Category Archives: Sales

Telephone blues

Posted on July 14, 2011 by Jon Stow

As some of you may remember I think it is very important that the published telephone number of any business is answered in person by a human being. I tried to contact a couple of sole trader business advisers last … Continue reading →

Posted in Business planning, Customer relations, Customer service, Sales | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Water Margin guide to business

Posted on July 5, 2011 by Jon Stow

  The expression “small business” has many meanings. There is no way of knowing whether we mean a business with fifty employees or just one person on her or his own. What I am going to say apples to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Business planning, Customer service, Sales | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Content marketing – it really works!

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Jon Stow

The marketers I am not a marketing guy. I am always keen on picking up new ideas of course, but I defer to others in advising businesses on marketing, and as you know, I know a lot of people who … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogging, marketing, Sales | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Chasing the numbers or taking a gamble?

Posted on May 26, 2011 by Jon Stow

Having been networking on-line for quite a long time – eight years – I have quite a significant contact network out there. It is not the biggest network because I do not add people just to bolster my scores. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Referral networking, Sales, Social media | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Hitting the spot and pulling the heartstrings

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Jon Stow

We all need to give our clients and customers a compelling reason to buy from us. We have to be different from the rest and match exactly what our prospects think they need. Match.com has a great advert which exactly … Continue reading →

Posted in marketing, Sales | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Come on, rabbit, don’t be shy!

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Jon Stow

Quite often when I am taking my evening walk, I pass a man of about my age scurrying back from the rail station. No doubt he is a City worker. He does not meet my eye and scoots past like … Continue reading →

Posted in Business planning, networking, Referral networking, Sales | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Why the personal touch is important in business

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Jon Stow

  Small businesses have a huge advantage. They know their customers. Large businesses don’t. Small businesses which become large businesses forget their customers. I wrote a while back about our extreme disappointment at our treatment by a veterinary practice.  Quite … Continue reading →

Posted in Customer relations, Customer service, marketing, Sales | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Blowing ourselves Sky High in our business lives

Posted on May 5, 2011 by Jon Stow

By hard work and dogged determination we can get there and earn our superhero’s cloak (maybe we don’t want those tight pants). Continue reading →

Posted in Business planning, marketing, Sales | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Customer service Aunt Sallys

Posted on April 11, 2011 by Jon Stow

If we have a dispute with a provider about anything because we don’t think they delivered, it is better to take it up with them and to deal with it privately. Continue reading →

Posted in Customer relations, Customer service, Sales | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Booing from the sidelines

Posted on April 4, 2011 by Jon Stow

However, success in business is about belief. It is about market sentiment. The more positive people feel about the business environment and the economy in general, the better it actually is. Continue reading →

Posted in Business planning, Sales, Social, Start-up | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment