About Nicola Macdonald

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So far Nicola Macdonald has created 111 blog entries.

Keep calm and communicate

By |2020-04-15T15:15:52+00:00April 15th, 2020|Categories: LinkedIn, Marketing Tips|Tags: , , |

Whatever the situation you find yourself in during the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown, I believe we need to increase our levels of communication. This positive action, without doubt, will serve you well for the future. Staying in touch, sharing helpful content and keeping front of mind means that, when the time is right, you will be the obvious choice. In this article I want to bring a little inspiration, spark an idea or two and give recommendations about how to improve communications, without pushing yourself too far out of your comfort zone! Inspiration courtesy of Elliot and Kelly Here are

How to boost your networking results

By |2020-03-09T13:41:23+00:00March 7th, 2020|Categories: LinkedIn, Marketing Tips|

You wouldn’t treat yourself to a beautiful pot plant to brighten up your home and then not water it. So, why would you make the effort to meet someone at a networking event and not continue to nurture the relationship you went out of your way to initiate. Both the new pot plant and the new contact need careful attention if they are to grow and flourish. Sunshine, Warmth and Water The obvious nutrients to care for your pot plant are sunshine, warmth and water. What are the equivalent nutrients for nurturing a networking contact? Sunshine could be commitment to

Improve marketing results through marginal gains

By |2020-02-12T17:02:05+00:00February 12th, 2020|Categories: Attractive Marketing News, Marketing Tips|Tags: , |

I’m reading Matthew Syed’s Black Box Thinking and the chapter on marginal gains has got me thinking. Syed tells a great story about his encounter with Sir David Brailsford, who in 2010 became the general manager of Team Sky. Brailsford’s mission was to win the Tour de France within 5 years. A British team had never won the Tour de France since it started in 1903. His critics thought he was nuts. Brailsford achieved his goal 3 years early. As we know, in 2012 Sir Bradley Wiggins was the first British rider to win the Tour de France. Chris Froome

Spice up your marketing

By |2020-01-13T16:02:48+00:00December 22nd, 2019|Categories: Uncategorized|

Something new injects a dose of energy, motivation and enthusiasm into you and your business. It ensures you don’t get stuck in a rut. “If you always do what you’ve always done………”, you know how it goes. Not somewhere any of us wants to be. I like to try something new each year. It might be to package up a service that I’ve noticed has been popular during the previous year. I’ve done this a few times with Attractive Marketing Coaching, Attractive eNewsletter Package and Attractive Case Study Package. Packaging up a service makes it easier for clients to understand

Are you ignoring your ideal customer?

By |2019-12-04T14:52:14+00:00November 1st, 2019|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: , |

Beware the yellow We! At regular intervals throughout the year, or at the end of a marketing campaign, it's prudent to review results: What worked really well? Definitely keep that in the plan What showed promise, but with a bit of tweaking results could be improved? What new approach could you research and try?  When you look at the customers you've gained during the review period you'll be analysing what marketing activity generated that business. You might see that it's from a favourite networking group, a good referrer, your website, social media, an advert you have in a local magazine,

Positive vibes that bring smiles

By |2019-12-04T14:52:31+00:00October 3rd, 2019|Categories: Attractive Marketing News|Tags: |

Many years ago, I remember thinking "why isn't there a newspaper that only publishes good news." Depressing headlines about awful crimes, politicians more interested in their own future than that of our country and corrupt humans taking liberties against good people, bombard us on an daily basis. The negativity soaks into your bones. Not a great way to get through the day. The glass is more than half full But, something extremely positive popped into my inbox this morning from Alison Reid. Alison is a leadership expert, speaker, coach and author, who I met a few years ago when we

Watch your language

By |2019-12-04T14:52:46+00:00August 28th, 2019|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: , |

I recently came across a 1-day marketing course for a specific industry. My initial thought was how great to run such a niche workshop. Then my heart sank as I read the content: Identify the 4P’s of marketing approached by Kotler Identify the components of the marketing mix and extended marketing mix…. Use the marketing triangle as a logical and customer-centred approach to market your business Watch your language This reads more like an agenda for the seminars I used to attend whilst studying for my marketing qualifications. And a picky student would point out that the first two points

Are you missing a trick on LinkedIn?

By |2019-12-04T14:53:04+00:00July 22nd, 2019|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: |

With such a powerful tool at our fingertips, I’m surprised how many people I meet are not taking full advantage of LinkedIn. If you provide products and services to businesses, or I should really say other business people, as we do business with people not companies, LinkedIn should be an important part of your marketing mix. Does this sound like you? When was the last time you looked at your profile? Do you have a dodgy photo that gives the wrong impression? Does your About section (also known as profile summary) read like a mini CV rather than explaining how

3 ways to boost your networking results

By |2019-12-04T14:53:23+00:00June 20th, 2019|Categories: Uncategorized|

The bad news and the good news about networking I recently had the honour of presenting at one of Reigate & Banstead Borough Council’s Entrepreneur Academy meetings. The topic that we discussed was Networking. I started with two bits of bad news. Networking doesn’t work Networking costs a fortune In truth, point 1 should really say ‘Networking doesn’t work in isolation’. More about that later. To explain point 2, I broke down the cost of networking into: Membership fees (to one organisation) Pay as you go fees Your time, including travel, based on two networking events per week I demonstrated how

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