Altrincham Hq

When we enter difficult times, be it a recession or a cost of living crisis, there's often the u…

How to Market Your Business for the Manchester Marathon Manchester Marathon is the UK's Largest S…

Are you looking to advertise Jobs in Altrincham? Regularly recruit and have positions to fill…

Where to send your news in Altrincham Every single business wants more publicity Social PR win…

The A-Z OF SOCIAL MEDIA 2022 An epic 3000 word exploration of Social Media in 2022. You can re…

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of Being Self-Employed I've been Self Employed most of my adult li…

School Talks - Social Media, Personal Branding and Careers Do you feel like you're lost with th…

Are you looking for a comprehensive list of businesses that have opened in Altrincham / Hale / Timpe…

As it's careers week I wanted to lift the lid on The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Of Working In So…

Altrincham Businesses and Community Groups came together again to fundraise for the Christie and…

3 ways to engage your local audience and grow your business in 2022. Around 75% of the busine…

Blogging is at the heart of everything we do. And it should be at the heart of everything tha…

Like the NHS, the BBC is an institution that makes us all proud to be British. At the start o…

Motivation and Social Media. Social Media can feel like a hard slog at times. There's so muc…

Is asking for recommendations on social media the wise thing to do? There are pros and cons o…

Do you need to give yourself a break over certain things on Social Media? Is the pressure put…

I published Goal Setting: Everything You Need To Know earlier today. And what a better way to…

I'm writing this blog on the 5th January. The time of year where people are talking about New…

This is the first blog I've published since the 1st September. Between hospital visits and then t…

Social Media usage went up massively during the pandemic. At the same time social distancing …

Can you run a successful business without Face 2 Face networking meetings? Last week I attended…

The decline of organic reach has been talked about for near enough a decade. If I remember co…

Culture of Character vs Culture of Personality. It's a subject we've looked at before and how e…

Are you having a quiet August at the moment? Whether it's the pandemic or old age I'm mellowi…

Free or Low-Cost ways to market your business - Everyone wants to know those, right? Most bus…

15 Reasons Clients Use Altrincham HQ (and what difference it makes) Most people will assume i…

Imagine if you could make tiny changes to your social media marketing and see massive improvements…

Which is more important in marketing - Effort Or Results? "Which is more important - Effort or …

This week we did our first face to face social media training session since March 2020. It's be…

How to engage with purpose on Social Media When you engage with purpose great things happen …

What should you be measuring on LinkedIn? It's a question that many people simply don't consi…

Visibility is absolutely key to winning in business If people don't know about you, then sale…

"If you're not making sales, you have a very expensive hobby" In this week's blog we're looking…

On our last blog we looked at 7 Guaranteed Ways That You Won't Improve Your Social Media Marketi…

"I don't get anything from social media. I post every day, but I don't get anything from Social …

Is LinkedIn for B2C Businesses? A quick search on LinkedIn reveals there are 18,000 Butchers, 87,…

I work in marketing and I love running Some of my best ideas come when I'm pounding the stree…

Google have announced their Google Chrome browser has a Live Caption feature (I.e captions for v…

"What have been the silver linings of lockdown for you?" I was asked this question at a recent …

Over the last 11 years we've won a number of Business Awards at Altrincham HQ Those that have…

Altrincham based social media training and marketing company Altrincham HQ have been named the D…

In the year of the pandemic, Altrincham VS Cancer has raised more than £5000 for the Christie …

"I am Alex ... and I am not a Clubhouse Addict" That's the confession I don't want you to be…

Altrincham HQ are proud to announce we're hosting a weekly room on Clubhouse called ... The Social…

In the last 2 years you can't help but have noticed the trend for 5 Day Challenges (or in some c…

I still get writer's block You wouldn't expect someone who has published 500 blogs to admit tha…

Clubhouse is the most talked about Social Media Platform / App that everybody is talking about rig…

Dear Alex My business is suited to larger corporate clients who have a number of teams or dep…

Imagine for a second a distraction free world In 2020 it wasn't just notifications, emails and ph…

Aside from Business, Social Media Is A Great Connector Ali Davenport is running Connection Festiv…

We were recently asked on LinkedIn What It Takes To Be A Great Presenter I honestly believe tha…

This year we wanted to put a spotlight on the people who have made LinkedIn a better experience for …

An advent calendar for 2020 Find Your Own Joy is about really embracing what you love for 25 days…

  Aura Music Academy is a music education centre dedicated to inspiring our students throu…

Maskell And Josephson offer world class eyecare and products in Altrincham The opticians has be…

What Do You Post on Social Media When The Work Has Slowed Down? I was recently asked this quest…

Emma Roberts works in sales for The Farmart, a trade directory farmers and rural businesses that h…

Martin Hambleton is a multi-award winning photographer based in Manchester He's a prolific Link…

Tova Schprecher doesn't use Social Media personally. She prefers to spend her spare time in the mo…

McHale and Co are one of the biggest law firms in Altrincham and South Manchester. In this insig…

How To Make Social Media Work In HR Kieron Hill's goal in life is to collaborate with organisat…

This is the start of daily actionable Lockdown Tips that you can easily implement to improve your …

Working in marketing it's obvious that I'd preach the benefits of being visible If people are…

Not all clients are the same and the longer you're in business the more selective you get about wh…

I get it. Instagram is a visual platform. It lends itself very easily to food porn (eg. The Avoc…

How can I increase my reach on Facebook without Paying? Is Facebook reach dropping or is it just …

Working in Social Media Marketing can be a draining experience A truly life sucking experience wh…

  Do you actively use your LinkedIn Company Page as well as your personal LinkedIn Profile? …

"I'm not okay I'm not okay Well, I'm not okay I'm not o-f**king-kay" If you know the song,…

Altrincham HQ have been named King Of Social Media Training in an national feature that reaches ov…

How to find time & money for social media marketing? Well this blog is going to show you ho…

This weeks blog is about 11 Lessons From 11 Years In Business The lessons I've picked up over…

Death By Canva and Other Instagram Mistakes Businesses Make It seems that I've talked through…

LinkedIn Shares - you're doing it all wrong You might think that telling you not to share som…

Not all social media trainers are the same I'm sure you know this because not every person in y…

The LinkedIn Professional Headline is one of the most important aspects of your LinkedIn Profile…

Around 2 years ago we published a blog on the LinkedIn Social Selling Index (SSI) The Social …

"I don't like marketing" is an absolutely fine statement There are a lot more people in the wor…

Dear Alex, Hi there - I have just finished at **** studying Media, Culture & Communication.…

Those of you that read our blogs and follow me on Social Media know that I used to work in music f…

"When we were growing up, 2020 was the year we imagined we'd have flying cars, hover boards and ho…

At Altrincham HQ we like to look at successful social media profiles and get under the hood of why…

The debut edition of AM Discovered Spotify Playlist Some new music from bands you love Some ne…

A Perfect LinkedIn Post - does it really exist? Yes and No Perfection on Social Media is s…

Instagram Captions are not an afterthought If you've clicked on this page and read no further…

Local Infuencers, don't worry, they're different From the outset of this article I want to sa…

Alex McCann of Manchester based Social Media Company chats with email marketer Maeri Howard about …

Rachel Spencer has followed a similar trajectory to ourselves at Altrincham HQ Starting off as …

Little Red Pizza Co launched their pizza delivery service 3 weeks into lockdown. The brainchild…

Honestly - I believe the Support Small Business sticker on Instagram is one of their best featur…

If you've been on LinkedIn recently you'll have seen a HUGE amount of LinkedIn Polls in the news…

When I tell people that I've published 500 blogs their jaws drop Seriously They look at me…

This is my 499th blog for Altrincham HQ I'll be documenting the lessons I've learnt from blog…

Our 20 Questions series have always been popular They help people to reframe their life at a quic…

Like a lot of you during lockdown I've been forced to look at myself, my life and what I do each d…

We've talked before about how your website can either be the best thing that's ever happened for y…

Hopewiser is the type of client we love working with at Altrincham HQ. B2B and Social Media M…

Originally I was going to entitle this blog "An Essential Guide To Taking Care Of Your Mental He…

I'm writing this in the 4th week of Lockdown in the UK If you're reading this in the present ti…

Nobody is quite sure what to do in this post-handshake world You've been to networking events…

Around 12 months ago I published a blog on the Day In The Life Of A Social Media Manager It…

As I'm writing this more and more business are working from home and adopting to this Post Hand…

Once upon a time Cher sang "I believe in life after ... Corona" I joke - but there will be bu…

Despite working in Social Media I still need that human contact Up until last night I was like …

I've been involved in marketing in some form since 1999, but I officially started Altrincham HQ,…

"How Long Should I Be Spending On Social Media Each Week?" It's a question we're often asked …

Altrincham VS Cancer is just weeks away and we'd love for yourself or your business to get involve…

It's nearly a month since I received the Freedom of Altrincham If I'm honest it's still not q…

I've been involved in networking events for over a decade now - either as a marketing assistant …

As someone who spends a lot of time on LinkedIn whom also sees a lot of results from LinkedIn I'm a …

When we talk about having a great LinkedIn Profile is it really that important? What difference d…

When it comes to LinkedIn 1st impressions count If you're connecting, commenting or simply have a…

I've been thinking about Social Media Management over the 1st 13 days of 2020 We've managed Soc…

As we enter a new year here's a little checklist of 5 things you should have done within the las…

I'm writing this blog to help you 90 Easy Ways To Improve Your Life This Year ::: 9 Areas wit…

Social Media is an ever evolving beast and from year to year we evolve in the ways we use it …

Over the past 12-24 months we've seen more businesses realise that their employees are their gre…

Dear Alex As a freelance graphic designer am I better off creating an Instagram account solel…

LinkedIn Company Pages - are they really set to grow in 2020 as LinkedIn are pushing them? Or ar…

We're in the lead up to the election campaign and regardless of which party you support - it's h…

Today is World Kindness Day and in the world we live in it's an important day The world is be…

10 years into running Altrincham HQ I've worked with a lot of businesses, learnt a lot of lesson…

At Altrincham HQ there is one thing that we're known in our industry and the wider business comm…

Dear Alex I run my own small business and I'm extremely confident about my work But I rece…

Being so close to Manchester Airport and Manchester City Centre, Altrincham has something for everyo…

We asked a post recently on LinkedIn which simply asked "what is the biggest challenge you persona…

Dear Alex How do I find my ideal client on twitter? I find it easier on LinkedIn as there ar…

In the last 2 weeks we've looked at How To Get The Most Out Of Your Social Media Manager and How…

Last week we looked at How To Get The Most Out Of Your Social Media Manager and this week we turn …

Working with a Social Media Manager can be the best investment you make in your business An…

So what happens when a business brings their social media inhouse from the agency? It's somethi…

"Marketing should not simply be left to the marketing department" If I've said that once I've…

A headline hit the newspapers a few months back, slamming a girl’s parents for being downstairs wi…

As I write this blog it's coming up to September 1st - there are 122 days left until the end of …

I'm acutely aware sat here writing this blog that in a couple of weeks it will be Altrincham HQ'…

I've seen the faces when I tell people I tweet 50 times a day It's part disbelief, part admir…

Dear Alex I run a bar in Manchester and it's going OK. The whole industry is struggling a littl…

Over the past 3 years I've worked with 4500+ teenagers on Social Media and Personal Branding works…

In 2004 I ran my very 1st event and looking back it was a brave move that set me up for where I …

In the last 15 years I've ran events that have brought people together to party, to network and to…

In our latest blog we look at how local businesses use events to support their goals It became ap…

"In 10 years of Altrincham HQ a business has never paid to feature on our social media channels"…

Prior to running Social Media Marketing business Altrincham HQ I ran an events business for 10 y…

If you're a parent reading this blog - yes, I am telling your children to spend more time on a com…

Karen McBride was the very 1st guest at our Alex and His Sisters event in Altrincham last month …

Quiet August - is it a total myth or reality? At Altrincham HQ we've never had a quiet August…

Does 5 Hours Of Learning A Week Need To Be The Official UK Adult Guidelines? I read this quote …

Dear Alex, I own a professional services firm in town and we’re well established and growin…

Who inspires you on Instagram? I had to think about that question for a while and as I scrolled t…

I'm not sure why I've started using the words levels so much in blogs Maybe as I've crossed o…

We've answered the question previously - Is Social Media Management or Social Media Training the…

Dear Alex, I’m based in a town where all the focus is on the Market Area. I’m in the t…

The biggest benefit and hindrance to solicitors and law firms are one and the same Everyone at …

The Power Of One You can share one businesses social media post You can invite one business …

Since we started Altrincham HQ 10 years ago, it has been Twitter that I've had a constant love affai…

Comments are where the great things happen on Social Media I really want you repeat that 7 ti…

I posted this on Social Media last week "We've just had someone enquire about Social Media traini…

Sometimes we have to play bad cop. Sometimes we have to play good cop It's often the case with so…

Facebook has just announced new algorithm updates or signals that will influence the algorithm for…

The Lloyds Bank Digital Index Report 2019 was released last week And these were the key findi…

If you're based in Greater Manchester you've either been to an event that Martin Hambleton has p…

Everybody prostitutes themselves when they 1st start out in business Desperate for attention, y…

If you think there is a tenuous connection between online dating apps and LinkedIn you’d be mist…

Perfect is something that is talked about in business and social media a lot, whether that be th…

Everything is marketing and marketing is everything The reason I’m posting this is business…

“It was the worst business decision I’ve ever made” I don’t think I’ll ever forget the …

At Altrincham HQ I'm pleased to say most of our clients have been with us years and years When …

I'm writing this blog a few hours after it's been announced that Debenhams is set to close in my…

  Social Media is neither good or bad - but how we use it can be Earlier today I heard …

What I'm going to tell you in this blog is "How To Stop Burning Your Marketing Budget" It doe…

"LinkedIn is not Facebook" has become one of the most overused phrases in the past 12 months An…

Why are we talking about obscurity? And why is it failing your business? And what inspired this? Ye…

"If my employees are active on social media will they get poached by recruiters / head hunters / ot…

"Oh you just mess around on Facebook all day" That is what my mum thinks I do on Social Media all d…

  My journey into Live Video started nearly a decade ago when Live Video wasn't even a thin…

I was inspired to write this blog after I read "Recruiters: Scum Of The Earth" by Lucie Culley on L…

Who are you posting for on Social Media? Before you read the rest of this blog I want you sit there…

Me Too has taken on a different meaning over the past few years We're not going to talk about Sexua…

"Nothing worth having comes easy" - Roosevelt could have been talking about Social Media in 2019 As…

Did you know the first ever international day of happiness was celebrated on March 20th 2013 It see…

I debated in 2019 whether I needed to actually write this blog And then I thought it's 100% essenti…

There are some businesses who will open with no fanfare ... and be busy every day thereafter There …

Back in 2014 when I first started running I really really struggled to get a decent pace My 5k run …

I want to talk you through a simple 10 minute exercise to improve your social Media Marketing …

If you're reading this then I want you to know you have exactly the same weapons of choice as I …

   (Pic: Altrincham HQ and Altrincham Design Studio - working for 20 years together in various gu…

2019 is 10 Years Of Altrincham HQ and last night we had the 1st of 10 Events to celebrate our spec…

The secret to business success is small improvements on a regular basis It's as simple as tha…

A few weeks ago at Altrincham HQ I published what was to be our 400th blog on the website In …

I've been networking for 9 years now and there's one thing that remains true to this day - netwo…

If you look around my living room you'll see running medals, fundraising certificates and qualificat…

Treat others as you expect to be treated yourself It's one of those pieces of parental advice…

In September 2019 it will officially be 10 years of Altrincham HQ And I think apart from a fe…

When you're a Social Media Trainer one of the most common phrases you hear is "I want more sales…

  Should I do 121 Social Media Training or Group Training? It's a question many businesses ask …

It's coming up to the 10th year I've been on Twitter and it's still a key platform for our busin…

Social Media is an ever evolving beast and from year to year we evolve in the ways we use it …

Visa's Christmas advert has one clear message: 'Support your local high street' And trust me …

I saw a post on LinkedIn earlier this week which inspired me to write this blog on "Things To Do…

Reasons you don't need Social Media Training That's right I'm going to tell you exactly wh…

What are the very real consequences of negative social media posts? And which strategies do bus…

"In the future, everyone will be social media marketers for 15 minutes" Andy Warhol Ok - he mig…

These are the 14 Big Picture Questions I've sent to clients this week as we head to the end of the…

Hacking November for a successful New Year As we write this it's the 1st November and we know f…

Social Media is about understanding people and understanding marketing, but there will always be…

A businesses biggest asset are its people. Managing Director, Board of Directors, Heads of Depa…

There's something different when you walk through Selfridges Harry Gordon Selfridge promoted …

If you want to understand what something should do in it's most simplistic terms you simply have t…

This month we worked with Altrincham Unlimited - the Business Improvement District for Altrincham …

As an ex-journalist I know what makes for a great story and so much of what we do at Altrincham HQ…

"Creatively is intuitively inside all of us. As children we produced content every single day" …

I remember my early days of Twitter Way back in 2009 Twitter was such a friendly helpful c…

Have you ever for a moment thought how vulnerable you are? Have you thought that something co…

Adam is 17 years old and runs a successful Instagram account @manchester_aviation1107 which at the…

A few days ago Joanna Davila posted an update  ::: "LinkedIn has changed my life!" At the time…

The vegan market is a growing market in 2018 with more younger people turning to a plant based diet …

5 Classic Blogging Mistakes That Small Businesses Make I started blogging back in 1999 and blog…

Make no mistake - this blog is for YOU The Top 10 Reason Why Social Media Is The Answer blog is…

  The final edition of the Yellow Pages landed on my doorstep last week What a shadow…

As I write this blog I'm in the middle of my 2nd Summer working with Salford Foundation and NCS …

Scroll Free September has been compared to Dry January for alcohol and Stoptober for stopping smok…

Just a few weeks ago LinkedIn celebrated it's 15th Birthday Party Never really having it's mome…

Speed Networking - some people love it and some people hate it I'm in the former camp If I…

Running is my escape As a social media manager it's my only chance to look away from a screen…

When we talk about town centre regeneration we often talk about policies and initiatives, place ma…

Today is National Freelancers Day - a celebration of the freelancers and self employed that make suc…

A school's biggest asset is it's people. Head teachers, Leadership Teams, Heads Of Department…

Over the years I've worked with numerous franchisees for brands such as Zipyard, Bluebird…

Statistics put introverts at 25-50% of the population Introverts you are not alone So what…

Over the past 18 months we've delivered Personal Branding Workshops to over 1500 young adults in…

"What has Social Media done for you?" It's a question so many ask And my answer always is EV…

It's always been a dream to open your own restaurant since you were a teenager It's what you we…

LinkedIn has over 706 million users Over 60% of the UK workforce are on LinkedIn It's powerf…

There are a lot of misconceptions about LinkedIn And most of these misconceptions on based on the…

The Social Selling Index On LinkedIn is where we often start with our LinkedIn Training sessions …

"What has Social Media done for you?" It's a question so many ask And my answer always is EVER…

Let's be honest - we all check TripAdvisor Even those who make such a huge point about on socia…

Over the past week Twitter has introduced stronger anti-spam policies to make the service more usa…

The Northern Restaurant and Bar Show is the North's largest hospitality show For those that a…

What are the key motivational factors for investing in marketing? A recent poll by affilinet of…

In the past month alone SUBS Altrincham has reached over 100,000 screens and attracted 100+ book…

A few years ago we wrote the blog "Should You Give Up Social Media for Lent" The basis of the blo…

UnTappd is an app we've been using on and off for the latter half of 2017 If you're not famil…

Altrincham HQ of Greater Manchester has been selected as the regional finalist for the North West …

How do I grow my social media following? It must be the most often asked question by businesses…

My career as a Physiotherapist started back in 2004 working in the NHS, doing evenings, weekends, …

Violet Loves Vintage is a vintage inspired boutique based in Afflecks in the Northern Quarter of M…

"How we built up a popular hyperlocal Facebook group" is a question we often get asked when people…

"What are you to do when your businesses success relies on Facebook and Facebook keep changing the…

Each week Essence in Altrincham run a Facebook competition that reaches over 10,000 people, regula…

I mean this when I say "Your biggest failure is 90% of your staff don't understand social media" …

When we started Altrincham HQ in 2009, Altrincham was a very different beast to what it is now It…

If you could write a wish list of improvements you'd like to see on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and …

The Altrincham HQ Year In Review is a chance to reflect on the positives We must not be afraid to…

Altrincham - it's changed a lot since we started Altrincham HQ in 2009 And being one of the most …

If one line summed up the business world in 2017 it's ... "People Just Want Better" Every revi…

Whether you're B2B or B2C your website is incredibly important to the success of your business …

Twitter's 280 characters divided social media audiences when it was announced The key reason fo…

LinkedIn is on fire now Seriously hot Over the past few months it's been transformed with …

In this week's blog we're going right back to the basics, the core disciplines, the things you nee…

If you had 1 extra hour a week what would you do with it to enhance your businesses social media …

Social Media - it's a scary ever-changing world I wish was never invented say many Social Med…

Networking and Social Media are perfect partners Doing both individually will help grow your bu…

Over the Summer I talked to over 1000 teenagers about the importance of Personal Branding They …

The Altrincham & Sale Chamber of Commerce have announced the shortlist for this year’s busin…

Social Media Advocacy can massively improve your businesses social media marketing And it's for…

"My audience was my life. What I did and how I did it, was all for my audience" Cab Calloway Ov…

There's a reason this blog "3 Reasons That Keyboard Warriors On Facebook Are Irrelevant" had to be…

Over the past few weeks I've been working with over 1000 volunteers on the NCS programs in Manches…

Altrincham has something to offer whether you're in town for the day to watch your team play against…

Small businesses are agile and established businesses are slow and sluggish That's what we're…

Marketing a startup business is hard You're probably running a business for the 1st time and tr…

It's only when you understand how social media works that you know your friends and family are d…

Education Education Education It's kind of a big thing On a personal self-development level. O…

Altrincham TripAdvisor Certificate Of Excellence 2017 Winners Announced Altrincham has raised the…

Altrincham town centre businesses turned out in force this week to recognise the achievements of…

It's coming to that time of year when there are distractions every which way you turn Holiday S…

The SUBS Altrincham Sales VS Marketing debate at the Cresta Court opened with a probing question…

What are you giving away about your personality when you tweet every day Quite a lot it seems a…

Is your business achieving the engagement and results you'd expect from Social Media? As a soci…

Which business types benefit from Social Media? It's a question I'm often asked and whilst 99% of…

Marginal Gains is the buzzword of the moment in sport, but it's one that can be applied to business …

Spring has sprung and there's no better time to sit back, reflect and give your Social Media a Sprin…

Altrincham VS Cancer has been named as one of the most successful fundraisers in March by Justgi…

I've talked before about our Blogging Success and how it's one of the 3 pillars of our success St…

The reality for many businesses is that if they gave up Social Media for lent it wouldn't make a s…

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit" Aristotle How many o…

When you come from a small town there's a big thing called home town pride We love our home town …

To build a successful business you really have to love your business Successful businesses are …

Instagram Mistakes That Businesses Make Daily - so how can you make mistakes on Instagram if it's …

Inactive Social Media Accounts - we've talked a lot about these before Previously we've looked …

Turning your health goals into wealth goals If you join the dots between your personal life and…

Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don't It's with that in mind that we've asked the…

We are living in a world where everyone wants to be an athlete and everyone wants to be an entre…

(Pic: Altrincham VS Cancer - by Graham Douglas) Altrincham HQ have been shortlisted for the Cor…

Alex McCann of Altrincham HQ is a seasoned speaker on Social Media and here are the Social Media eve…

"If you can measure it, you can improve it" - that's why Social Media Analytics are so important …

One of the questions I'm constantly asked from businesses about Social Media is "There are so man…

It's now our 5th Year Of 5 Things I'd Like To See Happen In Altrincham In ... series 2017 has bee…

As I sit back at reflect on 2016 I refuse to accept that 2016 was a terrible year Like many the d…

Altrincham - it's changed a lot since we started Altrincham HQ in 2009 And being one of the most …

With nearly 50 blogs of free Social Media and business advice published this year on Altrincham HQ i…

If you've read our "Why I Ditched New Year's Resolutions (and what I replaced them with)" article yo…

Writing a great LinkedIn recommendation is an art form It isn't something that should be writte…

I always tell this tale whenever I'm doing a Business Talk - but in 1999, when some of you weren't…

We're very proud to announce that Altrincham HQ have been named the Best Social Media Company at t…

Most people won't read this blog Most people won't open the email Most people won't read a boo…

Whenever I sit in front of a keyboard and write a blog I have 2 aims 1. To add value to my audien…

Before I get into this blog I want to give a massive caveat "Social Media has changed my life b…

With every interaction you learn something from the experience Last week I was invited with 3 o…

Yesterday I was invited back to Navigation Primary, my old Primary School, for an Inspirational Ta…

Should You Let A Family Member Handle Your Social Media Marketing? It's a question that many …

Businesses that work with us at Altrincham HQ all want one thing - Business Growth Social Media…

If you're using Social Media for broadcasting and not for engaging then you're really really mis…

Instagram for business has been talked about for a number of months and now it's here in the UK …

People only have so much time and so much money And Businesses only have so much time and …

Can you imagine a world where Mo Farah, Laura Trott, Max Whitlock, Jason Kenny, Andy Murray and al…

It doesn't make a difference whether you're a brand new startup or an established business - Marke…

When I wrote 20 Questions You Should Ask About Your Business At The End Of Each Month ... it fel…

Ask the right questions and you'll get the right answers So often with Social Media it's easy…

We are living in times where it has never been easier to get advice from experts If you're a yo…

For many small business owners, Social Media Marketing is something they do as part of their day t…

Social Media is emotional because Social Media is life A recent article in the Guardian on Teenag…

(PIC: Ebay Posters) Watching the Jose Mourinho MUFC press conference yesterday - it was clear t…

I'm writing this blog in the last hour of Social Media Day 2016 - it's the only hour today that I …

How do you feel post-Brexit as a small business owner? Aside from the intense Facebook debates ov…

One of the main objections I come against in relation to Social Media is "I can see how Social M…

Without further ado the Altrincham HQ A-Z Of Social Media 2016 It's a weighty one - so grab a b…

TripAdvisor have announced the annual Certificate Of Excellence Awards and the number of excellent…

Which platforms can you manage for clients? Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and part management of L…

The businesses that need the most help rarely ask for it It took myself a long time in business t…

Here's an essential lesson on why you shouldn't stop blogging This is my 1st blog on our website …

Selling doesn't come natural to everyone and it's one of the biggest obstacles when it comes to soci…

In previous blogs we've touched on 5 Benefits Outsourcing Your Social Media Will Give You and highli…

Start-up businesses have never had it so easy when it comes to accessing business advice and educati…

The core of what we've done at Altrincham HQ has never changed since our 1st tweet back in 2009 O…

LOVE TWITTER - WHY THE NORTH WEST LOVES TWITTER As Twitter hit's it's 10th Birthday we thought we…

SOCIAL MEDIA EVENTS - MANCHESTER - 2016 Alex McCann of Altrincham HQ is a seasoned speaker on Socia…

When we meet businesses looking to learn more about Social Media, we're often asked - which is the b…

The last few weeks we've looked at the 10 Twitter and LinkedIn Mistakes That Businesses Make Daily …

Last week we covered 10 Twitter Mistakes That Businesses Make Daily This week we look at those da…

Social Media is a wonderful tool ... it's just that sometimes the people that use it are, well, tool…

Red House Farm – a busy and popular tourism destination situated in Dunham Massey, It’s a family…

I'm writing this blog on the day that Friends Reunited has announced it's closing and like many I'd …

Whenever you choose something for free, you're often choosing over something else or delaying a deci…

2016 - This Is what I'd Like To See Happen In Altrincham In 2016 As this is now the 4th year of o…

Twitter just released it's Top Trending subjects of 2015 so what better time than to look hyper-loca…

Seth Godin wrote a blog a number of years ago that highlighted that his most popular blogs this year…

Who told you that December had to be quiet? In years of running a business I've come across 2 typ…

There are business lessons that are so so important that I repeat them every single day As it com…

"Can't believe it's paying for itself. As an investment it seems like a lot of money for a small…

I think I’m addicted to social media - At least that’s what my nearest and dearest tell me! My…

We often talk about the Regrets Of The Dying - all the things people wish they'd done differently…

When you think of a small business owner, it's often easy to think of them as being born to do it …

When was the last time you looked in a dictionary - University? A Levels? GCSE's? Primary School? …

When Word Of Mouth Marketing works - it's an absolute dream - you literally can't ask for more tha…

Altrincham HQ has been crowned Small Business Of The Year at the Altrincham and Sale Chamber Awa…

This is a thought that is always in my head - "Social Media is not one channel - it's multichann…

If you've logged into Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook over the past few months, you can't help but h…

If you want to grow your business, you really need to learn to love your finances Finances are so…

I want to talk about the myth that Social Media Marketing only reaches people on Social Media B…

If you do a LinkedIn search of Social Media Consultant in the UK you'll currently find 6111 in the…

Periscope was something we were an early adopter of being there on day 1 when Twitter relaunched t…

Marketers like ourselves always talk about Social Media Engagement ... and we do so time and tim…

Everywhere around you can witness regeneration In our own town we've had a new transport interc…

You've attended a networking meeting, had a 1 2 1 with a perfect lead and walked away with that wa…

When you think of LinkedIn as a social network you often think of super serious suited execs c…

Is your business future proof? Are you reaching your full potential on Social Media? What happens if…

I fundamentally believe in any business, there are 2 options when it comes to approaching things t…

Social Media is stressful ... there I said it - and that's from somebody who works in Social Med…

TripAdvisor announced their annual Certificate Of Excellence this week and 11 Altrincham Eateries ha…

I hear excuses all the time from B2B Business about how Social Media won't work for their business …

Whether it's the death of the high street or the fact that suddenly those people you used to see at …

If I was to ask any business in the UK right now what they want - 100% of them would say they want m…

Hopefully by now you've read our Beginner Guide To Periscope - Part 1 to get the best of Perisco…

Last month we talked about Meerkat and Periscope (twitter's own live video streaming app) which …

Without marketing your website - it could be the most expensive brochure you've ever paid for So …

Sorry for the delay on last months - A Month In The Life Of A Social Media Company blog Part of t…

The 1st time I EVER went to a networking meeting I knew half of the room ... and that was all becaus…

If you've read our 7 Assumptions Made From an Inactive Twitter Account blog previously you'll realis…

Everyone loves Free Wifi - we use Social Media a lot, so we know how much data can be used just keep…

Up until 2 days previous to writing this blog I had what I now see as a rubbish old iPhone 4. Don't …

Last month we looked at 5 Signs You're Ready To Outsource Your Social Media Marketing and how you ca…

Altrincham Vs Cancer, organised by Pure Gym Altrincham and Altrincham HQ, raised over £2300 for th…

It's reported that the prime lifespan (i.e when people RT or engage with a tweet) is just 18 min…

Ok, I'm a little biased - I totally love twitter. I love the opportunities it brings for small bu…

Are you looking for Zoom Networking Events in Trafford or Manchester? Many of the networking ev…

If you want to grow your business there are 2 ways to do so A) Delegate tasks to other people i…

In many ways I think January can set the tone for the rest of the year. A successful January spur…

For smaller businesses the team of 1 person often prevents a business from running more than one t…

What is Success? What does it look and feel like? How do we measure Success? Since 2010 (extended…

When it comes to Social Media, businesses automatically think about Selling via Social, but it's not…

Having a town in a our twitter name, it's no surprise we take a keen interest in all things Alt…

Social Media is an art form and for the unsuspecting small business it's hard to separate the wheat …

The 5 Things I'd Like To See Happen In Altrincham have become one of the most popular blogs of the y…

One thing that can be said universally across our Small Business Network in Manchester and Cheshire …

Seth Godin wrote a blog last year that highlighted that his most popular blogs this year weren't n…

C-C-C-Changes sang David Bowie back in the day and rare a day goes by that something doesn't chang…

In our 1st round of all things Altrincham we looked at the Biggest Altrincham Stories of 2014 and wh…

Twitter just released it's Top Trending subjects of 2014 so what better time than to look hyper-loca…

At the time we're writing this blog it's coming up to the busy festive period for many of our retail…

November for us, like any business, is a time of reflection - to look at our business model and work…

We talked last week about the 4 Classic Social Media Fails and how so often start up businesses can …

So often when we talk about Social Media Platforms it's about the big 3 - Twitter, LinkedIn or Faceb…

In my hometown I see a lot of Startup Businesses open ... and like many towns I see a lot closing le…

Let's face it - we all loved to be talked about. We all love our customers to heap praise about u…

Information Overload Day (October 15th this year) is described as thus "In a world of around-the-…

Sometimes with clients I'm aware I totally undersell the value of what we can do for them in ter…

I've always been a firm believer that by using local business service providers you increase your ch…

Altrincham HQ is a hyperlocal Social Media company - which means we often think local in terms of co…

Our 3rd blog this week for National Work Life Week and this time we focus on the things you could be…

As part 2 of the Blogs on National Work Life Week I'm going to take a look at those 5 Quick Wins…

Surprising as it may seem - I'm rarely asked the very specific question of - how can twitter help …

As part of our National Work Life Week we're bringing you a weeks’ worth of blogs on Time Manageme…

  August is supposed to be the quiet month - the month where businesses take a break from ne…

"How do you Win Business In A Competitive World?" is the question that's being asked at my next …

At Altrincham HQ we work with a lot of foodie businesses and restaurants and 3 Trends have domin…

One of the questions I always get asked in our Social Media Training sessions is - what is a Retweet…

The Web Studio - Altrincham - A Social Media  Case Study of what to do if you're too busy to run …

What? You're seriously telling me - You spend 30 minutes - 1 hour using Social Media every single da…

Inbound Marketing 14 in Liverpool today brought together 400 marketing creatives and businesses li…

Often we are asked what we do - we say Social Media Training covering Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn,…

A few months ago I was reading an article on Social Bro about how Social Media will develop and …

I was delivering a Social Media training session recently and the conversation of Discount websi…

I've been following the Uber updates throughout the day on twitter and couldn't help, but think th…

"Independents' Day is a national campaign aiming to promote and celebrate independent businesses…

There are a huge amount of blogs out there in the blogosphere about why you should be using im…

Fact: Instagram is growing the fastest of all social media sites worldwide, followed by Reddit, wh…

It's a few days after I hit 6000 followers on the @altrinchamhq Twitter account When you sit …

Altrincham Vs Cancer, organised by Pure Gym Altrincham and Altrincham HQ, raised over £2000 for t…

10 Altrincham Restaurants have received a Tripadvisor Certificate Of Excellence 2014 for outstandi…

Remember the days pre-Social Media when a local news story would have taken at least 7 days to reach…

Over the weekend I was chatting to a local business, they knew I worked in marketing and they came o…

As well as Altrincham HQ, I worked in music for over 14 years and I still often think of business …

Blogging for Business has been a buzz word and a NOW moment for many businesses in 2013/14, but it's…

QUESTION - Who only goes to the dentist BECAUSE the dentist markets to you every 6 months? …

Remember – there are 2 things that make YOUR business unique You and Your Staff Your Cus…

Like many I try to #shoplocal wherever possible - it's more than a hashtag, it's something that …

At the time of writing this blog it's 86 Days till the World Cup And today Gillette launched …

  If I told you that I work with clients where one gets 6 Out Of 10 Customers Via Twitter, o…

Last week I blogged on The 3 Types Of Social Media Users that often approach us for Training This…

I'm going to let you into a secret here The last time I made a purchase based on a flyer throug…

They say in networking meetings that you shouldn't say you can work with anybody.  Be Specif…

As a local window company based in Sale we use twitter & Facebook regularly as we know it bene…

As a Social Media Company we get asked questions all the time from businesses as how to use Social M…

THE SIMPLEST WAY TO RAISE YOUR PROFILE THAT NOBODY DOES! Tell the business next door to get o…

  Our blog a year ago on 5 Things I'd Like To See Happen in Altrincham in 2013 was our most …

Seth Godin wrote a blog last week that highlighted that his most popular blogs this year weren't…

Christmas and Happy Families are what many are gearing up for over the next few days in Altrincham, …

Yesterday after over 6 months in the number 2 slot, Essence pipped Phanthong to claim the Tripadvi…

I'm a member of about 5 local business facebook groups And sorry if this offends a lot of you…

Fail to Plan = Planning To Fail It's one of those cliches you've heard from day dot, but it's…

NHS ANNOUNCE MASSIVE ONLINE CHANGES FOR APRIL 2014 Last Friday I read this article about the fort…

This morning I went to the Nikal & Altrincham Chamber presentation at Hogans Of Hale / Francs …

October as many of you will have seen was a happy month for us - Altrincham HQ celebrated at our…

How do you define 'good' content for a blog/article? This was a question which was asked rece…

At Altrincham HQ we love the Great British Pub. At 5pm on a Friday there is no better feeling! …

Altrincham HQ were crowned proud winners at the Altrincham & Sale Chamber of Commerce Busine…

  At Altrincham HQ we often work with businesses who operate very hyper-local businesses. …

Altrincham HQ are proud to announce that 3 of our clients are now established as Tripadvisor's T…

August - the month where everything is supposed to be quiet apparently At Altrincham HQ it was fa…

By the time you read this many of you will either be A) Getting stressed with the madness of sen…

Alex of Brand It Signs did a great blog on Has the internet made traditional Advertising obsolet…

Unless you're a well known brand or a celebrity - Social Media takes a time investment until you…

It doesn't matter whether you have 10 followers / likes / connections or 10,000 followers / likes …

Google or Twitter? Why I would choose Twitter everytime! by Hale Alt Review Firstly, let me clarif…

  Instagram started much the way that Prestige Floor Studio involvements with Twitter did, b…

Social Media, it's a varied life which requires you to have 12 different heads in one day as you swi…

A Grade Students Deserve A Grade Restaurants In August Thousands Of A Level And GSCE Students Loc…

7 Assumptions Made From an Inactive Twitter Account At least once a month we'll use www.managef…

Neil Clough - The Apprentice - My Altrincham / Hale Altrincham was routing for local Neil Clough …

No. 73 - what does it mean to you? If you're around my age it probably means the British 1980s …

What Difference Would 1 New Client A Week via Social Media Make To Your Business? Think about…

Harvey Silver Hodgkinson - My Altrincham Introduce your business and tell us what you've been u…

Think about this for a second - which types of businesses would you say are the most talkative? …

Be Friendly Be Transparent Be Open To Meeting New People Be Prepared To Make Time I was traini…

#10factsaboutme is trending on twitter now and inspired by a blog post by @latterash I thought i…

Twitter Training is a large part of what we do at Altrincham HQ Whether it be B2B businesses who …

Altrincham HQ selected as 1 of 3 O2 Smarta Businesses in the UK Altrincham based social media…

Altrincham Vintage Market - My Altrincham Introduce your business and tell us what you've bee…

Something I saw posted on facebook last night.... Bayern Munich season tickets start at £104…

Beatnik - New Record Shop - My Altrincham Introduce your business and tell us what you've been …

  I had an interesting chat last week with a business owner at a networking meeting T…

Everybody's an award winning agency nowadays aren't they? That's the thought that struck me l…

Would you get your local carpet fitter to sort your plumbing out? Would you get the local far…

I want to tell you all a tale of how often Small Businesses can bury their heads in the sand, ti…

Earlier this week Phanthong announced they'd gained the coveted position of Number 1 Restaurant …

Negativity, i've heard that word a lot on Social Media in the last few days and I feel it's some…

At the moment i'm reading "Quiet - The Power Of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking" b…

I read with interest today's article in the Manchester Evening News on Manchester's tale of two …

About a week ago I hit what I think you must call a midlife crisis. Maybe it was the fact tha…

When we deliver Social Media Training we continually reiterate how Social Media needs to be linked…

If you've logged on to facebook in the last 24 hours you might have seen an option to switch on some…

NAUGHTY TO BE NOTICED - JOB SEARCHING WITH A DIFFERENCE A Guest Blog by Myke Hamilton I’m Myke …

Chances are if you're reading this blog you've clicked through from one of our Social Media prof…

Are you blogging for business or blogging for Justin Bieber Fans? Or How Long Should My Blog Be? …

It's the one question I often ask of businesses when talking about marketing Would you put to…

Facebook Graph Search has been touted as deeper social search and a real game changer, but the r…

Why you can't just depend on one type of marketing. "But twitter is a good starting point" Ou…

In business it's great to be able to give something back, so when I was asked to take part in th…

Around 2 months to this date we wrote a blog on a proposed new Asda Supermarket in Broadheath …

I chanced upon the following tweet over the weekend Anybody want to tell me what is wrong? …

READY FOR WORK WEEK Trafford College are giving their students the skills to be work ready with a r…

At the back end of last week I had a really interesting conversation with a well established bus…

A Case Study Of Successful Local Retail Marketing ::: Holt Business Solutions We are very pro…

Alan and Joanne worked in the Middle East for many years. Coming back home during holidays was a…

Altrincham HQ deliver a number of Social Media Talks across Manchester and Cheshire Whether it's …

It's the time of year we start thinking of our own aspirations for 2013, but what of our dreams and …

Wow - i'm sat here on New Years Eve Eve just about recovering from Xmas. Half a stone heavier, bunge…

The Pen Is Mightier than the Sword it was once said... that's why we blog so much... the power o…

Top 10 Most Searched Businesses on Altrincham HQ in 2012 - and why online was important for them Ev…

The last few months I've been touring a talk around Knutsford, Wilmslow and Trafford on Successful B…

Yesterday Altrincham HQ revealed (via our source on the ground Chris Reddy) that Asda were looki…

Last week I went to my very first Women's Networking Group ... well I say Women's Networking Gro…

Sorry folks - i'm going to do what one of my networking pals described as a willy waggling blog!!!…

Chances if you're a regular Altrincham HQ Blog reader, you'd have read our "The Worst Customer Ser…

Altrincham HQ have been tweeting about Altrincham since Sept 2009, but Xmas 2012 is the first year…

Karen Wroe - Art With A Heart My Altrincham Introduce your business and tell us what you've been …

Let me make this clear from the start - I hate being negative about experiences in my own home tow…

Call it small talk or watercooler talk looking back over the past 18 months since Altrincham HQ offi…

In Social Media terms 2012 may well be remembered as the year Facebook went public, tried to rea…

Last Friday night we went to the first ever Alty Tweet up - a night arranged by Neil at The Cinnam…

"My ego's small and humble... so you don't confuse it with mountains" Had to paraphrase Shaki…

Developing relationships is the highest priority at In Movement, it is core to the content of the…

The window company has been est since 1986 & in that time we've done every type of advertisi…

Many of you know as well as Altrincham HQ I also run a music events company - one of those huge pa…

You might have noticed Linkedin Endorsement notifications cropping up on your email in the last …

....Part 1 & 2 here .....   3. Be Specific In Who You Want To Meet How many times ha…

I didn't officially "network" offline until 18 months ago - like many, networking meetings were on…

Ok,  let's say you're a total whizz on Social Media, you have a real strategy in place and you're …

DGC Executive Travel Chauffeur's in Altrincham Introduce your business and tell us what you've bee…

Over the past 8 months we've been speaking to successful local Altrincham business about busines…

The Window Co Windows in Altrincham, Sale, Cheshire, Manchester Introduce your business and tell us…

Networking - if you read the blog regularly you'll know I love to attend networking meetings …

Have a look at how many cupcake companies there are around at the moment? Then multiply it by about …

Regeneration, I'm not sure I really like that word, but it's the most appropriate one in this co…

Abu Dhabi, July 2012 - it's my location for my latest blog We're 2/3rds of the way through a stop…

When you attend a lot of Networking Meetings locally you often come across the same reasons that bus…

Have you ever sat in a meeting and thought I worry for the future? A couple of weeks ago I was sat …

Earlier today we reached a landmark number - 2500 followers on twitter Altrincham HQ is unique in t…

Having established Prestige Floor Studio in 2009 on a budget that would barley cover a weekly sh…

As many of you have seen I was a proud Olympic Torch Bearer on Friday June 29th in Buxton Selected …

Buying fans on Social Media platforms - let's get this straight from the start - it's a big no no!!!…

I pop out for an hour and come back to the Spice Girls trending on twitter It's the cue for the Emm…

Customer Service on Social Media has been a bit of a hot potato in the last 24 hours In quick succe…

3. The Classroom What I love about The Classroom is every Bank Holiday they try to do something di…

Last week Altrincham HQ along with Our Altrincham and Altrincham Town Centre Partnership we're invit…

Prestige Floor Studio - Altrincham Introduce your business and tell us what you've been up to rece…

At the time of writing this blog #IWasGonnaFollowYouBut is the top trending subject on twitter, so …

"Without promotion something terrible happens... Nothing! " P.T. Barnum I saw this quote last week …

We think it's time to put a shine of our local town, so are starting a regular "Tweeter Of The Day" …

As a former journalist i'm not lost on the fact that as much as businesses love social media and…

SEO and Social Media ...you'd think from the number of times you'd see these terms on the same websi…

£100,000 would have been helped, but at the end of the day does Altricham really need the Portas …

When we talk to local businesses we find a lot of them just don't get twitter.... well the latest …

So the talk of today in the blink and it's gone culture is the new Iphone app Viddy The concept its…

Encouraging Local Businesses To Blog Earlier this week I delivered a talk on Blogging at 4N Altrinc…

How many recommendations or testimonials would you say are enough? Would 100 in 9 months sound good…

Altrincham HQ work with a lot of PR and Marketing companies, but this was one of the most reward…

Taste Of Trafford is one of the finest events in Altrincham's calender After a few years of runni…

Here at Altrincham HQ we love working with those retail outlets and front of house businesses - th…

Altrincham HQ works with many businesses across Altrincham, Cheshire and Greater Manchester on the…

Dear Altrincham Please Please Please let me get what I want this time... I work hard 6 days a wee…

  Think back to any major decision you've ever made - personally or in business - what has bee…

Last Sunday I went down to what was to hopefully be the first of many Teenage Market's in Stockpor…

Alex McCann - Altrincham HQ My Altrincham Introduce your business and tell us what you've been up …

CATHERINE WILKS - IN MOVEMENT MY ALTRINCHAM Introduce your business and tell us what you've been up…

Chris Scullard - Scullard & Co Chartered Accountants Chris Scullard - Scullard & Co Charter…

It's being called a Personal Newspaper and with many us liking new Facebook pages each day it's impo…

Athena Business Lisa Chilvers - Athena Business My Altrincham Introduce your business and tell us w…

Facebook Pages have had a timelines make over and previews are rolling out for admins across the p…

Twitter stats bore the hell out of me sometimes - but even I was blown away with the fact that 500 M…

RICHARD MCCONNELL - THE ZIPYARD MY ALTRINCHAM Introduce your business and tell us what you've been…

SIMON BADROCK - PITTA CREPE MY ALTRINCHAM Introduce your business and tell us what you've been up …

Facebook Launch New Photo Layout Those of you who have logged into Facebook over the past couple o…

TREVOR HOLT - HOLT BUSINESS SOLUTIONS MY ALTRINCHAM  Introduce your business and tell us what you…

Since the start of 2012 we've lost count of the number of #Follow style twitter fads that have com…

Those who follow us on twitter will know that this weekend just gone as part of my healthy body he…

Social Media Lite - why less isn't always more? It was a trend we started seeing towards the 2n…

NEWSFLASH: ALTRINCHAM HQ IS RANKED #1 FOR SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING IN THE UK We’re pleased to annou…

As of Dec 23rd 2011 the Sports Cafe at Altrincham Leisure Centre will be closed for the last time a…

The Power of the retweet - an interesting subject because most of us use the twitter retweet on a d…

Altrincham Christmas Markets are happening and it's just been announced by Altrincham Town Centre su…

Are you looking for Zoom Networking Events in Altrincham? Many of the networking events below a…

How many of you have seen twitter's new activity tab? I guess that depends how many of you log in …

We read an article today outlining Tesco's plan's to move into the Hair & Beauty Market - a move…

When we offer Social Media Training or Social Media Management one thing we always suggest is that b…

One of our classic newsletters... which received a great reaction when we first posted it out in Aug…

Welcome to our new Altrincham HQ website - it's been a long time coming!!! In fact 12 long months w…

THE IMPORTANCE OF FACEBOOK SHARING AND HOW MANY OF US FORGET Share and share alike is what we say W…

One of our most popular newsletter posts - we thought we'd revive it for the new Altrincham HQ websi…