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Marketing as a discipline has an ever expanding tool kit with some tools requiring the support of specialists. They can be used in a variety of ways and some can provide a wealth of statistics to assist with calculating return on investment. There is always a need to justify expenditure, which can be tricky in…

Conical MD Steve Bedford recently presented at an international on-line conference on the subject of web project management. Steve was joined by Robert Algeri of the US web agency ‘Great Jakes’. Steve’s presentation pulled content from his experience of running web projects within the professional services sector. One of the themes explored by Steve and…

It really does seem as if the business world is a football that has been kicked into another park. All the planning and forecasting is now having to be re-written in the context of a very different operating environment. Activity has speeded up in some areas and ground to a halt in others. But what…

There is a considerable level of sensitivity about imagery and messaging when it comes to marketing. The result can be a grey gloop of imagery and straplines. The undoubted truth about marketing is what you are offering needs to resonate with the target audience, so if that audience happens to be 18-21 and into drill…

I’ve sat through and facilitated my fair amount of strategy sessions. A good start point is to have a look at what actually constitutes a strategy. Vague and aspirational statements like ‘growth’ or setting some operational objectives does not constitute strategy, no matter how worthy. I think it’s always worth having a look at Michael…

The influencer tsunami has reached worrying heights. Washing away the innocent onlookers in the hunt for a quick quid. You’d be amiss to question the influence of influencers. They’ve literally taken over social media. Flooding Instagram, Facebook and Twitter with “honest” recommendations of the latest slimming shakes, curve caressing clothes and even medical marvels! Yes,…