I started Exceptional Thinking in 2003 to work with small businesses and people starting up in business, helping and advising them about marketing, research and business planning. I believe that running a business should be fun, but often it’s incredibly hard work meaning that many small business owners give up before they even get going.

The aim of ET is to make marketing and running a business as easy as possible and show people how they can get results and new customers without spending a fortune. To give you an example, small businesses often hate marketing because it’s hard work, time consuming and incredibly frustrating. Imagine spending £4,000 or more on an advert and it bringing in no customers! My philosophy instead is to use one of the 100 free methods of marketing to promote your business so that you can properly assess what will work for it and what won’t – sound better?

We’ve been going now for over 6 years and there is a team of six of us. I am very happy to send over 50 free ways to market and promote your business to anyone who would like a copy – just email me on helen.dowling@exceptionalthinking.co.uk