The Growing Business Handbook: Inspiration & Advice from Successful Entrepeneurs & Fast Growing UK Companies

335 Pages·2006·2.33 MB·English

by  Adam Jolly

GBH 8th FB 9/12/05 11:09 am Page 1
“Good advice on how to make a successful
small business into a larger one”
THE TIMES
RECOMMENDED BY
INSTITUTE OF DIRECTORS
growing
the
business
handbook
8th edition
inspiration & advice from successful
entrepreneurs & fast growing uk companies
adam jolly
consultant editor:
growing
the
business
handbook
Page deliberately blank.
growing
the
business
handbook
8th edition
inspiration & advice from successful
entrepreneurs & fast growing uk companies
adam jolly
consultant editor:
London and Philadelphia
This book has been endorsed by the Institute of Directors.
The endorsement is given to selected Kogan Page books which the IoD recognizes as being of specific
interest to its members and providing them with up-to-date, informative and practical resources for
creating business success. Kogan Page books endorsed by the IoD represent the most authoritative
guidance available on a wide range of subjects including management, finance, marketing, training
and HR.
The views expressed in this book are those of the author and are not necessarily the same as those of
the Institute of Directors.
Publisher’s note
Every possible effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this book is accurate at
the time of going to press, and the publishers and authors cannot accept responsibility for any errors or
omissions, however caused. No responsibility for loss or damage occasioned to any person acting, or
refraining from action, as a result of the material in this publication can be accepted by the editor, the
publisher or any of the authors.
First published by Kogan Page in 1997 as CBI Growing Business Handbook
Second edition 1999
Third edition 2000
Fourth edition published in 2001 as IOD Growing Business Handbook
Fifth edition 2002
Sixth edition 2003
Seventh edition published in 2004 as The Growing Business Handbook
Eighth edition 2006
Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as
permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, this publication may only be reproduced,
stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publishers,
or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms and licences issued by the
CLA. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside these terms should be sent to the publishers at the
undermentioned addresses:
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London N1 9JN Philadelphia PA 19147
United Kingdom USA
www.kogan-page.co.uk
© Kogan Page and individual contributors, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006
ISBN 0 7494 4424 X
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Date
The growing business handbook : inspiration and advice from successful
entrepreneurs and fast growing UK companies / [edited by] Adam
Jolly. – 8th ed.
p. cm.
ISBN 0-7494-4424-X
1. Success in business. 2. Management. I. Jolly, Adam.
HF5386.G787 2006
658--dc22
2005028463
Typeset by JS Typesetting Ltd, Porthcawl, Mid Glamorgan
Printed and bound in Great Britain by Cambridge University Press
Contents
Foreword xx
Part 1: Growth challenges
1.1 Planning for growth 3
Philip Verity, Head of Mid-Corporates, Mazars
Where are you? 3; Where do you want to be? 4; How do you get there? 4
1.2 Lessons of fast growth 7
Jan Hruska, Chief Executive, Sophos
The right DNA 8; Outbreaks 8; Brutal reality 8; Swallowed pride 8;
Short on space 9; Market entries 9; Growing instability 10
1.3 Entrepreneurial skills and behaviours 11
Ignacio de la Vega, Instituto de Empresa Business School
1.4 Prospects for growth 15
Dr Andrew McLaughlin, Chief Economist, and David Fenton, Economist,
The Royal Bank of Scotland Group
Overview 15; Reflections 15; Risks and challenges 18
1.5 Resilience for the growing business 20
Martin Savage, Principal Continuity Management Consultant,
Royal & SunAlliance
Part 2: Exploiting ideas
2.1 The innovative enterprise 27
Peter Ives, Business Dynamix
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_________________________________________________________ CONTENTS vii 
2.2 Innovation for SMEs 31
Lincoln Lewis, London Innovation
Smarter thinking 33; Know your market 33; Think about where your
business is going 34
2.3 A wealth in ideas 35
Jacqueline Needle, Beck Greener
Difficult and expensive? 37; Irrelevant for SMEs? 37; Are IP rights
difficult to enforce? 39
2.4 Building and managing an IP portfolio 41
Tessa Bucks and Kelly Virdee-Crofts, Boult Wade Tennant
How to start an IP portfolio 43; Building your portfolio 43; Wooing
inventors 43
Part 3: Customer service
3.1 Becoming customer friendly 49
Mark Bradley, Customer Service Network
Satisfaction? Is that the best you can do? 49; Don’t stifle complaints! 50;
Focus measurement on customer priorities 50; Treat employees as valued
customers 51; Let the team lead 51; Continuous improvement 52
3.2 The top 20 questions about customer service 54
Paul Cooper, Director, Institute of Customer Service
3.3 Creating customer focus 61
Ted Marra, Marra Quality Inc
Focus on change 63; The cat’s whiskers 63; The CRM bandwagon 64
Part 4: Gaining market share
4.1 Winning new business 71
Renee Botham, DMO
Trust 71; Personality 72; Price 72; Corporate pride 72; Preparing your
new business growth plan 73
4.2 Network marketing 75
Andy Lopata, Managing Director, BRE Networking
Pursue the relationship, not the sale 76; Getting to market 76; It’s not
what you know, it’s who you know. . . and who knows you! 77;
Working together 77; The networking network 78
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__________________________________________________________ CONTENTS ix 
4.3 Online ads bring quick results 81
Danny Meadows-Klue, Chief Executive, Interactive Advertising Bureau
(Europe)
Because this is where your customers are 83; Ten to 20 per cent of
media spend: a good start 83; Easy to buy 85; Web advertising 85;
Getting started with search 86; Takeaways 86
4.4 Search engine marketing 88
Phil Robinson, Clickthrough Marketing
Search marketing options 89; Offline marketing vs search marketing 91;
Key success factors 93
4.5 Events 97
Gill Troop, Managing Director, Cactus
Objectives 97; Types of events 97; Events: the benefits 98; Budget 98;
In-house or agency? 99; Checklist 99; Measuring success 100
4.6 Organizing a conference 101
Tony Rogers, British Association of Conference Destinations
Planning for your conference 101
4.7 Licensing 107
Robert Sales, Swindell & Pearson
Particular rights that might be licensed 108; What you should be
looking for in a licence 110; Summary – don’t miss out on a potential
bonus 111
4.8 The value of franchising 112
Johanna Roughley, British Franchise Association
4.9 High-level telemarketing 115
Niall Habba, Managing Director, Telemarketing Company
What’s the alternative? 116; What next? 118
Part 5: People and performance
5.1 High performance 123
Ali Gill, Getfeedback
High performance rules 123; Apply the four rules for success 126
5.2 Just-in-time talent 127
John Thomas, Professional Contractors Group
The benefits of using freelancers 129; Tax and employment status 130;
Raising the quality bar 130; Freelancers making their mark 131