Stuart Ayling Articles

You Cant Serve Everybody so Disqualify Most - Click To Read Article
Web content guru Gerry McGovern recently wrote… “Every time you serve someone, you make someone else wait.”

Why B2B Marketing Should be Subtle - Click To Read Article
Subtle adj. Showing or making, or capable of showing or making, fine distinctions of meaning.

Whos Sabotaging Your Sales and Marketing Efforts - Click To Read Article
Without knowing it your business is being attacked. Sabotaged from the inside. \"Certainly not\", you say. \"Why would anyone do that to me?\"

Who's Driving Your Product? - Click To Read Article
Many businesses have sub-optimal marketing procedures in place and focus valuable effort on the 'symptom' of low revenue (i.e. low sales) rather than address the real 'cause' - poor marketing. Get some tips on how to stay in control of your product or service.

Why Having a Degree Doesn't Make You an Expert - Click To Read Article
Many people who hold qualifications automatically think they are capable of dealing with their clients and attracting new business. But this is not always true. In fact for some industry sectors it is nearly always a wrong assumption. Did you gain a qualification that never taught you how to deal with clients? This article tells you what to do now.

Why Great Sales Skills Ain't Enough - Click To Read Article
Selling is an essential skill in business. But even the most highly skilled salesperson is not guaranteed to get fantastic sales results. That’s because there is more to being successful in sales than just having great sales skills.

Whats Really Your Problem - Click To Read Article
Many people that speak to me seem to have a problem. A business problem that is - not a personal one. And they\'re speaking to me because they want to do something about it. They want things to be better - more sales, new customers, new markets.

Whats in a name? - Click To Read Article
A: Profit. If you know exactly who your customers are, and have their name and address, then you can use this information to help both your customers and yourself.

Where Great Marketing Starts - Click To Read Article
Most businesses that have marketing problems haven't fully considered their marketing process. As a result they focus on a short-list of marketing tactics that are often being used for the wrong reasons.

What do Your Customers Want you to do - Click To Read Article
It\'s usually early in the year that you see an abundance of \"new year resolution\" suggestions, tips, advice and counselling offers.

Watch Your Customers Grow - Click To Read Article
Nurturing your customers and helping them to develop into better people (who use more of what you sell) is often like raising children - but without the teenage worries! Customers need help to know how best to use your products and services. Look out for their needs and you will be rewarded in multiples

Waiting Can Bankrupt Your Business - Click To Read Article
I’m just like you. I’ve put off making certain marketing decisions because I didn’t want to spend money. Sometimes that was a smart thing to do. But other times it just cost me money… and time… and I bet some future clients as well.

Website Evolution – Which Stage is Right for You? - Click To Read Article
Lately I’ve been talking a lot about websites. Large, small and in-between. And it has become very clear to me that for all businesses there are a number of stages – or ‘evolutions’ - you can progress through when developing your website.

Using the Media to Your Advantage - Click To Read Article
Lights...camera...ACTION. That\'s what often happens when people think of using media for advertising or other promotional purposes. It\'s the focus on \'action\' that often means the results are somewhat less than expected. A bit of planning can greatly improve your chances of success.

To Web or not to Web - Click To Read Article
Do I need a web site? That is the question often asked by business owners. The answer will usually depend upon the type of product or service offered and what the business is trying to achieve. Some products/services are more suited to the web than others. Plus, a well designed web site can be a superb tool for communicating with customers, prospective customers, suppliers and the wider community.

Too Little, Too Late, Too Busy... how to avoid marketing stress - Click To Read Article
You know what creates stress for most people? When it comes to marketing their business many people find they have to: * Make decisions without having the facts required. * Risk wasting money on tactics they don’t fully understand. * Find time to weigh up the best choices. ...all at very short notice. No wonder they find marketing stressful!

Top 12 Proven Tips to Strengthen Your Marketing Muscle - Click To Read Article
We all know that when we exercise we stretch and strain our muscles. The repeated extra workload is what strengthens the muscle fibres. In fact, health professionals point out that until we get to the point of ‘feeling’ our muscles strain, we do not get the full benefits. It is the recovery our muscles make from the extra strain (but not overload) that increases muscle strength. Why do I tell you this? Because it is exactly the same with your marketing muscle.

The LWW Local Wide Web is Here - Click To Read Article
Remember when W.W.W. meant World Wide Web? In the days of the internet boom around 1999 the idea was that you could aim to reach a global market through the World Wide Web.

Talking Behind Your Back is Good - Click To Read Article
Most of us grew up with the concept of “Don’t talk behind someone else’s back”. A similar philosophy is “If you’ve got something to say, say it to their face”.

The Art of Selling - Click To Read Article
Selling. Cold calls, introductions, interviews, appointments, proposals, referrals, call cycles, building rapport, listening, asking for the order, overcoming objections, closing the sale, and rejection. There\'s a lot to know about the business of selling. No wonder many people are a bit overwhelmed when they are asked to do it.

The Biggest Marketing Problem - Click To Read Article
Can you guess what it is? - It\'s not having too much competition. - It\'s not about money (or the lack thereof). - And it\'s not about finding more clients.

The Easiest Marketing Plan Ever - Click To Read Article
When it comes to marketing there’s simply too many choices. I often find clients are totally perplexed about which marketing tools they should use and how to use them.

Strategic Options What Can You Do - Click To Read Article
Most business people want to see improvements in sales and profits. But how do you get there? What choices do you have?

Squeeze Maximum Results from Your Marketing Budget - Click To Read Article
A common problem for all businesses is not having enough money to put into place all the possible marketing ideas. Quite simply, promotional opportunities exceed the budget available. I’ve seen this with marketing budgets in the millions of dollars, as well as with marketing budgets in the thousands of dollars. This means you have to make choices. You have to choose which marketing tactics to deploy. And choose how much you should spend on your marketing program.

Show Them the Money Marketing HR Services to Other Managers - Click To Read Article
\"HR systems only have a systematic impact on the bottom line when they are embedded in a firms management infrastructure and help it solve real business problems.\"1

Should You be Advertising Your Services - Click To Read Article
You offer a reliable, quality service. You know that if more people knew what you can do, you\'d increase sales. So you advertise in the most likely media for potential clients to read about you. But there\'s no response. Why?

Smarter Marketing in a Slow Economy - Click To Read Article
More often than not, when times get tough marketing gets the bullet. In some cases where there has been an incorrect allocation of resources within a company this may be justified. But in most cases it is a mistake. Sometimes a very costly one!

Sales Trap We love to talk but need to listen - Click To Read Article
My research has clearly shown that, when it comes to selling, the part we\'re most comfortable with is talking about what we do - explaining our services and how we can help the client.

Selling B2B Services converting warm leads into eager clients - Part 2 - Click To Read Article
Last time we reached the point where we held a meeting with our prospect to determine what they are really looking for, and decided "Yes, we can help them". So now we proceed to make...

Selling B2B Services - Converting Warm leads Into Eager Clients - Part One - Click To Read Article
One of the difficulties in selling a service is that potential clients (we'll call them "prospects" here) often don't know whether they should be using what you provide. Selling services can require a much more sensitive approach than selling tangible products. Lets have a look at some of the things we can do to create a successful sales process when selling B2B services.

Sales Partners Agents Distributors Licensing and Franchises - Click To Read Article
When I\'m speaking with clients who are looking for ways to expand their business the conversation often comes around to the possibilities of using agents, distributors, licensing arrangements or a franchise.

Richard Branson Time and Future Revenue - Click To Read Article
I often speak with business owners who wonder how much time they should be spending marketing their business. Do you know how much is enough?

Paint a Picture Get the Sale - Click To Read Article
Donna had a problem, and she had come to me for help. Her firm offers a complex service to organisations - they help employees deal with workplace changes. Donna and her partner teach employees (in client organisations) new communication skills, coach them on how to handle change, and mentor managers to help them cope with the demands of staff during the period of change.

Online Marketing For Service Businesses - Click To Read Article
I know… you have a service-based business, or a professional services firm, and you probably don’t like the idea of marketing (or advertising, or selling). In fact, many service providers, professionals, and technical specialists think that if they need to promote their business to get clients, they can’t be very good. After all, successful businesses are built on word of mouth and referrals, right? And that should be enough to make you a success.

New Client meetings 7 Steps to Success - Click To Read Article
Meeting potential clients for the first time can be nerve racking. Wondering if they will be a good fit for your Business and services. Wondering if they will like you. Wondering what you should say.Let me give you some straight talking tips on how to make your first client meeting a success.

Marketing Advice from Philip Kotler - Click To Read Article
Philip Kotler really did \"write the book on marketing\". He is a Distinguished Professor of International Marketing at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management (USA), and has authored more than 20 books including the classic text Marketing Management.

Marketing From The Outside In - Click To Read Article
Instead of telling prospects what they need to know, too many service firms talk about the features or functionality of their services or products. (This is inside-out.) They really should be taking an outside-in approach to their marketing.

Marketing Lesson from Selecting a Business Partner - Click To Read Article
Before you can make sensible marketing decisions, be clear about what you are really trying to achieve with your marketing. The best results come from achieving synergy between your business objectives and marketing outcomes.

Management of Intellectual Property- Finding your Forgotten Business Asset. - Click To Read Article
For a service business it is particularly important to identify and manage Intellectual Property (IP). This article explains what IP is and how you can use it to benefit your business.

Marketing Advice - 5 Steps to Get Your Marketing Unstuck - Click To Read Article
Do you get confused over which marketing strategies to use? Ever wonder what you should be doing first? Recently one of my clients was stuck without any purposeful marketing strategies. Remember: No marketing = no control over the future of the business. So how did I get their marketing unstuck?

Key Results of the Marketing Challenges Survey - Click To Read Article
My thanks go out to the business people around Australia and New Zealand who responded to my survey during October and November 2002. In some ways the results are quite surprising.

Know Your Niche - Click To Read Article
It was a warm, quiet winter afternoon as I walked along the beach. At the headland there was a typical collection of rock pools. Lots of pools, some with more water than others, and some surging with the tidal wash. As I looked more closely I noticed the inhabitants - a purple anemone or two on the sidewall, sea snails moving slowly along the crevices, and other small creatures swimming around.

Is Your Marketing Kitchen Really Cookin - Click To Read Article
In discussions with clients and business associates, and during my work as a tutor with university students, I am often surprised at the lack of understanding of how ubiquitous the marketing function is within an organisation.

How to Spend Your Marketing Money - Click To Read Article
When it comes to spending money - particularly for marketing - many businesses are not sure what to do. In some situations there is a history of implementing certain marketing activities for specific reasons, in other cases a fresh start must be taken. At all times there is a need to make sure your marketing budget is being planned correctly and spent wisely.

How to Successfully Use Your Digital Footprint - Essential in a social media world - Click To Read Article
Remember when you walked on the beach? You could see a trail left by those who had been there before you. In today’s online marketing world you need a digital footprint and it is very important.

How to Set Your Fees - Click To Read Article
When you think about setting your fees there are two main aspects to consider. One aspect is ‘how’ to charge. The other is ‘how much’ to charge.

How to Use a Service Delivery Model to Win More Business - Click To Read Article
What is a ‘Service Delivery Model’? And how to use it. For any business delivering a service or a complex or customised product, potential clients often have two major concerns. To get your prospect to become a paying client you must satisfactorily answer those questions. The best way to do that is to explain your Service Delivery Model.

How to Save Thousands on Your Marketing - Click To Read Article
Marketing can be expensive. It doesn\'t have to be, but sometimes you will spend more than you should. Usually you\'ll realise this after you\'ve done it. But here are two tips that can save you thousands of dollars.

How To Revive A Dead Lead - Click To Read Article
It’s easy to spend days, weeks, or months speaking with a prospect, working up to a decision to buy. This is especially true if your prospects are in larger companies. Sometimes your lead can go dead. You’re not sure why, but your contact person just goes quiet – sometimes disappearing for good. Was your price too high? Did you say something wrong? What should you do?

How to Find Lists of Prospects - Click To Read Article
Recently I was asked: “We are just starting a cold calling process and I was wondering if you had any ideas on what publications we could use to track down businesses based on industry, turnover, staff numbers etc.” - Brendan.

How To Get Client Testimonials When You Want Them - Click To Read Article
Just about every service business relies on some form of ‘proof’ that they can deliver what they offer. And client testimonials are among the most sought after marketing weapons for business owners to have in their arsenal. But how do you go about getting a client testimonial that is worded well enough that you can actually use it? Do you find it difficult to be bold and just ASK for it?

How to Give a Guarantee That Attracts New Business... and Doesn't Put You at Risk. - Click To Read Article
I was working with my client David (not his real name) - the principal of a sports psychology business - to review their marketing program. I asked David "Do you offer a guarantee?" David thought for a moment and then replied, "No... We can't really give a guarantee." >> Do you think the same thing about your business? Read on to find out how to give a guarantee that attracts new business and doesn’t put you at risk.

Have You Found Any New Marketing Truths - Click To Read Article
When we encounter new information we are forced to make a choice.

Getting Past The Price - Click To Read Article
I\'ve written previously about how to attract customers and how to manage the sales process. But one thorny issue keeps popping up for my clients… what should they do when a potential customer asks \"How much will it cost?\" as one of their opening lines.

Good Marketing is Like a Bad Habit - Click To Read Article
You know those bad habits we get. Like raiding the chocolate biscuits during late night TV shows. Or slouching we when we sit. Or biting our fingernails.

Get Your Share of Old Business - Click To Read Article
Lets face it...winning new business is fun. Particularly in service firms where there is substantial personal involvement required to gain clients. But the jubilation of landing new accounts often leads to problems.

Get Smart - Offer a Proposal - Click To Read Article
Remember Maxwell Smart from the 1960’s comedy series Get Smart! When he was in a bind, caught by the baddies, he would often start off his explanation by saying “Would you believe…” in an effort to convince his enemies that – although he was captured and possibly facing torture - he had the upper hand. How do you handle the situation when you are facing clients, and they expect you to make them an offer? Do you simply say, “I’ll give you a quote”. This can often be the ‘kiss of death’ for your sales efforts.

Fees- Calculating Charge Out Rates and Time Based Fees - Click To Read Article
When it comes to setting the fees (price) for your services there are some important factors to consider. One of the main strategic decisions is to decide whether you will charge based on hourly/daily rates (time-based), or charge based on results achieved (value-based).

Dont Just Make a Sale - Click To Read Article
No business can survive without the lifeblood of profitable sales pulsing through it.

Does Location Affect Service Businesses - Click To Read Article
Recently I spent a night at the Twin Towns Resort, attached to the Twin Towns Services Club on the southern tip of the world famous Gold Coast. See my panoramic view of Greenmount Beach here.

Do Your Emails Get Read - Click To Read Article
Recent research by email services firm eROI for Q3 2005 provides the following insights. Micro mailers (with a list size under 5,000) had read rates that averaged slightly over 35% and click rates between 5% and 9%. Those results are well above the broad average of 27% and 4.4%. The weekends were the best time for click-throughs, averaging 8% to 9% versus 5% to 6% for Tuesday through Thursday.

Do You Really Need a Brochure - Click To Read Article
The phone rings. Good news... it\'s a potential client. You say, \"Thanks for calling, I\'ll send you our brochure.\" But what should you really be sending them?

Communication is the Key - Click To Read Article
No matter what business you are in there is one common factor - communication. Whether it is verbal, visual, on paper or electronic, having clear communication is a must for any successful business. This can be even more challenging when dealing with other cultures, nationalities and lifestyles.

Client Ahoy Raise Your Profile - Click To Read Article
One of the most common issues I\'m asked about is how to raise the profile of a business to attract more clients. This is an important issue no matter how small or large your business may be.

Can You Smell Trouble? - Click To Read Article
As a consultant and trainer I’m often called in to new business scenarios. On these occasions it is part of my job to help clients understand how ‘big’ their opportunity is. What I have observed is that sometimes my client doesn’t really understand where their service (or product) fits into the market. Or why people will want it. Or what the price should be. To me, that smells trouble… for my client.

- Business Development Training - How to Beat the Fear of Meeting People - Click To Read Article
Recently I presented a business development training session at a conference. The audience were managers from all across Australia. I gave them a 2-minute break and asked them to get up and talk amongst themselves. It can get scary when we have to meet new people.But – from a business development perspective – it is extremely selfish when we are not brave enough too reach out to people we don’t know.

Attracting Clients With Incremental Marketing - Click To Read Article
Do you ask prospective clients to go too far? Must your new clients take a “leap of faith” when they engage you?

Are Your Clients Really on Holidays - Click To Read Article
Most industries have regular cycles of slow time. This is often around Christmas/New Year when many people are on holidays. But it could be based on other reasons such as seasonal sales peaks and troughs, or end of financial year issues.

Are you a Guerrilla - Click To Read Article
On numerous occasions I\'ve heard clients describe their marketing by saying, \"I do guerrilla marketing\". What they often mean is - I\'m not big so I don\'t need to plan, I\'ll just think of things as I need to.

Activity Attracts - Click To Read Article
If you want to attract more clients… get busy. Because activity attracts. Your busy-ness should include: Being seen at industry or networking events. Writing articles that get published – at least in your own newsletter. Participating in industry meetings. Participating in web-based discussion groups. Don’t just be a lurker on the list. Getting out and meeting people, prospects and referral partners. Having projects that you are working on, even if you are in-between client engagements. Running surveys to find out more about your market space. And more...

A Few Good Clients - Click To Read Article
Many of the business owners I speak with are looking for a relatively small number of new clients. It isn\'t that they\'re not ambitious, it\'s just the size of their businesses doesn\'t warrant a larger objective. Typically they own service-based businesses with an annual turnover counted in the millions of dollars, not hundreds of millions.

A Marketing Myth - Click To Read Article
I don\'t need to do any marketing\". How many times have we heard this said? Often business operators feel they don\'t need to do any marketing because: - they are already busy with work. - they don\'t have the money. - they don\'t have the time to organise it.

6 Steps To Design Effective Brochures - Click To Read Article
Have you ever decided you need a brochure or other piece of printed marketing material? This could happen after you see a brochure from another business (maybe a competitor) and you think “I need one of those too”.

9 Ways to Keep Clients Coming Back for More - Click To Read Article
A lot of effort is put into getting new clients. We all know our client base will change. Previous clients can move to a new area, sell their business, close down, or change their priorities. So finding new business is always important - but so is keeping your previous clients. Here are nine ways to keep previous clients coming back for more!

7 Ways To Evaluate Your Marketing Plan - Click To Read Article
Business owners often find it difficult to know whether their marketing tactics are working. This can be especially tricky when you use a combination of marketing activities simultaneously, or if using personal-contact tactics such as networking. No matter what business you're in, your marketing should be accountable. So here's a few ways to evaluate how well you're doing.

8 Ways to Boost Service Business Revenues. Part 1 of 2 - Click To Read Article
Service-based businesses are fundamentally different to product-based businesses. Service providers experience different sales and marketing problems (or challenges), and often have more complex relationships with clients. However, if you want to boost your service business revenues consider these ways to improve customer loyalty and generate more sales - without investing in expensive advertising campaigns.

8 Ways to Boost Service Business Revenues Part 2 of 2 - Click To Read Article
If you want to boost your service business revenues consider these ways to improve customer loyalty and generate more sales - without investing in expensive advertising campaigns.

Advertising Effectively - 6 Steps to Effective Advertising - Click To Read Article
It’s easy to see how peoples media consumption has been split, fractured and fragmented. Essentially, we still have 24 hours per day. But we now have multiple forms of communication vying for our readership, listenership, or participation. What this means for you – as an advertiser – is that you need to be very careful about who you are advertising to, and which media to use.

5 Steps to a Live Marketing Plan - Click To Read Article
It’s true. Failure to plan is planning to fail. When I’m talking with business owners and marketing people I’m often asked,


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