Your grades are arguably the most important aspect of your application. If you’re struggling with one of your school subjects, perhaps consider private tutoring or ask your teachers if you can attend some additional revision classes to help you secure the best grades possible. Begin your revision earlier and try to make healthy lifestyle choices so that you are better able to concentrate and absorb information. If you are tired and restless, you will struggle with your revision.

Although courses across different universities will share similarities, they will also be different in many ways so it’s a good idea to do some research and tailor your applications to suit each of the commonalities. This will make your application relevant across the board to give you a better chance of securing offers from all of the universities you apply for, rather than standing out to just one. You could speak to the admissions departments directly and ask course related questions if there is something of particular interest to you.

Of course, you’ll be very busy studying for your exams, but it’s important to try and find time to pursue your hobbies outside of your obligatory schoolwork. In doing so, you will be able to demonstrate to universities that you are able to manage your time effectively and juggle multiple commitments, while furthering your skills and potentially even building up additional UCAS points. If you don’t have a particular hobby in mind, perhaps consider volunteering in the community.

Gaining an award will show universities that you are willing to take on new challenges and work hard, which sets you apart. The Duke of Edinburgh Award (DofE) is a good option, because it allows you to demonstrate commitment and determination over a longer period of time.

If you’re currently studying A Levels, you will be learning a lot about the subjects that interest you, but extra reading will benefit you further. It’s really important to universities that their applicants can prove that they are truly engaged in the subject, particularly if you want to stand out amongst the crowd. You can reference your extra reading within your application and explain why it has helped you become better at your chosen subject.

Your teachers will be able to help you with this, but your personal statement is a great opportunity to show that you deserve a place at the universities of your choice. There is a 4,000-character limit, including punctuation and spaces and it should be a total of 47 lines. Within your statement, you should explain why you’re keen to attend university and what makes you a suitable candidate, as well as the relevant skills you have acquired over the years.

If you’ve made it this far, you’ve already done a lot of hard work and have the right mindset to succeed. With that said, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t believe in yourself and have confidence in your abilities.

To make your summer garden party super fun and interesting, decorating your garden can be a great starting place for those really wanting to 'wow' their guests. Simple decoration ideas like colourful banners, balloon displays and painted wooden signposts can really bring your garden to life for your party. As well as this, if you really wanted to 'push the boat out', you could also set up a garden gazebo or marquee to really amaze your guests. The garden provides the ideal backdrop to ensure beautiful photos, especially when it's been decorated colourfully.

Nowadays, it’s absolutely crucial for all companies to have a fully functional website. Potential customers will use the website to gauge the value of the products or services, 24 hours a day. Assess your website or contact an SEO agency to carry out an audit on your behalf so that you can figure out some areas for improvement, and therefore attract more traffic to the site. 

· Does your website align with your brand values?

· Is your website responsive across all devices?

· Does your website load quickly?

· Does your website run on HTTPs?

· Does your website contain any broken links?

· Does your website contain enough relevant content and keywords?

The online world doesn’t just refer to your website. Social media is another great way to advertise your products or services to a wider audience. Employ a graphic designer or try your hand at creating your own on Canva or another design tool so that you can share stunning visuals on your social pages. Make use of appropriate hashtags and ensure your captions are captivating.

You should also consider the best time to post on social media, as this is crucial for boosting engagement. This will involve some experimentation, but you could also look at the Instagram Insights tool if you have a business account to get an idea of when your followers are usually active.

Goole Ads allow you to get to the top of Google’s Search Engine Results Page so that you stand out amongst your competitors. Again, this is another way to get notices online, but you’ll need to do your research so that you are targeting appropriate keywords. You may require some additional support with this, but it will be worth it for the ROI.

Promotional merchandise is a fantastic way to appeal to your target audience and make yourselves more memorable. Here are some examples of how you can use branded items to promote your business.

· Take branded stationery, such as pens and notepads, along to your pitch meetings

· If you’re an eCommerce company, add a small gift to customers’ online orders

· Launch a competition on social media, in which a selection of branded items form the prize

· If you own a store or restaurant, give away promotional merchandise with each purchase

These are just a few ideas to get you started, but there are plenty of other things you can do with promotional items. Just make sure the items you choose are illustrative of your brand. For instance, if you own a beauty salon, you could give away little lip glosses or nail polish. Don’t worry if your branded merchandise campaign doesn’t result in a large influx of sales; it’s more about building relationships.

It’s usually a lot easier and more affordable to retain existing clients/customers than it is to attract new ones, and handy because they tend to spread the news about how great you are. Be sure to inform them of any changes to your business that might affect your relationships, engage with them through emails and social media and encourage them to leave you feedback on Trustpilot and other review sites.

The above suggestions merely scratch the surface when it comes to marketing, but should give you a few ideas to inspire you to take your marketing campaign to the next level.