http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/ en Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:39:11 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/images/misc/rss.png http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/ http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17603-Market-Research-Qualitative-Quantitative-and-Everything-In-Between.&goto=newpost Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:42:52 GMT For people considering market research, a point that often trips them up is the difference between qualitative and quantitative market research. Unfortunately, there are such important distinctions between those two types of research methodologies that it's difficult to consider the pros and cons of conducting market research until those differences are made clear.

Quantitative Market Research:-
Quantitative research is a rigid research tool that typically asks every respondent an identical set of questions, generally allowing the respondent only to select from a group of pre-defined answers. In order to provide a set of answer-categories, the team writing the research survey must have a very good understanding of the respondent's feelings and attitudes before conducting quantitative research.

Qualitative Market Research

Qualitative research is generally much less structured, and is often described as being more "exploratory" or "directional" because it seeks to reveal new attitudes or perspectives that may exist toward a topic or product category. Qualitative could be described as more freeform, often with broad questions such as "what do you like about that?" or "what would your ideal product look like?" Often questions asked of respondents in qualitative research don't include specific answers; instead they simply prompt the respondent to answer the questions in their own words.

There are also research projects in which both qualitative and quantitative market research methodologies are combined together. This approach allows the ability to unearth difficult to find feelings or attitudes, just beneath the surface, as well as the ability to understand the size of the different groups and conduct statistical comparisons.

Thanks...
HellinKnighting ]]> Marketing and Sales Hellin Knighting http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17603-Market-Research-Qualitative-Quantitative-and-Everything-In-Between. http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17493-Marketing-and-Sales&goto=newpost Thu, 19 Aug 2010 08:16:30 GMT What are the best ways of marketing a website online? What are the best ways of marketing a website online? ]]> Marketing and Sales Andylim http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17493-Marketing-and-Sales http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17477-The-Top-Five-Sales-Blunders&goto=newpost Wed, 18 Aug 2010 09:36:01 GMT Every salesperson, regardless of the industry, product, or skill level, makes mistakes. Here are some basic sales mistakes to avoid and some tips for selling more and having happier customers. 1. Not listening: Do not just listen to what the customer is asking for; look past that to find out... Every salesperson, regardless of the industry, product, or skill level, makes mistakes. Here are some basic sales mistakes to avoid and some tips for selling more and having happier customers.

1. Not listening: Do not just listen to what the customer is asking for; look past that to find out what they need. Too often salespeople sing the praises of a product without hearing what the customer wants. You cannot sell to someone if you do not know what they want. Listen to your customers, identify the need, and fill it.
2. Overselling: A nonstop sales pitch leaves your potential customer with no room to make an intelligent decision. There is a fine line between being a good salesperson and being pushy or obnoxious. Know when to stop selling.
3. Being unprepared: Whether you are making a sale in a showroom, a board room, or on the phone, you need to know the details about what you are selling and be able to answer all pertinent questions. Be prepared. If you are prospecting for new business, know what you are going to say and be ready for questions you may be asked.
4. Jumping straight to the sale: In any type of sales business, you need to establish a relationship. Even on the Web you need to have landing pages to provide information about your products or services before jumping to the shopping cart. Do not rush to the sale. Take the time to educate your customers, and they will reward you with sales.
5. Not closing the sale: This is the flipside of the previous mistake. Once you have provided your customer with the information he or she needs, ask if the customer is ready to make a purchase. It may seem unnecessary, but sometimes asking for the sale can be the nudge your customer needs to make a final decision. ]]> Marketing and Sales festy http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17477-The-Top-Five-Sales-Blunders http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17474-Services-marketing&goto=newpost Wed, 18 Aug 2010 09:29:59 GMT Services marketing, as the label suggests, relates to the marketing of services, as opposed to tangible products (in standard economic terminology, a tangible product is called a good). A typical definition of a service (as opposed to a good) is thus: * The use of it is inseparable from its... Services marketing, as the label suggests, relates to the marketing of services, as opposed to tangible products (in standard economic terminology, a tangible product is called a good).

A typical definition of a service (as opposed to a good) is thus:

* The use of it is inseparable from its purchase (,i.e. a service is used and consumed simultaneously)
* It does not possess material form, and thus cannot be smelt, heard, tasted, or felt.
* The use of a service is inherently subjective, in that due to the human condition, all persons experiencing a service would experience it uniquely. ]]> Marketing and Sales festy http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17474-Services-marketing http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17473-Retail-marketing-strategy&goto=newpost Wed, 18 Aug 2010 09:26:27 GMT A retail marketing strategy refers to how a store and its products sell goods to its target customers. Each type of retail business has to make decisions about all the details of its marketing mix. A marketing mix consists of the product, price, place, promotion and packaging. Internet marketing... A retail marketing strategy refers to how a store and its products sell goods to its target customers. Each type of retail business has to make decisions about all the details of its marketing mix. A marketing mix consists of the product, price, place, promotion and packaging. Internet marketing strategies and those for stores that people shop at in person must be developed to meet the needs of potential customers. A retail marketing strategy is first outlined in a business plan.

A business plan contains information about the intention and goals of the company. It's created before a business opens. Business plans include research about who the company's potential customers are as well as what their needs and wants are. A retail marketing strategy should be a part of the business plan. It should include decisions about the marketing mix approach, such as how customers will get the products. ]]> Marketing and Sales festy http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17473-Retail-marketing-strategy http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17451-different-b-w-marketing-research-and-marketing-segment-ion&goto=newpost Mon, 16 Aug 2010 06:47:45 GMT different b/w marketing research and marketing segment ion ? different b/w marketing research and marketing segment ion ? ]]> Marketing and Sales bestmounts http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17451-different-b-w-marketing-research-and-marketing-segment-ion http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17443-Logo-Designing-by-Innovative-Ideas&goto=newpost Sat, 14 Aug 2010 13:38:55 GMT Professional logos are brand building tools for good business. Read on for tips to choose the right service provider for logos. A lot of information is available on the internet that describes about innovative logo designs, vector logos and best logos making. Though some of them are good but... Professional logos are brand building tools for good business. Read on for tips to choose the right service provider for logos.

A lot of information is available on the internet that describes about innovative logo designs, vector logos and best logos making. Though some of them are good but trial and error method will help you better in logo designing. It is better to go to a professional logo designer for brand building. But these are all secondary steps. Primary step is the conceptualization process.

Logos help in branding your business, irrespective of whether it is small or big. Logos give immediate recognition. Apple Inc's apple with a small bite missing is a very good example and not to forget Coca Cola's art script. A logo reflects the name or script. The audience is impressed by both, name and script. Giving the design and image a name that is catchy is an impressive idea.

Professional logo designers use mythological ideas and make the logo point the exact idea when viewed by a layman. The steps followed by professional logo designers are"

1. Gathering of information
2. Selection of font
3. Image selection
4. Combining all the elements to create the logo
5. Finishing touch

These steps are used for creation of fantastic logos that create wonders.

Conceptualization requires vigilant mind to create logos. It will be erroneous for a difficult mind that needs analytical thinking. Conceptualization includes combination and illuminating of the core idea of the required business. It requires thinking beyond the exiting ideas as a professional.

The next step after conceptualization is to put all the pieces together and give it a final shape, making it the final stage of logo creation. It involves artists in graphics which will give the abstract ideas a solid image. A lot of care is taken to blend the logo with colours and fonts to provide it a perfect look. Advancements in software help in giving a logo that perfect look.

After realizing the importance of conceptualization and skills needed for logo designing, you can see whether the service provider is capable in creating alluring logos. Another way to judge is to see the sample logos. Remember to take customers reviews about the service provider before placing the order. ]]> Marketing and Sales julianskym http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17443-Logo-Designing-by-Innovative-Ideas http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17442-Logo-Design-Things-to-Keep-in-Mind&goto=newpost Sat, 14 Aug 2010 13:32:42 GMT Generally, the best ideas are simple and plain. Many business organizations create or buy their own elaborate logo with multiple parts and colors. This makes printing of logo both expensive and complicated. Complicated and sophisticated logos cloud the mind whereas simple logos are very easy to... Generally, the best ideas are simple and plain. Many business organizations create or buy their own elaborate logo with multiple parts and colors. This makes printing of logo both expensive and complicated. Complicated and sophisticated logos cloud the mind whereas simple logos are very easy to remember. Nike and A&T logos are example of very simple and very well known logos. Both of them have simple design and have plain letters in one color which makes them easy to remember and helps in recalling the brand.

Visibility: Visibility is one more aspect on which logos are judged. You can think of several companies that you drive by regularly and their sign boards are very colorful and very wordy but too small which makes it difficult to see and that's the reason why you don't remember their names. More importantly you don't even know what they sell and because of this you can't recommend to your friend also. Have you ever seen a company name in a script on a sign? It's unreadable.

Logos should be designed on the common company name. For example if the company name is "Maria's Thai Restaurant" and its common name is "Maria" then it would be better to make logo out of word "Maria" in one color, bold with words being very clear. It's not recommendable to make the logo using the alphabets M, T and R as people will call it Maria's only and not MTR.

Simple is best: Imagine a situation in which company becomes a globally known corporation then you would expect logo to lend itself to that. It is quite obvious that name "Maria's Thai Restaurant" won't be the name of the globally acclaimed company. Better name could be "Maria's Thai Range". This name gives a feel of quality, fame, and sales at national and global level. Now the question arises what should be the logo type? It's recommended always to have plain and simple logo for such big companies (though here it is just in the imagination). A clean and neatly carved graphic would be ok. A logo of Thai food cartoon won't work in this case.

Uniformity: Always keeps the same design. Generally new companies find difficult to find and hire a designer and ultimately they opt not hire any designer. This condition can be OK for such company but what if when company is big and its name is always there in print. It would be best in the company's interest to always use the same font logo in bold fashion. Logo should be such that which can help clients of the companies to associate themselves with the company. A change of logo can create the confusion in the mind of customer; they may find difficulty in recognizing the company after the change.

The foremost important rule of logo design is that your logo should be in the one color, simple, bold and easy to read. So, for designing the logo for your organization, it would be in your favor to keep the above points in mind. ]]> Marketing and Sales julianskym http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17442-Logo-Design-Things-to-Keep-in-Mind http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17441-All-About-Logo-Designing-Myths-and-Concepts&goto=newpost Sat, 14 Aug 2010 13:28:22 GMT Every company requires a creative, attractive and functional logo to create an individual identity. Logo is a source of introduction about the vision and philosophy of any company among masses. Without Logo there is no existence's brand identity. Logo of the company is the first simple identity of the company. Fortunately, most of the companies now understand the importance of logo and they pay necessary attention in developing a professional logo before launching. The logo of the company is the only way by which people and customer of the company have a point of reference .Logo is the symbol which tells the customer that this company sell such and such things and these things has certain specific features.

Every company tries few basic things to gain success in market by having good product quality or original brands as well as having most unique expertise in their field. We do not undermine the importance of these things but its very important idea if all these things should be communicated through your logo. Professionally designed logos carry all these corporate values and people feel proud to have their logo on their chest and on their shelves.

The basic qualities of a best logo design includes a reflection of nature of your company, its values and help in successful development of the company image. The logo of company should be simplest as much as possible to have maximum recall. Some companies use animal and bird graphic as a logo for showing qualities of the company. The logo should be meaningful and functional like Nike logo which is very simple and very famous among people. Everyone feels proud to display Nike logo on their T-Shirts and on their shoes. Another very important thing in logo design is color and shape of logo. If the color of logo is irrelevant to the trade so the result will be devastating for the repute of the business so it is very important for designer coordinate with client and help them in choosing good color logo and shape of logo.

Changing logo is very difficult job. Once a logo has been deigned and launched in the market then it is very difficult to change logo design because people become used to of the established identity of company .In case we want to modify logo, the company has to invest a lot of money to change everything that has been printed in bulk form. ]]> Marketing and Sales julianskym http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17441-All-About-Logo-Designing-Myths-and-Concepts http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17440-Christian-Logo-Design-The-Importance-of-a-Logo&goto=newpost Sat, 14 Aug 2010 13:25:06 GMT Christian Logo Designs are very important and significant from logos that are produced commercially. As the name itself define it, CLD are not meant to be attractive but they should be portraying the church's motive well. A general Logo Design gives you the impression that they are quite different from usual logos. The reason is quite crystal clear; the objective behind the logo design.

Many companies create thought provoking and stylish logos in order to attract the target audience. Christian designs on the contrary are not produced in this manner. Churches do not create logos to get the attention of the general public towards them but the only motive they have behind a logo design is to promote the Christian faith and the feeling of religion amongst people.

The features of CLD are also a lot different then normal logos. Usually the formal fonts are often utilized with Christian logos. The most commonly used color in CLD is white. As everyone nearly knows the relationship between white color and Christianity, therefore in becomes integral to incorporate white color in CLD.There are also many different colors which are commonly used in Christian Logo Design, these are particular shades of red and yellow.

Almost every CLD is based on a picture, insignia or religious symbol related to the religion of Christianity. For instance, a Cross, dove or a picture of Christ are quite common. These symbols and images highlight the feeling of spirituality and convey many messages of the Christian faith through the CLD.

Logos are also designed to highlight the values of religious organizations. A professional Christian logo always reflects a feeling of spirituality to its layout. If some of the observers remember the Christian logo, it is often believed to be a great success for the designers as they have achieved the objective of promoting a CLD through this process.

CLD are also designed to convey the gestures of religious organizations. Such steps and efforts in the development of a good professional Christian logo always build a strong relation of trust. If half of the observers remember the Christian logo, it can be considered to be of great success for the Christian Logo creators.

To conclude we can say that CLD are very important in many contexts. They easily to spread the message of the Christian faith. However when it comes to Christian logos, its diversity and originality is often the main key factor that makes a Christian logo look different from other logos. Achieving originality is not as easy as it looks. CLD involves a lot of creativity and professionalism. This kind of professionalism in logo design is often reflected by the use of proper colors, required fonts, suitable styles and many other issues. The combination of these few qualities can make a CLD memorable in the long run and in a holistic context. ]]> Marketing and Sales julianskym http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17440-Christian-Logo-Design-The-Importance-of-a-Logo http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17439-Logo-Design-Ideas&goto=newpost Sat, 14 Aug 2010 13:20:48 GMT There is a conflict between people as for the requirement of a logo design for a flourishing business. Some people maintain their business to the peak without any use of a logo or like other encouragement policy. Some people think that the logo designs should be necessarily required for a... There is a conflict between people as for the requirement of a logo design for a flourishing business. Some people maintain their business to the peak without any use of a logo or like other encouragement policy. Some people think that the logo designs should be necessarily required for a flourishing business.

In order to attain the attention of other people that your business exists and to achieve success, you unquestionably require a logo for your business. And this is the right decision that everyone must take who is having his business. A victorious business needs a logo to prosper itself and to develop a position for itself in the market. If there is a question in your mind and still you are not persuaded, ask yourself a little question - what sort of business are you preparing, who are your opponents, and do you have the courage to enter the flourishing market without such a promotional approach? After thinking these questions in your mind you will able to realize the importance of a high-quality logo design and that is a requirement for your organization. After you decide logo is requirement for your company then other question that comes into your mind is: Which logo design company to call?

The answer is. A high-quality logo design for a company is the one which recognize your dream of obtaining the higher position in the market space. It should understand your total business and thus produce the ideal logo for your company. Good logo is something that will help you to grasp the customer's eye in a reputable market.

These day's customers are trademark conscious and they want everything branded including their clothing, drinking, eating, driving or they even looking at the brand for the logo. So to capture attention of such a consumer, you need a logo design! If you are a business enterprise, it does not mean your logo need not be ingenious. An imaginative logo design with all the necessary constituents should require for any business.

With a little help from a knowledgeable graphic designer you can place to reconstruct your company's picture. In your mind there are huge company logos but what makes those designs excel? There are billions of designs that are poured into advertising, you have to select according to your requirement.

To find a good logo design for your company that suits your requirements is not a very hard-hitting task these days. There are numerous designs that worldwide companies holds. The key that you require to know the design for company is to study the terms on which the company works. You have to check its integrity and the type of assignments it has taken to evaluate whether it is going to create the favorable logo for your business.

After your logo has been created, continue to invest in your business's future. The excellent news is that every letter, sign, sentence or special note of your company is seen by a customer. And that is a chance to build integrity and good picture. It does not matter that what is you or what your business does; steadiness is the key to maintain a new fresh logo.

Push your business ahead by creating a long-lasting new logo design with the following tips in mind.

• Support achievement.
• Investigate numerous initial logo concepts.
• Try to achieve trusted comment and improve it according to the comments.
• Safeguard it. Defend your new logo of your company in every aspect. ]]> Marketing and Sales julianskym http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17439-Logo-Design-Ideas http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17420-Types-of-marketing-Research&goto=newpost Fri, 13 Aug 2010 07:58:24 GMT Marketing research, as a sub-set aspect of marketing activities, can be divided into the following parts: * Primary research (also known as field research), which involves the conduction and compilation of research for the purpose it was intended. * Secondary research (also referred to as desk... Marketing research, as a sub-set aspect of marketing activities, can be divided into the following parts:

* Primary research (also known as field research), which involves the conduction and compilation of research for the purpose it was intended.
* Secondary research (also referred to as desk research), is initially conducted for one purpose, but often used to support another purpose or end goal.

By these definitions, an example of primary research would be market research conducted into health foods, which is used solely to ascertain the needs/wants of the target market for health foods. Secondary research, again according to the above definition, would be research pertaining to health foods, but used by a firm wishing to develop an unrelated product.

Primary research is often expensive to prepare, collect and interpret from data to information. Nonetheless, while secondary research is relatively inexpensive, it often can become outdated and outmoded, given it is used for a purpose other than for which is was intended. Primary research can also be broken down into quantitative research and qualitative research, which as the labels suggest, pertain to numerical and non-numerical research methods, techniques. The appropriateness of each mode of research depends on whether data can be quantified (quantitative research), or whether subjective, non-numeric or abstract concepts are required to be studied (qualitative research).

There also exists additional modes of marketing research, which are:

* Exploratory research, pertaining to research that investigates an assumption.
* Descriptive research, which as the label suggests, describes "what is".
* Predictive research, meaning research conducted to predict a future occurrence.
* Conclusive research, for the purpose of deriving a conclusion via a research process. ]]> Marketing and Sales maclane http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17420-Types-of-marketing-Research http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17419-Some-tips-to-brand-your-business-online&goto=newpost Fri, 13 Aug 2010 07:21:04 GMT Among the advantages e-commerce sites have over brick and mortar stores is the ability to precisely track user behavior. As you follow each user’s use of the website (what pages are visited, what products are purchased, etc.), you can then customize and personalize the user experience for each and... Among the advantages e-commerce sites have over brick and mortar stores is the ability to precisely track user behavior. As you follow each user’s use of the website (what pages are visited, what products are purchased, etc.), you can then customize and personalize the user experience for each and every visitor to the site.

Personalization features that we’ve built for clients include:

* The ability to recommend specific products to users based on their browsing history.
* The ability to recommend specific products to users based on their past transactions.
* The ability to enable users to track wishlist items.
* The ability to enable users to personalize their homepage with products or categories of interest. ]]> Marketing and Sales maclane http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17419-Some-tips-to-brand-your-business-online http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17399-CRM-systems-used-by-small-businesses&goto=newpost Wed, 11 Aug 2010 20:22:32 GMT I have been looking to understand what CRM system (if any) do small businesses tend to use. There are a huge range of solutions out there - simple lists to comprehensive CRM systems. What is the acceptable cost and what functionality is really important? Thanks Steve I have been looking to understand what CRM system (if any) do small businesses tend to use.

There are a huge range of solutions out there - simple lists to comprehensive CRM systems.

What is the acceptable cost and what functionality is really important?


Thanks

Steve

Disclosure: We have developed an Excel based CRM - www.crm-on-excel.com ]]> Marketing and Sales CRM-on-Excel http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17399-CRM-systems-used-by-small-businesses http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17398-Industrial-Branding-The-Importance-of-Logo-Design&goto=newpost Wed, 11 Aug 2010 15:00:50 GMT I recently gave a proposal to a well established industrial company that is considering a complete rebranding effort. Although hugely successful, their current logos (for multiple companies worldwide) do not reflect the image, personality or values of the company. I classify a logo as THE most... I recently gave a proposal to a well established industrial company that is considering a complete rebranding effort. Although hugely successful, their current logos (for multiple companies worldwide) do not reflect the image, personality or values of the company.

I classify a logo as THE most important strategic marketing asset a company owns. A well crafted logo communicates immediate brand recognition, inspires trust, admiration, loyalty, and an implied superiority. This is a design process that should not be taken lightly. There are many considerations that go into professional logo design that most people never think about.

Before a brand can be built, everyone must look to use the same definition for the term "brand." From my perspective, I do NOT see corporate brand identities as:

The marketing message

A logo shouldn't be used to say "what" a company does. A logo is there to represent the company, to put a face to an entity, not to give a resume of products and capabilities. Think about current examples of logos that have strong brand recognition. Where's the computer in the Apple logo? Does Toyota need a car or Nokia a phone in their logos? It may be relevant, but it is unnecessary. Rather than using the logo to market, you market the logo itself.

Trend inspired

A logo should be designed with longevity in mind. A simple classic icon is key.

Customers might see a company that constantly changes its logo to follow trends as unstable and that might create trust issues. What happens when the trend is no longer "the thing to do?" Once the logo is dated, it's useless.

Too complicated for all mediums

A logo should not have elements that are difficult to apply in different mediums. Slick effects and a stylish 3D look might appear great on your computer monitor, but that doesn't mean it's great for everything else. A logo needs to be seen in different environments - on different monitors, in print, on signage, on small displays such as a cell phone - to make sure it communicates clearly in all mediums.

A brand is the embodiment of an idea. It's a thought process that potential customers buy into. If your logo were a person, is it one you would remember meeting a second time?

Once the brand is defined, it needs to be established in the minds of the audience through consistent brand messaging. You must look to emphasize a brand's position with creative strategy. Every communication, printed and electronic must consistently reinforce the overall brand approach. This allows employees, vendors and customers to quickly get their heads around it and in turn make it memorable to them.

A brand cannot be developed without considering the current makeup of an organization. A successful brand will always build on inherent strengths. This will ensure that the brand will ring true to anyone who comes in contact with it.

Changing the brand identity for a company that is already well established is no small undertaking. Although the process may seem challenging and yes... costly; it can mean a world of difference in creating an iconic symbol that is recognized, has longevity, and resonates with a company's target audience, employees, vendors, and the markets it serves.

Kerry O'Malley is President and founder of Marketects, an industrial marketing communications agency based in Houston, TX. For over a decade Marketects has worked with numerous small to mid size manufacturing and industrial service companies and helped them increase brand recognition, move into new markets, and obtain new propsects through creative and targeted marketing communications. Prior to founding Marketects, Ms. O'Malley had a proven track record managing marketing communications in actual manufacturing and industrial service companies. ]]> Marketing and Sales fionayoung http://www.smallbusinessforum.com/showthread.php?17398-Industrial-Branding-The-Importance-of-Logo-Design