Blog
SOSTAC – a structured approach to marketing
SOSTAC allows you to take a structured approach to marketing. When applied, it means each element of your marketing fits together, impacting the next element - like cogs, they all have to be working well to make the whole machine work. Let's take a quick look at...
Your SME’s Marketing Budget – what to allocate and why
Setting an SME's Marketing Budget can seem hard work and it explains why business owners often ask me: "What should our marketing budget be?" The answer is an irritating, "It depends on lots of things" so, in this post, I'm going to share what 'it depends' on. I'll ...
How to create your marketing team
All businesses need a ‘marketing team’. From solopreneurs to growing SMEs to established businesses, we all need a team of people who understand how to plan, implement, manage and run effective marketing. Today in this blog post, I’ll help you understand: The...
Stick to the Plan!
Realism – Rhythm – Re-cycling: three marketing planning principles
Three marketing planning principles for SMEs from Kara Stanford, Strategic Marketing Consultant, Hampshire, UK.
The Buyers Journey and your marketing plan
Learn how to use the Buyers Journey to create a structured marketing plan that will deliver results.
Key steps to make social media work for your business
These are the steps we need to take to make social media work for your business. In a previous post, we explored the key concepts you need to understand so you can use social media effectively. Go to that post first, as it will give you a good understanding and help...
Social media – how to make it an effective part of your marketing
Many smaller businesses struggle to understand how to make social media an effective part of their marketing plan. Let's explore some key concepts to help you know how to use social media. Then, read this post to find out the three steps you need to take so that...
Three reasons why your Marketing doesn’t work
There is always a reason why your marketing doesn't work. While there are often lots of small things that can be improved, there is often an underlying issue. Here are the three I typically find and some ideas on how to address them. 1. You're measuring the...
The competition: what your business needs to be doing about them
Every business has competitors. ‘Competitors’ are any other business or person who offers a reasonable alternative to what your business offers. We all need to do a competitor analysis. As an SME, it can be hard to know how much valuable time and resource should be...
Blog history
- Marketing metrics – stick with me, this will be a good one 6th October 2020
- Marketing Metrics – some fundamentals 15th August 2020
- Spray and Pray: how to waste your marketing spend 10th July 2020
- Trains, planes and…trucks: know your competition. 9th June 2020
- Your Customers’ Buying Journey – which people influence it? 10th May 2020
- Systematically improve your marketing- Conversation #5: Your branding (what does it say about your organisation?) 28th April 2020
- Systematically improve your marketing- Conversation #4. Prices and market positioning 24th April 2020
- Systematically improve your marketing – Conversation #3. How are you solving their problems? (Products) 18th April 2020
- Systematically improve your marketing – Conversation#2: Whose problems are you solving? (segmentation) 14th April 2020
- Systematically improve your marketing – Conversation #1: What are your clients’ problems? 10th April 2020
- Effective Communication at times of change – some advice 16th March 2020
- Special Anniversaries – make them a marketing gift not gaff 29th February 2020
- Clients > Online PM Courses 20th January 2020
- Clients > Opus Oil and Gas 20th January 2020
- Clients > Inside Out Image 20th January 2020
- Clients > Butser Ancient Farm 20th January 2020
- Marketing skills for 2020…and beyond 16th January 2020
- SOSTAC – a structured approach to marketing 14th December 2019
- Your SME’s Marketing Budget – what to allocate and why 14th November 2019
- How to create your marketing team 1st October 2019
- Realism – Rhythm – Re-cycling: three marketing planning principles 1st September 2019
- Stick to the Plan! 1st August 2019
- The Buyers Journey and your marketing plan 3rd July 2019
- Key steps to make social media work for your business 1st June 2019
- Social media – how to make it an effective part of your marketing 1st June 2019
- Three reasons why your Marketing doesn’t work 1st May 2019
- The competition: what your business needs to be doing about them 22nd February 2019
- Shentons Mediators and Solicitors 18th February 2019
- Three reasons to stick to the marketing plan. 9th January 2019
- Five questions to determine your brand positioning 13th December 2018
- Marketing Planning Essentials for your 2019 Marketing Plan 14th November 2018
- Three steps to creating a powerful mission statement. 5th November 2018
- Customer Loyalty – how to create it 17th October 2018
- Customer Loyalty – the real definition 16th September 2018
- Three mistakes SMEs make when setting their prices 30th August 2018
- Adapt, reuse, recycle: make your content marketing work hard 8th July 2018
- Is your marketing not working? You might have some marketing mental blocks. 23rd May 2018
- Creating customer profiles – the three key areas you must cover 29th April 2018
- To grow or not to grow… 21st March 2018
- Step up – improve your marketing for 2018 16th November 2017
- Measuring marketing: the most common mistakes 29th September 2017
- Case study: WRCIC 17th September 2017
- Case study: Emma Falkner 17th September 2017
- Case study: FTP Concepts 10th August 2017
- Building a marketing team and planning your marketing 19th July 2017
- Kara Stanford of KMS Marketing wins award 19th June 2017
- Are you known for the right work? 7th May 2017
- Why “marketing” doesn’t work 24th April 2017
- SMEs – Read this before you hire a marketer 12th April 2017
- Is your marketing built on strong foundations? 26th March 2017
- Segmenting the smart way 28th February 2017
- Are you making these common marketing planning mistakes? 2nd February 2017
- You want them to buy? Make it easy! 26th January 2017
- Marketing skills your business needs 3rd January 2017
- Start-up business? My five top tips 14th December 2016
- What’s in a Strategic Marketing Plan? 19th November 2016
- Let’s write a Marketing Plan! Three ways for getting an effective plan in place 1st November 2016
- Join me for practical, fun and useful marketing learning 14th October 2016
- Will this actually work? Your marketing checklist. 6th September 2016
- How to react to the unexpected 13th July 2016
- Five ways to take calm, confident control of your marketing 13th June 2016
- Quick-fix marketing – what it is and when to use it 17th April 2016
- How to develop superb marketing communications – five tips 14th March 2016
- Set objectives for your digital marketing that mean something 23rd February 2016
- How to move away from amateur, ineffective marketing 7th December 2015
- The real price you’re paying for your marketing 25th November 2015
- Four steps to develop a brand strategy 8th November 2015
- Stop your marketing taking a summer holiday 23rd July 2015
- The wider social media family: What do you need to know? 6th July 2015
- How to set your prices effectively: Part 2 Pricing Strategy 30th June 2015
- How to set your prices effectively: Part 1 Costs 30th June 2015
- Google+: seven reasons your business should be using it 15th June 2015
- Top tips: How to plan powerful events 4th June 2015
- Top tips on how to change your prices 3rd June 2015
- Facebook: nine reasons it can help you grow your business 29th May 2015
- Why PR for your company could be an untapped marketing goldmine 5th May 2015
- Surviving a media interview 14th March 2015
- Four reasons to use social media in your business 3rd March 2015
- Four steps to get to know your customers 19th February 2015
- Get your marketing basics right: The Buying Process 17th February 2015
- Four ways to grow your business: let’s meet Ansoff 3rd February 2015
- How to get persuasive testimonials 18th January 2015
- Nine steps to ensure that Trade Show is worth it 12th January 2015
- Top Marketing Tips for 2015 6th January 2015
- How to do a Marketing Audit 10th December 2014
- Six valuable journalism skills that you could apply to your marketing and PR 3rd December 2014
- Do we need to worry about SEO? 25th November 2014
- Email marketing- How to write a great subject line 19th November 2014
- Unwrap the potential of Christmas marketing 19th November 2014
- Are you LinkedIn? 27th October 2014
- How to create a great advert: our top tips 15th October 2014
- Brand: another marketing buzz word? 20th September 2014
- Top tips: How to write an effective press release 26th August 2014
- Understand your online audience 17th July 2014
- Is your marketing a waste of money? Then you’re not doing it right. 6th July 2014
- Marketing: Old rules, new tools 18th May 2014
- How to generate free media coverage for your business 23rd April 2014
- Should I place this advert? Top tips for making the most out of advertising. 5th April 2014
- Industrial diamonds are a marketer’s best friend… 12th March 2014
- Top tips – how to use LinkedIn for business 19th February 2014
- How to create a video potential clients will want to watch – all the way to the end 3rd February 2014
- Marketing improves your bottom line – fact 23rd January 2014
- Four ways to utilise Twitter for business 6th January 2014
- Running a promotion? Do your sums first 17th December 2013
- Christmas marketing – let’s learn from the big boys 3rd December 2013
- Segment and conquer or divide and alienate? 20th November 2013
- Leave shiny for the magpies 31st October 2013
- Who’s on holiday? Jump out of your shoes and into your customers 2nd October 2013
- Raising the stakes 17th September 2013
- Digging your own grave – or facing the music? 8th August 2013
- Be a better marketer – find your benefits 4th August 2013
- Get inspired – quick easy steps to fuel your imagination 23rd July 2013
- Less drill, more hole 14th July 2013
- New Product Launch: Checklist 30th June 2013
- Learning and development – why bother? 6th June 2013
- Measuring marketing: how relevant is marketing to my business? 23rd May 2013
- The death of SWOT. Not if it’s used properly 29th April 2013
- Writing for marketing – some tips 18th April 2013
- Thatcher and Twitter etiquette 11th April 2013
- “Is it finished yet?” 7th April 2013
- Small businesses – ahead of the game? 31st March 2013
- Twitter – I just don’t get it 12th March 2013
- I’m a small business, does branding matter to me? 23rd February 2013
- From “How many hats can I wear?” to “Captain with a crew”: the journey of the ambitious business owner 15th February 2013