New Years Joy

New Year, new plans, new business.

Here are my Top Tips for 2012 to surviving the down turn, protecting the brand, and seeking new business.

One person’s recession is another’s boom time. What am I talking about? Let me explain – 2012 feels like a home coming year - I started my own PR & Marketing consultancy in the early 1990s in the heart of the last big recession. I feel comfortable with current market trends as I’m pretty sure what to expect, what to do and how to identify and capitalise on great opportunities.

These are my Top Tips for getting through the next 12 months which I will expand upon in more detail in the coming months in future editions of the BlackChilli monthly eNewsletter, through LinkedIn and on the Mr PR man Blog.

Top Tips to beat the recession

1. Throw away the rule book.

It’s clear that we are in a tough economic times and what ever your previous marketing plans were, a good move would be to start over again. Severe times call for severe measures. Throw away the rule book and do it now.
What is required today is a full proof plan for the current battle we are about to fight. In the last recession many companies chose to cease investment in the future of the business, stopped investing in infrastructure and promotion – instead hibernating and waiting for the recession to end. As a result they failed.
More details on how to write that marketing plan next time.

2. Take a lesson from Sainsbury’s

No I’m not cracking up. An old Sainsbury’s strap line fronted on the TV by Jamie Oliver was ‘Try something new today’. This should be your mantra over the coming months. Think outside the box, do something different and excite your target audience, prove to them that you are the company to deal with. Time for guerrilla tactics. Again – more details next time.

3. Dedicate time and effort

Over the years I have been amazed at how many companies with turnovers in the millions have not only no solid marketing strategy, but no dedicated marketing person to drive the business forward.

Nominate a team member to manage all marketing initiatives and be the focus of your new guerrilla campaign.

4. Plan to win

If you are going to be a winner, you need to plan your campaign. Did you think Julius Cesar or Napoleon Bonaparte just waded into a country and declared who wants a fight? No, each ruler was a technical strategist and each campaign was meticulously planned. Plan to win and you will.

Write your marketing and media plan, identify your target audience and be prepared to win. Now you know where you are going.

5. Double your investment.

In a recession, the first knee jerk reaction is to cut budgets. If that is what every one else is doing let them. You should look to increase or even double your investment in marketing your business. If you are not able to do so for purely financial reason, at the very least maintain previous budgets.

Your competitors will be dumping their marketing budgets; as a result, you must maintain yours. In the coming 12 months, the business with the highest profile and best market reputation will win and survive.

6. Strengthen the brand

Your brand is the most important element of your business. You have nurtured and invested in it but if you are not careful you are about to abandon it. Bad parents!

As custodians of your brand you have a duty of care to protect and strengthen it, extend its life and raise it up for all to see. Your brand can communicate to your target audience that you are trusted, respected and a business worth dealing with. Maintaining your marketing initiative over the next 12 months will strengthen your brand and brand loyalty.

7. Follow the money

Follow the money – means following the trends. In all down turns there will be certain markets that are buoyant and cash rich. It’s the law. It’s not all doom and gloom. Invest time and effort to achieve a clearer view and discover these emerging markets. Find them and you can follow the money.

8. Watch your competitors

Remember watching doesn’t mean copying. Be aware of what your competitors are doing in the market place. Research your competitors; ensure you know their offers, their pricing structure and guarantees. Before you can claim you offer the best be sure by scoping out the competition.

9. The laws of attraction

Doing business is like dating. You have a better chance of dating the person in your radar if you are both attracted to each other. This holds true in marketing terms and it’s called ‘attraction marketing’. By building your profile and market reputation you also build your attractiveness to the prospect.

Your best chance of clinching a sale is if the buyer is attracted to you, rather than you perusing them. That is why direct mail has a dismal success response rate of about 2%, because 98% of names on that data base don’t care about your proposition and don’t want what you are selling. Work on your corporate persona - it will pay dividends.

10. Be a face of the industry

Why should you be trusted? I have money to spend but in this market I have to be sure my investment is sound. I have heard of your business, but I really don’t know who you are. But hang on – aren’t you the guy that appears in my trade magazine every month? Becoming a face in your industry and regular media contributor will mean you appear as an expert in your field. We all want to work with experts as they appear as the most trusted and the media is telling you so.

All BlackChilli clients are groomed to become media faces and experts in their field. You can do this yourself, with a little effort, but we have the experience, so let us do this for you.

11. Be big online

When was the last time you used Yellow Pages? I suspect it was a long time ago? The internet now dominates, because it’s easier, cheaper and quicker. As a result your website MUST reflect your business and be a tempting shop window.

The quality of the design and content must be the best it can possibly be. Come on – be honest, how good is website really? In today’s market your website will be working for you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It works when you are not. Does your website need a re-vamp? And is it optimised so that it appears high in the search engine rankings?

12. E is free – email marketing

Regular communication with your community is a crucial law of marketing. With email it’s both cheap and easy to do. After all you are reading this message in the BlackChilli e-newsletter.

Top things to remember are to build your own database otherwise your messages will be seen as spam; communicate on a regular basis; hold content on your website; and educate rather than advertise. Valuable and interesting information will get read - gratuitous self promotion will get deleted.

13. Add value

Now this is going to be a tough one. Don’t discount – this is a slippery slope and that’s tough to get off. Setting your prices so low to chase a deal only means you work for nothing. An old boss used to say “I can lie in bed and lose money”. Do you want to simply buy new business for a lot of effort and no profit? Profit is not a dirty word – it’s what every business strives for and why we are there in the first place!

Offering a top class service for a bargain basement price is often the kiss of death. Adding value is the best way to tackle a price war. Also it’s a win win. You get your top price; the clients get an added value product.

14. Be in it to win it.

This is probably going to be the most serious year of your business life. And to succeed you have to be in it to win it. You have to be serious about developing your business and surviving. If you are not going to focus on developing your business you may as well close down now. Develop a serious mind set. Focus on the areas of the business that will make a difference: marketing, sales, client retention, relationship management, building a suitable network, and raising your profile.

16. Plan to grow in the down turn

Yeh, right I can hear you say. But hold on a minute. If you don’t plan to grow, what are you going to do? Stay the same (in fact you will probably shrink), or under perform last years figures. Positive mental attitudes are required here. You are going to be seeking new emerging markets, so what’s to stop you building your business in a downturn?

17. Deliver what you promise

In business you are as good as your last deal. In a recession people are waiting for you to fail. In this current market we can’t afford to make mistakes. As you are building your reputation and service delivery, always keep your promises. If you don’t it may be the last one you make. Customers want a service that is provided on time, on budget and does what it says on the tin. Breaking rules means breaking hearts.

This is a lot to take in and may be daunting. But just remember, to walk a mile you first have to take the first step and that’s where BlackChilli can help – We’ll not only support and walk with you on this journey but also ensure that you set out in the right direction and avoid many of the pot holes. For an informal chat about how we can help call 01256 861372.

Always Pitch on a Friday

If I have a lucky talisman in business it’s always pitching on a Friday. Now there may be factors that affect the receptiveness of a prospect on a Friday, such as the inner peace of knowing it’s the start of the weekend, but Friday has always worked for me. I win business on Fridays.

New client Benson Bros (Bristol) Ltd was one such case. This heritage, three generation company specialising in construction, maintenance and property development in the Bristol area called BlackChilli in to attend a recent board meeting to pitch to the directors on a Friday. Frosty stares of resistance were melted by our presentation and we are pleased to announce that Benson Bros (Bristol) Ltd have appointed BlackChilli to effect a local and national PR campaign to raise their profile as a trusted and sustainable provider of quality construction services in the West Midlands area.

Target media will include local and regional news as well as national construction press.

A vital lesson learned - from Land Rover!

Who would have thought that Land Rover could change its image so drastically in just one month? Only Alex Reid, the winner of Celebrity Big Brother, has managed a greater popularity u-turn, going from zero to hero and winning the hearts of the nation in the process. Now it seems Land Rover has pulled off the impossible PR initiative, but did they see it coming?

Love them or hate them, the 4x4, or the ‘Chelsea Tractor’ as they have come to be known, has gained a lot of bad press over the years. The carbon foot- print factor has ensured the hybrid is fast becoming the vehicle of choice, with many of us turning to smaller, more economical forms of transport. Until, that is, Britain suffered its third successive winter of bad weather and horrendous snow conditions that brought this country to its knees.

As a confirmed 4x4 driver, I was invited to an ‘off road’ experience by my local Land Rover dealership two weeks ago. On arriving I enquired where all the stock was that would normally be on the forecourt. The sales representative explained that at this time of the year they would normally have 30 plus vehicles in stock, but now they have only 3. The whole UK has gone 4x4 mad. That dusting (!) of snow we had after Christmas - and at BlackChilli Towers we had over 35 cm - prompted the consumer to make the decision to buy a 4x4 and never get caught out again (see above photograph).

Now the scourge of the highway, with its carbon footprint the size of a small Caribbean island and the need to pull a small fuel trailer behind it, is clearly the vehicle of choice. Even Alistair Darling’s £400 road tax doesn’t seem like a high price to pay for the freedom of the road in a blizzard.

Six to twelve months ago, tumbling prices of ‘Chelsea Tractors’ left owners reeling, but now prices of used Land Rovers are increasing to the point where my Land Rover Defender is now worth exactly what I paid for it in February 2007.

Is there a lesson to be learned here? Yes - Land Rover is giving the customer exactly what they want. Admittedly, there has been a bit of divine intervention from the weather gods, however, the fortunes of many manufacturers of 4x4s will see a resurgence in popularity over the coming months.

What can your business learn from this? Firstly, you never know what is around the corner. Secondly, give the customer what they want by keeping an eye on current trends and issues that will affect buying cycles. Thirdly, keep in touch with your consumer, so if trends do change, you are perfectly positioned to provide the right service or product at the right time regardless of price. Like my local Land Rover dealer, who on a hiding to nothing six to twelve months ago pushed on with their marketing and profile raising, never losing the faith only to be rewarded when the snow came. Vroom, vroom!!

Free PR Clinic

They say there is no such thing as a free lunch, however at BlackChilli, we believe there is.

In 2010, more and more businesses are reducing their marketing budgets and turning to PR to galvanise their reputations and raise their profiles.

Barry Walker is prepared to give a FREE, no obligation, one hour PR clinic to any company wanting to survive and thrive in the next 12 months.

Your free one hour clinic can either be with Barry over the telephone or face-to-face at BlackChilli Towers in Hampshire.

Call now to book your business changing Free PR Clinic. And if you come to the office at lunch time, we’ll even provide the sandwiches, proof there is such a thing as a free lunch.

Email Barry Walker on barry@blackchilli.co.uk or call 0870 850 6158 to book your appointment.

A Brazilian Will Survive the Recession - It’s a Fact!

This one had me on my back with laughter and utter disbelief last weekend as I supported a client at the Professional Beauty Show in Manchester.

My client’s stand was next to the main lecture theatre and as the show began to unfold, I started to take a casual interest in some of the presentations. Over the last 25 years in this business, I reckon I have seen every type of corporate presentation, training course lecture etc.You name it and I have seen it. I’ve even written a few. But even for me, yes, Mr Marmite, couldn’t pull this one off (excuse the pun). There, as large as life on the running order was this:

‘Recession Proof your Business with Intimate Waxing’

Over the years I have written many articles for the media for my clients and as a freelancer on: How to Survive the Downturn, Credit Crunch PR, Recession Busting Marketing Tips, Market Your Business on a Shoestring, M&As in a Down Market, etc, etc, etc, but this was a new one on me.

When the speaker finished what was an excellent presentation, I went over to congratulate them on a job well done, but also to say that their seminar title was by far the most bizarre I had ever encountered.

I explained as a PR consultant, a commentator to the business media, someone who works with other entrepreneurs and as a businessman who has always pushed the envelope to make the sale and get the deal, I had never considered gaining a competitive business edge by being ‘waxed intimately’. Having a foolproof business and marketing plan for a ‘down market’ was possibly a better option, I suggested and certainly Gordon Brown had never intimated to me that this may be a good idea to get an ‘intimate waxing’ to see me through these tough times. Or did I miss the news that day…!!

The speaker of course did not blush (well, they wouldn’t, would they) but stood their ground and told me I was being obtuse. I may well have been a little devilish, but consider this. If they were right, when you next watch Dragons’ Den, that wonderful collection of rich, survive the recession, raise the bar, entrepreneurial types, try and work out which one has got a Brazilian. Theo Paphitis, Peter Jones, James Caan, Duncan Bannatyne or Deborah Meaden? Yes, I know – not a pretty thought, though it does make you wonder what the ‘bottom line’ is…!

Disclaimer: This is Barry Walker's view of the information as presented at the Professional Beauty Show. At the show the information was completely in context and totally valid; this is purely an ‘out of context’ view.

The PR Man, BBC Radio Solent and the Year of the Brand

Does radio love the PR man? I think so, as I was invited back to BBC Radio Solent last week to debate the power of brands, advertising and the Cadbury’s ‘eyebrow’ advert. This was indeed an opportune moment to air my views and discuss on live radio the importance of strengthening your brand in a depressed market.

Whilst BBC Radio Solent’s Jon Cuthill was asking can a really kooky advert that doesn’t actually mention chocolate sell more chocolate, my thought process was delving deeper than just a TV ad.

The reason the Cadbury’s ‘eyebrow’ advert strikes a chord with us in this recession is because it entertains us, it makes us laugh, it makes us smile, it’s a perfect example of effective non-verbal communication, empathetically engaging us with not a word spoken and it takes us out of our current predicament for just a few minutes - and at a time when we may not have much disposable income, it’s not actually asking us to spend any money. But of course the rub is we actually will spend 50p on a chocolate bar, not because we have been told to ‘buy chocolate from Cadbury’s’ but because when we need to buy a bar, we reward the feeling the advert gave us. This is called brand loyalty.

The fact that Glass and a Half Productions who made the advert have discovered a formula that goes viral to millions of viewers on the Internet is another matter. More of that another time.

With this in mind, what Cadbury’s have done is very clever and it links to one of my current views. I am calling 2009 the Year of The Brand, for a number of reasons. Let me explain why.

In a recession the brands that stand the test of time get noticed. Just think of some of the iconic brands that are dispersing from our high streets and how sad that makes us feel. Woolworth has been with all of us in our growing years. OK, who will admit to stealing from the Pick & Mix as a schoolboy? Yes, I thought so. Me too.

During the Second World War many companies, products and brands failed. But those that stuck to the task in hand of advertising to us and providing products to us survived. Brands like Hovis, OXO, Bovril, etc. You might argue that advertising wasn’t as sophisticated then, but in the 1940s it was certainly effective, and clear winners were born.

As Great Britain went through the Second World War which was a terrible time for all, those brands that persevered were rewarded. They were mainly non rationed products, but they actually survived and thrived. And why were we loyal to them? Well, because in our darkest hour of need, when all around was crumbling, doom, gloom and disaster, there was Hovis, OXO and Bovril. They comforted us, they revived us, they went through the war with us, they survived with us and we thanked them for it. That’s called brand loyalty.

Going back to the Cadbury’s ‘eyebrow’ advert, why is this a stroke of genius?

• In tough times all businesses need to strengthen their brands, to ensure they are visible to the consumer, to maintain market share and to retain customer loyalty.

• All businesses need to seek new ways of reaching audiences. Cadbury’s have done this with the ‘eyebrow’ advert and the gorilla playing the drums advert, because they both went viral. Just look on YouTube and type in ‘Cadbury’s Adverts’. Now do the maths. Millions upon millions of hits and not an advertising $ spent on this new way of distributing the message, as we did it for them!!

• They focused on advertising with a new ROI (return on investment). The fact that this advert went viral meant that the cost of distribution was very low. OK, there were production costs and the cost of an initial advertising campaign, but after that promotion via the Internet was free, improving ROI.

• Cadbury’s has had its knockers regarding this advert, saying the brand has been damaged. I don’t think so. In this case, if a brand makes its success based on humour – don’t change it.

• In a recession we don’t want reminding about what’s happening out there, we want cheering up. Cadbury’s achieved this.

So what can we learn from all this? And how will it help your business?

• Invest in key areas of your business. In the last recession, those who didn’t failed.

• In this dark time, continue to promote your brand.

• Whilst using traditional ways of appealing to your target audiences, don’t be afraid to try new ideas. Like this email e-newsletter from BlackChilli.

• If you need to cut budgets, don’t cut your promotional budget.

• If you want your prospective clients to be attracted to you, deliver comforting messages. Rather than ‘hard sell’ think of solving problems, delivering solutions, wise words, views on the market and above all be helpful.

• Your clients may be hurting too, so offer to support them and ensure they don’t go to a competitor.

• Understand the problems your clients face in their particular industries. Be a source of comfort and help them. Learn how to match your products to solve their problems.

• Do all the above, and you will become a trusted and valued business ally, someone your clients can’t do without.

The View from the 'Bunker'

We are officially in a depression, according to recent news. So here in the bunker at BlackChilli Towers I have pulled out the 12 bore, corralled the wagons and am taking a tip from John Wayne. We are stocking up on ammo, creative juices, innovative ideas, out of the box lateral thinking and are getting prepared to fight tooth and nail to support our clients.

A bit extreme, I hear you say. So be it, but it’s a bloody good bit of creative writing if I say so myself. The point is that I am prepared to fight to uphold the reputation of my clients and want to see them through these tough times.

So what can I pass on to you, dear readers, that will help you not only survive the tough times ahead, but seek opportunities in this market? Yes, seek new opportunities. In every market there are opportunities to be had: you just need to look for them.

Seeking opportunities will form part of our client survival strategy in the coming year. We want our clients to be seen as safe pairs of hands into which prospective clients can entrust new business. The current fear is that handing projects to businesses without checking on funding or the suitability to transact that business will create reluctance to trade.

On 10th March Shropshire based Wrekin Construction announced to its staff that it had gone into administration, with a loss of over 600 jobs. Conservative MP Mark Pritchard said that the firm was forced into administration because of its bank's "inflexibility" in releasing funds. Pritchard commented, “This is a long-standing and successful company with a large order book which has been driven into administration by the inflexibility of RBS. Some of the blame has to fall on the doorstep of 10 Downing Street, given the government's majority shareholding in RBS." (Source – ContractJournal.com). Wrekin had a forward order book of £40 million, but wasn’t allowed to trade, due to lack of support by the bank.

There are many businesses out there that we deal with who have saved for a rainy day. Now is the time to tell the business sector that you have that umbrella and you are a safe pair of hands in which to entrust precious projects. As sectors contract, the number of companies tendering for that declining pot increases. Margins get tighter and companies will bid for works at cost. This is certainly my memory of the last recession in the construction sector.

I have said before that companies that hold their marketing budgets in a downturn are the ones that fare best. It is a well documented fact, and I have touched on this in the past, that brands that increase their spend in a recession, when competitors are cutting back, can improve market share and the return on their investment. There will be pressure on budgets but the smart money will still be there.

BlackChilli believes PR will play a major role in advising businesses on how to navigate very difficult, and for some, uncharted waters. There will be complex messages to deliver. More than ever when times are taxing the media needs substance not fluff. Ask yourself – have you got substance?

I’ve always believed that PR thrives on the ideas and enthusiasm of its young. PR depends on the zeal of the youthful practitioners within the industry. However, when the economy is in ‘bust’, business must turn to experience. I did some maths the other day and now in my 50 something year, I have 20 years’ experience in PR, and 36 years working in, or being associated with, the construction industry. So I know I have a safe pair of hands. Have you? Chief executives will need the knowledge and experience from PR people that were around the last time. They will need strategic counsel and there will be growth in corporate PR and in crisis and issues management.

In order to get the most out of your PR resource, you need to make it a two-way relationship. Many PR campaigns fall down on senior people not dedicating enough time to their PR campaign. In a recession, brands who continue to see the importance in PR will need to make sure their investment is working harder for them, which means devoting more time to it.

Media relations remain a very cost-effective way of communicating with a mass audience. Research has shown that it is typically ten times more cost-effective than advertising and 300 times more effective than direct marketing. But remember, PRs cannot pretend to be you - and so CEOs, etc, will need to make more time to engage in conversations about their brand.

Lessons to learn from this:

• Invest time into your PR campaign.

• Ensure your audiences know you are ready to do business and that you are a safe pair of hands.

• Manage the expectations of your clients.

• Keep communicating, telling your clients ‘you are here’.

• Publicise your contract wins – everyone wants to do business with a winner.

• Look for new opportunities for your staff, products and facilities.

• Lastly - Keep the faith. You will be a winner