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	MARKETING MIX– What mediums should you use? Good marketing, properly aimed, properly thought through and properly costed will always benefit a company. But many small and medium sized businesses (‘SMEs’), with time and budget constraints, often pay too little attention to this key business activity – in a competitive market place, doing nothing is not an option.We believe companies should use common sense when planning their marketing and their marketing communications. Our advice is to think about what you would like to do, budget carefully and measure the results. And as marketing communications is the side of marketing that everyone likes to have a hand in, here are a few pointers to getting the best out of your budget and your ideas.	Advertising Advertising can be very effective, but you must understand who reads the publica tions in which you plan to advertise – ask your customers what they read and forget any title which is the least bit dubious. When booking space, always ask for a discount Keep your ads as simple as possible – and plug the major benefits, not just the features. Press releases PR is a great way to build credibility because your announcement effectively has the backing of well known trade magazines. Remember, though, that editors want news that is relevant to them. Promotional literature Make your brochure a sales aid that helps you to sell when face to face with a prospect. Keep your literature simple but good looking and easy to read. Highlight all the benefits and use facts not filler. Colour printing is inexpensive and of extremely high quality these days, so don’t be stingy – your brochures should show your company in the best possible light. Photography It’s worth investing in good photography too – which can also be used in ads, PR, exhibitions, packaging and on your website for years to come. Sales letters Despite the emergence of electronic media, good sales letters can work – but, as with all forms of publicity, accurate targeting and relevance to the prospect is vital. How current is your database? Keep adding contacts and all prospects who are relevant – and mail them on a regular basis before they forget about you and go to your competitors. E-mail Great for short, sharp reminders of a special event or offer. Tying in with a conventional mailshot does wonders for response rates. Don't forget to include your full contact details! Newsletters Excellent for keeping in touch with customers, prospects, staff and distributors – but the emphasis must be on relevant news: relevant to the main audience you’re aiming at. Regularity of publication is important too – as is making it easy and attractive to read. Exhibitions/Trade shows Ideal for face-to-face meetings on a neutral territory, for finding new leads that can be difficult to flush out by more conventional methods and for letting customers and competitors know that your company is alive and well. Think hard about whether exhibiting will help to grow your business, over what timescale you can expect payback and whether some or all of the money that a show will cost could be better invested elsewhere. Review information on the audience of the show; and do go and look at potential exhibitions before you commit – it will be time well spent. Websites How important is having a website? Very. It’s expected of you in what is now a very computer literate marketplace. Websites can either be an electronic version of your brochure or a vehicle for buying direct. Both are fine and either can be right for your business. As with sales brochures, quality of presentation matters – your site should be fast to download, up to date, easy to read and navigate, with plenty of product benefits and useful information, including your full address details on every page. The golden rule is "Are we making it easy for the viewer?" And do promote your web address.