Sunday, May 5th, 2013
I was given the opportunity to run the Twitter account for the event Youth Marketing Strategy 2013 I was invited by my friend James Eder (find him on Twitter here) because well he knew he could trust me to do a good job – as I am a seasoned and consistent Twitter user, and I have quite a few tricks up my sleeve!
Friday, March 8th, 2013
Ever heard of “FOMO”? Fear of missing out? Well I have had to deal with that a lot this week, as I am on holiday, and today there are all these events happening this week which I cannot be at! It’s International Women’s Day, and sometimes I like to throw myself a challenge (to prove what women can do). I have prepared this blog in just 20mins, so scuse any typos – and had to use my Iphone and an app called “TypeIt” for the image above – since I don’t have Photoshop on my laptop.
Here is what I am missing out on today:
My friend Darshana is opening this event, and it’s run by Entrevo, a partnership lead by Daniel Priestley and Marcus Ubl. It’s an event with 12 speakrs over 2 days for SMEs to learn what the formula is for creating a super successful business with high quality services and products and impressive recurring profits – through marketing, innovation, strategic partnerships, the right mindset and all sorts of other “secret sauce”
http://www.entrevo.com/expandbrand/
A full day of speakers, learning and networking held by Women Unlimited Worldwide, founded by my friend Julie Hall. This is the first year I can’t be at this annual event, and this is actually the official launch of “Women Unlimited Worldwide” (my sources tell me) and what I will be missing is a day full of inspirational female businesswomen speaking – who have incredible stories of failure and success and practical effective tips and advice which will teach and inspire the audience.
http://www.womenunlimitedworldwide.com/thrive-2013/
An annual conference of film music and technology, which I have never attended would really love to. How could I be there next year and at Women Unlimited Worldwide conference? If they could invent that being in two places at once potion. For me the most interesting part is the “interactive” bit, which starts today and runs till the 12th with alks from leaders in emerging technology (a lot of new stuff gets introduced at SXSW so it’s worth watching the tweets!).
My friend Dan McKernan is there with his company UMeTime and also my friend-from-Twitter and now Facebook and Instagram, Craig Bower from Design that Rocks, has a stand there!
Skiing in Wagrain, Austria: I am on a family holiday which was booked ages ago. The weather is perfect for skiing and I have to pay attention to skiing when I am skiing so cannot do too much work thinking but I do on the lifts sit, contemplate life, and come up with ideas for my business in my head. I also do blogging in my head sometimes too!
There in spirit: I am thinking about my friends around the world at their big events, and wishing them luck and sending them good energy!
On Twitter: Luckily for me, I know how to click on a hashtag, so I cant be missing much as attendees to these events are going to be tweeting away like crazy.
The hashtags are:
So, hope you are also feeling a bit of FOMO, and we feel we are together in not being together! See you at some other inspirational event, some other time, hopefully soon. In the meantime, let’s talk on Twitter!
Monday, July 2nd, 2012
Within each aspect of your business – your marketing, sales, operations, team, IT and accounting – paying attention to numbers brings ultimate rewards.
We are focused on marketing here at Top Left Design, and through the design work we create, and social media and content marketing advice we give, we see the magic in the numbers.
Thursday, March 22nd, 2012
I am lucky to know a brilliant VA who has branded herself as “sidekickva” – the concept being that she works with “superheroes” (successful MDs/CEOs/Owner Managers/Business Owners) and helps them take care of their stuff. She is organised and has such incredible attention to detail. We even have a hashtag for her on Twitter – #hawkeye
She further analogised that she is “swooshing her cape” when she helps us out on projects.
And another cool thing – we met on Twitter.
It all got me thinking and drawing analogies (again – I have a habit of this)
So, what do superheroes have in common with marketing? Like all good concepts, it’s simple, and you can follow these 3 steps!
First of all there is the “getting your house in order” – getting your LinkedIn profile updated, thinking about your blog design, key messages, who you are targeting, who you need to appeal to. Creating a design that communicates. And lots of other stuff. This takes time and expertise (which is why people come to us for help!)
This is it – time to go out in public and let the world see you in all your glory! This is the marketing part of marketing. Putting your messages out there.
This includes:
All very well striding and strutting but as a business person you need to be brave and fly! You get further this way, faster! Knowing you have your cape – and it looks good – should give you the confidence to go out and fly.
This includes:
So – what are you waiting for, superheroes? I look forward to seeing the sky filled with all of you, flying in your stretchy colourful outfits! And if you need a sidekick – you know who to call!
Tuesday, March 13th, 2012
You may remember the story of The Walrus and the Carpenter from Alice in Wonderland. One of the movies I used to watch over and over when I was young was the Disney version and I loved this bit when the Walrus told a story to the unsuspecting oysters about “cabbages and kings”. It made the oysters engaged and they all followed him out of the water.
In many ways he is truly wise and ahead of his time.
Content marketing is the new way for businesses to keep their messages regularly coming out there so people who come across them online are able to get to know them online. This builds on the “know, like and trust” factor that we marketers keep harping on about. Rather than having just a few pages on your website which never change, we include a blog which regularly gets updated with new tips, advice, collections, interviews, company news etc. Anyone can come along and read a few blog posts and get a much better sense of who you are.
If you would like help with brainstorming your topics, please get in touch with us and we can arrange a content planning session, Walrus style!
Friday, January 27th, 2012
We have been working hard on our newsletter, as we always do. And it’s ready to send! In this one the illustration was done by Tina and Amy worked on the graphics for the rest of the newsletter. Other newsletters often feature illustration work by Tamlyn – who drew our owls! Those of you who dont subscribe, you’re missing out! We almost always do special offers, games and prizes. Our latest creation involves a theme – “Make Do and Mend” which goes with the whole “January Austerity” feeling. No point in being frivolous and overly extravagent – it’s just not the done thing! So, in our newsletter we have listed “8 free or almost free ways to improve your presence online.” We do like the number 8!
We also like the number 3 – so watch out for the 3 offers within the newsletter.
Read it here and let us know in the comments below what you think!
Sunday, September 4th, 2011
We are working on a project to design a book cover for Tamsin Fox-Davies’s new book “The Essential Marketing Habit – 3 months to put your small business promotions on autopilot”
Saturday, March 19th, 2011
Book now to our next Blogging Seminar, on Tuesday the 29th March from 12 noon to 5pm! (And – bonus – our seminars are CPD certified)
Let’s say you launch a new business website, it’s nicely designed and up to date, and and tells the world all about the services you offer. But after a couple of months it’s not feeling quite so up-to-date – The answer is blogging – and learning about blogging from Top Left Design!
Show how cool you are (and how smart you are)
A good blog on your website can ensure that your website is constantly ‘current’, and lets visitors know that your company likes to keep track of what is happening in your particular niche. Not only does it broadcast your company’s motivation to keep it’s online presence in the here and now, but blogs are also a fantastic outlet for you to share relevant information to your industry, gain valuable feedback, and discuss topics that are on the forefront of your businesses interests.
Just like everything great, there are challenges that come with it
Of course, not everyone is born with the ability to write easily. Nor does everyone have the time to sit around writing – especially after a long day doing the “more important things” that your working life demands.
We want your business to succeed
And we want to help you ”improve your presence online”. For most businesses, whether they are B2B or B2C – blogging has to be a major part of the marketing plan.
It’s been proven
Many studies have shown that blogging not only improves the impression people have about your business, but also generates a huge amount more traffic and visitors to your site. Partly because blogging allows you to add more pages easily to your website, and partly because there is much more current and interesting information on your site for people to see.
It’s almost like a spa
Many people find that, surprisingly, writing can be therapeutic – a good way to relax and unwind. What’s more, every word you write contributes to the worth and influence of your business.
We invite you to learn from us!
We would love you to visit us at Top Left Design and attend one of our London-Famous blogging seminars – the perfect tutorial and motivational boost, which will send you on the correct path, ensuring you do not waste your time by doing things ‘wrong’, and begin your blogging endeavour with only the good habits. All of our seminars are also CPD Certified!
Here are some of the things you will learn and experience in the seminar:
There are some rules
It’s one thing to write a blog post, but without practising a few simple rules, it could all be for nothing. In our seminars, I lay down the golden rules of blogging, and give precise tips on how to effectively write Google-friendly posts, to generate inbound traffic to your site, along with invaluable instructions to cross-promote your blog (and website) using various free social media platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn. Tina will even be doing a guest slot – on her birthday, no less!
And a free lunch!
Of course you won’t only be learning, there will also be a fully catered (healthy) lunch! Which should ease away some of the guilt incurred by your current lack of blogging, and also our famous Top Left Design cupcakes (homebaked and branded by our very own Tamlyn!), which you be challenged to resist!
If this little post inspired, motivated or even guilted you into getting your blog off the ground, be sure to book in at our next blogging seminar
Sunday, March 6th, 2011
Keren will be speaking about “9 ways to improve your presence online” this week at The Oyster Club Seed Pearl Breakfast. If you thought there were only 5, 6, 7, or 8 ways, then you really need to come along. It will be at 9am on Wednesday the 9th of March. To book you just need to visit this link
