Paul Avins / Igniting Business Results

How Pants was The Apprentice Last week...?

I watched the UK version of The Apprentice in horror last Wednesday as supposedly the brightest and the best young business brains in Britian came up with an idea so bad for a marketing campaign that my 3 year son old could have done better.

Why did somebody with an IQ above 10 not wake up and think...."Hang on, we are going to have to walk into Sir Alan's boardroom and justify why we called a new product PANTS! I think he may just have an issue with that."

Had all their little grey cells just gone to sleep or were they just that lacking in creativity?

Yes, the Project Manager should have been fired for letting this disaster ever happen, especially as she claimed to have a background in advertising. But my question is 'Why was the body count not higher with the idiot who came up with the idea as well?'

Come on! In the real world there would have been many more people thrown out for such bad judgment. I love the programme, but, if I am honest, the US version with Trump has my vote over the UK version, it's close, but please can we have more reality into this so called reality TV show.

Up the pressure and fire more than one person at a time.

A Crazy long day - but well worth it ...

First day back after the Easter weekend and it's been a very long, but enjoyable day.

It started off with a smaller than usual Oxford Wealth Club meeting but this gave me more time to get round to everybody and add as much value as possible. I especially liked the story from a new member who revealed how he has put his prices up 30% and not had ANY reduction in his conversion rate so it's all bottom line profit!

Then on to Milton Keynes to meet a new client, his Management team and Sales team. All are great people and very committed to moving the business forward and they have some exciting opportunities in the next few months. I can't wait to get more involved with them all over the next few weeks and months.

These meetings didn't finish until almost 6:45 then home to tuck JJ up....he had crashed as well so in the end it was just a good night kiss while he hugged Teddie !

After dinner it was back to working on the designs for my new project and e-book concepts. A full on day and more tomorrow with a Networking meeting at 7 am in High Wycombe.

Was Mr. Darling asleep at the wheel over Business Rate Increases?

The last few days have been amazing to watch as the Government seems to be more interested in saving the world that saving UK businesses battling with the ever increasing tax burden on them. How can a Chancellor not realise that a Rates Tax rise in the worst recession in most people’s lives would not have a MAJOR impact on small and large businesses alike at a time when we are all battling with managing costs?

Did he think the FSB and IOD were just making up the figures and impact this would have just for fun?

If one thing is clear by the way he did a massive “U” turn on this (or more like a 3 year time bomb than a “u” turn as we are still going to have to pay it!) - it’s that the so called business brains of this Government have clearly never run a business in the REAL world.

Does Mr. Darling forget that small and medium sized businesses are the engine that drives the UK economy and that if you keep putting grit into it eventually it will seize up. Stop messing with employment law and taxes and start helping businesses and business owners to grow and thrive so we can employ more people and create more wealth!

After all the Banks are going to need us as customers or will you just keep lending them more and more money?

Proof that "Lumpy" follow up mail works

I am often saying to clients that just sending brochures is not enough to cut through the clutter of messages taking up the head space of your prospect or future client as I prefer to call them.

So....to stand out you need to send them something physical, something that stands out and demands they give it the time it deserves. If it can be fun as well then this is even better.

One of my clients sends out a fluffy cat with a carefully crafted sales letter. The results have been great and to make the point I thought I would share with you part of an e-mail his marketing team recently received that makes this point far better than I can.

Here it is...

Hello Jackie,

In my line of work I feel it’s important to let others know when something they do is working. I have just gotten a stuffed cat in the mail with your handwritten notes and informational brochure. To be honest, I couldn’t recall the company name when I read it so I went back through my emails to locate your below message.

I do recall getting this message and thinking it was nice to see the person who was emailing me, an idea we had considered within our own company, but I had put the conversation with Alan and your email to the back of my mind due to the sheer volume of these types of call I get.

Anyway, I just wanted to send a ‘well done’ to your marketing department, as this very unconventional mail follow-up has made me take time out of my day to not only view your website, re-read your email, tell my colleagues about this funny cat/message and to ultimately spare more time yet to email you now.

A company I was once unfamiliar with is now at the front of my mind. Be assured that when the time does come for us to progress this project we will contact you.

Thanks for the cat, he looks great on my desk!

Have a good day,

Jenny

Proof if you ever needed it that the more "put of the box" you get with your marketing the better results you'll deliver to the bottom line.