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Roundabouts help. Cul-de-sacs do not
What sort of traffic junction are you?
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Keeping Up With The Jones’
Keeping up with the Jones', the Smiths' and just about everyone else who are moving and shaking in social media is a full time job.
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Training Conquers Worst Case Scenario’s
Thorough and professional training prepares you for the worst case scenario. In this case it relates to my other life in a Search and Rescue team. For… Read More ›
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State of the Nation - pick up general trends from your social networking
You have at your finger tips a host of trend information if you choose to look for it. Here are some ideas for places to start.
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More, More, More - It’s a Numbers Game
Wherever you look and no matter how you cut it, volume beats value every time
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More with Less on a Mountain Marathon
Lessons in doing more with less from a mountain marathon
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10% Could Be More Than You Think
I often wonder about 10% and just how much difference it could make with little effort
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Surfing is like… well… Surfing
There are many similarities between surfing the web and surfing waves but the times they are a changin'
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More with Less
How are the public sector going to do 'more with less'? Here's how we do it at Viper
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Communication Planning on the Casualty Set
Casualty provides a lesson in audience planning
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Adding Value to Press Call
I know I added value thanks to my background but I had to know when to keep quiet.
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The Magic Rule of Thirds
Sprinkling a little Viper Magic Dust onto your daily dose of social networking
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Second Life Poses More Questions Than Answers
A fascinating discussion ensued from a short digital marketing foray by Viper into Second Life
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Reducing Friction in Your Business
"I have yet to see a gravestone which said, 'I should have spent more time at work'. "
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O2 Arena Customer Journey
Enter stage right one of the best choreographed customer journey's I've experienced
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Too Much Information
Every waking moment of every day we are bombarded with information so getting your message through is your biggest challenge
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Make Hay Whilst The Sun Shines
The late Sir John Harvey Jones always said you improve things when all is going well.
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When is News News?
With realtime sharing of information across the globe the public may now feel there's no such thing as new news
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Top 10 Facilitation Tips
Some lesson's I've learnt to get the best out of a facilitation day
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Food for thought….Mailing Lists and Social Media
An interesting an event was held yesterday evening at eOffice in Bristol regarding the Digital Week seminars which are going on and there was plenty of… Read More ›
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Good Health in the Summer Sun
When the pressure's on and deadlines loom one thing you can easily forget is the impact on your health
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What’s the Best Way to Brand Bread?
I was asked to summarise in 30 seconds how best to brand bread. 20 seconds of jokes and 10 seconds of theory later...
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The view of Active Mendip from my Bike
I put it down to naive optimism: a little bit of preparation, a bit of confidence and ‘give-it-a-go’ attitude
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Corporate Social Responsibility Strikes… whenever
As BP are currently experiencing with the eyes of the world on them once again, the benefits of a solid CSR strategy can help an organisation out of a… Read More ›
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Customer Journey
What do your customers encounter on their journey through your service?
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Event Management = Interrupted Sleep
It's almost a given. If you manage events you resign yourself to waking up in the middle of the night thinking about things you might have forgotten Read More ›
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Busy Bee
A quick summary of what I am up to with my studies, and how I am managing my time around working full-time and studying for a professional diploma with… Read More ›
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If All Else Fails Then Just SOSTAC
SOSTAC is a simple yet effective 'back of a fag packet' approach to creating a plan
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Beating the Volcanic Wave
Is there anything we can take from the overland mini-adventure created by our Icelandic volcanic friend?
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Passion for Countryside Interpretation
Information delivered without passion is rarely memorable. This is my passion.
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Manifesto for Social Media
Manifesto for Social Media delivered to the Bath Business Show earlier today
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Finding Your Tipping Point
Tipping Point (physics) : the point at which an object is displaced from a state of stable equilibrium into a new, different state
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A busy week for ViperMusic
The end of last week kept us all busy with events on Thursday and Friday!
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Marketing Futurology: Emerging Themes
Having just returned from an enlightening day with a room full of post-Graduate Diploma delegates developing their assignments in Emerging Themes I felt… Read More ›
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What’s it like working in a paperless office?
A bit about the craziness of working for Viper and their brilliant environmental policy!!
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Enhancing Customer Relationships
It feels as though Customer Relationship Management (CRM) could now be redefined as Enhancing Customer Relationships (ECR) with the advent of successful… Read More ›
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Viper Environmental Policy
We thought we'd publish our environmental policy for you to read
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Just Say No
One of the hardest things to do in business and indeed in life, is to just say no
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One Size Won’t Fit All
The trouble with the innocent beanie hat is that it implies that products in one size can fit all. To be truly customer-focused you need to literally turn… Read More ›
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Marketing Voluntary Code of Practice
In addition to the typical Corporate Social Responsibility messages around which many large organisations base their marketing and communications come… Read More ›
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Website Analytics Explained
Web Analytics is the measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of Internet data for the purposes of understanding and optimizing Web usage. The successful… Read More ›
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Planning to go on an adventure?
After a weekend in the Brecon Beacons Jim has some advice
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Adventure Travel Live
Viper adventurer Jo Payne reflects on last weeks Adventure Travel Live show and the changing market.
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SouthWest Mountain Biking Set For Great Future
With millions of pounds in investment, a growing and dedicated riding community and access to some of the most beautiful countryside in England the mountain… Read More ›
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ViperMusic Sponsored Charity Event for FUZE’s Launch Night at Joe Public’s
Well, here's my first blog for Viper (better late than never)! As you can see in my biography I help out with various parts of Viper and support Jim and… Read More ›
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Telemarketing Rescues a Great Idea
Viper Marketing spotted a clear market opportunity for itself following successful projects completed with two new clients in the Outdoor Adventure Travel… Read More ›
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Apple iPad could offer step-change in digital marketing
The long awaited and launch of the Apple iPad could open up a whole range of exciting, and chargeable mobile content and marketing opportunities Read More ›
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The making of the VMCG.co.uk website
A video time lapse showing the development process for the vmcg.co.uk. This shows a glimpse into the processes used at Viper Creative when producing websites. Read More ›
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Active Year Ahead
Viper's Jim Hardcastle has another adventurous year planned.
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Viper Website 2010 - a new chapter
I find that each year when we do a refresh on the website it's a time for reflection and a time to think about the future. Well this time, for a number… Read More ›
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Focus Isn’t Always The Right Thing
Marketers and Managers are constantly advised to keep focused. Focused on strategy, focused on plans and focused on people. But every now and then perhaps… Read More ›
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A Digital Rural Future?
The Rural Services Network has just published it's Rural Manifesto including strong views on a digital future
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1SW Gearing up for New Year
A huge leap forward for the 1SW Project means we will start delivering adventurous off-road cycling infrastructure and promotion across the South West… Read More ›
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Outdoor Adventure 20 Years From Now
expect we’re all waiting for shiny new kit at the moment. New mountain bikes with 6in of bounce at the back (always room in the garage for another bike!),… Read More ›
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ViperMusic presents Miss Skarlet’s Album Launch
ViperMusic presents Miss Skarlet, Ryan Inglis and Mark Venus at The
Fleece, Bristol on 19 December 2009.
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World-Clas Off-Road Cycling Across The South West, Helped Viper
The South West is set to become a world class destination for adventurous off-road cycling. A total of £7.5m is being invested in developing the activity… Read More ›
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Four Ways That Augmented Reality Will Change The Countryside
There has always been a desire for the countryside to be free of clutter and man-made intrusions balanced against people's need for information about their… Read More ›
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Mendip Geopark?
European recognition for the Mendip Hills AONB – Geopark status? Viper Rural will be at an event on Thursday 19th November 2009 at Cheddar Caves and… Read More ›
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Will Rangers Stay Relevant
One of the most thought provoking images I created was a before and after shot of the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The before shot… Read More ›
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What’s Trending Where on Twitter?
As Twitter continues its rampant surge into the hearts and minds of marketers across the globe so predictably location now joins the exciting feature set… Read More ›
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iPhone Walking Guide
Found this great use of an iPhone that can lead you on a walk while feeding you info along the way. On this app it's climate change but the source information… Read More ›
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Commoditisation is Everywhere
Products, services, companies, brands and even people quickly become commodities in this ever changing and fast paced world we live in. At every turn we… Read More ›
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Digital Marketing Programme
There's a buzz in marketing circles this morning as Cambridge Marketing College launches its new Digital Marketing Programme through a website developed… Read More ›
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Rangers From The South West
Countryside Rangers from all four corners of the South West are converging (collective noun for a gathering of Rangers? A ramble of Rangers?) for the South… Read More ›
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Social Media: DON’T Just Do It!
The show of hands from today's Social Media Seminar at the Bristol Business Show was quite enlightening. 50 people present, 40 using Facebook, 30 using… Read More ›
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Future of Rural Asset Debate
This important event in the 2009 calendar is targeted at members of the local, regional and national policy and practice community with an interest in… Read More ›
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Got an iPhone? Try Marketing Apps
Marketing Apps on the Apple iPhone are the latest craze in keeping up to date with news, views and latest trends in the world of marketing. It’s simple,… Read More ›
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Best Way to Think About Your Website
A website has a permanent, full time, role in your business: many treat it as a self-contained project – with beginning, a middle and (even more worryingly)… Read More ›
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What is YOUR Occupassion?
Occupassion... there's an interesting concept as many of us start back after summer holidays. The beginning of September for many gives you that 'back… Read More ›
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Countryside Courses
We got fed up of driving 'up north' for our countryside training. So we've teamed up with Folly Farm.
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More Women Than Men Use Twitter
A major study on Twitter has revealed some surprising facts.
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Viper Blogs for Cambridge Marketing College
Not content with blogging for Viper, Neil Wilkins is now also blogging as a Lead Tutor for Cambridge Marketing College on their new Tutor Blog page. Read More ›
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The Future of Countryside Interpretation?
Point the camera on your smart phone at a round barrow, rock, nature reserve, woodland or any physical object in the countryside and floating on the screen… Read More ›
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Viper Rural
The Viper Rural Newsletter
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UK Search for ‘AONB’ is Down
Google Insights
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Summerzest
What a fantastic weekend Team Viper has enjoyed in a secret location deep in the French Alps, not just playing of course, but helping a fledgling all-inclusive… Read More ›
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Viper Autumn Training Courses
This Autumn we have the broadest range of day courses and residential training yet.
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Web Censorship Mash-Up
The Harvard University website is a great example of a ‘mash up’ allowing web users to post potentially censored sites around the world. Trends and… Read More ›
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Viper Leads New Digital Marketing Programme
The world of digital communications feels as if it's accelerating every year. First we had websites and email and then as bandwidth increased we saw video… Read More ›
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Special Insight into Rural Partners
If you're a rural organisation we've got vital information that could help you. Viper has gained a very special insight into how your partners are using… Read More ›
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Viper On a Bike
A more detailed look at the great connection Viper Marketing & Communications Group has with mountain bikes.
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Zambia: The Final Blog
The Hardcastle Family have returned! Actually we've been back for a few weeks now. Just a quick Blog to say thanks foryour interest and for helping us… Read More ›
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3G Coverage
The UK maps of 3G coverage were publish by Ofcom, the government's telecom watchdog. Third generation mobile broadband has been seen as one way of bringing… Read More ›
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Communications Project Management Training
We would like to invite you to our Communications Project Management Course on Thursday 9th July between 9.30am - 4.00pm.
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Developing a Business is Like Bringing up a Child
Developing a business is not unlike bringing up a child. When they are born there's this overwhelming feeling of protection and excitement coupled with… Read More ›
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T-Shirt Update
Why am I wearing more t-shirts with messages on these days? Is it because I work in communications now? When I was a teenager I always had t-shirts on… Read More ›
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Brackenburn Website Goes Live
We are delighted to launch the new Brackenburn website helping to showcase their sustainable biomass fuel products.
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Definitive Guide to Telemarketing
We have written and produced the Definitive Guide to Telemarketing for our client and partner Integrity Business Connections.
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Discover New Insights Into Your People
We are working with our friends at Zing to spread the word about a really powerful people development and/or recruitment tool called Discovery. This is… Read More ›
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Effective Pricing in a Recession
We spotted an excellent and thought provoking article in Management Today about how to price products and services effectively through a recession. Read More ›
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The Importance of Market Segmentation
We have been banging on for ages to our clients about the value of market segmentation, the breaking down of all possible customers and prospects into… Read More ›
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Online Social Networking - It doesn’t Bite
Finally it happened. Viper fully embraced the concept of Online Social Networking. Some of the team have been involved in the web since 1994. Yes really!… Read More ›
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CLIC24 2009 News Update
CLIC24 2009 is coming up and it's going to be a great year for the event. Live music, laid back atmosphere, campsite, top quality facilities and plenty… Read More ›
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1SW Off-Road Cycling Initiative
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Social Networking Delivers Real 24/7 Business
One of the key attractions of online social networking is that it allows individuals and organisations the opportunity to stay open for business twenty… Read More ›
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Interactive Page Turn Brochures
Becoming more popular by the day, interactive page turn brochures are ideal for presenting leaflets, portfolios and in fact most forms of traditional PDF… Read More ›
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7 Top Tips for Marketing in a Recession
A helpful guide to knowing the appropriate balance and tone of your messages in the recession.
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Tentpole Trails Trust
Twelve flipchart sheets and nearly 100 Post-its later the Trails Trust have a great foundation of a plan to take them to a national level. Read More ›
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Tentpole Trails Trust
Twelve flipchart sheets and nearly 100 Post-its later the Trails Trust have a great foundation of a plan to take them to a national level. Read More ›
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Delivering Dartmoor
Dartmoor National Park have set up a Delivery Board to put their Management Plan into practice.
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Roundabouts help. Cul-de-sacs do not
Keeping Up With The Jones’
Training Conquers Worst Case Scenario’s
