LIBRARY
Found something useful but can't remember where? No problem! Just browse and select from our list of articles and news items below.
Articles & Papers
One man and his brand
We look at three recent high profile examples to conclude that when your leader is a one-man brand, the balance between risk and reward is a fine one. Read...
Then There Were Three
FREE download of this Airline Business article in which top aviation editor Max Kingsley-Jones considers the threat of new market entrants to Airbus and Boeing's duopoly. Go to download...
Leadership in Marketing & Sales and Personal Development of the Team.
Our Competitive Excellence programme will help you and your business to:
- understand and reinforce your ability to compete successfully
- ensure continued success
- identify any critical areas for improvement
But success depends to a great extent on leadership and how you identify, recruit and develop your leadership team. This short article by Richard Jefferies focuses on a few vital issues for Marketing and Sales
Free download of Airline Business article here
Aerospace and Aviation markets flying East
We often hear that much of future World growth is expected to happen in Asia and in particular in China. This is true for population, wealth, demand and output. Achieving the Difference and Flightglobal’s Commercial Aircraft Fleet Forecast shows this to be true of passenger aircraft. Those involved in aerospace and aviation are increasingly looking to the East for customers and suppliers. More...
Competitive Excellence: your route to a world class business
The last few years have been tough for almost all businesses, your's included. You'll need to protect your market share and revenues because your competitors will be working hard to win over your customers to ensure their own success
You've probably looked long and hard at your fixed cost base and cut out what is not essential. Your variable costs have been reviewed in the light of retaining whatever profit you can. The result is that often costs have been cut back to the point that they still, but only just, support business as usual but, as economies move out of recession, are you sure you can respond to the changes and opportunities in the often restructured markets you now find yourself operating in? More...
Do you really understand your Customer Cycle?
It is not the employer who pays the wages. Employers only handle the money. It is the customer who pays the wages." Henry Ford
Whether you think of them as "Customers", "Clients" or "Guests" they are the heart of your business. They pay your wages and generate your profits.
Your customers have a life cycle of relationship with your organisation. They come in as new business and eventually remain as loyal advocate customers or leave because you can no longer fulfil their needs or you have disappointed them enough for them to sever the relationship....More...
This paper from Peter Roberts provides a quick guide to the art and science of developing successful brand names - there's a lot more to it than you might think. More...
Clive Lewis, Joint Managing Partner and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing has delivered on three supply chain projects recently. What is a marketer doing meddling with supply chain? This article explains why it makes sense and marketing input is crucial to successful supply chain development. More. ..
Brand New: why brands matter to consumers (beauty industry)
This paper by Managing Partner Peter Roberts was presented to The Society of Cosmetic Scientists at a meeting in Bristol on June 2nd 2009. In the paper, Peter looks at the role of brands and some of the challenges in managing them. There are frequent references to the beauty market, given the presentation audience. More...
When times are tough, it's time for marketing to get real
Clive Lewis, Joint Managing Partner, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and regular BBC Radio Gloucestershire business briefer explains how economic slow-down will sort those brands with real emotional content from those with hype. More...
Are YOU market-led? Try our '7Ps' test
A simple introduction to help you discover how marketing focused you are. More...
Professional services marketing - how to convert event delegates into clients
The corporate event, be it a lunch, seminar or dinner, is a recognised way of raising the profile of the professional services firm. Here we explore how to maximise return on investment and achieve measurable objectives. More...
Why you should marry your customers and not be content with flirting
Brands are all about relationships - chemistry, courtship and communications. We take a look at how building a brand relationship is like getting married. More...
Collaboration or Contraction? Lessons in supply chain development
As customers cut supplier numbers, do you want to be one of the winners? In his seminar at NW Manufacturing, 11th-12th June, Reebok Stadium, Bolton, Clive Lewis told manufacturers how teaming could help them to win more business, the common pitfalls to avoid in partnerships and how to make it work. More...
Collaboration - how far should you go?
In this paper, Clive Lewis explores the growth of relationships based on partnership, not ownership, which business guru Peter F. Drucker considered may be "the greatest change in the way business is being conducted." More…
Brand moves on... "What was it like for you?"
Exploring some emotional dimensions of branding. In this summary of a presentation we gave to the Gloucestershire branch of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, we ask the question: "What was it like for you?" More...
Some key principles of marketing communications
Where's the "Up" in "Start-Up"? You've started a new venture. You're sure that your idea is good and that customers have a need for your product or service. However, sales are not what you had hoped for by this stage. Never fear; there are some simple marketing communications principles which explain why it can take so long to achieve sales and give you some clear pointers about what you can do to fix it. More…
Cost-effective marketing in an economic slowdown
When economic growth slows, what's the point in wasting money on marketing when nobody can afford to buy? A good question. But the reality is that a slow-down is an opportunity for your marketing budget to make an even bigger difference to your longer term performance and help you beat your competitors. More…
ICT in Business Strategy - add value and reduce cost
Why the 'C' in ICT is a huge step forward for business strategy. You will no doubt have noticed that the IT industry has given itself an extra letter, a 'C', to become ICT. That 'C' stands for Communications and represents an important industry shift towards its customers. Information Technology is about technical features but 'Communication' is the benefit we seek. More…
Attention all owner-managers: do you think your company image is "just my logo?" Stop a moment! It's way more, and could be one of your greatest assets. Let's dispel a few myths. For a start, what's so difficult about company image? "I've got a great designer; we're working on a new logo right now, as a matter of fact. I'm going to re-brand the business! What? There's more to it than a new design?" More…
Valuing your good name - Part 1: The Benefits of Reputation
CEOs must be serious about branding, not cynical. You want to build the good name of your business, but how much time, effort and money should it take; and how do you avoid being 'slick and insincere'? What's more, how do you understand and evaluate the return you get? We tackle these tough questions in the first of 2 papers on brand value. Read 'The Benefits of Reputation' here…
Valuing your good name - Part 2: Putting Theory into Practice
Following our first paper on brand value, 'The Benefits of Reputation,' this 2nd paper looks at some simple things that any business can do to begin building a great reputation. More...
On-Line Marketing… It's Not Enough
On-Line Marketing… It's Not Enough. Making your introduction to the world in cyberspace is hard. The Internet is a demand-pull environment. If you are pushing, few are listening. Off-line techniques should be combined with on-line marketing to make it work well. More…
News & Views
up to 50% funded support for SME manufacturers
As a MAS registered consultants, we are able to make a simple referral to MAS on your behalf for up to 50% funding towards the cost of your next project that we deliver (grant value of £300 - £3000). This includes business strategy, sales growth and marketing strategy. more...
Get Your Business Focussed on Growth!
Three part strategy course for managers and business leaders delivered in partnership with WEAF
25th Jun 2013 - 9th Jul 2013 (08:00 - 12:30)
Location: WEAF Office, Clevedon, BS21 6UP
Focus on Growth: giving you the ability to develop business strategies and make them work
Get your business focussed on growth with this three part strategy course for managers and business leaders aspiring to lead strategy projects that result in agreed, market-facing business strategies that get delivered. more...
UKTI's 'Global Aerospace Outlook' identifies major opportunities for UK aerospace in international markets.
Clive Lewis, who analyses this data and facilitates development of the strategy presented the latest outlook at its formal launch at the UKTI Aerospace Xchange Event in London on 23rd April. more...
With the uncertain economic prospects in Europe and the US, many companies are looking to Asia for new business. This seminar provides an illuminating opportunity for any business that is aspiring to understand how the Asia market, in particular China and Hong Kong, operate. more...
How To Sell Your Business to The Public Sector
Richard Jefferies chairs the group leading the initiative in the Gloucestershire LEP for improving opportunities for local businesses to supply Procurement Bodies in the Public Sector. The group brings together Directors and Senior Staff from the public sector responsible for procurement and creating a series of events to better enable businesses in Gloucestershire to seize the opportunities for doing business with the Public sector. The next event, one of a series planned for 2013 is 26rth April. 9am o 1:30pm at Shire Hall, Westgate Street, Gloucester, GL1 2TG. The event is FREE more....
Growing Gloucestershire Conference 2013
Growing Gloucestershire 2013 is the seventh annual conference and will be held on the 12th June 2013 at the University of Gloucestershire.
The Growing Gloucestershire Conference provides a platform for sharing practical ideas and expertise to help Gloucestershire businesses of all sizes flourish and grow.
This year's theme is "Bringing you insight into ways to grow your business", focussing on:
• Money
• Marketing
• Management and Motivation
The one-day event enables small, medium or large businesses from all sectors of industry, to;
• Learn from Business Leaders - both local and global
• Meet experts from the leading Professional Bodies
• Update their knowledge on current practices and discover new ways of growing
• Network - meet and share ideas with other businesses
Achieving the Difference's own Richard Jefferies is a key member of the organising committee. It is sponsored by and part of Gloucestershire Professionals: a volunteer group where members of Professional Institutes in Gloucestershire come together to share business knowledge and news of events in the County and promote awareness of activity to the wider business community in the county...more
The Responsible Business Standard
Corporate Social Responsibility is no longer just for the large businesses but even the smallest local business can enhance and demonstrate its good business citizenship and, in so doing, enhance and grow customer base and improve efficiencies, save costs and, hence, improve profitability. more...
Richard Jefferies has now taken on the Chair of the BMG (Business Membership Group) of Gloucestershire LEP. The BMG brings together all the key professional associations, trade organisation, chambers of commerce and other groups representing businesses and business professionals active in Gloucestershire.
This means Richard also sits on the Business Advisory Group (BAG), a panel of business leaders that advises and is consulted on policy and initiatives for the Gloucestershire LEP an in its dealings with local and national government........ for more details click on this link to take you to the LEP web site.
Richard Jefferies returns to Achieving the Difference LLP®
Once again our clients can gain full benefit of Richard Jefferies's experience, wisdom, insights and drive.
Old friends and clients of Achieving the Difference LLP ® will know Richard as one of our founding Partners. You may recall that, in 2005, he and his wife, Dinah, moved to the beautiful mountains of the Sierra de Aracena in Spain. Richard still committed time to contributing to the running of Achieving the Difference LLP ® and into supporting a few selected client assignments but at a much lower level of involvement.
Richard and Dinah decided to base themselves back in the UK and, fortunately for us, for Richard to return to full involvement in Achieving the Difference LLP ®. More...
New series of workshops and business improvement programmes launched
If you want to significantly improve your business performance the Achieving the Difference team have developed a range of workshops and programmes to help you and your team deliver world class marketing & sales..
China aircraft fleet to boom over next two decades
China’s airline fleet is on course to hit more than 5,500 aircraft over the next 20 years according to early findings from a new fleet forecast being developed by Flightglobal in association with Achieving the Difference. More...
Is your marketing world class?
January 2010. We are delighted to announce that for future marketing audit work, we'll be using the European Foundation for Quality Management process survey tool, developed jointly with the blue chip giant Philips. More...
January 2010. We've been advising clients for years on protecting their brand names; now, we have the ® for ourselves. More...
Collaboration - how far should you go?
Collaboration - how far should you go? In this paper, Clive Lewis explores the growth of relationships based on partnership, not ownership, which business guru Peter F. Drucker considered may be "the greatest change in the way business is being conducted." More…
New website offers you more food for thought.
New website offers you more food for thought. We're delighted to open our virtual doors wider with a new, upgraded website that has lots more on offer for our current and potential clients. More…
Collaboration or Contradiction?
Collaborate to Win. This is the message Clive Lewis will deliver when he addresses delegates at the North West Manufacturing & Electronics Exhibition in June. More…
Smart Moves in Branding. We'll be speaking at 'Business Thursday' (www.businessthursday.com) on 22nd May on 'smart moves from a branding perspective.' Peter Roberts will present his shortlist to members from the CIM, GEN, IoD and Beacon SW. More…
Making your communications work smarter
We're spreading the word on Communications. As budgets get tighter, your marketing communications must get smarter. We've been explaining how, to the IoD and the Gloucestershire Media Group. More…