Looking for new business? Don't call me

Planning your new business strategy for 2011? New research, carried out by integrated marketing agency, KISS Communications has revealed that email is the preferred method of communication when it comes to being approached by a third party. 48% of business professionals wished to be contacted via email, with 25% preferring direct marketing. The research which was carried out during January and February questioned over 100 professionals from a variety of sectors in the UK. Being called by telephone was obviously considered too intrusive, with just 20% saying they liked this approach. With 90 million users worldwide, LinkedIn has firmly established itself as an effective way of communicating with other professionals. 30% of business people admitted to using LinkedIn as a way of identifying business opportunities for their organisation. “It’s the perfect medium for lead generation,” says Justine Smith, PR Director at KISS Communications. “It’s a great way of getting back in touch with former colleagues and also offers lots of opportunities for introductions to new contacts through people in your own network.” The more traditional form of face to face networking, often a core part of a company’s new business generation, was met with mixed views according to KISS Communication’s research. Just over half (51%) felt networking offered limited value, with 4% going as far as to say it offered no value at all. However, 40% of professionals were more positive; believing meeting people at networking events was successful at lead generation. Voted as one of the top three marketing agencies in the East of England by Business Weekly, KISS Communications works with a mixture of Blue Chip, successful SMEs and interesting start ups, including Anglian Water, Bosch, Booking.com, Johnson Matthey, SISK and Plasti-kote, One Nucleus, Cambridge Past Present & Future, Balancing Blooms and Geomerics. The company provides advertising, design, branding, digital, exhibitions and public relations services. If your business would like to talk to Simon Fryer about how KISS Communications could help you in 2011 please contact him directly on simon@kisscom.co.uk