Jane Brocklebank

Social networking is a bit like visiting a foreign country – each site seems to have its own language and culture.  Here are some general guidelines to make sure you don’t get off on the wrong foot.

1.  Introduce yourself properly. Rather than just sending the standard request to ask someone to be your friend or to join your network, add a personal note. If you know them this will be easy. If not, explain why you would like to connect with them or who you know that is a mutual connection. (more…)

A facebook business page can be a very useful marketing tool. Here are some top tips for setting one up and using it. 

Friends and fans: You will need a personal facebook page before you can create a business page. The difference is that on your personal page, you have friends. People you know and have agreed to be friends with. On a business page you have “fans” and anyone can become a fan. You don’t have to be “friends” with them, and they won’t see your personal page. (more…)

I’m working on a couple of websites at the moment, in very different business sectors.  But the basics are exactly the same, so here are my five key things to think about when planning your website.

1. What’s it for?
What is the purpose of your website?  Until you think about why your website exists and what you want people to do when they get there, it’s very difficult to plan it effectively.  Here are some ideas to get you started. (more…)

Considering how much effort it takes to put together an email newsletter (thinking about it, scratching your head, considering content, putting the right words together, gathering contacts etc.) it would be a real shame if it wasn’t as successful as it could be because of a few mistakes.  Use this checklist before you send out your next email campaign. (more…)

Nobody likes spam, and we all get too many emails. But how can you communicate with your genuine customers and followers who ARE interested in what you have to offer?

The answer is permission. Once you have someone’s permission to contact them, you can email with confidence.  However, for your own sake (and theirs) use this opportunity wisely and send only interesting and relevant information… otherwise, you will soon see your mailing list dwindling. (more…)

The ISPs are battling an incoming tide of spam. It clogs up their systems, frustrates users and is generally a huge drain on resources. It’s an ongoing struggle, and currently they can only try to filter it out based on what they “guess” to be spam. 

For genuine businesses, this means we can inadvertently get caught in spam filters, meaning that our messages never reach their intended recipients. Avoid the following, all of which can increase the likelihood of being caught in the content-based spam filters: (more…)

There are lots of directory sites that provide local business listings. If you run a business or service that falls into a recognisable category e.g. “hairdresser” or “accountant” you should take full advantage of these as they are very effective and often appear on the first page of search engine results. (more…)