Having a well-defined brand strategy early on (and including as many stakeholders as possible in those decisions) will act as a roadmap for growth and will prevent you from having to spend a lot of money and time later redefining your brand. But what is a brand strategy? You just get someone to design a logo, decide which colours you like and roll out your marketing material, right? Unfortunately not. Branding is so much more than putting your logo on things. Here are some tips for creating an effective brand strategy.

A satisfied client is an asset to any business, but business owners often neglect to use the positive references of clients as a marketing element in the establishment of credibility during their marketing activities. First things first: If you wish to use a client’s feedback and want to mention him/her by name, it is of the utmost importance to obtain the written consent of such a client. Here are some tips to help you use client feedback and case studies to the benefit of your business.

Creating and executing on an effective marketing strategy is something that many SMEs struggle with, and without which many businesses may not be able to succeed. It is because of the “make-or-break” power of marketing that it is important for you as an entrepreneur or business owner to have the necessary tools at hand to develop a marketing strategy that ultimately benefits your business. To address this need, Basil O’Hagan has created a neighbourhood marketing checklist for SMEs to better help them attract customers, make sales, and boost profits.

415 Action-Packed Neighbourhood Marketing Tips is a consolidated resource of practical, easy-to-implement, tips, strategies, insights and advice written by Basil O’Hagan (with Hagen Engler). This book consolidates O’Hagan’s 40+ years of experience and his passion and mastery of marketing in one place. It is a logical, straightforward, insightful compilation of valuable tools to help you successfully build your brand through neighbourhood marketing.

To inspire motivation and productivity in our businesses, we need to connect to the right aspirations and the right people – in the right way. As individuals we have 3 critical connectors. As business leaders we have 3 platforms on which to connect effectively for sound business structuring and growth. This article looks at how you can leverage these 3 connectors and 3 platforms to structure and grow your business.

The world is a digital place. People are living more connected than ever, but at the same time we don’t connect like before. The best way to form a connection or bond is still to have a face-to-face conversation. It’s the same in the business world. While nearly all businesses have moved online, very few businesses are “real” to their customers, because there is only a slight personal connection. So how can you create a lasting bond with customers; one that transcends the digital realm?

Existing clients are the lifeblood of any business, a fact that some business owners tend to overlook. In fact, we often spend much of our resources on recruiting clients for our businesses, but then forget about them once a transaction has been finalised. However, it is common knowledge that it is cheaper to sell to existing clients, than to recruit new ones. Below there are four communication options that you may implement in your business immediately.

As Christmas season approaches, marketers are scrambling to get their Christmas season media plans finalised, big budgets are being spent on television advertising, and everyone just hopes it will bring in the desired sales. But is anyone looking at the results of last year’s Christmas advertising before spending a fortune again this year? The answer is most likely ‘no’ – because brands in South Africa are not using attribution software to track and optimise their TV advertising yet.

John Wanamaker (American merchant, religious leader, civic and political figure) on occasion had the following to say on marketing and the placement of advertisement: “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted, the trouble is I don`t know which half”. It is against the background of just this statement that it is of vital importance for business owners to make well-considered decisions when having to decide on marketing. This article looks at the two ways you can calculate your return on investment for marketing expenses.

Before you open for business, make sure that all the elements of your business are in place. In order to do this, we have provided a "Before you start" checklist for you to review and supplement with appropriate items. Through this checklist you will learn how to buy, and how to market, promote, and advertise your business. Read on for more information.

Figures illustrate that as of October 2019, 87% of South Africans know about Black Friday.