By Gary Courtenay on 14/07/2007 08:34

I was recently re-taught a valuable lesson about using value as a means to attract new customers. Now don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of instances when offering a discount or throwing something else in with the deal will win you new customers but you should understand that it doesn’t always work.

Just in the same way as there are “different strokes for different folks” different approaches will work with some prospects and not with others.

I recently ran a promotion for a company with a weight loss product where they offered new products to people who were already buying other things from them.  The new products were offered for just £10 instead of the usual £24. The idea was simply to get them to try the product and then hopefully buy more of it at the full price.  Now with such great value on offer you would think the take up on this would have been massive. The truth is the offer was a huge flop with very few people actually ... Read More »

By Gary Courtenay on 05/07/2007 11:40

This entry is a short discussion on management but not in the general sense of the word that we are used to. That said what I am about to share applies as much to corporate management as it does to sorting out the stuff in your garden shed or your kitchen cupboards. 

Management versus neglect

What I mean by management in this context is the actual taking care of something and causing or helping it to sustain a predetermined standard. In this sense the opposite of management is neglect.  Indeed, if you examine your life and where most of your headaches come from you will discover that in many cases our problems come from our neglect. It can be as simple as the garage that needs a clearout or as complex as relationship that you are not maintaining as well as you should. It can be as obvious as needing a visit to the hairdresser or as subtle as failing to save money when you know you should.  All of these th ... Read More »