COMPANIES striving to succeed in the cut-throat worlds of customer care and marketing are "keeping up with the Joneses." Bury's very own Mr Jones that is!

For author Gordon Jones's successful "Shoestring" business guides are allowing small firms to gain a foothold in these vital markets.

Now, the 59-year-old Bury businessman's books have been endorsed by the influential Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative (SFEDI), an organisation dedicated to help increase the survival and viability of Britain's small firms.

SFEDI development manager Julia Witana said: "I am greatly impressed with their common sense and easy to follow approach."

Gordon, whose Gregory-Jones Marketing Communications company is run from his Larkfield Close home, has published two simple, practical and easy-to-use guides.

And the "Successful Marketing on a Shoestring" and "Successful Customer Care on a Shoestring" books, each illustrated with cartoons, have notched up sales of more than 8,000 nationwide. Now Gordon is busily putting together his third "Shoestring" guide which this time will look at the world of advertising.

"This book is due out next spring and I'm hopeful there will be a real demand for it," he says.

Given the nature of his texts, it's not surprising that he harnesses his own marketing expertise when it comes to promoting and selling his work.

"I do the rounds and travel all over the country, giving talks to chambers of commerce and business links," he explained.

"All sorts of people have bought the guides, including one lady in Oxfordshire who looks after graves and someone involved in dog kennels.

"Publicity, primarily giving talks, is the main route of the success in terms of sales."

Basically, what Gordon does is to draw on his own past corporate experiences to produce jargon-free key information and advice to help shape a new breed of small businesses.

Until 1992, he held senior management positions in several leading Manchester and Liverpool advertising agencies, responsible for such "blue chip" clients such as Tesco and BT.

But after being made redundant, Gordon decided to launch his own consultancy to offer what he describes as "no nonsense solutions to clients' often complex communication needs."

The Gregory referred to in his company title does not refer to his business partner, but his lifetime partner. It is his wife's maiden name.

During the past nine years, he has acted for a wide variety of customers and has mounted successful promotional campaigns for inner city housing, adult education and car care products.

And much closer to home, the businessman

handles markets for Bury's two grammar schools.

He is about to be appointed by the Ministry of Agriculture to help deliver a training programme for farmers.

The Bury man is also the author of The Pocket Guide to the Best in Customer Care for independent newsagents, motor accessory and hardware shops.

Delivering talks on marketing and customer care has made Gordon a popular choice on many platforms.

"I've lectured on marketing at Manchester Metropolitan University and Manchester Business School," he went on.

Commenting on the praise his guides have received from the SFEDI, Gordon said: "Since their launch, many small firms have benefited from the practical and inexpensive ideas in the booklets.

"And this latest endorsement will enable more small businesses to use them."