A solid base of market research will set you in good stead and a sound understanding of marketing techniques will help you transmit that message in the right way.

Speaking to co-founder of XLN Telecom Anthony Karibian recently, we discussed the difficulties faced when trying to tap into your target market. ‘It’s very easy to launch a product for which you would be a likely customer,’ he explains. ‘But more often than not, you’re trying to sell something for which you’re not the target. This means really getting to grips with your clients and their needs.’

Too often people try to wing it and fail. Really you need to get your hands dirty, get on the phone and have a conversation with your clients – Would they be interested? How would they prefer to buy your product? It may sound very basic, but so often people neglect this simple step.

In terms of your marketing efforts, it isn’t just about cramming as much information in as possible; you need to select the most relevant titbits to grab your customers’ attention and, more importantly, hold it.