Take a look at some of our award-winning websites http://www.firstimpression.co.uk/web-design-portfolio.php

I’ve always been one of those annoying positive ones but yes there is no doubt it is tough out there and I think it’s tougher for some industries that others. The general feeling is that we are all working twice as hard just to achieve the same results as last year, if we are lucky. But we are all fed up of doom and gloom, we had it in the press well before we were experiencing it, so I say, let’s make sure our cups are always half full, always look for opportunies in every situation good or bad and we will come out of this recession much stronger businesses!

- provide your customers with quality service and products
- show your appreciation by offering rewards for referrals or multiple orders
- go that extra mile every time
- offer your ideas and advice when you think it might be helpful
- ask for testimonials and share them with your customers
- above all keep in touch, by phone, email, mail, twitter, facebook, whatever your customers use!

Read more here> http://www.firstimpression.co.uk/resources/top-tips-for-retaining%20your-customers.php

• You’re too close to it. It’s difficult to see the wood from the trees!
• You tend to think of what you are looking to sell rather than what your customer wants to buy so you never reach them.
• You are passionate, there’s no doubt about that. But that means you get excited talking about what your products and services do rather than how they can benefit your customers.
• You will probably try and make it over complicated, even trying to impress, whereas simple is far better.
• It can often take you a very long time to do it. Have you ever taken on the job of writing content for your own website and then months later the web company are chasing you…ring any bells?

Far better to get a professional copywriter in at the start. They will write punchy, to the point copy that will get your message across. And it doesn’t have to cost alot of money. Just think of the money you could be losing with your own copy… www.copy-writer.co.uk

Strategic – plan your marketing activities rather than being reactive. Where are you today and where do you want to be and then plan how you are going to get there. At the same time you need to be flexible and open to opportunities.

Marketing – if you see marketing as a cost then you will be considering reducing that cost during this downturn. If you are smart and see marketing as an investment you will be maintaining your spend if not increasing it to take advantage of opportunities that do arise when the marketplace is changing.

Analyse – find out what works for your business and allocate your budget accordingly. Make your marketing budget work harder.

Research – find out what your customers want. Purchasing habits have changed, their environments have changed, have your products and services changed to meet their needs?

Target – target your most profitable customers. Don’t waste your marketing time and budget with customers who are not interested.

Be SMART – use carefully targeted campaigns with an easy to understand proposition that your customers value and a clear call to action.

Find out more at www.firstimpression.co.uk

In 2008, research from the PIMS (Profit Impact of Marketing Strategies) proved that, to come out of a recession on top a business should maintain its marketing spend. Those who continued to invest in marketing during a recession achieved significantly higher returns as the economy recovered, gaining an additional 1.3% of market share.

We all need to think about marketing in a different way. Is it a cost or is it an investment in your business? Is it an expense or an asset? Is it a tax or an opportunity? Is it an investment or a risk? We shouldn’t be cutting our marketing spend but thinking about how we spend it, spending it more wisely, being smarter, more targeted!

Find out more http://www.firstimpression.co.uk/news/buxton-college-rebranding.php

I realised that a lot of businesses are doing exactly this. Because the market is so fast-moving and fast-changing, most entrepreneurs are just trying to catch up with it. They don’t take the time to sit down and think about their strategy. They just see developments and think they have to react as soon as possible. The consequences are they make themselves so busy that they don’t have any chance to breathe or grow the business anymore. They are stuck. Stuck in a market which changes at the speed of light . If you try to keep up with it using your old methods just faster, you will lose. So we all need to take the time to think about our business strategy. To sit back and think. And to think how we can play a new game, rather than play the old game faster!

And why are they doing it? It’s to raise money for ‘Agapao’ who work in Africa who Peak Active Sport have been closely associated with. Good luck to Dan and Rob and all the Peak Active Sport team members! We’re sure you will do well and will have a few stories to tell on Tuesday, and particularly sore feet…

You can offer your support on the Just Giving site http://www.justgiving.com/danandrob3peaks

Many companies launch a website then forget about it. Then, a few years down the line it looks outdated and no longer reflects the business, or worse, it might be losing them customers. Ask yourself these simple questions about your site?

Does it look professional – that you are a company that means business?
Does it show people why they should do business with you?
Is it easy to navigate with clearly laid out information?
Can it be found easily? Or are your competitors easier to find!
Is it making you money?

If you answer no to any of these questions, you could be missing potential customers and even losing business. You need to act now. First Impression can help. We can guide you through every stage of designing, developing and building a successful website and promoting on the Internet.

Take a look at what we have done for other companies on our web portfolio www.firstimpression.co.uk/digital