​3) Evaluate your existing digital marketing channels and assets. Which ones are you using? Should you be on others?
The digital landscape changes quite often, so it’s a good idea to do your homework and find out what is out there, who is using it, why are they using it and if it’s a method that will fit in with your business. Not all platforms or assets are right for every business.

7) Bring it all together.​
It’s never too late to start implementing a good digital marketing strategy for your online business. A combination of owned, earned and paid for media can often give you better results.

​Remember to plan ahead (as much as is realistically possible) and schedule regular meetings to evaluate the impact and performance of what has gone out. What lessons have you learned? Going forward, does the marketing plan you have in place need to be tweaked?

Digital marketing checklist: 

  - Profile of your buyer persona
  - One or more marketing-specific goals
  - An inventory and audit of your existing owned, earned, and paid media
  - An owned content strategy plan
  - Social media marketing plan
  - Ideas of how you can create earned content
  - A budget and plan for paid for content (advertising)

Have you got everything covered? We’d love to hear how you plan and action your digital marketing strategy. Leave a comment below to get the discussion started.

Absolutely!
 
Whether you’re a small start-up business or an established company looking to increase your visibility, it’s important to spread the word about what you do, the service you provide and the products you sell. You can do this in a variety of ways, such as online and print. However, you can't beat meeting people face-to-face. 
 
Networking is a way of introducing your company to other business owners. You never know, what they do that might be of interest to you.
 
There are many different networking groups and each one has their own style. Perfect Layout are members of the Havering Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI). It's a friendly group and each month it has a breakfast meeting. Within each meeting there is a talk/presentation given by two members, as well as the opportunity to network with other members and guests.
 
HCCI also organises its annual business showcase. (In fact, this is where the start of our networking journey began!)
 
Come and join us. We will be exhibiting at the Havering Chamber of Commerce Business Showcase 2018. It takes place on Monday 1st October 6.30pm-9.00pm at the Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch.
 
The event includes:

• Complimentary drink reception and buffet
• Opening by the Mayor of Havering
• Guest speaker: Andrew Blake-Herbert, Chief Executive of Havering Council
• Networking Area
• Free Prize Draw for pre-registered visitors
• HCCI draw for 1 Year's free Membership
• Department of International Trade Export Hub 

 
It’s free to attend. All you have to do is register your place on Eventbrite. 
 
Are you interested in exhibiting information? Contact Barry Hicks, Chairman, Havering Chamber: enquiries@hcci.org.uk  or on 01708 560066

Interviewing local businesses is a bi-monthly ritual that the team at Perfect Layout really enjoy. It allows us to become more known in the community and learn from the experiences of other businesses. By undertaking an interview in this way, Perfect Layout believes that we are able to help our readers learn how to run their business better by taking on board the pros and cons of how a business has conducted themselves.

We hope that sharing the personal experiences of these companies will give them exposure to readers that may need their services as well as providing insights into what has worked for them and what they could do a little better…
​
This month, we interview Jennie Bardrick, Co-Owner and Co-Director of Radfield Home Care Havering & Brentwood. ​

Where do you see yourself and this business going in the next 5-10 years?
Longer term, we have big growth plans to expand beyond Havering and across Essex to help more people, and ultimately support Radfield Home Care to become a national brand with a network of passionate franchise partners.

You can find out more about Radfield Home Care by logging onto their website or by accessing them via: Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

​If you have a business that you would like to feature in this regular slot, why not get in touch? We’d love to hear from you!

​

​Search Engine Optimisation, also known as SEO, is the techy way of describing how to make the most of a website’s online visibility. Imagine you have purchased a house that was in desperate need of repair. How would you go about getting it to look it’s best?
 
There are various things that you could do. You could: replace the windows, build an extension, re-plaster the walls inside out and landscape the garden. After completing these jobs, the house would serve better as a home. It would also be more comfortable and functional. That’s what SEO is. It’s a way of making the purpose of a website work better and be found by people looking for it.

If you have a website, blog or online store, SEO can help your business grow and get your business found online. SEO techniques vary. It’s a good idea to make sure that you put in place the  basic strategies and check them regularly. The process of optimisation is not a one-time process. It requires regular maintenance and fine tuning alongside continuous testing and monitoring.
 
SEO can increase the quality of a website by making it user friendly, faster and easier to navigate. In today’s competitive market, undertaking SEO is more important than ever. Search engines serve millions of users per day. They look for answers to questions and solutions to their problems. The job of a search engine is to come up with the best options for its users. When applied correctly, good SEO will bring in online traffic and grow your customer base.

​The following is a list of some SEO techniques that you can apply to your site:
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​If your competitors appear above you in organic search, it’s likely that they are applying SEO techniques. If it can work for them, it can work for you too. Invest time doing it yourself or employing someone to do it for you.

​Backlinking is a key feature of Search Engine Optimisation. Also known as ‘incoming links’ and ‘inbound links’. This is when a link from an external website is directed towards yours. Websites that link to a variety of authoritative sites will rank higher in search engine results pages compared to those who have links to sites that are not as powerful. Getting it right is key.
 
If you have inbound links on your site that don't relate to the content on the page, they will be considered irrelevant. Your website could be penalised. The higher the relevancy of inbound links, the greater their quality.

Linking to related articles, or pages, on your own website helps search engines better understand the importance and topical focus of each page. Creating links this way assists Google in determining the relevancy of your website. The more people like and share your content, the more visibility you’ll receive from these social media channels. As you develop quality backlinks, it will help to boost and sustain your rankings over the long term.​

​Complete the page title, page description and meta keywords for each page of your website. Search engine algorithms select websites with keywords that match the users search terms.

It’s important to continually review the movement of your website.  Where does it sit alongside your competitors? You will achieve good results if you consistently undertake these SEO principles. A common mistake is to focus on the quantity, rather than the quality, of backlinks. If you’ve ranked for a particular keyword, there is no need to build excessive backlinks to that page. Google can detect if a site is gaining links at an unreasonable pace. Building links too fast is like waving a red flag that can potentially get your website closed down. If you want to maintain your keyword ranking, try to expand your inbound links to the various pages on your site. This strategy will diversify your backlinking profile and increase your website authority.

If this sounds confusing, fear not. The team at Perfect Layout Digital Marketing, would love to help fix your website with some SEO TLC. Give us a call on ​01708 578 015

This blog has been inspired following a friend’s recent experience with the medical system in the UK. Said friend went in for a routine operation about seven weeks ago. The procedure lasted only five minutes and the recovery was supposed to be a week.

To cut a long story short. She was nowhere near better by the end of that first week. In the past seven weeks she has been back and forth to GP’s, consultants and hospitals, being misdiagnosed. It took four days of waiting in a hospital bed and a lot of pain-relief drugs before they did any scans. As it turned out she needed another operation. I am keeping my fingers crossed that she is now on the path to a full recovery.

As this story unfolded, I despaired at the way things were being run. It seemed such an inefficient use of time, money, medication etc. It got me thinking. How can hospitals - or any business for that matter - afford to be inefficient? And so, I have identified some areas that you might want to look for in your business.  

​Maybe the institution itself has such rigid and old ways of doing things. Just because ‘that’s the way we always do it’, doesn’t mean it is still fit for purpose. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

1. Bad financial management 

Many businesses find themselves running out of money. Cash flow is key for all businesses. How this happens usually falls into one of these categories:

• You are overspending / or spending in the wrong places
• Revenue is not as you had forecast
• You may have failed to secure appropriate funding at the right time

To avoid this, you have to know your figures inside and out. You need to keep an eye on them regularly, so that you can spot dips or downward trends. Make sure that your financial projections are on track. If you see things changing, then something elsewhere may need to change too. Try to stick within your budget. Cut any unnecessary expenses. Always invoice straight away and get paid on time. Where possible set up automatic billing that you can be in control of. 

2. Bad Management

Every organisation needs someone at the helm, leading, taking charge. They have to ensure that no matter how big the company is, that the right processes and procedures are in place. The entire organisation should be seamless and efficient. This is true for both the staff and its customers.  

For that to happen, there needs to be regular training, communication and policies. Everyone must be on the same page. No one person or department should be the ones doing it all. Every role should work as a cog to help the wheel roll smoothly. There also has to be a single point of authority. Larger companies often appoint department heads and team leaders to make decisions.

So, do you have the right staff in place? Do they do the job with pride, care and attention. Are you paying them what they deserve? Do you offer rewards and incentives? Your staff are your biggest asset, so you need to treat them well. Good management also recognises when they don’t have motivated staff. First you need to address it to see if you are able to change this, otherwise you face the tough task of letting them go. Dead weights can also hinder a company and have devastating consequences.

Can you honestly say that your company is working as efficient as it could be? Do you conduct regular days on the business with staff? Do you ask them how things are, what could be better, what needs to stop, what to introduce? The people on the ground can often find solutions. Do you spend time thinking about what the business might look like in 12 months’ time, or in five years? Be forward thinking, be proactive.

3. Bad customer service 

It is surprising to see how many businesses have bad customer service. This could be because of what we have discussed about management and procedures. Yet, without any customers, you wouldn’t have any business. Giving good customer service should come easy. Ask yourself, how would you like to be treated and map that out. Use your common sense. Good customer service doesn’t need to be expensive. If you do get complaints, listen to your customers and put it right fast. Then tell your staff what you have learned from the experience. Explain how you want them to do things from now on, so that you ensure that it doesn’t happen again. Good interdepartmental communication will pay dividends. You don’t want to end up with a bad reputation. Some businesses never recover.

4. Staying up-to-date with technology

Technology covers a wide range of things. Computers, phones, broadband and IT servers. It can also include websites and social media platforms. Whatever it is, make sure that you invest in the best technology and support that you can afford. If all your computers are old and staff are struggling to complete simple tasks, invest in new ones. This downtime could start costing you thousands. Is your website current? Does it reflect your business as it stands today? Is it mobile optimised? If the answer is no to any of these, you need to plan to change this. If you are not active on the right social media channels, you could be missing on potential clients. I know that social media is a hungry beast that needs feeding all the time, but it’s essential to do it these day. Now more than ever you must have an efficient website, that it is mobile and SEO friendly. You need to be active on social media and posting every day (or more). If this is not part of your expertise, don’t hesitate to seek advice from a professional, like us at Perfect Layout Digital Marketing.

Running a business is about always being willing to learn. Things around us are changing all the time. We all will make mistakes. It’s those that carry on doing it, ‘because that’s the way we do it’ will find that they will get left behind. Acting fast and making necessary changes can determine the future of your business.

Regularly check that your business is in good health. If there are signs that things need a reboot, then do something about it before it takes over.

Wow, so the six-week summer break comes to an end this week.

Families up and down the country have had a chance to break from the usual routine, spend more time with loved ones and recharge the batteries. With the glorious summer weather 2018 has given us, we've had plenty of time to enjoy the outdoors, go for days out and do things that we don't get to do the rest of the year. Holidays also give you the chance to ponder life and what you want out of it.

For me, it feels like September brings a chance to start afresh...almost like the feeling the new year brings. For our children, they get to start a new adventure as they embark on the next school year; new teachers, new uniform, for some it might even mean new schools. It's even a chance to shake up the routine a little, as the things that you may be doing in this final stretch of the year, may be different to what you were doing just a few weeks ago. Will your children start new after-school activities? Do you want to start a class and learn a new skill or spend time developing a talent? Do you want to get fitter / eat better?
​

​For us at Perfect Layout, we have spent part of the summer break reflecting on where we are in the year, we've looked at what we have achieved and we are looking forward to this next period to push ourselves harder.

​We are dedicated to learning about our industry and looking at what strategies we could implement to make the websites that we look after perform even better. Off the back of an industry conference we attended just before the summer break, we are eager to put those tactics into practice at to see how it improves the rankings of our clients.Today is not just the start of another week, it is milestone week.  

We could easily slip back into old ways and habits or we can take this week as a way to begin on a new path and ​take those ideas that we had over the summer and work towards making them a reality. What will you do?

​The Havering Museum came about eight years ago thanks to a small band of local people. This included librarians and historians, who wanted a home to celebrate the rich history of Havering from pre-history to the present day. It acknowledges the achievements of local people while exploring how the areas that make up the Borough were formed and developed. The Museum, located in the old Romford Brewery building, opened in May 2010 and is completely volunteer led.​
​

The summer months can often see things slowing down for many businesses. It's a chance to take some time off, perhaps get away from the usual routine and relax in a sunny location at home or abroad. It may even be a time for reflection and to see what you have done well so far this year and what you want to achieve before the year is out.  For other business owners, it’s time to roll up those sleeves and get ready for an upsurge in productivity as their services and/or products rely on tourism to bring the money in. Whatever your situation, the team at Perfect Layout hope that you are managing to squeeze in some relaxation and reflection time. 
​

We ask, what has worked for you; what is special about your business and what you offer; and what you would have done differently if you had your time over again. It really does require minimal effort, as we come to you (or talk over the phone) to conduct the interview and you get to tell all our readers about your business. Who doesn’t want some free advertising?

It’s even more important for local businesses to get exposure, as often marketing budgets are small (or non-existent). That’s what we are trying to do; to create a sense of community. We believe that sharing such valuable information can motivate and inspire others, as well as assist them in finding solutions that they might not have thought about before.
​
The team at Perfect Layout are not your typical website designers. We don’t only take instruction on how you want your website to look, build it and then leave you to it. We care about the businesses we work with and we strive to give you the best website for your business by asking relevant questions that others may not bother to query. We want to really get to know your business, understand where and how you want to grow and make sure that the website that we build for you caters for expansion.

If you are a local business owner and would like us to feature your company in our regular blog, get in touch with a member of the team today to arrange for your interview. Either call on 01708 578 015 or email us at hello@perfectlayout.co.uk

​The success of your website is determined primarily by its content. Good content is what sets your website apart from the masses and delivers the right message into the minds of your customers or audience.

Having clear, relevant and keyword-rich content that delivers the right message with power and conviction is the key to success. The content of your website should always begin with proper market research.

​Taglines and slogans that are customer-centric (focusing on the needs of the customer) are essential to capturing their attention. The content on your website should target your audience, engage them and persuade them to take action.
​

Content marketing involves the creation and publishing of content and sharing that content in order to acquire customers. This information can be presented in a variety of formats, including blog posts, videos, white papers, infographics, case studies, and so on. Posting relevant, valuable and frequently updated information on your website will help boost your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). It will also help by placing you in the position of an expert and allow you to build relationships with your audience professionally.
​

Another important detail to keep in mind are long-tail keywords. These are keyword phrases that contain at least three words, and sometimes more. Long-tail keywords are used to target niche demographics rather than mass audiences. In other words, they're more specific and often less competitive than generic keyword terms. They are very specific to whatever you are selling. So, said more specifically, whenever a customer uses a highly specific search phrase, they tend to be looking for exactly what they are actually going to buy.

Some businesses choose to include keywords relevant to their business in their domain name. This strategy works as long as the name is in line with the brand identity for the website. It is also important not to limit your business by choosing a name that is applicable for your business only in the short term. Let your 5 to 10 year business plan reflect where you want to be long term.

​One way in which to create relevant and powerful SEO keyword-content for your website, is through brainstorming. Try and put yourself in the position of your customers and think about the words they might use to search for the services and/or products you are offering. This process can be undertaken on your own or in a group.
​

​Because algorithms are constantly changing, it’s paramount that you keep a fresh eye on the content of your site. If people are changing the way in which they search for you – the keywords on your website will need to reflect this too.

​Why not have a look at your site today and think through some of the keywords your customers might be using. Do they appear on the pages of your site?
​

​
​14 Top tips for optimising your website…

The following steps are proven to increase not only conversions, but also your site's trust factor and presence. For good optimisation of your website that will help generate more customers it's worth considering the following...
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Top tip 2 -  start with a basic CTA on your homepage
If your homepage's design is what catches a person's attention, the CTA (Call to Action) is what keeps it. Your homepage sits at the top of the marketing funnel and should therefore offer either a free trial or subscription to a recurring campaign, such as a newsletter. Consider including one of the following CTAs on the front of your website:
 

• 'Subscribe to Updates'- Invite them to subscribe to an email that notifies them of industry trends and product updates.

 

• 'Try Us for Free'- On your homepage, have your product available to try for free for a limited time using a CTA and form where you can collect their names and email addresses. At the end of each active product demo, kindly follow up with the user to find out what they thought of it. This will be very beneficial for improving your site.

​

​Last week, 13 July, Christine Huntingford from Perfect Layout Digital Marketing was invited to give a presentation at the Havering Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI) breakfast meeting, where members and visitors attended. She thought long and hard about what to talk to them about and decided to make it an interactive session with the participants and let them know in 10 minutes, after a few simple checks, whether their website was working well for their business and whether their website and digital marketing need some real Tender Loving Care (TLC).

Firstly, to get a sense of their initial thoughts she asked the following questions:

• Do you have a website?
• Is your website generating you regular leads, either through phone calls, emails or contact forms?
• Was your website was redesigned and updated in the last 12-18 months?
• Are you happy with your website provider?

This gave everyone a moment to reflect not only if were they genuinely happy with their current service, but also to validate if this was a way in which they were bringing in customers.
​
Now we know its all very easy to think that everything is fine with our website, but how do we really know? Well, these next simple tasks can reveal whether your website is working for you. You can do this for your site at any time.

Task 2
Whilst before you were asked not to type in your company name into the browser, this time, do exactly that. For example, for our Company it would be, ‘Perfect Layout Digital Marketing’.

Can you see the Google My Business (GMB) listing for your business? Can you also see photos, posts and full details about your company? Do you have reviews?

If it’s a ‘yes’ for all of that, that is excellent! You are on track with taking full advantage of GMB’s latest updates and features.
​
If you didn’t, Perfect Layout can help you either set up a Google My Business, or help you enhance what you already have there.

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​Task 3
Keeping the page that you had open for task 2, now scroll down the results page, do you have your business listed in external directories? Such as Yell, Thomson, Netmums, or any online directory for your sector?

If you have more than 3 external directory listings, you are doing well, these connections on external sites help give your website relevancy and demonstrate that you are an active business.
​
If you are not  listed on any external directories, it is recommended that this strategy is employed in order to help your business get found.

​Task 4
Does your website have a blog section? If it does, was the last post published within the last month?
If this is you - congratulations! You are doing a good job of sharing news about your company’s activities and products to your community.

If you don’t, get in touch with Perfect Layout about the benefits of a blog, which can help your website rank better.
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​In the second half of the presentation we introduced an alternative strategy for phone-based businesses who don’t have the money to invest in a new website or redesign of their current website -  but need to be earning more money and secure new customers.

To clarify, a phone-based business is when people would call you as their primary way of contacting you, rather than via email or walking into your business premises.

Let’s imagine the following:
Our client, a dentist, gets some enquiries from his website, but he would like more. His family is growing and they need a bigger house, but what he is currently earning isn’t quite enough to be able to move, just yet. He doesn’t have the money to rebuild his website and invest in keyword-rich content.

However, as a phone-based business, he has the option of securing potential customers through a customer generating website that’s run by a digital marketing agency. This website will generate new contacts specifically for his business by creating a new website free of charge. It will be found organically on the top pages of search engines and could bring him that extra revenue that he is looking for. From these new clients there’s a high likelihood of them becoming repeat customers, who will visit for check-ups, as well as the need for ad hoc additional treatments. Fabulous recurring revenue for years to come.

It’s a no brainer – so where's the catch? It’s simply a matter of paying a small fee to the digital marketing agency for each enquiry that comes via that website.
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If this has struck a chord with you and you would like your business to build up its client base and recurring customers, give us a call today to talk about whether your niche would suit such a website.

5- LinkedIn
LinkedIn is easily one of the most popular professional social networking sites or apps and is available in over 20 languages.

It is used across the globe by all types of professionals and serves as an ideal platform to connect with different businesses, locate and hire ideal candidates and more. It also boasts over 500 million members.

The more precise demographical data about people you are connected with is usually behind a pay-wall (a tool to monetize digital content securely and efficiently) such as on LinkedIn. 171 million users are based in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The U.S. has the largest national user base (146 million members), followed by India, China and Brazil.

49% of college graduates use LinkedIn.

45% of adults making more than US$75,000 per year are on LinkedIn.

More than 46 million students and recent college graduates use LinkedIn. They are the networking site’s fastest-growing demographic.

Number of active users per month: 250 million approximately

Love them or loathe them, social media platforms are a must for all business owners to use. Denying your business a presence on the right social media platforms could lose you leads, revenue and repeat custom.

If you are overwhelmed with where you should start, give Perfect Layout Digital Marketing a call to see how we can help build the right social media strategy for you.

Christine Huntingford, CEO, Perfect Layout Digital Marketing will be one of the guest speakers at the Havering Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (HCCI) breakfast meeting this Friday (13 July). She will talk about how businesses need to invest in their website and digital marketing; in order to stay ahead of the competition. Breakfast meetings are free to members and guests are welcome too.

​Come along on Friday 13 July to the Havering Museum in Romford and join the members and guests of the Havering Chamber of Commerce and Industry to hear Christine share ways for you to check if your website is easily found (or not); your website is the foundation of your digital marketing strategy and if that isn’t right, that is where you need to start first. From there we can build the blocks to ensure that you are engaging with potential customers on a regular basis.

​The meeting starts at 7:30am for networking and the speakers will be presenting between 8am and 9am. There is a further opportunity to network until 9:30am.
​Guests welcome: £10 on the door.

Tip 4 – create different device campaigns
It’s common that households today have multiple laptops, tablets and smartphones that cater for the uses of all the family. According to KISSMetrics, “over 40% of smartphone users watch TV while browsing a smartphone.” Because people are now adept at multi-tasking on this level, it’s important that marketing campaigns are adjusted to take into account the device, location and time of day of the end user. This way, you will be able to maximise your return on investment by delivering content that is relevant to different members of your audience.
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Tip 5 – send out timely alerts
Have you ever found yourself checking your phone even when it’s not made one of those little ‘ping’ noises? Well you’re not alone. If you have done your research and truly know your audience and the time they would like to receive these alerts, take advantage of people wanting to look busy by sending out notifications of your latest discounts, savings or next big event.

Please note that this list is not exhaustive and is offered as a starting point to help businesses create a strategy.​

It was back in January 2018 when I, Christine Huntingford, one of the founders at Perfect Layout Digital Marketing attended the Havering Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI) networking event in Havering.
 
It was there that I bumped into Simon Lewin, Business Growth Manager (BGM) from Building Legacies. He got talking to me about how he, as a BGM, helped start-ups and young companies with business mentoring free of charge.
 
My first question was, what ‘free’ free? To which Simon said ‘yes’. He explained that Building Legacies is a fully funded business support programme, delivered in partnership by Newham College Centre for Innovation and Partnerships (CIPs)  and East London Business Place (ELBP), that offers tailored solutions for London-based Small, Medium and Micro-sized Enterprises (SMMEs) seeking competitive business advantage.
 
After the meeting I did some more research and found that Building Legacies is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) with the purpose of delivering a support programme that tackles gaps in SMMEs’:

• growth
• innovation
• contract-readiness
• knowledge of procurement and supply-chain requirements

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Whilst it’s only been a couple of months, our journey so far with Building Legacies has been rich and rewarding. The support and areas of focus that we are currently working on is pushing us harder and faster than we would have done otherwise.
 
We have been provided with expert business guidance that has opened our eyes and encouraged us to focus on areas of the business that we may not have addressed at this stage. It has also provided us with the opportunity to think about ways of expanding our product offering.
 
We feel very grateful to have bumped into Simon at that networking event. Not only have we received great mentoring (as described above) we have also been offered the option to attend free training workshops and been introduced to business owners in need of new websites or help with their digital marketing.
 
Building Legacies offers this programme predominantly (but not exclusively) to companies in construction, digital/creative and care-related sectors. Their aim is to assist them in becoming better businesses by providing tailored solutions through:

• workshops
• masterclasses
• networking
• meet the Buyer events
• 1-2-1 coaching and mentoring

 
For SMMEs that take part, they will find themselves considering; new and legacy market opportunities; locating new customer bases and identifying and capitalising on new opportunities to grow their business.
 
The Building Legacies business support programme is one that we would highly recommend. If you are in East London with a new business idea or your company has a turnover of less than £5m, seriously consider being mentored by Simon or one of his colleagues. It’s a challenging process that is extremely rewarding.
 
If you’re interested in taking advantage of this scheme, you must complete and return a registration form. To get this, email info@elbp.co.uk  or call on 020 7537 6480.
 
For more information visit: https://buildinglegacies.co.uk/
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When people think of branding, they often associate it with having a great logo or a memorable name. But branding goes far beyond the visual aspects of your business. So what exactly is a brand?

The short answer is: everything.

Your brand includes things such as the look and feel of your website, your customer service and how you engage on social media. It represents every single aspect of your business. Your company’s branding will influence what people think about your business and whether they perceive your brand as being reliable, fun, modern, attractive, cutting edge etc.

Beyond just having a memorable logo, good branding increases the value of your company. For larger organisations it provides employees with a purpose and direction. When done correctly it can make getting new customers easier. When all of these parts of the business are working well, the overall brand tends to be in a good position.

After formalising a company, anyone serious about their new business will set themselves the tasks of:

• getting a logo designed
• organising business cards/stationary to be designed and printed
• getting a website built
• creating company pages on social media platforms

Now whilst these are all essential and worthwhile jobs has thought gone into how the branding of the company fits in? Is it being done in the right way?
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Let’s take a look at how the brand impacts your business:

Recognition
It’s not surprising that the first thing people associate with branding is the logo; as it’s the first component that people tend to see. Logo design is critical because that simple graphic or icon will be on everything that you do. A professional logo design should be created so that it is simple enough to be remembered - but it must also convey the desired impression of your company.

A professional appearance builds credibility and trust. People are more likely to purchase from a business that appears professional and polished, rather than something that looks ‘cobbled together’ or done on a very tight budget. Getting this step wrong could seriously impact the success of your business. Once you have established a (bad) reputation, it’s hard to change it.

Positive recognition is essential because it develops a good relationship between your business and your customers.

Trust and Confidence
People are more likely to buy again from a company when their first experience was good, or when someone has recommended them. Through their own experience they too build confidence and trust with you and your products or services. Once you start to be recognised, you begin to distinguish yourself from your competitors.  Strong brands can feel like an extension of you. Just think of the products you buy that you just wouldn’t buy from any other brand.
 
Loyalty
A strong brand, with a professional structure behind it, will begin to build loyalty. Once all the aforementioned factors are working in harmony, you are likely to have a customer base that will keep coming back for more.
 
Advertising
Advertising is another component of your brand strategy. It is essential for your business to bring customers to you and communicate to the world what your business offers. If it resonates with your would-be customer, then your brand will draw them to your business.

It is important to have thought through what you want to advertise, how you want to advertise and where and when you want to advertise. Not thinking through your message and tactics properly may not achieve the desired effect that you want. If done badly, it could lose you money and damage your brand.

New Customers
Branding enables your company to get referral business from those that are now loyal to you. This is where all companies want to be, as it is the most profitable advertising source. Word-of-mouth referrals are only possible where you have built a solid reputation on delivering a great product or service.

Let customers engage with your brand
Being on social media will allow customers the opportunity to engage directly with your brand. You can do this by simply creating a hashtag for your business, which should feature in every post you publish. This will help people remember the brand if they see this in every post.

Branding motivates employees
Many people choose the companies they want to work for because they are aligned with their ethos and practices. People often aren’t simply looking for work, but looking for their ideal employer. When employees understand your mission and reason for being, they are more likely to feel that same pride and passion and will align their attitude with the company’s.

Take the time to invest in your brand
Unfortunately, many businesses don’t prioritise branding and this is a huge mistake. Poor branding impacts your business in many negative ways and can threaten the survival of your company. Your brand is the face of your business. How do you want people to feel about your brand?

Invest the time, energy and resources to develop a brand that you’re proud of. This is not a quick win – good branding takes time and planning. But remember that it’s worth the investment and it will help boost your profits.

If you need advice on branding for your business or are looking for a website design in Essex, then look no further. Call Perfect Layout Digital Marketing on 01708 578 015, email us at hello@perfectlayout.co.uk or complete the contact form below.
 

​So we landed in Las Vegas yesterday afternoon for this year’s annual conference. It’s the first year that we are attending. As with any industry conference, you have to decide which are the right ones for you. You need to evaluate what you are going to gain from it and consider whether or not it will see a return on your investment.

We knew that this was the year that we were going to make it to Las Vegas and that it would tick all three boxes. Whilst we could have saved ourselves the expense of the trip, and watched the online videos when they became available, we decided that we had to be there to gain the most from the experience. It was time to head on over to meet our peers face-to-face, share our experiences and learn from theirs.
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The 10-hour flight passed quickly (thanks Virgin for your stream of food and drinks - though your entertainment system’s touch screen was frustrating to say the least!). The two-hour wait to make it through passport control was not so much fun. By the time we got to our hotel, we were feeling the strain of the long day. 

A little siesta helped recharge the batteries and we soaked up the bright, brash adult theme park that is Vegas. The temperature was high and the desert wind felt like someone was blowing a hairdryer over our bodies as we walked the strip - it took some getting used to!

Today, our bodies have adjusted to the US time-zone. We have explored the hotel and got our bearings for the conference tomorrow. There are plans on the Facebook group to meet up with delegates later and we can’t wait…

These next few days, will bring us up to speed with digital marketing changes and give us the opportunity to immerse ourselves with experts who have walked the path that we are walking on. We hope to make new friendships, some that may last a lifetime.

Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith and trust that things will work out and we can already feel that this will happen.
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We will keep posting on our learnings and adventures, so watch this space!

Christine Huntingford, CEO, Perfect Layout Digital Marketing will be one of the guest speakers at the Havering Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (HCCI) breakfast meeting in July.

Many business owners are busy working ‘in’ their business and rarely take the time to work ‘on’ their business. Are you one of them?

When was the last time you really looked at your website? Does it really work for you in the way that you want it to - i.e. are you getting leads from it? Do you know how easy it is for potential customers to find you? Is your social media activity where it should be?

We all know that there is more that we can, and should, do. Often the, ‘time thief’, prevents us from taking action. But there are simple and relatively quick things that you can implement (if you haven’t already) that can make a big difference. Some elements cost you time, not money. And those that do cost money, can be scaled to what is affordable for you.
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Come along on Friday 13 July to the Havering Museum in Romford and join the members and guests of the Havering Chamber of Commerce and Industry to hear Christine share ways for you to check if your website is easily found (or not) and things that you can implement quickly.

The meeting starts at 7:30am for networking and the speakers will be presenting between 8am and 9am. There is a further opportunity to network until 9:30am.

​Guests welcome: £10 on the door.
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​Have you been gripped by World Cup fever? Wherever you live in the world, it would be hard to avoid the pull of watching two teams of grown men kicking a ball about. Whether you’re an ardent fan or occasional watcher, like myself, every four years I find that I am drawn into the highs and lows of watching a sport that unites the world.

It’s the world-wide appeal of this tournament that intrigues me. That a ball, kicked about by 22 men, is able to grab the attention of so many different people, from countries across the world, that are from such varied walks of life. A marketer’s dream!

Imagine having a target audience of billions that is ready to buy a wide range of products associated with the event and the nations home team… football kits, balls, books, clothes, teddy bears and hair accessories are just a few items that established businesses and budding entrepreneurs with a keen eye for making quick money are ready to sell to a hungry public.

If you are one of the billions of people already glued to their TVs – here are a few facts about this event that may surprise you:

• Construction and preparation for the 2018 World Cup have cost $11.8 billion for Russia.
• The tournament comes amid allegations of corruption against FIFA, soccer's international governing body.
• FIFA is expected to rake in about $6 billion in revenue from the 2018 World Cup, up 25 percent from the previous tournament.
• Teams will win portions of the $400 million in total prize money up for grabs, according to FIFA, from $8 million per team for participating to $38 million for the winner.

Whilst these amounts of money are positively eye-watering, it just shows that money really does make the world go around! Are you ready to get your portion by having your website reach the target audience it deserves?  Get in touch on 01708 578 015 if you’re ready to make that happen.
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