Member profile: Martin John Training Would you like to increase your business profits without hiring additional staff? Could you optimise performance by developing the capabilities of your current team? The truth is that trying to train staff while managing your day-to-day business feels more like a juggling act than a business strategy. Once you understand that training is an investment, it can be a cornerstone of a cost-effective plan to increase growth and revenue. But where do you begin? With 25 years’ experience in senior procurement, relationship management and supply chain roles, Mart ..read more

There’s been lots of noise from sales teams over the past couple of years. Much of it hasn’t been happy noise. They’re worried about the impact on their success rates caused by recent changes to the way people work. They’ve had to – Adapt to hybrid working Navigate a different marketplace where the people they’re trying to make contact with have also switched to hybrid working Paula Bates, Managing Director of Toucan Telemarketing, doesn’t believe these factors are valid in terms of telemarketing success – or lack of it. In fact, she thinks hybrid working is conducive for telemarketers to ..read more

So, you’ve booked your delegate badge, received all the pre-show marketing materials, reserved a hotel, and briefed you colleagues on any work that might need completing during your time away from the office. Time to relax and enjoy a change of scene and a bit of a ‘jolly’ right? WRONG! Whilst some people may see a couple of days at a trade show as a bit of a perk away from the stresses and strains of the office, with a bit of thought and careful planning, the savvier delegates can make trade shows an essential part of their marketing strategy. Here’s our guide as to how to make the most of y ..read more

Stop for a moment and consider the time, effort and resources that you put into chasing new clients, suppliers and potential business partners. Time that quite simply could be better invested in what matters most – running your business and driving sales. Just imagine. No more faceless cold calls. No more hoping the person you want to speak to will be available – or if they’re not, waiting for them to return your call. No more employing costly telemarketing agencies. Quite simply – no more hassle, stress or inconvenience. Well, that imagination can easily become reality with M3 Publishing’s T ..read more

It’s no secret that the last couple of years have been a barren time for UK businesses. However, 2022 is here and it’s looking like the worst of the pandemic is now in the rearview mirror. So how do you revive your business in these new exciting times? Networking and face to face meetings had all but dried up over the last 2 years as the nation self-isolated and socially distanced itself. 2021 wasn’t the year we had all hoped for and the few events that did happen didn’t see the usual attendees they would expect through the doors. There was clearly still a lot of apprehension in terms of COVI ..read more

Businesses have had lots of practice at unfamiliar working practices that were lockdown-enforced in March 2020. But, as they’re starting to see work patterns normalising, in the vast majority of cases into a hybrid model of some sort, they’re seeing ongoing productivity challenges with these working patterns. Staff working from home are impacted by the endless distractions of home and are missing out on the in-person coaching and development they used to get in the office. But businesses mandating a return to the office are seeing higher rates of attrition as staff seek flexibility elsewhere ..read more

It’s that time of year again where you’ll be thinking about New Year’s resolutions for your business. Whatever you might be considering, it’s essential that you change the way you work if you want to achieve the results and productivity you deserve. German mathematician and physicist Albert Einstein once famously said: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” As you ponder on what steps you can take to enhance your company’s productivity and efficiency in 2022 why not consider making trade shows a central part of your marketing strategy? Jon Hopwood, P ..read more

Fact: People say no and very rarely say yes when they’re faced with a closed question, particularly in a sales scenario. It’s human nature. It comes almost as naturally as scratching an itch. Imagine a browser in a shoe shop. An Assistant approaches and asks, “Do you need any help there?” The answer “No” is swiftly fired back, almost before the Assistant has got the question out. Or, an exhibition visitor. He pauses at a stand, starts leafing through a brochure, picks up, reads and pockets the salesperson’s business card. The salesperson flicks on a kilowatt smile and asks, “Hi there, can I h ..read more

S/he who chases wins.  It’s a sales cliché that’s become hackneyed because it’s true. But it goes unheeded by too many businesses. Team members assume a false sense of security once they’ve submitted a proposal to a prospect. They think their job is done. In fact, their job is just beginning. A proposal is no guarantee of automatic rapport with a prospect. It’s just the start of the rapport building process.   So, deals don’t get closed ultimately, due to businesses overlooking the fundamental need to remain at the forefront of a prospect’s mind. It’s largely a fear of rejection tha ..read more

Crypto enthusiasts are being given a unique opportunity to access a major new cryptocurrency which will revolutionise the hospitality industry. Vacations Coin, launched this week, is set to become a major form of currency in the massive $4.2 trillion dollar hospitality market which attracts an impressive 3.8 billion people across the globe on an annual basis. Founders of the coin believe the size of the industry – combined with the small number of coins to be released into the market – make the new coin an exciting option for savvy participants wanting to maximise their potential returns from ..read more