01732 759725 18 BUSINESS BRIEFING New Business: What works best for your business? Regardless of the sector you are in, to achieve growth you need to generate new business by some means. Whether this is generating a whole new business stream or growth of existing clients will depend on your business model and client base. As with all business growth, to see value you really need to concentrate on a few key points to deliver results: n What are you looking to achieve? n How do you want to achieve this? n What is your budget? n When do you need the growth delivered by? Whether it’s a sales plan, marketing strategy, or a mix of the two you will need to put an action plan into place. In a recent poll we asked “What works best for building your businesses and growing your client base – cold calling, networking (face-to-face or online), marketing & promotions or social media presence?” Undoubtably the best way forward is all of the above. However, if you do not have the resource and budget this may not be an option. 48% of people polled said that networking is the best source of growing their businesses. Not surprising, as people buy from people. With restrictions on events lifted, it’s no surprise that networking events are once again gaining momentum. Cold calling polled as the second biggest driver of new business. Despite a somewhat bad reputation (and giving many people a cold sweat at the thought), selling is a skill. The right salesperson who approaches prospective businesses with your company values and ethos can be worth their weight in gold. Recruiting from similar markets and finding salespeople that understand what works for you would minimize time wasted. Marketing & Promotions, and social media came in at 10% and 14% respectively. But again, to really see value in any of these areas you need to dedicate time and experience to feel a return on investment. If you need to find that valuable Sales or Marketing professional to grow your team but don’t know where to start, Henley Executive will be able to offer help and advice. Get in touch with Max Levenger or Lynsey Arnold on 0333 567 4888 or email [email protected] henleyexecutive.co.uk BUSINESS BRIEFING - RECRUITMENT Marketing problems and how to fix them By Richard Knight, Director of channel marketing specialists GetCrisp. Part 5 of 6: You’re not winning awards Industry awards are marketing gold dust. In a crowded market, they’re the ultimate reassurance that you’re worth doing business with. Even being nominated is worth shouting about. It still shows you’re good at what you do to peers and prospects alike. But so many businesses leave it late and miss out. If this is you, try these six steps! This is our process for clients, and it works. You can never guarantee a win, but you can make a nomination so much more likely. 1 Plan ahead. Look up coming awards and their deadlines, so you’re not caught short. 2 Think about case studies. It could be a big contract, a time you exceeded expectations – anything that stands out. Plan these in advance and make sure you get customer testimonials. 3 Choose categories carefully. Award submissions can be time-consuming, so think about quality over quantity. Focus on awards you have a realistic chance of winning. 4 Read the criteria. Each award will spell out expectations about content, format, the time period to cover, supplementary materials ... Make sure you’re giving them all the info they want. 5 Stay on topic. Be laser-focused on the questions, don’t waffle, and make sure you have a narrative thread. It’s fine to end up under the word limits – some judges will welcome it! 6 Show evidence. Back your points up and be specific. The judges know the industry and will see through spin. Don’t just say you saved a customer time and money; quantify it. The effort is worth it. Consistent nominations and occasional wins are fantastic assets for marketing and sales, because they show you’re trustworthy. Whatever you tell prospects, awards prove it! BUSINESS BRIEFING – MARKETING getcrisp.co.uk 01273 284004 [email protected]
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