Quora – think Wikipedia, but different

Posted on March 18, 2015 by Marie

http://www.quora.com/

Quora is a website where you can ask, answer and edit questions once you’re registered.  You can follow people who talk about what you are interested in and edit responses if you feel they are inaccurate or incomplete.  It’s free and I registered and got up and running in less than a minute.  This site is new to me but comes highly recommended by a colleague.

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Doodle – great tool for scheduling events

Posted on March 11, 2015 by Elite Edge

This is a super free tool and is quick to create an account.  It lets you schedule meetings and events and you simply  send a link for your event to those you want there, allowing them to add themselves and give their availability.  You can also use it for add opinion polls.

Doodle can take the hassle out of agreeing a date

It says on their website http://www.doodle.com/that Doodle saves a lot of time and energy when you’re trying to bring a number of people together – and it does!  We’ve been using Doodle a lot recently for work and personal events and it really does remove the headache and hassle – you can access events that you are attending and those you have organised from your account page.

Instead of using just one option, you can propose several dates and times and the participants can indicate their availability online. Immediately you can see what the best time is for the meeting and schedule accordingly.  Its a quick and easy way to organise people!

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Get the most out of your website or blog using Google Analytics

Posted on February 18, 2015 by Marie

Google Analytics can help you make intelligent decisions

Unless you know and understand who is visiting which pages of your website and / or blog and what their intent is, it is impossible to target your content and communications effectively.  Most hosting packages that you purchase will have some form of analytical software that comes as part of the deal (accessed via your control panel) – Webalizer comes as part of ours.  Continue reading →

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Google+ in a nutshell

Posted on February 11, 2015 by Marie

With all the publicity that is out there right now about Google+ – its being cited as “the new Facebook” – I was going to write about it and then I got an email that did exactly that.  So, here’s a great article from Michael Martine that summarises Google+ along with its pros and cons.

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How to use QR Codes to make your marketing more effective

Posted on January 21, 2015 by Marie

 

Here are 9 ways to use QR codes effectively in your marketing:

Increase online sales. Drive traffic to your website.  QR codes can link to specific web pages and you can also create codes that are specific to individual products or services on your sites.  You could use them to promote unpopular lines or announce promotions and new products.

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Dropbox – a simple and effective tool for sharing files

Posted on January 14, 2015 by Marie

Dropbox is a great tool with multiple uses.  I use it to back up blogs, “park” files I’m going to need at clients’ instead of bringing my laptop or memory stick and also to share files with other users.

Dropbox – file sharing made easy!

Its free of charge for the basic 2GB Dropbox package (which is ample for most people) and is very easy to use and get up and running quickly.  They also send periodic promotions where if you recommend Dropbox to a friend who takes the service they give you more space so it’s worth doing if you know people who don’t currenlty use this programme.

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Do you have Klout?

Posted on January 7, 2015 by Elite Edge

Measure your own Klout!

Rob Baker of Artisan Marketing Communications brought this tool to our attention.  In essence it analyses your social media effectiveness and shows you how far your circle of influence reaches.  Find out more here or visit Klout.

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Can you use promotions for business development?

Posted on December 10, 2014 by Elite Edge

You are probably thinking “merchandising” and if you are offering a service may feel this is not for you.  Don’t dismiss it just yet, read on!

Merchandising is the way you present your product or service, in whatever media you choose.  It is all about making a favourable impression on your prospective customers or clients and influencing their buying decision by building excitement.

Get passionate about what you are offering and let that come through in every situation.

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Find out if your product or service is weak…

Posted on November 15, 2014 by Marie

A quick acid test to find out if your product or service is weak is to write an advertisement for it.

Write the ad using your best content – you need a great hook, good creative and maybe an image.

Does it work?

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Get started with your marketing NOW

Posted on November 8, 2014 by Marie

Get started NOW – don’t wait for everything to be perfect, because it will never be!

You’ll send that marketing e-shot out to the database once you’ve sorted out the little button on the website that you want a different colour.  Or maybe it would be best to wait until Monday, it’s no good sending on a Thursday, is it?

The truth is, you are not going to get to that 100% perfect stage where you are ready to go.  Lots of factors outside our control will affect the timing and success of marketing and business development campaigns.   The best chance you have to get results is to do something NOW!

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