I went to a seminar at Sci-Tech Daresbury last month given by Kerry Howl from Fogg & Associates and Mike Shaw from Marks and Clerk patent attorneys. Here are some snippets.

While I was writing the script for my webinar I remembered this financial controller I knew once who used to delight in telling me marketing was fluffy. We used to laugh about it but I’m sure he was convinced that compared to hard figures, marketing was just candy floss.

With Dave Paton from Business Angels Finance International LLP who match businesses to equity and debt funding.   I seem to have talked a lot about money this month.  

You’ve probably heard of a SWOT Analysis.  It’s used throughout business not just in marketing.  It’s a simple 2×2 matrix that helps crystallize thoughts and prepare action plans.  I feel it’s particularly useful for measuring up against a competitor, especially when a business is looking to grow.

I decided to buy skincare kits as Christmas presents this year (bear with me this does have a marketing theme).

Dr Andrew Fowler from HFL Risk Services gave a presentation at The Heath in Runcorn regarding the 4Ps of process safety. These are Plant, Procedures, Process and People.  He said he thought the most important P is People.

  I have heard it takes 10 times more resources to gain a new customer than to serve an existing one.

Paul Cornwell ( a senior technologist at PZ Cussons based in Manchester) said something about new product development that made me smile. “It doesn’t all come from marketing.”  Of course, he’s right.  It takes a team to make a new product.

  I like matrices and, marketing, like most disciplines has its fair share of them. One of my favourites is the Ansoff Matrix.  This matrix highlights the strategic direction a business could take if it wants to grow.

There will always be competition. Monopolies rarely exist.  Where there is competition, you need to know and understand it. Often the best person to ask is your customer. They may know your competitor better than you would wish them to. They may even tell you all about them too, if you ask.