Even in the age of cyber marketing, doing the occasional event – a presentation, speech, workshop – in front of an audience of real human beings, is a good way to promote you and your work. But it has to be worth all the effort – the thinking time, the rehearsal and the nerves. You… Read more
Be a knock-out success with your audience. (When being weak is a strength.)
Does anyone have a question? It’s a question speakers routinely ask at the end of any session. In my experience, it kills the conversation. An irony, because it’s designed to do the opposite. And I understand that. When I go to conferences, I never want to speak up first. It takes me back to the… Read more
A judgement call that makes or breaks your business?
This is how I made mine – and why I’m looking forward to chairing the Difficult decisions and how you make them discussion at the Brighton Summit. When I left the BBC, I had a romantic idea of being a ‘portfolio’ worker. Someone who would offer a range of services, based on my broadcasting background…. Read more
Which comes first, the dosh or the desire – and why does it matter?
Looking ahead to The Brighton Summit 2016. When I was a happy wage slave at the BBC, I used to think that everyone else on the outside – in the commercial world – was just in it for the money. Headlines about corporate fat cats didn’t help. But when I set up my own business,… Read more
How do you show your company’s best side?
Create a visual library that tells your business story. (Not everyone else’s). I issued an intruder alert in my last blog post. I’m not scaremongering, but have a group of strangers gate-crashed your website and your social media? By strangers, I mean the people who crop up in stock business images. Presentable and well turned… Read more
Are beautiful body snatchers depriving you of leads?
Imagine cutting a photo of a model out of a magazine. He or she looks good in front of the camera, with a dazzling smile. The angle is right, the lighting is perfect, the figure is poised in a way that draws you in. You snip it out carefully and then you turn to your… Read more
Don’t dry up #8. Stop. A short break makes you more creative in the long run.
If you, or your team, are into productivity, you might have used the Pomodoro Technique. You split your work into 25 minute chunks – ‘Pomodoros’ – and each of those chunks are separated by 5 minute breaks. Those 5 minutes are short enough to refresh you, without interrupting the flow of what you’ve been doing… Read more
Write memorable content, with help from your childhood holiday.
Taking a beach holiday this summer? It could teach you something about writing vivid and memorable content. Whenever I go near a beach, it short-circuits to my childhood. Why? Because it triggers memories from all 5 senses: Touch: the comforting feeling of warm sand; the uncomfortable feeling of bobbly pebbles. Sound: seagulls clamouring; children shrieking;… Read more
How do you measure business success? It’s the emotion, stupid.
(With apologies to James Carville, Clinton’s campaign strategist.) I remember when I first started my business, I’d put on my best ‘brochure’ face when I went to networking events. When asked how my fledgling enterprise was doing, I’d give a stock answer, “Fine, thank you”. Normally my questioner would respond in kind, “Me too”. This… Read more
Don’t see eye to eye with your team? Tell the story of why you care.
(Telepathy’s not an option.) Before I set up my own business, I used to think the idea of ‘values’ and ‘mission statements’ was a bit of stuff and nonsense. Empty words that rang hollow. (Blame my BBC scepticism.) But now that I have immersed myself in the entrepreneurial world, interviewing people who put everything on… Read more
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