Contractors should adopt a targeted approach to marketing, experts have said.

Tom Fairey from business intelligence company Bureau van Dijk said that businesses must ensure they understand their audience so they can target them in the right way.

He advised that contractors focus on developing their "market intelligence" so they can achieve the appropriate level of marketing to attract potential clients.

Mr Fairey also said that social media can be extremely useful when taking such an approach.

"You've got to make sure it's going to the right people, because the scattergun approach doesn't work anymore," he explained.

Social media is certainly making its presence felt in the world of marketing, with Michael Murray writing in the Independent that the way people network is being transformed by social media.

He claimed that if companies want to increase their turnover and head count they should turn to social media.