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Marketing essentials

How to create a marketing plan for your small business - build a brand, target customers and set prices that will maximise sales.

Online marketing

The internet has transformed business marketing. No matter what you do, the internet is likely to be at the heart of your marketing strategy.

Social media

Social media is firmly established as a marketing tool. Having a presence opens up new lines of communication with existing and potential customers.

Advertising

Good advertising puts the right marketing message in front of the right people at the right time, raising awareness of your business.

Customer care

Customer care is at the heart of all successful companies. It can help you develop customer loyalty and improve relationships with your customers.

Sales

Sales bring in the money that enables your business to survive and grow. Your sales strategy will be driven by your sales objectives.

Market research

Market research exists to guide your business decisions by giving you insight into your market, competitors, products, marketing and your customers.

PR and promotion

PR can be especially cost-effective for small businesses. However, you also need to act quickly to manage any bad press. Discover how you can get media coverage online and via the local press.

Tools

Essential guide to ecommerce

Selling via your website can attract new customers and make it easier to serve your existing ones. Our guide to setting up and running an online shop.

Essential guide to designing your website

Good design is vital if you want a website that's attractive, organised and intuitive to use. Our guide to designing your business website.

How to build an email marketing list - checklist

A quality in-house email marketing list is essential if you contact customers via email. We outline the steps to take when building an email list.

How to create a brand - checklist

A strong brand calls for a clear visual identity, effective messaging and a distinctive brand voice that resonates with your target audience.

Essential guide to benefitting from networking

Networking helps you form and maintain relationships that could benefit your business. Our guide to seeing opportunities and making connections.

Essential guide to benchmarking

Even small businesses can benefit from benchmarking - to check how you're doing against your competitors and identify ways to improve. Our guide.

How social media helped me build a global jewellery brand

Alyssa Smith is a British entrepreneur whose iconic silver jewellery has many devoted fans. Alyssa explains how she built her successful brand.

Six reasons you could be failing to attract customers

Failing to attract enough customers is worrying, but if you know why you might be able to turn things around. Here are six possibilities.

Data protection: your obligations

The EU General Data Protection Regulations lay down strict rules about the use of personal information. There are significant fines for failure to follow the rules.

Why do small businesses need a brand?

If you are a small firm, you could be forgiven for thinking that branding is not important for small businesses, but this perception is wrong.

How to make business exhibitions work for you

Exhibitions provide the opportunity to meet, connect and build rapport with prospects and customers. Here's how to make the most of exhibitions.

Get started with LinkedIn in your business

LinkedIn is a business-focused networking platform that replicates real-life word-of-mouth contact introductions. So, how do you use it for business?

Get started with Twitter in your business

Twitter should not be used simply to broadcast sales messages all day, but often it can drive sales. Find out how to start using Twitter for business.

Get started with Facebook in your business

Facebook has evolved into the preferred social networking website for more than 1.2bn users worldwide. So, how do you use it for business?

Setting exhibition and event objectives

Many people attend business shows with good intentions, aiming to meet people, do business and generate sales. But often their objectives are too vague, and either non-measurable or unrealistic.

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