- "In the last 20 years our business has changed considerably…and as the focus of our business has changed, Bird Luckin have moved with us."
Alex Tanner, George Tanner (Shalford) Ltd - "Bird Luckin has looked after us incredibly well for over 60 years, they are pro-active and innovational - meeting all our needs to help us achieve our aims."
Richard Stubbings, Cliffords Limited - "I can honestly say that Bird Luckin are the best firm of accountants and auditors I have ever dealt with - and I don't say that lightly!"
Colin Webb, Walthamstow Stadium - "It's important for us to know that we will always be able to contact the right people to give us the right advice and support."
Jane Bennett, Bennetts Funeral Directors - "Although we deal mainly with one Partner … we also know that if we need to contact someone else who is a specialist in another area, we can get the advice we need quickly and easily"
Jeremy Ruggles, J.S. Wright & Sons Ltd - "Bird Luckin got us to a stage which would have taken us months - if not years - to reach on our own, and they got us there in a matter of weeks"
Matthew Sullivan, SNC Ltd - "You can be a good accountant, but if you don't have an understanding of the industry it can be very difficult. "There are two or three people we have regular contact with at Bird Luckin who know our business well, and it makes a difference.""
Robert Church, W A Church (Bures) Ltd - "The work which Bird Luckin has done for Boddingtons over the past few months has helped shape our future direction for the better."
John Warner, Chief Executive, Boddingtons Ltd - "Bird Luckin has acted for us since our inception 10 years ago. They have a very 'can do' yet highly professional attitude - we are very appreciative of their support and advice over the years."
Marlon Fox, Outlook Property Ltd
Direct marketing
Direct marketing involves targeting individuals, preferably by name, with information about your product or service. This can be achieved through mail shots (conventional and e-mail), telephone calls, door-to-door sales or face-to-face contact.
Mailshots can be an effective method of spreading your message, particularly if you already have a database of existing customers. Your mailshot might simply comprise your brochure or catalogue, a letter giving details of new products and offers, or a combination of the two.
Letters that begin 'Dear Client' or 'Dear Householder' smack of impersonality and will often be thrown away by the recipient, so where possible try to obtain the individuals' names and job titles.
The Royal Mail will be able to help you put together a mailshot for regional coverage, or if you are after a niche market, you might be able to buy a database of named contacts from a marketing agency. Most offer options for one-off use, yearlong lease, or outright purchase of targeted lists.
If you run a mailshot to an existing database, always personalise each letter using the mail merge facility on your computer system.
You can now use e-mailshots as well. The advantages of this method are that you can include a link to your website within the body of the message, and you can track responses by directing customers to a specific page and assessing the number of hits this page gets.
However, you must ensure that you comply with current legislation governing privacy and electronic communications. Companies must now secure the advance permission of the recipient before sending marketing e-mails and text messages to individuals, and must also obtain the agreement of the user before using internet tracking devices, or 'cookies'.