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Love it or hate it, it’s got the Nation talking. You can’t go onto Social Media, watch TV or pick up a magazine without seeing the “Love Islanders” faces, and the latest news and antics from the Villa! If you’re not watching Love Island, here’s the name of the game… Cohabit with a bunch of strangers Get someone to fall in love with you (or a relationship at least!) Keep hold of them until the end of the show Be in with a chance of winning £50,000. (You can “crack on” – as they say – and find out more here!). The problem is, there’s not much loyalty going on! Some of those kids are jumping from one bed to another with no shame. This is exactly what we don’t want when it comes to our business. If you want to …

It’s not the first time I’ve written about this IMPORTANT MARKETING FACT, and it won’t be the last, I’m sure. In fact – you might start to get bored of it soon!!! But here goes anyway…. I am off to Ibiza for my sister’s Hen Weekend – which actually is a joint Stag and Hen party for her and her husband-to-be (called a STEN apparently….. who knew!) I’ve been in charge of the organising… which means bringing together a whole bunch of ladies and gents from all around the country. Hard Work. Organising has included: Restaurants Boat Charters VIP Access Hair & Make-Up Deposits (It’s been a bit like pushing water uphill.) When I was chartering the boat… I send out requests for quotes to a number of companies – all of which came back to me with information. From there, it was a …

Previously, I mentioned Liz in my blog post, and said there was another story I would share. Here it is! I’ve been friends with Liz for about 16 years now. Here’s a bit about our friendship: We worked together for years… she was my boss. We had nights out together. I sang at her wedding, and my dress was too low cut. She was pregnant and puffy at my wedding, but made it through to the end. Our boys were born within a year of each other and are lovely little friends. We go on holiday together, with our husbands and children. We’ve been to spas, out for meals, we know each other’s parents. Best of all… we laugh. Laugh at things that no one else really finds funny. And when you know people like this, you get to know …

I keep hearing the National Lottery advert on the radio. Have you heard it? It’s theme is… “Who Wins If You Win”. It makes me have goose bumps. Here’s a link to one of the short videos on YouTube. Click here. I’m feeling pretty envious of it actually… I wish I’d come up with that concept for my business… Why? Because when you are growing a business, there is always a HUGE emotional pull as to the reasons you want to succeed – and this advert absolutely nails that Whether it’s comfort in retirement, to give more to charity, to build a secure future for loved ones, to live a life of luxury. But here’s the thing…. You will NOT succeed at scaling a business (and the income that goes with it) UNLESS you are willing to plan for it. YOU …

I recently had a fantastic holiday to Portugal. On the flight home, as my friend Liz and I sipped our (second) Gin and Tonic, she pointed out an article to me in the Flight Time magazine. “Read Page 80,” she said. So I did. It was an interview with Samuel Leach – a self-made millionaire at the age of just 27. He is the Founder of Samuel & Co Trading; a training programme for aspiring traders. He talks about how he scaled his business, where the money came from to launch (his own pocket), the people he had on his side as he grew, and the part they played. The bit that draws me in the most is this quote…. “I believe that being uncomfortable is the key to success. Since I was a young boy, I knew that feeling uncomfortable …

Mr V works for the AA. He’s not an AA man… he doesn’t know a thing about cars really! But he was in attendance at their conference, where a huge amount of the roadside staff came together. So the Madejski Stadium in Reading was full of hundreds of bright yellow vans… as you can see in this pic. As always, it got me thinking about Marketing – and branding to be precise. There is no mistaking the yellow AA Van. We know what they do. We know how they support customers. We know what to expect (whether your experience is good or bad!). Do your prospects and customers feel the same way about you? Do you ensure your messages are always consistent, to create knowledge and trust? Is the look and feel of your Marketing consistent too: colours, photography, style, …

When you’ve heard a song a thousand times before and feel NOTHING, and then you hear a re-make and it totally blows you away…. Just by changing up the way it is sung; the tempo; or the music, it can take on a WHOLE new meaning, and actually grab your attention like never before. Here are a couple of FANTASTIC examples: 1. From Dolly’s “I will Always Love You”, To Whitney’s “I will Always Love You” Not sure what side you’d come down on, but I’m firmly in the Whitney camp! Wow… her version still gives me goose bumps. 2. 1950’s We Speak No Americano to the “Inbetweeners” Classic Dance Scene Here’s the Original And here’s the Remake I’m sure you’ve got stacks of your own examples…. So what does that mean when it comes to Marketing? Keeping with the same music …

My 5-year-old son, Dr Jack, has today diagnosed me with a VERY problematic and extensive set of ailments. I have: A bug in my knee A Heart temperature of 85 A BIG problem in my right ear A bad arm. A very bad arm. Plus I need two fillings and he’s going to take me to the dentist this weekend. But don’t worry… I am fine because I’ve had several injections, where he has forcefully jabbed his plastic needle into various places on my body, including my chest, ear, arms and right armpit. So here’s the thing… Through play, Jack is simply re-telling the story of our family drama of the week….My dad’s 4th knee operation, due to a very nasty infection (he’s on the mend now too!). You see, we all communicate in stories. That’s just the way life is, and it …

“A Little Progress Every Day Adds Up to BIG Results”. As I sat at my desk this morning, I was pondering the meaningful actions I’ve taken this week…. And the reality is, there wasn’t a Silver Bullet, but there has certainly been lots of progress that will all contribute to the results in the business. One of my successes this week?  I’ve made great headway in our GDPR compliance, and writing our processes. It’s not brought in buckets of business, but the reality is that it’s important to the continuity of my business success. So sometimes, I don’t think we give ourselves enough credit when we are too busy looking forward and not actually stopping and congratulating ourselves on the great accomplishments – however small. For me, when someone succeeds, it can be incredibly inspiring. And it often sews a …

I went to See Miss Saigon at the theatre. I’ve seen it before and I love it. The tickets were a present from Mr V for Christmas, and when he gave them to me, he said “I got us tickets up the in the Circle. Is that OK?” I looked at him really ungratefully – because Mr V knows that I am a firm believer in “you get what you pay for”, and for me it’s all about the Stalls – and as close and as central as you can get. It’s where I personally get the best experience from; albeit the ticket price can be way over double of the less expensive seats. He was, of course, joking, and he had managed to get us tickets in row N of the Stalls. We had a great view and I …