Hi Ann There's so many great suggestions here already I feel a bit lazy suggesting just the one - but to me the most important (and because I love all things brand related) and the one I'm going with is: P = Personal branding Cheers Lisa

Hi Ann I enjoyed the show this morning and agree with Garry that cash is the life blood of any business. In thinkng about other letters then I would add the following to the vibrant debate: D = develop - as in how to develop more sales to existing customers E = export - how to export for the first time F = Feedback - how to ensure you understand what your customers think of your service/products G = Growth - how to win new customers H = Health and Safety, of your Health - diet/exercise I = invoices and when to issue them and chase them J = Juggle, how do you keep all the balls in the air? K = keep, as in keeping existing customers loyal to your business/brand L = Logistics - how to deliver the product/service on time M = Manage your time/stress N = New business and how to win it - Grant Leboeff as a speaker? O = Opportunites and how to spot them, or Olympics and the opportunities and how to spot them? Touch of Ginger may be a good guest, or David Coulson from EEDA P = Price and how to pitch your price at the level which is right for the business and the customer, or P for Planning Q = Quality - how to maintain the quality of your product or service R = Review - how do you know how well your business is doing, what are your competitors doing? What new developments are coming into the marketplace? S = Selling your business, ie at retirement, and how to maximise its value.PEM as a speaker maybe? T = Twitter, and how to use this medium to benefit your business U = Unique, what is your USP V = Vision - why are you in business and where do you see your business going. W = Work Life Balance or Workforce X = Xport (if you go for a different E) - the main way the UK will get out of current mess. Or Xpand - how to expand your business and take next step up fixed costs Y = Yield, as in what is your return/margin, and therefore where is your break even point and do you know it? Z = Zeal, as in the importance of passion in everything you do, or for Zig Zigler and his motivational lessons in life. I was at a presentation this week, the speaker opened with advice, ABC then XYZ, Always Be Concise, and eXamine Your Zip! Ok enough letters now - I have enjoyed putting this message together. Regards Paul Shadbolt

I am a branding specialist so here are my A to Z of Branding Your Business for Success A. Accountability — apply it to your strategy, plan and execution by measuring and analyzing the results of your efforts. B. Budget realistically all resources including your own and staff’s time and training. C. Content designed to trigger the right emotional response in your customers D. Deliver what you promise! E. Email marketing—well-crafted content that is targeted, engaging, sharable and actionable F. Fans and Advocates — find them, nurture them and reward them G. Genuine, authentic, believable and well crafted content H. Hire professionals — get the best and brightest. I. Imagination and creativity—apply generously J. Jigsaw puzzle of interlocking pieces: sales, marketing, advertising, public relations, customer service — make sure they form the brand impression you intend. K. Keeping it real — Don’t BS, don’t lie and don’t pretend. L. Leads— find ALL the places where you can effectively interact with your sales’ funnel and do. M. Media mix— Combine all of these: Print, Digital, Video, Audio, Event and Social N. Nurture your networks—on and off line both business and personal O. Online presence—Manage by listening and contributing P. Perspective: Yours, Customers, Staff, Vendors, Media, Public — is your brand Q. Quality over quantity R. Retention—Know the cost of acquiring a customer and at minimum spend that to keep him or her. S. Social Media build and maintain hubs and outposts where your customers are. T. Touch points — know and manage every aspect that you conceivably can. U. User Interface —It takes a great deal of work and effort to be intuitively easy to use. V. Voice—Be natural and easy to understand by avoiding corporate and convoluted industry jargon. W. Word of Mouth (WOM) — harness the power X. X factor—be prepared for all of the unknown factors. Y. Your story— tell it in a memorable and persuasive way to achieve the right results. Z. Zealously promote — tell everyone.

A: Archive (well I am in the business) B: Back-up (ditto above) C: Commitment D: Determination E: Effort F: Focus G: Goals H: Humour I: Invincible J: Juggle K: Killer instinct L: Leap of faith M: Money N: Not taking no for an answer O: Opportunity P: Persistence Q: Qualify R: Resilience S: Savvy T: Thick Skinned U: Unflappable V: Victory W: Winning X: Xylophone (of course!) Y: Yearn for success Z: Zeal

Ayd, David, Gary Thanks for your comments, all of which are most welcome. I don't see anything negative there, just opinions - and valid ones at that. The truth is there are so many great suggestions that we're probably going to do more than one entry for each letter. We've started with the absolute essentials that every business needs to get right(even if some see them as necessary evils!) It will be fascinating to hear your comments on the interviews as they are aired. I can assure you David that I won't get hijacked by anyone but I haven't yet encountered a successful business that ignores the way its money is managed.

Would it not be better to review the a-z in retrospect once it's complete rather than jumping in with comments on just the first 3 letters?

I was about to say something similar to Ayd. Selling stuff profitably is what generates money. Don't get hijacked by the bean counters!

Ann, don't mean to be negative, but there's a theme to those choices. A is for counting money B is for storing money C is for moving money All important, but none of those GENERATE money. I wonder if D to Z will move in another direction.

Thanks for all your contributions! So far we've chosen: A for Accountant - how to choose the right one. Maxine Welford will be the first A-Z interviewee on Sunday 6th Feb. B for Banking with Paul Shadbolt of Lloyds/TSB talking about why your bank manager can be your business best friend. Paul will be on the show on Sunday 13th Feb C for Cashflow has a very important message from Garry Mumford on 20th Feb Please keep the ideas coming and comment on each interview as it happens on LinkedIn http://lnkd.in/4-WCph , on Twitter #bhub, or here!

B is for brand Smaller businesses seem to overlook the importance of their brand. They tend to think it's just for larger businesses. The secret is that it's the brand that helped those companies become bigger businesses...

Oh! And definitely N for Networking - one of the best ways to grow your business and receive essential support and encouragement. I wouldn't be without networking - in whatever form suits your personality and lifestyle the best!

Hi Ann, There should be something in there for design/print/promotion - either in D or P or somewhere quirky (G for Getting your message across?) As having the right look and feel for your business in terms of design and promotional materials is very important. Get it wrong and it can be bad for business, get it right and you can give yourself a great kick start - AND it doesn't have to be hugely expensive! :)

C - gotta be Cash Flow. All the things you do in your business can mean nothing if you do not manage the money so that it flows in to pay the bills as they fall due. If you dont use it in "C" then perhaps use it in "F" for Finances along with planning and recording. You need good financial information to make your business decisions. The money has to appear somewhere in this!

Here's my A-Z: Advice Basics Communication (or Collaboration) Diligence Engage Forecast Gut Feeling Humility Integrity Juggling Knowledge Life Marketing Networking Opportunities Passion Question Research Social Test Understanding Value Welfare eXperience Your story Zeal

C - Computers - essential for all businesses these days

D - Delegation. Contract out stuff to the experts, concentrate on your expertise. E - Elegance. If a solution to a problem is not elegant, it's unlikely to be the right solution.

U = Using LinkedIn and similar Media Networking. It seems to be second nature for most of your contributors, but that's not the case for all of us.

Attitude Be the best you can be Close the sale Delegate (and outsource!) Employment – don’t be afraid to employ staff when you’re ready Fair – be fair to everyone Grow as your business grows Health – look after yourself so you can look after your business Instinct – listen to it Joke around – don’t make it serious all the time Keep it simple (d’oh!) Let it go – know when something’s not worth pursuing Manage well, don’t dictate or abdicate responsibility Network – get your face known Offer to help whenever you can Personality Questions – keep asking them! Referrals – what goes around comes around Smile Tell it like it is Understand your market Value yourself Welcome others’ opinions Xpect the unexpected You – your best asset Zzzz – rest when you need to!

A - Action B - Build Relationships C - Communication D - Disaster Planning E - Efficiency F - Follow Up G - Goals (Big Hairy Ones!) H - Holiday I - Information J - Just Do It K - L - Love what you do! M - Meetings N - O - Opportunities / P - Passion / Personnel Q - Quirky R - Re Brand S - Sales T - Telephones U - Unconventional V - Visits Just a few for you.....

Thanks David - they're great ideas! Keep 'em coming!

Some of my ideas for topics are: A - Appointment Making C - Customers and Clients (of the ideal variety), Conversations (of the Sales ilk), Choices (for the customer), Commodity (how not to be one) I - Ideal Customers and Clients L - Lead Generation M - Marketing, and Marketing Messages P - Products (and Services) Portfolios, Pricing, Price Wars (How to not join in and still make sales) S - Sales (Techniques, Processes, Conversations), Selling (without Selling) Is this enough to get the ball rolling? David