Think about advert Essentials

Time has just flown since I last wrote.

I will be writing twice a week for the next 3 months starting today.

Expect each posting to contain local information, at least one resource, and at least one handy hint about sales or marketing. If you want me to add anything then send me an e-mail.
Your comments are really appreciated so do write something. If you disagree or want to be constructively critical then I want to hear. It might make the blog more interesting. The more interesting it is, the more people will read it and tell others.

Why don’t you tell others. This is already a great resource but it’s getting better.
So what’s happening?

Rachael Flanagan was proposed for the Young Achiever in the Wave & Swansea Sound Local Heroes and she won the Adult Achiever category. This took place at the Dragon hotel in Swansea. The dinner was excellent and the event star studded. There were heart-break tales and others of hard work within the community. All were inspirational.

If you don’t already know, the Swansea Business Show hits town next week on Friday 15th May. Go look at the website. Come along as a visitor, register on the site for free admission. Register at the Show and it’ll cost a fiver. There will be plenty to see, old friends to meet again, new friends to make. The tagline is “Make business for your business” – so come along and be part. You may win a substantial prize. All attendees, whether visitor or exhibitor will have a chance to win. Prizes to date include a meal for 4 at Zaal’s, either £350 worth of financial software or up to £1000 of accountancy fees, a year’s membership at the Village Hotel Health Club, £500 worth of marketing consultancy, website optimisation, 2 pull-up banners plus a 4ft x 6ft banner and much, much more.

The Local Business Forum is growing and constantly evolving. Click here to go to the website. Now is the chance to join. £250 per annum gives you up to 25 free meetings, a chance to write in the e-magazine and have a free advert, a free profile page on the website, discounts as an exhibitor at the Swansea Business Show and Annual Conference and other events, help and encouragement from other members. We are looking at introducing a premium membership that will give you an ongoing sales and marketing programme. At an around an extra £4.95 a week you’ll get 52 learning modules a year covering everything from business planning, controlling sales meetings, writing quotations, sales closes, Powerpoint presentations, business letters, press releases, management systems, e-mail marketing, relationship selling, newsletters and much, much more. This will be launched at the Swansea Business Show. You are guaranteed a rapid increase in sales, profit and cash-flow.

Join the Local Business Forum and gain much more.

Think about adverts.

Adverts come in a variety of guises. In magazines, on the radio and television, in newspapers, on the internet, bill-boards and many other places.

What adverts stand out? What is essential in a good advert?

Essentially an advert needs to make people think, the need to want, the need to take action. And a way to take action. Either ask a question or make a statement such as “Spending too much money on food?” and follow this up with a satisfactory answer “Then save money on the Aldi food range.” And a call to action “Visit your local store today, compare prices and you’ll fill your shopping trolley”.

If you can add extras such as a guarantee, money off or 3-for-2 offer, then you’ll do better.
Make your adverts stand out by including photos of products. Use testimonials. Try to include a phone number and e-mail address where possible, use a website for buying on line and start a store using Paypal or a similar system for collecting cash.
Make it easy for prospective customers to buy.

If I can help you design some simple adverts that work call me

Regards

Brand yourself continued

It's been a busy couple of weeks.

Self publicity works. I've arranged a good amount of coverage for Rachael Flanagan of Mrs Bucket Cleaning Co since which her phones have been going mad. If your business is in need of a fresh injection of inquiries to augment your canvassing then get writing press releases. Be creative.

First we had an Independant on Sunday columnist in touch but that didn't get to the printed page but we will keep trying.

Secondly I arranged for Rachael to be the Keynote Speaker at the Bright Futures Dinner at the Marriott Hotel in Swansea on hursday 12th March. The dinner was bringing Swansea Universitt students and local business together to help the students gain valuable business life-skills to help with interviews and in their journey to becoming employed.

From this we had interviews on both Swansea Sound and the Wave which you can hear below. Jackie Jobes of Bright Futures accompanied me to the Radio Station together with Mac McCaffrey from Swansea University who also gave an interview.

You can hear the interviews by clicking on the videos below.

Then a press release that I sent to the Western Mail resulted in a photographer and writer getting in touch with Rachael and "Bang!" she is featured in the Forward Wales supplement last Wednesday with a full page and photo. Forward Wales is entitled "Entrepreneurs" so it was a bit of a coup.

I also found a couple of photos in the possibly last issue of Swansea Business Life, so it pays to get out and about. I'm sorry to see the magazine go because firstly it was a good magazine, with excellent articles by local people, and secondly I had been promised an article in the next issue. Life is tough.

And the dinner on Thursday went great. I'll post up some photos.

If there's anything I can do to promote your business call me on 07976 364681.