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TABLE OF CONTENTS The Future Is Green: How To Make Your Business More Eco-Friendly
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Sandra Hinshelwood EDITOR
Business Partner Magazine is issued bi-monthly by Sandra Hinshelwood of Effective Website Marketing
Ethical Marketing: Does It Even Exist?
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Key Elements for Building an Online Reputation Management Strategy
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Tips For A Successful Contract Negotiation
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Tips to Boost Business Productivity
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Starting A Nonprofit: The First Steps
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Aljon Sampaga LAYOUT/DESIGN
Plastic Tax: What you Need to Know
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MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR Welcome to the latest edition of Business Partner Magazine. The past couple of years have been hard for many, and it doesn’t look like it will get any easier soon as we see costs escalating. So many things are contributing to the recent rise in the cost of living – rising inflation, food prices, energy cost, fuel costs, higher interest rates, and the impact of the conflict in Ukraine. Therefore, with money being tight and resources being scarce, now is an excellent time to look at how to reduce the amount of waste we generate in our businesses. In addition to saving costs, refining our waste policy is one of the simplest ways to protect the environment. According to scientists, we are nearing the point of no return regarding environmental disasters. Therefore, we need to act today! Changes like the Plastic Tax, which came into play on the 1st of April, will encourage businesses to use more recycled plastic in the manufacture of plastic packaging and increase plastic recycling levels. However, we can also consider technology, working from home, and the light bulbs we use. The small changes we make can have a significant impact. You will also find some great tips on starting a non-profit business and information on ethical marketing in this issue. Enjoy, Sandra
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THE FUTURE IS GREEN: How To Make Your Business More Eco-Friendly
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ccording to a recent study, a shift towards sustainable practices will be one of the biggest business trends in 2022. This is hardly surprising when you consider just how much public attitudes have shifted in recent years. Many consumers state they prefer to support sustainable, eco-friendly businesses other than those whose environmental policies are less refined.
Despite this, making your business a little greener is about more than keeping your customers happy; it’s about doing the right thing. After all, scientists predict that we are soon reaching the point of no return regarding environmental disasters such as climate change and global warming.
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With that in mind, here are some simple ways to make your brand more sustainable!
WORK ON YOUR WASTE MANAGEMENT. The business industry contributes significantly to the amount of waste we produce annually. As a result, refining your waste management policy is one of the easiest ways to start protecting the environment and could also save you money. The first step to managing your waste is finding ways to reduce it where possible. For example, you could conduct a waste
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UPDATE YOUR PACKAGING. Updating your product packaging is another excellent way to go green. For example, you should aim to avoid plastic packaging where possible, as these materials are far from sustainable and difficult to recycle. Instead, you should look into eco-friendly packaging materials that your customers will love, such as cardboard, bioplastics, jute, and recycled materials.
audit to determine which areas of your business produce the most waste and then find ways to rectify this. For example, you might want to find ways to reuse scrupulous materials instead of throwing them away. You should also ensure that you have a designated waste point on-site to store waste safely and securely before collection. If you are producing large volumes of waste, you must ensure you use large bins such as Skips from Sheridan Skips, as overflowing waste, is a clear environmental hazard. One of the benefits of working withSheridan Skips is their keen commitment to ecofriendly practices, meaning that they can help you find a variety of ways to better manage your waste and ensure it is recycled as opposed to being taken to a landfill site.
Updating your packaging is also a great way to attract more customers, as a recent study has found that 8 out of 10 customers want to buy from brands with sustainable packaging.
MAKE THE MOST OF TECH. Utilising technology is one of the easiest ways to grow your business because it can help increase workplace efficiency and productivity. However, the right technology can be instrumental in making your daily practices more eco-friendly. For example, using energy-saving lightbulbs means that your day-to-day operations will be much more sustainable and help you cut down on your energy bills. You could also make the most of advances in work from home technology, such as video conferencing, to avoid hiring office spaces and encourage your employees to work remotely. This also helps cut down on your businesses’ carbon footprint by eliminating commuting.
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ETHICAL MARKETING: DOES IT EVEN EXIST? By Julius John Alam
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hen I joined Ejobber Limited in 2021, the company defined itself as a reseller of IT hardware and software, and the focus was on sales. As a startup, the company had done incredibly well. The revenue had increased from nothing in the year 2018 to more than 1 million in 2021. The clients were mostly other resellers that were buying computer hardware from Ejobber because they were comparatively cheaper.
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When I joined, I was told by the CEO that the company was trying to target business owners who needed computer hardware and software for their offices. As the Marketing Manager, I had a choice. I could continue to advertise the edge on the price that Ejobber had, or I could rebrand the company image and advertise a story that would be enticing to business owners. Whatever Ejobber had been offering had worked so far, thus the rapid increase in revenue. A business is only successful if it adds value. However, resellers think
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in a particular way, and their purchases are price driven. So, I had to see what a business owner was looking for when he or she went online to search for computer parts or software. Resellers are industry experts. They know what they want. For example, they would know how many computer monitors they need, which brand and model they want, how many days the shipment should take, etc. They know the product details down to the manufacturer’s part number, price and warranty period. The only thing they are looking for is a cheaper price. Business owners are different. Their expertise is not in technology. They may have a dedicated person looking after the company’s technology needs or not. They may not even be aware of their own technology needs. Therefore, what they needed was not a cheap product but the ‘right’ product. As the seller of that product, it was our duty to make them aware of their technology needs and then provide them with the best product that would meet those needs.
After giving it some thought, we decided to rebrand our business as a ‘solution provider’ instead of a ‘product reseller’. What is the difference between selling a bunch of barcode scanners and providing a scanning solution for warehouses? What is the difference between selling Point-ofSale Printers and providing a Point-of-Sale Printing Solution for Retailers? What is the difference between selling webcams and providing a Video Conferencing Solution for Remote Employees?
The only difference is ‘Empathy’. Empathy is the ability to step out of your paradigm and see others’ needs. We decided, as a business, to become empathetic towards the needs of our potential clients and help them make the best purchase for themselves. What would it mean for business?
We could have just gone ahead and given them product details or reviews. But product information was already available on the manufacturers’ websites, and product comparisons can be found easily on technology blogs. What unique information could we provide to business owners that would add value to our product portfolio?
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Maybe not so much at first, but over the long run, it would build brand loyalty. It would mean happy customers who would remember us as a company that cares about its customers.
dramatically increase customer retention, change the way your employees feel about themselves, and, best of all, you can actually help people while making money at the time.
What is the difference between advertising as a company that cares and actually caring? There is no difference, to be honest. In fact, actually caring is much easier and comes naturally to human beings than putting up a show.
Marketing and Sales do not have to be divorced from empathy and compassion. If enough businesses do this, we can change the way people view corporations and businesses. Let us all be empathetic and compassionate marketers!
Marketers are seen as unethical and dodgy professionals who use their expertise to coarse people to make a purchase and manipulate their emotions to drive up sales. That may be true. But that, definitely, is not necessary.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
As a marketer, you can also help people make the right decision while making a purchase. That may mean telling a potential customer that the Wi-Fi router they want to buy is not right for their needs, and the one that would be perfect for them is not in your stock but can be purchased from one of your competitors. You may fail to sell a Wi-Fi router, but the trust you will build may result in that same customer returning to you the next year and buying Fifty computer monitors for his or her office. By simply shifting your paradigm and developing empathy as a business, you can
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Julius John Alam is the Marketing
Manager at Ejobber Limited, London. He is a graduate of Parsons the New School for Design, New York and a Fulbright scholar. He writes to help businesses meet their technology needs.
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Key Elements for Building an
Online Reputation Management Strategy
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o business today can afford to ignore the importance of managing its online presence. In a world where most people use the internet to find information about companies, it’s crucial to ensure your online reputation is as positive as possible. There are four key elements that every business should focus on when building a reputation management strategy: creating a solid social media presence, monitoring customer reviews, developing an effective crisis communication plan, and using SEO tactics to improve your search engine ranking.
interact with customers on social media, responding to comments and questions in a timely manner.
MONITORING CUSTOMER REVIEWS Customer reviews are another vital factor to consider when managing your
CREATING A STRONG SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE One of the most important aspects of reputation management is having a solid social media presence. By creating profiles on popular social media sites and regularly updating them with fresh content, you can create a positive image for your business and make it easier for potential customers to find you online. It’s also essential to
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reputation. Monitoring review sites such as Yelp and Google My Business and responding to any negative reviews can help prevent potential damage to your reputation. It’s also important to make sure that any positive reviews are highlighted on your website and other online profiles.
DEVELOPING AN EFFECTIVE CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN When a crisis hits, it’s crucial to have a plan to address it. An effective crisis communication plan should include a statement of principles, contact information for key personnel, a media relations
strategy, and a social media strategy. By having a plan in place, you can minimize the damage to your reputation caused by a crisis.
Using SEO Tactics to Improve Your Search Engine Ranking Finally, using SEO tactics to improve your search engine ranking can be another essential part of managing your online reputation. Creating high-quality, helpful content and optimizing your website and blog posts for specific keywords can make it easier for potential customers to find you online. SEO is also an excellent method to publicize your company’s good news and ensure that this type of content ranks at the top of search engine results. Every business with an online presence should have a strategy to ensure that the image they present on the internet is the one they want to project. Focusing on these four key elements is essential for a company looking to manage its online reputation. By building effective strategies focused on these points, you can ensure that your business’s online reputation remains positive and helps you attract new customers.
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Tips For A Successful Contract Negotiation
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hroughout your career, you will encounter many situations where you need to negotiate a contract. Whether you are discussing a job position or a business partnership deal, it is important to implement strong negotiation strategies to secure your position. Sometimes contract negotiations can be frustrating and time-consuming, but standing your ground and fighting for your benefits is worth it. New Jersey business lawyers can ensure a contract supports your best interests before you sign it and help you file a claim in case of a breach.
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Tips for a successful contract negotiation 1. Know your priorities. Make sure you start the meeting by stating your priorities. These should list the things which you cannot compromise. Let the other list theirs as well and hear out their part of the deal. This step may help you understand if your goals are similar or different. If your goals are different, it can help you understand just how different they
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are. Knowing about each other’s priorities will help you reach a fair settlement.
4.Ask questions and understand their motives.
2. Know why you want to partner with the company.
You should not sign a deal without fully understanding what you are getting yourself into. Wherever you have doubts, do not hesitate to ask. Do not think what the other party might be thinking about you asking so many questions.
When you think about doing business with another company, it is usually because you think it will benefit you in some way. People do not partner with people who cannot increase their revenue or reputation in the market. Therefore, you need to first establish the main reasons why you chose this particular company and what you want from them. Then you need to make sure that the contract you are signing provides you with the things you hope to achieve by partnering with them.
3. Prepare alternatives.
You are trusting another company and sharing sensitive details with them. There is nothing wrong with double-checking wherever you can. You want to make sure that their only motive is to gain and help you gain. Preparing a contract is no easy task. You need to be careful about what you write there because it can come to haunt you in the future. To make sure you do not make a costly mistake, hire a business attorney in New Jersey today.
There is no guarantee that the other party will be willing to agree to all of your proposals. While it is important to lay stress on your priorities, try to think if there is another option that you might settle for. You may only bring up these alternatives when the other party is reluctant about what you presented initially.
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Tips to Boost Business Productivity
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e are briefly touching on three key ‘hows’ that will boost your business productivity. They are - how to respond effectively in the current business climate, how to avoid personal burnout and how to remain relevant as a service/brand. Adversity creates opportunities for the wide-awake businessperson. We have seen a shift in the national, regional and global landscape with consumer spending habits and their engagement with online shopping due to Covid-19. Let’s give this some context. The report ‘Digital in 2019’ deduced that, in the 15yrs and over age group, some 81% of people engaged in purchasing goods and services online. Data from the Office for National Statistics for the same year highlighted that 84% of adults used their mobile phones to access the internet. 2020 saw approximately 30% of all retail expenditure via e-commerce
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(according to e-marketer.com) in the region of £141bn. The current business climate requires an emphasis on using technology to retain your customers and connect with future ones. TikTok and Instagram stories promote the latest dance craze - and can equally serve as entertainingly useful propaganda tools to market what you do. Avoiding personal burnout. Sacrifice is now part and parcel of your value system because you are not omnipresent. Operating a business means time away from your family, missing special community gatherings, the odd parents’ evening, lastminute date cancellations, covering for the shortcomings, postponed vacations, and a slew of other demands. You need to
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of current and future customers. It must be relevant. Clever branding, cool designs, and competent delivery add to people’s personable experience with what you offer. Make it personal so that people feel a sense of loyalty to you and feel a connection with your brand every time they purchase something. Have you ever heard a football supporter say, ‘we won’ or ‘we were so unlucky the ball hit the goal post’ or ‘we sold him/her’? The ‘we’ demonstrates that personal connection that is rooted in loyalty to the club.
prioritise time for your well-being amid all these other competing demands. Your supporting system becomes your saviour in challenging times, and it sustains you in ways that you may often overlook. Read a book, listen to a podcast/audiobook that takes your fancy, exercise, drink water, eat nutritionally and sleep adequately, walk the dog, dine out, have a night out, meditate, experience a mini-break or have a cosy night in with a boxset. Celebrate the small wins on route to the major victories because this business life is not a sprint; it’s more like a marathon. Longevity, however, is only guaranteed for as long as your product or service meets the ever-demanding needs
These ‘hows’ serve as part of a bigger focus in reminding you to pay attention to the basics within the operating culture dynamic of your small to medium-sized business. Congrats on where you are now. Keep going!
About the Author Malik Muhammad was raised and educated in Jamaica and read law in London. He created The Empowerment Mastery System to influence, help and inspire businesses to cultivate their visions. Malik enjoys vegan cooking and quad biking. He is an afterdinner speaker, event host and convenes empowerment seminars internationally. His latest book COFFEE & CONTEMPLATION: a taste of empowerment is available on Amazon.
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STARTING A NONPROFIT:
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The First Steps
tarting any business is pretty tough. No matter what industry or niche you’re going to enter. A non-profit can be even harder. You need to really pay attention to funding because a nonprofit really is just that: no profit. It means you can cover your own expenses, but the profit usually goes straight to charitable causes. You’ll know this, and you’ll want to do good things because you’re looking at setting something
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like this up. Some non-profits are totally organic, while certain corporate groups set up non-profit companies to manage all charitable aspects. Here are some tips to get you started.
ALLOCATE FUNDING You need to get this in place from the start. If the non-profit is part of a wider business, the funding will naturally be there. However,
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if you’re starting from scratch, you need to make sure there is funding before spending money on charitable causes. If you don’t, you won’t be able to cover your overheads like employee wages, premises rental, etc.
quite sure, make sure you either hire an accountant or use accountancy software to help you out.
Funding can be found in multiple places. There are grants to apply for and government funding, as well as private funding and donations. It’s something you need to do right at the start of your venture; otherwise, everything else can fall down.
DON’T FORGET ABOUT ACCOUNTANCY Accountancy is always a time suck. That’s why there are accountants and accountancy software to help you out. Accounting for non-profit organizations can be slightly tricky and isn’t as standard as accounting for a normal company. A good element of accountancy you’ll have to keep in mind is fund accounting. It’s essentially a mode of accounting whereby you make the best use of the funds or grants you have allocated to you. By showing you manage the money well, your non-profit might be in line to receive further funds down the line. Accounting is really important for non-profits, especially if you’re benefiting from taxpayer money. Don’t overlook it, and if you’re not
SET OUT YOUR MISSION CLEARLY To get the donations and ensure people believe in what you’re doing, you need to set out your mission clearly. Check out other charities and non-profits in the area and see how they’ve laid out their mission. You want to appeal to people in a way that will make them part with their money. People will only do this if it’s something they believe in. You might be raising money for children, animal shelters, building abroad, or in certain run-down local areas. If you’re engaging in local charity, you’ll need to make sure that you seek donations from locals. It’s much closer to them and they’re likely to invest. If it’s international, you’ll need to cast the net a lot farther.
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PLASTIC TAX:
What you Need to Know
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he environment, and the effect we have on it, is at the forefront of the minds of businesses, consumers and the Government. As a result, the Government is eager for businesses and consumers to increase their use of recycled materials over plastics, wherever possible, which has led to the creation of the Plastic Packaging Tax.
What is the plastic packaging tax? The definition of “plastic packaging” is packaging that is predominantly plastic by weight. This tax has been planned since 2018 and applies to plastic packaging manufactured
This tax came on the 1st April 2022 and applies a tax to some plastic packaging manufacturing and imports (or packaging for which plastic is the main component). The reason behind this tax is to provide a clear, economic incentive for businesses to use recycled plastic in the manufacture of plastic packaging. In turn, this is predicted to stimulate increased levels of recycling and collection of plastic waste, diverting it away from landfills or incineration. Read further to discover what this new tax means if it affects your business and how to prepare.
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in, or imported into the UK, that contains less than 30% recycled plastic. This is slightly different for packing comprised of mixed components (such as cardboard and plastic). In this instance, if the weight of the plastic constituent is higher than the other components then the packaging falls within the scope of the tax. Furthermore, this will not apply to any plastic packaging which contains at least 30% recycled plastic, or any packaging which is not predominantly plastic by weight. Where the tax applies, it’s charged at £200
per metric tonne of packaging and affected businesses must register ahead of time and start filing a special quarterly tax return.
Am I affected by these changes? This affects UK companies but there’s good news for smaller businesses. The threshold is 10 tonnes a year, so if the weight of packaging you import or manufacture is below this weight across a 12 month rolling period, the tax won’t apply. Once a business reaches the 10 tonnes threshold within a 12 month period, they must register for and start applying the tax in the following quarter.
How to register for the plastic packaging tax? To register for the tax on the HMRC website, you may need to provide the following details: • Your business type • Your businesses address and contact details
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• The date your business became liable for plastic packaging tax • An estimate of how much finished plastic packaging you expect to manufacture or import in the next 12 months • A customer reference number. This could be your Corporation Tax Unique Tax Reference (UTR), Self Assessment UTR (or National Insurance number), Company Reference number, or Charity Registration number.
Once registered, you’ll be assigned a reference number that you should use in correspondence.
Do I need to do anything in my Accounting System? We advise that you to check with your accounting system provider for specifics concerning your situation. For Sage 200 users, Sage have not yet advised of any formal actions or changes that they are planning for the system.
Where to find more information? To find out more information about this tax including, its history, records you need to keep and tips to prepare please refer to Gov.UK. Author https://www.pkfsmithcooper.com/
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