One of the biggest assets to grow your exports is free - THE U.K. FLAG – are you making the most of it? 500 years ago, if a ship arrived offshore, would you run for the hills or fire up a feast? It's pretty likely you'd make a snap judgement based upon the flag you saw flying - and how fast you could run. A similar scenario still plays out if your product or brand is unknown when it reaches an export market for the first time. A customer will look for your flag. If your brand is relatively unknown and the perception of the U.K. as the 'Country of Origin' is positive in your target market, then leverage it. Not just a 'MADE IN THE U.K....' (or DESIGNED IN THE U.K.) on pack, but print the U.K. flag on packaging, build it into presentations and leverage iconic images from the U.K. on social. Landscapes, buildings, celebrities, you name it. It works. I’ve seen the boost it can make to a company’s sales many times. ‘MADE IN THE U.K.' not only plays an important role in first … [Read more...]
How to continuously sharpen your company’s competitive edge
The use of the word ‘continuously’ is purposefully placed in the title of this blog article. Why? Because I fully believe that if a company does not continuously sharpen its competitive edge, it won’t be long before they do not have one in today’s ever-increasing pace. I’m sure we can all think of examples of companies who have been market leaders and no longer exist or have had to sell assets and/or shrink in size to survive. Eastman Kodak is a prime example. Kodak began to struggle financially in the 1990s when digital camera technology hit the retail market. Only recently they have emerged from bankruptcy, after selling many of its patents to current giants including Google, Apple, Samsung, Microsoft. Woolworths is another case in point. It used to be one of my favourite stores for spending my pocket-money. A few pence went a long way in Woolworths – a child’s paradise. Several months before they closed their retail outlets in the UK, I recall walking in and out of Woolworths, … [Read more...]
