Here’s our unofficial (but pretty accurate) tongue-in-cheek guide on how to be a tech-startup (or at least, look the part!). Laidback dress code. No suits allowed! But glam-hipster is unspokenly encouraged – effortlessly stylish is the Shoreditch uniform, and Shoreditch is the (self)proclaimed centre of the British start-up world. ‘Chill-zones’ in the office. Yeah yeah, desks […]
Why You Should Shop Local This Small Business Saturday
Tomorrow, the 6th of December, is Small Business Saturday. A day dedicated to celebrate, support and inspire small businesses. Small and medium sized enterprises (defined as having fewer than 250 employees) make up 99% of the total number of business in the country. Of these, an astonishing 96% are micro-businesses, with between 0 and 9 […]
Why You Should Define Your Niche
Earlier this week we came across some interesting facts that made us think about the advantages of being in a niche. To be one of few makes you more easily noticed – but it can also mean bigger difficulty in finding an audience. In business and retail this means market research is important; it means […]
Pre-Holiday Checklist for Busy Retailers
It’s that time of year again – typically the busiest time of year for anyone in retail. We’re still in November – but December isn’t far away and to make the final month of the year as smooth as possible for you and your employees, there are a few things you should think about already.
The Power of Word of Mouth Marketing
According to Nielsen’s Global Trust in Advertising Survey in 2012, ’92 percent of respondents in 56 different countries said they trusted word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family above all other forms of communication.’ * In short – when brands are introduced to us by someone we know and trust, it has huge impact on whether, and […]
Stop Spending on Marketing – Do This First
If you work with marketing or a have an interest in business you might have heard about the Pareto Principle, or the 80/20 rule as it’s also known as. The Pareto Principle refers to the theories and methods by Italian economist and sociologist Vilfred Pareto, used especially to expressing the income distribution of a society as follows; […]
Unbranded vs Branded Apps
Imagine having your own app. With your design, your own branding, customised features; everything exactly how you want it to suit your business. The perfect app for your perfect shop or restaurant. An app downloaded and raved about by every single of your customers. New customers finding you and running down your doors thanks to your app. Sounds […]
7 Tips to Growing Your Business
In the past few years there has been a wave of small businesses opening across the country, individuals and small groups thinking they want to turn that idea into a business, or thinking they are tired of working for someone else. They want more flexibility, less dependence on others, and they want to do something […]
Why Focusing on Loyalty is the Smartest Way to Growing Your Business
Loyalty card, schmoyalty card. What is loyalty? It seems there is a lot of confusion going around about what exactly loyalty means. Many people seem to think of it as huge discounts, scandalous offers and unbeatable deals. But that isn’t loyalty – it’s the opposite. It’s shopping around, without being loyal to anyone, basing the […]
Why Social Media Really Matters
Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, Bloggr, Instagram, MySpace (whoa, that’s a blast from the past), LinkedIn, Google+…..aaargh! The list goes on, and it can be a headache trying to sort out even one functioning social media account. However if you’re a small business, the rewards for doing so could be great. Here are 6 things to keep […]