the same profession. . People buy from people before they buy products and services and you owe it to your business to know EXACTLY why someone should deal with you.

“I know everyone already”
That is a bit like saying I’ve read the newspapers. Things change. Think about that, one day to the next, each of those people “you know already” have met other people, encountered new opportunities, met new people since they last met. On top of that, I often find out new stuff about people that I’ve known for months or years. New stuff that can lead to opportunities for both of us.

“Can I see the attendees’ lists before I attend”
No, what possible advantage is there for all the attendees? None. People who ask this have preconceived ideas about the ‘value’ of each profession, business or trade. Everyone has value, everyone. Remember it’s not just the person sat in front of you but the people they know as well. The most successful networkers I know let people come to them, rather than choosing who they want to speak to. Don’t look at people with £notes over their heads, everyone has value.

“I don’t have enough time to network”
Really so why are you here now? Unless you are writing business every hour of the day, you have time to network. You’ll likely find more support if you admitted you are struggling in your business and the reality is that you can’t afford to. If that is, as i find it often the case, what is your alternative and more cost effective route to market?

“How can I help you?”
This is great when you know someone, but let’s be honest  you don’t ask people you trust “How can I help you?” You just do it. It pisses me off when you get divvy “trained networkers” as part of their ‘referral strategy’ asking this, one minute after they just met you.

You can help me by pissing off and stop asking daft disingenuous questions as part of your referral strategy, when you are not actually bothered about the answer.

The key message to this blog,  is when networking have an open mind. Seriously, I see so many people torpedo potential business and relationships by being idiots and saying daft things like those listed above.

If networking is not working for you. Ask yourself a question. Are you guilty of saying things like the above?

If after that, the next and probably most crucial question is “What bit of you talking to people, isn’t working?”

A basic cornerstone of successful networking is to avoid being the idiot that everyone avoids.

Networking doesn’t revolve around you, it revolves around people.

Brad Burton is Managing Director of 4Networking

www.4networking.biz

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The purpose of these is to ask the delegates what they want covering relating to blockages they have in their businesses then deliver a seminar that answers their questions by the speakers constructing their presentations on what the audience want covering.

The whole aim of them is that as they are bespoke to the audience and as the delegates (business owners) actually dictate the topics covered on the day, everyone involved knows that the session is relevant to them and their business.

We are currently running two in July & August for South Yorkshire companies.

Carl Hopkins (www.kloog.co.uk):
4N Barnsley Ramada Encore Hotel: Tuesday 20th July (20 – 25 delegates)

Nicky Pattinson (www.hiyaitsnicky.com):
4N Sheffield Hillsborough: Wednesday 4th August (20-25 delegates)

Workshop Programme:
0800 – 1000: 4N Breakfast Meet
1030 – 1130: Session 1
1145 – 1300: Session 2
1300 – 1330: Lunch & Networking

The aim of these workshops, funded through the region’s Top Team Workshop Programme is to offer a strategic review of your business. Consisting of a half day session with around 30 delegates in each session, Carl and Nicky will cover topics including:

•    Identifying your key challenges
•    Main priorities for the business and identify barriers
•    Developing strategies to address those barriers
•    Finding the kind of resources needed to succeed
•    Identifying changes needed to ensure future success
•    Assisting managers to maximise performance
•    Developing staff if required and creating a realistic action plan to take the business forward

Both Carl and Nicky’s ‘day jobs’ are assisting businesses in strategic growth through sales, marketing, customer interaction and procedures so this is an excellent opportunity to gain advice specific to your business. We are limiting the number of delegates in order for all present to gain the maximum with regard to their business.

TO BOOK:
Contact Danny Matharu on 07904 – 873 202 or email danny (at) hillrich.co.uk

How Does it Work?
These workshops are built to be bespoke to the audience in the sense that the delegates outline the topics to be covered on the day. This will be in the form of a couple of questions which we will then pass onto Carl and/or Nicky so they can pitch their presentations and offer strategies specific to the 30 or so businesses.

With this, Carl and Nicky can offer examples and advice based on businesses present and therefore delegates take away tangibles that are relevant and achievable – things that can be implemented into your business from leaving the seminar which will make an immediate impact.

Carl and Nicky will be present during the lunchtime networking session to answer any specific queries on a one-to-one basis.

Price:
The funding for these allows the cost per seminar to be brought down to just £39.00 +VAT per delegate! Generally this would cost upwards of £200.00 per delegate. Each delegate simply has to supply information about their business beforehand for the Funders’ criteria e.g. location, sector etc.

Also included in the price is:
•    4N Breakfast
•    Lunch
•    Tea/Coffee throughout the morning
•    Excellent networking opportunities with specific networking times outside the presentations

TO BOOK:
Contact Danny Matharu on 07904 – 873 202 or email danny (at) hillrich.co.uk

Unfortunately, these seminars are only available to businesses based in South Yorkshire.

Here’s a snapshot of the workshops we ran in Huddersfield with Carl and Nicky:

Hillrich Carl Hopkins Seminar 08/12/09 – Fantastic Media Suite, Galpharm Stadium, Huddersfield

Click on the image to be directed to the Flickr presentation.

Hillrich Nicky Pattinson Seminar 15/12/09 – Fantastic Media Suite, Galpharm Stadium, Huddersfield

Click on the image to be directed to the Flickr presentation.

Nicky Pattinson for Hillrich – Galpharm Stadium December 2009

And here’s what the delegates said about them:
. . . . . . . . . .
Hi Danny

Brilliant Nicky Pattinson seminar yesterday – the organisation was absolutely brilliant – well done!

David Broadhead
Partners in Management
. . . . . . . . . .
Hi Danny

Today was simply amazing, ran like clockwork, an absolutely perfect event without one single flaw…you make it look so very very easy…

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!

Mandy Barwick
Heritage Group
. . . . . . . . . .
Danny

Thanks again for today – brilliant!  The morning was really well organised – as usual – and of course, it was a pleasure to sit and listen to Nicky again.

Martin Bown
Management Accounting Services
. . . . . . . . . .
Morning Danny

Just like to say THANKS VERY MUCH for a really informative, relaxing and sharply delivered event on Tuesday.

The organisation and facilities, down to every detail were perfect. We just had to turn up and take it all in!

The wealth of information that was delivered in Carl’s inimitable ’straight talking’ way was hugely helpful in many areas. Also, being a small company, it was definitely ‘therapeutic’ to hear some similar problems and issues voiced and solved in such a relaxing and intimate setting.

I have to admit that I don’t attend many network/seminar events and I’ve come away with a real purpose to attend more.

Your event was the yard stick Danny – so I reckon other peoples need to be shit hot!

Danny Bulmer
date of birth
. . . . . . . . . .

TO BOOK:
Contact Danny Matharu on 07904 – 873 202 or email danny (at) hillrich.co.uk

Are SMEs better set to adopt social media?

Small and medium businesses tend to have the business owner as the main director and influencer in the business. Entrepreneurs and enterprising people take risks (how ever large or small) to set up and grow their businesses. They tend by nature of the fact that they have taken risks to set up their own business and hence have a different attitude towards risk. Which is no bad thing, in fact I think it puts them in good stead for adopting social media.

Adopting social media is about listening, participating, influencing and acting upon the conversations people are having on the various different social media sites about you and your business. Participating, influencing and acting upon this feedback is about risk.

It’s about risk and managing it
The more information and views you put out in the public domain, the more chance you will have of people engaging and talking about this information, whether that’s good or bad. So the more information, views and commentary you publish into the public domain, the greater the chance of these conversations happening.

For an entrepreneur who’s familiar and comfortable with risk taking, progressing and adopting social media will be a natural step forward. As they understand how to evaluate, minimise and respond to risks and the outcomes of the decisions. Not only that as they are still involved in the business they can have a direct influence on the social media strategy and implementation, as they are seen as the voice and front of the business.

Competitive Advantage for SMEs
Not only do they understand risk they also have the advantage that SMEs can be more agile and flexible when it comes to change, as the change process can be driven by the business owner and the change can be implemented reasonably quickly.

Perhaps this social media revolution is being driven forward by the SMEs in the UK rather than by the larger companies and enterprises. Perhaps this social change can bring about a new wave of entrepreneurs and business models that have still to establish themselves.

Now is one of the most exciting times to be in business
Now is one of the most exciting times to be a SME business owner, as social media is giving rise to a new means of doing business and communication.

What do you think? How has your SME business benefited from adopting social media?

Charlotte Britton is a Director at Rebublic of Yorkshire and Chair of the Institute of Directors, Young Directors Forum, Yorkshire and Humber.
charlotte (at) republicofyorkshire (dot) com – www.republicofyorkshire.com

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As an agency client, its growth is very satisfying to me personally but – like most valuable web brands – the secrets of success are the proposition itself and the technical execution. If you’re considering a new web venture or you’re looking at taking your offline business digital, then it’s worth a look.

Like many online businesses, Pitchero started life as a drawing board concept and its user base on day one was non-existent. In other words, it didn’t have a brandname it could trade on, or a customer base it could leverage.

Similar businesses are founded every hour but very few enjoy the rapid and wide-reaching brand success enjoyed by Pitchero. Granted, it’s far from being in the same league as Google, YouTube, Facebook etc. but it does share some characteristics with these online giants.

I’ve listed below four useful pointers (not intended to be an exhaustive analysis):

1. Keep it simple

When Google first went live, it did a better job of indexing web pages than any of its competitors. At the outset it was simple and easily understood. Sergey famously said, “when users come to Google.com all they want to do is search. And that’s our product”

Like Pitchero, a good proposition is often a simple one. Countless web ventures demonstrate a user-experience whose simplicity belies the power of the underlying technology and possibilities. From LinkedIn to Twitter, simplicity helps: users just ‘get it’ quickly.

Of course, the Pitchero backend is complicated and the architecture is cleverly designed to encourage data transfer and interaction – just as Google’s algorithms and search applications are hugely diverse – but the user experience is simple.

2. Do it well

The Pitchero proposition is clear and compelling: build a free, customisable website specifically designed for sports clubs. The proposition works and works well.

When you’re good, the advocates and early-adopters are happy to sing your praises. The bloggers and commentators (on and offline) will help spread the world, endorsing and raising awareness in the process. Early adopters are critical to building a company’s reputation.

3. Be good

Google also tried to be ‘good’ in the moral sense. The original, informal company motto was “Don’t be evil”. Cast aside your cynicism, because – whether you believe this approach is genuine or long since lost – this perception was critical to Google’s success.

Similarly, Pitchero have maintained their belief throughout that every new feature or functionality, every aspect of the club sites they help to create, must be in the sports club’s interest.

For example, by making the core product free, Pitchero recognise the financial constraints most grassroots clubs operate under. The temptation of course is to litter the club sites with display advertising, pop-ups and intrusive promotions. Instead, Pitchero took the long view: advertising is kept to a minimum and is designed not to be intrusive to the point that it detracts from the club’s message and focus. Advertising is also appropriate and, where possible, relevant to the audience.

For the premium features, the revenue model was also based upon clubs’ interests in the first instance. Most advisors recommended that when introducing a club shop service, Pitchero should either attempt to sell their own goods or at the very least take a small commission on all transactions using their platform. Management chose to do neither, instead offering the technology at a price lower that most clubs were used to paying just to host their old website.

This approach isn’t simply altruistic. Pitchero is a commercial venture and needs to make a profit. But the management team insist on the “club’s interest test” for every decision they take because this builds trust. The Pitchero brand is no longer undefined and anonymous – it is reliable and trustworthy.

Very quickly, Google built up a loyal following of users who felt they could trust the new kid on the block. The simple, stripped down design and the almost childish logo were reassuring to new users. They didn’t feel they were being manipulated or channelled into the ‘walled gardens’ that AOL and Yahoo! were hellbent on creating. Search results appeared fair and reliable – not exploited or skewed. Trust is an incredibly powerful determinant of success.

Once you have a large, captive audience, it is tempting to introduce clumsy new initiatives aimed at exploiting your users and increase your share-of-wallet. Be warned: online customers are used to having lots of options and they can quickly switch to a competitor if they feel they are being manipulated. First time users typically expect a good deal online: sites which require a credit card transaction without having earned a customer’s trust are likely to fail.

Online users, particularly Generation Y, are cautious of “empty brands”.

4. Embed yourself

Once you have established trust, brand familiarity should be promoted. Once a user knows what to expect from Pitchero, in terms of reliability, responsiveness etc, they are more willing to grant brands further access into their life. So, they welcome Pitchero widgets on their desktop, they download the latest i-phone app to keep abreast of results and news, they follow Pitchero on Twitter and they join the Facebook page. All the time, the Pitchero brand is becoming more and more embedded creating a virtuous cycle of acceptance and reward.

If you have an existing brand and customer base, be realistic about its worth and your users’ inclination to follow you online. Don’t overestimate their desire to purchase or interact digitally: you must be solving an offline problem or shortcoming for the online approach to be worthwhile.

However, when an existing strong brand is combined with a clever online strategy and effective execution, you create a very powerful proposition. Unlike web startups, you have the trust and the recognition of a strong brand already. You don’t have to be good or to work as hard to win users; you need to ensure your online presence continues to deliver on the existing brand promise.

Andrew McCarthy is Fantastic Media’s Strategic Planning Director
a (dot) mccarthy (at) fantasticmedia (dot) co (dot) uk – www.fantasticmedia.co.uk

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At the time, nobody was predicting financial meltdown and economic turmoil. The client – tongue firmly in cheek – was exasperated by the fact that every passing taxi was already occupied. His comment now seems insensitive in the doom and gloom of 2009. At the time, it was a perceptive observation on disposable income and the feelgood factor, delivered in his own, inimitable style.

Over the past decade, the tide of rising affluence has been driven by credit and exploited by marketing. Advertising and promotional activities played a central role in our burgeoning economy. As cash vanishes and global economies recede, marketers are left pondering the implications for their profession. While most of us have enjoyed the excesses, the fallout will be painful. The bursting bubble will not only blow away the froth, it will require all of us – advertisers, agencies, consumers – to re-evaluate many of our comfortable assumptions about marketing.

For clients, first and foremost, the instinctive response is to cut back on non-essential expenditure. Don’t. Marketing spend should remain a constant. It’s no more discretionary than paying the rent; companies that stop promoting themselves and neglect their brand are destined for failure. For the brave, it’s a time of opportunity when market share can be captured with reduced investment.

The emphasis may switch to direct marketing or substituting radio for television advertising but a brand’s share of voice must remain high and, ideally, increase. So, marketing strategies should be adapted, not abandoned. The general commitment to marketing should be unwavering, but we can expect to see changes in terms of tone, message and brand personality from our advertisers.

In the B2C sector in particular, warmer, more inclusive and thoughtful brands will become increasingly commonplace, as the likes of Google and Innocent Smoothies set the tone. Traditional, nostalgic and family scenes will become more popular subject matter, as consumers seek comfort and reassurance from big business.

Similarly, in B2B advertising, the emphasis will be on integrity and decency as brands look to convey a reliable persona. Trusted brands are highly valued in times of economic turmoil. Advertising should major on price, value and performance, not corporate image. As such, pricing transparency and ‘unbundling’ of products and services are to be encouraged. On a tactical level, now is the perfect opportunity to rework your sales collateral, ensuring that weaker product offerings are pruned, new products and services are clearly communicated and the key messages are promoted effectively.

The value of your offering needs to stand out in a commoditised marketplace, especially a price-sensitive one. If in doubt, listen to your customers. They will tell you how to beat the recession; you just have to ask them, or at least understand them, through research. More than ever before, you need to know how customers are defining ‘value’. If they are looking to postpone purchases or trade down then you need to respond accordingly.

The ‘that’s how it’s always been done’ rulebook no longer applies.

In tough times, price cuts attract more consumer support than promotions. Customers will be shopping around for the best deals. Every industry, therefore, must intensify its new business efforts. Marketing agencies are no exception. Moray MacLennan, CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi and IPA President, recently predicted that “advertising is going to be no place for the faint hearted in 2009”. He’s right. Marketing budgets will be cut and agencies will disappear. Those that deliver value to their own and their clients’ bottomline, however, will thrive: positive, ambitious agencies committed to delivering success.

The rules of the game remain unchanged; businesses with a sustainable competitive advantage will win through. The fundamentals are constant. Keep watching your competition. Excess got us into this mess and in one sense, my client’s declaration was right: we do need a recession to encourage us to focus on essentials and re-examine our value proposition. None of us can predict with any certainty how long and how severe this recession will be. We’re powerless over the billions being wiped out in global markets.

Predictions for 2009 all hinge on the restoration of confidence, a fickle and unreliable commodity. What we do know is that – eventually – attempts to reflate the global economy will work. In the meantime, we all need to adapt our immediate tactics and our long-term strategies to the changing economic environment.

Andrew McCarthy is Fantastic Media’s Strategic Planning Director
a (dot) mccarthy (at) fantasticmedia (dot) co (dot) uk – www.fantasticmedia.co.uk