The post Are Chatbots now Essential for B2B Marketing? appeared first on Marketing Fundamentals.

The post 4 Key B2B Marketing Trends for 2024 appeared first on Marketing Fundamentals.

In simple words, retailers cannot stay offline, otherwise, they will lose valuable customers easily. Thanks to e-commerce websites because they empower the customers to acquire a unique user experience of shopping online. So if you want to start an e-commerce business, the basic idea will be, begin with, a stellar-looking website. You can either choose to build one yourself or hire a web developer. Here, we will shed light on how you can build a good e-commerce website:

1. Consider the E-Commerce Platform

For your information, there are three different kinds of e-commerce platforms, open-source, SaaS, and headless commerce. Starting with the first one, open-source allows you to code freely without paying. This means it is free to install and can easily be customized according to your needs. However, it entails having advanced knowledge of coding to work on it. 

On the other hand, Software as a service is a platform that allows you to create a website by investing your money. Lastly, headless commerce provides you with a shopping cart and an additional layer of e-commerce sites for references. 

There are also lots of companies that allow you to create your website in a number of clicks. Check out Shopify, WordPress or Wix.  Depending on how complex you want your website to be, any of these are really good options. Some platforms focus only on e-commerce and they will probably be the easiest to manage your online store.  Some websites like buyv2ecigs.com, decided to use Bigcommerce which specialized in e-commerce. If you want something that is only for e-commerce, then check out Bigcommerce or Shopify. 

2. Website Performance

If your website takes too long to load or fails to load for first-time visitors, they won’t bother coming to your platform again. Now that there are hundreds of e-commerce websites out there, choosing the right one can be very daunting for the customer. However, a positive website experience is beneficial for ensuring the customer makes their purchase. 

In addition, your website should have the capacity to cater to the current traffic needs. You would not want a situation where your website crashes because too many people visited and your hosting package was not large enough.  

3. Website Should be Optimized For Mobile

A large number of online shoppers look for products and services from their phones, so if your website fails to load on their mobiles or is too slow, you will eventually lose a lot of customers. Look for different ways your website can be operated from mobile without any obstacles. 

This way, customers can easily find you, if your store is near their house. Also, don’t forget to offer secure payment modes to your customers.

4. Create an Interesting Domain Name

Always choose a domain name that resonates with your customers. Simply put, it shouldn’t be that hard to spell or type. Make it easy for your customers to remember you or to mention to their friends.  

Avoid generic names that have already been taken and try to stand out with your choice. Take your time and look for a brand-able name that can easily be recognized by the customers. Remember that your domain name will be a representation of your brand in the international market, so you need to be wise enough when choosing one. 

B2B Content Marketing Agency London

Marketing Fundamentals Ltd is a B2B Content Marketing Agency in London that creates Content and manages Social Media for Professional Services firms. We hope you find this information useful.

If you would like our help creating and executing a Content Marketing Plan for your business or organisation email us via mail@marketingfundamentals.com

On our YouTube channel you will find marketing advice, business advice & inspiration. Subscribe if you work in Marketing for Professional Services or are a business owner or solo-preneur trying to grow your business. New uploads every week.

Best regards,

Marketing Fundamentals Team

Follow Mike on Twitter 

Subscribe to

Follow us on LinkedIn

Web Hosting Special Offer

This is blog post number 652

Image credit: pexels.com

The post How to Build a Great E-Commerce Website appeared first on Marketing Fundamentals.

Business loans are the lifeblood of smaller companies, and if you need to get a cash injection for your tech company, there are a number of considerations you should weigh up before taking action.

The first is whether you need to get a business loan at all, or whether you might be able to raise the cash you need by changing business practices and releasing cash that is currently being wasted. Often companies can find cost savings within their existing processes and creating additional efficiencies can sometimes solve a cash-flow problem.

The second consideration is whether your team works at full capacity. Can headcount be reduced?  Redundancies are not nice but they may unlock additional funds from payroll savings.

The third consideration, is what is your data telling you? Fully detailed performance reporting of the past 1 to 5 years should inform your decisions. In addition, you will need a solid business plan that demonstrates to yourself and your management team what can be achieved and when you are likely to improve your cash-flow.

Following the process described above, you may decide that you want to borrow funds. It could be for a concrete purpose like buying a machine or recruiting a certain person or it could be just to finance  your ongoing operations. Whatever the reason is, deciding you want external funding is just the beginning of the process.

Bank Versus Lender

There are a lot of lenders out there in the Australian market and picking the right company or bank to provide you with the funding is essential for a healthy and useful process. The ins and outs of each lender and bank are too difficult to explain, but showing the differences between the two is very possible.

As per this comparison between banks and online lenders made by Small Business Loans Australia, non-bank lenders are generally more expensive, less difficult to deal with and are much quicker to respond than banks.

How Much do You Need to Borrow?

Your first consideration should be how much money you need to borrow from the bank. It can be tempting to keep the amounts to a minimum, so you are not paying out more than you need to. But borrowing too little can be as problematic for a business as borrowing too much, because it could mean being forced to return to borrow more sooner than you might otherwise be comfortable with.

A good rule of thumb will dictate that you will need to borrow funds to keep your business alive for at least 6 more months at current revenue pace, or will help facilitate such a line of cash-flow earlier. That rule of thumb will also say that you should never borrow money for periods shorter than this, because this means you will need to borrow additional capital within the next months.

So, be realistic not only about the amount you need to borrow, but the amount you are likely to be able to borrow and choose an amount that allows you to achieve your aims without creating additional cash-flow stress for you or your business.

What Will Your Bank Need to Know?

Once you know how much you need to borrow, prepare your documentation to take to your bank to convince them that your business is a good ‘risk’ for it to loan to. Your bank will need to know what you want the business loan for – and if you are a start-up or a relatively new business, you may find it difficult to give these details exactly.

Remember to take your business plan and financial statements, with these it should be easier to demonstrate what the money you are borrowing will be used for. Your financial statements will give  your bank a clear indication of your profit and loss, cash-flow, assets and liabilities.

Creating your bank-oriented business plan

Spending time researching your business and the market you are targeting is essential to create a viable business plan. It can take more time researching a good plan than it does writing one, so be prepared to put in the leg work.

That loose business plan you’ve devised before even applying for a loan? It’s mostly irrelevant because banks can be overzealous when it comes to business plans.

You also need to provide a strategy for marketing, your product development, and your financial forecasts to show any potential investors, including a bank or other institution lending you money, where your business is likely to be in three to five years.

Your credit score

One of the key measures which determines whether your bank will lend you money will be your credit history, whether that is just for your business or your own personal credit history too. If your business has not been established for long, your personal credit score will be taken into consideration. So ensure you have spent time cleaning up your own credit score if you are trying to borrow at an early stage.

Most companies do not know what their credit score is, or how to improve it. Almost three out of five small business owners have never checked their credit score according to research from Experian and that is not good business practice.

Make your credit score more healthy

Any lender will check your company’s credit score, and you should be checking this yourself on a regular basis. As the Experian website states: “A healthy credit score is made up of three key elements: robust information, sound financial management and regular monitoring.” If you have applied for a number of loans in quick succession, these credit searches for each institution will be listed on your credit score and could be detrimental. Lenders will be concerned about that kind of action, as it suggests a desperate pattern of behaviour that flags your business as having a higher level of risk.

It may be that you need to spend some time working on improving your credit score to make your business more appealing. You can do a number of things to achieve this, such as paying any invoices due promptly, collaborating with your suppliers so they provide feedback on your payment records, and providing as much additional data to credit reference agencies as you can. It has become harder for businesses to get a loan, so the more you can do to improve your business’s chances, the more chance you have of getting the money your business needs to grow.

What will an Online Lender Need to Know?

Generally speaking, online lenders are more technology oriented so a lot of the legwork should be done automatically. Upon signing up you will need to provide either certain documents from your bank, and/or connect the lender to your credit card processor or PayPal account to verify the levels of revenue. The decision whether your web design or web development business be approved will be done automatically with little to no human involvement and the reply will be sent to you in between 1 and 72 hours.

Final words – How to Treat Business Loans

A business loan is not an easy decision to make and is not an easy process to initiate in. Unless you need funds urgently, you will need to develop patience and endurance. Financing your business is a marathon and not a 100 metres sprint.

B2B Content Marketing Agency London

Marketing Fundamentals Ltd is a B2B Content Marketing Agency in London that creates Content and manages Social Media for Professional Services firms. We hope you find this information useful.

If you would like our help creating and executing a Content Marketing Plan for your business or organisation email us via mail@marketingfundamentals.com

On our YouTube channel you will find marketing advice, business advice & inspiration. Subscribe if you work in Marketing for Professional Services or are a business owner or solo-preneur trying to grow your business. New uploads on Wednesdays.

Best regards,

Marketing Fundamentals Team

Image credit: https://texascitizensbank.com/

The post The Troubles and Struggles of Applying for a Bank Business Loan appeared first on Marketing Fundamentals.

In the week that Americans celebrate Thanksgiving I wanted to take the opportunity to share this post originally published on my LinkedIn Page. You can view it here.

For the last few days I have been searching…

but I regret to inform you that I have failed in my search.

I was searching for the first person who took a chance on me and gave me my first permanent job in Marketing.

Months after my appointment I remember her telling me that she had fought for me. There were other candidates being considered.

I was filled with so much gratitude then as I still am now. To have someone believe* IN YOU is a wonderful feeling.

My plan was to thank her again via LinkedIn.

UPDATE: This afternoon I have found her, here on linkedIn, courtesy of advanced search. The person I want to say thank you too is Sharon Wheeler  https://lnkd.in/d3rMeRz – Picture above.

Thank you Sharon Wheeler!

Who was the first person to believe in you professionally? If possible, name them in your comments below.

So often we are pushing forwards chasing the next goal or objective. We don’t always get time to reflect and express our gratitude. Have a great day everyone!

If you have liked this post you will probably enjoy, How to Start a Digital Marketing Career.

B2B Content Marketing Agency London

Marketing Fundamentals Ltd is a B2B Content Marketing Agency in London that creates Content and manages Social Media for Professional Services firms. We hope you find this information useful.

If you would like our help creating and executing a Content Marketing Plan for your business or organisation give us a call on +44 (0) 845 2264 247. You can also email us via mail@marketingfundamentals.com

On our YouTube channel you will find marketing advice, business advice & inspiration. Subscribe if you work in Marketing for Professional Services or are a business owner or solo-preneur trying to grow your business. New uploads on Wednesdays.

Best regards,

Mike Pitt

Founder, Marketing Fundamentals Ltd

* Someone other than family and friends.

Subscribe to

Follow us on LinkedIn

Online courses:

How to TurboCharge Your Business with a Blog
Meet Edgar Social Media Management
TurboCharge Your Twitter Presence
Quora For Business

Follow Mike on Twitter

This is blog post post number 429

The post Thank you Sharon Wheeler! appeared first on Marketing Fundamentals.

Vine vs Instagram

1. Longevity

Whilst this is admittedly a minor issue as far as Internet technology is concerned and is less important than user numbers, it does have some relevance to potential advertisers. Vine, launched on January 24th 2013 has the edge here. Although Instagram has been around since October 2010, it has only been possible to post videos on the platform since June 20th 2013. This means that Vine users are more familiar with the format and may therefore be more receptive to short creative marketing videos.

2. User numbers

Instagram is the clear winner in this category, with over 150 million active users although most of these users were acquired before video was introduced and owe more to its origins as a photo sharing platform. Vine has 40 million users.

3. Activity

Things begin to look a little worse for Vine in this category. Whilst you would naturally expect more active users to translate into more activity, it is not a linear function as far as tweets are concerned. Instagram has a 6 to 1 lead over Vine in terms of tweets, compared to a user number ratio of roughly 3.75. However, these figures do not tell the whole story as outlined in the next section.

4. Functionality

Vine videos are more visible in the Twitter community owing to the fact that they are previewed in the iPhone and Android Twitter apps. This means that all users need to do to view the content is to tap on the Vine video preview in Twitter. Whilst Instagram content can be tweeted, the lack of a visual preview means that it has less immediate impact.

5. Format

Vine videos are limited to 6 seconds whereas Instagram ones can be up to 15 seconds in length. There is no clear winner in this category but the different lengths mean that one platform may be more suitable than the other for different marketing techniques. If, for example, you wish to create a more conventional advertisement for distribution online, Instagram’s longer format will probably be the best choice. On the other hand, the 6-second format that Vine employs has encouraged advertisers to be more creative and there are many excellent examples of how it can be used to great effect.

6. Making a choice

Now you know a little more about what each platform has to offer, you should be in a better position to make an informed decision when planning new online video marketing campaigns. It is important to remember that whichever platform you choose, you need to have a team in place to answer the consumer enquiries that your promotional clip generates.

The following summary may be of some help if you need a quick reference when making a final decision.

Winners

• Longevity – Vine
• User numbers – Instagram
• Activity – Instagram
• Functionality – Vine
• Format – a draw

Whilst I have attempted to remain objective throughout this review, please bear in mind that personal preferences always influence one’s opinions and your experiences with these platforms are unlikely to be identical to mine. In closing, I firmly believe that both are useful weapons to keep in your marketing arsenal.

This guest post was written by Juliet Martin who is an Instagram user by preference. She also writes on behalf of Regus, a global provider of flexible office spaces and business solutions.

Do you want to incorporate Vine or Instagram into your Content Marketing strategy? Give us a call on +44 845 2264 247 or email us via mail@marketingfundamentals.com to start the conversation.

We hope you have found this information useful. You may also like this, Is it time to Vine?  and Which Brands are Winning on Vine? – 5 Brands that ‘Do it For The Vine’

Best regards,

Marketing Fundamentals Team

The post Vine versus Instagram Video – Which should you use and why? Guest post appeared first on Marketing Fundamentals.

This post may contain affiliate links please read our disclosure for more info.

If your objective is to grow your business or just to improve the way that your business functions, you should find yourself a mentor. Mentoring offers business owners the chance to learn from seasoned business owners or entrepreneurs on a regular basis. There is a popular misconception that mentors are only for young, inexperienced business people or startups. It is no coincidence that most top billionaires with high performing businesses have mentors. I have listed below 5 very successful people who currently have or have had mentors.

Top Billionaires with Mentors

1. Bill Gates

The co- founder and former CEO of Microsoft, the world’s largest personal computer software company has Warren Buffett as his mentor. Warren Buffet* is one of most successful stock market investors in history.

2. Oprah Winfrey

The former host of the Oprah Winfrey Show, CEO of Harpo Productions, CEO of the Oprah Winfrey Network, noted philanthropist and currently North America’s only black billionaire has a mentor. Her mentor is Maya Angelou, the author and poet.

3. Sir Richard Branson

The founder of the Virgin Group that has now grown to over 400 companies, one of the UK’s richest citizens, humanitarian and philanthropist had a mentor. His mentor was the late Sir Freddie Laker, CEO of Laker Airways.

4. Mark Zuckerberg

The co-founder of Facebook, the largest social networking website and current CEO was mentored by Steve Jobs* who advised him to build high-quality teams and maintain a sharp focus on Facebook’s products.

5. Sara Blakely

The founder of Spanx, a multi million dollar underwear garment company and currently the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire has a mentor. Her mentor is Sir Richard Branson. Bill Gates is also advising Sara on philanthropy after she joined the Giving Pledge.

There is a direct correlation between these billionaires having a mentor or having had a mentor in the cases of Sir Richard Branson & Mark Zuckerberg and then going onto achieve amazing levels of success. Even if you don’t aspire to be a billionaire it is very likely that you would benefit from having a mentor. If you don’t have one it is our recommendation that you look for one within your network. You could also try here.

If you like this post you will also like, Mentoring for Young Entrepreneurs : Do you Want a Mentor?

Also, you should read this post, 10 Golden Rules For Entrepreneurs  

B2B Content Marketing Agency London

Marketing Fundamentals Ltd is a B2B Content Marketing Agency in London that creates Content and manages Social Media for Professional Services firms. We hope you find this information useful.

If you would like our help creating and executing a Content Marketing Plan for your business or organisation give us a call on +44 (0) 845 2264 247. You can also email us via mail@marketingfundamentals.com

On our YouTube channel you will find marketing advice, business advice & inspiration. Subscribe if you work in Marketing for Professional Services or are a business owner or solo-preneur trying to grow your business. New uploads on Wednesdays.

Best regards,

Marketing Fundamentals Team

* Warren Buffett also had a mentor. His mentor was Ben Graham who was an economist.

* Steve Jobs himself had many mentors. More on that here. 

Follow Mike on Pinterest

Subscribe to

Follow us on LinkedIn

Online courses:

How to TurboCharge Your Business with a Blog
Meet Edgar Social Media Management
TurboCharge Your Twitter Presence
Quora For Business

Follow Mike on Twitter

Web Hosting Special Offer 

…

The post Mentoring is only for startups, right? Wrong! – 5 billionaires who have mentors appeared first on Marketing Fundamentals.

” It’s absolutely worth it.” – #onsettingupabusiness

” Start small. Think big – but do get started.”

” There is nothing to fear but fear itself.” Quoting #FranklynDelanoRoosevelt

On seeking funding…

” We applied to 20 banks and got turned down 20 times.” #onseekingfunding

Email subject line – ‘Does anyone know anyone rich?’ #onseekingfunding

“Maurice Pinto…he put in £250K and got out £30 million.” #talkingabouttheinvestorwhosaidyes

On a direct approach to distribution…

“We went to independent retailers over a bank holiday weekend and gave them 3 cases for free…45 out of 50 reordered.”

” We just got started…We were hungover and we needed something to make us feel better. ” – #innocentbeginnings

On working with a team…

” The three of us (founders) take credit when it’s the team of 300 that should take the credit. ” #teameffort

On role models…

“Richard Branson …I think in Britain he made entrepreneurs sexy…” #rolemodels

On being focused…

” Write down the dream. When you write it down – the dream becomes a goal.” #startingabusiness

On amusing Plump nuns copy on the ingredients label…

“You must either take off the reference to plump nuns or put them in your fruit juice.” #Letterfromadjudicationjudge

On business owners & entrepreneurs looking for investment…

“If you are looking for investment check out – http://jamjarinvestments.com/”

I hope this has given you a taste of the evening. You can follow @richardreedinno on Twitter. The next event will be announced fairly soon. Please also follow @es_bc for the latest updates.

If you’d like to discuss any aspect of your marketing requirements feel free to give us a call on +44 (0) 845 226247 or drop us an email via mail@marketingfundamentals.com – We look forward to hearing from you.

We hope you have found this information inspirational.

Best regards,

Mike Pitt – Founder & CEO of Marketing Fundamentals Ltd

The post What did entrepreneurs learn from Richard Reed at ESBC? appeared first on Marketing Fundamentals.

How do you build a community? – 6 tips

1. Content & Rules

You will need to create Content for your community on a regular basis and let your desired community members know the reasons for the community. Explain how the community can interact with you the hosts and with each other. Decide how it will be moderated and what are the best uses of the community.

2. Location

Be very clear where this community is based – is it a dedicated portal with login? Is it a publicly hosted forum. Is it hosted on a third party platform: LinkedIn or Facebook being obvious examples. Note – It is preferable to have a dedicated portal that you control. Are there any offline aspects to the community? A regular meeting place for events, for example.

3. Customer Service

Deliver excellent customer service to your community but also to all of your customers and those who make enquiries. For more details on how to do this read this post – SME Owners – 10 ways to excel at customer service

4. Ability to Surprise

A good community has the ability to surprise and delight its members. This community should not be a platform used only for promotional offers. Your objective must be to deliver value to your members and to interact with them.

5. Interaction & Engagement

A key feature of any community is the amount of interaction and engagement – not just with the host but also with each other within the community. Build in flexibility to accommodate user generated features and you will reap the rewards. I was recently contacted by Quora asking me for my suggestions in this respect and it is clear this is one of the ways they are developing their platform.

6. Above and Beyond

Start with the mindset that you will go above and beyond the norm in an approach that both Napoleon Hill and Zig Ziglar famously referred to as ‘going the extra mile’ and you will give your community every chance of future success.

We hope you have found this information useful. We would be happy to discuss how creating a community around your products or services could work for you. Give us a call on +44 845 2264 247 or email us via mail@marketingfundamentals.com to start the conversation.

Best regards,

Marketing Fundamentals Team

The post Entrepreneurs – How do you build a community? – 6 tips appeared first on Marketing Fundamentals.

Local Sponsorship Opportunities

1. The Arts

There are few demographics that don’t agree that the arts are an integral component of a thriving community. And patrons of the arts tend to have the sort of free capital that buys them purchasing power. These patrons also tend to be interested in philanthropy and are more likely to spend their money at companies that champion humanitarian causes. Investing in the arts represents an opportunity to demonstrate your company’s investment in the betterment of the community.

• Make a significant donation to the arts organization of your choice. This will get your name on the donor list, and oftentimes includes complimentary ad placement in programs, brochures, or newsletters.

• Event sponsorship—hosting an annual concert series, for example—can put your business in the good graces of the community.

• Commission a work of art to be displayed in a prominent public space.

2. Benefit Races

There is no shortage of races that raise money for great causes by asking participants to secure sponsors who provide financial backing. As a rule, these events are well-publicized, well-received, and well-attended. Participating in one way or another associates your company with issues that matter.

• Sponsor a group of participants or build a team to run the race (assuming you’ve got personnel who are willing to sweat for the greater good).

• Sponsor the race itself. Charities will partner with your company to organize and promote the race.

• Set up booths on the day of the event where you can offer promotional items like t-shirts, water bottles, balloons, and custom pens to participants and spectators.

3. Environmental Restoration

Many people automatically equate corporations with ecological damage, even if the evidence to support that association is lacking. One way to dispel this type of misconception is to host an environmental restoration project. Like benefit races, they provide a way to forge relationships with community members while working together towards a common goal.

• Organize stream clean-ups or tree plantings.

• Sponsor a local conservation organization’s research or special projects.

We are a leading marketing agency in London.Want to incorporate local sponsorship into your marketing strategy? Give us a call on +44 845 2264 247 or email us via mail@marketingfundamentals.com to start the conversation.

We hope you have found this information useful. This guest post was written by Alice Jenkins. Alice Jenkins is a graphic designer and hopeless perfectionist. She writes for PensXpress

Best regards,

Marketing Fundamentals Team

The post How do you use local sponsorship to enhance your reputation & drive leads? appeared first on Marketing Fundamentals.