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Radiohead Ask Fans “How Much Do You Want To Pay?”

This week’s Observer asks whether “the bell is tolling for the recorded music industry?” following a decision by British band Radiohead to release their next album from their website. read more

 

Drop Dead Brilliant

Whether you’re an MD, just starting your career, or returning to the workplace, good personal branding can help you clinch a deal, win that dream job and earn you more money, but how do you get it right? In Drop Dead Brilliant – Dazzle in the Workplace with Confidence and Panache! Global personal branding expert Lesley Everett, teaches you how to take control of your personal brand image and reputation, and learn the key steps to positive image impact – for life. read more

 

"What's Your Big Idea?" Client Led Innovation - How To Change Into A Client Centric Organisation

The dialogue below is a transscipt of the above presentation which was delivered at the PM Forum's 12th annual global conference which took place in London in September 2007 by Daniela and Nick as a role played conversation. The PM Forum is a 4,000 strong regionally-based members' association, formed in 1996, dedicated to raising the standards of professional services marketing and to enhancing the credibility of marketers working in professional service firms worldwide. read more

 

How The Perfect Marketing Plan Would Work

Depending upon who you ask a marketing plan is either a necessary evil or tremendous waste of time. - That’s such a shame, but I think I’ve finally come to understand why this is. A well crafted marketing plan should be one of the most important strategic steps a business takes, but there’s a disconnect. Marketing plans get created, but never used because, once put to paper or ether, they don’t easily relate to the real life experience of a business. They get created but never installed. read more

 

Directors Will Have A Duty To “Promote The Success Of Their Company”

There are some important changes in the law which take effect from 1st October under the Companies Act 2006 that will affect all Company Directors. read more

 

Avoid Your Business Becoming A Kitchen Nightmare

Say the words ‘Gordon Ramsay’ to anyone within the hospitality sector and they strike fear into even the most buoyant businesses. Mr Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares sees him bark, curse and boss struggling businesses back to life in just one week, whereas Scottish based PCS Group are on hand year round to aid ailing companies in the hospitality industry. read more

 

Brand Reputation And The Web

The Internet is a constantly evolving organic medium utilised by an eclectic mix of individuals and groups for purposes ranging from the benign to the divisive. It is owned by no-one but its participants, and only ‘managed’ in some areas by diverse and often contradictory bodies. Understanding its long term impact upon society in general and business specifically, remains largely academic as daily changes in technology and content impact upon both reality and possibility. read more

 

Brand Reputation And Information Effectiveness

How many times have we suffered as a result of poor quality, lateness or inaccuracy in our business dealings, only to be given the ‘bad information’ excuse: “No-one told me”, “I wasn’t given the right details” and “The database was wrong”. And how often have IT got the blame, when the reality is that ‘information’ is the responsibility of the owners, not the builders who provide its home, doors and windows. read more

 

Reputation, Stories And The External Brand

Just think about how we actually share information as individuals. We don’t talk as a corporate brochure is written, use ad-speak or re-tell news like a BBC presenter. We use stories, not facts, to illustrate our points of view, and this is what drives reputation. We just cannot evidence our views on experiences without anecdotes, and perversely, the best-travelled anecdotes are essentially negative and often detrimental to the subject. Imagine returning from a family holiday. The weather was good, the food enjoyable and the accommodation and service acceptable. Post conversations with colleagues would probably centre upon the obligatory sunshine and activity highlights with only a passing reference to the company behind the vacation. read more

 

Reputation And The Internal Brand

I was once commissioned to help a large business providing computer components to resellers across the UK. They had a well known brand with a declining reputation for reliability resulting from rapid growth, inadequate systems and most significantly, poor empathy and co-operation between departments. The situation was complex and required a number of initiatives to resolve matters, but one particular incident remains embedded in my mind as an example of an unhealthy internal brand culture. There was a ‘war’ going on between sales (upstairs) and logistics (downstairs), each blaming the other for poor performance that hindered their respective ability to deliver. read more