It is acknowledged generally that Scottish researchers and businesses excel at designing and innovating their products and services, but we are less adept at marketing them to others.

This is a particular issue for technology-based companies in Scotland, but also occurs in product and service businesses.

If we assume that Scots are great inventors, business people and innovators, then imagine how much more successful we could be if we added world-class marketing and skills to that mix. More and more of our companies would be genuine world-beaters.

The purpose of scottishmarketingcommunity.co.uk is to promote good, effective marketing skills to Scottish business.

We'll be producing many examples of effective and successful marketing techniques and campaigns - many of them Scottish.

While there is general acceptance of Scotland's need to improve its marketing base, we do have many businesses - in technology, food and drink and financial services, which have achieved world-class standards.

We will offer advice, publish case studies and ask the experts to contribute to our "community". We will also publish relevant research and report news of new initiatives and examples which apply to Scottish business.

And we will publish articles and comments from a range of marketing professionals aimed at helping you improve your marketing skills.