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How to create a marketing plan for your small business - build a brand, target customers and set prices that will maximise sales.

The internet has transformed business marketing. No matter what you do, the internet is likely to be at the heart of your marketing strategy.

Social media is firmly established as a marketing tool. Having a presence opens up new lines of communication with existing and potential customers.

Good advertising puts the right marketing message in front of the right people at the right time, raising awareness of your business.

Customer care is at the heart of all successful companies. It can help you develop customer loyalty and improve relationships with your customers.

Sales bring in the money that enables your business to survive and grow. Your sales strategy will be driven by your sales objectives.

Market research exists to guide your business decisions by giving you insight into your market, competitors, products, marketing and your customers.

Exhibitions and events are valuable for businesses because they allow face-to-face communication and offer opportunities for networking.

New poll finds out what makes job hunters tick

23 March 2021

A survey of UK professionals has shed new light on why Brits leave their jobs and what persuades them to take new ones.

Energy business Gazprom Marketing & Trading (GM&T) has surveyed full-time employed professionals working across a range of sectors to discover job hunters' attitudes and experiences when searching for a new role.

The findings show that most people leave a job because they are looking for progression (28%), they want more money (24%) or they aren't happy with the workplace culture (13%). Meanwhile, job candidates said their main reason for accepting a new job were: salary (34%), opportunities for career progression (22%) and a positive workplace culture (17%).

Despite the importance of money, when asked why they left their previous job, the majority of respondents (60%) said it was to seek out new challenges, a desire for more progression and as a way to enhance their CV. Most UK workers (64%) stay in a position for two or more years and three-quarters of candidates said a company's reputation is important when looking for a job.

"If a business effectively builds its reputation, their dream candidates will soon start knocking on their door," said Rachael Parrott, resourcing partner at GM&T. "And while this takes time, it's a worthwhile investment that will ensure relevant, high-quality candidates, while helping to lower an organisation's recruitment overheads in the long term too."

The GM&T research also investigated recruitment trends. The results show that:

  • 57% of job hunters use employer websites directly to find out about job opportunities;
  • 54% use job posting sites;
  • 40% use professional networks;
  • 26% use social media;
  • Just 12% work directly with recruiters.

Finding a new job can take some time, it seems, with 49% of job seekers finding a new role in the first three months of searching and 84% within six months. The vast majority (95%) attend fewer than five interviews before securing a new role.

Also published this week, a new survey suggests that the pandemic is having a significant impact on managers. The poll by not-for-profit healthcare provider Benenden Health has found that 61% of UK managers have experienced burnout at work since the UK was first placed into lockdown, with 20% considering quitting their job as a result of the strain on their mental wellbeing.

The main causes of burnout at work in the past year were shown to be anxiety about the future (46%), a lack of sleep (40%), limited social interaction (35%), increased demands from senior leadership (28%) and managing home schooling with work (26%), whilst a third (34%) of burnout sufferers said that working longer hours had contributed.

Written by Rachel Miller.

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