I have just attended a really interesting Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce networking breakfast at the Hertford Castle Theatre. Living and working in Hertfordshire, I like to be involved in local business networking and I’ve found that the Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce offers the best value for money, in terms of meetings versus new sales.
This morning I attended a business breakfast networking meeting that had a fantastic guest speaker Jeremy Silverstone from Purple Marketing http://www.purple-marketing.net/
He started off by giving us an insight in to how he ended up delivering a talk on marketing to a room full of enthusiastic business people. While Purple Marketing has been around for over five years, his marketing experience and expertise spans over thirty years (considerable time spent in big business marketing teams). He outlined the need for smaller businesses to operate a smarter marketing plan, which doesn’t necessarily mean a big budget. These are his top ten tips to market your business for less than a tenner…
10. Create a Strategy – thinking like your typical client
9. Create a written plan – no more than a single sided A4
8. Talk to your contacts – ask for referrals & what challenges do they face… try and help them
7. Use surveys and research – try Survey Monkey its free http://www.surveymonkey.com/
6. Repackage your products or services – why create new products when your existing ones can just go to new markets
5. Go to exhibitions – they are often free and full of great networking opportunities
4. Become a specialist – shout about what you are great at / look at your experience
3. Find affinity partners – team up with companies that are both looking for the same type of client
2. Micro targeting – choose ten people you want to talk to a month so you don’t lose focus
1. Send them a muffin – to say thank you for the business (be different with your choice of gift try a chocolate pizza! http://www.gourmetchocolatepizza.co.uk/
If you want to contact Jeremy then call him on 07710 723532 or email him on jem@purple-marketing.net
Remember be brave… try everything and keep doing of what works for you!!
Please comment on this post and let me know how you get on with these tips
All the best
Richard
