Get out there and get your business noticed

Jan 14 2009 nebusiness

BUSINESS Link, associate sponsors of the nebusiness awards 2008, recognises that profile-building is crucial for businesses.

Colin Grimston of Business Link goes through the steps companies can take towards developing, enhancing and communicating their profile.

Communication is essential to ensure important relationships are strengthened and is needed in order to break into new markets. To do this you need to be prepared to promote yourself.

The nebusiness awards 2008 are one of the most prestigious events in North East England’s business calendar and are a great example of how a company can put their name out there and talk up their successes.

It is important that businesses make the most of their entries and use them practically to enhance their operations, even if they do not emerge as overall winners.

Simple ways to optimise an entry include updating email signatures and letterheads with the awards logo and entry details, circulating relevant information to customers, staff and partners through correspondence, newsletters and websites and by informing your local media who may publicise your story.

Publicising achievements is just one way that a business can actively raise its profile.

To deliver real results, they should fit into a wider marketing strategy. Developing a marketing strategy is vital for any business. Without one, efforts to attract customers are likely to be haphazard and inefficient.

Strategy should focus on making sure products and services meet customer needs and develop long-term and profitable relationships with those customers.

The purpose of a marketing strategy should be to identify and then communicate the benefits of a company’s business offering to its target market.

Advertising is an important component of the promotion element of a marketing strategy, along with direct marketing, PR, exhibitions or a website. Visit the Business Link website guide on advertising: the basics page discusses how advertising could help and gives advice on where and how to advertise.

It also shows how to manage the process and ensure value for money is achieved.

Many businesses reach more customers by having a website.

If a company doesn’t have one, it is important to find out whether a website could be beneficial, what type of website would be most effective and how it could help attract more customers.

Discussing current and future website needs with an IT adviser and taking advice from a range of website development agencies is important.

Alastair MacColl, chief executive of Business Link, said: “Making the most of opportunities to promote a business and communicate with customers, staff and partners can be the key to success and could provide the extra boost required to ensure stability and growth in these challenging economic conditions.

“The nebusiness awards 2008 are a fantastic opportunity to gain recognition and it is important that entrants maximise the benefit of being part of such a prestigious event.”

Visit www.businesslink.gov.uk/northeast for more information or call 0845 600-9006 to speak to a Business Link broker.

For more information on the nebusiness awards 2008 go to www.northeastbusinessawards.co.uk or call (0191) 201-6072.