Ian Bowen-Morris, CMO at London-based Telnames, explains why you need to be asking the right questions when it comes to thinking about what your business really needs from online tools

With so many businesses these days utilizing what has been called Other People’s Marketing, or OPM, there are some important considerations to take into account, including making sure that it’s a relevant and manageable exercise and ensuring customers don’t lose you as the social networking environment changes by owning your own place online.

Promotion through group text messaging is distinctive from various other promotional avenues in a number of ways. It is less expensive than print advertising and online media buys. If your SMS marketing and advertising promotions are executed properly, they'll deliver results more quickly than search engine optimization. In addition, delivery of your messaging comes about more quickly; your clients are more inclined to check their cellular devices for text messages than open up their laptops to check for email.

In early 2011 the Coalition government used a White Paper to set out its commitment to helping UK business trade and invest more and in new markets. The Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Lord Green, recently conceded that while the UK  “has made some real progress,” but “our strategy cannot be secured in just one year; this is a marathon, not a sprint."

Bookshops, electricals, home furnishing, menswear, off-licenses, bars/pubs and travel shops are all falling in numbers. But charity shops, pound shops, bakers, credit unions and supermarkets/convenience stores are bucking the trend.

It's an unusual small business owner who planned to be in the business he or she finishes up in (and I count myself among them). I ended up in my business in part through a love of writing, and partly through necessity. Few of us genuinely sit down and create a small business marketing plan for the whole adventure as a business from the start though.

They appear to labour under the delusion that because they're good butchers, bakers or candlestick makers they're going to be good at running those businesses.

The Design Council is running a road show around the UK to encourage businesses to use design to improve sales, protect jobs and compete in the tough economic climate. 

Expanding into new territories - should you appoint a distributor or an agent?

Rupert Chislett, MD of B2BLeadforce, in a recent interview with B2 Business Hub, announced two major innovations to the dynamic online business development resource and to celebrate he mentioned that Leadforce is offering complimentary 250 emails send to all Hub members in January.

As you read this short article you will be amazed to discover tactics for writing articles persuasively and hypnotically. Starting without the basics, in a few short moments, you will find strategies that you will need to successfully capture your reader's attention.