The pro.manchester SME club web site, content, e-mails are updated together with news of the "e-team" to work on the e-commerce, e-business, social media inclusion aspects of the programme. What's the Brain Mill project? Watch this space.

1. Monday, 23 May 2011

2. Wednesday, 1 June 2011

3. pro.manchester SME club
free advice to businesses in Greater Manchester and the North West
pro.manchester is the biggest advisory group in the North West. We are working with
the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and Manchester Solutions to launch SME club.
We want Greater Manchester to thrive as an economic region.
We are passionate about helping businesses grow and expand profitably.
pro.manchester SME club will offer free advice to businesses of whatever size in the region.
“As CEO of pro.manchester I am fortunate to have had lots of experience in business some good and at times some not so good. That is the nature of business.
I don’t care at what stage you are in your business life, start up, early stage, developing or large fully developed multi million, multi national, you never stop learning and
we can all use a useful reminder about the key dos and donts.” ‘SME club business class’
“It’s like flying across the Atlantic, it doesn’t matter how many times you have done it, you still need a checklist to make sure the cargo doors are shut and the landing
gear is up. pro.manchester will provide the checklists to make sure there are no gaping holes in key business plans.” ‘One thousand tips each year for free’
Sign up to SME Club business class and businesses and members will receive ten key tips on anything and everything once or twice a week from an extensive e-mail
programme. ‘SME club summit conference in 2012’
In the first year, executives in SME club will receive ONE THOUSAND TIPS to help run their business and IT’S FREE.
‘Great web site and e.mail programme’
For pro.manchester members, it’s a great chance to get your name in front of tens of thousands of businesses, offering advice and feed back to potential clients in the
years ahead. ‘On line podcasts and videos’
SME club will have an exciting web site which will archive material and a key e-mail and e-commerce programme to communicate with SME club executives. The web site
will provide podcasts and videos with great advice. ‘SME club summit planned for 2012’
In 2012 we are planning the pro.manchester SME club summit, a one day conference which will bring together pro.manchester and SME club members to exchange ideas
and develop ideas for the future. ‘Free web site makeover”
Every business needs a good web site, SME club members will have the chance to drive their web site into the SME Club service bay were ten specialist advisors in
e-.commerce, web design, key word strategy, Pay Per Click (PPC) , Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), e-mail lures, e-mail strategies, auto-responders, re marketing,
split testing, twitter, Facebook, IP and more will give your site a one day make over. The first TEN members of SME club will have this make over done for FREE.
Monday, 23 May 2011

4. pro.manchester SME club
free advice to businesses in Greater Manchester and the North West
pro.manchester is the biggest advisory group in the North West, and we are working with
the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and Manchester Solutions to launch SME club.
We want Greater Manchester to thrive as an economic region.
We are passionate about helping businesses grow and expand profitably.
We recognise the importance of SMEs to the economy and we want to assist businesses survive and thrive in challenging conditions. New start up businesses and
entrepreneurs need four essential components, a product champion, a sales performer, an e-commerce expert and a financial analyst. It is rare if not impossible for one
person to have all of these skills and abilities, which is where SME club can help out. As the business expands, entrepreneurs need to develop HR skills in team building
and management, employment regulation and litigation. At any stage, it’s never to early to brush up on business strategy and acquire the Business Strategy Tool Box, to
help you survive. ‘Great case studies brought to you’
Product Champion Sales Performer E-commerce Expert Financial Analyst
Key Success Factors Developing leads Web Site Design The perfect business plan
Constant Improvement Planning the call Key word strategy, Financial Analysis
Strategy Tool Box
Developing the USPs The perfect pitch Pay Per Click (PPC) , KPIs and HUDs
Avoiding the KVIs Better conversion Search Engine Optima Managing Cash flow Market Analysis
Pricing Strategies Getting to yes, e-mail lures Talking to your bank Market Research
Developing the brand Little words to listen e-mail strategies Access to finance Segmentation
Brand Integrity Techniques of the close auto-responders Funding Options Benchmarking
Crisis management Puppy dogs and pears re marketing Debt versus equity Market Forces (5)
Product Life Cycles Customer relationships split testing What is private equity? A Five D strategy
Gaining the high ground Recruitment pitfalls twitter What is venture Capital? Apple Case study
You are the expert Managing a team Understanding IP The perfect pitch for cash
The use of PR Understanding PR Facebook Contract Law HR Skills
Advertising Strategies Social Media strategies Commercial Law Legislation
Compliance Recruitment
Sharing the vision
SME Club master class SME Club master class SME Club master class SME Club master class
Building a team
‘Product ‘More sales ‘e-commerce ‘Finance for non Delegation Letting go
Champions’ in one day’ in a day’ financial managers’ Developing KPIs
Monday, 23 May 2011

5. Wednesday, 1 June 2011

6. This week in SME club, Top Ten Tips a successful e-mail strategy.
A successful e-mail strategy is key to maintaining regular contact with customers and future prospects. 8 Include a call to action
Last week we dealt with e-mail lures, traps and log ins to ensure you are maximising the opportunities It’s good to talk but even better to make a sale. Make sure you
to develop a successful mailing list, this week we are looking at email design strategies. include a “call to action”. Your customers have to understand what
you really want from them. So make sure you tell them.
1 Relevance
Make sure the headline offers relevance and is of interest to your customers and prospects. With 9 Mocial is the new buzz word
relevant content, pick up rates will be higher and you will have a better chance of developing a rapport Mobile Social Media is the new buzz. Check out the e-mail read on
and online dialogue with your target group. your phone or tablet device. Make sure it still makes for a good
read on the move. Equally make sure you offer links to your Web
2 Make Contact Quickly Site, Blog posts,Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook page in the
A successful Auto responder programme is essential to a successful e-business strategy. Make sure the communication.
first e-mails are trampolined to your customers and the auto follower sequence is in place.
10 Be polite
3 Time your delivery It is an intrusion into someone’s e-box after all. Regulations require
Most email software will be able to provide information on when your clients are “at their desk” or “in you offer an unsubscribe option. Make sure your auto-responder
their inbox”. The right day of the week and the right time of day will boost conversion success for your confirms the departure with a polite thank you.
campaigns.
4 Stage the e-mails
Identify the stages of the sale and conversion process and stage your e-mails as part of the automatic e-
mail programme. Some early research into buying patterns and behaviours will help you gain a valuable
insight into how your customers buy. Understand the phases of the sale process, prospecting,
interested, engaged, hot, tiring, lapsed, adios.
5 How often should I mail?
Don’t be afraid of e-mailing at least once a week if not more often. The key issue is relevance and
repetition. Monitor the bounce and unsubscribe ratios. If the rates start to rise, get the message
because your customers are not.
6 Plain Text or designed HTML?
Should you use plain text or designed HTML piece. The answer is to test both and split test to reveal
what is working for your own customer group. We have a preference for HTML but ensure the words
to visual ratio is high enough 75 : 25 is a useful guide.
7 Test, test and test again.
Use split testing on layout, design, messaging, frequency, e-mail lures, calls to action. It doesn’t matter if
it’s colour, text size or the header font, you have to keep trying different options to maximise success.
Thursday, 2 June 2011

7. 1 What we offer 1 Database 1 2
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Archives 2
denotes stage of build
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faqs
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Wednesday, 1 June 2011

8. The Biggest Advisory Group in the North West
Launches SME Club 2012
Free advice to SMEs in Greater Manchester
banking, legal, finance, accountancy, corporate finance, private equity,
venture capital, asset management, insurance, property, strategy,
advertising, marketing, research, PR, HR, architecture, surveying,
civil engineering, recruitment, personnel, head hunting, networking.
Monday, 23 May 2011