tips for marketing

Here are 10 tips for a smaller business either to get started in marketing or to review what you are already doing and make improvements.

Tip 1: Look at what you are doing now

Start by looking at the marketing activities you use and the marketing skills you have. You are probably doing a lot of the right things already. However, you should:

• research what your market wants; where, when and why customers buy; what benefits they are seeking from your product or service; and what competitors are providing;
• decide on your objectives, identify and choose your target customer groups and position your business to serve your chosen market profitably;
• put the plan to work through selling and promoting your products and services to customers, through pricing and using appropriate distributors and agents effectively; and, finally,
• monitor the effectiveness of your marketing activities in terms of customer satisfaction and the impact on your bottom line.

Tip 2: Focus on the customer

Make the customer the focal point of everything the organisation does. Why? Because good, happy customers equal higher profits. If your team is too heavily sales or product oriented, consider a change of approach.

Tip 3: Set up an effective marketing team

In a customer-focussed organisation, marketing is something that everybody does - not just marketers. Everyone has a role to play, including:

• your managers - who plan and look to the future, allocate budgets for marketing activities and co-ordinate activities;
• your salesforce - who are the eyes and ears of the business and, through their frequent contact with your customers, can keep the business in tune with what the market is looking for;
• your marketing and communications staff - who develop and deliver marketing communications and support sales programmes as well as coming up with innovative new product/service ideas;
• your external marketing agencies and specialists - who are available to provide the occasional specialist support you need such as research, brochure design and printing, telemarketing or website development.

Good communication between all these groups is essential to good marketing. But two things, in particular, ensure success. Your business should be committed to its customers and ensures everyone pulls together to deliver high quality products and services on time, every time.

Tip 4: Divide your customers up into groups

Every customer is different so why treat them all the same? To start treating customers as individuals, look at how and when they buy. This will help to start putting them into groups and understanding the needs of each group. For example:

• High volume/high value buyers - place frequent large orders
• High volume/low value buyers - place frequent small orders
• Low volume/high value buyers - place occasional large orders
• Low volume/low value buyers - place occasional small orders

Groups of customers who have similar needs or who behave in a similar way are known in marketing as 'segments'. You will probably need to use different marketing techniques and approaches to reach different types of customer.

Tip 5: Identify customer benefits

Now you can identify why each customer segment buys your products and services and what 'benefits' they are seeking. This in turn will help you to target existing and new customers more effectively with specific products and services. As a result you can make better profits. For example, low volume/high value buyers may be more profitable for you than high volume/high value buyers who may continually squeeze you on price.

Tip 6: Decide how to deliver these benefits

You deliver benefits through what marketing people call the '"marketing mix". These are essentially the tools of the marketing trade. Your goal here is to define your "unique selling proposition" (USP) - something that truly sets you apart from your competitors.

The basic marketing mix consists of:

• Product - the goods and services you are offering, including packaging and service content, such as warranty, after sales.
• Price - what the customer pays. Remember that there are different types of prices such as list prices, discounted prices, and many different ways to arrive at prices. Price may be used to communicate the position and values of the product/service.
• Place - how and where the customer obtains the product/service. For example, a catalogue company may allow customers to buy through the catalogue itself, on the company's web page or through off-the-page advertising.
• Promotion - the means and mix of activities used to promote the product or service, for example, advertising, direct marketing, PR, exhibitions and trade shows.

But you should also consider the three extras:

• People - the people you employ and how they deal with your customers;
• Process - the way your business operates; and
• Physical evidence – the look of your premises, vehicles and the appearance of your staff. All can have an impact on how you are perceived.

It is usual to tailor the marketing mix to the needs of each segment.

Tip 7: Decide what and how to communicate

When you know who your audiences are and what they want, work out a message or messages to each customer segment. Since customers in each segment may want different benefits, the message to each segment may have to be adapted. The messages need to underline and explain the specific and relevant benefits that you can provide them. You can then decide the best way of communicating, whether it is through printed media, such as brochures, or electronic media, such as websites and email.

Tip 8: Make a marketing plan

Once you have made these key decisions, you have effectively developed a marketing strategy. Why not write it down? The plan may cover between 6 months to 5 years. Then you will have a document that explains what you are doing to anyone who needs to know. This includes your bank manager, external marketing agencies you use and new members to the team. It is a good idea at this early stage to involve members of the team who are going to be responsible for delivering the plan. The Chartered Institute of Marketing can help you devise your own marketing plan online.

Tip 9: Get on with it!

The marketing plan specifies what the marketing activities are, who is responsible for carrying them out and when. Now comes the time to get on and do it. Your role as a manager is to motivate your team and make sure you get the results you have planned for.

Tip 10: Measure and control

Your marketing plan gives you something to rate your performance on as you develop your business. For instance, if you spend money on advertising or PR, you can evaluate this against any increase - or decrease - in sales revenue, stock price or numbers of new customers contacting you. This will help you measure how effective your marketing activities are.

MARKTING TIPS

1. Of course we think this is the most important marketing tip of all. That's why we created Search engines.com. Stay up to date on search engine information and do what you can for a better ranking. This is how people find your site, so it's critical.
   
   
2. Send press releases to editors/writers and publications that are likely to be interested in your pitch. Write a newsworthy article, not an advertisement. Tailor your material for different audiences and increase your chances of publication. Above all, be short and to the point, and avoid factual, spelling or grammatical errors.
   Make sure that your site's content puts forth the image you want to present. A nicely designed website with useful, informative content is a great promotional ambassador.
   
   
3. Try to use a short domain name that relates to the site's purpose. Make it memorable and unique… after all… there are a lot of sites out there.
   
   
4. You don't have to update by the second but you should refresh your site's content as often as possible. Updating shows customers you are on top of things and helps your business appear current.
   Ask other webmasters to link to you. This will help your search engine rankings and create a strong company image as well as some traffic. Send emails only to webmasters with related content and personalize the message. If it appears that you are sending mass emails to random sites, this will be considered spam. You may need to offer a reciprocal link. Make sure the websites linking to you represent your company's ethics. You don't want to be associated with a site containing objectionable material. Don't forget to find out who's linking to your competition.
   
   
5. your usual (and maybe some unusual) methods of communication including stationary, business cards, invoices, faxes, etc.
   Try to register common misspellings of your domain as well as other top level domain extensions such as: .net. You may also want to register your domain for using national top level domains such as .co.UK.
   
   
6. Show your good side. Find out if your company donates money to a charity or participates in volunteer services. Involvement with education or the environment is an example. If so, describe this on your site. Don't make anything up.
   It pays off, whether you're doing marketing research or responding to a complaint. Honest and clear communication builds a strong reputation and good customer retention.
   
   
7. Nominate your website for web awards today! It doesn't have to be a big name website. If you win, (or even if you win 'runner-up,') post the news on your website. Aside from the promotion, chances are you'll gain an external link from the site that awarded you. Kill two birds with one stone; increase web traffic and gain recognition for your outstanding website!
   When you are deciding whether or not to make your site multilingual, first consider who your audience is.
   
   
8. aren't set it stone but make some good ones the first time. Spend a lot of time on both, and if you can afford professional advice, it's not a bad idea. In general, your logo and slogan should be on every page of your site. Consistency is everything.
   
   
9. Send emails only to those that opt-in.
   
   
10. if they are done right. Keep it short and sweet. Send the newsletters at consistent increments and make your material easy to understand. Try to make it viral by asking recipients to invite others to sign up.
    
    
11. Simple is best. Whether you choose company trivia or host a writing contest, make sure you set guidelines and post them on your site. Contests give customers another reason to return to your site.
    If possible (depending on your web host,) change 'file not found' messages to a friendly response that re-directs visitors to your home page.
    
    
12. other things. Not only can you attach your extension to customer email addresses (such as Matt @search engines.com) but you also give customers another reason to come back to your site to check their email.
    
    
13. At a time when online security is the main concern, show customers you care. Privacy statements let customers know what happens to the personal information they give to you. Make your privacy statement clear and concise, and then offer contact information should any confusion or disagreements arise. Employees should be made aware of the information in your company's privacy statement.
    Creating an FAQ section will save you time and energy and give your web users a quick response.
    
    
14. Register freebies at a "Free stuff" site. Look around on the Net for sites that promote free stuff. Contact these sites and offer some of your own promotional goodies.
    
    
15. Include your name and contact information. This will reinforce your company identity. It should be between four to six lines and provide basic information and your company's primary focus.
    
    
16. and concise writing is paramount to effective communication in your web content, press releases and newsletters. If needed…get help.

The mailer arrived on the desks of national TV journalists early this month. Inside was a large portfolio of artful black and white images with provocative captioning, the first in what is expected to be a number of promotional props aimed at hyping the still-in-development 13-episode hour-long Crash, Starz’s first-ever drama series based on the 2005 Academy Award-winning movie.

With Crash in its original series lineup, Starz is attempting to position itself as a real competitor to its larger premium rivals, HBO and Showtime, where hit shows like The Sopranos and Dexter, respectively, have added cachet to each brand and subscribers to their networks.

In spite of the now-settled Writers Guild of America strike, 2008 is shaping up to be a strong year of original programming for the premium networks.

These days, originals are particularly important to executives at premium networks because the business model they were founded upon, getting viewers to subscribe to watch movies uncensored and without commercial interruptions, fundamentally doesn’t exist anymore, according to Sacramento Bee TV critic Rick Kushman.

“People now get movies on demand and through Netflix and all kinds of other ways. Nobody is buying HBO so they can finally get to see the latest action flick or whatever it is,” Kushman said.

With the bar raised by such shows as HBO’s provocative Sex and the City and Showtime’s dark comedy Weeds, series development becomes even more challenging with each new season, Kushman said.

“Now we — as journalists and as viewers — expect good things out of them. We won’t settle for mediocrity out of HBO or even Showtime. They’ve positioned themselves as the Lexus and Mercedes of television, so now they’ve got to keep producing these really hot cars, and to a lesser extent Starz, which is just going to have problems getting noticed.”

CROWDED FIELD

HBO was the first network to prove that original programming could be done — and done well — on premium cable. Bolstered by great writers, complex stories and stellar performers, there were few — in broadcasting, as well as cable — that could top it.

But since then Sex and the City heroine Carrie Bradshaw has sauntered off into the proverbial sunset with Mr. Big and the lights went out on Tony Soprano & Co. Now, a growing crop of like-minded quality shows have begun springing up and garnering praise and eyeballs for pay-competitor Showtime, as well as basic players such as FX and AMC.

“Everyone is a competitor at this point—and you’re competing with not just other networks, but other platforms,” said Charlie Collier vice president and general manager of AMC.

“I’m just guessing that when HBO was out there on their own, there had to be a little bit of complacency that, 'Well we’re out there, were still ahead of the game, we’re not TV, we’re HBO, so we’re always going to win,’ ” USA president Bonnie Hammer said. “Complacency sets in really easily and I think when there are a whole lot of people competing for that gold ring, it puts people’s feet under the fire in a very positive way … I think it’s a real motivator for a team.”

TRANSCRIPT

Presentation

Operator

Greetings ladies and gentlemen and welcome to the Invasive Incorporated fourth quarter 2007 and year end earnings. At this time all participants are in a listen only mode. A brief question and answer session will follow the formal presentation. (Operator Instructions) As a reminder this conference is being recorded. It’s now my pleasure to introduce your host Mr. [Nick LDC] of the [inaudible] group. Thank you Mr. LDC you may begin.

[Nick LDC]

Welcome to the NuVasive fourth quarter earnings conference call. NuVasive senior management joining us on the call today will be Alex Lukianov, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer; Keith Valentine, President and Chief Operating Officer and Kevin O’Boyle, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. NuVasive cautions you that statements including in this conference call that are not a description of historical facts are forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors which if they do not materialize or prove correct could cause NuVasive’s results to differ materially from historical results or those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties that could cause actual growth and results to differ materially include but are not limited to the uncertain process of seeking regulatory approval or clearance for NuVasive’s product or devices including risks that such process could be significantly delayed, the uncertain process of administering a clinical trial such as that under way for NeoDisc, including the risk that the trial is delayed or products produces data suggesting that the device is not sufficiently safe or effective. The possibility that the FDA may require significant changes to NuVasive’s products or clinical study’s, the risk that products may not perform as intended and may therefore not achieve commercial success, the risk that the company’s financial projections may prove incorrect because of unexpected difficulty in generating sales or achieving anticipated profitability, the risk that competitors may develop superior products or may have a greater market position enabling more successfully commercialization, the risks that initial clinical data may call in to question the benefits of NuVasive’s products to patients, hospitals, surgeons and other risks and uncertainties more fully described in NuVasive’s press releases and periodic filings with the Securities & Exchange Commission. NuVasive’s public filings with the SEC are available at web. NuVasive assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances arising after the date on which it was made. With that I’d like to turn the call over to Alex Lukianov.

Alexis V. Lukianov

Thank you everyone for joining us this afternoon for our fourth quarter and year end 2007 call. During 2007 we accomplished a number of strategic milestones that drove our financial and market penetration success. Our exclusive sales force made progress with product penetration while at the same time winning new accounts in new geographies. We introduced several new products that meaningfully expanded our product breadth in the lumbar, thoracic and cervical areas of the spine. We continue to train surgeons on our unique XLIF procedure while expanding its clinical applications and we made progress on our motion preservation strategy with further enrollment in our NeoDisc pivotal trial and obtaining CE Mark for European distribution.

Before outlining our operation progress during the quarter let me take a moment to briefly review our strong financial performance in the fourth quarter and full year 2007. Revenue in the quarter increased 54% year-over-year to $47 million. On a sequential basis this represents a 22% quarterly increase. Full year 2007 revenue increased 57% to $154.3 million while delivering $0.11 of non-GAAP profitability. NuVasive has become a competitive force in the [Euless] spine market. We have developed the sales force, product breadth, differentiation, pipeline, reputation for strong service and market awareness that we believe will propel us to approximately 5% market share in 2008.

Let me take a few moments to outline what we accomplished and add some perspective on how we plan to reach $500 million in revenue over the next several years while advancing our culture of absolute responsiveness at cheetah speed and being easy to do biz, in other words being the easiest spine company to do business with. Our exclusive sales force ended the year at 230 people which was in line with our yearly guidance of growing the group by 10 to 15%. This dedicated team has driven our market share gains in two important ways: deeper NuVasive product penetration and developing a presence in new US geographies while delivering strong service to our customers. To drive our penetration further we have expanded the US market from five regions to 11, each led by a sales director thus allowing a greater focus across the US market and creating greater career growth opportunities for our sales force. This strategy allows us to drive deeper penetration per account and improve responsiveness to the development of new business in each area. Because our proven approach to growing our markets is time consuming we expect many of our real line territories to ramp up over the next few quarters as we grow beyond the initial key account phase. As a result we expect revenue growth in the first quarter of 2008 to be marginal as the sales directors acclimate to the new geographic break outs, target accounts and work to back fill their own positions with new area business managers and spine specialists to support our expansion. We believe this transition positions us solidly on track to achieve revenue and profitability guidance in 2008. Our experienced sales professionals continue to educate surgeon customers on how to incorporate the entire suite of NuVasive products into their practices across the lumbar, cervical and thoracic regions of the spine creating smaller geographic footprints in each division while growing our total sales force, once again, by approximately 15% annually will service to seed and expand our coverage where we historically have under penetrated or not even had a presence.

MARKITING NEWS

Consider the following facts about the tobacco industry:
- The industry has been found by a Federal judge to have manipulated the amount of nicotine delivered by its cigarettes to create and sustain addiction.1 At the same time, research indicates that nicotine is highly addictive.
- Research has shown that the tobacco industry “youth prevention” ads aimed at parents actually increased the likelihood that teens will smoke in the future
- Finally, according to the Federal Trade Commission, in 2005 the industry spent nearly 36 million dollars each day marketing its products in the U.S. alone.

The latest truth® campaign aims to shine a light on some of these activities and satirically point out some of the “hidden positives” associated with tobacco.

The “Sunny Side of truth®” television ads unfold in a way reminiscent of previous truth® ads – with young people on the streets doing real truth® stunts like gathering in front of tobacco industry headquarters buildings. But then the spots continue in a saccharin sweet, yet super-sarcastic fashion. When the young people consider a tobacco fact and the “sunny side” of Big Tobacco, a live singin’-and-dancin’ musical number breaks out. Despite the musical diversion, the ads remain gritty, real, and true to the campaign, delivering a strong anti-tobacco message or illuminating facts about tobacco.

In reality, there is no sunny side to the issue of tobacco use in America; more than 400,000 Americans die each year from tobacco-related diseases, specifically 45,000 African-Americans have lost their lives to tobacco use. The tobacco industry continues to use questionable practices in promoting and marketing its products despite these recent morbidity statistics.

On August 17th, 2006, in the Department of Justice’s racketeering case against the major tobacco companies, a federal court found that the tobacco industry was guilty of more than 50 years of racketeering and fraud in promoting its deadly products. More recently, in the spring of 2007, one company – R.J. Reynolds – introduced a new product called Camel No. 9, which featured slick black and fuchsia packaging and was heavily advertised in many publications that reach millions of young women. Despite the female-friendly packaging and placement in leading women’s fashion magazines, the tobacco industry maintained that Camel No. 9s were not designed for young women. In November 2007, R.J. Reynolds announced that in 2008, it would not spend money on print advertising, including the Camel No. 9 campaign. However, the product continues to be sold on store shelves and R.J. Reynolds will continue to devote resources to promoting the brand through “bar nights” and other activities.

The “Sunny Side of truth®” campaign will roll out the week of January 22, 2008 and run through the end of October 2008. In addition to national television and online advertising, a grant from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) will extend the campaign to smaller, rural markets that have high smoking rates and limited exposure to truth® ads. The CDC recently renewed a three-year $3.6 million matching grant that will allow for higher penetration of truth® ads in smaller television markets.

“With the Foundation continuing to face a decline in funding, our strategy is always to try and extend our resources as best we can while staying relevant with teens,” said Cheryl G. Healton, Dr. P.H., president and CEO of the American Legacy Foundation®. “Whether it’s by watching American Idol and High School Musical, or by tuning in to music on their I-Pods, we know this generation of teens is enthralled with singing and dancing. The ‘Sunny Side’ ads and their music, dancing, and animation are a terrific new approach for truth® to continue to engage teens and share important tobacco facts with them. ” Healton added that the campaign’s robust online presence – both through thetruth.com Web site and various truth® homepages on social networking sites, will also capitalize on music and animation to capture teens’ attention.

hree important words for women's fashion this spring are flirty, flowing and feminine. Colors are brighter, reflecting the true concept of spring. Dresses are more common this season, with a mix of sophistication, a hint of '80s retro and long, floaty maxis reminiscent of the '60s and '70s. According to Vogue magazine's 2008 Hotlist, "The ruff is the fashion detail of the season."

Some items to watch for in stores are light, roomy dresses - maxi or mini. The maxi dress continues its comeback from last year, given its versatility and popularity. The maxi dress - comfortable and easy to wear - makes a real statement this season in classy and casual styles with flowing drapes, pleats, ruffles and one-shoulder necklines. It looks like the thing to buy is dresses of any shape or form. Accessorizing is a must this season as well. Drawing attention to the waist is a big trend; belts are everywhere. Wearing headscarves and hippie chick headbands are still big. Safari-style white hats match the desert-inspired look, and large totes and oversized bags make a big fashion statement. "My favorite thing to wear in the spring is flowing skirts, vintage tops and strappy sandals," said Katie Barbaree, junior communication major.

Ford's new small car family will use the Fiesta name around the world, the company confirmed today.

Designed and developed in Europe for customers in Europe, Asia, South Africa, Australia and the Americas between 2008 and 2010, the new Fiesta is the first major product of Ford's new global product development process. This new small car keeps alive a name synonymous with more than 30 years of success and strong driving dynamics in Europe and is already well known in markets across Asia, Australia and South America. The Fiesta also was offered in the U.S. from 1978 to 1980.

"The new Ford Fiesta captures every aspect of what's defined Ford as a small-car leader in Europe and builds on it in terms of driving dynamics and design," said Mark Fields, president of the Americas, Ford Motor Company. "When it arrives in North America in 2010, the Ford Fiesta will set a new standard in the small car segment. Even before it arrives in this market, though, the new Fiesta demonstrates how leveraging our global strengths can yield attractive benefits for customers around the world."

The dynamic new look for this global family of small cars was previewed in three Ford Verve Concept vehicles which made their debuts at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2007, the Guangzhou Motor Show in November 2007 and the North American International Auto Show in January 2008.

In Europe, the new Fiesta will debut first in production guise at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show in March and will go on sale in fall 2008 in three- and five-door hatchback body styles. By 2010, the new Fiesta will be on sale in markets across Europe, Asia, South Africa, Australia and North America in a variety of regionally tailored models derived from a common platform.

"With the all-new Fiesta, we want to create a world standard for small car quality, design and comfort in a vehicle that is as exciting to drive as it is to look at. We believe this all-new model will attract a whole new generation of small car buyers, whether they are in Britain, Spain, China or California," said Alan Mulally, Ford Motor Company President and CEO. "The new Ford Fiesta will set the standard for delivering to our customers products they really want and value while taking advantage of our wonderful global resources."

The new Ford Fiesta brings the dynamic Verve Concept exterior and interior styling to production reality, demonstrating that small cars can be stylish, sophisticated and emotional. It rejects the notion that an affordable small car has to be a commodity.

The new Ford Fiesta also makes major strides in small car craftsmanship, quality of materials and product choice while continuing to represent traditional strengths of practicality, value for money, agility and safety. It also brings a host of big-car features to the small-car segment for the first time.

"The new Ford Fiesta is an example of how good a small car can be," said Jim Farley, Ford's group vice president, Marketing and Communications. "The Fiesta is great to look at, great to drive and it has quality you can see, feel and touch. It's going to be an important growth product for North America."

A key Ford Fiesta strength throughout its life has been its acclaimed driving quality, and the new model intends to uphold this reputation. Ford's dynamics engineers also worked hard to enhance Fiesta's ride comfort and isolate road, wind and powertrain noise from the cabin, and to give the new model an impressively quiet driving quality for a small car.The 29,000-square-foot store is not so different that you won't know you're in a Borders. But it's filled with new digital features unlike anything the $4.1 billion Ann Arbor-based bookseller has offered before - like a kiosk where customers can mix and burn CDs and a video conferencing device called the LongPen that lets an author sign a book electronically.

Alan Warren, The Ann Arbor NewsBorders new digital music center.

The store, in the Waters Place plaza near Kohl's in Pittsfield Township, is the first of 14 concept stores the struggling retailer will open this year. Borders is striving to restructure and brand itself as a center for "knowledge and entertainment," increase sales and differentiate its 520 U.S. stores from its chief rival, Barnes & Noble Inc.

Over the next three years, the nation's second largest bookseller will put concept model features in all its stores, including two in Ann Arbor.

"This has been in the works for quite a while ... we've kept this under wraps," George Jones, chief executive officer of Borders, said during a media preview of the store Wednesday. "We wanted to build something compelling enough to make a customer drive five or 10 minutes past a competitor's store to get here."

People

KENNETH Alexander has been formally appointed as the University of the West of Scotland’s secretary. Alexander, who was secretary of Bell College, has been secretary designate since the college merged with Paisley University last August. He is responsible for catering, estates and buildings, human resources, printing, procurement and student administration.

News

ONE of the largest centres for the study of medieval studies in the world will open at St Andrews today. The Institute of Mediaeval Studies, which brings together more than 30 staff, is a multidisciplinary centre that combines a wide range of approaches to the study of the medieval period. Staff and students from the fields of English, history, history of art, modern languages, philosophy, divinity and classics will be involved in research and teaching spanning the mediaeval world, from late antiquity to the 15th century.

LOCHEND Community High School in Glasgow, has won the John Thaw Foundation prize, set up in memory of the Inspector Morse actor. Two teachers and 16 pupils from the school will spend 18-22 February at Lumb Bank, Ted Hughes’ old home in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire. They will be taught by writers Celia Rees and Jonathan Falla, and Irish poet Leanne O’Sullivan.

THE Law Society of Scotland, the professional bodies for solicitors, is to sponsor a major chess championship for Scottish secondary schools. The Allegro Team Championship will take place at Perth Racecourse’s Nelson Stand on Sunday 17 February. Chess Scotland is organising the event for the society.

THE Hospitality Industry Trust (HIT) has more than doubled the number of scholarships it offers to the tourism, hospitality and catering industry. At HIT’s emerging talent conference in Edinburgh, the names of the 191 recipients were announced. The scholarships are aimed at employees and final year students, and provide work placements.

THE “xlerate with xl” programme, run by the Prince’s Trust Scotland, has succeeded in helping all the young people taking part in the scheme, according to independent research by Careers Scotland. The study found 100 per cent of young people taking part in the programme – which is aimed at underachievers, poor attendees or those at risk of exclusion – have stayed on at school or gone to college or university, voluntary work, employment or training.

Awards

WEST Lothian College has won prizes at the Scottish Further Education Unit Marketing Awards. Gill Currie, college marketing manager, took silver in the education marketing newcomer category, and the marketing team picked up bronze awards for its website, prospectus and integrated marketing campaign.

Events

LUMEN, a light show to complement science lessons, will be shown to S2 and S3 pupils in North Ayrshire. Dr Hannah Foreman and Christine Flynn will perform their show at the Metro in Saltcoats for Ardrossan, Garnock, Kilwinning and St Matthew’s academies on 18 February, and Auchenharvie, Greenwood, Kilwinning and Largs academies on 25 February.