Objective:MD

30/06/2025

*NEW* Mentoring for aspiring, and newly-promoted, marketing managers

Are any of these you?

➡️ Aspiring to become a marketing manager
➡️ Already a marketing manager but want to accelerate your development
➡️ Out of work and need to kick-start your career
➡️ A business owner whose marketing team is new and needs help to get up and running to contribute to the business?

In all cases, we can help.

Every mentoring plan is tailored to the needs of the individual or business. This includes the frequency of mentoring hours each week, what tasks are set between sessions and exactly what outcomes we’re aiming at.

Outcomes:

✅ Accelerate your job search
✅ Improve your ability to present and interview (all in a no-pressure environment)
✅ Setting yourself up for success in your new manager role
✅ Having the right attitude and approach
✅ Gaining credibility amongst your non-marketing colleagues
✅ How to recruit a team
✅ Managing the money
✅ Reporting and navigating the thorny issue of attribution
✅ More fulfilment day-to-day

Contact us today for more details and prices.

22/08/2024

A recent logo for Wynollins Paws & Pups 🐾, a Cocker Spaniel breeder in North Wales, UK.

The aim was for the logo to be distinctive, and have a traditional and rural feel. I wasn't concerned about reducing the logo down to as few marks as possible, which may have given it a corporate and modern feel. The circle is intended to hint at a "seal of approval", given Wynollins is a reputable breeder.

And yes, our family has a Cocker Spaniel (called Agnes) from Wynollins 😊

Find Wynollins Paws & Pups at: https://www.instagram.com/literary_house_cockers_wales/

31/03/2024

The world doesn’t wait around for you to be ready. If you can’t keep up with customers, their interest (and money) will drift away.

And if your time has been spent working hard on a long list of “must-do-now” tasks — especially if you’ve taken any heat from your spouse about working such long hours — it’s going to be a difficult pill to swallow.

If this is you, you’re certainly not alone.

Read more in the first comment.

13/03/2024

Kind words from a new client of Objective:MD - thank you Gareth Williams from Smell Away 👌

“I worked with Ken and Tom for about 10 years for a nationwide high street jewellery brand. We worked in different parts of the company. Ken was the marketing manager and Tom was the front-end web developer. Over the 10 years we worked there, we helped grow the company from £2 million turnover to £15 million.

“I was aware Ken and Tom had formed the business Objective:MD. Knowing their knowledge, skill and ability first hand, when I had growing pains in my manufacturing and ecommerce business I approached Ken and Tom with hope they would take Smell Away on as a client…

“They did!

“Early on Ken broke down clearly the steps that were needed to transform the Smell Away brand. These steps were customer analysis and surveying, competitor research, rebranding, modify our website and the company message.

“Ken presented a 2 hour PowerPoint on his findings. Ken’s research was mind blowing as to it’s depth and scope. I usually drop off to sleep during PowerPoints but when you have invested everything into your business you hang onto every word!

“The insight and recommendations Ken gave were extremely interesting, eye opening, revealed my current market positioning, who my customers were and what they thought of Smell Away.

“Going forward, we’re about to start the next phase which is a rebrand, changing the messaging, the look and feel, and navigation of our website.

“Communication with Ken and Tom is easy, fast, clear and precise.

“I feel humbled and privileged Objective:MD took me on as a client. I know with their marketing prowess will set Smell Away up for the big time. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Objective:MD to other business owners.”

Gareth Williams
Owner of Smell Away, the makers of an award-winning revolutionary smell removal and storage system for the home or business.

30/12/2023

5 recommendations for fitness and sports businesses looking to increase their take-home profit in 2024:

1) You need a larger client base. Gaining more customers can be expensive, but in the long run, it drives more profit. You're not going to grow much by selling more to your existing clients. You'll need a clear and achievable strategy to get there.

2) Use exceptional customer service – not low prices – to keep your customers happy. Price is usually secondary, at best. If you double-down on supporting your customers' emotional and mental needs as part of their overall health and fitness goals, you'll be surprised at how much they'll pay.

3) Build a recognisable brand. It’s important that you come to mind when a potential customer is thinking about purchasing a product or service similar to yours. Distinctive branding, plus consistent promotion over time, will help you get there.

4) Think beyond Facebook, Instagram and word-of-mouth to promote your business. There can be more effective - and less used - marketing channels out there for you.

5) Strategy comes first. It’s tempting to dive straight into tactics. If this is you, you need to exercise a bit of discipline. Strategy will make sure you point all of your time and money in the right direction in 2024.

https://objectivemd.co.uk/services/

26/10/2023

Client testimonial from NettyFitness, a fitness class instructor from North East Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿, specialising in yoga, Pilates, Zumba and body conditioning 💪

"After working with Ken from Objective MD, I would highly recommend his services to other Fitness businesses. Why? Because he is passionate about his business and your business.
“To help Ken with his research about my Business he attended my Fitness Classes and also followed my business on social media. With this in mind, Ken helped me understand what my customers truly valued about my Fitness classes — not just the physical side but also their mental health and wellbeing.

“I came away with plenty of ideas and a go-to, in-depth Strategy marketing file that I can always go back to and develop the way I market my business. Ken took the time out to explain all this too me and how to make things work.

“Everything was explained to me in an easy to understand method.

“I am 100% happy with the service that I received from Objective MD.”

20/10/2023

Client testimonial from Tom Carter,
owner of The Trainer Container, a sportswear retailer and official stockist of On®. Based in Meliden, Wales. www.thetrainercontainer.co.uk

“I met with Ken and Tom from Objective:MD to talk about expanding the reach of my running shop after they were recommended through a mutual contact. After the meeting, it was clear to see the value Ken and Tom could add to my business.

“We agreed to work on developing a strategy to support a gross profit target.

“The insights from Ken about how he has delivered on projects before was really helpful and the way the market research was presented was easy to follow and understand.

“I liked the short medium and long term plans that were developed, especially as it meant that I could start implementing the short term suggestions straight away.

“Communication was good and Ken was always available if I had any questions. And the final wrap-up meeting was a great way to discuss the outcomes of the research and the recommended strategy.

“I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Objective:MD to other business owners.”

25/09/2023

How to use exceptional service to keep customers happy (not discounts):

1. First, never assume discounting will keep your customers happy. You may be surprised how little price matters. Instead, first focus your efforts on delivering exceptional service.

2. Now ensure you have a really good understanding of the needs and motivations of your customers. A refresh of your thinking may be needed. Build up data on your customers and then identify the patterns. Consider running a survey.

3. Read ALL of your customer testimonials. Observe the themes and note them down.

4. Read the testimonials and reviews of your competitors (e.g. on Google, Feefo, Trustpilot, etc). Again, observe the trends and note them down.

5. Now put ALL of this data together. Themes should begin to become clear. These themes should give you a great starting point to come up with potential ideas on changes you can make to your business. Think EXCEPTIONAL. Don’t have the mentality of barely doing more than your competitors.

6. Some of the ideas may be unusual, and involve a lot of manual work until you build a process. If you’re unsure, run the idea past a few customers.

7. Don't forgot to deliver the "basics" of customer service. It’s surprising how the BASICS of customer service can set you apart from the competition – keeping customers informed, turning up on time, keeping your promises, selling the customer what they actually need not what you can get away with in the moment.

8. Avoid any temptation of the “hard sell” - forcing customers down a route that is not in their interest. They sense this a mile off and hate it.

23/09/2023

Customer service goals:

19/09/2023

If you can turn up on time, keep your promises, keep customers informed of what’s going on, listen to the customer – and do it all in a helpful and empathetic spirit – you’re winning against your competitors already, especially the large organisations.

And none of this typically costs much money. The cost is mainly your time and commitment to customers.

Send a message to learn more

15/09/2023

Gaining an objective understanding of your customers is a requirement of exceptional customer service.

Listening to customers is a fundamental requirement of exceptional customer service. Not making a bunch of assumptions that held true before the pandemic, but really listening to them now.

There are two aspects on this issue to contend with:

1) each individual customer is different, with their own needs and habits;
2) and at the same time, there are clear shifts in the habits and expectations from consumers in general.

You have to contend with both as a business owner, and assess the opportunities and threats. And ensure the business is adapting to them.

You also have to battle against the inevitable as a business owner: viewing your business as you wish it to be, not how your customers see it.

Objectivity is difficult, but necessary.

13/09/2023

It’s an obvious fact, but consumers really do value customer service.

We’ve got a real life example to share with you.

We recently worked with a sportswear retailer in North Wales and, as part of the project, asked the retailer’s customers what they liked about the store. The single biggest answer was: excellent or helpful customer service, at 26%.

“Friendly staff” came in at 17% and “going over-and-above” at 5%. The combined total of these three comes to 48%. That’s huge. And they’re all customer service related. For these customers, what sprung to mind – the thing they remembered – when thinking about the store, was the service they received.