Brightfire Blog
Britons are the biggest spenders online
by Rob McLeod on Feb.01, 2010, under Consulting, Interactive, Technology
News from the Independent today:
Britons are the biggest online spenders in Europe, making nearly a third of all internet purchases across the continent during 2009, a report showed today.
Consumers in the UK collectively spent an estimated £38 billion online last year, accounting for 30 per cent of total European internet sales, according to price comparison site Kelkoo.
Despite the recession, online sales grew by 12 per cent in the UK during (continue reading…)
6 in 10 Marketers Spending More on Content Marketing in 2010
by Rob McLeod on Feb.01, 2010, under Consulting
For the third straight year, marketers are planning to spend significantly more on their content marketing efforts. For 2010, approximately six in 10 marketing professionals surveyed plan to increase their spending on content initiatives. The January, 2010 findings came from a survey of 259 marketing professionals (continue reading…)
The shotgun marriage of sales and marketing
by Rob McLeod on Feb.01, 2010, under Branding, Consulting
An interesting commentary from Paul Greenberg in CRM:
Marketing is the art and science of getting the attention of a prospective customer and keeping it until she buys something; sales is the art and science of getting that customer to make the purchase. While the disciplines remain distinct, the two need to work as a coherent team to accomplish the objectives of a 21st-century organization. That means they need a unified vision, and their efforts need to be coordinated as if driven by the same (continue reading…)
Letteronomics: What will the economic recovery look like? L? V? or W?
by Rob McLeod on Jan.26, 2010, under Consulting
What are likely to be the big business issues of the newyear?
So-called Letternomics, or what sort of shape economic recovery will the world experience; V, W or L, and in particular will Asia remain a big engine of growth?
Will economic recovery come with jobs, and is there much risk of a surge in inflation?
Also, bankers – is there any chance that financial sector employees will restore their reputations?
As the decade turns, we also discuss the big business developments of the last ten years, and try a bit of longer-term crystal ball-gazing, as we explore what might be the big business stories over the decade to come.
Jonathan Frewin talks to Lionel Barber, editor of the Financial Times, and Daniel Franklin, editor of The Economist’s World in 2010 magazine.
[First broadcast on BBC World Business News]
80 ways to use twitter in your business
by Rob McLeod on Jan.21, 2010, under Branding, Consulting, Interactive, Technology
It’s pretty common. A small business owner comes to us looking for help promoting his or her business. We suggest using Twitter as a way to find new leads, build relationships and as an overall way to cost effectively market their business. The small business owner then turns around, tilts their head and responds, “Twitter? What can Twitter do for me?”
Well, We’ll tell you. Below are 80 ways a small business owner can use Twitter to build and market their business.
Build Credibility
- Answer common customer questions
- Share insight and opinion
- Pass on interesting links/posts
- Tweet links showing your company featured on other Web sites or mainstream media
- Tweet often to keep your brand in customer’s top of mind
- Share high quality content that is relevant to your customers needs
- Share information about your organization that customers, colleagues and others may be interested to know
- Promote competitors when they deserve it
- Tweet links to Slideshare presentations or videos of speaking engagements.
- Promote upcoming speaking engagements
- Mention awards you’ve won or accreditations you’ve earned
- Be the one to break the news in your industry
- Livetweet events



