Future Visions
The Blog

May 15, 2013

Improve Your Email Campaigns and Increase Your Click Through Rates

Filed under: Email Marketing, business — Tom @ 10:43

Future Visions is a digital marketing company that is in the business of helping SME’s to utilize the many tools of the internet to increase leads, improve business relationships and drive sales.

While the team offer ‘traditional’ web design and development services their passion lies within the realms of email marketing. Future Visions has a lot of experience when it comes to this particular field, and we wanted to help you use email marketing to really understand the behaviour of your recipients.

Click throughs – The KPI of Email Marketing

When it comes to email marketing there are a limited set of KPI’s to contend with. While many businesses focus on the number of recipients within a database, we instead concentrate our analysis on the click through rate.

You see, clickthroughs indicate great content. Whether you’re emailing out an offer, or an invitation to an event or just a summary of your latest blog posts, if you’re getting clickthroughs then it means you’re getting the right content to the right people.

A clickthrough is the digital equivalent of a foot in the door, and once that connection has been made you can then start to nurture your contacts into lead, and from leads into customers.

However, as experts in email marketing we recognise that the main KPI of this form of advertising can be low, woefully so, in fact; making it hard for many to justify the time invested in email campaigns.

Don’t let this KPI kill your email campaigns – instead consider using a simple email marketing tip to improve your campaigns and increase your clickthrough rates!

If You Don’t Ask…

We all know the old saying, if you don’t ask… and yet so many business owners are reluctant to ask their customers for feedback. Whether it’s asking clients for feedback on the customer service or whether it’s asking recipients for feedback on our email campaigns, we just don’t seem to know how to ask. But, if we don’t ask….

A simple email survey can make it quick and easy for recipients to provide feedback on your email campaigns (as well as other business processes). A survey email campaign won’t just provide you with accurate information that you can use to improve your future campaigns, it will also help to create a campaign that receives, what for it, great clickthrough rates!

Designing an Awesome Email Survey

The key to this info gathering tactic is to ensure that the email survey is designed for maximum response. This will mean that you need to consider a number of factors when designing your email survey.

Maximum Response – Minimum Effort

Your email should be designed to enable the recipient to provide the maximum amount of valuable information with the least amount of effort and within the last amount of time.

Keep it Short and Sweet

Recipients don’t need to know the processes that went behind your decision to send the survey; just get straight to the point and pop the question.

Make It About Them, Not About You

We all know that the point of this email is to gather data to make your email campaigns better, but it doesn’t hurt to flatter your recipient.

Rather than a plain old “please fill out this survey” plea, instead opt for a friendlier (and more importantly recipient focused request) “We want to create content that is valuable to you. Would you mind taking two seconds of your time to let us know what you really like so we know what topics to cover in the near future?”

Remember, It’s A Survey!

All too often when email surveys are used they are used badly – and this is because the sender has forgotten the point of the email. Before you bombard your recipients with questions take a little time to consider the questions you want to ask, the answers you will offer and the goal of the survey.

Ultimately, a survey is a data gathering exercise, and an email survey is no different. In order to gather accurate and useful data you need to ask the right questions.

Develop and Design Your Email Survey Today With Future Visions

As experienced email marketers we know everything there is to know about effective email marketing. Whether you want to send regular updates, advertise your offers or create an email survey we’re here to guide you through every step of the process; from conception to completion.

If you’d like to use an email survey to improve your email campaigns and increase your click through rates simply email the Future Visions team or call Nathan and Tom on 0121 288 3688.

May 2, 2013

4 Great Marketing Tips That You Can Implement in 48 Hours

Filed under: Marketing, business — Tom @ 12:54

Today is May 2nd 2013 – and it’s almost impossible to believe that we are so very close to being halfway through the year; and now is as good a time as any to ask yourself how your business is doing.

After the resolution fueled frenzy of January and February, it’s all too easy to slip back into bad habits that do not benefit your business; and in a world where three short seconds can make all the difference with a conversion, and when 140 characters can make or break your business, it seems even more important to make sure that as an SME your marketing strategy is spot on.

At Future Visions we’ve come up with four great marketing tips that you can implement in 48 hours or less to help you drive more traffic to your website and to secure more business through your online activities – That’s one technique for every 12 hours!

So, without further ado, let’s get started!

Top Tip 1 – Add Personality To Your “About Us” Page

Far too many business owners think that their prospects and customers do not bother with the ‘About Us’ page, but with a check on your online analytics you would be surprised to see just how many people try to peek into the heart of your company.

Too many businesses fill up this page with figures and facts that make the viewer snooze. This page is the perfect opportunity to introduce a personal element to your corporate website, so make the most of it. Don’t just stop at the “About Us” page on your website – take a look at revamping your About sections on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Google+ and any other online profiles that you may have.

  • Step 1 – Ask employees, colleagues and trusted customers to review your “About” Page. Ask for honest feedback and see what results you get.
  • Step 2 – Check out the ‘About Us’ page to your two biggest competitors and see how the three text pieces compare.
  • Step 3 – Think about the brands and businesses that you admire the most and visit their ‘About Us’ pages – you may be surprised to see what kind of content they use.

Top Tip 2 – Speak Volumes with Videos

We all know the power of video marketing (this is the kind of content most likely to go viral), so it’s important that we use this medium effectively. However, trying to create a viral video may be your undoing. Instead, focus on the audience and the message that you want to convey.

Videos can be used for a variety of purposes, including lead generation, testimonials and even objection removal. However, you need to identify how videos can work for you.

  • Step 1 – Assess whether or not your current collection of marketing videos have achieved your core objectives.
  • Step 2 – Spend a couple of hours creating a script for a video that addresses your biggest marketing challenge.
  • Step 3 – Be sure to focus on the audience and the message rather than the viral factor of your film.

Top Tip 3 – Follow Trendsetters, Target Journalists and Key Industry Players Online

Before social media getting connected with a journalist, trendsetter or key industry player was ruddy hard! However, social media has made it much easier for business owners to connect with important associates; and Twitter in particular is very good for these beneficial relationships.

A few good tweets could easily earn you a retweet from a well know and much respected journalist, and before you know it you could gain a ton of new online followers that are interested in what you have to say.

  • Step 1 – Spend a couple of hours online thinking about the people, brands and business that you would most like to follow.
  • Step 2 – Find these people on Twitter and follow them!
  • Step 3 – Make a habit of retweeting content that these key industry players post (bearing in mind the golden question from Tip 4 below!)

Top Tip 4 – Wow a Customer

Ok, so this one isn’t perhaps an activity you can always carry out online and it requires a dedication of your time; however, a small offline gesture could have a massive impact on your online marketing. Let’s face it, a company without customers is a failing business, and yet all too often we fail to truly wow a customer once they are through the door.

We can wow our customers both online and offline; and a great way to keep your customers in mind when creating online marketing content is to ask yourself, honestly:

“Would my customers thank me for this?”

Formal surveys and focus groups are an old school expensive way of getting feedback. Instead, communicate with your customers through social media (this means listening and engaging as well as broadcasting!)

  • Step 1 – Juggle your diary to accommodate a little customer time each day and start booking in some time with your customers.
  • Step 2 – Arrange coffee chats, Skype calls and Google hangouts between you and your customers.
  • Step 3 – Listen to them rather than talking to them, and make them feel appreciated and cared for by your business.
  • Step 4 – Ask yourself, every time you send an email, post an update, or write a blog “Would my customers thank me for this?”

Marketing can seem like a minefield, but there are a number of short term strategies that you can adopt that will ultimately impact the long term success of your business.

Future Visions is here to help guide you through the maze of digital marketing strategies that are available to your business. From email marketing to e-commerce we’re here to assist your business, helping you to grow your business. For more advice on digital marketing strategies simply contact us online or call us on 0121 288 3688.

April 4, 2013

20 Top Tips to Help Improve Your Inbound Marketing Leads

Filed under: Marketing, Website Design, business — Nathan @ 12:32

Marketing is all about using short term advertising campaigns with a long term business strategy in mind at all times. It sounds a lot easier than it actually is, but with these 20 top tips you’ll be able to improve and increase your inbound marketing leads.

Without further ado, we would like to present our twenty top effective inbound marketing techniques.

The first top ten tips are relatively simple and should be carried out anyway, but just in case you’re not doing them, here they are:

  1. Make sure your website passes the blink test (if you’re not sure, simply speak to our team and we’ll be happy to provide you with advice!)
  2. Use clear and concise call to actions throughout your website.
  3. Use offers throughout your website that are appealing to all leads at all stages in the funnel.
  4. Be sure to use your blog to your advantage! Successful business sites blog on average 3 to 4 times per week.
  5. Once your blog content is posted on to your site share the link to your content o your social profiles.
  6. If your blog post is educational and informative share it with your LinkedIn contacts.
  7. Take the time to find out what sites your target audience frequents (these may not be just social media sites) and be sure to post your content on these sites.
  8. Create landing pages that are dedicated to a particular campaign and that have been optimised for conversion.
  9. Nurture your new leads with targeted campaigns that ease them further down the funnel.
  10. Last, but by no means least, track, test, evaluate and improve on all of your marketing activities!

These are the first top ten tips, and here are the final ten!

11. Split Testing Email Elements

Most people make the mistake of thinking the only thing that they need to split test is the subject line, but this is not true. A/B test all elements of your marketing emails, including the layout, content, subject line, personalisation and even the ‘from’ name and address.

12. Re-Engage the Disengaged

You’ve noticed that subscriber ‘Sue’ has stopped replying to, or even engaging with your emails as of late. Cue sad smiley face. Not only is it sad that Sue is no longer interested, her lack of engagement could be damaging your reputation and your email delivery success rate. Before you unceremoniously unsubscribe Sue from your list, try a re-engagement campaign aimed specifically at the subscribers that have disengaged. Within 30 days you could have a re-engaged subscriber, and if you don’t, at least you can hand on your heart say that removing Sue from your list is a benefit to your business.

13. Use Long Tail Keywords in Your Blogs

Short keywords are highly competitive; however, long tail keywords and a little research can go a long way to generating great leads to your site. Use the Google Keyword Tool to research long tail keywords (usually three words or more) get an idea of how much traffic a keyword generates each month (both locally and globally) and find out how competitive a keyword is. Then use Google to see how well each keyword is covered by other sources. If you identify a clear gap in the available information online then you know what to write a blog on.

14. Newsjacking – Hijacking News Stories to Benefit your Business

Newsjacking is a common online practice; simply find a current popular news story and use it in your blog posts. The trick to this is to make sure it’s relevant to your business. It takes a little practice, but it’s a nifty trick that can yield quick results.

15. Social Media Advertising

There’s no doubt about it, social media is huge; so it makes sense that you spend some of your marketing budget on social media advertising. Remember, social media marketing campaigns will only work if you have an active social media presence, so spend time developing those profiles and engaging with your online audience.

16. Offer a Free Online Tool

Whether you are a service provider or an online store there’s no doubt that your prospects and customers would appreciate a free online tool that is relevant to your business. It may help prospects calculate the number of laminate wood packs they need to cover their floor, or the amount of tax that they will pay on their salary, or what kind of insurance cover they should consider.

17. Help a Reporter Out

Help a Reporter Out is a tool used by journalists to get cost effective quotes from informed individuals on a wide range of topics. Although your pearls of wisdom may not immediately earn you vast sums of money you can use this site to get mentions (and most importantly, inbound links back to your website) in well known online publications.

18. Include Tracking Tokens in Your URL’s

A tracking token is a snippet of code that can be used to track the activity on your individual web pages. This information can help you make critical decisions about how and where your marketing budget is spent.

19. Create a Landing Page for Your Blog Subscription

Your blog should be a haven of up-to-date, useful and relevant information that your audience should appreciate (if it’s not, it might be worth rethinking your blog strategy and/or blogging more frequently), so why not create a landing page that allows visitors to sign up to your blog. Market your blog like you would any other asset and you’ll soon see the inbound traffic increase!

20. Create Visual Media for Social Posting

Images and videos are much more appealing (and much more likely to be shared by users) than text based or link based posts. Make sure you use plenty of visual content in your social media posts to increase engagement between your business and your audience. This will help you to reach new people very quickly.

February 20, 2013

9 Ways to Annoy Your Prospects and Customers Online

Filed under: Email Marketing, Website Design, business — Tom @ 10:36

No business owner wants to annoy their prospects or customers, and yet it’s the little things that we do (or most importantly, don’t do!) that can tick off the most important people in our business.

Let’s have a look at some of the things you may or may not be doing that could be irritating your audience!

Website Design Disasters

No, you can’t expect your website from five years ago to still be the best thing on the internet. A site that’s even 12 months behind can quickly fall behind with the times. Your website is your online shop window and it is critical that it appeals to your audience.

  1. Navigation is time and time again the most irritating aspect of a website for a user. Naff navigation is only going to annoy your visitor and drive them into the embracing arms of another business owner.
  2. Web design trends are changing all of the time. What was the height of technology twelve months ago is now yesterdays news. Outdated site designs or an ugly site design is not going to go down well with your clientele.
  3. Too many businesses have been slow off the mark to update their web design ready for mobile devices. Mobile internet browsing is constantly on the rise, and users will return to sites that they can easily view and use on their mobile. Make sure your site welcomes both desktop and mobile internet browsers!

Granted, most businesses can’t afford to keep redesigning their website on an annual basis, but build a relationship with your web design company. Consult with your web design team on a regular basis about minor improvements that could make a big different to your website traffic and lead generation.

Email Marketing Mistakes

Email marketing is a fantastic tool when used correctly. Used incorrectly it can be a sure fire way to giving your business a bad name. Make sure your emails are a delight as they drop into the inbox and make sure that they don’t get dumped into a spam folder!

  1. Don’t email every day, or even every other day for that matter (unless, of course, your subscriber has requested to receive email notifications of any new blogs and you’re blogging on a daily basis… what do you mean you don’t blog at all!?!?!?)
  2. Nobody likes to be tarred with the same brush. People like to feel individual and special and appreciated. With those things in mind make sure that your segment your contact lists to send appropriate marketing emails to appropriate groups of people, and include personalisation throughout the email content.
  3. One of the most common mistakes that many businesses make is that they repeat the content of one email over and over again, without any editing whatsoever. If you must hammer the message home then at least take the time to explain in each different email a set of different benefits.

Social Media Marketing No No’s

Social media marketing is still relatively new to a lot of business owners, and many struggle to understand it’s purpose or how to use it to gain leverage with their audience.

  1. Even if you’re not sure how to use it, it’s absolutely essential that your business is visible and accessible via social media. If social media marketing leaves you feeling baffled, then work with a social media marketing service.
  2. Don’t just sign up to any old network either! Take the time to find out which social networks will work for you and your audience. Some businesses do better on Facebook, others YouTube and other Twitter. It’s all about finding your platform.
  3. Once you’ve found your social media platform (or platforms) you then need to find your tone of voice. People don’t want technical corporate speak on their social media feeds, they want fun, interesting and sometimes even controversial content!

Don’t think of social media as a way of generating leads or sales. Think of it as a tool that can help you get a better understanding of the individuals that make up your target market. Social media is essentially the watercooler at work; it’s all about laughing, smiling and sharing!

January 24, 2013

The one big trick that 3 massive high street businesses missed

Filed under: Finance, Social Media, business — Tom @ 11:05

It seems it’s all been a bit doom and gloom since Christmas, with the announcement that Jessops, HMV and Blockbusters have all gone into administration.

These three massive media based high street businesses have all suffered greatly as a result of missing one big trick; and that trick is the digital revolution.

All three companies struggled to compete with the internet. Rather than embrace the internet and use it to their advantage, they have all, in one way or another let the internet get the better of their business. A mistake which has proven extremely costly for Jessops, and one that still poses a threat to HMV and Blockbusters.

Jessops – Failed to Adopt a Successful Social Strategy

With the rise of social networks there has been a dramatic increase in the number of photographs that are being shared online; so it’s hard to believe that one of the UK’s biggest photographic equipment retailers has gone bust.

Unfortunately the Jessops website has now been replaced with a notice that provides information to customers about what to do. There is a link still to the Jessops Photo website; although again the visitor is greeted with yet another notice and further instructions on how to retrieve your photos.

With Instagram and Pinterest both having access to a large user base, it seems that had Jessops utilized social media to it’s advantage it might ever have reached the point of no return.

HMV – Failed to Adopt an Online Strategy Quickly

As with Jessops, the HMV website has been replaced with a Notice of Administration. However, many news channels have discussed that HMV’s downfall was it’s inability to quickly integrate a website strategy.

Instead, HMV continued to rely on old school marketing methods and in store sales and promotions; hoping it could compete against online retailers with the strength and history of it’s brand. But, if the internet has demonstrated anything it’s that it can make and break giants.

HMV has been thrown a lifeline by Hilco, which runs the HMV stores in Canada. However, HMV has got to learn from it’s previous mistakes and it needs to seriously reconsider it’s online strategy if it hopes to continue trading in the UK.

Blockbusters – Fading From The Fickle Memory of Consumers

Blockbusters has the opportunity to recoup it’s losses, providing of course that it takes the time to reassert it’s identity to consumers using an online strategy.

Blockbusters is fast losing it’s reputation in the different services that it provides. With the emergence of sites such as NetFlix and LoveFilm Blockbusters has lost it’s edge. Supermarkets can also compete with Blockbusters on price for newly released films and gaming titles.

Although Blockbusters has a website, the navigation looks a little outdated (especially compared to it competitor websites) and the site looks a little too busy. Some spring cleaning on their website would certainly make a big difference. However, one of the biggest changes that Blockbusters needs to implement in order to reassert it’s authority as a media retailer is to it’s social strategy.

You can walk into any Blockbusters store at the moment and get a great list of staff recommendations. However, Blockbusters do not have a Facebook page, which means it’s failing to remind customers about it’s business and it’s expertise online. As well as having a general social identity for the business, Blockbusters should be encouraging individual stores to invest some time creating and maintaining their own individual online identities, helping the store to connect with local communities and it’s consumer base.

The Cost of a Compromised Online Identity

What Jessops, HMV and Blockbusters all demonstrate is that physical presence is no longer enough to sustain a successful business. Without a comprehensive online identity and a well thought out internet strategy any business can (and will) fall.

Take heed from the mistakes made by the big players, and invest the time and resources needed to give your business a strong and successful online presence. If you’re not sure where to start or how to implement effective online strategies, do some research and find the right people and businesses to collaborate with.

The internet is where the consumer base is now; and whether you’re a B2C or a B2B business it’s crucial that you make sure you can be easily found and reached online.

January 9, 2013

Don’t blame Facebook

Filed under: Social Media, business — Tom @ 12:33

It seems it’s all too easy to make a social media faux-pa; and the consequences of a status update can be huge.

It’s easy to forget that whenever we share something on a social media site it is open to the public for viewing and sharing. Although privacy settings are in place, it’s also all too easy to become confused with how much protection these settings provide.

Randi Zuckerberg (Mark Zuckerberg’s sister) found this out the hard way when in December 2012 when a photo that she shared on Facebook went viral. Randi was quick to blame the user who shared the photo which started the chain reaction of events; however, many believed that this was an incredibly public demonstration of the conflicts linked to Facebook’s privacy and sharing settings.

Don’t Blame Facebook…

On Tuesday 8th January Channel 4 aired a show called ‘Don’t Blame Facebook’ which looked at a number of cases where individuals had used social media sites with dire consequences. The result of their actions included interrogation, prison sentences, ASBO’s and job losses.

There were some interesting cases that the show brought to light, and almost all of the individuals that were interviewed stated that they now used social media differently following their negative experiences, although few said that they had stopped using social media altogether.

The Trouble with Tweeting

When friends Leigh Van Bryan and Emily Bunting booked a trip to Los Angeles neither of them would have thought that their trip would include an interrogation at the airport based on suspected terrorism!

However, a tweet sent from Leigh’s Twitter account which included the phrase ‘destroy America’ had been picked up by American authorities, and as a result of the tweet Leigh and Emily were prevented from enjoying their holiday.

The tweet was meant with no malicious intent; the word ‘destroy’ was used to describe getting drunk. However, no amount of pleading to the senses of the authorities could help Leigh and Emily and what should have been a trip of a lifetime quickly became a trip they would both rather forget.

Fakebook Status Update

In January 2011 Gareth Crossway successfully hacked the FaceBook account of Selena Gomez, who was at the time dating Justin Bieber. Once Gareth had gained access, he sent a status update from Selena’s account which simply read ‘Justin Bieber Sucks’.

This single status update created online uproar against Selena, and her account was quickly inundated with a torrent of abuse which included death threats.

It didn’t take long for the local police to find and arrest Gareth, who had all of his technology seized and was handed a 12 month prison sentence for the social media hack.

Social MODia

Cameron Reilly, a soldier from the Scots Guard, was posted as part of the security detail for the recent Royal wedding. Prior to the wedding Kate Middleton drove past the security detail and waved.

Despite the seemingly friendly gesture, Cameron took offence to Miss Middleton’s actions, and he decided to post his anguish on Facebook.

The MOD was made aware of Cameron’s post, and Cameron was quickly removed from the security service and reassigned to other duties as a result of his social post.

YouTube and Videos of Crime

Andrew Killett once had a very active YouTube channel, which he used to post videos of himself and his friends speeding and committing other traffic and road offences.

The police and the local council were able to use Andrew’s channel against him, and they used the collection of almost 90 videos to prosecute Andrew for his misdemeanours. Andrew received an ASBO and was forbidden to post videos to YouTube for two years.

Kerry Collard and Alec Goff also posted a video of them committing road offences to both YouTube and Facebook, and the video quickly went global.

Once the video had been uploaded to YouTube the negative comments began to come in, and it didn’t take long for someone to report the video to the police. Kerry was due to start a new employment opportunity, but following her new found fame, she received a letter from the employer telling her that the opportunity was no longer available.

Why Work and Play Rarely Mix

Gary Paterson was employed by supermarket chain ASDA. During one of his shifts he decided to take a series of photos while posing in his ASDA uniform. The photos were meant as harmless fun, but once they were uploaded to Facebook it would only be a matter of time before his employers found out about Gary’s antics.

ASDA initially suspended Gary for two weeks while they decided on further disciplinary action, but, fearing that he may lose his job, Gary decided to resign.

Social media undoubtedly has the ability to empower both individuals and businesses; however, it’s essential that you think about how you use social media and what content you post to these sites as one mistake could be quite costly.

If you’re not sure how to use your corporate social media profiles to benefit your business you may want to consider either some social media training or handing over your accounts to a social media agency.

If you didn’t have chance to catch the programme you can watch ‘Don’t Blame Facebook’ on Channel 4’s 4OD.

January 2, 2013

B2C Business? Find Out Why an Ecommerce Solution Has to Be Your New Year’s Resolution

Filed under: Finance, business — Tom @ 13:13

This year, Boxing Day sales saw many shoppers starting to queue up outside stores from midnight onwards all in an effort to bag a bargain once doors opened at 6am.

Of course, B2C businesses love the seasonal sales boom, and most retailers’ do all that they can to encourage shoppers to get on board with the seasonal spending and to make the most of the discounts on offer.

However, some B2C businesses are missing a huge sales opportunity.

Early Reports of 2012 Boxing Day Online Sales

Boxing Day 2012 has certainly proven to be a record breaking day for retailers, especially where online sales are concerned.

  • Nearly £3bn of sales in less than 24 hours – Approximately 10 million Brits took to shopping centres and the internet to spend a total of 2.9 billion pounds on Boxing Day alone.
  • £500 million spent online on Boxing Day – It is estimated that £500 million of the total sales figure came from online sales; an increase on last year’s sales figures.
  • Online Boxing Day sales increase by 17% - which had increased by 17% when compared to Boxing Day 2011.
  • Millions of hours invested in the internet – it has been estimated that Brits spent a staggering 14 million hours online trawling retail websites for discounts. It has also been estimated that a total of 113 million visits were made to retail websites in a single day.

Whether you’re a service provider or a retailer if your business is not setup to accommodate online orders and transactions then it’s crucial that your business’s new year’s resolution is to invest in a strong (yet simple) ecommerce solution.

Sell Online or Open Your Store Doors?

Many retailers, just like consumers, are feeling the economic pinch of the last couple of years; and it’s absolutely essential that as a business owner you choose to invest in the right areas to encourage sales all year round.

An ecommerce website may seem like a big short term expense, however it is an investment that is cost effective in the long term and extremely beneficial for your business.

With an effective ecommerce solution in place, online shoppers can easily and quickly view your entire range of stock or services to find the perfect item that they wish to purchase.

The beauty of an ecommerce website is that your store is open for business 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Online retailer Amazon UK has seen Christmas Day sales increase by 263% over the last five years; demonstrating that there is money to be made even when you can’t physically open your store doors.

Four Rules for Running an Ecommerce Website

It’s important to spend some time considering how you will implement your ecommerce solution to ensure that you are meeting the needs of your customers and getting the maximum amount of sales for your business.

Here are four simple rules you need to follow in order to run a successful ecommerce website:

  1. Make the online ordering experience enjoyable and easy – The online shopping environment is similar to that of the physical shopping environment; the environment provides an experience for the customer, and if they are not enjoying the experience they will look elsewhere. Make sure your online ordering process is easy to follow. From viewing your range of products to handling payment and monitoring the delivery of the order, the entire online ordering process should be clear and the customer should feel that the process of buying was not just simple but enjoyable.
  2. Get up to date with online trading and data protection legislations – As well as making the online shopping experience easy and enjoyable, you’ll also need to quickly familiarise yourself with the rights of the consumer as well as the legislations related to online trading. A recent BBC News Business article (dated 11th October 2012) sets out to consumers their rights as internet shoppers; however, it is well worth familiarising yourself with the legislation and regulations that govern online trading.
  3. Use a tried, tested and trusted payment facility – One of the biggest barriers to securing an online purchase is the payment method. Online shoppers are not just savvy, they are weary, and they are more likely to follow through with a purchase if the payment method that is being offered is tried, tested and most importantly trusted by the consumer. PayPal is one of the biggest and most well known online payment services in the world, however, you may also want to consider Sage Pay or an alternative payment management service.
  4. Ensure your online store works on tablets and mobiles – Access to the internet via smartphone and tablet devices is on the rise, and this includes online shopping. More and more people are using their smaller digital devices to order their goods online, so it is imperative that your ecommerce solution includes solutions for these devices.

Whether you already have an ecommerce website or whether you need to implement an ecommerce solution, chances are that you need to review the processes and practices of selling your good or services from your website.

If you run a B2C business then this is especially important, and you should make it your new year’s resolution to review and update your ecommerce solution!

If you would like to discuss the different ecommerce solutions that are available, simply contact us today on 0121 288 3688 or tom@future-visions.co.uk and we’d be happy to help walk you through the latest technology, processes and online sales techniques to help ensure that your website is able to accommodate online sales all year round.

December 12, 2012

Planes, Trains… and Rocket Ships?

Filed under: business — Tom @ 16:26

Richard Branson, one of Britain’s most successful entrepreneurs, has certainly been in the eye of the media over the last seven days.

It seems all of his transport based ventures (both existing and upcoming) seem to have caused a stir in one way or another in the last week.

Virgin Trains Secure West Coast Rail for a Further 2 Years

The first big Branson announcement of the last few days was the decision made to award Virgin Trains with the West Coast contract for a further 2 years while the government decide how to improve the tendering process.

Initially the contract had been awarded to Virgin Trains rival First Group, however, Branson lobbied hard for a review into the terms, financials and figures that First Group had submitted.

Branson’s bid for support worked, and the government was forced to review the both the bids and the tendering process, resulting in the contract being revoked from First Group and awarded to the current provider (Virgin Trains) until decisions could be implemented based on the findings of an official report, which found that the tendering process had ‘serious problems’ and ‘unacceptable flaws’.

While Branson and his team can consider this a victory in a number of ways, many taxpayers will be angry at the vast sums of money spent initially in the tendering process and in the subsequent review and report of the process.

Virgin Atlantic Taking up the Limelight

No sooner had Virgin Trains stepped out of the attention of the media, Virgin Atlantic stepped up to the podium.

Rumours were rising that Sir Richard Branson had plans to sell his stake in Virgin Atlantic, hinting that Virgin Atlantic was doomed to have a limited lifespan.

However, Branson quickly denied both the claim of his stake sale and the lifespan of this particular venture, stating “We have no plans to disappear.” He also issued a bold and public wager with Willie Walsh, the chief executive of International Airlines Group (which owns British Airways).

Branson wagered £1m that Virgin Atlantic would still be in business in five years time. Willie Walsh returned the wager with an offer of a ‘knee to the groin’, saying that he did not have £1m like Branson, but felt that a knee to the groin would be as painful to Branson as the wager was to himself.

Suffice it to say, no love has been lost between these two business owners; and it seems that Delta Airlines have struck a deal with Singapore Airlines to purchase their 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic for a sum of £224m.

2014 Could See Space Flights with Virgin Galactic

It’s a rather epic and futuristic sounding name for Branson’s latest business venture, but Virgin Galactic could be offering space flights as soon as 2014.

In the last 48 hours the media has been covering the news of Branson’s latest transport based venture; discussing and debating what it is that Virgin Galactic will offer to it’s customers.

The revolutionary business includes an interesting rocket launch. Instead of the well known ground launch, Virgin Galactic will instead launch it’s space rockets in flight.

The entire space experience will last around 2 hours, and clients will be able to see the ‘thin blue line’ of Earth’s atmosphere, as well as experience the sensation synonymous with space – weightlessness.

The total cost of each trip per client will be $200,000 (or £120,000); however, customers will also benefit from a three day training course which is included in the price. The media has been quick to brand this ticket price as ‘out of reach for most’, however, the only alternative for adventurers keen to explore space using commercial means is the trip offered by the Russians. Although their experience is for a much longer period, the costs are multiplied to a staggering £25m to £30m. In comparison, Virgin Galactic’s trip appears much more affordable.

Despite the hefty ticket price, there is little doubt that Virgin Galactic will be nothing short of a great success.

November 14, 2012

Three lessons businesses can learn from the trouble brewing at the BBC

Filed under: business — Tom @ 13:15

The BBC has been the subject of much discussion over the last few weeks. What started off as an investigation into a potential celebrity paedophile has evolved into a debate about cover-ups, management, staff, investigative journalism and accountability.

The BBC is now doing it’s best to rectify the damage that has been caused by a series of serious blunders; however, trust in the BBC has been severely compromised. The idea that the BBC could have been actively involved with any kind of sex scandal does not sit well with its national customer base. The Government has found itself having to step in to control the media frenzy; with the Prime Minister himself warning against the potential of a ‘witch hunt’.

The Newsnight investigation, the Panorama episode and the ITV broadcast have opened not just one can of worms, but multiple cans; and the decisions made both before and after these broadcasts have raised more questions than they have supplied answers.

Rather than reiterate the details of the investigations and the situation at the BBC, it would be more prudent to take a moment to think about what business owners can learn from the BBC fiasco; however, a summary of the situation can be found on the BBC’s website.

What Business Owners Can Learn from the BBC

There are a number of insights that business can take away from the ongoing situation involving the BBC.

Q & A’s – The situation at the BBC and the recent phone hacking inquiry (which saw Rupert Murdoch and his son James answering a government led inquiry) demonstrates that no matter how big your business becomes it will never be infallible in the eyes of the public and the law. Your business decisions will always be scrutinized, if not by yourself most certainly by others. Scrutiny of decisions often leads to questions and criticisms, which brings us to our next lesson – Accountability.

Accountability and Accepting Responsibility – As well as being accused of poorly handling the delicate investigation into child sex crimes, the BBC are also being accused of badly handling the accountability and disciplinary processes following their mistakes. Despite a number of people in top positions resigning or stepping aside at the BBC it seems the name of the editorial staff member who signed off the controversial Newsnight investigation cannot be given. When something goes wrong, people naturally want to know who’s accountable and how they are taking responsibility for their actions. Covering up the truth or hiding names will only serve to infuriate individuals and exacerbate the situation. No matter how hard you work at your business, you will make mistakes and they may sometimes impact your customers. Be sure that you handle these situations gracefully and with dignity, otherwise you may find one mistake proves very costly.

Know your facts before you act – A recent BBC investigation into an edition of Newsnight has revealed that basic journalistic checks were not made, and in this instance checking some basic facts has proven to be pretty costly for the BBC and the programme. In business it’s absolutely crucial to know your facts (and your numbers) before you decide to commit to any kind of action. Equally, committing to inaction can be just as destructive and damaging. It’s essential that you have a strong team surrounding you that you can rely to consistently deliver facts, enabling you to make the right decisions.

October 22, 2012

Felix Baumgartner – Falling to Success

Filed under: Personal Development, business — Tom @ 08:00

Most people would think that the journey to success is an upwards one; however, 43 year old Felix Baumgartner found himself falling to success on Sunday 14th October 2012. If you haven’t already seen the stunning footage of his breathtaking stunt then shame on you!!! However, you can watch an edited version here.

What the feel good soundtrack and clipped footage fail to convey is the trial, tribulations and trouble Felix fought against throughout his journey. Red Bull, it turns out, doesn’t just give you wings; it gives you the kahunas to risk life and limb to achieve your ultimate goal.

Taking on a Challenge of Epic Proportions – The Cold Hard Facts and Figures of Success

Felix stepped solely into a pod which was attached to a helium-filled space age balloon which (when filled) travelled to an altitude of 39,045 meters (128,100 feet). Once the balloon reached its target height, Felix Baumgartner gracefully threw himself out of the pod. He jumped not just from the pod itself, but from the very edge of space.

As Felix fell from the stratosphere, he reached an unimaginable speed of 1,342.8 km/h or 834.4 mph (Mach 1.24); breaking the sound barrier 65 years to the day that the record was first set by Chuck Yeager (who set the record by flying an experimental aircraft).

During his 4:20 minute long freefall, Felix, a skydiving expert, also set two other world records. He now holds the record for both the highest freefall and the highest manned balloon flight.

Felix did not break the word record for the longest freefall (measured in time not distance). This record is retained by one of Felix’s close friends, Col. Joe Kittinger; who guided Felix throughout the entire project, including the launch of the pod and during the freefall.

It took an incredibly dedicated team, vast amounts of planning and resources and a life or death commitment to the cause in order to achieve this truly epic accomplishment, and this team endeavour is better portrayed in this YouTube video from Red Bull.

Identifying, Analysing and Eliminating Problems and Fears

As you can see from the video link in the last paragraph, Felix encountered a number of issues along the way. His initial planned flight date was cancelled. On Sunday, during his elevation to his target altitude, mission control noted one or two issues.

Despite these setbacks and some concern, the decision was made that Felix would jump.

No matter what issues arose, Felix and his team managed to identify the problems quickly, analyse their potential to impede the success of the mission and assessed the risks involved; enabling them to eliminate any issues quickly so that Felix could concentrate and focus on the task at hand.

Perhaps the problem we will all remember is the terrible flat spin that Felix encountered during his freefall.  These few seconds have been edited out of a number of the films aired online and in the media.

It would be wonderful to know what Felix was thinking during this spin. It’s unlikely he was thinking ‘Oh $#!T I’m going to die’ like most of us perhaps would do in that situation. It’s far more likely that he was thinking something along the lines of: ‘I can do this. I can do this; and if I can’t, at least I lived. At least I tried.’

Braving it All to Achieve Our Business Goals

As business owners, we often tell ourselves that we are braving it all and risking everything in order to achieve our goals and to be successful; but the truth is, the majority of us do not come anywhere near close to sacrificing what Felix was so willing to give up.

There’s no doubt that business owners and entrepreneurs the world over will be thinking of Felix and his incredible daredevil stunt.

Felix took a massive risk in order to reach his goal. He was willing to lay his life on the line in order to achieve his mission. Perhaps as business owners we can take inspiration and motivation from Felix; to want more, to do more and to be more.

“Sometimes you have to get up really high to see how small you are.” – Felix Baumgartner – 14/10/2012.

Perhaps another way of looking at both the quote and Felix’s achievement is:  Sometimes you have to aim really high to see how small the problems are.


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