Business in Bath Catching Up with Mobile Technology

Here at Bath Business Web Ltd we are always keeping an eye on current trends and future developments on the Internet. We have recognised for a while that mobile technology has been pushing ahead at a rate which surpasses the best of human innovations

It’s hard to believe that it was only 2010 when we started buying tablets. Now we can easily do on tablets that we had been doing on laptops. Just as laptops were getting smaller and less bulky to carry around, the tablet comes along and makes those laptops seem rather prehistoric and cumbersome in a very short period of time.
 
By the end of this financial year it is expected that the sale of tablets in this country will outstrip that of the conventional desktop computer. Our trusty friend the mobile phone (less a phone now and more an interactive work and play station of immense variety) will also go forth and eventually outstrip sales of both these altogether. Last year well over 30 million phones were sold in the UK. It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to work out that is a huge number of potential customers surfing the Internet, looking for websites and information on these smart devices which they carry with them 24 hours a day.

 

Sales of tablets will eclipse that of PC’s and smartphones will outsell them all

 
Global sales of the personal computer (or desktop) has fallen for the fifth quarter in a row, making it the longest duration of decline in history. By 2017 it is predicted that PC’s will be only 5% of the smart connected device market. With tablets and smartphones growing to 16.5% and 70.1% respectfully.

This decline has been brought home to the everyday consumer in news bulletins, which tell us of the struggles of the big names in computer technology from the past. The household name of  Dell having to reinvent itself due to falling sales of PC’s. The once giant of business technology IBM selling off its PC business interests. As well as other such companies such as Lenovo and Hewlett Packard seeing sales of their conventional products at an all time low.
 
The research boys and girls at IDC (International Data Corporation to you and me) have come up with some interesting findings of the world’s markets in sales of PC’s and tablets.
 
What we know is that the mobile revolution is gaining momentum, rapidly. IDC predicts that the shipment of tablets will easily top those of desktop computers and laptops in the final quarter of this year. Overall PC shipments are still expected to surpass tablet shipments for the whole of 2013.  It expects that the competition between PC’s and tablets for overall sales will be done and dusted by the end of 2015 with tablets outstripping shipments of PC’s on an annual basis from thereon in.
 


Estimated Shipments for 2013

IDC predicts the forecasts sales for 2013 of desktops will be 134.4 million, laptops 180.9 million and tablets 227.3 million.

That represents a market share of 8.6% for desktops, 11.6% for laptops and 14.6% for tablets.

Not bad for a technological wonder which no one was using four years ago.

 

A worldwide increase in shipments of tablets and smartphones markets are showing early signs of saturation. This will bring down the price of the various devices, which will change things still further



Predicted Shipments for 2017

The growing popularity of tablets and smartphones has thrown the PC industry into its longest downturn on record.

The smart device industry is in a constant state of change and development.

Wise business owners need to keep up to maximise their own marketing and online advertising on the Web.  



The pace of the industry is rapidly changing. The smartphone market has seen touch screen and voice command mobiles coming in to their own. Which may explain why the 'once upon a time everybody wants one’ Blackberry, is diminishing the hold on the market it once had a year or two ago. Even the iPhone, as good as it may be, has plenty of competition with other similar smartphones snapping at its heels, which are often just as smart and often a fair bit cheaper.
 
So here’s a wee bit of advice from Bath Business Web Ltd to all you businessmen and businesswomen in Bath and the South West. If you have a website, web presence or you are advertising your business on the internet, then get good sound advice as to whether people will see it as it should be seen. Website Designers and Social Media Marketing in Bath
 
The change of consumer technology has meant that the visibility of a website (or many other marketing mediums on the Web) can be drastically be impeded by using a platform which was created to show off your website pages on a desktop PC (on a big screen).

There are many hundreds, if not thousands of pages on the Internet which are just not that efficient, easily browsed or even visible on either a tablet or smartphone. As a business person you will need to catch up and make changes to your Internet marketing. Because if you haven’t, then it is almost guaranteed your competitors have. Then they will have the edge over you and any potential customers looking at your Internet advertising will go to them. Why? Because you didn't keep up or take notice of the tide of change in technology.

Don't be PC. Be Smart!

Bingham

Blogger for Bath Business Web Ltd - Website Designers and Social Media Marketing in Bath

How is business productivity fairing through the hot summer weather?

Is it just me or did this recent hot weather take us by surprise?

Not because we don’t get it hot from time to time. But for the past few years it has been for the odd few days here and there, followed by a long period of wet, grey weather, even cold. So this extended period as far as I am concerned is wonderful.

I can sit in my garden, shaded under my apple tree with a glass of ice cold Robinsons Lemon Cordial (has to be Robinsons) and tap away my keyboard. However, I know that there are businesses out there for whom the hot weather may not necessarily do much to help their income.

We all the need to slow down a bit in the heat, but when it comes to retail sales it can energise a new lease of life. All those great summer clothes we have wanted to buy and have put off buying in previous years. They are worth buying now knowing we will get good use from them.

Garden centres took a battering over the winter and the long cold spring. Sales were down and the usual stock that would get people in the mood for summer was just not budging. Now lawn mowers, barbecues, charcoal, sun loungers, garden furniture, hose reels and water sprinklers are starting to move off the shelves at an ever increasing pace.

Mind you who wants to go shopping in this weather? Why not just go to the park, sunbathe, have a picnic or a trip to the seaside. As the BBC reports not everyone will be shopping for summer goods; 'Warm weather knocks High Street sales' 

Sales of cold drinks, chilled chocolate bars (which I hasten to add there is not enough shops doing that, thank you retailers), sports drinks, ice creams, strawberries and the like sell like hot cakes, or should that be chilled cakes. Ice cold Pimm’s, G&T’s and Lager straight from the fridge, Pinot Grigio (or whatever the latest white wine fad is). You get the picture.

Hospitality businesses in the South West have seen an increase too. Whether that’s restaurants, hotels, pubs or the local coffee house with an outside seating area. The pier at Weston and the seaside street traders are all reporting a surge in sales. Outside activity centres are also gaining from the summer sunshine. Tennis clubs, camping sites and high impact adventure centres start thriving as people are looking to be outside. Admission numbers to cricket matches have swelled as people are wanting to sup up the sun’s rays whilst indulging in a very British summer pastime.

Construction and building projects can benefit knowing that there is an extended dry spell. We have all seen those builders with tanned leather looking skin, shorts being held up by a builder’s belt full of tools and still wearing boots that only builders can buy. All looks rather ideal working conditions. However, the hot weather doesn’t always help our cool construction chaps. It may be surprising to learn that hot and dry weather can be a problem to many a building project.

Dry weather can cause the water in concrete and masonry to evaporate too fast, which in turn will produce a lower compressive strength. It can also cause rapid evaporation of moisture in masonry mortar causing the mortar to begin setting prematurely. If this happens then there may not be sufficient moisture to ensure the brick absorbs the mortar paste properly. This then reduces the bond strength between the mortar and the brick.

The weather can affect the application and performance of paint. Rapid evaporation prevents the paint from curing properly, possibly causing delamination, wrinkles, blisters, peeling, and cracking. Weather can and will make a difference to the resiliency of seals and sealants, resulting in a loss of elasticity. Loss of elasticity causes embrittlement (a loss of ductility of a material, making it brittle). So spare a thought for our building professionals because this dry spell can cause different problems to the cold weather of winter.

Over at the offices of Bath Business Web Ltd, they are hard at work designing, constructing and hosting the most superlative websites found in the South West. They are experts at knowing who is looking for what on Google and other such search engines. They realise that people in general are spending less time on their computers during the hot weather. But when they do what are they looking for?

Well one of the highest ranking hits on Google has been us Brits looking for anything to do with Barbecues. Recent research shows that in one month there were over 3,500 different search terms containing the word ‘bbq’. You can also gather that connected to this would be such as ‘gas bbq’ or ‘charcoal bbq’.

What the folks at BBW Ltd recognise is that there is definitely a seasonal change of search volumes for particular keywords, which of course affect the amount of visitors that Google bring to your business website. They know that for most businesses in the UK online traffic is highest from September through to the end of March and decreases during the spring and summer months.

Do you know how your website is doing over the summer? Have you noticed any change to the numbers of people visiting your website since we have had the hot weather? Do you know how to find out how many people visit your site?

Whatever your trade or business you need to understand your market and the people who will be looking for your products or services over the next few months. Make sure you get good sound advice and guidance on how to do this. Always make sure you choose an experienced professional web design and hosting company that will look after your business needs.

Typically, now I have written this the weather has changed lol. Saying that, sitting in my conservatory I can see blue sky is now starting to appear over the beautiful city of Bath.

Why not write to me and let me know how the summer is going for you……..

Bingham

Blogger for Bath Business Web Ltd

"What makes a good Sales Person?"

Lively and enthusiastic people sell
Confident people sell
Happy people sell   
Even cheeky people sell

A good product sells. But does a good product sell itself?

When you look at it, selling has more to do with the interaction of people than anything else.

How many times have you been into a shop and come across a sour faced, unenthused, even slightly rude shop assistant, not bothered to buy anything and vowed never to return.
 

What about the product? Do you have faith in your product?

Is there something about your product that you think is flawed or won't hold up to the scrutiny of the customer? Whatever you think about your product and regardless of any thoughts you may have, you need to first have confidence and certainty of your ability to sell. After all most sales people sell on behalf of someone else who has designed or developed the product. So your enthusiasm for selling something you may never want or own yourself has to be established in other ways.

How does the customer know it’s a good product to buy?

Well they don't. That is, unless someone they know recommends it. They have heard it’s the latest 'must have product' to own.They’ve seen it advertised. They have owned an older version of the same thing. Or the sales person makes them aware of how this product will enhance or benefit their life in some way.

So without the knowledge of what a product can or may do for a customer, they will always fall back to the sales person’s ability to make that product shine and be something they must buy, right now. Because if they don’t do it there and then, they are more likely to leave it and never give it a go. Which is why sales people sometimes come across as a bit pushy. Because they know that too and what they want to do is ‘close the deal’ and make that sale.
 

Always prepare yourself

When making a cold call or before speaking to a customer as they walk into your shop, remember to talk to them as if they are already a valued customer and they know you personally. Smile before you speak to them. Even if you are on the phone, especially if you’re on the phone and imagine they have been waiting for you to speak to them. A customer will know even with a phone call if you are smiling or not smiling. They can feel the difference! Remember, happy people sell.

Selling is a state of mind

This state of mind needs to say ‘I care for my customer’. If you care for your customers, then you will make them feel comfortable. So when you then ask probing questions, suggest the right products and justify those products  and handle objections confidently. Closing the deal will then be a lot easier.

Develop empathy

Put yourself in the customer's shoes and try to put forward a proposition that you yourself would like to receive. This requires focusing on your customer’s needs, not your own.

Quickly drop down barriers

Introduce yourself by name and occupation and explain what your job role involves. Then follow this up with: "My job is not to sell you anything (customer name), my job is to present you with financial solutions from which you can make an informed decision." A surprisingly simple yet a highly effective way to bring high customer resistance to a rapport building level.

Questions

The sales persons questioning should always be attempting to help the customer to understand and express what they need. This usually and naturally causes the customer to ask the seller if the solution can be provided, by the seller or their product.

Diagnose before you prescribe

Sales people should see themselves as problem solvers. To solve problems correctly they must first understand the nature of the problem they intend to solve. So if you’re selling websites, then how is it that by not having one there is a problem for the customer? Rather than,“you need a website in this day and age otherwise you’ll losing out.” Losing out how exactly?

Objection to the price

When a customer says to you, “I can't afford it.” Well maybe that’s just fair enough. After all you don't have access to their bank balance. So how about saying to them, “I am glad you said that. Some of my best customers said the same thing. Let me show you what I mean.” This enables you to get back into your sales pitch by giving examples of your happy customers following their purchase. It is a simple, effective and importantly non-confrontational way to get back into the pitch after a price objection.

Another way to deal with price objection is to ask the customer; “If we were the same price as (name another company’s product) would you buy from us?” When the customer says "yes" (which they normally do), ask why. They will then list all the USP's/benefits that sparked their interest in your product and you can explain that your price is what it is because of those benefits they just listed. For most people this convinces them of the value in your product.

Value for money

Everyone is looking for value for money. So how about offering two products together at an attractive price. This extends value to the customer and helps to reduce stocks of the slow-moving items.

Also toward the end of the sale focus on two or three options for the customer, instead of focusing purely on 'the sale'. Give the customer two options like “How about we look at option A or B for you today?” This way the customer's attention is drawn to two positive choices and not the 'whether or not to buy' aspect.

Closing the deal

When it is time to create a commitment from the customer and close that deal you can either ‘propose’ something or you can ask the customer ‘how they want to proceed’. If the customer is indecisive, use the ‘propose’ tactic. If the customer wants to take charge, ask ‘how they want to proceed’. Either way, you make it easy for the buyer to buy.

Your integrity as a sales person

Always do what you said you were going to! This will mark you out from many of your competitors from the start.

A successful sale is in your hands.
 

Bingham

Blogger for Bath Business Web Ltd