Dear readers,
Today's topic is use of technology across borders. I know there are plenty of courses out there on how to use the media specifically for your marketing, but here is some free advice. Think about how you can use technology to change your entire business model. Take my business for example, as a business coach traditionally you would go and see your clients in person. Nowadays, it is very easy to use means like Skype and of course the good old phone call to talk to them.
Instead of having a potential of about 10,000 companies in the area that could be my clients, this number is almost infinite. It also changes my whole marketing strategy. Instead of using a letter campaign to promote my services, I can send e-mails, join local business boards via LinkedIn and other sites, ask my friends abroad for referrals etc. It also makes it easier to work with big, international companies as I can coach some of their staff remotely.
So think about your business and how you take advantage of new media. What role do Skype, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs and other social media play in your company? How does it affect the services you offer? Could you offer something different to non-local customers? How does it influence the ways in which you market your products or services? How do you contact your existing customers? How do they pay you? Could you work with third parties on the Internet? Examples are E-bay stores where people have set up their own on-line business within the framework of E-bay.
Perhaps you will want to adapt your pricing to reflect the different ways you use technology. For example, I will charge a client who comes to my office or will work with me via Skype less money as it saves me time.
Be careful though that quality and customer services do not get affected. Recently I approached an on-line business to do some printing work for me (business cards etc). It probably works well if you need something standard, but as soon as I had any specific questions, I had to wait for non-UK business hours to call them. Also, the lady who answered the phone seemed to know nothing about printing so I ended up working with a local printer at twice the price but a much better experience.
If you enjoy this blog, please get anyone you know to sign up to it too. Any comments are also always very welcome. I hope this week's post got you thinking about your work and more importantly, to do something with it. Have a good week!
Today's topic is use of technology across borders. I know there are plenty of courses out there on how to use the media specifically for your marketing, but here is some free advice. Think about how you can use technology to change your entire business model. Take my business for example, as a business coach traditionally you would go and see your clients in person. Nowadays, it is very easy to use means like Skype and of course the good old phone call to talk to them.
Instead of having a potential of about 10,000 companies in the area that could be my clients, this number is almost infinite. It also changes my whole marketing strategy. Instead of using a letter campaign to promote my services, I can send e-mails, join local business boards via LinkedIn and other sites, ask my friends abroad for referrals etc. It also makes it easier to work with big, international companies as I can coach some of their staff remotely.
So think about your business and how you take advantage of new media. What role do Skype, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs and other social media play in your company? How does it affect the services you offer? Could you offer something different to non-local customers? How does it influence the ways in which you market your products or services? How do you contact your existing customers? How do they pay you? Could you work with third parties on the Internet? Examples are E-bay stores where people have set up their own on-line business within the framework of E-bay.
Perhaps you will want to adapt your pricing to reflect the different ways you use technology. For example, I will charge a client who comes to my office or will work with me via Skype less money as it saves me time.
Be careful though that quality and customer services do not get affected. Recently I approached an on-line business to do some printing work for me (business cards etc). It probably works well if you need something standard, but as soon as I had any specific questions, I had to wait for non-UK business hours to call them. Also, the lady who answered the phone seemed to know nothing about printing so I ended up working with a local printer at twice the price but a much better experience.
If you enjoy this blog, please get anyone you know to sign up to it too. Any comments are also always very welcome. I hope this week's post got you thinking about your work and more importantly, to do something with it. Have a good week!
