BUSINESS ESSENTIALS

essentialsBusiness2023

Over the next 14 pages, we have compiled some specialist advice and tips to help your business move up a gear in 2023...

RECRUITMENT

HIRING BEST PRACTICE

Recruitment – go it alone or partner with a recruitment agency? A wise investment or an avoidable expense? Alex Callister, director of Truro-based recruitment specialists Trial Balance Consulting and Well Placed HR, shares his advice for employers considering partnering with an employment agency.

Despite previously suffering a somewhat dubious reputation, most modern day recruiters are hardworking, switched on and highly principled. But as with any industry, some providers are more effective than others.

Here are my top considerations for employers considering partnering with a recruitment business:

WHAT’S THE BENEFIT OF ENGAGING A RECRUITMENT AGENCY?

Ultimately there are two key advantages –

1. A good recruiter will be able to uncover candidates that employers would struggle to source themselves. How?

By dedicating 100% of their time to finding them. That doesn’t mean posting an advertisement on the internet and hoping for the best. It means consulting with an in-house database of candidates and contacts that has developed over many years and should be meticulously maintained. An effective recruiter will already be reeling off the names of potential candidates in their mind as their client is briefing them. They will proactively target candidates with a relevant skill set or background.

2. It saves an employer a lot of time. A recruiter will design and post an effective online candidate attraction campaign on behalf of their client, often sharing far and wide – a considerable and unguaranteed expense for an employer looking to try for themselves. They will effectively deal with all enquiries and applications, ensuring that unsuitable candidates are dealt with promptly and compassionately.

They build a long list of prospective candidates before whittling it down to a digestible shortlist. A professional recruiter should be focussed on minimising the number of CVs that they submit to an employer, but ensuring that each submission perfectly complements the brief. The recruiter will handle all of the administration surrounding setting up interviews, exchanges of feedback and if an offer is to be made, acting as chief negotiator in an effort to ensure mutual acceptance.

INDUSTRY SPECIALIST OR GENERALIST?

There are two types of recruitment businesses – those that specialise in just one specific vocation and/or industry sector and those that will happily assist an employer with almost any recruitment project.

A specialist will have a far more in depth knowledge of their chosen industry sector. They should be switched on where market trends and salaries are concerned, and they should be able to anticipate the challenges a client assignment presents before they’ve even got started. They’ll know the right questions to ask and they’ll know exactly the type of candidate that they’re targeting. The downside to specialists being that their relationship with most employers will be sporadic because they will only add value in a single area of an employer’s business. Generalist recruiters have the advantage of offering a broader recruitment partnership to an employer, often accepting assignment across of all functions of the business. The downside being that they will likely lack the technical expertise in specialist vocations.

CONSIDERING THE COSTS

An employer’s main objection to partnering with a recruitment specialist is cost and for some recruitment projects, the benefit of utilising an agency may not offset the expenditure. Most recruiters will only charge

www.trial-balance.co.uk 01872 464555 a fee upon successful completion of a project meaning that the time spent on an assignment and the significant advertising costs are unlikely to be recovered if they are unable to fill a vacancy.

The cost is generally calculated as a percentage of a successful candidates commencing salary; the higher the salary, the higher the percentage charged as senior level assignments generally consume more time. Whilst recruiters recognise that the cost of their service will always be a key consideration for their clients, they also understand the potential benefit of introducing an exceptional candidate to a business. Employees are usually an employer’s greatest asset and for many key appointments, the associated recruitment costs quickly become insignificant when a great candidate adds real value to their business. My top tip for negotiating fees – exclusive assignment! Assigning a single recruiter for an agreed period of time increases their chances of success and an effective overall campaign. If an employer wants to negotiate recruitment fees, an offer of exclusivity is the trump card!

A specialist recruiter such as Trial Balance Consulting (accountancy & finance), or Well Placed HR (people management), can help. Get in touch to learn more about our services, our candidates and our quest to ensure that our clients employ the candidates that they really want.

www.wellplacedhr.co.uk 01872 309400

PRINT

UP YOUR PRINT MARKETING GAME

Simple. Personal. Trustworthy. These are the enduring hallmarks of printed advertising and marketing. Beth Mayman, operations manager at SAPC explains...

Recent trends show that print marketing remains a dependable and highly effective way to boost your business for years to come.

Understandably, during these financially challenging times businesses are keen to make sure that the investment in their print campaign creates an impact and provides a successful return on that investment. So, what should you consider when creating an engaging and effective print campaign?

TELL YOUR STORY: Create a narrative around your brand or tell the story of your latest product. Excellent storytelling in print marketing pulls together the most compelling images with creative copywriting to create an emotional connection with your customers. is elegantly simple, targeted and personal, visually compelling, texture-rich, and creatively written.

GET PERSONAL: Create an emotional connection directly with each and every customer using personalised or segmented direct mail. Each printed item can be easily customised to provide a personal message resulting in higher ROI, as well as a better engaged audience.

TEXTURED & TACTILE: Use textured elements in your print media that play to the senses and inspire awareness and recall. Die-cutting and embossments are quite literally raised off the page, while foiling or spot varnish can add depth while providing a more subtle way of highlighting your design. DIGITAL CONNECTION: Bridge the gap between offline and online with personalised URLs, QR codes and Augmented Reality. From flyers to brochures to magazine adverts, print provides the perfect channel to drive consumers to your online platforms with trackable results.

CHOOSE ECO-FRIENDLY: Print and paper production are one of the most sustainable industries in the world. Choose Carbon Balanced print and paper that has recycled content and is from sustainably managed forests with FSC® Certification.

DARING DESIGN: It’s worth investing in high quality design and creative copywriting to move your brand from the ordinary to the extraordinary. Successful print marketing PERFECT PACKAGING: With paper and board continuing to replace plastic packaging, we have seen an explosion in exciting packaging designs. In particular, short run digitally printed wraps, tuck boxes and gift boxes are in high demand.

www.sapc.co.uk

PAYROLL

GOLD STANDARD

MD Tim Wilkins explains how Cornwall Payroll can help your business in 2023.

Many companies struggle to recruit a payroll professional in Cornwall and for others it has become impracticable to have an in-house payroll professional, either because of rising salary costs or the risk of them being absent with no cover.

Therefore, more and more businesses are choosing to outsource their payroll to an expert payroll company. This also ensures keeping up to date with ever changing legislation.

CONNECT EMPLOYER DASHBOARD

This has been a game changer for us and our clients! It is the closest thing to having a dedicated payroll professional in your office, but for a fraction of the cost. The dashboard is easy to use and the process is very straightforward. Once you send us your payroll data, we will process the payroll, then upload the payslips and payroll reports to the dashboard for you to check and approve. All the payroll information is instantly at your fingertips and the payroll reports can also be customised to suit your specific requirements. It couldn’t be easier.

Employees can also get their own app to view their payslips on their phone.

The feedback from our clients has been fantastic!

ABOUT US

We are an experienced team of payroll technicians based in Truro. We provide a friendly, professional and cost-effective service to all types and size of business In Cornwall.

We have, once again, achieved accreditation with the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals after passing their Payroll Assurance Scheme. This is the gold standard in the payroll profession and Cornwall Payroll are the only accountant or Payroll Company in Cornwall to hold this accolade. The ideal time to switch is the start of the new tax year.

For more information on our services contact info@cornwallpayroll.co.uk or call 01872 306412

See what our clients have to say about our service and support on Google reviews and Yell.com

SUSTAINABLE MOTORING

MAZDA CX-60 HOMURA PHEV AUTO

TEST DRIVEN AND WRITEN BY BUSINESS CORNWALL’S MORVETH WARD

Not that long ago, EVs felt novel, like a new generation of motoring that many didn’t feel ready for, even mocked in some instances. Not now, they’re the obvious choice for most and so they should be, with brilliant technology and green credentials. But, if you’re not ready for full electric, then perhaps a hybrid may be the ideal.

We’re in a time where we need more than nice thoughts, but real action. One way you can do this is to opt-for a car which is less damaging to our planet. But, in this now competitive genre of EVs, what do you go for? Mazda’s first plug in hybrid (PHEV), the CX-60, is one option that thanks to Vospers I got to try out.

The CX-60 is Mazda’s answer to the large, premium / luxury SUV market. I’ve always been a big fan of Mazda – the manufacturer has made some incredibly good cars over the years, including the little MX-5, which must be one of the best cars of all time, as well as the infamous RX-7 sportscar – so it gives me reason to be hopeful. With Mazda, you tend to get Japanese reliability and build quality, which has typically made for a dependable and well-built range of cars at the forefront of technology and innovation.

Thankfully the CX-60 would appear to be no exception and is one of Mazda’s most luxury and advanced cars to date.

Starting with the styling, it’s a little more understated than some, but striking nonetheless, softer lines make it friendlier looking than some of the angry/ aggressive looking (especially the European) rival SUVs. Then there’s the interior, which again is also understated, in a good sense – it’s uncluttered and minimalist, focussing on a serene and relaxing environment, yet with all the tech. Everything feels very well built and user friendly – not trying too hard either, with no unnecessary gimmicks or annoying things – it’s just very likeable, I guess.

engine and electric motor, coupled to an 8 speed automatic gearbox transferring drive to all four wheels. It’s got some grunt, too, in fact Mazda’s most powerful production car, with 323bhp combined and an impressive 0-62 of 5.8 seconds. The beauty of a hybrid is that it covers all travel eventualities, but to get the most out of it, you want to be making good Everything feels use of the electric motor on its own merit, otherwise very well built and you’re obviously always relying on petrol to a large user friendly degree. So, on this note, you can use electric only in the CX-60, which will carry you up to a claimed 39 miles. Therefore, if this is enough for your daily commute, then its ideal. Oh, and business users will also benefit from a lower rate benefit-in-kind.

Power is delivered by way of a 2.5l petrol As you’d expect with a luxury SUV, it has various driving modes, including all-electric and at the other end of the spectrum, sport mode. In Sport mode (which obviously I had to try out) it deploys its 323bhp effortlessly and smoothly. In fact you’d never know it’s got all of that power until you put your foot down. It’s a dark horse in this sense, as its soft-lined design and smooth and refined drive, gives away little indication of its respectable power, whereas some of the competitors go for aggressive styling and a hard (‘sporty’) ride that can feel a little irritable on some of the rougher roads. The Mazda’s handling is composed and makes little drama of Cornwall’s backroads. Going to use the word relaxing again, because this is how I feel about the drive of this. If you’re ever being tailgated, I doubt it’ll be one of these in your rear-view mirror, as it doesn’t give rise to impatient driving – it’s too much of a serene place.

In summary, the CX-60 offers a high level of luxury, quality and practicality in an unpretentious way and is a real contender in this competitive genre.

Prices start from around £45k.

FINANCE

ADVANTAGES OF COMPUTERISED ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE IN AN EVER-CHANGING WORLD

In our fast-paced modern world, where time is money, every minute saved by implementing computerised processes is invaluable in helping your business work more efficiently. Written by Carole Thomas and Mikaela Richards, RRL LLP.

AUTOMATED DEBT COLLECTION

Cash collection is key for any business to ensure cash-flow is adequately managed.

Many of the leading software packages have the ability to email statements on a scheduled basis direct to customers, with little interaction from the user.

Debt collection can be a simple process where reminders are sent by the software to customers when invoices are due/overdue for payment.

This will minimise the work involved in invoicing and debt collection to enable you to concentrate more on running your business.

DATA EXTRACTION SOFTWARE

Data extraction software is a valuable tool in minimising the processing of your supplier invoices, making manual data entry a thing of the past.

The data extraction software can easily extract the important information from the supplier invoice (e.g date, name, VAT and invoice total), and can predict where you would like to post supplier invoices based on your previous entries.

Automating the data entry will minimise any risk of human error when processing the invoice.

CASH PROJECTION

The implementation of the above processes will result in your data always being up to date, which will then enable you to use other useful software packages, such as cash projection software giving you: • A clearer picture of your business performance, • Information about your future financial needs, how to navigate some of the current financial challenges and what needs to happen to achieve your future plans; and • an invaluable tool when trying to secure future financial funding or decide on incurring expenditure.

Truro 01872 276116 Penzance 01736 339322 post@rrlcornwall.co.uk www.rrlcornwall.co.uk

CHARITY

MAKE A RESOLUTION TO IMPROVE EMPLOYEE MENTAL HEALTH

Poor mental health costs UK employers around £42 billion each year, so as the year comes to a close, perhaps now is the time to ask yourself, what is your workplace doing to help employees with their wellbeing? Coming into the darker winter months, and beginning a new year, can all take its toll on mental health, never mind the private lives, and struggles we all experience. That’s why having a support system set up to help, can make a huge difference to employee wellbeing, and benefit your business as a result.

WELLBEING DAYS

What’s better than getting to spend the day having fun with your team, while improving your mental health in the process?

A Sea Sanctuary Raise Your Sail day is a great way to take your team out of the office and onto the water, for an award-winning sailing experience like no other.

Sea Sanctuary, a mental health charity in Falmouth, offer the following services, to help support your teams, no matter what they’re dealing with.

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMMES (EAPS)

Becoming a popular choice amongst many businesses, Employee Assistance Programmes give your teams a supportive framework they can rest on during fatigue, distress, or trauma. Through education, training, and specialist mental health support, an EAP works to build an emotionally resilient workforce, with effective coping strategies for the big and little stressors in life they might have to deal with.

WELLBEING CHAMPION TRAINING

Why not nominate a few team members to become Wellbeing Champions, who are trained to help sustain and promote positive mental health in your business? Your Wellbeing Champion receives training so they can deliver a high standard of care and support in the workplace and offer internal training back to the rest of your team. Find out more at seasanctuary.org.uk or email hello@seasanctuary.org.uk

SIGNAGE

HAVE A VISUAL IMPACT IN 2023

With rising energy prices and inflationary pressures, 2023 looks to be another year of challenges for us all, says Parc Signs MD Karen Barnett. In such conditions we are all looking at how we can make savings but at the same time maintain or increase market share.

Spending money on business promotion now becomes something we all need to carefully evaluate. We are more than ever ‘conscious consumers.’ Not just in relation to financial outlay but also taking into account other factors such as sustainability and how the brands we do business with engage with us. Signage and the right materials can play a huge part in the visual impact of that engagement.

As consumers we’re often looking for something that we feel is unique. So from a business point of view, it’s about creating an immersive brand experience from the moment you step through the door and that encompasses not just signage but branding, interior design and the customer experience as a whole.

It’s no longer good enough to just have a sign on the front of your building, it’s about continuing it through to the interior in terms of messaging and achieving consistency in terms of presentation. It doesn’t have to be overkill either. It’s more about understanding that all of your design elements have a visual and emotive impact on your client and therefore how they perceive you as a business.

We’re passionate about helping clients select the right materials and understanding how signage can be a valuable part of a marketing mix. When approached in a considered way we can help ensure it says everything you want to say about your brand to make you stand out.

parcsigns.co.uk

CONFERENCES

CREATE AN EXCEPTIONAL EVENT

St Austell Conference Centre manager, Kelly Tait, shares these great tips on how to hold a business seminar or event to remember!

When we are planning an event with our clients, everything is considered in meticulous detail to ensure the event is a success. Emails flying back and forth. Completed booking forms checked and re-checked. Last minute phone calls confirming final numbers, tweaking technology needs and registering essential dietary requirements. Our Top Tips...

BE PREPARED: Event organisers are always welcome to pop in for a pre-event site visit, however we realise that this isn’t always practical. So, we do offer plenty of time in the mornings so that you can arrive early to familiarise yourself with the venue and facilities, ensuring that you are happy with the room layout, run through the venue’s safety procedures, request any last-minute printing from our team and most importantly check the AV and presentation set up.

BE INFORMATIVE: Share detailed pre-event information with delegates in advance. The agenda and directions are usually distributed as standard, but also consider including extra welfare information related to the parking arrangements, EV charging facilities, remote access options, venue accessibility etc.

BE INTERACTIVE: Provide plenty of time in your schedule for networking. In-person collaboration is the highlight of many events and it’s great to hear the buzz of excitement in the conference centre. It cannot be underestimated how much good comes out of these conversations – both personally and professionally.

BE ENGAGING: Consider how to keep your audience engaged and alert. How can you mix up the agenda? Can you provide multiple speakers or include group discussions or workshop sessions? Keep sessions short, on time and on track.

BE FLEXIBLE: Always be prepared for the schedule to run over time or speakers not able to attend, so have some flexibility built into your event. If people need to take a call or deal with an urgent email, then they should feel comfortable to do so. Following the pandemic, people are now used to working at home and having more freedom in their schedule, so it’s important to consider this in your planning.

BE ECO-FRIENDLY: Consider how your event can be environmentally mindful. Reduce single use plastics, recycle, encourage car sharing, EV charging and provide vegan menu options.

If you would like to consider hosting your event at St Austell Conference, you can contact our friendly team on 01726 624200 or email info@staustellbusinesspark.co.uk

www.staustellconferencecentre.co.uk

SKILLS

HOW STAFF INVESTMENT CAN BOOST YOUR BUSINESS

The new year brings with it the opportunity for us to consider what has been, most would agree that 2022 was more volatile than we could have predicted. Having weathered the storm through a global pandemic, businesses were faced with a fresh set of challenges including a cost-of-living crisis, fuel crisis and rising interest rates; all while juggling a skills and labour shortage. 2023 may not be offering the prospect of a new start for many companies, however it does present an opportunity to place your business in the best possible position for the coming year.

RETENTION VS RECRUITMENT:

So why then, should you consider a skills budget and training plan for your business in 2023 and beyond.

We all know the benefits of training; improved morale, increased staff retention, fresh perspectives, and continual improvement for the company to state but a few – however what do the cold hard facts say?

The Association for Talent Development states that a staggering 218% higher income per employee is achieved by businesses who have a formalised training plan compared to those without. In additional to this, these companies benefit from a 24% higher profit margin than those who choose not to invest in skills development.

Further analysis from PwC showed that 85% of businesses have or anticipate shortages in essential skills. that individual being fully trained in the role.

RETHINKING YOUR BUDGET:

On average, the recruitment of a new staff member costs around 20-30% of the new hire’s annual salary. In Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly this is an average of £3-5k per role. When we consider the costs of recruitment, it isn’t just the price of promotion but the time and resources that need to be utilised from the point of writing a job description and interviewing, through to Investment in staff training is proven to increase the retention of your

Investment in already skilled, knowledgeable, and experienced team. Imagine the staff training is impact that even half the cost of a new recruit would have on your proven to increase team if spent on training. Harvard Business Review stated that 97% retention of employees would learn new skills if they were given the opportunity. While an IBM study in 2021 showed that your team are 12 times more like to leave their role if they are not given sufficient workforce development.

SKILLS FOR 2023:

Here at the Skills Hub, we like to do the heavy lifting for you. We have lined up some

of the top skills your business needs in 2023 and beyond.

Firstly, it is important to ensure you and your team have “transferable skills”, ensuring that the business is best equipped for any challenges which may occur in 2023. They enable a workforce to be flexible and adaptable, moving seamlessly and able to pivot as required. Transferable skills include creativity, critical thinking, excellent communication skills, time management and attention to detail. Additionally for leaders and managers we must provide the skills to manage change within the workplace and be able to make informed decisions while encouraging collaboration. Digital skills and sustainability are on the tip of every business’ tongue. Following huge transformations to the workplace, it is more critical than ever that every employee has good- excellent digital skills. The reality at present is that many are struggling to get to grips and keep up with the ever-changing technology which can bring you increased efficiency. Digital skills tuition can be internal knowledge sharing or attending training courses and can make a significant impact almost instantly – improving your team’s confidence and creativity. Additionally, clients, customers, suppliers, and contract holders are progressively measuring the sustainability of those they work with and utilising this as a deciding factor to do business with you. Harness individuals in the team who are passionate about change and use them as leaders within your company to grow and adapt your business processes. We are now seeing many more green courses come to market which can also provide your team with easy, practical steps to bring back into the organisation. Do you have a member of staff that is looking to progress their role or retrain? Do not forget to consider apprenticeships. Traditionally considered for new hire or as an entry route to the labour market, apprenticeships are a fantastic way to increase the skills of your

team and can be undertaken at any age within all levels of the workforce.

ACCESSING THE RIGHT SKILLS:

Fired up and ready to see how skills investment can boost your Benefit from business? Contact the Cornwall and Isles of a 24% higher Scilly Skills Hub; the independent profit margin and impartial specialists when it comes to all things skills, training and workforce development. Through a free review we can help equip you and your team with the skills needed to ensure that you’re ready to tackle whatever comes next.

Book your FREE skills review today, contact us on 01209 708660 or email hello@ciosskillshub.com

The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Skills Hub is part funded by the European Social Fund and is match funded by Cornwall Council and the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

HOW PATENTS CAN SAVE YOU MONEY

In the current economic climate, any asset that can reduce costs is a valuable one. This is more so, given the planned rise in April 2023 of the Corporation Tax rate to 25%. The Patent Box scheme allows companies holding relevant patents to significantly reduce their tax liability. Truro-based IP specialists N.J. Akers & Co. explain this scheme and how savings can be realised.

The Patent Box scheme allows a company to apply a lower rate of 10% to profits realised from the sale of a patented product or the provision of a related service.

DO WE QUALIFY?

To qualify for the Patent Box scheme, a company must be liable to Corporation Tax, make a profit from commercially exploiting an invention for which a patent has been granted and incurred expenses in acquiring the patent. The company must have carried out development of the patented invention.

WHAT PATENTS ARE ELIGIBLE?

To be eligible for the scheme, the company must hold a GB patent granted by the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office or a European patent granted by the European Patent Office and validated in the UK. Patents from certain EEA countries can also qualify.

WHAT PROFITS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE LOWER RATE OF CORPORATION TAX?

To qualify for the lower rate of 10% under the scheme, profits should arise from one of the following activities:

• Selling a product covered by the patent or containing parts covered by the patent

• Selling specific spare parts for the patented product

• Licensing the patent to others

• Carry out manufacture using a method or process covered by the patent

• Provide a service to others using a patented product

HOW DO WE ENTER THE PATENT BOX SCHEME?

To enjoy the reduced rate of Corporation Tax an election must be made to HMRC to benefit from the Patent Box scheme. The election must be made no more than two years after the end of the accounting period in which the profits were made.

WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

For companies with one or more patents, a review should be conducted to identify all profits arising from the use of the patented inventions.

This review can include profits arising in past years, as indicated above. An election should then be made to claim the benefit of the Patent Box scheme. Your Accountants will be able to advise further on the qualifying profits and the election.

WHAT CAN WE DO IF WE HAVE NO PATENTS OR WE ARE PLANNING NEW PRODUCTS?

Unfortunately, a patent cannot be obtained for a product that is already on the market and being sold. However, if you have one or more new products in development or changes to an existing product underway, now is a good time to consider a patent strategy to benefit from the Patent Box. It is important to remember that any application for a patent that will be used for the Patent Box scheme must be filed before details of the new product are published or the product is launched.

Our team at N.J. Akers & Co. can help you devise and implement a strategy to secure patents to qualify for the Patent Box relief. In particular, we have developed a range of strategies for obtaining targeted patents specifically for election into the Patent Box scheme.

Please contact us by phone or email, if you would like to know more.

N.J. Akers & Co. is a firm of Chartered Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys, based in the South West of England, representing clients throughout the UK, Europe, North America and the Far East. From brand and design protection to patenting new technologies, we are well placed to assist companies with their IP needs, including preparing and filing new patent applications for innovative technology, as well as preparing and filing trade mark and design applications to protect new brands and products.

We have an experienced, approachable and responsive team, providing our clients with commercially-focussed IP advice and related services.

www.njakers.com | 01872 266810

AUTOMATION, AUTOMATION, AUTOMATION.

This is definitely not a new trend, but it continues to become more and more important for improving performance, cost efficiency, and keeping up with the competition. Make sure you are automating routine processes but also assisting algorithms and machines with their learning by providing accurate and relevant data for your business objectives. eECOMMERCE

BECOME A CHAMELEON

The world of PPC (Google Ads) in 2023 continues on the same path but with some unexpected twists.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

The increasing complexity in the digital customer journey and the recent instability in the global markets are making decisionmaking and optimization even more complicated for humans.

AI solutions will be more important for advertisers in 2023 and the years to come, especially for identifying and targeting intent, the likelihood of converting, and conversion value prediction.

BECOME A CHAMELEON.

The sudden changes in almost all aspects of life in recent years have shown that the companies structured in an agile way to quickly adapt – by pivoting offerings, advertising, and communication – are more resilient and successful.

Since we see that the coming period will be equally unpredictable globally, I recommend preparing for the unexpected and working on an adaptable PPC structure.

Google CPC inflation is pressuring marketing, driving up costs, and reducing growth and potential profits for businesses. I believe that automation will be the single biggest lever to pull in marketing in 2023 to negate some of these effects.

I believe this will be critical for B2B customers. It will soon be very difficult to compete without a good AI solution that is fed with accurate data across the customer journey. For more information visit www.marwickmarketing.co.uk or e-mail me on christian@marwickmarketing.com

INNOVATION

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

Ben Hugill, project manager at South West Academic Health Science Network, explains the opportunities for Cornish innovators in the health and care sector.

Are you a Cornwall-based innovator looking to penetrate the health and care sector? Our free workshops are designed by industry leaders to support innovators on their journey to successfully working with the health and care system.

These workshops will provide key insights, learnings and tips on how to progress through the sector with your innovation.

PRACTICAL INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH EQUITY IN CO-DESIGN AND DIGITAL INNOVATION

To provide an interactive session with practical and evidence-based guidance on how to meaningfully undertake co-design in healthcare innovation with a particular focus on ensuring health equity.

• Explore the meaning and importance of health equity in relation to innovation. • Understand the principles of meaningful co-design.

• Consider practical examples of how to design, deliver and evaluate co-design activities through a health equity lens.

GRANT WRITING MASTERCLASS

The Grant Writing Masterclass offers you an opportunity to engage with Kevin Brooks of BrooksKebbey Ltd, successful in supporting £31.2 million in funding awards to better understand the world of funding grants available to innovators in the health and care space, as well as how to successfully apply for funding.

MARKET INSIGHT SURGERY

Our Smartline Market Insight Surgeries are ideal for companies looking to learn more

about the health and care landscape in the south west, and how their products might fit in to the market. This session will include topics such as: • An overview of the NHS and the different sectors that it is composed of.

• How to assess and improve your value proposition for NHS audiences. • How the South West AHSN and other organisations can support you on your journey through the innovation pathway.

For further information and to sign up to any of the workshops, head to

www.smartline.org.uk/events

For any further queries, please contact

innovation@swahsn.com

APPRENTICESHIPS

NEW BUSINESS LEAD FOR REGION’S LARGEST COLLEGE GROUP

The Cornwall College Group (TCCG) has welcomed Steve Thompson, who takes on the role of group lead for Business, Innovation & Partnerships.

Steve brings with him a diverse wealth of career experience across both the private and public sector. sector in 2012 to pursue a new career path in further education.

After a six-year stint in the Royal Marines from the age of 16, Thompson trained as a bricklayer and eventually set up his own construction company specialising in brickwork, scaffolding and civil engineering. The success of the firm saw Thompson go on to employ over 500 construction contracting operatives with a healthy number of apprenticeships at all levels. Driven to bring together the best of industry leaders and education professionals, Thompson retired from the construction

In his new role at TCCG, Thompson is looking forward to “further developing the already positive relationships with our local and regional Helped over business partners.” “We are known as the 15,000 people ‘career college’ and my focus is on promoting into their mutually beneficial career routes relationships between education and industry,” Steve explained. “This will ensure that the pipeline talent we are able to access has a visible line of sight to the employment or promotion destination they aspire to.” The Cornwall College Group, which includes Cornwall College, Bicton College, Duchy College, Falmouth Marine School and Eden Project Learning, is the number one provider of apprenticeships in Cornwall and Devon, having helped over 15,000 people into their career routes over more than a decade.

For more information about apprenticeships at The Cornwall College Group please visit www.cornwall.ac.uk/ apprenticeships

UK FIRST FOR COLLEGE’S ‘TRAILBLAZER’ ECOLOGY APPRENTICESHIP

The country’s first ever ecological postgraduate degree apprenticeship, provided in partnership between The Cornwall College Group (TCCG) and the Eden Project, continues to go from strengthto-strength.

The unique opportunity to secure a master’s degree in ecological restoration, and specialise in one of three ecological subjects whilst working full-time, has been added to the environmental and conservation courses on offer at Eden Project Learning – a partnership between the world-famous attraction and TCCG.

Now in its third cohort, the programme has grown to include apprentices from large organisations including Defra, Natural England, APHA and the Environment Agency, plus a range of environmental consultancies and local authorities.

Programme manager Michael Hunt described the apprenticeship as “an incredible opportunity for businesses as well as students.

“The course has been designed in direct response to the demand seen from within the sector,” Hunt continued:

“The country needs more trained ecologists and apprenticeships offer one of the best ways to get a qualification in such a handson industry – students can earn whilst they learn, and employers will help create experts in the field whilst being seen to have a strong commitment to this vital sector.”

Visit www.cornwall.ac.uk/apprenticeships for more information.

MORE UPSKILLING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADULTS

Skills Bootcamps

The Cornwall College Group is also offering free, flexible courses for up to 16 weeks for adults aged 19+ who are either in work, self-employed, or recently unemployed and live in England.

These bootcamps are designed to equip adults with sector-specific skills and fasttrack to an interview with a local employer.

The bootcamps available are: • Digital Skills in Health and Social Care • Vehicle Tyre Fitting and EV Awareness • Electrical Testing and Inspection • Bricklaying Skills • Sustainable Development • Hospitality Skills • Cyber Security

• Digital Trainer

• Digital Marketing

Find out more or register your interest at www.cornwall.ac.uk/skills-bootcamps

SKILLS FOR CORNWALL PROJECT

The Skills for Cornwall project, under which CCB Training’s new apprenticeships are being developed, supports local business growth by focusing on the development of skills, training programmes and qualifications in sectors identified as priorities by the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership.

The project is part of the Business Clusters project, part-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF). The project looks at partnering with employers which are ready to share their expertise with the scope of having their insights feed the development of new apprenticeship and degree curriculums that meet the current market needs.

“We have £3K of funding available through our Apprenticeship Development Fund , which is aimed at businesses tasking on new or existing staff members onto an apprenticeship,” explained Lorna Martin, head of apprenticeships and external engagement at CCB Training.

“In return, we ask for feedback on ways to develop the apprenticeship. The insight will enable us to develop new apprenticeships or foundation degree to meet businesses’ future needs.”

To get involved as an employer, contact CCB Training on 0330 1232523 email hello@ccbtraining.co.uk or visit www. ccbtraining.co.uk/skills-for-cornwall

VIDEO

WE DON’T DO BORING

Stop putting out rubbish – that’s for Monday nights, says Chris Smith creative director at video production company, Bull and Wolf.

What have you seen lately? Think about where you can pull inspiration. Creativity is about drawing from your references to problem solve, developing and putting those ideas to the test to create something new.

Excuse the facetious joke but this is our primary observation for video content moving into 2023 and it needs correcting.

Businesses know they should be putting out video content but rush the process and are disappointed by the result.

When it comes to designing video briefs and ideas, whether they are to be produced internally or using external help, it’s important to ask yourself and your team some simple questions. This will help you to avoid the outcome none of us want to make or see - another boring video. Of course, when it comes to any art, ‘good’ is subjective but in the fast-paced, shortattention spanned world of social video, a boring video stands out for all the wrong reasons. Boring videos will be skipped, scrolled past and ignored.

So, let’s run through the questions: Would you watch it? This should be the first thing you ask yourself when considering video in 2023. If you wouldn’t watch, talk about and share it then why should your audience? An engaging video is key, especially in a new era of ‘blink-and-you’ll-miss-it’ attention spans (yes, I’m talking to you skim reader). Which is the best idea? If the team are throwing out a handful of great ideas it could be tricky to define the best one. So, if you and the team are torn between good ideas - pick the funniest one. Are you suspicious that your video marketing might be boring?

If in doubt, ask an expert: hello@bullandwolf.co - We don’t do boring.

BROADBAND

WHY IT’S TIME TO UPGRADE YOUR BUSINESS PHONE SYSTEM

Now more than ever, business communications are critical to success. But things are changing in the world of telecoms and your existing telephone solution might soon become obsolete. In this article, we outline what’s changing, how it will affect your business and how to start preparing your business now.

WHAT’S CHANGING?

The copper network used across the UK for telephone communications (commonly referred to as the Public Switch Telephone Network or PSTN and Integrated Services Digital Network or ISDN) will be retired in December 2025. After this point, all phone lines will be powered by VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology.

WHAT IS VOIP AND WHY IS IT A BETTER SOLUTION FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

VoIP services use your internet connection to transmit voice calls and offers many advantages over traditional landlines:

• It’s scalable. The PSTN and ISDN phone lines require copper cabling, meaning that increasing the number of users on a system could result in you having to expand on existing infrastructure. With VoIP, you can add extra users quickly and easily.

• It’s flexible. VoIP enables you to make and receive calls through your phone line from any device, making it the perfect solution for those businesses with staff working remotely.

• Advanced features. VoIP can be used to facilitate features like call forwarding, automatic rerouting to the correct department, and integration with your business CRM.

IS YOUR BUSINESS READY FOR THE CHANGE?

Nearly half of UK businesses have already made the switch to a hosted telephony service, routing calls through their enterprise broadband package. If your current phone system uses ISDN or PSTN lines, you’ll need to start planning for the change now.

At Wildanet, we can help you transition to a VoIP phone system that’s appropriate for your business. Call our business team

on 0800 0699906 to find out more.