Do you have a reputation gap?

Do you have a reputation gap?

You may have seen on social media that, along with my co-author Peter Roper, I published a new book The Reputation Gap in mid-May.  The question I keep being asked is ‘What is a reputation gap?’ It’s the difference between 4 stars and 5 stars. It’s about customer...
‘Unsubscribe’

‘Unsubscribe’

When you’ve invested time and effort in building your list you are, understandably, keen to maintain it.  People who unsubscribe can be seen as a personal affront! However, there’s a better way to look at it – people who unsubscribe are not your audience.  They’re...
How to create a lead funnel

How to create a lead funnel

Lead funnels are a process – to bring potential customers into your network.  Some people call them Sales funnels or Marketing funnels, but they’re all pretty much the same species! A lead funnel has a series of levels – and you need to address all of these to make it...
Find a crowd who want what you’re offering

Find a crowd who want what you’re offering

To get noticed by people who are interested in what you’re offering you need to know where they hang out. If you’re aiming to get into your local paper or maybe even the Nationals, you first need to explore their demographics.  Let me tell you a true story: In a...
Does anyone actually read a newsletter?

Does anyone actually read a newsletter?

I’m asked this all the time by clients and people I meet networking.  There was a time when you could put a ‘Sign up to my newsletter’ form on your website and lots of people would sign up, but not anymore. That doesn’t mean they don’t read newsletters, it does mean...
What should I post?

What should I post?

One of the biggest stumbling blocks people have about social media is that they don’t know what to post.  Nobody wants to see a picture of your lunch (unless you happen to be a star chef) or see an endless stream of selfies.  When you’re running a business people...
It’s all about your reputation

It’s all about your reputation

When R.E.M. wrote Shiny, Happy People I’m sure they didn’t have reputation in mind, but it’s such a good description of what a great reputation is and does that I couldn’t resist mentioning it again! There are a couple of lines in the middle that resonate too:...
When is a blog not a blog?

When is a blog not a blog?

Not everyone is a natural writer.  We all have our strengths, mine happens to be writing, but don’t ask me to tot up a column of figures, even with a calculator I can get a selection of not necessarily right answers! If your strength isn’t writing, blogs can be a...
Completed your MS? Now what?

Completed your MS? Now what?

Becoming an author doesn’t stop when you’ve finished writing your manuscript.  Even if it’s been edited and is now in the hands of your publisher, you can’t rest on your laurels. Regardless of whether you have a contract with a mainstream publisher or you’re working...
5 ways to stop people reading your website

5 ways to stop people reading your website

A strong message and attractive graphics are not enough to keep the visitor on your website engaged.  They’re both really important, but if you commit any of these errors, they aren’t enough. 1: Whizzy graphics Scrolling marquees, banners that refresh every 3-4...