Authentic leadership is not a new phenomenon and it has always amused me that there could ever be inauthentic leadership – but we still see it, don’t we?
Why is it we often feel that to be ourselves is hard or uncomfortable? What is going on in our minds and within us that makes us feel we shouldn’t be, do or say what we truly think or feel?

The phrase ‘outstanding customer service’ has been bandied around for decades – but as the recession makes the majority turn to trusted brands and value outstanding service over ‘cheap’ perceived value, the focus is really building now. In my view, there are two types of businesses when it comes to outstanding customer service:

Coming from somebody who has consistently sought to promote the value of focus and process in all matters connected with B2B sales and marketing, the above headline may strike you as bordering on the perverse. But bear with me. It’s just that no sales process can be successful unless it is based on a deep appreciation of your prospective customer’s buying process.

It’s a bit like riding a Burning Red Mustang Sally through Key West with an Umpa Lumpa whilst Ziggy Stardust has Sex On The Beach with a Porn Star… That was my introduction to Adventure Bars!

...or us for marketing it course, but for the purposes of this blog, we have the inside line from the man who has done it for his heritage family business, Aspall - makers of ciders, vinegars and fruit juices.

Spreadsheets, revenues, customer acquisition costs, EBITDA, cash flow, burn rate....words that can make entrepreneurs turn to stone in fear and their anxiety bubble to bursting. There is no magic formula to making a small business become a great business, but there is a golden rule for ensuring the path is smooth; the management team, especially the CEO, need to live, breathe and dream the business financials.

If you’re a B2B marketer planning to use social media to target prospects, here’s a cautionary tale about how not to do it…

According to Mashable 2012 is the year we exhaust social media.

The biggest challenge for any start-up or growth business is to build awareness – you need to make more people aware of your great brand. The same challenge applies even to the biggest brands of the world when they are launching new products but inevitably they usually have the budgets to do the job. Reaching your target consumer is no easy task when the average person is exposed to 5000 brand messages every day, but there are creative ways to both reach them and cut through the noise.

You will have to deal with many unexpected events during your business life, but by ensuring you do everything you can to anticipate scenarios and outcomes you’ll be better equipped for a fast and effective response as and when they arise.