And now for something completely different – How graphic design works at Push Start Marketing

We can, but we don’t generally replicate the same old graphic designs that everyone else has. We love to be different, we love to be innovative and we love to be occasionally controversial.

Quadrant Estate Agents

Quadrant Estate Agents have been established since 1996 and are a progressive, dynamic company in a prime town centre location. We were asked to re-design the existing marketing collateral, namely business cards and company brochure. From here we produced some stunning and unique concepts, incorporating the distinguished silver ‘Q’.

With Bicester saturated with estate agents, how will Quadrant get noticed? We had to produce something to appeal to everyone, something that will get picked up and read, even it is only on the way to the recycle bin. Something that will draw attention to itself when it lands on the doormat. So two examples of their flyers are the ‘save every dime’ and ‘everything turns to sold’ designs. In contrast to the vibrant fronts, the back of the flyer had to be in a recognised format that conveyed the information clearly.

Conversely Independent Mortgage Solutions, with two new business to talk about, had a lot of information to get across. The company has strong branding already out in the public domain, so our brief stuck to simplifying the facts, offers and promotion of brand awareness.

·        Disclaimer alert – with full disclosure and Push Start Marketing’s principles of transparency both clients were aware of each other and happy for us to work on similar accounts.

Isis Electrical

The brief began with branding the van. We were asked to create a design that not only signified Oxford, but incorporated all the services that the client provides. And so the electrical skyline was born:

Look carefully and you will recognise the dreaming spires of Oxford, but look closer and you’ll spot light bulbs, pliers and screwdrivers among them! Consistency was safeguarded by using the company colours and this design is perfectly adaptable to posters, business cards and leaflets.                        

Whether it’s original concepts for fresh branding you’re looking for, or practical solutions to your existing marketing objectives we will strive to pull it together for you, as we did for Isis Electrical.

How you choose to portray your company’s identity with graphic design is a reflection of your ideology and principles. These principles can be interpreted into print using three main formats:

1.      Digital design – websites, social media, emails

2.      Physical – Shop fronts, branded clothing, vehicles

3.      Printed design – Leaflets and brochures, business cards, posters and bags

All these formats require great graphic design and in order for the brand to be instantly recognisable the golden rule is consistency. There’s no value in a business card that has no relation to your website, or a van that looks nothing like your headed paper.

Jessica and Lucy in the hot seat

Our resident creative, Jess works closely with Lucy to ensure your identity is not lost, but celebrated in graphic design. It is the belief of Push Start Marketing that authenticity is essential – the tone of voice used in print must match the service your clients can expect when they meet you to conduct business.

Lucy, as creative director has the rare talent of being able to identify your principles and tone of voice, pulling out the ideas you didn’t think you could articulate and Jess has the talent to put those ideas into concepts. Together they ensure your branding, message and identity are displayed with accuracy and consistency. Your company’s identity and tone of voice will be portrayed to your exact specifications.

Get in touch

These are just a few examples of some effective print marketing, produced by Push Start Marketing in alliance with our clients, so once you’re done cyber stalking, give Lucy a call on 07813 846569. What’s the worst that could happen? 

Doing what we say on the tin: How 'Push Start' works for our clients

The company was founded on the desire to help: to help those that knew the value of good marketing, knew the value of social media for business and knew the value of great looking websites, but just didn’t know where to start.

Push Start Marketing developed into a company that wants to teach and empower, working hand in hand with clients and even eventually handing the reigns of marketing back to you to continue in-house. With this ethos in mind we know that our clients have truly benefited from our best and most authentic assistance, that we work for you and with you, consistently and honestly, and without hidden costs, and one of our measurements of success is if clients take on elements themselves and Mollie Blake is a perfect example of this.

Contemporary Romance. It’s been emotional!

Mollie Blake is the pen name for one of our clients who writes contemporary romance novels and has an interest in fund raising, particularly for victims of abuse. She came to us when we were newly established, just over two years ago. The brief we had initially was four hours a month to develop the profile of ‘Mollie Blake’ through social media , sharing book extracts and topic related general interest items.

Mollie was motivated to write following the birth of her son and discovering that returning to a high profile, high stress job was not consistent for her with raising a family. Mollie soon realised that her previous work lifestyle was not what she wanted, now that she had a child to raise. As a more ‘mature’ mother she wanted to empower women of a similar age and help them rediscover their sexual confidence – to return their sexual mojo in their forties.

Start as you mean to go on….no…start, evaluate, change…

Mollie had a publicity company but they felt they could do no more for her, and she approached us to help with PR. Push Start approached PR professionals who all turned the opportunity down because they didn’t work with fiction writers, didn’t specialise in the industry etc.. so with Mollie’s agreement we took on the challenge and got her and her book featured in her local press and made contact with a range of journalists on her behalf, resulting in guest appearances at book groups and local radio interviews.

To her credit Mollie then followed up these contacts several months later and secured radio interviews herself, with the confidence that we had paved the way.   

So our role changed once more and Mollie took control of the social media accounts, whilst we continued to find her PR opportunities including the opportunity to appear in a prestigious local magazine that profiled influential local people.

She’s made it!

Mollie has now been signed by a book publisher in the U.S. Push Start Marketing has succeeded and handed the reigns over to the client who is now able to confidently manage her own marketing, if she so wishes.  We’re called Push Start for a reason you know…

Cheerful farewells…

Push Start Marketing is always sad to say farewell to a client, but are pleased in much the same way as a proud parent or mentor who sends their protégé into the world. But, you are never truly alone once you have engaged with us, we are always here to serve and ever willing to advise.

If you'd like to read stories, advice and news from Mollie Blake, check out her blog, but remember, it often comes with an 18 certificate!

http://mollieblake.co.uk/blogs/

And if you'd like Push Start Marketing to help you with a marketing campaign, give us a call on the Hotline: 07813 846569, or visit our website: www.pushstartmarketing.co.uk

Have to let someone go? Think of the animals that make up your teams

When dealing with the emotional aftermath of letting a much loved member of my team go my coach asked me to look at my team as animals. This process helped me to accept that I had made the right decision, because I get a better picture of how they work as individuals and what kind of ‘animal’ I need and don’t need working with me, how different personalities will interact and effect each other in the close quarters of the office.

A lion and a zebra may not be the best of friends, but looking at the way they behave, their defining characteristics and tendencies gives insight in how and why we as humans behave as we do and can be used as a reference as a way of managing the differences in personalities.

I knew which animals I would assign to my team but wanted them to know how they would describe themselves and have that conversation with them all so they would get a greater understanding of the team they were working within too.

Hilary Nightingale, my social media manager: A dog.

‘I have chosen a dog to represent me at work because I often feel afflicted with the need to please. I like to provide for others, am fiercely loyal and like to find the good in others - to find reason for poor attitudes and behaviour. I definitely do not like to make mistakes and always feel really bad after, if they are made.’

I had thought of Hilary as a meerkat, looking out for everyone around her, busy and efficient and working very well within a team – so the two were not so different!

Samantha Stonehouse, PR. An Otter.

‘The animal that I think I would be in terms of work ethic is an otter. Intelligent, communicative, popular, hard-working and useful. I focus on problems but can become easily distracted, I never give up, suffer from self-doubt, am determined, a good motivator whilst avoiding taking on leadership roles, perform well in groups, have good social skills and I am loyal.’

For me Sam is was a Flamingo. Wanting to be part of the team, delicate but strong and agile at the same time and trying to be the best she can be, just like Flamingos try to be as pink as they can.

Jo White, Finance. Dolphin.

‘My animal that I believe best represents me would be a dolphin. I am entertaining, stay close to my family group and can fight off a shark in one swift motion! I also feel that when I am in my domain, I am at the top of my game.’

Perhaps because of the Savannah theme I was going on, Jo was a Hippo to me. Happy in the water or the land, laid back and placid the majority of the time, but one of the deadliest animals when crossed.

Jess Yarnold, Graphic Designer. Another Dog

‘I am less of an adult dog and more of a puppy. I like to take on tasks that involve lots of things to do, to keep my interest up. I am creative and look for ways to get things done that aren't always conventional.’

I saw Jess as a lion cub, she is young and is learning and playing while doing so. As I work closely with Jess as an Art Director type I am quite often criticising, changing and sometimes rejecting what she does. She never sulks about a metaphorical clout from me, she just comes bounding back for more much like a cub would in a play fight.

And I was a lion. Not sure Lion or Lioness, the clichéd leader of the pack, provider of sustenance and security for my pack, always working and alert to opportunity and danger even if it looks like I am asleep under a tree. I can throw my weight around if I need to but let the pride get on with their jobs with me keeping an eye and taking the lead when I need to.

So there you have it

It seems that all of us fit perfectly into the 'African plains' of Push Start Marketing, we all have a role to fulfil and I can now think of the other types of animals I need as I grow the team.

Just talking about this and everyone’s animal sparked so much conversation. For example, it came out that Jo, as a dolphin, is skilled at balancing, but if she were to drop her ball, Hilary as a dog would happily bring it back to her! Thoughts and reminders of each others personality traits come up all the time and it helps to be able to think to ourselves, 'that's because she's a ....'  it helps us to understand one another a little better.

If you’ve the inclination ask yourself what animal am I best represented by when I'm at work? And what animal are my colleagues? Share your thoughts with each other and I guarantee you will have one of the most enlightening conversations ever.

With thanks to Charly Cox for setting me that homework in the first place.

Three things social media's done for our clients

Ever asked yourself: Do I really need social media? Why invest my time in writing 140 character messages to people I don't know? Why would people notice my company in the noise of social media anyway?

Well, here's three things we love about social media that should make you think again...

1: Soft touches and gentle reminders

Soft or light touches are not a new sales phenomena. But now they are so much easier with social media. The ‘Saw this and thought of you’ idea for contacts you don’t know but want to know better is a great way to build on what might have been a very brief introduction.

Traditional marketing includes leaflet dropping, emails, customer call backs. Any astute professional knows that these things create presence of mind in those that could become customers or professional advocates. Many leaflets go straight into the recycling, emails go into trash and call backs are politely brushed off. A soft touch means a gentle approach to reminding people you are still there. A flash of your corporate identity within a timeline or newsfeed filters in the minds of those who may need you one day. A social media soft touch is in no way obtrusive, creates no unnecessary rubbish or takes any time away from the recipient.

One of our lovely clients likes to send an email very now and then to offer a discount code. Of course, not everybody takes up the offer, but in Spring this year, five did and we're willing to bet a lot more will be waiting and expecting a  winter offer in time for Christmas!

2: Share your personality

'People buy from people'. A very competitive market these days means people look to more than great deals, or free delivery to sway their decisions. If they believe they have an affinity to the person or company that is resolving their issues, then you will have the competitive edge.

Sharing tips, advice and anecdotes builds a personality into your brand and on the appropriate platforms be that Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter. We had prospective a client come to us because of our blog and post on Dr. Zeus and Now we are Six, they liked and connected with the ‘personality’ of the business.

3: It's free and it works!

Push Start Marketing is called push start for a reason. We want to give you that helpful push into using marketing tactics for yourself, our ethos is to empower. It's free to sign up to Twitter, to LinkedIn, Facebook and Google+. You have been given four powerful marketing tools here, for nothing - nada - zip. Why not make use of it?

We started working with a client two months ago. When we started, a regular Google search, even for their specific company name produced disappointing results. Eight weeks later and the same Google search brings the company up to first on the list. With slightly different search words, the client's company appears third on the list as a Google+ post. Why would you not at least give it a trial?

For more help and advice give Hilary a call on 07825 031036 or book on to our Social Media 101 for some hands on help with your specific issue. 

What is an RSS feed and why would my company need one?

RSS feeds, Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary, is useful for websites that regularly refresh their content. If your business is in a rapidly changing industry, such as news, finance or travel, then an RSS feed would be used to broadcast changes to everyone who has connected with your business in that way. Connection is much like when you choose to connect with a company via Twitter, Facebook or other social media platforms. Websites display the RSS feed icon alongside the other social media buttons on their website.

If changes are broadcast from RSS feeds, does that render my newsletter useless?

As a user of RSS feeds from your website, clients sign up for daily or weekly changes to your company that are affected by the industry in which it is. RSS feeds are great for stock market trends, news updates and special offers - information not necessarily suitable for a monthly newsletter. Whereas new staff members, activities within your company and project profiles are not necessarily suitable for RSS feeds.

So how does my website benefit from an RSS feed?

The RSS feed will distribute regular 'what's new' information to clients that have signed up for it, including blog posts. RSS feeds work in harmony with other social media platforms such as Twitter, distributing content and helping to deal with increasing traffic to your website - clients no longer have to go to your site every time they need to check for updates, the content goes to them. This will not affect the Google indexing of your site, so the search engine optimisation stays in tact.

What doesn't RSS do?

Content curation. RSS feeds send out content, they don't find it - you have to provide the content and as we know in social media, 'content is king'. Alongside industry relevant updates, regular blogging, updates to FAQ's and changes to images within your website are all great ways to keep your content refreshed and keep your RSS feed users happy.

How do I put an RSS feed on my website?

There are many websites out there that will give you a step by step process to go through in order to put an RSS feed on your site yourself. There are lots of videos to view on YouTube to help you. However, by far the easiest way of getting an RSS feed on your website, is to ring Digital Trading and tell them what you need. Service and implementation is of superior standard from Digital Trading and you will find the results pay dividends for your company. If you would like an introduction, let us know. If would like to get in touch direct, give them a call and tell them Push Start Marketing sent you...

              

Now we are six

From 'kitchen table central' to buzzing office and bulging diaries. One will soon become six and on Push Start Marketing’s second birthday, this is the story so far...

'When I was one, I had just begun'

You may remember my blog, or heard me talk on the subject of my first year in business. '10 things I've learnt in 12 months of running my own business', was a cathartic exercise, given to me by my business coach Charly Cox, initially to clarify my progress and look back at how far I had actually come in that first year. It was the advice I would have given myself to survive that first year, and attracted a lot of comment on LinkedIn, became a blog and even a presentation at a Networking event. I’d made it through my first year in business, but Push Start Marketing was growing and kitchen table central wasn't cutting it any longer.

'When I was two, I was nearly new. When I was three I was hardly me'

Hilary had already been with me for a few months, ardently working away alongside me and the dogs in the kitchen. I felt a new step (and blog) coming on... 'When is the right time to move into an office?'  A good question, one which was answered before I had finished writing and so we moved to Church Green. Lauren joined us soon after and we became a team.

An office, two new members of Push Start Marketing and we were growing! Our clients grew with us and we were proud to introduce anyone who came, to our new office and renewed pride in our company.

'When I was four I was not much more. When I was five we became alive'

Jess, our graphic designer came along and all of a sudden, the office was full - to bursting point. After weeks of squeezing laptops on the corner of desks or organising diaries for desk sharing, it became obvious that more space was required. Wise words came to me from my blog the previous September, 'Is business child's play? Dr Seuss' wise words for entrepreneurs'.

“If things start happening, don't worry, don't stew, just go right along and you'll start happening too.” – Dr. Suess

And then came office number two. We moved in to a new office suite - yes suite, in April this year. We have a small meeting room, kitchenette and ensuite facilities. Everyone has their own desk now. Still, we are growing so along came Sam. With a background in PR, Sam is the most recent addition to our group and Push Start Marketing is becoming bigger and more rounded.

'But soon to be six, we're as clever as clever, so can we still grow? Never say never!'

So, who is number six? Jo has recently joined the company. She is coming on board to keep everything running smoothly, to make sure letters and emails are sent and answered, diaries are never too busy and the buzz is always a mellow one.

As I have moved from a freelance to a company or agency I have strived to retain the same goals, values and standards (not to mention clients) through my team. Although my office, client base, prices and team have changed the same helpful, approachable, friendly and honest core remains the same.

Should I follow everyone who follows my business on Twitter?

Since the dawn of Twitter for business it has been hotly debated whether it is best to follow everyone who follows you on Twitter. 

Consider this - as effective networkers, something that every small business should be doing, we know that reaching out to peers with our message of what we can do and how we can help our fellow networkers is essential in building rapport and marketing our USP's. 

Twitter can also be valuable as a networking tool to reach out to your peers in business. Effective networkers appreciate that you are not just networking with the room, but using those people to get to their contacts, you don’t know who they know. So it might be worth having a look to see how many followers a ‘stranger’ has before you decide to follow them or not.  

Isn't it good manners to follow back? 

Long gone is the 'courtesy follow', where you simply click through because they followed your business. Before long, your feed could be full of 'noise' and irrelevant tweets that effectively swallow up the relevant and useful messages, but you may also come across random nuggets of Twitter gold!  

Take President Obama, for example, @BarackObama had over 57 million followers at one point. Admirable you might say, but where the President is a popular figure to many folk, these citizens are not necessarily worthy of a follow from the President of The United States of America, however courteous he may be. 

But, a far cry from leader of the US, your small business may choose to follow everyone in order to give them an opportunity to contact you and engage in your content. Direct messages were until recently only possible if you mutually followed each other, so you may have been cutting off a vital method of contact if you haven't followed back.  

If you tweet regularly you should already be interspersing promotion with social style tweets and interactions and therefore sharing your contact details with a social element, so perhaps this is how you prefer your followers to get in touch. 

Be authentic 

Whatever you decide, whether it is a selective method of following only what appears to be relevant people and businesses, or whether it's a courteous manner with which you build your connections, be authentic. Always thank your new followers and re-tweeters and reply to mentions with a personal touch and you will find that Twitter is an excellent aid to engaging with your customer base and business connections. 

People appreciate a personal touch and level of engagement with your business and Twitter is the perfect way to bring your personality and ethics into light. Authenticity is the key to building rapport here, not a robotic, scatter gun style of advertising. 

Have you noticed a dramatic drop in Facebook likes?

Have the likes on your company page recently started to go down, instead of up? There's a reason for this. Facebook have been having a tidy up... Facebook is attempting to make the 'likes' of business pages more genuine. A blog released by Facebook on 5th March 2015, entitled Making Page Likes More Meaningful, explains the changes.

Company page likes 

Companies use Facebook Pages as a platform to showcase their business and engage with their target audience. To make sure the number of likes each company page displays is a genuine figure, from currently used accounts and active members of the Facebook community, the changes to the algorithm used to display these figures has been adjusted. 

Likes from memorialized and voluntarily deactivated accounts will no longer be displayed in the company page likes total. This ensures that when you visit the company page, you are not given the wrong impression of how many people have actually liked this page. 

As a business, the reduction will only prove to give you more genuine and up to date insights on the people who are engaging with your company page. 

Page admins - What to expect 

The next few weeks will possibly begin to show reductions of your pages likes figures. As Facebook said in their blog, 'it is important to remember though, that these removed likes represent people who were already inactive on Facebook'. 

The good news is that if the deactivated account becomes active again, it will automatically be recounted as a like on your company page. 

The information, insights and analytics of Facebook will become more meaningful, more genuine and will only serve to benefit your business. Your engagement with your 'fans' will also become more meaningful and this way likers will have increased trust in your company page. 

Personal Users 

If you've seen or heard the rumor that Facebook is going about deleting inactive accounts or friends, from the social media platform - then worry not. Whilst Facebook did indeed change their algorithm last week (12th March to be precise) , there will be absolutely no impact on the personal user. That includes your friends, no matter how actively they 'like' you. 

Facebook hoaxes and chain mails are common. If you've seen a message or post like this, it's a hoax and you should probably just delete it and pay it no mind...