In just under one month’s time, Manchester will welcome visitors to this year’s Digital Transformation Expo (DTX) event, which is being staged for the ninth time. Once again, this digital and IT extravaganza has attracted some well-known names, and will be held at the Manchester Central arena in Windmill Street (M2 3GX). Among those giving keynote speeches are entertainer and illusionist Derren Brown; multi-gold medal winning Paralympian Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson; and the former cyber head at GCHQ in Cheltenham, Ciaran Martin. This two-day event takes place on Wednesday May 22nd, and Thursd ..read more

Having launched and scaled several startups, I’ve noticed a recurring trend. Many founders often neglect to prioritise the customer amidst the excitement of product development and market expansion. However, success ultimately hinges on understanding and meeting customer needs. While founders obsess over perfecting products and identifying market opportunities, they may overlook understanding their customers’ behaviour and preferences. This oversight becomes clear in investment pitches, where discussions focus on market size rather than customer-centricity. I believe that customers and who the ..read more

If you’ve ever contemplated selling online but hesitated due to concerns about costs, it’s time to dispel those worries. Diving into the world of e-commerce can be feasible on a limited budget and could also play a key role in the growth and sustainability of your business. Breaking down the costs The initial investment for an e-commerce website can vary significantly, ranging from what some would consider modest figures for a small to medium-sized site built independently, to more substantial sums for extensive platforms tailored to specific business needs. However, the good news is that ther ..read more

Most founders have to sell to start and grow the business initially. However, what you sell and to whom should change as the business progresses through various stages of growth.  Last month at the Elite Business Live conference in London, I had the opportunity to join a panel on Supercharging Your Sales. It is a vast topic and one of the biggest challenges in business today. The questions flowed thick and fast. An established business owner who’d been at the helm of his company for 16 years and on the path to a hopeful billion asked, “Should a CEO always be selling”? The answer is yes. B ..read more

Without a compelling brand story, even the most incredible product or service risks being overlooked. Mastering the art of storytelling is not easy but get it right and you’ll unlock a powerful force to captivate your audience. Story SELLS.  It’s a simple truth with a powerful punch. But the idea of “storytelling” gets tossed around as something innate to us humans – a basic skill we should all be able to wield. But crafting a story that truly resonates is deceptively complex. Miss the mark and you risk your brand message falling on deaf ears. Countless businesses have learned this the ha ..read more

Yet too often, content marketing is a no more than a passing thought at senior level, a job that can be palmed off to a keen intern who likes the idea of a marketing position. In both minds, this is then accompanied by a vague belief that posting something on a regular basis, usually something mind-numbingly generic, will then have the whole content marketing thing covered. What a wasted opportunity.    Here are my five S.T.E.P.S. to successful content marketing, which when achieved, can skyrocket your entire marketing and customer relations. Special Whatever content you produce has ..read more

With so many metrics at your fingertips, it can be challenging to know which are useful indicators of campaign success, and which are simply adding to the white noise.  Marketing should be supporting sales and your bottom line at every stage so it’s vital business owners can distinguish between the useful indicators of marketing’s contribution to revenue and vanity metrics that look good but really don’t say much about the efficacy of your campaigns. So, which metrics are merely a distraction, and what should you be tracking instead? Cost per click and ad impressions Many business owners ..read more

On Day 1 Richard Harpin, Founder and Chairman of Home Serve, kicked off the first keynote speech of the day on commercial growth, speaking about his career journey and how he built his billion-pound business. Richard started several businesses in his early career, which included selling high fashion earrings, before launching HomeServe, an international home repairs and improvements business. He was later joined by Pavlo Phitidis, Founder and CEO of Aurik Business, Dr Rashada Harry, Enterprise Technologist of Amazon Web Services and Simon Squibb, Founder Helpbnk, who spoke about how to optimis ..read more

The EB100 was established in 2022 to provide a comprehensive ranking of the top 100 SMEs in the UK. The awards cover a range of industries, including technology, media, finance, healthcare, and more. This year, the event was judged by a panel of 50 industry experts, including Piers Linney from BBC’s Dragon’s Den, Flavilla Fongang, a serial entrepreneur, and Charlie Mullins OBE, Founder of Pimlico Plumbers.  The awards ceremony was attended by a diverse group of business professionals, entrepreneurs, and executives, who took the opportunity to exchange stories, network, and find out more a ..read more

As it stands, knowledge workers juggle an average of 10.5 technology tools every month. Yet, the solution to unlocking efficiency and productivity gains may lie in an unexpected place: a Customer Relationship Manager (CRM) platform.By consolidating different operational functions into one tech platform, business leaders can streamline processes and optimise return on investment to deliver on their longer-term strategic goals. Beyond the sales cycle The modern CRM has transcended its original sales purpose as business leaders recognise the value of condensing disparate business functions into a ..read more