Learnings from 2012

As glorious as this year has been in many ways, it's also been a far from perfect affair.

Like many of you I began the year with many thoughts, dreams and ideas. None of them driven by any fly-by-night resolutions. These were solid, focused plans all taken from my dreams and hopes for the year, goals to achieve.

Unfortunately the hand of fate has delivered a larger slice of pain than triumphs this year, and I write this having received yet another slice...still I'm not alone and certainly have more than enough to be grateful for, I am everyday.

So I've composed a list of seven points that I'll share with youto keep you warm over the coming months. For next year is another year, and one full of even more promise...

Points to remember:

1. Keep going!
2. You have learnt a lesson with every kick.
3. You are 12 times the person you were in January.
4. Focus on all your great wins this last year, even if they don't feel quite like wins right now.
5. You have learnt so much about yourself and the people around you, use this new found power for good.
6. If you believe,
you can make your dreams come true, however far away they feel.
7. Take action! Wallow, Swallow and Follow...( ie. wallow, allow yourself a small wallow when things go wrong, but quickly swallow some oxygen and click yourself back into gear, and follow your dreams and plans and things will work out for you).

Here's to a cracking 2013...it'll be here sooner than you think

One small leap for business...

As someone who doesn't 'do' heights the prospect of leaping off a balloon 24 miles above the cold and rather solid ground isn't my idea of fun.  In fact sometimes I think the reason I never made the 6 foot tall mark was the sheer determination of my inner self not to be heigh up rather than my genes.

So when Felix Baumgartner stood on the platform and lept I wasn't envious.  Or at least I shouldn't have been....

What Felix did in stunning hd action was something that everyone who has ever started a business has done.  You stood on the platform and lept.

I think that's why I was strangely drawn to that platform.  It brought to life the 'leap', that moment that separates the players from the wannanbees.  The moment that someone considers the risks and decides it's time to take the chance.

Speaking regularly with clients, friends, family and many many enterprising people I'm amazed at just how significant this 'leap' is.  Certainly not in an arrogant way, what I mean is that 'the leap' is what bonds fellow entrepreneurs together, that tacit understanding that means we don't need to speak about 'the leap'...we get on talking about everything else.  Yet for those who haven't taken 'the leap' it often takes on a huge amount more significance.

"You're so brave, I could never take the leap"
"I'd love to work for myself, but I just get scared of the leap" 
"I'm just not ready to take the leap just yet"

Just a couple of the lines that have been said to me in recent conversations.  Don't get me wrong, the little boost of self-esteem that I get whenever I hear these kind of lines is fantastic.  As it should be for all those brave souls that have taken the leap and set up businesses of all shapes and sizes.  The tacit understanding between us 'leapers' means we don't give ourselves the credit for just how significant such a step is.

And that is just the start of the business journey, which can feel like you've stepped off a 24 mile high balloon....Travelling at breakneck speed, not quite sure if you're heading in the right direction, not able to see or hear your instruments, you're visor misting up so you can't even enjoy the view or know when to push your shoot and hopefully the relief of making it to your goal in one piece.

But sometimes, even though the conditions aren't quite perfect, there comes a time you've just got to leap.

Coffee Shops and Full Stops

Coffee shop etiquette.

Just how long is too long? 

I mean the current trend for transposing your whole office to a coffee shop, taking advantage of free wifi and the good old British politeness to drink less cups of coffee than you'd probably manage to get through at the office...whilst taking up a full table of course.

How long can you manage before guilt drives you back to the counter to replace that un-naturally stone cold cup? Would you avoid a coffee shop that didn't have free wifi or restricted the use by time?

I'm going to ponder that question myself...over a brew






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One special business lesson from Bubba Watson

On Sunday night UK time, American golfer Bubba Watson won the first major of the year, the US Masters and claimed one of the most recognisable pieces of sports clothing the green jacket. 

For non-golf buffs thinking of switching off at this point just hold on.  For those who prefer their movies, think of Bubba as Happy Gilmore, he hits the ball almost as far.  Bubba taught us all one of the most valuable lessons that anyone can learn in business.  Be that running one, or just playing your part in working within one.

Having finished the final round level with Louis Oosthuizen the two players went head to head on a sudden death play-off hole.  Having drawn the first hole, the players both hit horrible tee shots at the 2^nd play-off hole.  Oosthuizen got slightly luckier, his ball appearing in light rough with a decent chance of making the green on his 2^nd shot.  Bubba was in trouble, his ball landing well off the fairway in the trees with no direct sight to the green.  Oosthuizen 2^nd shot wasn’t great, but Bubba looked like he would need 2 shots to make the green.  Step forward Bubba who produced an amazing sliced shot that bent around the trees and landed on the green within feet of the hole. 

Thanks to that amazing shot he left himself 2 putts to claim the US Masters trophy and join legends of sport including Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Faldo, Ballesteros and many more.

So what can we learn from Bubba, apart from believing that even the impossible is possible.
 
Well, Bubba never had golf lessons, he hasn’t got a textbook swing, and indeed he never changes a thing if he can help it.  There is no sports psychologist, no entourage of highly paid coaches and fitness trainers.  In fact when he first showed any inclination for the game of golf, his father just told him to go out, swing and do his own thing.

Here is a man who in his own way, and with his own methods has developed a way to succeed.  His golf swing, as unkempt as his hair, has led him to one of the biggest prizes in golf.  So what can we all learn from Bubba?

He’s a man who works hard every day determined to succeed and he’s done it in his own way.

Overcoming Writers Block on Your Blog; 3 Tips

What’s the first thing you did this morning when you switched your pc/laptop/tablet on?

I’m guessing you checked your emails.  Or at the very least scanned the total in your inbox to see by how many it had increased since yesterday (or earlier this morning if you were burning the midnight oil).  Am I wrong?
Ok, so if you didn’t check your emails I bet you went straight to your favourite website or some other ‘habitual’ place.  Don’t worry I’m not watching you, nor am I the new Derren Brown, it’s just something we all do.

Let me ask another question.  At some point over the last week how many times have you had an opinion about something?  Quite a number I would hazard a guess, and equally how many times have you thought ‘I should write that down’?  I have and I suspect I’m not alone in these thoughts.  I sometimes worry I’m having a seriously high number of ‘senior moments’ for someone in their thirties, such is frequency I forget what it is I was going to write.

However I’m beginning to realise that the reason for what I politely term ‘bloggers block’ (and impolitely harangue myself about) is more to do with the habits I’ve formed over years of working at a computer.

So some simple tips to overcome bloggers block and make a start on that company/personal blog you’ve always wanted to write:

Start your day different

We all need to check emails, after all it could be a new sale, a customer that wants a reply or 10% off at Krispy Kreme.  But how about for once, maybe only one day a week you (horror of horrors) switch your machine on and instead of going straight for the emails, you pause open Word or some other writing programme and get writing.  Don’t worry if you haven’t got a clear idea of your article, just the process of ‘brain dumping’ your thoughts on a subject can make things a whole lot clearer.

Get some inspiration

Sometimes you’ll have a fantastic idea on an article you want to write.  Other times you’ll know what you want to say, but you’re missing some bits.  Don’t despair, get the thoughts down you’ve had and then have a search round.  Try searching for your subject, check a couple of books, maybe send a tweet out and ask your followers their opinions on the subject.  Sometimes the very process of searching can be enough to formulate your article in a much more coherent way.

Fresh Air

It’s amazing how many times we have our best ideas when we don’t mean to.  Generally that means we are doing something else entirely.  Having a shower, working out, sat on the toilet or even having a bath (it worked for Archimedes) all seem to be favourites for eureka moments.  Rather than sitting at your machine, putting yourself under more and more pressure to get an article written, why not put your coat on and take a little stroll in the fresh air.  Even if it’s rotten weather, the process of concentrating on something entirely unrelated can get your subconscious creative juices flowing.  At the very least you’ll be getting away from your screen.

Writing a blog is a fantastic tool for promoting and growing your business, it is all about consistency and content.  Unfortunately we all get caught up in our work habits and forget that masterpiece of an article we wanted to write.

So to use some poetic licence on a programme I do remember from my youth I’m going to ‘Turn off my email and do something less boring instead’.  Why don’t you.

B+ your Public Speaking

Public speaking.  Various studies have shown time and again that the majority of people are frightened of undertaking any kind of public speaking.  Understandably, people fear the whole process of standing up in front of a group of others and talking.  Yet sometimes get those same people in a group of friends, and they'll have no qualms holding court, often being witty, funny and entertaining. 

Even those people that don't speak even to a group of friends tell a fantastic story when one-on-one.  Put an audience in front of them, or make the 'speech' a formal occasion however and they go to pieces.  Public speaking is considered by so many to be an art form in itself.  Some of the worlds great orators past and present such as Winston Churchill and Steve Jobs are considered 'other worldly' because of the quality and polish of their public speaking skills.  However, it is possible for anyone to become a good public speaker, I should know. 

I probably got the kind of introduction to public speaking that many others would've loved. From a very early age my mum (a teacher) was keen on me learning the art of speaking to an audience, purely I should add, as a way of getting me past my innate shyness.

However, it probably wasn't until my Sixth Form and University days that I began to gain confidence in public speaking skills.  I'd often volunteer to be the person who did the presentation or make the announcement.  Though I did find this was frequently because I just wanted to keep the lesson / event moving and hated the kind of 'no you, no you' conversation that followed a request of 'Can I have a volunteer to go first'.

Public Speaking doesn't have to be a nightmare though.  Here's my 3 B's  of public speaking:

Brain

Your brain is a wonderful thing.  The creativity contained within it is amazing, well it is for nearly all moments apart from the public speaking moment.  Even before you've stood up your brain has switched into maximum negative imagination mode and you're running through hundreds of scenarios of what might go wrong.  Fly's down, fainting, falling over, accidentally swearing...to be honest its a wonder you're still sat there.  Sound familiar?  It doesn't need to be like this, it just requires a couple of basic techniques and you can overcome it.

1. Visualise a fabulous reaction at the end of your speech, concentrate on how delightful and fun it will be to share the knowledge you have
2. Be in the moment, you've practised so even if you think you can't remember it you can.  Concentrate on what you want to say...it quietens the brain's more 'creative' thoughts.

Get your brain working for you when you're public speaking and you're onto a winner.

Body

Your body and posture can make an instant difference to your speech.  Imagine an invisible piece of string running up your spine and out of the top of your head and give it an imaginary tug.  You'll feel your head up, shoulders relax and a straight back.  Not only does this give you an added air of authority to your audience, it will instantly make you feel confident. 
The old adage which is so true with public speaking is Look confident, feel confident and you'll be confident.
Now isn't the time to slouch in your seat or cower away, head up, shoulders back (and relaxed) and you're already winning!

Breathing

The human body cannot survive without oxygen for more than 3 minutes, yet in our haste to rattle through our speech we seem to forget that.  Breathing not only keeps you alive (seriously listen to me people), it also helps in two major ways.
Firstly maintaining your breathing at a regular rate will slowly calm you down and counteract the adrenalin that will be shooting through you as you prepare to speak.  It helps to give your conscious mind something else to concentrate on too (further distraction from the 'creative' thinking).  Secondly, if you've practised your speech correctly you'll have your natural breaks/breathing breaks.  Adding these gives your speech a fantastic flow allowing you to emphasise points and gives the whole thing a more natural rhythm.  It also gives your audience a chance to take in the speech without worrying for your health as you rattle through without taking a breath.

Three simple points, but three very effective B's to remember the next time you are speaking in public.

Strictly Business

As an amateur Ballroom and Latin sprawler, the return of Strictly Come Dancing to Saturday night TV serves two purposes for me. 

Firstly, it gives me the complete confirmation that I will never make it pro, and secondly just how much works goes into the 1 min and 30 seconds of performance we see on our screens.  Good, bad or Widdecombe, there is no hiding when the various celebs get their sequins and fake tans on and strut like they’ve never strutted before (apart from Robbie Savage who always had a strut that wound up opposition fans).

But Strictly Come Dancing gives us 5 business lessons that we can all learn from:

Dedication, that’s what you need

The celebs on Strictly eat, sleep and breathe (sometimes very heavily) dancing.  They have to; there is just no getting away from the intense period of time that is the show.  Last series we saw Matt Baker training in farmers fields and cow sheds whilst on location doing his day job of Countryfile.  This series Chelsee Healey is spending 8 hours a day filming Waterloo Road and then heading straight to the training room for 3 hours of intense dance. 

Whatever your opinion on TV work being ‘real’ or not, the celebs are dedicating every minute they have to the competition.  As with any business, if you are dedicated to that business, giving your all and every minute you have it will show.

Hard Work Pays off

When you are in business, it’s hard work that pays off.  Put the hours in both in your business and on your business and you’ll succeed.  Most entrepreneurs will take 16 hour work days as the norm, especially in the early days of a business, working all hours to ensure they are producing, selling, marketing and accounting.  It’s non-stop. 

At Strictly, it’s completely the same, put the hours in to learn not just the dance, but the technique and you’ll get the kind of marks that put you top of the leaderboard.  Take Harry Judd for example, the McFly drummer currently tops the training hours leaderboard and waltzed off with the first 10 of the series. 

Putting the hours and hard work in to your business is the way to get results, it’s just a pity we can’t all be accompanied by Harry or Aliona to make the time a little easier.

Know your limits

Let’s face it you wouldn’t ask Audley Harrison to perform a backflip.  Equally, asking Anita Dobson to lift Robin Windsor probably wouldn’t be the wisest decision either.  The professional dancers will put the dance choreography together to show off the best skills of the celeb.  They know exactly when is best to let them jive on their own and when it’s best just to slap them in a harness and hope for the best. 
Similarly it is crucial when you are running a business to recognise what you are good at, and what you aren’t so good at.  We aren’t superhuman as much as we like to think,  therefore getting help and support in for the bits that you aren’t so good at (or don’t want to do) will only help you and the business in the long run. 

Knowing your limits is the best way to push your business to the next level and often crystallises new appointments.

Sell the Dance

So many times celebs in Strictly Come Dancing will ‘nail’ all the steps.  Technically they’ll get to the end of the 90 seconds with the routine complete, yet something just won’t look right to us viewers or the judges.  Selling the dance be it Rhumba or Waltz is key to getting to the very top.  It is equally the case in business, you must ‘sell’ yourself and the business if you want to succeed.

Selling yourself, promoting the business is what can make the crucial difference between a sevennnnnn or a nine.  Without this essential part you are left with a technically great business that no-one gets or perhaps even knows about.  Selling is the key to success.

If you stumble, keep going

Sometimes the funniest Strictly moments are  those when it all goes wrong, and yet the celeb keeps going.  Pamela Stephenson last year nearly spun into the 3^rd row of the audience but kept going with a smile as big as ever.  This series Nancy Dell’Olio came to blows with a feather boa that wasn’t prepared to let her go, whilst Lulu completely forgot her steps in week one and carried on regardless.  The key with all of them was the celebs knew there was no hiding place they could do only one thing, carry on.

Running a business is no different, making mistakes is part of becoming an entrepreneur.  Some eminent entrepreneurs such a Richard Branson will tell you it is an essential part.  The key with these trips or mistakes is to keep going.  Dust yourself off and get back in the game.  There is no hiding place when you are in charge, you just have to keep going as best you can.  People will understand, and as long as you don’t keep making the same mistakes, it will only do you good in the long run.

Perhaps it’s time to get the glitter spray and fake tan out now, I’m feeling like a Quickstep.

Tom-tastic! Apprentice Series 7 The Final

Ladies and Gentlemen we have a winner!


The mad professor Tom Pellereau is the man Lord Sugar has backed to the tune of £250,000 after the final episode of The Apprentice. A worthy winner in many respects, a certainly fortunate to be under the new Apprentice prize of a joint business venture as opposed to a job within Lord Sugars portfolio of companies. If we’d been working to rules of previous series the likelihood is that Tom would’ve struggled to make it through the auditions let alone the first few weeks. His quirky style, mad inventor personality and action-man eyes always presented him as a potential loose cannon, but dig below that and Tom was always a candidate who stood out for Lord Sugar.

It is under the old rules that this year’s second place candidate, Helen Louise Milligan would’ve walked it. After a quiet opening few weeks Helen smashed her way to the top of the leaderboard and her structured planning and calculated organisation meant she stayed there right to the end. She played the perfect game in this series, and that perhaps is her biggest failing. There is a sense with Helen that she performs best within a structured environment, and as all new business owners will testify, a new start up is not the place to need rigid processes and procedures to perform at your best. Certainly in my experience, the ability to function within organised chaos would be closer to the mark. Helen you felt all along lacked a certain something despite her impressive showing, and it was crucial to Lord Sugar in the final reckoning. He was willing Helen to produce a stunning business idea, or even just a credible one, you felt if she had then even with the reservations she’d have been a shoe in. Not that she was the only one without a credible business plan.

The range of plans/businesses was revealed and disappointing was probably the easiest way to round them up. They ranged from Susan’s Skincare company to Jim’s e-learning entrepreneurial skills for schools.

Taking them individually, Susan’s plan involved the huge potential skincare market if she got it right, but with associated costs that would eat up the investment before it had time to breathe. Jim’s e-learning idea, cheekily branded AMsmart in line with Lord Sugars existing businesses, already exists and was in essence an idea non-profit business hastily given commercial figures. Helen disappointingly presented the equivalent of a virtual PA service that somehow was supposed to get the country back on its feet. Even winner Tom’s plan of ergonomic chairs and associated products was seriously flawed. Hugely disappointing all round and rightly all were pulled to pieces by what must be one of the most scary interview panels outside of the Den. In fact you got the feeling at one point that Lord Sugar was going to end the interviews and send all four over to the Dragons Den studio for a grilling in a BBC cross-show promotion.

Tom’s victory was down to two main attributes. He’s quite obviously a guy that Lord Sugar feels on a personal level he could work with. As I pointed out in a previous article, Sugar made most of his fortune in partnership with guys like Tom, and that was obviously a big draw for him, he knows how to handle this type of character. Secondly, Tom is a one-man ideas factory, it may take him 20 different ideas, but somewhere along the line Tom is going to hit on another massive idea and Lord Sugar wants to be there when it does. With his already established, but somewhat off-track, ‘Curved Nail file’ Sugar has a readymade product to start recouping his investment.

And so The Apprentice finishes for another series, we’ve had the usual mix of inflated egos, tears, tantrums and Top Hats. Only a few months until Junior Apprentice starts, and if that is anything like last year, those candidates will once again be putting their senior counterparts to shame.

Though certainly not this country’s entrepreneurial elite, this year’s batch of Apprentice candidates have made some great TV and been responsible (sometimes inadvertently) for some essential business lessons. We are left with the vision of a white coated Tom giggling away in a high-tech lab somewhere reaching for an emergency biscuit whilst creating the world’s first time machine using parts from a nodding dog, a top hat, nail file and travel clock. It’d be fun to be there don’t you think?

The PY's the limit! Apprentice Series 7 Episode 11

The un-official semi-final of this year’s series went off with a rather pleasant taste in the mouth. It was a fast food challenge, with each team coming up with a new fast food brand, menu and restaurant to wow a group of industry experts, and it proved a super episode.


Finally, yeah, Natasha, yeah went yeah and...aaarggghh I’ve annoyed myself again! Thank goodness the recruitment manager from Taunton was finally dismissed, though to be fair there was little chance of her reaching the final once Caracas went south. That’d be Caracas, as in the capital of Venezula, possibly discovered by the British explorer Christopher Columbus who was probably working alongside Shakespeare and Byron around the same time. All that was missing was to introduce the Columbus dish with...’just one more thing’ and the messy mixture would’ve been complete.

It should be said that the general knowledge mess-ups are certainly understandable, after all how many of us would have forgotten our own names after 11 weeks of living and working with this year’s candidates? It’s not surprising that for the third week running the candidate that has gone has been the one that has obviously run out of steam.

Just as with Zoe Beresford and Melody Hossaini before her, Natasha had the aura of a candidate who was gone before the task started. Match that to the fact that she was this tasks ‘Expert’ having a degree in Hospitality Management, (and her previous weeks poor performances) and she could’ve saved herself 48 hours of stress by catching a cab straight from the house. How she failed to grasp the task when she obviously has skills within the area was unforgivable so close to the final. Unforgivable, but pleasing all the same!

The dynamic duo Helen and Tom steered clear of the cheesy nacho regurgitation and instead hit on the impressive MYPY concept. Columbus rick aside, the clear direction, detailed costings plan and on-brief service made for a clear winner. MYPY was a genius concept, if a little Airline food looking in its delivery, but most importantly for a fast food restaurant, simple in its execution. In-store games within fast food outlets aren’t well known, but a little ‘I spy with my little PY’ could be a winner. Plus any food that can be served with gravy will always find a home in the glorious North of England so there’s a massive market ready-made. So glorious was the sight, seeing the ready-made meal in a crust served with lashing of the good stuff in the heart of the City, it was enough to make any Lancastrians heart flutter with pride. Oooo Northern Boys Love Gravy (*circa 2003 Soccer Am).

It was impressive all round from our second version of Beauty and Geek this series. The pair make an impressive double-act, so much so you wonder if Lord Sugar fancied calling this year a dead-heat and going into business with the pair of them. In a business such as fast food where organisation and detail is so important, Helen and Tom left nothing to chance and with Tom’s ideas and Helen’s organisation they could be an unstoppable combination.

So onto this year’s final, and we are left with the final four that doesn’t really hold any surprises. When Darth Norn/Jedi Jim strolled into the kitchen and asked ‘Did someone order a final four?’ I did hear someone shout ‘No Jim, I’m still waiting for my fajita’. It is Jim that is perhaps the most vulnerable of the remaining four despite being the best sales person left. You get the feeling that Lord Sugar is almost done with Jim. The same could be said of Tom with the number of losses he has been involved in. However, the big difference is Lord Sugar made his fortune working with people like Tom and you get the feeling his lordship is sizing up in his mind if he fancies one last crack at it with the loveable genius.

Helen, after a quiet start, has been awesome as the weeks have progressed. However, there is something missing with Helen that I can’t quite put my finger on. There is nothing wrong with reaching 30 without having started a business. After all some people just aren’t ready to and it’s admirable that she feels now is the time. There is just a feeling that she thinks she knows more about leading a new venture than the actual reality of doing so. But perhaps there is no better way to learn with the backing of Lord Sugar.

That leaves Snoozy Susie, Susan Ma. Possibly the Marmite candidate this year (you either love her or hate her), she is a hugely impressive individual. Not necessarily in each and every task, but just in how she has built her life, she has a real drive to achieve success. Indeed, the kind of drive that Lord Sugar himself is renowned for, and it could this that wins it for her. Much will depend on just how much time Lord Sugar is preparing to spend within each business and advising each candidate. If he wants to be quite hands on, Tom and Susan could be the kind of candidates he could work with. On the other hand, if he’s looking for no real input then Helen, and to a certain extent, Jim may be the preferred option.

The final featuring Daisy Communications Matt Riley and the return of Apprentice legend Margaret Mountford will see the candidates interviewed about their business plans. It is then we will get to know a little more about the kind of business Lord Sugar could be involved with.

It should be a cracking climax!

But what do you do? Apprentice Series 7 Episode 10

There was an air of excitement about the small figure stood in front of Tom this week. He was giddy with excitement looking at the merchandise pilled high in front of him. No not one of the young consumers Tom flogged patriotic nodding dogs to; I’m talking about Lord Sugar who was truly in his element at the start of this week’s task. You could see the former van trader practically leaping for joy as he outlined the stock selling task. The only thing missing was a yellow three wheel van power sliding through the warehouse doors.

With that picture firmly fixed in your mind, it was all the more shocking to see Snoozy Suzie sent to Knightsbridge to sell linen door to door. These are the kind of properties that sometimes won’t let number 1000 on The Sunday Times Rich List through the door to use the toilet, let alone a Croydon girl with handfuls of cheap polyester. But it was a sign of things to come from a Venture team led by the useless Natasha. Harsh for sure, but Lord Sugar’s disgust at their ‘win’ was followed by the removal of any winning treat. If she wasn’t sure before, the next time Natasha appears in the boardroom she’ll need to make sure her case is packed.

As much as it was a lucky win for Venture, it was not an unlucky loss for Logic, who under the leadership of Melody floundered under the weight of ego’s and coups. Undoubtedly the stars of the task were the two remaining boys, Tom and Jim, who on opposite teams, sold well. Meanwhile Melody hit several bum notes in failing to ‘smell what sells’ and opted to ignore Tom’s success whilst fighting off a power-drunk Helen hell bent on ‘saving’ the task. It was a poor move from Helen who got the wrong strategy on the task, and has seemingly hit on another poor one in her personal quest. Quite frankly the mere act of walking into a Pound Shop and trying to sell them watches at a trade price of £25 should be a firing offence on its own.

Melody Hossaini has not been the most tuneful of candidates, but, as with Zoe the previous week, she had an air of a candidate for whom the large lady was warming up her vocal chords. This was a real surprise from Melody who only weeks ago impressed Lord Sugar with her no nonsense one woman approach to the Paris task. It seems that rather than that being the start of her ascent to the top of Lord Sugar’s musical range, it was just a case of the triangle player getting over-excited and binging too early.

For far too much of the task both teams were guilty of chasing sales at any cost. They forgot the simple truth of sales that if you sell at a price above your costs you will make a profit. Spending 4 hours of an 8 hour selling window in the back of a cab getting stock to sell for peanuts isn’t going to make anyone any money.

It all proved a task too far for Melody who, though unfortunate to leave before Natasha, had to go having been given a couple of lives already.

All of which leaves a real rag tag bunch of Apprentice candidates in the final five, perhaps more so than any previous series.

How Natasha Scribbens is still among them is something I cannot fathom. She’s lived the kind of charmed life that makes you sure you must’ve missed an episode, either that or there’s more to her ‘yeahs’ than we think. Perhaps they are somehow managing to form a protective, Teflon coated, bubble around the girl keeping her immune from any downfall.

Tom Pellereau despite his obvious confidence floors elicits the kind of twinkle in Lord Sugars eyes that belies the insults flowing from the great man’s mouth. Sugar made his fortune working with people like Tom and even if Tom can’t see it, his Lordship is weighing up if he could do it again. “Jedi” Jim Eastwoood on the other hand, despite his excellent performance this week (and it could be argued, last week as well) looks like the type of candidate who is one slip up away from going. He’s going to have to be the top performer in every remaining task to stand a chance of being the last man standing.

Helen Milligan’s less than impressive task finally allowed us to see beyond the polished organiser from previous weeks, and I’m not sure there’s enough there to win it. Having a strategy and trying to plan is to be admired on such a chaotic task. But what’s more important is to get the right strategy and not just bang on about having a strategy when it was clearly flawed. Her attempted ‘kitchen coup’ underlined a feeling that Helen’s got a little bit drunk on previous weeks successes. Whether she heeds the warning she received in the boardroom will dictate if she stays until the end.

This leaves us with Suzie, the bambi to Jim’s Darth Norn. She divides opinion like no other candidate this year, and yet despite her annoying traits, time and time again she has got to the heart of the task quickly and understood what needs to happen. Ok, she’s often failed to push this through in the face of the strong personalities she is surrounded with, but she potentially has the kind of spark, enthusiasm and energy Lord Sugar is looking for. Whether he could work with her is an entirely different question, and one that may see her falling by the wayside before the end.

Who will win this year’s Apprentice? Let me know your thoughts and vote in the poll on this page.


Star of the Week: "Jedi" Jim Eastwood and Tom Pellereau joint winners this week, Jim showed his sales strengths and Tom stepped outside his comfort zone to sell, sell, sell.


Got Lucky: Natasha Scribbens. Saved again by being on the winning team. She's like Monty Pythons Black Knight and just won't go.

Heading for a Fall: Helen Louise Milligan.  Has she been found out?


For Twitter updates on The Apprentice don't forget to follow me @simonbrooke

Zo-go Zoe. Lego Apprentice Series 7 Episode 9

Soggy Biscuit Dunking. Apprentice Series 7 Episode 9

Right thought I’d set the scene on this week’s blog post for you. I’m sitting down in front of my laptop with a nicely steaming cup of coffee and the sun cracking t’flags outside. But wait, what’s this feeling? It’s overpowering my senses, I can’t concentrate, quite frankly I’m flagging and there is only one thing I need…an Emergency Biscuit. Yep, that will do the job. Phew crisis averted.

I don’t claim to be a playwright of any great repute, but I feel confident enough to say that my newly released ‘Emergency Biscuit Tragedy’ still sits slightly above the ‘Biscuit Lovers’ playlet dreamt up by Melody. Though I must confess I will be hard pressed to find a relationship as full of chemistry and connection as that of Beauty and the Geek; Melody and Tom. I’m thinking of casting Jeremy Clarkson and Germaine Greer.  The audience may even watch whilst eating Pop-biscuits, they are the new popcorn after all.

This week’s task was all about biscuits. Creating a new product and taking it to 3 sets of supermarket buyers to get onto the shelves and into the nations brews. As always with the Apprentice we had a twist in the boardroom, where yet again having seemingly gone off track with their ‘After School Treat’ that was for anytime, Team Venture pulled in a huge order from Asda (a new Apprentice record), and blasted Team Logic’s biscuit within a biscuit, BixMix, clean out of its digestive outer.

It was unfortunate for Team Logic as Venture had been less than impressive in the task from the first moment. As churlish as this may sound, Helen and Jim were probably two of the poorest performers this week, yet with a sidelined Natasha in tow, were able to persuade Asda of the potential of their product. How much different the final product, packaging and marketing would be if it was ever to hit the shelves will perhaps be the biggest example of Venture’s poor execution of a decent idea.

Having said all of that, it’s fair to say that Logic under Zoe’s robust stewardship really took the biscuit! Though we saw flashes of the feisty Cheshire girl’s management style, she had the air of a contestant who had perhaps had enough of the process. It was communication that really let her team down, and really brought home just how crucial it is across an organisation. I disagreed with Lord Sugar’s insistence that Zoe went to the production site; however she could’ve spent a great deal more time communicating with Melody and Tom in order to answer one question. Who are we aiming at? It was this that lay at the heart of their loss. Forget the bitching, playlet and politics, Logic lacked a clear target market and therefore production and sales/marketing had a complete disconnect.

Having learnt a little more about Zoe, it is clear to see just what Lord Sugar had seen in her. After all this was a woman who overcame two bouts of cancer in her late teens, she really was the kind of battler he loves. However, falling down on such a crucial element meant she was always likely to go this time.

Clear communication starts from the top of any organisation. Having a clear vision, moulded into a strategy and then followed down through the various functions is the best way for any company, whatever the size, to succeed. Even better, a fluid two-way process that allows this to be adjusted and take advantage of customer feedback and new markets is the standout feature of any successful business.

So we are left with Melody Hossaini, Susan Ma, Helen Louise Milligan, Natasha Scribbins, “Jedi” Jim and Tom Pellereau as the final six candidates and tasks running out fast. The unlikeliest winners out of that list probably include Natasha and Jim who have both faced Lord Sugars ire. The current standout would probably be Helen, though she still has an element of mystery surrounding her skills. Whatever the outcome over the next few episodes, it’s proving a difficult series to predict.


Star of the Week: Helen Louise Milligan. Granted it was Jedi Jim that 'won' the massive order, but Helen's management just pipped it.


Got Lucky: Natasha Scribbens.  Saved by being on the winning team. She'd have been dead in the water facing up to Jedi Jim and Helen in the boardroom having been sidelined by them.

Heading for a Fall: Tom Pellereau.  Unfortunately for 'Brains' he looks increasingly like a dead man walking.

For Twitter updates on The Apprentice don't forget to follow me @simonbrooke

Lego Apprentice Series 7 Episode 8

No Regret Rien - Apprentice Series 7 Episode 8

Fromage Frais, Chaise Longue, Petit Pois. By the standards of most of the Apprentice candidates who headed to Paris for the latest task, those six words mean I should probably change my name to Pierre.

It was an episode which saw the demise of a potential winner and the emergence of a killer queen in the shape of Melody who was anything but tuneful in her savagery. Dynamite with a laser beam she turned her attention quite squarely on Leon and Tom who were left reeling by her scary, yet somehow impressive display. Fair play to Melody who revelled in the task as a fluent French speaker, but went too far in alienating Leon, destroying Tom's strategy and hogging sales. But let's face it; this is the Apprentice not the real world, so she was probably toasted for her shameless performance with a glass of Moet and Chandon from a pretty cabinet. I'd get very worried if Melody was ever brought into translate on negotiations between two nations. Chances are if she took a dislike to you, you could very quickly find an admission that you were wrong, turning into an offer to 'step outside' and be none the wiser.

Tom continues to intrigue. For the first time he was forced to reveal his 'real life' track record in fighting against elimination. Having done so what was obvious was that, along with most of the other candidates, Tom's problem on this task was getting swept up by the fact they were in a foreign country rather than concentrating on the key aspects of engaging with buyers. It is a task he admits to doing regularly as part of his real life with buyers and suppliers across the Far East. The pressure of the Apprentice threw all these skills out of the window and he now risks being firmly in Lord Sugar's point of doom.

One candidate sure to divide opinion is bouncy Bambi, Susan. Now, since King Henry brought the Dauphin to his knees with a bunch of Robin Hood extras (yes I know) there has been a healthy rivalry with our friends across the channel (or la Manche - Pierre). Indeed it is fair to say that the banter is the basis of any Anglo-French meet. Susan took this to a whole new level, in her own way, in launching a series of bizarre statements including 'Do the French like their children?'. The look of disbelief on Karren Brady's face probably rivals many of Nick 'The Face' Hewer's very best.

Having ensured she is unlikely to gain any employment 'en France' any time soon, she should still be complimented on her performance in leading the team to a near record win. Helen again impressed with a massive order that rivalled Liz Locke's record breaking sale last year. She somehow remains difficult to back as a winner though, perhaps suffering from the bizarre scenario where she has yet to face the boardroom and show us who she is. It's not her fault though as she just keeps winning.

What was clear from this week’s Paris task was that when tasked with selling to buyers, be they foreign or domestic, having a clear plan and thoroughly researching the business you are sat in front of is essential. Test runs of products are all well and good and should be what you are aiming for, but insulting a buyer by offering an inappropriate amount is suicide. I'm sure no product developer reading this blog would dream of offering a business the size of Argos 10 units as a test quantity. That is the equivalent of what Logic offered the French powerhouse retailer La Redoute.

Believe it or not we only have four weeks left, so who is your money on?


Star of the Week: Helen Louise Milligan. Who else could it be with a sale as big as that.

Got Lucky: Tom Pellereau.  Got stitched up by Melody but should've been stronger.

Heading for a Fall: Helen Louise Milligan.  A record sale isn't enough to keep anyone in the Apprentice, just ask Liz Locke.  She needs to carry on her current upward trajectory or a nasty fall could happen.

For Twitter updates on The Apprentice don't forget to follow me @simonbrooke

Lego Apprentice Series 7 Episode 7

Hip to be Square Apprentice Series 7 Episode 7

Never let it be said that the Apprentice is all about the youngsters. These candidates fundamentally understand just how to engage with the old market, just as much as their own peers.


Who am I kidding, the ‘cream of UK business talent’ pulled a shocker of choices in this weeks task which was to create a brand new Freemium magazine and pitch to three of the countries largest media buying organisations to secure advertising revenue. In terms of the creative and pitching process it is one that I am very familiar with, and one thing I’ll always be an advocate of is not suppressing creative ideas. It is amazing sometime just where a seemingly weird idea (believe me some of them have been) will take you. Fundamentally however the key is to focus on the message and, more importantly, the market you are trying to reach.

This is the one and only reason why Natasha, yeah, led her team to a victory, yeah, even if yeah, her project manager skills yeah, had all the quality yeah of a pitch delivered word for word yeah in the way she talked yeah…grrrr I’ve irritated myself just writing it!

Her refusal to take the feedback from Tom, Helen and the group of burly if very well-behaved on camera student rugby players almost let her down. As did the out-dated Loaded-esq final product. But the fact that the largest media buyer had a client base that suited such a publication secured victory. Of course the fact that they understood the need to be flexible on the rate card cost helped massively.

Jedi Jim or Darth Norn Iron as he is now known missed this, which was as amazing as it was cringeworthy. How a supposed Sales expert got it so wrong says more about Jim’s real skills than his mouth would ever betray. Even without any clever TV editing any sales person worth their salt would’ve seen the change in atmosphere as Darth Norn told the media buyer that he wouldn’t negotiate on the rate card, not once but three times. He was lucky not to be hopping into the nearest TIE fighter, but it’s only a matter of time.

I can’t believe I’ve got this far into the article without any mention of the words ‘Hip’ and ‘Replacement’. I think that it’s because on some unconscious level I still can’t work out one thing…why!

Throughout Glenn’s one-man creative storm he got so carried away with comedy ‘old-people’ terms that he’d lost sight of what the magazine stood for. Feedback from the focus group gave some credence to Zoe’s throwaway ‘Hip Replacement’ idea, but a combination of translation and Darth Norn’s attempt at funking up the front cover meant it was a loser. Credit to Zoe though for understanding how the magazine should be pitched, just a shame the name left it looking decidedly bizarre.

The firing was a surprise more for the fact Darth Norn remained than Glenn being fired. The same charge could be levelled at Susan, but, despite her best efforts to irritate most, she perceptively picks up on the fundamental business points in the tasks. She just needs to learn to speak up a bit more before the event.

Lord Sugars rather unkind adage on firing Glenn that he’d ‘never met an engineer that was good at business’ will rankle with many. Though in his Lordships defence he loves engineers in general, especially those that helped him make his vast fortune. He obviously has a few scars.

So it was the engineer that left, with Bambi and Darth Norn heading back to the other candidates with their saving more a stay of execution than an indication of being potential winners.

Star of the Week: Tom Pellereau and Helen Louise Milligan.  Both picked up on the correct route for Covered but were ignored by the whirling Natasha


Got Lucky: Darth Norn - Jim.  Got it so wrong and his inability to sell will have him gone before long.

Heading for a Fall: Natasha Scribbins.  Yeah!

For Twitter updates on The Apprentice don't forget to follow me @simonbrooke

What a load of rubbish! Apprentice Series 7 Episode 6

Copper boilers, a builder that would put Del Boy to shame, and tears and tantrums, are there any more classic combinations for an Apprentice episode? Lord Sugar’s challenge of turning muck into brass (as long as it was copper) brought the first win for Team Logic and the loss of be-gloved Edna.

It was another task, as so many are, that was lost by Venture within the first throws. Zoe failed to see the merits in Susan’s spark of genius and was blown out of the water by a clever Logic move to not charge for waste removal and therefore win the three crucial commercial contracts. Less impressive was team Logics scout party led by Jedi Jim, the Norn Iron Obi Wan, and Tom berating hapless residents in their own homes in what must count as the most unlikely and scariest Rag and Bone combo since Darth Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin popped to Alderaan for spare parts (Star Wars references for those not quite as sad as me!). In fact I’m still not sure why Jedi Jim felt he had to use the PA, surely he could’ve just used his powers to make them answer the door – he obviously didn’t want to show off.

Enough Star Wars references, this was waste wars and it did show with some hard physical graft, just what it takes some new businesses to get off the ground.

Unless you are lucky, in the early days of a business there is no one else to pack the rubbish, drive the van, do the negotiation, clean up after and then arrive home tired, hungry and dirty and have the bookkeeping and administration to do before a couple of hours sleep and doing it all over again. It may have been rubbish, but it could well have been any kind of business you’d like to mention.

Getting new businesses off the ground is a hard and often lonely task, and sometimes the rewards for a day of graft are as little as £6. It is these times that you really need the support of a network of colleagues, contacts, friends and mentors – as well as advisors and dare I say bankers (something that seems to be severely lacking for many at the moment). It is this network of people that every new business owner needs (indeed every owner/entrepreneur regardless of their business) and sometimes cannot find.

Back to the episode, and leading team Logic, Helen was clever enough to realise that the risky strategy of not charging could secure the contracts and win the task. Though it is worth pointing out this wouldn’t have worked as a long term business strategy, this was about winning an Apprentice task, and so needs must.

I’ve mentioned Helen in my previous blogs only once, and that is mainly due to the fact that up until this episode she has been anonymous. Her calm organisational skills certainly helped in leading Logic to the win, however it should be said that even with three commercial contracts they did only win by £6. So Helen’s skills really do still remain a mystery. On the other hand, the ‘flaky’ (as she has been described by her teammates) Susan yet again hit on a winning idea, but didn’t have the force of will to push against the increasingly bullish Zoe (who survived the boardroom again, largely due to Lord Sugars desire to oust Edna).

Where did this all leave us? The list of potential fits with Lord Sugar looks to be heading along the lines of that in my previous blog, and as we see more of the candidates personality, the easier it is to see just who Lord Sugar could work with.

I get the impression that Lord Sugar has already separated the copper boilers from the steel baths that scrapheap is about to get a lot fuller.


Star of the Week: Tom Pellereau I don't think there has been an Apprentice candidate more happy to win a task.


Got Lucky: Zoe Beresford.  Does Lord Sugar have a soft spot for feisty Zoe, or has her choice of final 3 saved her.

Heading for a Fall: Helen Lousie Milligan. More as a question of whether she believes her own hype after what was a £6 win.

For Twitter updates on The Apprentice don't forget to follow me @simonbrooke

A Blueprint For the Future; Oldham Athletic and Business

A couple of years ago I approached the directors at Oldham Athletic, my club, to offer my marketing and sales skills particularly in the form of putting a strategic approach to improving the marketing of the club together.
Fair play to them they listened, had a meeting, and I heard no more - though as you may spot a few activities may just have been acted on.  In any case I thought I'd share with you the outline I gave them that day...

A Blueprint for the Future of Oldham Athletic; Marketing the Club


Undoubtedly, on-field performance has the biggest impact on every aspect of the club. However, the development of a clear, strong and imaginative marketing strategy is vital in lessening the reliance on such an uncontrollable element and reinvigorating the marketing of the club.

Vital to moving the strategy forward would be the internal audience being completely on board. If not, this will ensure that the project is doomed to fail.

Challenges – Where we are?

In many ways the club has reached a key point in all areas from the management and squad to the stadium. There is a curious contrasting feeling within a proportion of the supporter base between cautious excitement at the progress that has been made particularly over the past 3 years and a growing apathy at a perceived lack of success and ‘settling’ for what exists.

Taking the general points from recent debates within the fan base, there is a feeling that marketing initiatives have rather ground to a halt, and the club could be doing more to promote the club in the town. There is also a lack of regular contact with the core supporters. Yet, there is also an understanding that many previous initiatives have been extremely generous and the lack of their success is probably contributing to the current situation.

It is against this backdrop that the key challenges appear to be:

• To increase and maintain the average attendances

• To raise the profile of the club within the wider community/town/area and associated business community

• To create a buzz within the supporter base about the club

• To increase the communication with key ‘customers’.

The club already has a number of elements in its favour:

• A loyal core support

• Good routes of communication

• A product that has a generally widespread appeal

• Wide potential base for idea generation

• Teamcard and Ticketmaster systems demonstrate an willingness to embrace new technology

What is clear from a small amount of research is that there is a clear need to ‘do something’. However, a balance must be struck between the pressure from fans for short-term rewards and the business need to create long-term, sustainable results.

What is possible?

Over the past decade, a number of football league clubs have recognised the changing nature of football fans. The fans are increasingly becoming more fickle and they expect more from their clubs and rightly so. Clubs such as Norwich City, Ipswich Town and Charlton Athletic have all created long-term strategies aimed at creating sustainable off-field activities, all with good results. They have all underpinned these strategies with a CRM system which places data at the heart of decision making. This has to be the way forward for a club such as Oldham that needs to make cost-effective and targeted decisions/offers.

The key for any marketing initiatives in a service/entertainment industry is to generate immediate results, within a clearly defined longer term aim. For example, a £2 entry game can be underpinned by a data collection exercise which would then provide additional targets for later marketing activity including season ticket offers.

This is an example where an innovative and extremely generous initiative could have been enhanced with a more controlled long-term approach. Any initiative must be designed along the following steps:

1. Clear start and end

2. Value offering

3. Common purpose

4. Targeted

5. Measured and tested

6. Clear Steps

By setting out a clear strategy in how the club will move forward with its sales and marketing approach it will become easier to develop and assess new ideas/outlets as they inevitably occur.

Every business benefits most from marketing initiatives that are developed from a clear understanding of both their customers and non/potential customers.

Taking a Strategic Approach

What is a strategic approach:

1. Attract leads

2. Convert leads to first sale

3. Know our customers

4. Increase the value per sale

5. Create flow-on effect

6. Increase margins

7. Reputation / Brand

The key to any strategy is results.



Recommendations – What would a blank canvas approach look like?

A Strategic Approach – Overall Steps

1. Research exercise, including set up of key focus groups

2. Development of key strategy points

3. Feedback from focus groups on the strategic points

4. Develop the marketing strategy

5. Implement

It is clear that the club should work to a strategic plan for its off-field promotional activity. I would suggest that this is developed over a 3-5 year plan, with points included within this for review. The plan would be a long-term approach with various initiatives that place the key/loyal supporters at its centre. The best method to underpin such a strategy would be through a well developed database marketing approach. The club should give very strong thought to developing an efficient database system.

Research Exercise

The basis for the strategy should be a comprehensive consultation exercise with the existing fan base and wider town to both understand the needs and opinions of the existing/potential customers and open up a clear and structured line of communication. The research will have the benefit of:

• Providing input on supporter satisfaction with club facilities

• Understanding the fans’ views about the club and their relationship with it.

• Investigating season-ticket holding and ways of packaging membership to add value and increase uptake.

The research exercise should include the following groups:

• Season-ticket holders

• Fans groups

• Official fans forum

• Local businesses

• Non-Season ticket holders

• Non fans in the local area

• Non attending fans in the local area

A sample questionnaire is included at the end of this report.

Latics have excellent communication lines with fans through the website, OWTB forum and fans groups (Trust Oldham, OASA etc). However, the consultation must go further to encompass season ticket holders, regular and irregular attendees and former and non attendees. Targeted consultations can also be held with key groups such as businesses, community groups and public organisations.

Input would include all aspects of the club from pricing and communication to match day experiences and merchandising.

The questionnaire could be distributed via a number of different media including via the forums, on match days, the club shop/ticket office and even the Oldham Chronicle (perhaps by looking for sponsorship for the feature). By utilising a low-cost, online option such as Survey Monkey it would make it easier to gain the feedback. Some thoughts should be given to incentivising the return of questionnaires.

Key focus groups

To complement the questionnaire, it would be advisable to create a couple of focus groups to further discuss the issues under review. The groups should be split along the lines of season-ticket holders and potential season ticket holders.

Also, it will help to create a focus group of around 12-16 fans that is consulted on all the issues covered on an ongoing basis, for example every quarter. These should be a mix of season ticket holders and non-ticket holders/potential fans.

The research will identify a number of key points with regards to how best the club can develop initiatives that are both welcomed by fans and profitable, along with better informing general strategic approach of the club.

Such a research exercise can be combined with a review of existing customer data to begin the steps in building a database marketing system. The intention of this being to build a long-term picture of each individual that has an interaction with the club. This will allow the development of targeted offers aimed at increasing turnover from within the existing base and encouraging new ticket holders.


Key Targets and Possible Initiative Ideas


Season-Ticket Holders/Regulars/Best Spenders

As this group can be defined in many ways as the ‘most loyal’ supporters, it is a key group to involve in regular communication. As your best brand advocates, they provide a fantastic base with which to feed offers through.

Specific offers could be developed through collection of data, which would otherwise be loss leaders for other groups of fans eg:

• Regular communication both written, and quarterly fans meetings

• Birthday present of a free ticket to bring a friend/pint/pie

• Anniversary of their first season ticket, possibly a reduced price

• Thank you from the squad at the end of the season – email/card/letter

• Preview invitations to see the new kit before it goes on general sale (esp for those who are identified as regular spenders)

• Meet the new signings – again for most loyal especially relevant around pre-season before others get the chance to see them in action

• Golden Ticket – auto entry draw when you purchase a season ticket – get the full cost refunded if you win

• ‘Experience days’ for the loyalist fans, eg joining in training/footballer for the day/vip treatment

• Vouchers to encourage buying behaviour, eg for those who attend every game but don’t buy a pie/programme/spend in shop

• Vouchers as per Burnley FC promotion – especially relevant this season with the December schedule

• Joint offers with local businesses, eg we’re loyal to local business too

• Keep the other half happy, eg money off a bunch of flowers/bottle of wine/restaurant offer


Young Fans/Colleges/Schools

As the supporter of the future, they are a key target group for any long-term strategy. Latics have a great track record of servicing the younger fan base, in which Chaddy the Owl has become a major part. More could be done to build the special feel of belonging to the various Boundary Blues and Chaddy’s Gang groups. Data collection would also help to move the youngster through from junior tickets through to adult tickets, helping to pave the way for an intermediate ticket. By tracking the ages, intermediate tickets become easier to justify and service without the club suffering from potential ‘abuse’ of the system.

• Boundary Blues/Chaddy’s Gang own website, with forums, games and possibly a 2 games for £5 style offer

• Intermediate tickets covering university and college ages

• Direct promotion activity within colleges and university

• Creating mini-franchises in schools as part of their business training. They sell tickets/merchandise in schools to pupils taking a cut of the profits...running a proper business and promoting games in schools. This would work fantastically well as part of the community scheme.

Local Press/Media

Another key target should be to enhance the links with local media especially the Oldham Chronicle and they key effect that coverage across the sports pages and elsewhere in the title can have in winning over the community. It has felt at times that there is a lack of support from the Chronicle. Certainly it is a growing niggles with some fans that the two Manchester clubs appear to be getting more and more column inches. It is the club that are in a position to be able to make a difference on this.

• A dedicate section within the paper for community news/offers/promote upcoming game – perhaps with a co-sponsor to ensure paper is gaining some advertising revenue

• General shows/comments of support on various local issues/charitable causes


Local Council

The moves to ‘rebrand’ the town and the associated campaigns and investment, offer a huge opportunity for the club to place itself as a key player in helping the process/rebirth of the towns image. The new stadium planning situation could be turned into a positive in terms of a number of ‘open’ communication channels which now exist.

• Suggesting that the rebrand could involve the club – eg

ur Club l ur Town

I am Oldham (various media campaign featuring well know Oldhamers, along with residents eg. Chris Taylor)


Business Community

As business owners it is often difficult to see tangible benefits from general sponsorship activity of sports clubs. By having a good database marketing approach major/match sponsors could be given opportunities to communicate directly with the fan base. For example, an email newsletter sent either before or after the game to the fan base could have a mini-feature on the match sponsor. This immediately gives some more tangible incentive for sponsors.

• Have a presence at existing network events around the town

• Create the clubs own network events. These could differ from the norm by having a different member each week setting out what their business could do for Oldham Athletic. This makes their business more memorable by giving a practical example, creating a better core group. Sponsorship can be gained especially from local banks/solicitors who are very keen on these type of events

• Hold special meetings prior to games with a small drinks meeting prior to attending the game. This would work particularly well prior to evening games when it could be used as an excuse to leave the office early

• Develop a Presidents club/Platinum club (particularly with the new developments in mind). Allow an annual membership and limit numbers

• Targeted promotions to the fan base allow the offering of more cost-effective/higher value sponsorship deals

• A greater involvement with the local chambers/businesslink/enterprise centres –eg. East Lancashire has based their entire enterprise funding around the football clubs of Blackburn, Burnley and Accrington offering cheap office space and various start-up funding for businesses (LEGI funding)

• The new stadium developments could be placed at the centre of much of the activity eg. get in now and it will be cheaper when it is finished

• Use the data collected to identify those fans that are in decision making roles with their employers. Target these with specific hospitality offers and be proactive in meeting with them for their input

• Golf days / experience days

• Presentation evening pre-season for the presentation of squad shirts for shirt/major sponsors (paid event)

• Management in action eg. inviting managers from various businesses on non-match days for workshop/meet with our manager/director on running the club


Other General Suggestions

• Reinvigorate the stadium development excitement. Perhaps create a new website/micro-site showing the plans, updates on the progress, advertising for contractors

• Creating a car-share scheme – especially for those not able to attend/struggle to attend games or away games

• Town Centre shuttle bus prior and post match days – could be combined with...

• Match day promotion crew – in the town centre selling tickets with incentives to attend

• “Relive the Pinch Me Year’s” promotion – bring old memorabilia along to get it signed by old players. Make an event of it with games playing on screens

• Combined tickets/offers/events with other entertainment providers in town – eg his ‘n’ hers tickets for a day at the football and a night at the theatre, local restaurants.

• Football goes to the theatre – a full classic game replayed on a big screen at a local venue


The ideas outlined have been developed to fit within a long-term, sustained marketing approach. Conducting the survey would allow these ideas (and perhaps better ones) to be discussed and evaluated.

The majority of the ideas will require an intelligent database marketing system to gain the best benefit from them. The Teamcard system which the club has recently introduced has been combined with such a system to good effect by clubs such as Norwich and Ipswich.

Approaching your marketing from this long-term view, and gaining a very clear understanding of your supporters will benefit all aspects of the club. It may also go some way to contributing to the feel that the club really is progressing into a club for the 21st Century.


...so there you go. How was it?  I designed a whole questionnaire to be distributed, but that was another thing not acted on.  Football at the lower levels needs to be clever in marketing terms.  Battling against so many powerful and huge marketing machines in not only the Premier League clubs, but the Premier League itself and Sky and the FA who all benefit from massive interest in the Premier League clubs.  However, with some thought and a long-term plan stuck to whatever is happening on the pitch, it is possible to box clever.

Yet to Impress: The Apprentice Series 7

A quarter of the way through The Apprentice Series 7 and we are yet to see any real front runners.  Twitter favourite 'Jedi' Jim has certainly garnered favour as have two winning project managers - Melody and Susan in what has been a strong start from the girls.

Despite the fact the show is pre-recorded, the bookies have Jim and Melody as current leading contenders with Susan just behind.  Meanwhile Felicity and Edna have drifted firmly out to the back of the field. 

Who is your favourite to win?  Vote now in our poll and we'll see just how right you turn out to be...

The Apprentice Piece by Piece - Lego Style

Here are all 3 Apprentice episodes so far in all their Lego glory (spoilers included):

The Apprentice Series 7, Episode 3

The Apprentice Series 7, Episode 2

The Apprentice Series 7, Episode 1