If you are in Professional Services, Don’t Forget your #OnlineStrategy (especially if you want to Sell)

 

What many professional services firms are forgetting… being complacent and not moving with times make it almost impossible to Sell your Business. But then you knew that, right?

Professional services firms are known as the “safest” b2b marketers, only second behind that of the medical industry.

Still stuck in the dark ages, many professional services firms still believe that ‘good work speaks for itself’and “you need to find the clients pain” ensuring that they keep it “safe” when embarking on marketing of any kind, rather than looking deep into customer insights to drive leads and create more sustainable client relationships.

What professional services firms are forgetting is that while they may still be on track to achieving their sales goals, being complacent and not moving with the times, will make it almost impossible to stay competitive.

It use to be that you hire the law firm that your parents used or a trusted friend recommended and that was it. No price comparison, no searching for other options and no real negotiation.Content Driven Professional Services Marketing

 

5 metrics that sit very nicely in your #OnlineStrategy , especially critical for #exitstrategy to #sellbusiness appeal

5-metrics-that-really-matter

Since its inception, digital has been perceived as being the most measurable media. But most of that measurement has been meaningless. It’s time digital marketers stopped talking about clicks and impressions and instead focused on what’s important to marketers — business results. This is pretty easy if you have an e-commerce site and can track direct online sales. But what do you do if you’re part of the 94 percent of retail commerce that occurs offline?

We all know that consumers’ purchase decisions are greatly influenced by digital. They might be trying to decide where to go to dinner on their smartphone, on the web looking up reviews for a car they are considering purchasing, or surfing the web on their tablet after seeing your TV commercial.

Can’t track that impact? Sure you can.
You just need to look at things a little differently.

And the things are:

  1. Overall Site Traffic Trends
  2. Branded Search Volume
  3. Conversions
  4. Converter Traffic
  5. Referrer data

Togo more in depth on these terms, and read the full article, go here “The 5 metrics that really matter”.

 

With Ecommerce being Hotter than Ever, be part of the (R)etail (R)evolution…

Exactly as predicted by e-gurus 15 years ago, e-commerce is hotter than ever. Whether in mature markets, where consumer spending is shifting online, or in growth markets where rapid urbanization and increasing (mobile) internet penetration are unlocking new shopping habits, shoppers are ‘e-commercing’ it up.

Some obligatory stats:

  • US e-commerce sales will grow 62% by 2016, to USD 327 billion (Source: Forrester, February 2012).
  • European e-commerce sales will grow by 78% by 2016, to USD 230 billion (Source: Forrester, February 2012).
  • Brazilian e-commerce sales will grow 21.9% in 2012 to USD 18.7 billion (Source: eMarketer, January 2012).
  • Chinese e-commerce sales were CNY 780 billion (USD 124 billion) in 2011, an increase of 66% from 2010. E-commerce is expected to rise from 3% of consumption to 7% by 2015 (Source: IDC, March 2012).
  • India’s e-commerce market is expected to grow to USD 70 billion by 2020, from just USD 600 million in 2011 (Source: Technopak Advisors, February 2012).
  • Indonesian e-commerce sales are forecast to grow from USD 120 million in 2010 to USD 650 million by 2015 (Source: Frost & Sullivan, February 2012).

Now, consumers’ current ‘online’ experiences are of course fundamentally different to those during the early dotcom boom: e-commerce is no longer just about choice, price, convenience, reviews and ratings, but also about everything that consumers look for in any purchase: status, the right product and a compelling experience.

So, time to learn about and profit from the latest innovations that are transforming e-commerce, and ultimately, reshaping shopping behavior. Both on and offline. Click here to do so…

Source: www.trendwatching.com. One of the world’s leading trend firms, trendwatching.com sends out its free, monthly Trend Briefings to more than 160,000 subscribers worldwide.

New Rules of Business; be there or be left behind…

Hello fellow entrepreneurial mothers

Recently I had the pleasure of attending Dale Beaumont‘s fabulous free seminar called “New Rules of Business“…

Dale, as you may know, is not only an award-winning entrepreneur and 16 times best-selling author, but he is the one who invited me to be part of one of the 16 books, namely “Secrets of Inspiring Women Exposed”.

Having learnt so much from him going through that experience, and because I had such a great time and learnt so many more wonderful things at the seminar, I wanted to share it with you. To find out more and discover exactly what it can do for you, click on the link below now: http://www.NewRulesOfBusiness.com.au/Attend

I really think it will make a big difference to how you Build your Mother of a Business, so if you like what you see register online. Then once you attended let me know so we can share notes.

Warm Regards ME!

RECOMMERCE – the latest from trendwatching.com…

Savvy consumers have never had more opportunities to make the most of their past and future possessions. Food for thought as you gear up for the busy times ahead.

It’s never been easier for consumers to unlock the value in past purchases*. Novel brand buy-backs, exchange schemes, online platforms and mobile marketplaces offer smart and convenient options for consumers keen to ‘trade in to trade up’, alleviate financial strains (double dips, anyone?), and/or quell environmental and ethical concerns.

This is the world of RECOMMERCEread on to find out all about it.

Buyers Showing Interest Across a Range of Businesses; Hurst Partners

Today’s business sales market for small to medium size businesses can best be described in one word – “patchy”.  Not all businesses are in demand and buyers are very selective!

Based on current buyer inquiries the following are industries attracting
the most interest:

HIGH…
Accounting, IT services, aged care/personal care
Profitable businesses operating under management

AVERAGE…
Wholesale, niche manufacturing, online businesses
Generally, businesses with a profit BOS* of $100,000 – $150,000
(* Before Owner’s Salary)

LOW…
General retail, health and beauty, home and trade services
Generally, businesses with a profit BOS*of less than $80,000
A positive development is the increasing buyer interest from cashed up professional investors and corporate entities seeking quality businesses delivering a sustainable profit.

This greater level of activity has yet to translate into improved transaction multiples and higher sale prices. However, it should improve overall market confidence if sustained throughout the rest of the year.

In this “patchy” market, advise business owners to start planning ahead if they are contemplating the sale of their business. Putting in the effort to prepare and market the business for sale will increase the chances of locating the ideal buyer; allowing for the owners to exit the business on their terms.

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