Attended a great event last night organised by Sheffield Technology Parks. Andrew Barke of Google UK gave us an interesting insight into the ‘new’ world of business. I say ‘new’. My take on it was it’s not ‘new’, it’s ‘now’. You used to hear people talking about ‘an internet’ business. Not anymore. It’s just ‘a business’.
Andrew [...]

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What do you stand for? What does your business stand for?  I don’t mean what products or services do you make or sell. I’m talking about what your business actually does, how it does it and importantly who does it do it for?
 
The world is full of ‘same as’ businesses selling the same things, employing [...]

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How could ever imagined that the Glastonbury Festival has become part of the ‘establishment’? Michael Eavis, its founder, felt it was becoming a bit too ’safe’, so decided to shake things up a bit and invite hip hop star Jay Z to headline the Saturday night.
Cue ‘outrage’, ‘disgruntlement’ and ’slower’ ticket sales. There was widespread [...]

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Chocolate digestives are the answer to all your customer problems apparently!
In one of those (pointless?) surveys, it’s been revealed that 4 out of 5 UK businesses believe that the type of biscuit you serve at a meeting with a potential customer could clinch the deal or make it crumble (geddit?!).
The survey, carried out by Holiday Inn [...]

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Would your customers miss you if you weren’t there? Or would they just shrug and quickly find another supplier?
I miss Toby Foster. His breakfast show on BBC Radio sheffield makes me smile in a morning and Toby’s wit and humour always brightens up my day. 
Unfortunately (for me and thousands of others!) his stature is growing so [...]

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Very occasionally, and I mean ‘very’, you experience something that completely blows you away and sets a new level of excellence that you didn’t know existed and that others simply can’t touch.
The U2 3D film is just one of those experiences. I watched it last night at the National Media Museum IMax Cinema, Bradford and it took my [...]

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I was lucky enough to be in London yesterday for the London Marathon - Watching, not participating! Well, actually, that’s untrue. The crowds DID participate. They were an integral part of the event and contributed to making it an unbelievable experience.
What struck me was the willingness of the thousands who lined the route to become ‘engaged’. We [...]

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A client lost out on some work recently, and wanted some help on finding out why. Here are the questions I suggested he should consider asking them:
- What originally attracted you to us? / what made you consider us?
- Who else did you consider?
- What particularly impressed you about us?
- What disappointed you?
- What criteria [...]

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Seth Godin has done it again with his latest book. Meatball Sundae explains how so many businesses are still using ‘traditional’ marketing methods to deal with the ‘new’ world…. and are failing. He calls it a Meatball Sundae - 2 things that just don’t go together.
In the book, Seth identifies 14 ‘trends’ that we all [...]

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Speaking at the Service Excellence Conference last week introduced me to the ‘delights’ of James Timpson of Timpsons. His refreshing approach was a revelation to all, especially when dealing with those ‘problem performers’ in your business.
Some key points:

Don’t tolerate ‘Drongos’ - those negative people who sap your business bring everyone else down. Do everything you can [...]

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