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Sales and marketing

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Latest on sales and marketing

Read our latest features and articles on sales and marketing.
The rise and rise of the portfolio career
  • Article
  • 18 Feb 2025
Looking to take more control of your career and work/life balance? It might be time to consider the growing throng of accountants embracing portfolio careers.
Tax sleuth Dan Neidle tops #ICAEWROAR X rankings
  • Article
  • 12 Dec 2024
The premier accountancy influencer on X, as ranked by #ICAEWROAR, explains why those professionals not making their voices heard on social media are missing a trick.
The new Code of Ethics: understanding professional behaviour
  • Article
  • 19 Nov 2024
As part of the updated Code of Ethics for 2025, the provision for professional behaviour has been reworded to reflect the modern world.
Trade: helping clients navigate export complexity
  • Article
  • 15 Nov 2024
Almost five years since Brexit and the complexities of EU trading are showing no sign of abating. With more regulation on the horizon, advisers may need to help clients with supply chain reviews to help them navigate complexities.
How to futureproof your business for international trade
  • Article
  • 14 Nov 2024
What are the critical considerations for building a firm base for future overseas trade? Charles Platts, Chair of ICAEW’s Global Trade Community, outlines the basics.
E-commerce ‘must be a priority in industrial strategy’
  • Article
  • 10 Sep 2024
A new report by the E-Commerce Trade Commission highlights three key opportunity areas the government should prioritise to stimulate growth as part of the industrial strategy to boost export growth for small businesses across the UK.
Read more

Topics in depth

Designer in studio small business
Brand management
Find out more about brand management, including developing a personal brand.
Woman with calculator
Marketing in a downturn
If the country you are based in is going through a downturn, ICAEW has a range of resources to help you successfully market your business in difficult economic times.
Man with calculator
Pricing
View our latest content on pricing.
Woman texting
Social media marketing
Find out how to use social media for marketing and publicity.

Reports

How directors might use social media
  • Report
  • 2020
This guide provides insight on how directors could start using social media to engage with all stakeholders and yield benefits. Social media attracts an enormous number of users, including company employees, suppliers, and existing and new customers.
Special report - Corporate image
  • Report
  • 2018
Developing and enhancing your branding as a business can greatly enhance your market presence, especially on-line. This report covers the most important aspects to bear in mind when developing a brand strategy.
Exclusive Special report - Pricing
  • Report
  • 2016
This report deals with the practical aspects of pricing strategy for products throughout their life cycle.
Exclusive KPI glossary
  • Helpsheets and support
  • 2013
A glossary of terms related to Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), divided into the major subject areas.
More reports

Webinars and recordings

Exploring export markets: Insights from Amazon, Orbex and Boden
  • Webinar
  • 15 Nov 2024
Join ICAEW's Global Trade Community for this free webinar exploring different routes to overseas markets, discussing the pros and cons of selling directly to customers or via online marketplaces. Hear from: Emma Dracup from Amazon, Charles Platts, CFO at space company Orbex and Paul O’Leary, NED at Boden.
Demystifying the CPTPP: Unlocking new trade potential
  • Webinar
  • 12 Nov 2024
The British Chambers of Commerce are hosting a free webinar aimed at UK traders looking to unlock new opportunities in the Asia-Pacific market. Hear from: Rob Cook, Deputy Director, CPTPP | Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations at Department for Business and Trade.
Marketing for Finance
  • Webinar
  • 08 Jul 2019
Marketing top tips for finance professionals.
How accountants can become digital leaders
  • Webinar
  • 19 Jun 2019
In this thought-provoking presentation, we will demystify how your future online customer is "thinking" and why every founder, business owner, and entrepreneur can digitally transform their sales and marketing using a proven methodology as a digital leader and utilise disruptive technology effectively.
Influencing and persuading – promoting your brand
  • Webinar
  • 15 May 2019
We all negotiate on a much more frequent basis than we realise and some of us are much better than others are winning the argument. David Gillespie, professional actor and coach, brings some practical tips in how to persuade people and better negotiate in this punchy twenty minute webinar.
Hidden value Customer engagement
  • Webinar
  • 06 Jun 2017
This webinar will show how you can stand out from the crowd and build solid partnerships with your stakeholders.
More webinars

eBooks

The ICAEW Library & Information Service provides full text access to a selection of key business and reference eBooks from leading publishers. eBooks are available to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users. If you are unable to access an eBook, please see our Help and support advice or contact library@icaew.com.

Exclusive Advising the wealthy client: a handbook for working with the ultra wealthy
  • eBook
  • 2020
  • Barbara R. Hauser
  • Globe Law and Business Ltd
Countries are racing to disclose bank accounts to garner more tax income from the ultra wealthy and the politics of being in the “1% club” are not always positive. Yet these are important clients with important needs.
Exclusive Financial Times guide to business start up 2017/18
  • eBook
  • 2016
  • Sara Williams
  • FT Publishing International
Startup guide for entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Exclusive Professional services marketing: how the best firms build premier brands, thriving lead generation engines, and cultures of business development success
  • eBook
  • 2013
  • Mike Schultz, John Doerr
  • John Wiley and Sons
Guide to marketing from a US perspective.
Exclusive MicroDomination: how to leverage social media and content marketing to build a mini-business empire around your personal brand
  • eBook
  • 2013
  • Trevor Young
  • John Wiley and Sons
Social media marketing for entrepreneurs.
Exclusive How to write a marketing plan
  • eBook
  • 2013
  • John Westwood
  • Kogan Page
Study guide for group marketing planning exercises.
Exclusive Marketing manifesto, The
  • eBook
  • 2013
  • David J. Hood
  • Kogan Page
Step-by-step guide to creating a successful marketing strategy.
Terms of use

You are permitted to access, download, copy, or print out content from eBooks for your own research or study only, subject to the terms of use set by our suppliers and any restrictions imposed by individual publishers. Please see individual supplier pages for full terms of use.

More eBooks

Business press

The ICAEW Library provides access to leading business, finance and management journals. These journals are available to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users subject to suppliers' terms of use.
Exclusive Nicknames harm brand performance
  • Article
  • 13 Feb 2025
Research indicates that adopting customer-created nicknames like "Caddy" or "Wally World" may weaken a brand's image and lead to lower sales.
Exclusive A better way to link sales and marketing
  • Article
  • 01 Nov 2024
  • Prabhakant Sinha, Arun Shastri, Sally Lorimer
This article explores how a digital customer hub — a centralised platform that integrates data from various systems — can enable customer-facing teams to easily access real-time insights, work smarter, and deliver a personalised experience.
Exclusive Watch your language
  • Article
  • 01 Nov 2024
  • William Seidel
William Seidel warns that whilst a catchy name or slogan can enhance marketing, branding and sales, it might also confuse or offend.
Exclusive How AI can power brand management
  • Article
  • 01 Sep 2024
  • Julian De Freitas, Elie Ofek
This article examines AI’s emerging role in brand management. Using case studies, it presents a framework for leveraging AI to shape brand perception, enhance customer interactions, and automate creative tasks.
Exclusive Shoppers are still buying - Just not what you’re selling
  • Article
  • 16 Jul 2024
  • Andrea Felsted
Discusses whether consumption is collapsing following the warning of Helen of Troy Inc., maker of the viral Revlon styler brush, that US consumers are financially stretched and prioritising essentials over discretionary items. Although the preliminary reading from the University of Michigan suggests consumer sentiment unexpectedly declined to the lowest level in eight months in July, there is evidence that many US consumers are still spending. According to the author, consumers are being more choosy about where they shop, with appealing products and value for money being key.
Exclusive AI in retail: Cutting-edge solutions for modern challenges
  • Article
  • 16 Jul 2024
  • Shelby Hiter
In today's hyper-competitive retail landscape, retailers are increasingly using AI to gain advantage. AI can enhance retail operations in a growing number of ways including boosting customer engagement, improving sales and marketing strategies, optimising inventory management, streamlining supply chains and providing advanced data analytics and insights. A range of AI tools and technologies for retailers are explored with examples of how leading brands are using AI.
More articles

Online magazines

These journals are available only to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users. To access them, please log in.

Articles and books in the ICAEW Library collection

The collection of the ICAEW Library & Information Service includes a range of articles, books and reports on sales and marketing. Use the links below to see what we have available to request in our Library catalogue (Libcat).
The business start up guide
  • Library book
  • 2021
  • A.Pink
  • Tunbridge Wells
A practical and jargon free guide to the essential things every entrepreneur needs to know when setting up a business. Chapters include: the business plan; raising business finance; structuring a business tax efficiently; promotion and marketing; controlling overheads; common mistakes in business.
Growing by numbers: how to scale up your small business with confidence
  • Library book
  • 2020
  • D. Hudson
  • SRA Books
This authoritative, motivating and highly practical guide will take you step-by-step through everything you need to think about, know and do to get your business into the best possible shape for growth.
Rethinking reputational risk: how to manage the risks that can ruin your business, your reputation and you
  • Library book
  • 2017
  • A.Fitzsimmons
  • Kogan Page
This book explains what will make your organization and its reputation intrinsically resilient and what makes them, and you, predictably vulnerable. Armed with these insights, you can find and deal with fault lines before they cause harm.
Clarity and impact: inform and impress with your reports and talks
  • Library book
  • 2016
  • J. Moon
  • Oberon Publishing
A practical guide to producing clear information and presenting it via a suitable medium. Covers writing, talks, and charts.
Leading digital strategy: driving business growth through effective e-commerce
  • Library book
  • 2015
  • C. Bones, J. Hammersley
  • Kogan Page
A practical guide to building an effective e-commerce channel, in order to open up new markets and opportunities. The authors aim to help readers drive forward effective digital initiatives and realise rewarding opportunities for change.
Entertainment industry economics: a guide for financial analysis
  • Library book
  • 2015
  • H.L. Vogel
  • Cambridge University Press
Definitive source on the economics of film, music, television, advertising, broadcasting, cable, casino and online wagering, publishing, performing arts and culture, toys and games, sports and theme parks.
The go-to expert: how to grow your reputation, differentiate yourself from the competition and win new business
  • Library book
  • 2014
  • H.Townsend
  • Pearson Education
This book offers "advice on managing your transition into a well-known and trusted name within your industry. It will help you navigate reputation-building tools with confidence and build a strong personal brand that wins you business." Part 1 covers determining what your 'thing' is, Part 2 covers packaging your brand, Part 3 covers how to build your visibility and profile, Part 4 covers turning sales leads into clients and Part 5 covers the business of your brand.
Beauty queen: inside the reign of Avon's Andrea Jung
  • Library book
  • 2014
  • D.Himsel
  • Palgrave Macmillan
Former Avon vice president Deborah Himsel uses Jung's story as a case study for two timeless leadership questions: What makes great leaders great? And what makes them fail? The book explores Jung's charisma, inclusive style, and brand building acumen that led to early success, as well as the missteps that arguably led to her downfall, including her failure to attend to the evolving needs of Avon's representatives; the erosion of trust that occurred as a result of frequent decision reversals; and her naivete about operations, infrastructure, and finance. Through interviews with other CEOs, Avon executives past and present, and leadership experts, Himsel explores the unique challenges Jung faced as a female Fortune 500 CEO.

To find out how you can borrow books from the Library please see our guide to borrowing books.

You can obtain copies of articles or extracts of books and reports through our document supply service.

External resources - guides and reports

BrandZ
  • Website
  • Kantar BrandZ

Brand equity database with individual annual reports covering:

Choose a pricing strategy
  • Website
  • Atom Content Marketing
Pricing is one of the most important aspects of your offer to get right.
Ecommerce
  • Website
  • Atom Content Marketing
Selling online, either wholly or in addition to selling offline, can provide a fantastic source of revenue, but how do you get involved in ecommerce?
Finding and selling to customers
  • Website
  • smallbusiness.co.uk
Articles providing helpful tips and advice on selling and marketing to customers. Written for UK small businesses and sole traders.
Sale of goods and services and data protection
  • Website
  • GOV.UK
Sales guidance for businesses from GOV.UK, covering topics such as accepting returns and giving refunds, marketing and advertising law, online and distance selling, trading hours and product labelling.
Sales & Growth resources
  • Website
  • Be the Business
Sales and growth resources covering common business questions for UK SMEs. Be the Business is an independent not-for-profit organisation supported by the UK government.
Terms of use

ICAEW accepts no responsibility for the content on any site to which a hypertext link from this site exists. The links are provided 'as is' with no warranty, express or implied, for the information provided within them. Please see the full copyright and disclaimer notice.

External resources - Market research providers

AMA Research
  • Website
  • AMA Research
AMA Research specialise in reports covering the building and construction industry. The sectors covered include Bathrooms and kitchens; Heating and electrical; Home & garden; Building products, distribution & hire; Construction sectors, contractors and facilities management. AMA also provides marketing list databases of for several sectors.
Economist Intelligence Unit
  • Website
  • Economist Intelligence Unit
Provides an industry briefing & forecasts service for the automotive, consumer goods, energy, financial services, healthcare and telecoms industries in various countries. Non-subscribers can buy reports from the EIU store.
Euromonitor
  • Website
  • Euromonitor
Provides research on consumer markets around the world. Users can view for free a listing of the reports available, tables of contents and sample reports.
FitchSolutions
  • Website
  • Fitch Solutions
Publishers of industry reports, country risk reports, operational risk reports, monitors and special reports, A full list can be browsed in the report store.
Global Data
  • Website
  • GlobalData
Produces market research reports as part of their consultancy services. Sectors include consumer, retail, technology, healthcare and financial services. Global monitor has recently taken over several other market data companies including MarketLine and Canadean. They produce over 15,000 reports a year. A list of reports can be found in the Report Store.
IBIS World
  • Website
  • IBISWorld
IBIS world produce industry research reports on the UK, USA, China, Canada and Australia as well as global reports. Reports cover 700 different industries in the USA and over 340 in the UK.
MarketResearch.com
  • Website
  • MarketResearch.com
Comprehensive collection of market research reports from over 700 publishers covering products, trends, regions, demographics, industries and companies. Free registration provides access to abstracts and tables of contents.
Mintel
  • Website
  • Mintel
Publisher of market research reports on consumer markets. Visitors to the site can search the database of reports and view contents pages.
Terms of use

ICAEW accepts no responsibility for the content on any site to which a hypertext link from this site exists. The links are provided 'as is' with no warranty, express or implied, for the information provided within them. Please see the full copyright and disclaimer notice.

Can't find what you're looking for?

The ICAEW Library can give you the right information from trustworthy, professional sources that aren't freely available online. Contact us for expert help with your enquiries and research.

Everything business

Find out about the key benefits available for members in business and the support from ICAEW. We are proud of our some 60,000 members working in and running business all over the world.
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Winding road
Information

Some of the content on this web page was provided by the Chartered Accountants’ Trust for Education and Research, a registered charity, which owns the library and operates it for ICAEW.