When you work with long standing clients, you build a very unique relationship and become part of their team.  Having known and worked with both Freedom Works, Scout Store and The Scout Association for some time now, I am delighted to be able to share these lovely testimonials …

“Sheryl helped reshape our customer and marketing proposition just as I joined Scout Store. If you want someone to come in and add value and deliver results then I couldn’t recommend Sheryl high enough both as a client and a critical friend!”

Thomas Robertson, General Manager, Scout Store.  

“I was lucky enough to be I introduced to Sheryl when we just started Freedom Works. Regardless of the stage we have been at Sheryl has been there. She understands local business, how to reach your audience, build and brand and more than that, which makes her quite special, is she understands working in and on budget. Her grown up and pragmatic approach provided us with not only a strategist. But a doer too!! I’d have no qualms in recommending her to help you with your growing marketing needs…”

Jon Trigg, Owner, Freedom Works.

“I recently worked with Sheryl on a re-brand and website project. The project gave us the opportunity to dig deep and ensure insights and research drove our direction and helped form our user journey.  Sheryl’s approach to this was one of enthusiasm, passion and tenacity.  The result was a highly comprehensive and professional report which supported all subsequent elements of the project.  Sheryl is incredibly personable and easy to get along with – essential when working on a project of this nature.  I look forward to working together again soon”.

Lyndsey Nassim, Head of Marketing and Sales Development, Commercial.  The Scout Association.

Happy January!

With the New Year nearly upon us, it’s a good time to reflect on 2019 and all the successes (and challenges) that each of us have had.  As always I’m proud of the lovely clients that I work with and grateful to all of those that have had a positive impact on my business along the way.

2019 leapt into action with the continuation of my lecturing post at Chichester College.  Digital Marketing is an ever-evolving subject and it’s great to work with students from many different industries. Teaching both the academic underpinning of Marketing, so that the students can gain the coveted Chartered Institute of Marketing qualifications, alongside the everyday ‘hands-on’ tactics including social media strategy, SEO, digital campaigns and so much more, is both a challenge and a source of much pride and success!  Working with the team at the RSPCA Headquarters on behalf of the college has also been great fun and I am proud to see how much has been achieved by the students overall.

February 2019 saw the start of a PR & Communications campaign for local go-getters Freedom Works, who now boast four co-working centres throughout the South.  Launching their first business to business expo with them in their Chichester space was great fun and it was a pleasure to work with such a driven and energetic bunch.

Moving on into Spring I was proud to continue marketing consultancy work with Scout Store, the merchandising division of The Scouts.  Having worked with them throughout their re-brand and new website implementation, it’s wonderful to see this locally based but international company go from strength to strength with their digital campaigns, especially as their profits are donated back to charity though The Scouts, who champion local communities and skills for life for young people throughout the UK.   Unity Insurance Services, another division of The Scouts, work under the same charity ethos, and again it was great to continue to work with Unity alongside Ashdown Creative, to support their work in the charity, community and business insurance marketplaces.

I have also been fortunate to run many bespoke training courses for local and regional companies this year,  focusing on subjects such as marketing strategy and planning, alongside networking know-how, customer service and business development and I’m looking forward to developing and continuing with these in 2020.

Last but not least I would like to give a big shout out to the fabulous Penton UK, who earlier this month celebrated 23 years in business, which is a fantastic achievement, so well done to all.

As for challenges .. well there have been many!  It’s tough out there and to stay in business it seems some days that there aren’t enough hours in the day or days in the week!  However, with 2020 being Tipton Marketing’s 20^th year in business, I am looking forward to both the challenges and the hopeful successes that this new decade will bring,

Wishing a Happy & Prosperous New Year to All 😊

In today’s busy world sometimes we are all guilty of not planning effectively as we should and diving straight in!

However, to ensure you achieve the best results you can, try to sketch out your plan of action.  This does not need to be lengthy or arduous but having a plan will help you to use your resources efficiently, give you direction and momentum and ultimately ensure that your achieve your objectives within your given timeframe.

There are many formal marketing models that you can use .. have a look at PR Smith’s SOSTAC® or the APIC framework to help you focus and try at least to consider the following:

Start first with looking at your previous marketing efforts and their results, what did you do? What worked? What didn’t? What could you have done differently or better?

Then pinpoint who you are targeting.  Really dig deep into your target audience.  Work out who they are and more importantly where you need to promote yourself to reach them.  Are they business to business customers or are you selling to the general public? Think about who they are, where they are and most importantly how and where they buy.

Next look at your product or service and consider your price and how you position yourself against your competitors.  What makes you different? Why should someone buy from you? Knowing your competitive edge will help here.  Reviewing your buying process from your customer’s perspective is a worthwhile task to ensure that your potential customers can find you and easily purchase from you – sounds daft but in today’s fast paced world customers don’t have much patience!

With these answers in mind, set your goals and decide on your budget and timeframe. Are you raising awareness, looking for new leads or looking for sales conversions on your website? Knowing what you want to achieve and where your customers are on their buying journey is key.

Lastly plan your attack! Choose your marketing channels wisely and think carefully.  Social media is a great low-cost media if used effectively but equally more traditional techniques might work just as well, depending on your audience.  Think openly and consider each medium until you find the marketing mix that is right for you.

Finally, remember to measure your results and evaluate – and be ready to do it all over again!  And if you need some help along the way, please do get in touch.

Having worked on PR with Safe in Sussex since earlier this year, I was delighted to learn that The Body Shop, Littlehampton, have recently supported the project through a team of volunteers who offered to help decorate the building.

Amber House is the latest project from Safe in Sussex and will offer a new approach to supporting people experiencing domestic abuse at the earliest stage possible.  Instead of a refuge hidden in the community, Amber House will be visible and recognisable, and able to offer a full range of services all under one roof.  The aim of this assistance is to stop domestic abuse through working with the whole family.

Jimmy Beenie, from The Body Shop, organised a total of 60 staff volunteers from all departments to give their time to help paint both the house and the drop-in centre.   This not only speeded up the proposed opening time for Amber House, but also meant Safe in Sussex could then also use precious funds in other vital areas of the project.

The house has been converted into living accommodation for up to 5 women, with a shared lounge area, large kitchen and family bathrooms.  Amber House also benefits from a small, courtyard garden area leading to a drop-in centre with private meeting space for confidential discussions.

Jimmy said, “It was really great to be able to get involved in such a worthwhile cause, and all of our volunteers were keen to play their part in making the project a success for our local area.”

Through Amber House, women and their families will have a safe place to turn too, and with dedicated and trained staff on hand, they can seek the support they need to re-build their lives, within their community so they are not parted from family, friends, schools or other essential links. The house will be professionally protected working closely with the police just like the other refuges do, as safety will be the highest priority.

Safe in Sussex currently offers local support to people experiencing Domestic Abuse providing both vital out of area confidential refuge for those in immediate danger and early advice through their successful Freedom Programme.

For more information please contact www.safeinsussex.co.uk

It’s always great to gain a new client and to start a new project; learn about their industry and get the creative thoughts flowing, but it’s absolutely great when they are write a testimonial to say how pleased they are with the work that you’ve carried out.

Empire Printworks are a print and design company based in Lancing, and alongside their sister business Worthing Office Supplies, I have worked with them on their initial marketing campaign to ensure that they get their businesses off to a flying start.

We set up the various social media channels, explored mailchimp – and got a great response from their initial e/newsletter campaign – set about raising their profile through PR, worked on their website, advised on exhibition attendance and literature and generally ensured that everything was in place so that they could set about concentrating on what they were good at, whilst winning new business.

So, if you’re in the market for print, or office supplies, check them out – and tell them I sent you!!!

Paul Green, Director commented “We enjoy working with you very much, not only because you have an extensive knowledge of marketing and how to promote our business, but also because your happy and enthusiastic disposition inspires us – thank you for all your hard work. We would happily recommend you to any businesses that need their profiles raised as we know they will benefit enormously from your determination and expertise.”

Happy Days!

Having worked with Freedom Works on their PR and Marketing since they opened last year, it has been great to see how this high tech co-working space has grown and is now home to a diverse range of businesses and co-workers.

Part of co-working is, of course, collaboration, and this is something that is high on the list of priorities for all. Events from simple Free Beer Fridays to the recent joint networking event with Wired Sussex are a great way for everyone to come together and build new working relationships, so with this in mind ….

On Wednesday 17th May Kahoot is coming to Freedom Works…

Kahoot is an interactive gaming system used widely throughout the world to educate and inspire.. it’s a multiple choice quiz style game, all run through a large screen with everyone playing on their own smartphone or tablet.  Take a look here https://getkahoot.com/how-it-works 

It’ll be a great opportunity to test your knowledge against your fellow networkers and see if you can become Kahoot King or Queen for the evening!

The fun will start from 5pm with drinks and nibbles and the chance to recruit a team or make a decision to go at it alone… all you’ll need from then is your smartphone or tablet and we’ll do the rest!  We’ll have several quiz rounds intermingled with relaxed networking and some great prizes at the end!

(You never know you might just win!!)

Bring your friends, family, clients and suppliers and share the event widely please – the bigger the better. The World record for the largest Kahoot currently stands at over 1,000 people playing at once but we’re just planning to fill the room!!!

Book online now at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/come-to-our-kahoot-an-evening-of-networking-with-a-twist-tickets-32691067864?aff=erelexpmlt

Look forward to seeing you there!

Here’s a silly story for a Friday which just goes to highlight a case of great Marketing!

A few weeks ago as I was driving home from a networking event I was stuck in traffic behind an iWaste van. Having nothing better to do, I read the info on the back of the truck and chuckled when the slogan ‘No Jaffa cakes are stored in this van overnight’ replaced the normal ‘No valuables are stored …’. On getting back to my office I tweeted iWaste, and simply asked “If the jaffa cakes aren’t in your van, where are they?”, enough said we had a small exchange over twitter and a bit of a giggle!

You can imagine my surprise and delight today when I went to collect a small parcel from the Post Office which contained a packet of Jaffa Cakes from iWaste! Brilliant, a chocolate treat and a smile for a Friday!

Good marketing is about connecting with your customers, about establishing relationships and ultimately raising your profile or driving new business.  So, well done iWaste, you’ve certainly done that, and when I’m in the marketplace for an electrical and electronic equipment waste management company, I now know where to go and also where, as appropriate, to refer my clients to.

For more information about iWaste www.iwaste.co.uk.

Happy Friday!

I was delighted to be asked to speak on the subject of marketing in the Expert Zone at the Better Business Show last week.  As time was precious with so much to fit into the day, each Expert slot provided a small taster of each subject with a little time for Q & A’s.  This certainly got me thinking as to how I could deliver the best value for those attending, in the shortest space of time!

I decided to focus on the all important overall marketing strategy that underpins everything we do in our marketing efforts.  To start to explain how our digital strategy, our public relations, our networking and all the work we do on crafting our Unique Selling Points’ and presenting our offer suddenly can all start to come together with a well researched and thought out strategy.

So, these are my key elements to a good strategy and I hope that they help a little along the way…

Know your Audience

Writing your strategy is similar to being a detective!  Researching your target audience will help you pick up important clues about potential clients and is one of the key areas that you need to cover.  Marketing is truly all about identifying and matching needs so by pinpointing your audience and then offering what they actually require will greatly improve your chances of success.

Put together a plan

Seems obvious but a good plan will guide you through the choppiest of seas!  Think about your competitors, your strengths and weaknesses, the growths and trends in your industry and how you intend to promote your business. Outline your goals and then you can start to work out how you’re going to achieve them. Ensure your plan covers all elements of your business, and don’t be afraid to amend it as appropriate.

Consider your market positioning

Market positioning is all about deliberately placing yourself in the right place within your marketplace, so that your customers are aware that you are the most appropriate business to work with and that your offer is designed with them in mind.  Design your brand accordingly and ensure it really fits your offer.

Think wisely about marketing tools

There are so many options available to you for promotion; from creating digital content, social media marketing and traditional advertising to press campaigns, competitions and direct mail, the list goes on.  But think very carefully which is right for your target audience and your product, and refer back to your research and plan at all times. Create brand awareness, and encourage your potential customers to connect with you to build that all important relationship.

Analyse your results

And lastly always, always, always consider your results! When you implement any campaign or promotion remember to be mindful of how well it did, so you can repeat it or if necessary amend it for improvement.  After all marketing can be costly if it’s not done well!

Happy marketing!

• Be prepared! Have plenty of business cards and arrive in good time. Have your name badge where it can be seen, so when someone shakes your hand, it can be read easily.

• If you feel nervous, plan to go along with someone BUT only as far as the door! Set yourself a goal of meeting 5 new people and challenge yourself to achieve this.  Don’t use Networking Events as gossip time with old friends, your time is valuable; make sure your get a return on your investment.

• SMILE! And remember your body language – folded arms don’t give the right impression! Be open and friendly, approachable and honest.  Everyone is nervous so be positive.  Respect comfort zones but focus on the person that you are talking to – DO NOT look over their shoulder to see who else is in the room.

• Have conversation openers in mind, perhaps prepare 3 things to talk about or a few questions to ask to get the ball rolling. Consider asking ‘How did you get started in your business?’ or ‘What are your key challenges?’ Look for open groups to join, people are there to meet people so don’t be embarrassed to approach someone new and simply say ‘Hi’.

• Communicate! Ask open questions and show an interest. Networking is about building rapport and contacts.  Prepare a 30 second opener about yourself and what you do.  Be clear and know your USP’s!!

• There will be a natural time in the conversation to exchange business cards, don’t be overbearing and too quick to give your card to someone. Another way is to ask for someone’s card, that way they will ask for yours too.  When you are offered a card, take it and look at it – don’t just stuff it away!

• If you can, introduce contacts to other fellow networkers, networking is all about building contacts, so do introduce people, it will also raise your profile as a good networker and a powerful resource to others.

• MOST IMPORTANTLY

People do business with those they trust and this can take time.  Your networking should focus on you becoming a trusted person, be prepared to get to know people and let them get to know you.

Have fun!

Are you keen to move your business forwards and make your Marketing work harder for you?

Happy to take on the challenge but stuck for ideas and inspiration ?

Book now for a bespoke session to revitalise your Marketing and PR and put a spring back into your communications.

At each session we will take time to discuss your business, your goals and plans, and then we will discuss how by improving or introducing new marketing techniques you could attract new customers, build your profile or grow your profits.

You’ll come away with a plan to work on and some great ideas to put into practice.

Special Introductory offer for each session is just £75.00, so book now and get your Marketing moving!

*Normal rates apply outside of introductory period, £150 per session, offer ends 31st March 2017.