Straight Talking Marketing Blog | Straight Marketing

Alison Jobson

March 26, 2019

A round-up of Exeter networking events.

How to market your local business event

Alison Jobson

March 16, 2019

18 tips on how to market your business event for free.

Local radio now not so local

Email Marketing Strategy & Marketing Planning

Alison Jobson

March 6, 2019

Global announces major changes to its local radio format.

Split testing emails explained

Alison Jobson

February 27, 2019

All you need to know about A/B email testing.

42% of UK businesses outsource marketing

Advertising Social Media Strategy & Marketing Planning

Alison Jobson

February 22, 2019

New research reveals that over 42% of UK businesses outsource marketing.

Where is your target audience?

Alison Jobson

February 8, 2019

A crucial question when determining how to market.

When to post on social media

Alison Jobson

January 30, 2019

A quick guide to help you work out when to post on social media.

12 low-cost marketing ideas

Alison Jobson

January 20, 2019

Some ideas if you're marketing on a tight budget.

New website design

Alison Jobson

January 11, 2019

Our new website is finally here! We hope you like it.

Advert design mistake

Alison Jobson

January 4, 2019

Need to design a small space advert? Here are some design tips.

Free marketing plan template

Alison Jobson

December 24, 2018

Download our free marketing plan template to help you with your marketing planning for 2019.

Free Exeter business & networking event

Alison Jobson

December 14, 2018

Join the launch event for Cyber Security Awareness Week.

New LinkedIn business page features

Alison Jobson

December 3, 2018

Three new LinkedIn features for your LinkedIn business page.

What is a landing page?

Alison Jobson

October 30, 2018

Here are 6 key elements to a successful landing page.

Five things to include on your homepage

Alison Jobson

October 24, 2018

Five things you should include on your homepage to make your website successful.

A muddy time out from marketing

Alison Jobson

October 15, 2018

Getting muddy on Woodbury Common in aid of charity.

Google+ is shutting down

Alison Jobson

October 9, 2018

Yesterday, Google announced that Google+ is shutting down.

10 creative direct mail ideas

Alison Jobson

September 27, 2018

Direct mail works especially when it’s creative. Here are 10 suggestions for a creative campaign.

How to increase your LinkedIn company page followers

Alison Jobson

September 13, 2018

7 ways to increase your LinkedIn company page followers.

New – MailChimp direct mail postcard

Direct Marketing Email Marketing

Alison Jobson

September 3, 2018

You can now send printed postcards through MailChimp.

3 ways to follow up direct mail campaigns

Alison Jobson

August 20, 2018

Maximise the effectiveness of your direct mail campaigns with these three steps.

How to get Google Reviews

Alison Jobson

August 6, 2018

Google Reviews are highly important for your business. Here are Four easy steps to getting Google Reviews for your business.

How to evaluate a sponsorship opportunity

Alison Jobson

July 23, 2018

Six questions to consider when assessing whether to sponsor or not.

Blogging can lead to radio interviews!

Alison Jobson

July 13, 2018

We’ve just done our third radio interview which came off the back of an historic blog post.

Devon radio advertising

Alison Jobson

July 6, 2018

Here’s a low down on the main Devon radio advertising opportunities which are available to you.

Recommended Exeter venue

Alison Jobson

June 29, 2018

Following a recent visit, we fell in love with this Exeter venue. If you’re looking to host an event, take a look.

Do you really need a corporate brochure?

Advertising Branding

Alison Jobson

June 22, 2018

Is your website enough or do you need a printed brochure to work alongside?

Why use radio advertising

Alison Jobson

June 7, 2018

Take a look at the most recent stats from RAJAR, the official body in charge of measuring radio audiences in the UK.

6 easy tips to boost your site speed

Alison Jobson

May 31, 2018

From July, Google will be using mobile page speed to help determine a page’s search ranking.

Avoid a not secure website warning

Alison Jobson

May 24, 2018

Have you updated your website so it won’t get labelled as “not secure”?

How to make the most out of being shortlisted for an award

Alison Jobson

May 9, 2018

If you’ve been shortlisted for a business award you need to shout it from the rooftops!

Exmouth marketing agency award finalist

Alison Jobson

April 27, 2018

We’ve made it onto the shortlist for the Exmouth Chamber of Commerce Business Awards 2018.

GDPR: Do you need B2B marketing consent?

Email Marketing Websites

Alison Jobson

April 17, 2018

Legitimate interests is a lawful base that B2B marketers can use to process personal data.

Key client management programme – selecting key clients

Direct Marketing Strategy & Marketing Planning

Alison Jobson

March 28, 2018

Some suggested criteria to use when selecting clients for your CRM programme.

7 ways to encourage referrals

Alison Jobson

March 18, 2018

Referrals are often the easiest way to generate new business. Here are 7 tips to encourage referrals.

Free business support in Devon

Alison Jobson

March 8, 2018

A European Regional Development Fund is currently providing free business support to Devon businesses.

What to do if someone steals your content?

Alison Jobson

February 28, 2018

If you find your content has been plagiarised what can you do about it?

Are you authentic with your marketing?

Alison Jobson

February 21, 2018

An example which highlights the importance of being honest and authentic with your marketing.

Top 100 UK marketing blog

Alison Jobson

February 14, 2018

Our Straight Marketing marketing blog has been selected as one of the top 100 UK marketing blogs.

South West business exhibitions

Alison Jobson

January 31, 2018

Here is a round-up of South West business exhibitions taking place this spring/summer. A good opportunity to meet new prospects.

Event management success

Alison Jobson

January 26, 2018

See what we’ve been up to lately. We’ve just helped our client successfully launch their forthcoming awareness week.

Event Twitter checklist

Alison Jobson

January 19, 2018

Use our event Twitter checklist to help generate leads, expand your network and raise your brand profile.

Is this the end of Facebook for business?

Alison Jobson

January 12, 2018

If you use Facebook for business you need to be aware of a forthcoming change.

Exeter business event: January 25th 2018

Alison Jobson

December 29, 2017

Join us at this not-to-be-missed free Exeter business networking event next month.

Top 10 Christmas 2017 YouTube ads

Alison Jobson

December 19, 2017

Here are the top 10 Christmas YouTube ads. Is your favourite on the list?

2018 marketing tips

Alison Jobson

December 9, 2017

Ten 2018 marketing tips to get your new year marketing off to a great start and boost your business in 2018.

Christmas corporate gift ideas

Alison Jobson

November 28, 2017

Six Christmas corporate gift ideas to thank your clients and customers for their business and show them you care.

Worrying Facebook news field trial

Direct Marketing Email Marketing Strategy & Marketing Planning

Alison Jobson

November 10, 2017

A new Facebook news feed currently being trialled could be catastrophic for businesses that rely on Facebook to reach customers.

8 marketing tips on preparing for GDPR

Alison Jobson

October 31, 2017

Spooked by GDPR? Read our 8 practical marketing tips.

How does GDPR impact marketing?

Direct Marketing Strategy & Marketing Planning

Alison Jobson

October 30, 2017

There are 3 areas which marketers need to be concerned with regarding the GDPR.

GDPR helpline for small businesses

Direct Marketing Strategy & Marketing Planning

Alison Jobson

October 26, 2017

Unsure about the GDPR and what it means for your business? A new helpline is coming soon to assist.

Why use direct mail over email marketing

Direct Marketing Email Marketing

Alison Jobson

October 20, 2017

9 reasons why you might want to consider using direct mail instead of email.

MailChimp Google remarketing

Advertising Email Marketing Websites

Alison Jobson

October 6, 2017

The email marketing platform MailChimp has introduced a new channel – Google remarketing adverts.

How to get local press coverage for your business

Alison Jobson

September 26, 2017

9 tips to help you get local press coverage for your business.

How to improve your local ranking on Google

Advertising Websites

Alison Jobson

September 17, 2017

With more people using mobiles to search the internet, local ranking on Google is key.

Local Business Awards: Devon

Alison Jobson

September 7, 2017

Local business awards are great for publicity and endorsement. Here’s a round-up of Devon awards.

SW cyber security event

Alison Jobson

August 27, 2017

Learn how to protect your business from cyber crime at this free SW one-day cyber security event roadshow.

12 sources of blog inspiration

Alison Jobson

August 17, 2017

Are you stuck on what to blog about? Check out our 12 sources of blog inspiration to help get your creative juices flowing.

Exeter charity quiz night

Alison Jobson

August 7, 2017

Why not enter a team in Exeter Business Club’s first “Quiz ‘n’ Fizz” night in aid of the Exeter Foundation?

Creating great email subject lines

Alison Jobson

July 31, 2017

14 tips to help you create catchy email subject lines that stand out in a crowded inbox and avoid your email going straight to trash.

11 steps to an effective direct mail letter

Alison Jobson

July 24, 2017

Generate leads with a good direct mail letter. Find out how.

8 tips to improve your WordPress website security

Alison Jobson

July 17, 2017

8 easy to implement security tips to help protect your WordPress website from being hacked.

Thinking of using a telemarketing agency?

Advertising Direct Marketing Strategy & Marketing Planning

Alison Jobson

July 6, 2017

Are you thinking of outsourcing your telemarketing? Read our 11 point checklist first.

How to evaluate an advertising opportunity

Alison Jobson

June 26, 2017

Consider these six key questions to evaluate an advertising opportunity.

Do you need a printed brochure?

Alison Jobson

June 16, 2017

In this digital age, is there still a place for the traditional, glossy, corporate printed brochure?

Using AIDA to write an advert

Advertising Branding

Alison Jobson

June 6, 2017

Are you planning on advertising your business? Find out how to use AIDA to help you write an effective advert.

Blog topic generator

Alison Jobson

May 30, 2017

This blog topic generator is a great tool when you’re stuck for blogging ideas.

New website development project completed

Alison Jobson

May 22, 2017

Check out our latest website development project which went live last week.

Domain registration warning

Alison Jobson

May 14, 2017

If you’re about to register a new domain name be careful about who you use as domain name registrar.

Grammarly review – great copywriting tool

Alison Jobson

May 8, 2017

Need help with your copywriting? Check out the Grammarly app.

9 steps to clean marketing data

Alison Jobson

April 27, 2017

Clean marketing data is essential for effective marketing. Follow these 9 steps to maintain clean marketing data.

Increase Google rankings with images

Alison Jobson

April 13, 2017

Find out how to increase your Google rankings by using images on your website.

Marketing and the GDPR

Alison Jobson

March 27, 2017

The GDPR comes into force in May 2018. If you use personal data for marketing you must comply.

Trade show marketing tips

Advertising Direct Marketing

Alison Jobson

March 15, 2017

Exhibiting at a trade show? Read our 17 show marketing tips to get the most return on investment.

We’re exhibiting at The South West Business Expo

Alison Jobson

March 9, 2017

Come and see us at The South West Business Expo on 30 March 2017. We’ll be at Stand 68.

Social media confession

Alison Jobson

February 28, 2017

My social media confession. Why it’s OK to give yourself a break and how it might be better for your business.

Be creative with your direct mail

Alison Jobson

February 21, 2017

Direct mail shouldn’t be boring. See our recent creative direct mail example and the results it achieved for our client.

MailChimp Facebook advertising

Advertising Social Media

Alison Jobson

February 10, 2017

MailChimp has launched a new feature which allows its customers to create Facebook adverts within the MailChimp platform.

Free Exeter networking event

Alison Jobson

February 1, 2017

How to win back lapsed customers

Alison Jobson

January 27, 2017

It costs around 6 to 7 times more to acquire a new customer than to keep an existing one.

Marketing retainer – how does it work?

Alison Jobson

January 16, 2017

Find out how our retained marketing contracts work.

Not secure website warning

Alison Jobson

January 6, 2017

If you don’t have an SSL certificate and HTTPS Google plans to warn your website visitors, which could have a detrimental impact.

Straight Marketing’s most read blogs of 2016

Alison Jobson

December 30, 2016

In case you missed them, here’s a round up of our five most read marketing blog posts in 2016.

Cyber Security Awareness Week in Exeter

Alison Jobson

December 20, 2016

A must attend event coming to Exeter in February 2017.

Pros and cons of advertising

Alison Jobson

December 10, 2016

Thinking of spending your marketing budget on advertising? Check out the pros and cons.

Themed marketing campaign

Alison Jobson

November 29, 2016

Use a themed marketing campaign to introduce your company to target customers. See our recent successful example.

Google tests mobile-first index

Alison Jobson

November 21, 2016

What is mobile-first indexing and how will it affect your website rankings?

2016 Christmas TV adverts

Alison Jobson

November 14, 2016

A round up of the 2016 retailer Christmas TV adverts. They’re all very different, which one is your favourite?

Direct mail advice

Alison Jobson

November 7, 2016

We’ve consolidated of all our direct mail advice blogs so just one place to go for direct mail guidance.

8 reasons why you need an explainer video

Alison Jobson

October 26, 2016

An explainer video is a short video introduction to your company or product.

How to get customer testimonials

Alison Jobson

October 24, 2016

Use customer testimonials to help convert and persuade potential customers. Read our tips on how to collect them.

Sort your email subject headers out!

Alison Jobson

October 18, 2016

Email marketing is a great marketing tool but don’t send emails like this example!

What to put on your business card

Alison Jobson

October 9, 2016

First impressions count. What should you put on your business card to help convey the right message?

How to write an advert

Alison Jobson

September 29, 2016

9 steps to help you write an advert that will pack a punch and make the most of your advertising expenditure.

How to increase word of mouth recommendation

Alison Jobson

September 19, 2016

7 ways to encourage your customers to give more word of mouth referrals.

Event: how to find and build your audience using social media

Alison Jobson

September 9, 2016

Find out more about using social media for your business at a CIM event in Exeter this month.

How future proof is your company name?

Alison Jobson

August 19, 2016

Will your company name grow with your business or could it hold you back?

Busy bees at Straight Marketing

Alison Jobson

August 11, 2016

It’s been a busy time at Straight Marketing lately. Take a look at what projects we’ve been working on for clients.

The life stages of mail

Alison Jobson

August 3, 2016

A recent research report from Royal Mail MarketReach shows that direct mail is still effective.

Business accreditation: Cyber Essentials

Alison Jobson

July 26, 2016

We recommend all businesses achieve Cyber Essentials accreditation. Find out why.

Devon business awards

Alison Jobson

July 20, 2016

Here is a round-up of business awards in Devon.

Is it OK to tweet the same thing several times?

Alison Jobson

July 13, 2016

We explain why you might want to share the same content more than once.

Facebook for business just got harder

Alison Jobson

July 6, 2016

Have you noticed a decline in your Facebook business page reach? It’s about to get worse.

Glossary of marketing terms

Alison Jobson

June 29, 2016

Are you baffled by certain marketing terms? Here we attempt to demystify the world of marketing and define 11 of the more obscure terms.

Email marketing tips for small businesses

Alison Jobson

June 20, 2016

If you’re new to email marketing here are some email marketing tips to get you started.

Time to update your marketing plan?

Alison Jobson

June 10, 2016

Download our free marketing plan template to help you write or update your marketing plan.

How to get press coverage for your small business

Alison Jobson

June 2, 2016

Tips on how to get press coverage for your business without engaging a professional PR.

More Twitter updates

Alison Jobson

May 25, 2016

Yesterday Twitter announced a series of Twitter updates which will be rolled out over the coming months.

Should you pay more attention to Bing?

Alison Jobson

May 21, 2016

Is it time to pay more attention to Bing, Microsoft’s lesser known search engine?

Twitter to increase character limit

Alison Jobson

May 17, 2016

According to a recent report, Twitter is going to stop counting photographs and links in its 140-character limit for tweets.

Outsourcing marketing to a marketing agency

Alison Jobson

April 27, 2016

What do we mean by outsourced marketing department and why might you use one?

Clients reducing their print advertising, why?

Alison Jobson

April 15, 2016

We’re not popular with the sales manager at a local East Devon newspaper. Find out why.

Blog editorial calendar – why you need one and how

Alison Jobson

April 8, 2016

A blog editorial calendar will save you time and make your blogging more strategic.

Optimising images for SEO

Alison Jobson

March 30, 2016

Using images in your blog posts will help with SEO. Here’s how to optimise images correctly to boost your SEO.

Poor sales copy or am I difficult to please?

Alison Jobson

March 15, 2016

Do you agree this is an example of poor sales copy?

When is the right time to redesign your website? Now!

Alison Jobson

March 1, 2016

Guest blog from digital marketing expert, Kristen Sousa.

What colours mean in branding

Alison Jobson

February 17, 2016

Does your brand colour accurate reflect your brand? Take a look at this colour spectrum to see if it does.

What is your brand personality?

Alison Jobson

February 11, 2016

Plot your brand on the Brand Personality Spectrum to understand what your brand represents.

When is it time for a brand refresh?

Alison Jobson

February 4, 2016

We’re often asked “when is it a good time for a brand refresh?” Here’s our advice.

Our latest marketing projects

Alison Jobson

January 29, 2016

Here’s a snapshot of some of the marketing projects we’ve been working on.

Facebook advertising – a beginner’s guide

Alison Jobson

January 17, 2016

If you’d like to try Facebook advertising for the first time here’s a beginner’s guide.

DIY SEO Tips

Alison Jobson

January 12, 2016

Here are 8 DIY SEO tips to help you boost your search engine rankings.

5 marketing resolutions for 2016

Alison Jobson

January 5, 2016

If you’ve committed to sorting out your marketing this year here are 5 marketing resolutions for 2016.

Our most popular marketing blog posts of 2015

Alison Jobson

December 29, 2015

In case you missed them, here’s a round up of our five most read marketing blog posts in 2015.

Free marketing planning workshop

Alison Jobson

December 16, 2015

In our December issue of Marketing Tips we’re giving away a half-day marketing planning workshop to one lucky business.

Find us in Yellow Pages

Alison Jobson

December 7, 2015

Would you use a “Find us in Yellow Pages” sticker on your company vehicle? What value does it add?

Christmas TV adverts 2015

Alison Jobson

November 25, 2015

Which Christmas TV advert is your favourite? Here’s a round up of the 2015 Christmas TV adverts from the major retailers.

How not to conduct a sales call

Alison Jobson

November 16, 2015

Here's an example of how not to conduct a sales call.

Great email subject line – #notjustforkates

Alison Jobson

November 11, 2015

A great email subject line is crucial to encourage the recipient to open your email.

How to get people to open your email – subject headers

Alison Jobson

November 4, 2015

9 tips on how to write an email subject line that will encourage people to open your marketing email.

Facebook Search FYI

Alison Jobson

October 29, 2015

Facebook Search FYI is Facebook’s latest update, enabling users to search the entire database of public posts in real time.

Free image sources

Alison Jobson

October 22, 2015

Here are some free image sources that you can use.

How to create an effective advert

Alison Jobson

October 14, 2015

Here’s our handy guide to help you create an advert that has impact.

Where to advertise?

Alison Jobson

October 7, 2015

Six tips to help you decide where to advertise to ensure maximum return on investment.

Final advert revealed

Alison Jobson

October 2, 2015

Here is a sneak preview of the third advert in our six-month advertising campaign for our legal client, Veitch Penny.

Customer loyalty can be a fickle thing

Alison Jobson

September 23, 2015

A real-life example to illustrate how important good procedures are.

How to build a B2B prospect list

Alison Jobson

September 9, 2015

Our 4-step guide to building a B2B prospect list for your business.

How to make a successful telemarketing call

Alison Jobson

August 26, 2015

Here are our telemarketing calling tips.

Why use a PR agency

Alison Jobson

August 19, 2015

Here are 6 reasons why you may want to consider using a PR professional to help.

Buyer persona template

Alison Jobson

August 12, 2015

Use our buyer persona template to really get to grips with what your ideal customer looks like.

Good customer service saves the day

Alison Jobson

July 29, 2015

A recent example to demonstrate the importance of providing good customer service.

Half price marketing offers

Alison Jobson

July 22, 2015

We’ve got two great half price marketing offers, which are only available until 31 August 2015.

How do I make my website mobile friendly?

Alison Jobson

July 15, 2015

With Google now penalising non-mobile optimised websites, here are some tips on how to make your website mobile friendly.

Good marketing & bad marketing – all in one day

Alison Jobson

July 10, 2015

An example of what we thought was good and bad marketing practice from the same company in just 24 hours.

Paddy Power shows how to do agile marketing

Alison Jobson

July 3, 2015

Another ‘off the cuff’ marketing campaign from Paddy Power illustrates what agile marketing is all about.

How to find journalists on Twitter (for free)

Alison Jobson

June 16, 2015

Some handy tips on how to find journalists on Twitter so that you can start to engage with them and build relationships.

20 PR story ideas

Alison Jobson

June 16, 2015

Here are 20 suggestions to help you find your PR hook and get started.

How to engage with journalists on Twitter

Alison Jobson

June 9, 2015

One way to raise your profile in the media is to engage with journalists on Twitter. Here are our 5 tips.

Two new websites launched for clients

Alison Jobson

June 4, 2015

We’ve recently completed two website build projects on behalf of clients, which have just gone live.

Second advertising campaign revealed

Alison Jobson

May 26, 2015

A sneak preview of the second outdoor advertising campaign for our law firm client, which goes live in June.

Marketing tips for exhibiting at a county show

Alison Jobson

May 12, 2015

If you are exhibiting at a county show here are some marketing tips on how to maximise your attendance.

How to write an elevator pitch

Alison Jobson

May 6, 2015

Can you describe your business eloquently in 30 seconds or less? Here are some tips.

Are you saying the same thing twice: tautology?

Alison Jobson

April 30, 2015

Tautology is needless repetition of the same sense in different words. It’s a common error in copywriting, are you guilty of it?

Social media cover photos – dimensions & template

Alison Jobson

April 16, 2015

Here is a handy guide to the image requirements for Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

New Facebook feature: Subscribed events

Alison Jobson

April 9, 2015

Facebook has introduced a new feature to pages, which is useful for those that regularly host events.

Straight Marketing case study: Omega Electrical Services

Alison Jobson

April 2, 2015

Straight Marketing case study: Marketing planning workshop.

How to grow your email marketing list

Alison Jobson

March 26, 2015

Five easy ways to grow your email marketing lists.

Straight Marketing Case Study: Swan Transformations

Alison Jobson

March 19, 2015

Straight Marketing case study: Website build.

7 tips to keep visitors on your website for longer

Alison Jobson

March 10, 2015

7 tips for improving visitor engagement.

All you need to know about blogging

Alison Jobson

March 4, 2015

All our blogs on blogging in one useful blog.

Marketing budgets to increase in 2015

Alison Jobson

February 27, 2015

A recent survey shows that marketing budgets are expected to increase in 2015.

Show your customers some love

Alison Jobson

February 12, 2015

5 tips for demonstrating love to your customers.

New features on Twitter

Alison Jobson

February 10, 2015

Two new features now available on Twitter.

Advertising campaign goes live

Alison Jobson

February 4, 2015

Our client’s outdoor advertising campaign goes live this week.

Website development tips for 2015

Alison Jobson

January 22, 2015

Our 3 website development tips for 2015.

Case study template

Alison Jobson

January 13, 2015

A template to help you put together great case studies.

Get your marketing in shape for 2015

Alison Jobson

January 6, 2015

Our new fitness concept to help Exeter businesses get their marketing in shape for the coming year.

Straight Marketing top 2014 marketing blog posts

Alison Jobson

December 31, 2014

A round-up of our 5 most popular Straight Marketing blog posts for 2014.

Straight Marketing Case Study: NHS Trust

Alison Jobson

December 18, 2014

project management of an open event to raise awareness amongst the local business community.

December Marketing Tips

Alison Jobson

December 11, 2014

Our December edition of Marketing Tips, useful marketing tips and advice in a short, easy to read format.

A great direct mail marketing example: Nice pants!

Alison Jobson

December 2, 2014

A great example of a good direct mail campaign: Y fronts in the post!

Do your market research

Alison Jobson

November 27, 2014

Improve your chance of success with some market research.

Christmas TV advertising campaigns 2014

Alison Jobson

November 18, 2014

A round-up of some of the Christmas 2014 TV adverts from the major retailers.

Advertising: How to maximise spend

Alison Jobson

November 11, 2014

Tips on how to maximise the return on your advertising expenditure.

5 benefits of case studies in marketing

Alison Jobson

November 5, 2014

Why you should use case studies in your marketing.

Free Devon business networking event

Alison Jobson

October 30, 2014

Free business networking opportunity for all South Devon businesses.

Telemarketing training course

Alison Jobson

October 15, 2014

A half-day telemarketing course to equip you with the skills to be successful on the telephone.

Groupon: a good marketing tool?

Alison Jobson

October 7, 2014

What are the pros and cons of using Groupon as a marketing tool?

Marketing planning workshop

Alison Jobson

September 27, 2014

Kick start your marketing with our half-day marketing workshop.

What image does your LinkedIn profile photograph portray?

Alison Jobson

September 17, 2014

What impression does your LinkedIn profile photograph give out?

Straight Marketing Case Study: Bitpod

Alison Jobson

September 3, 2014

Straight Marketing case study: Lead generation.

What do your marketing words convey?

Alison Jobson

September 3, 2014

Would you describe your company as cheap?

How to write a press release

Alison Jobson

August 20, 2014

How to write an effective press release to get editorial coverage for your business.

New direct marketing code of conduct

Alison Jobson

August 13, 2014

New code of conduct from the Direct Marketing Association.

Tips to improve your direct mail marketing

Alison Jobson

August 6, 2014

Improve the success of your direct mail campaigns with our top tips.

Funding available for strategic marketing advice

Alison Jobson

July 31, 2014

Did you know you could be entitled to up to £2,000 to put towards strategic marketing advice and support?

What is agile marketing?

Alison Jobson

July 22, 2014

Agile marketing explained.

Copywriting phrases to avoid

Alison Jobson

July 15, 2014

Our copywriting pet hates.

How to cross-sell in professional services

Alison Jobson

July 10, 2014

Tips on how to cross-sell more services to existing clients.

Video marketing: content ideas

Alison Jobson

July 1, 2014

Content ideas for video marketing.

Outsourcing social media?

Alison Jobson

June 19, 2014

How to effectively outsource your social media.

Never knowingly undersold: how solid is your brand?

Alison Jobson

June 12, 2014

Does your brand match up to my John Lewis example?

Marketing launch: revolutionary bedding product to be unveiled this weekend

Alison Jobson

June 5, 2014

Straight Marketing client to launch at the Ideal Home Show this weekend.

Brand names: how important is the name?

Alison Jobson

May 28, 2014

How important is the name when choosing a new name for a brand, company or product?

What is telemarketing?

Alison Jobson

May 15, 2014

What is telemarketing and how can it benefit your business?

Straight Marketing Case Study: Timeout Retreats

Alison Jobson

May 8, 2014

Straight Marketing case study: Strategy and brand development.

What is video marketing & why do you need it?

Alison Jobson

May 7, 2014

Video marketing and the benefits explained.

How to maximise your Facebook business page

Alison Jobson

April 25, 2014

Tips on how to use Facebook for business.

Business award for Straight Marketing?

Alison Jobson

April 17, 2014

Straight Marketing has been shortlisted for the 2014 Exmouth Business Awards.

Content marketing: copywriting for beginners

Alison Jobson

April 10, 2014

Tips to help you get started with copywriting.

B2B Marketing: time to get emotive

Alison Jobson

April 5, 2014

Research reveals that B2B brands respond better to emotive rather than rational marketing messages.

Growth Voucher Accredited Adviser for strategic marketing

Alison Jobson

March 26, 2014

Straight Marketing is now an Accredited Growth Voucher Adviser.

Understanding your customers

Alison Jobson

March 19, 2014

A direct mail from E.O.N. illustrates the importance of understanding your customers.

Straight Marketing Case Study: Select Dental

Alison Jobson

March 14, 2014

Straight Marketing case study: Marketing campaign to increase patient numbers.

Renewables marketing: marketing agency, why employ one?

Alison Jobson

March 13, 2014

Video: the benefits of using an external marketing agency.

Direct mail marketing: a poor example

Alison Jobson

March 7, 2014

BT demonstrates how not to deliver a direct mail marketing campaign.

Renewables marketing: marketing on a small budget

Alison Jobson

February 27, 2014

Video: how can renewable energy companies market themselves with a small budget?

Renewable Energy Marketplace 2014

Alison Jobson

February 20, 2014

An exclusive discount code for attendance at this key renewable energy event.

Valentine’s Day Marketing Campaigns

Alison Jobson

February 14, 2014

3 examples of Valentine’s Day marketing campaigns from brands you wouldn’t expect.

Renewables marketing: how to target a different market

Alison Jobson

February 11, 2014

Video: In renewables marketing how can companies target a new market sector?

Developing a marketing campaign

Alison Jobson

February 6, 2014

Presentation: How to develop a marketing campaign that will raise your profile, attract new customers and increase sales.

Renewables marketing: How can we differentiate ourselves from the competition?

Alison Jobson

January 23, 2014

Video: In renewables marketing how can companies differentiate themselves?

Seminar: How to develop a marketing campaign that kicks ass

Alison Jobson

January 16, 2014

Your opportunity to learn how to develop an effective marketing campaign.

Renewables marketing: Communicating the financial savings & incentives

Alison Jobson

January 8, 2014

Video: In renewables marketing, how can companies communicate a tricky message?

Straight Marketing top marketing blog posts for 2013

Alison Jobson

December 30, 2013

A round-up of our top 5 blog posts in 2013.

Video marketing: how to write a video script

Alison Jobson

December 18, 2013

Practical tips on how to put together a marketing video script.

Traditional marketing is not dead!

Advertising Direct Marketing

Alison Jobson

December 6, 2013

Traditional marketing should still be included in the marketing mix.

Marketing agency interviewed on BBC Radio Tees

Alison Jobson

November 28, 2013

Two minutes of fame for our Director, Alison Jobson.

Devon marketing agency explains why you should employ a marketing agency

Alison Jobson

November 23, 2013

What are the benefits of using a marketing agency?

Renewable energy marketing – how can we help?

Alison Jobson

November 14, 2013

A video marketing series for renewables, what are your burning questions?

Christmas TV advertising campaigns

Alison Jobson

November 10, 2013

Five of the major Christmas 2013 TV adverts.

Free marketing help for renewable energy companies

Alison Jobson

October 31, 2013

South West renewable energy companies might be entitled to a £1,000 business development grant.

5 ways to get your direct mail opened

Alison Jobson

October 26, 2013

How to get your direct mail letter opened before it hits the bin.

Devon marketing agency to speak at charity marketing event

Alison Jobson

October 15, 2013

Straight Marketing has been confirmed as a speaker at SW Forum’s ‘Funding Expo South West’.

Creating a marketing plan: A short video tutorial

Alison Jobson

October 8, 2013

Our contribution to the YouTube ‘In a Nutshell’ business expertise channel.

How to write a direct mail letter that will get read

Alison Jobson

October 3, 2013

Tips on how to write a compelling direct mail letter.

Straight Marketing Case Study: Space

Alison Jobson

September 23, 2013

Straight Marketing case study: strategy and marketing plan.

Guest Blog: Is PR photography worth investing in?

Alison Jobson

September 19, 2013

Guy Newman, PR photographer, highlights the benefits of investing in good PR photography.

New professional services marketing client for Devon marketing agency

Alison Jobson

September 12, 2013

A new professional service client win for Straight Marketing.

CIM Q4 Marketing Confidence Survey: Growth is back on the agenda

Alison Jobson

September 4, 2013

A summary of the latest results from the Chartered Institute of Marketing Confidence Survey.

Are your marketing campaigns consistent with your brand and portraying the right message?

Alison Jobson

August 29, 2013

How to ensure your marketing campaigns are not gimmicky and brand damaging.

Does brand development via Devon Hour work? Yes, we think it does

Branding Social Media

Alison Jobson

August 23, 2013

The benefits of engaging in #DevonHour.

Guest Blog: The Benefits of SEO

Alison Jobson

August 14, 2013

Joe Hibberd of Skyline Marketing discusses the importance of good SEO.

Retail marketing: tips to avoid seasonal fluctuations in sales

Alison Jobson

August 9, 2013

Five top tips on how retailers can avoid seasonal dips in sales.

Responding to your needs. Really?

Alison Jobson

July 26, 2013

Does this advertising message work for you?

Guest Blog: The smartphone revolution

Alison Jobson

July 18, 2013

Why does your website need to be mobile friendly?

Marketing agency interviewed on BBC Radio Devon

Alison Jobson

July 13, 2013

Straight Marketing interviewed live on BBC Radio Devon.

The royal baby marketing machine

Alison Jobson

July 5, 2013

Examples of UK brands that are using the royal baby for their marketing campaigns.

Niche Marketing Example – “Just Japanese”

Alison Jobson

June 26, 2013

What are the benefits of niche marketing?

Guest Blog: YouTube – Back to basics

Alison Jobson

June 19, 2013

What are the benefits of YouTube for small business marketing?

Listening – the key to successful business development

Alison Jobson

June 7, 2013

What has Paralympic blind football got to do with effective business development?

What is an editorial calendar, why have one and how to devise one?

Alison Jobson

June 1, 2013

What is an editorial calendar, why is it important and how do you devise one?

South West Digital Marketing Conference 2013: A review

Alison Jobson

May 23, 2013

Key messages from the Chartered Institute of Marketing’s South West Digital Marketing Conference 2013.

Good marketing communication – getting the message right

Alison Jobson

May 15, 2013

A lowly pen but an example of a badly conceived marketing message.

Devon marketing agency secures new marketing client

Alison Jobson

May 8, 2013

New client win for Straight Marketing.

How to use LinkedIn Groups effectively

Alison Jobson

May 2, 2013

Top tips on LinkedIn etiquette and how to derive the most benefit from group membership.

Help for Exeter businesses on content marketing

Alison Jobson

April 26, 2013

Straight Marketing educates Exeter-based businesses on content marketing.

Straight Marketing gives marketing advice to small businesses

Alison Jobson

April 23, 2013

Straight Marketing was recently invited to deliver a marketing presentation to Budleigh in Business members.

Devon marketing agency shortlisted for Exmouth Business Awards

Alison Jobson

April 19, 2013

Straight Marketing has been shortlisted for an award in the Exmouth Business Awards.

The importance of good messaging

Alison Jobson

April 12, 2013

What message is East Devon District Council trying to convey with its new car park signage?

Marketing training seminar for Devon small businesses

Alison Jobson

April 5, 2013

A free to attend marketing seminar for owners/managers of small businesses in Devon.

Sector-based marketing: Why and how?

Alison Jobson

March 28, 2013

The benefits of a sector-based approach and practical tips to implement one in your business.

Small business marketing: How much should you give away for free?

Alison Jobson

March 19, 2013

Where do you draw the line at giving away free advice?

Content marketing strategy

Alison Jobson

March 11, 2013

A step-by-step guide to developing a content marketing strategy.

Sponsorship: Pros and cons

Alison Jobson

March 4, 2013

What are the pros and cons of sponsorship as a marketing activity?

Writing an SEO friendly blog – 10 steps

Alison Jobson

February 14, 2013

10 tips to help you achieve good search engine rankings from your blog.

Is there a ‘what’ in your marketing plan?

Alison Jobson

February 9, 2013

Why is ‘what’ so important in marketing planning?

Straight Marketing Case Study: Fair Energy

Alison Jobson

January 30, 2013

Straight Marketing case study: Marketing consultancy and campaign support.

Why should you enter business awards?

Alison Jobson

January 27, 2013

What are the benefits of entering business awards?

Twitter does work for B2B marketing

Alison Jobson

January 20, 2013

Two examples that demonstrate Twitter does work for B2B marketing

DIY Marketing?

Alison Jobson

January 13, 2013

Do you really need to employ a marketing professional or can you do it yourself?

Marketing new year’s resolutions

Alison Jobson

January 4, 2013

Five essential new year marketing resolutions for 2013.

Straight Marketing’s most useful marketing blogs of 2012

Alison Jobson

December 28, 2012

A round-up of our most useful blog posts of 2012.

What is content marketing?

Alison Jobson

December 20, 2012

What is content marketing and how can it help your business?

Outline marketing plan template

Alison Jobson

December 13, 2012

A basic marketing plan template to help you get started on your marketing planning with a great new year offer!

Guest Blog: How Digital Marketing can optimise your success

Alison Jobson

December 7, 2012

Guest blog from digital marketing expert, Kristen Sousa on using digital marketing to optimise your success.

What to give as a Christmas corporate gift

Alison Jobson

November 30, 2012

What purpose do corporate gifts serve and what should you give at Christmas?

How to integrate your offline and online marketing campaigns

Alison Jobson

November 23, 2012

Suggestions on how to integrate your offline marketing with your online marketing.

Offline marketing versus online marketing

Alison Jobson

November 18, 2012

Is there still a place for offline marketing? What are the advantages of offline compared to online?

Straight Marketing Case Study: Zero Carbon Future

Alison Jobson

November 8, 2012

Straight Marketing case study: Marketing consultancy.

How to promote your blog

Alison Jobson

November 2, 2012

8 suggestions on how to promote your blog.

LinkedIn: An abused marketing tool?

Alison Jobson

October 26, 2012

Working with a marketing agency – FAQs

Alison Jobson

October 19, 2012

How does Straight Marketing work? Answers to our most frequently asked questions.

Business blogging – what to blog

Alison Jobson

October 11, 2012

3 Replies

Finding blog ideas is a key challenge for business bloggers. Here are 10 business blog content suggestions.

#FreeTheTopsham1 – Why you need a social media policy

Alison Jobson

October 4, 2012

A recent local Twitter campaign highlights the importance of having a social media policy.

How to measure marketing effectiveness

Alison Jobson

September 27, 2012

How can you measure the effectiveness of your marketing expenditure?

Questions to consider when outsourcing your marketing to a marketing agency

Alison Jobson

September 17, 2012

What do you need to ask when looking for a marketing agency?

How to deliver an effective email marketing campaign

Alison Jobson

August 28, 2012

Tips on how to improve the effectiveness of your email marketing campaigns.

10 reasons to have video content on your website

Alison Jobson

August 15, 2012

Why should you consider incorporating video content into your website?

Straight Marketing Case Study: Teign Housing

Alison Jobson

July 29, 2012

Straight Marketing case study: Strategy and marketing planning to target a new customer base.

Straight Marketing Case Study: @one Wellness

Alison Jobson

July 29, 2012

Straight Marketing case study: Strategy and marketing planning for a start-up business.

Straight Marketing Case Study: SW Forum

Alison Jobson

July 29, 2012

Straight Marketing case study: Strategy and marketing planning.

Straight Marketing Case Study: AFA

Alison Jobson

July 28, 2012

Straight Marketing case study: Email marketing campaign.

Straight Marketing Case Study: Hosted Desktop UK

Alison Jobson

July 28, 2012

Straight Marketing case study: Strategy, marketing planning and implementation.

Why blog and how to blog?

Alison Jobson

July 9, 2012

4 Replies

Why is it good for your business to blog and how do you go about blogging?

“Mastering Marketing” – Marketing seminar for Exeter businesses

Alison Jobson

June 14, 2012

Learn how to be a Marketing Master in just one hour. Alison Jobson of Straight Marketing will show you how.

Straight Marketing Case Study: Potburys

Alison Jobson

May 29, 2012

Straight Marketing case study: Rebrand.

How to write an award-winning award entry

Alison Jobson

April 30, 2012

Ten top tips to help you write an award entry which will get shortlisted and win!

Straight Marketing Case Study: Sampson Hall

Alison Jobson

March 3, 2012

Straight Marketing case study: marketing strategy and short-term marketing plan.

Straight Marketing Case Study: Hartnell Chanot & Partners

Alison Jobson

February 28, 2012

Straight Marketing case study: Website redevelopment.

Types of marketing agency explained

Alison Jobson

January 21, 2012

What are all the different types of marketing discipline and which agency is right for you?

12 low-cost marketing suggestions for increasing sales in 2012

Alison Jobson

January 7, 2012

Start the new year with a review of your marketing strategy with these 12 low-cost marketing suggestions.

Does your business need a Google+ business page?

Alison Jobson

November 21, 2011

Google+ launched Business Pages earlier this month. What’s it all about and should your business have a page?

A Meeting of Like Minds: My review of Like Minds Conference 2011

Alison Jobson

October 23, 2011

My personal review of the Like Minds Conference 2011 – “Innovation and Opportunity”.

Are you hiding your light under a bushel?

Alison Jobson

October 10, 2011

A tale of two vans and a missed marketing opportunity.

Never “Knowingly Undersold” – Will your positioning statement stand the test of time?

Alison Jobson

September 28, 2011

What is positioning and why is it so important to the successful marketing of a business?

Dead pets don’t need vaccinating. How clean is your data?

Alison Jobson

September 19, 2011

How clean is your data?

Golden client care rule: Don’t let activity prevent proactivity

Alison Jobson

September 12, 2011

Being proactive can provide a point of differentiation.

Lessons learned from a year as a Marketing Consultant

Alison Jobson

July 31, 2011

Straight Marketing passes its first anniversary.

At what point do you stop chasing a sale?

Alison Jobson

July 6, 2011

When is it time to accept a sale is unlikely and move on?

Why am I still cleaning for the cleaner?

Alison Jobson

June 24, 2011

First impressions are vital but consistency is everything.

How to create an effective eshot

Alison Jobson

June 16, 2011

When sending eshots do you consider how each recipient will receive it?

Why am I cleaning for the cleaner?

Alison Jobson

June 10, 2011

Do you ever think about what first impressions your business creates for your potential clients?

Do as I say, not as I do

Alison Jobson

May 17, 2011

Sometimes even marketing consultants need to take a dose of their own medicine.

Tenuous off-shoots of the Royal Wedding marketing machine

Alison Jobson

April 18, 2011

Examples of tenuous links to the Royal Wedding.

10 reasons why a business should employ a marketing consultant

Alison Jobson

April 5, 2011

What benefits can a business gain from employing the services of an external marketing consultant?

Is it ever a good marketing decision to sack a client?

Alison Jobson

March 14, 2011

Would you ever sack a client?

Innovation in marketing communications: why don’t we talk anymore?

Alison Jobson

February 28, 2011

What happened to good old talking?

Top business development tip: follow up

Alison Jobson

February 13, 2011

Follow up is simple yet crucial to any successful business development activity.

Business etiquette at networking events: handshake or kiss?

Alison Jobson

February 7, 2011

At what point is it appropriate to kiss a business contact in greeting?

The art of effective networking is to make friends

Alison Jobson

January 31, 2011

The key focus of business networking should be to build relationships not sell.

Starbucks unveil new logo. Is re-branding always a good marketing move?

Alison Jobson

January 16, 2011

How much of a disaster is a re-brand gone wrong?

How can professional service firms use innovation to maintain competitive advantage?

Alison Jobson

December 19, 2010

How relevant is innovation to the development of a professional service firm?

How can you make more effective use of your marketing budget?

Alison Jobson

November 29, 2010

How can you make the most effective use of your marketing budget?

Retail law firm: Is this a major innovation in law firm marketing?

Alison Jobson

November 21, 2010

QualitySolicitor announces its plans to open the first retail legal store. What does this mean for law firm marketing?

Lessons in online marketing gained at an Exeter networking event

Alison Jobson

November 11, 2010

How do you make your blogs SEO friendly?

Is service quality important in marketing?

Alison Jobson

November 1, 2010

Why is good quality so important in service provision?

How do you prepare a marketing plan?

Alison Jobson

October 25, 2010

How do you plan your marketing activity?

Top tips to make a marketing seminar successful

Alison Jobson

October 15, 2010

How do you ensure you achieve maximum benefit from seminars?

B2B marketing: what are the pros and cons of hosting a seminar?

Alison Jobson

October 8, 2010

What are the pros and cons of hosting a seminar?

Exeter based marketing consultant shares examples of poor marketing communications

Alison Jobson

October 1, 2010

How does a business ensure its marketing communications create the right impact?

Segmentation in the marketing of a service-led firm

Alison Jobson

September 17, 2010

How do you prevent your clients from pigeonholing your firm?

Business ideas to make networking a successful part of your marketing mix

Alison Jobson

September 9, 2010

How do you ensure that your firm is best represented by your junior fee earners at networking events?

Are you a social media sceptic or believer?

Alison Jobson

September 8, 2010

Is there a place for social media in the marketing mix employed by a B2B organisation?

How effective is advertising for professional services marketing?

Alison Jobson

September 8, 2010

How effective is the use of advertising in promoting a professional service firm?

Who’s behind new Exeter based marketing consultancy, Straight Marketing?