Write these four headings on a piece of paper to capture what you know about your environment:

1. Changes in society

What social changes are happening? What demographic changes affect your business? What migration effects have you noticed in your neighbourhood? Are your customers getting older or younger? Do particular age strata, ethnic groups or cultural clusters buy more or less of your products or services?

2. Technology changes

Which new techniques might use costly inputs more efficiently? How could difficult or wasteful processes be avoided using technology? What current products are being displaced? What technology changes are happening to products that are similar to your own?

3. Movements in the economy

Which groups have more or less money? How are prices moving? How is supply and demand interacting? What barriers to market entry are increasing or reducing? What are exports and imports doing to your prices?

4. Politics and government actions

What might your government do to pass laws, assert policies, change taxes and provide subsidies? (repeat this question at local, regional and national levels.) How will changes elsewhere impact your business? What are law-makers doing? What opportunities do you expect? What threats do you fear? What conflicts might impact your supply lines?

Being aware of trends enables you to exploit change

All these questions will stir up what you already know about your market and how it is changing: now assemble the jigsaw pieces into the whole picture.

If you and your business partners schedule 40 minutes every month to discuss your answers, you can start to develop products and services that lead your market, you will begin to anticipate what your customers want tomorrow and your business will cope better with what the outside world throws at you.

To make things easy for our readers, you’ll see that it is in a calendar format with the current month showing. You are welcome to browse to the other months as well. The address is http://coffeenewspw.co.za/diary/

We are striving to create a comprehensive list of all events and what’s going on in the Paarl and Winelands region. Please send us the details if you have an event that you would like us to add for you!

There are many small business marketing strategies that when implemented will get you lots more new business. However, as you are considering various sales prospecting techniques, it is important to also remember what not to do. Here is the most the common mistake small businesses make with their marketing. If you avoid this, your small business marketing solution will pay off with lots more new clients.

The most important trap to avoid is to make sure you do not focus on activities rather than developing a business development process. Here’s the scenario. Business is a bit slow so Michael the Business Owner wakes up one morning and says to himself, “It’s about time we got some new business.” So when Michael arrives at the office he immediately puts in place his Marketing Strategy. “Let’s make some cold calls. Or write some letters. Or update the database. Or write an article.” The list goes on and on.

What Michael has done (which virtually all of us do at some point or another) is to confuse activities with strategy. But why is this a problem? Well, let’s say that Michael sends out some letters or emails. And maybe a few people respond. And maybe Michael actually calls one or two of them. But then he gets busy (or decides that following-up really isn’t that much fun) and he lets the leads grow cold.

Now obviously that’s a waste. But here’s what’s even more wasteful. What do you think the reaction will be from those who responded the first time, when Michael decides to send them another letter during the next slow season? Probably not much.

Getting people to raise their hand and self identify themselves as having interest in your services is a time tested method for effective business development. But whatever method you use to make people aware of who you are and what you do is simply an activity. Sending letters, making cold calls, writing articles, giving a speech, none of these are your marketing strategy. They’re parts of your marketing strategy. It’s important to always remember that they are simply activities.

A marketing strategy has three components to it. A method for making people aware of you. A method for capturing data about those people, and a method for staying in touch. When you have those three components linked together, then you have a marketing process. When they’re not, then all you have is just have a bunch of activities. And the results speak for themselves.

One of the main reasons that marketing fails to yield the results we want is because we focus on the wrong things at the wrong time. If you start to drive traffic when your marketing trap is not established, the result will be that visitors will simply bounce off your site. That is a great waste of money, time and energy. Thus, make sure you’re thinking about a marketing system rather than focusing on marketing activities.

Date: 21 July 2010 at 19h00

Where: Rhebokskloof

Details: Receive a complimentary bottle of Pearlstone Shiraz for every two patrons dining together. Booking essential. R95 p.p.

Bea Van Der Vyver En Haar Jazzy Show: Handsak Van Beton

Datum: 23 Julie 2010 om 18h30

Waar: Kleinevalleij

Details: Dit gaan n aand vol cigars, goeie wyne en jazzy kos wees. Tyd: 18.30 vir 19.30. Prys: R 180 pp. Kontak Hannes by 021 873 0075/ 072 915 2226

Koos Kombuis @ Hidden Valley

Datum: 24 Julie 2010 om 18h30

Waar: Hidden Valley Wines
Details: Boerekos en heerlike Hidden Valley & Land’s End wyne sal verkoop word.
Kontak Carlé van Schalkwyk by 021 880 2646 of functions@hiddenvalleywines.com
Kaartjies te koop @ R120 per persoon. Dit sluit ‘n glas wyn in.

Christmas in Winter

Date: 25 July 2010

Where: Allee Bleue Estate

Details: During this cold winter months, we always dream about Christmas… now you can experience Christmas early this year. Buffet menu at R175 per person. Contact Wilmari Dippenaar 021 874 1021 or wilmari.dippenaar@alleebleue.com

Marketing your products in this climate requires a change of focus from who is buying your products to why and how they are buying. From this viewpoint, customers can be divided into several categories and marketing messages crafted to appeal to their needs.

Price Warriors

There will always be some consumers who are interested only in getting the lowest price on what they need, but the recent economic squeeze has forced more people into this category. Many of these low-price shoppers will go out of their way to get a lower price, shopping at stores that are not convenient or waiting to buy their favorite brands until they go on sale.

These are the people who will respond to a limited-time call to action and are willing to experiment with lower-value brands. If you can offer them the same service at a lower price in this climate, they are likely to take a chance on you, and will stick with you as long as you can deliver.

Value Mavens

This group loves their brands but is far more likely these days to do extensive research before buying at the best price they can find. The Internet makes price comparison easier than ever. This group can be attracted by promises of better quality, meaning products last longer and so cost less over the long term, even when the initial outlay is higher. Messages that show brand comparisons and provide clear product data will catch their interest.

Retail Friends

As the Internet becomes just another way to connect, people of all ages are beginning to see no difference between visiting an online store and driving to the mall. Online shopping has hit the mainstream and these customers need to be recognized and marketed to in both settings in a seamless experience. This makes a brand more personal, in the same way that Mom is available on instant message as well as at Saturday night dinner. Recognition and personalization, such as loyalty cards, will help you connect with them.

Gimme Some Sugar

Just as during the Great Depression, sales of some products have remained fairly stable while others like clothing and entertainment have taken a nose-dive. Big-ticket and non-essential purchases are being delayed or abandoned. People will spend on essentials and low-cost things that make them feel better, like beauty products. Things that improve the home, like internet, cleaning products and food to cook, are also popular as people are spending more time on their sofas. Getting your products into one of these categories will help sales now. Offer small feel-good novelties that quickly become an affordable luxury.

We offer the following services.

Custom Business Plan development and compilation

A current and well-designed formal business plan is the foundation of any successful business, and is instrumental in securing funds for your business.  Our formal Business Plan is a summary of how you, the business owner, intend to organize your enterprise and implement activities that are necessary for your venture to succeed.  It is a written explanation of your company’s business model that explains in detail your product/service offerings, competitive environment, revenue projections, cash flow projections, cash expenditures, and required funding.

A formal Business Plan enables you to better assess your overall business needs. It helps you better determine the cash requirements needed to grow your enterprise while providing a detailed, day-to-day “road map”  for operating and managing the growth of the enterprise. 

Bank Finance and Loan Application assistance

We can assist you in compiling thorough, well documented applications to the financial institutions when applying for facilities, asset based finance or business loans. Irrespective of whether you are starting a company or expanding your existing operations, we will be able to apply our expertise in ensuring that you present a superb application that reflects the professionalism and entrepreneurship of your company.

Financial Projections

We assist clients in developing comprehensive, investor-grade financial assumptions and financial projections that include a complete set of balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement forecasts for up to 5 years.

We follow a step-by-step process to generate financial projections that clearly and powerfully portray what you consider to be the most likely scenario for the financial future of your business.

Internal Financial Control assessments

We can assist our clients in appraising the system of financial control within a company. We concentrate on the nature of the current controls in place, whether they are adequate in reducing to a minimum irregularities and errors and whether the controls have been maintained properly. We then recommend ways to improve the internal controls resulting in your company’s financial affairs operating effectively.

Call Smart Business Consulting on 072 376 3758 or drop us a mail at smartbusconsult@gmail.com.

You are also welcome to join our Facebook page.

Date: 15 July 2010 at 18h30

Where: Durbanville Hills Cellar

Details: Guided by cellarmaster Martin Moore, the “miss vs. bliss” evening seeks to create a unique sensory dining experience by exploring the fun and sense of discovery in selecting and savouring the best matches in food and wine. The food and wine pairing exercise will be followed by a dinner of tomato bredie, rice and seasonal vegetables and Durbanville Hills’ wines will be on sale. Cost R130 per person

Anna Davel

Datum: 16 Julie 2010 om 18h30

Waar: Rhebokskloof

Details: Ete bedien tussen 18h30 – 20h00, vertoning begin 20h15. Prys: R225pp (maaltyd ingesluit) Bespreek en betaal u Kaartjies op ons webwerf: www.rhebokskloof.co.za

Franschhoek Bastille Festival

Date: 17 to 18 July 2010

Where: Franschhoek

Details: Being the French Corner of South Africa, Franschhoek celebrates Bastille Day with reckless abandon. In fact, we like to commemorate our forefathers by celebrating for an entire weekend. Highlights of the Bastille Festival include a Food & Wine Marquee, a French Film Festival, the Chef’s & Waiters Race, Pêtanque, the Barrel Rolling competition and lots more!

Shiraz & Shank Gourmet Evening @ Santé

Date: 17 July 2010 at 19h00

Where: Sante Winelands Hotel

Details: Welcome drink on arrival wine tasting (a flight of four shiraz wines) with an introduction by winemakers, Anthony Smook & Marcel van der Walt, followed by a five course dinner with a complimentary glass of wine, coffee and truffles. R480 per person

Sunday Lunches at Grande Roche this Winter

Date: 18 July 2010

Where: Grande Roche

Details: Take the opportunity to end your weekend on a high as Roland Gorgosilich and his team of chefs prepare a gastronomical experience as only Grande Roche can. Dine in an ambiance of classical splendour whilst the enormous fireplaces blaze and the pianist plays on the Baby Grand. R260 per person inclusive of a three course lunch and two glasses of wine paired to the starter and main courses from the feature estate.

Just because times are lean doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your hard-earned market share. Use this economic downturn as a chance to supplement your marketing and advertising activities with targeted public relations campaigns that capitalize on the brand awareness you’ve already cultivated.

So how do you do more with less?

Get Social
If your company still hasn’t made the leap into social media, now’s a great time to establish a foundation for such activities. Research the top industry blogs, and if blogs aren’t already included in your media outreach plans, integrate them. Get involved in the conversation. If you don’t have the time to start your own blog, become an active commenter, or get involved in microblogging via Twitter.

Check out how your competitors are utilizing Web 2.0 tools and familiarize yourself with the social media applications frequently leveraged by marketers–Facebook, Twitter, Del.i.cious, YouTube, Digg, etc. These applications are rapidly becoming an essential platform for marketing and brand building as more and more consumers increase the scope of their activity on the web.

Make Your Press Release Interactive
Press releases have been traditionally used by marketers to announce larger campaigns, like product launches and sales events. Issued as a text announcement, a release would set the stage for more expansive and engaging communications efforts that would be used to ultimately entice the company’s target audiences.  

However, advances in technology have made the press release a much more dynamic, interactive multimedia communications tool. Today’s press release is actually a multimedia news release, combining text with video, photos, social media elements and much more. Further, changes in the way people access and share information have prompted many companies to reassess how a marketing campaign can be executed and the tools necessary to make an impact in today’s dynamic communications environment. As a result, more communicators are turning to the multimedia news release because it’s the most comprehensive.

With more people relying on web-based and social media-driven platforms as their first point of access to the world, the ability to package corporate messages, multimedia content and social media links in a single communications format is key. Moreover, this tactic not only presents strategic advantages for reaching one’s target audiences, but also economic benefits through the consolidation of marketing and PR efforts.

Stand Out in the Industry
The concept of thought leadership involves positioning your company as an expert source available for commentary on issues related to your industry. If done properly, thought leadership offers a valuable opportunity to position your company as an important player in your field and generate marketable attention for your products and services.

Many publications and industry-specific websites accept articles from experts in the field. These bylined articles can be a great way to position your business and generate further awareness of your brand. Letters to the editor, which are accepted by many print and online publications, can be another great way to highlight and establish your company as a leading authority on an issue or topic pertinent to the industry.

In addition to promoting your company’s expertise, case studies offer an excellent vehicle for highlighting your products or services. They’re not only useful in hooking the interest of reporters; they can also be valuable collateral for your marketing team or website. Reach out to clients who have the most compelling stories to see if they’d like to share their stories. Often, they’re happy to discuss the success that a product or service brought to their business.

Don’t give up on your communications and marketing goals just because you have fewer resources. In this environment, the companies that make the most out of their resources and bring the most creativity into their communications programs will draw the highest return.

Date: 6 July 2010 from 19h30

Where: Spier

Details: Cape Town Semi Finals, Buffet Dinner starts at 19h30. Wine happy hour between 20h00 –21h00. Cost: R199 Per Adult and R99 Per Child (6-12 Years)

Wine and Pizza Pairing

Date: 8 July 2010

Where: Under Oaks Restaurant

Details: wine and pizza pairings every Thursday at 18:30. Contact Sue on 072-599-6845.

Rhebokskloof Shank & Shiraz offer
Date: 7 and 10 July 2010

Where: Rhebokskloof Wine Estate

Details: Receive a complimentary bottle of Pearlstone Shiraz for every two patrons dining together. Booking essential R95 p.p.

Andriette Norman in Concert

Datum: 10 Julie 2010 om 10h00

Waar: Kronenburg Landgoed

Details: Andriette Norman van Idols-faam tree op ten bate van ACVV Paarlvallei se Wielie Walie versorgingsoord. Kaartjies is R100 (verversings ingesluit) met verskeie gelukkige trekkings. Bespreek by Marisa Visagie by 082-6518-533 of Wielie Walie by 021-872-7926.

Sharing customer success stories demonstrates how you deliver on your brand promise in the real world, with real people.

A positive customer review resonates in a way that other marketing efforts just can’t. It conveys more than honesty, a glowing review:

• Confirms your product or service quality with credibility and trustworthiness.
• Illustrates how your products and services solve problems and improve lives from the buyer’s perspective.
• Extends your reach to a broader audience when customers publish reviews on social media and third-party websites.
• Makes for engaging content to share on your website, in your e-mail newsletter, via social media sites and in print materials.

There are many ways that businesses, nonprofits and entrepreneurs can share customer reviews, testimonials and success stories. Here are a few ideas.

• Post success stories wherever you promote your products and services. Reading a positive customer story minimizes a prospect’s risk before making that first purchase. It bridges that leap of faith. Make sure you display–and ask for–customer reviews and testimonials across sales and marketing channels, online and in print materials. And don’t feel like you have to include the whole review; sometimes a great quote, with a link to the entire review, can serve the same purpose.
• Customer-centric stories make compelling content. With the customer’s permission, you may develop the best reviews into short testimonials or more detailed customer success stories for use on your website, in your newsletter and in print materials. Customers are your best sources of engaging content ideas, as they know first-hand how your products and services benefit people.
• Listen to what customers are saying about you (the good and the bad). Positive reviews tell you where you’re excelling, while negative reviews indicate what areas need improvement. Use this highly valuable intelligence to build your strategy, find new niches and fix what needs fixing. Differentiate yourself from competitors who don’t mix customers’ voices in with their own.

You can tell people your business is the best, but they’ll be more likely to reach for their wallets when they hear that message from other customers.