tip - Top ten marketing tips (in conjunction with Scottish Enterprise)   1. Integrate your marketing This means that all of your external communication should convey the same message and represent your companies’ proposition. Consistency equals professionalism. 2. Network Attend networking events looking for opportunities to promote your business. Ask questions, gather information and offer contacts and advice – people will remember you for it. 3. Develop customer centric relationships Take an interest in your customers / clients. Send them articles that you think would interest them. If you know of a event that your customer / client will celebrating send them an e-mail or card. They will recognise your thoughtfulness and think of you when they need your service. 4. Data Capture Use every opportunity to capture the data of potential customers and clients. Whether this is through a competition, a questionnaire or gathering this information via your website, make sure you get as many details as you can including postcodes and e-mail addresses. These details can be used to create invaluable customer databases. 5. Send out newsletters Newsletters are a great way to build up a following, sign up potential customers and provide people with a regular reminder about your services. Write a simple one page resource of news, advice and latest offers each month. Use it to build your reputation as a useful hub of up-to-date information. 6. Identify you target market Once you have identified your target market, you can tailor your marketing and PR activities to these groups, ensuring maximum impact. You will waste a lot of money and resources if you blindly target your promotions towards everyone and anyone. 7. Decide what and how to communicate When you know who your audiences are and what they want, work out a message and the best way to communicate it. The message needs to underline and explain the specific and relevant benefits of your company. You can then decide the best way of communicating, whether it is through printed media, such as brochures, or electronic media, such as websites and email. 8. Take Advantage of Testimonials Whenever an existing customer / client say anything positive about your company, ask them if you could use their statement in your marketing materials. Your company’s credibility will increase with use of testimonials from happy customers / clients. 9. Create a good quality website A good website can be you’re most powerful and effective marketing tool. It is almost always your first opportunity to impress potential customers / clients and will determine whether they take their interest any further. 10. Measure your success You must measure the success of your marketing and PR activities for instance, if you spend money on advertising or PR, you can evaluate this against any increase - or decrease - in sales revenue or numbers of new customers contacting you. This will help you measure how effective your marketing activities are and whether any changes are necessary.