Blogs

It’s that time again. Brochure writing.

I think in the arsenal of marketing materials, brochure writing has to be one of the most complex. In my experience it usually takes a small army of people to produce decent copy. It’s almost always a lengthy and controversial process, largely due to its potential shelf life (no-one wants to bin a brochure after much less than a couple of years) and the sheer scale of people who will have an opinion on the matter. Think sales people, directors, end users... the list goes on. And it’s for this reason that I have long since appreciated even the tiniest hint at ways to smooth this deadliest of challenges.

It seems like only moments since I sat with a tapping pen anticipating the statements from the last budget. Well doesn’t time fly when the economy’s in deep water and a historical election has been ticked off the list?

There were certain things about this budget that we could well have predicted: the unforgiving cuts; the standard backlash from opposing sides (lucky that this has been reduced by one...) and the sense that things are well and truly about to change. And by that I don’t mean a Tory/Lib Dem synonym for progression. Change for good or for ill.

Harder to predict was exactly where the axe was going to fall. With such different opinions on matters like VAT, there was no knowing how the policy promises from both sides would affect the budget.

We take a lot of things for granted in business, but perhaps the most sinful is a belief that saying 'excellent' or 'unique customer service' often enough, will make it a reality.

The problem is that nowadays pretty much every company purports to have fantastic customer service. Well of course they would, it's often one of the only ways to provide a differentiator between your business and the nearest competitor's.

But because of the ease of this claim it often only leads to scepticism from the consumer. The effect of which is that the companies who speak of great customer service, but fail to deliver, simply denigrate the hard work of those that keep their promise.

So far so obvious, but it wasn't until I was on site at The Bigger Printing Company this week, that the value of customer service really hit me.

Whatever your political viewpoint, there's no doubt that a hung parliament is not a desirable state of affairs. That's pretty much the fact of the matter, as we sit with baited breath, awaiting the 'will he won't he' possibility of a coalition.

Not that you needed telling, but there's a lot at stake here for all involved: not least the risk of lost supporters as a result of making the 'wrong' coalition in the voters' eyes, or compromising on the wrong issues.

Exhibitions are always what I would call an ‘experience’. This is usually what I’m thinking as I lug yet another box onto the exhibition stand. In many ways the curse of the exhibitor, all this behind-the-scenes action can often detract from the real, enjoyable experiences available at a show.

Fortunately for me, this week’s exhibition, held by the International Harm Reduction Association, was something of a treat. Of course there was the usual sweating and swearing; the near death experiences as one hangs precariously by a single finger from the top of the stand; and the imminent possibility of electrocution as yet another extension lead is plugged into an already overworked mains supply. But here was the chance to experience something quite different from the usual B2B extravaganzas that I’m used to.

Look smart, think smart, be smart...

From projecting the right image, through to impeccable sales chat, successful sales meetings require numerous skills and techniques to be truly effective. And while there are no hard and fast rules, being mindful of the basics can go a long way to ensuring a positive outcome.

Whether you’re an old hand or starting out, here are some top tips on making your business meetings a roaring success.

We were unsurprised but also underwhelmed by the chancellor’s budget announcement. Perhaps with the election looming we shouldn't expect much else, but it’s always disappointing to see politics obscuring the real issues.

Following on from our 1st article on HRZone.co.uk, please find below a link to the article with our final 5 internal communication tips!

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How to improve internal communication - the final 5

2nd Head has written a couple of articles for HRZone.co.uk on employee engagement and internal comunication. If you would like to read them on the site then please go to the relevant links below. You will need to log in to read the articles in full:

The rules of engagement

Five tips on improving internal communication

A great bit of PR on Michael Richards and 2nd Head in the Oxford Times' business section. This piece looks at why Michael set up 2nd Head and why he's interested in the human element of business growth. Enjoy!

Oxford Times article on Michael Richards