Paul Groth
Paul Groth is a seasoned marketing strategist with 15 years experience across disciplines working for micro to large corporates in multiple industries. He is the owner and Managing Director of Shelbyblue Marketing in Perth, Western Australia. Visit his blog at marketingmixer.com.au.
Giving advice? Practice what you preach!
These days it’s a normal thing for anyone to write about what people should and shouldn’t do. But do you really do everything you tell others they should be doing? It seems that people who give advice (including me) don’t always adhere to it. So does that make us hypocrites?
What’s wrong with the people you’re working with?
Most employees can’t articulate the business mission statement. They don’t know what the business is trying to achieve. They come in every day and work in their own little world. Oh yes, and whose fault is that?
Stay Interviews vs Exit Interviews
Exist interviews can rapidly devolve into something similar to a post-breakup inquisition. The disillusioned employee provides an autopsy of their disillusionment before a chastened ex-manager. Why not conduct ‘stay interviews’ to gauge and, if necessary, mend the attitudes of still-engaged employees?
How to work with a $0 marketing budget
You know your idea is a winner and it won’t take much effort to get it off the ground, but you're not in a position to throw money at it at the moment. What are you going to do with a zero dollar marketing budget? Use your brain and get creative.
Chasing every customer is a recipe for disaster
One of the worst steps you can take in business is attracting and accepting the wrong type of customers. This situation takes me back to one of my previous businesses. Looking back, I can't believe I planned it that way and there's no way I'd fall for it again. Here's why:
Your new business = The job from hell
It’s a familiar story. You, a technically-minded professional, leave the comfort of a salaried job to venture out on your own in search of greater autonomy and prosperity. Soon enough, you’re out of your depth, writhing around trying to manage costs, staff and responsibilities far beyond your area of expertise. Congratulations! You’ve created the job from hell. And it’s all yours.
How to prove your credibility
To have any hope in business, you need to be seen as credible – by your investors, colleagues, competitors and, most importantly, by existing and potential customers. Here are some tips to prove your business bona fides.
Think like a customer, not like a marketer
The gap between a product and an individual is further than you think. Getting mixed up in day-to-day business activities can cause anyone to fall out of touch with the individual mindsets of target customers.
