NEW BUSINESS
MATTERS Your local business to business journal
Points of Interest in this Issue: • Outsourcing Janitorial Services - Why (p5) • Divorce for Business Owners (p7) • 'FREE' Employee Journey Workshop 16th Sept (p10) • Why Word can be bad for your business (p13) • Send by Courier? Packing for safe delivery! (p15) • How can I get more customers using PPC? (p16) • Social Media: a Free lunch or Thief of Time (p21)
BUSINESS TIPS & ADVICE! Issue 28/2013
August/September
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NEW BUSINESS MATTERS
Editor’s Note Enjoy success and take a look down! Hopefully you have enjoyed the wondeful weather that has been gracing our shores over the last month or two. We also hope that by taking those small steps and putting a strategy in place that I mentioned in my last note, you will have had success in both your personal and business lives. This month's cover photo is to perhaps indicate the success of having reached the top (or at least the goals that you might have set yourself). This is indeed a time to enjoy and acknowledge those attainments. It can also be a time to look down from a position of higher altitude and take stock. All too frequently as business owners, we can find ourselves mired down in the day-to-day running of the business. Often to put together those longer term strategies or be able to view the future goals it is necessary to take a step back (or up). With that in mind, do grab a cup of coffee and take time to browse through the pages of our latest issue, which contains business tips and advice that could help to influence those strategies or goals. Our affiliates are all keen to share their knowlege and demonstrate their expertise in a wide range of business fields. If there are any areas that you think would specifically be of use to cover or that you feel are possibly missing, do let us know by giving us a call or sending an email. Best wishes,
August/September
CONTENTS 02 BUSINESS MOBILE PHONES 03 CONTENTS & EDITORS NOTES 04 LIMITED -vs- UNINCORPORATED 05 OUTSOURCING CLEANING 06 SPREAD THE WORD 07 DIVORCE FOR BUSINESS OWNERS 08 ELECTRICAL SAFETY SERIOUS 09 PRESENTING TO BANKS 10 MAKE IT GREENER ON YOUR SIDE 10 HANDLING SICK DAY EXCUSES 11 PROTECTING PEDESTRIANS 12 ALIGNING ONLINE STRATEGY 13 WHY WORD CAN BE BAD 14 LANDLORDS IN A PANIC 15 PACKING FOR SAFE DELIVERY 16 MORE CUSTOMERS WITH PPC 17 HOW TO PRINT YOUR BOOK 18 SOME PEOPLE NEVER LEARN 19 ASIAN INSPIRED LUXURY DAY SPA 20 CAN'T SLEEP? LEARN A NEW WAY 21 FREE LUNCH OR THIEF OF TIME? 22 EFFECTIVE CHANGE STRATEGY 23 DESIGN & PRINT SERVICES
Stephen Corney
You can be the only company of your trade or profession represented in this local business to business journal. For details on the ‘marketing packages’ available, please contact: Debbie Corney on 01202 233580 or email sales@newbusinessmatters.com New Business Matters UK Ltd 1 Moorlands Rise, West Moors, Ferndown, Dorset, BH22 0JR Tel: 01202 233580
24 SAFER WAY TO DISTRIBUTE The information contained within this publication is not intended to be complete. Whilst the publisher endeavours to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within this publication, its accuracy cannot be guaranteed and the publisher accepts no liability for the use of, reliance on or the accuracy of such information. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher and therefore the publisher accepts no responsibility for them. All artwork and editorial is copywrite and may not be reproduced without prior permission from the publisher. © New Business Matters UK Limited January 2009 Designed by: Stephen Corney Printed by: Remous Limited, Sherborne Published by: New Business Matters UK Limited
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ACCOUNTANCY MATTERS
August/September
Limited Company -vsUnincorporated Business! By James Hill, Director at Hill Osborne
For those of you in business and trading either as a sole trader or partnership you could achieve tax savings through incorporating and trading as a limited company. This matter is brought up by my clients quite frequently. The rate of corporation tax has fallen recently and this together with an increase in the rate of National Insurance contributions for the self employed can make a limited company more attractive than it may have been in previous years. The level of any potential saving will depend upon a number of factors, including:1. The level of profits assessable to tax 2. The way in which the owner of the business withdraws profits from the company, eg: salary -vs- dividend, and whether profits are retained +LOO 2VERUQH in the business. /RJR 9DULDQW
will be incurred in running cars through the company. There will also be extra costs and administrative work in the running of the limited company including the filing of accounts and annual returns with the Registrar of Companies. In addition the directors have to recognise their duties and obligations in respect of the running of the company’s business although this may be a small price to pay to achieve limited liability, and maybe, a tax saving!! TIP: Speak to your accountant who can advise on whether incorporating your business can be of advantage to you. If you would any further advice or help on business incorporation please contact James on 01202 678555 or send an email to: james@hill-osborne.co.uk
3. The potential extra taxation liabilities that
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CLEANING MATTERS
August/September
Outsourcing Janitorial Services - Why?
By Sebastian Popa, MD of TotalClean Solutions Outsourcing janitorial services is a strategic business decision with many great benefits. You can gain a competitive advantage because it saves you time and resources, enabling you to grow your business and outshine your competition. It all comes down to a simple goal: making your business more efficient. Focus On Your Core Competency Your business provides specialised products and/ or services. Each business function that does not directly support, develop or improve these can be outsourced. Outsourcing janitorial services allows you and your team to concentrate on your core competencies and mission-critical objectives, while leaving the cleaning to someone else. Reduce Costs Cost-savings alone can be a good enough reason for businesses to begin outsourcing commercial cleaning. As you well know, retaining in-house employees is a very expensive endeavour, and if you’re not outsourcing cleaning, you’re employing
in-house personnel for the task who add little to no value to your core business function. But you still have to pay for those individuals’ payroll tax, salary and benefits (insurance, vacation and sick pay, etc.). Plus, you incur other indirect costs like tools and equipment, management, and training. Outsourcing can help you control costs and establish a budget, freeing up capital that can be invested in your business at a higher rate of return. Expertise Just like your company has expertise in a particular field, outsourced facility service providers are highly specialised companies. At TotalClean, not only are we are at the forefront of technological advancements in the industry, but we can also implement environmentally friendly “green” cleaning practices. Find out more about how outsourcing janitorial services to TotalClean can help your business by calling us today at 01202 50 90 91.
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Page 5
COMMUNITY MAG MATTERS
August/September
Spread the word and keep an eye out!
By Stephen Corney, Director at Dorset Publications In this modern digital age of the internet and eBook it is surprising how many people still prefer to read a physical paper, magazine or book.
in marketing your business includes all possible communication media. This can perhaps be tailored if you have a specific target market.
Yes, it is probably true that the social media channels are very active and can be a good way of communicating with current or prospective customers (see page 21), but if you then ignore more traditional channels there is a market share potentially being missed.
My other message is that whilst a direct monitoring of a marketing campaign is definitely an excellent idea, do keep watch on the overall business statistics too. If for example during a particular magazine print campaign your online sales or social media contacts increase - an analysis of all "outflow" activities during that period should be done to see what may have contributed to this result. What goes out in one direction can create something that seems to come in from a different source entirely.
You can have a fantastic website with a lot of information on it, but if people cannot find it easily they won't be reading it. There are methods to help this, such as SEO and PPC (see page 16), but a client of ours recently commented on how an editorial that they ran about their new website along side their advert in our magazines prompted a sharp rise in online visitors. My main message then for this issue is that you should spread the word. Ensure that your strategy
"Test and measure" is a common phrase in the analysis of marketing campaigns. However do extend the "measure" part to look at the whole business performance to see the wider picture of how effectively you are spreading the word!
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West Moors • Ferndown & West Parley • Bournemouth • Poole • Southbourne • Christchurch Page 6
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DIVORCE MATTERS
August/September
Divorce for Business Owners!
By Andrew Carswell, Dickinson Manser LLP Solicitors Normally the Courts adhere to the basic principle of English company law, that a company is separate from its owners and has an existence of its own. The new Supreme Court has recently changed that in divorce proceedings. In the case of Petrodel Resources Ltd v Prest, the judges decided that the husband had been the beneficial owner of seven residential properties in the UK held via two companies and that they were being held on trust for him. As a result of that ruling, the wife could have a proportion of the properties conveyed to her on divorce. In another case, Nominet, the organisation that polices web domains, has just refused to stop an ex-wife using her former husband’s name in a web address. The ex-wife registered a name for her web address which was the same as that adopted by her ex-husband and his new partner, with the intention of using the website as a forum for hate and Ads A/W_Layout 1 21/06/2013 10:33 Page obsessive criticism. Nominet has5 effectively been
supported in its view that there is no freestanding right of personality even in one’s own name and a third party cannot be stopped from using it! These are some recent examples of the issues that divorcing business owners need to bear in mind and on which Dickinson Manser can assist. We have recently implemented a fixed free pricing structure for the divorce element itself. This covers everything from the start of proceedings through to and including the decree absolute. Where there are complications involving children, property or ancillary relief, these will be charged in addition, but always against a realistic estimate of the fees likely to be incurred. If you would like further information on our divorce service for business owners, please e-mail Andrew Carswell ajc@dmsolicitors.co.uk or give him a call on the number below
D i vo rc e ? W hy n o t t r y t h e F i xe d F e e A p p ro a c h ? People have two major concerns about consulting a solicitor on matrimonial matters. • Being obliged to proceed when they have consulted a solicitor. • Just how much is this all going to cost? At Dickinson Manser we have the answer to both these problems. You can talk to us privately and confidentially without cost or obligation. If you choose to proceed you will know exactly how much it will cost. It’s never too early to speak to Dickinson Manser. You will find us knowledgeable, experienced and suppor tive and you will never get a shock over the fees. For more details contact Andrew Carswell on 01202 673071. Dickinson Manser. Ready when you need us. Poole. 5 Parkstone Road. T. 01202 673071 Broadstone. 221 The Broadway T. 01202 692308 www.dickinsonmanser.co.uk
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ELECTRICAL MATTERS
August/September
Does your business take electrical safety seriously?
By Kelvyn Green of Green Light Electrical Installations Under UK law, such as The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers are responsible for ensuring the safety of their employees and the public, this includes electrical safety. Electrical safety covers a wide range of items that doesn’t just include the equipment in use. For example, are trailing leads crossing walkways creating trip hazards? The simple job of installing a couple of extra sockets, strategically placed, could remove this potentially dangerous situation. Regular testing and inspections are a key part to ensuring that all installations are kept up to date. Did you know, that in the event of an incident, insurance assessors are likely to ask for evidence that certain inspections have taken place, in line with current recommendations? Many companies are now looking to be sure that due diligence has taken place, can you demonstrate this in your business? Can you be sure that the engineers you use
have the correct and current qualifications for the aspect of the work that they carry out for you? In certain areas there are specialist training courses with qualifications, these must have been undertaken in order to carry out these specific tasks in line with regulations. Is the company you use keeping up to date with the ever changing regulations? In the news recently a company was fined £24,000 by the Health and Safety Executive for not properly maintaining their electrical equipment. The hazards highlighted presented immediate and potentially fatal risks to their employees. Could your business afford NOT to ensure that the electrics at your workplace meet the current regulations? For more help and advice on all electrical matters in your business contact Kelvyn at Green Light Electrical Installations on 01425 477943 or email him at kelvyn.green@gle-uk.co.uk.
Green Light Electrical Installations Limited have 25 years of experience in the Electrical Industry. We offer a full range of commercial and industrial electrical services and are dedicated to providing a first class electrical service to all our customers.
• Inspection and Testing Services • Planned Maintenance • Office and car park lighting • Security and Emergency lighting • 400 volt / 3-phase supplies • Skirting and dado trunking
• Data and Voice Cabling • Distribution boards • CCTV Systems
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FINANCE MATTERS
August/September
Help in presenting your case to the banks By James Erwin from Access Commercial
Banks are getting a lot of stick at the moment, much of it deserved given the nation’s financial situation but, as always, the activity of 5 years ago seems to tarnish any activity that takes place now. The most popular criticism that I hear at the moment is that banks don’t want to lend to small businesses. This simply isn’t true; banks are under incredible pressure to lend not just from their customers but from government as well. So how do we as business people present our case to a banker who needs a reason to lend to us? Profit is a Bank’s single objective when lending money and, to achieve that, they apply two main drivers in assessing your value as a loan customer; 1. Is our money secure? And 2. Can the customer afford to service the loan? It is fair to say that since the credit crunch, the balance between 1 and 2 has firmly shifted to 2. So how does a bank understand our business? The truth is, they don’t. It is unrealistic to walk into your local branch, drop your latest accounts on the
business manager’s desk and ask for a mortgage. Different business sectors generally operate to their own trading framework, it would be fair to say that a Bournemouth based business manager would probably have a strong understanding of the hospitality sector but how would he cope with a sheep farm? This is where the intermediary comes in; an intermediary will take the time to understand your business, consider the “big picture” in terms of finance affordability, establish what is relevant in terms of business information and present your case to a lender in a language and format that they will understand. In addition, they will have already established relationships with lenders, enjoying a level of trust that can sometimes be the difference between the success or failure of a proposition. Access Commercial can assist with your finance presentation and provide advice on your mortgage or finance needs. Call us on 01202 375545 to discuss your requirements.
Experienced Commercial Mortgage and Business Finance Brokers We supply solutions for all types of commercial lending and due to our close working relationship with all major and specialist lenders, including our partnership with brokers UK wide, we are able to provide the best deal for all types of commercial finance. • Commercial Mortgages
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For advice on all areas of Commercial Credit and Finance Tel: 01202 375545 Fax: 01202 465297 jamese@accesscommercialmortgages.com www.accesscommercialmortgages.com Members of the National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers
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GROWTH MATTERS
HR MATTERS
How do you handle sick day excuses?
Make it greener on your side? By Tony Field from The Growth Sage Consultancy
By Chris Wilkinson from The HR Dept
There is no magic solution to improving your business but there are a number of processes that if you follow, you will improve your chance of success! Have you ever heard the phrase; it’s greener on the other side? Well you can help make it greener on your side by doing some simple things well. -- K now your marketplace The effect of fully understanding your marketplace is that you can better execute your marketing to ensure you attract ‘A’ class prospects. These are the ones that deliver the highest profitability. You will also spend MUCH less on wasted marketing costs. -- C ommunicate with your team If you do not direct your team in line with your vision and strategy, how can you hope for them to achieve for you. You must be passionate about your vision and ensure your whole team know how each of them fit into it. You now have a team which will drive your business with positive growth. -- B e watchful of Cash Flow Growing businesses costs money! Ensure that your growth is affordable. Sometimes, it is better to slow down rather than hit a cash flow bump in the road! Remember, selling to an existing client is 5 times easier than getting a new one. Your watchword must always be to look after your current clients. Have you sold them ALL of your products and services? If not, why not? For help and advice please send an email to tonyfield@growthsage.co.uk or call Tony at:
The good old sick day; an unpleasant experience for all concerned. Excuses for not coming into work seem to be becoming an art form, with some thinking that the more unbelievable the excuse, the more likely it is they’ll be believed! A recent study found that 60% of employers are sceptical of employees’ excuses for missing work due to illness and over 30% take to the internet to check social media accounts for evidence of fibs. It might be a case of paranoia maybe, however, from the sample of those interviewed; some workers admitted that over a fifth of the days they took off could have been spent in work. What’s more, the study shows that the average person has skipped work on four occasions, despite not being ill at all. The consequences Fraudulent sick days are of course damaging to the working environment. Not just from a financial point of view, but they can also cause tension between staff with added strain placed on colleagues picking up the extra workload, plus the breakdown in trust that may occur between management and employees. If you need help to manage all your sickness absence, staff holidays or even appraisals then please call Chris on 0845 194 9294 or send an email to: chris.wilkinson@hrdept.co.uk Register for a ‘FREE’ Employee Journey Workshop from 11:00 to 12:00 on 16th September at the Manitou site on Ebblake Industrial Estate, Verwood. If you can’t make that date then please contact Chris as other dates are planned.
HR Dept (Bournemouth) 7 Summer Fields Verwood Dorset, BH31 6LG Tel: 0330 220 2802 Web: www.growth-sage.co.uk Page 10
Tel: 0845 194 9294 Web: www.hrdept.co.uk
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IDENTIFICATION MATTERS
August/September
How to protect pedestrians from industrial vehicle collisions! By Tony Hart from Avonwood Developments
Recent statistic show there are about 8000 reportable accidents involving fork lift trucks every year in the UK. This equates to 22 every day of the year, about 12 of these are fatal. When employees are seriously injured after being hit or struck by vehicles the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) can impose fines starting from ÂŁ15,000 for minor injuries rising into the hundreds and thousands for more serious injuries. Adding complimentary systems for keeping employees in the workplace safe from collisions with industrial vehicles such as forklift trucks, often includes multiple solutions to achieve better Health and Safety practice. Typical solutions include proximity warning systems, better organisational training and separating vehicle and pedestrians. Identifying and detecting a pedestrian who is in close proximity to an industrial vehicle operating in a warehouse or construction site is one of
the applications where RFID systems are being utilised. These systems differ from other safety aids in that they will immediately warn the driver when a person breaches an invisible safety zone around the vehicle. An RFID proximity warning or detection system uses personal safety transponders. The employee wearing a transponder is then detected, identified and the on board system logs the data which can be analysed to enhance the safety regime. Employees are a company’s most valuable asset, therefore it is important that any safety aid is considered to improve safety and reduce accidents and fatalities at work, ensuring that workers reach home safely from work, everyday. For further information on how to keep employees safe in the workplace please call Tony on 01202 868000 or send an email to sales@avonwood.co.uk.
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INTERNET MATTERS
August/September
Align your online strategy with your brand! By Samuel Adams from Direct2Digital
In order to be successful online your style and tone of voice needs to reflect your brand. Having an online voice that jars with your current image will put customers off and confuse them about who you are and what you offer. When developing your internet activity, it’s important to ensure that all of your communication is aligned to your existing brand and consistently demonstrates your values. To deliver an effective campaign, you may wish to consider the following actions: Identify your values If you don’t already have a clear set of brand values this is a good place to start as it will give you a basis from which to design everything else. Make your brand values meaningful Once you have your values, consider how they are demonstrated by your policies, products, processes and people. What do they look like in practice and
are you consistently fulfilling them. Identify your target demographic You should be able to access information about your target demographic from your sales department, but if not then consider who your brand is speaking to. What is the age bracket? Mainly men or women? If you’re a B2B company, who specifically do you target in prospective companies? Develop your personality The best way to do this is to think of your brand as a person. Who would you be? If you’ve identified your target audience as 30 -45 yr old females, it may be worth making your brand personality the same. Create a brand bible Once you have your brand personality identified, make sure you share it with anyone involved in engaging online. There are usually several people involved in writing content for your internet profiles and other marketing channels so making sure these are aligned is key.
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We are trusted marketing experts We work with our clients to deliver measurable results Page 12
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IT MATTERS
August/September
Why Word can be bad for your business?
By Ava Lambert, Copyrite Business Solutions We all use Microsoft Word. It is an industry standard for creating business documents. But is it the best format to distribute the documents in? Sending Word files can reveal confidential information. Word is often configured by default to automatically track and record changes you make to a document. When you send such a document to a third party, you can recover these changes and see how the document appeared several revisions ago. The confidential information you thought you removed from a document before sending it may in fact still be accessible to the recipient. There have been a few high-profile cases of confidential information being leaked via publically-posted Word documents such as Blair's Iraq Dossier. Word files can be a security hazard. Unlike standard data formats, Word files can contain programming code which can be executed by your computer automatically when the document is opened. Word has been targeted by dozens of computer viruses. When you receive a Word attachment by e-mail, do you really want to take the risk of infecting your system? Microsoft Word documents cannot always be read by customer and clients. People, who use other word processors, either by choice or by necessity, may be unable to open Word documents Documents produced with one version of Word cannot always be read by other versions of Word. Word file format is not standard and fixed, it can change between versions. As a result, documents saved with one version of Word often cannot be opened with previous versions of Word.
computer may end up with radically different formatting and pagination even when viewed with the same version of Word on another computer Microsoft Word documents are large compared to other file formats. A large collection of Microsoft Word files can quickly eat up one's available disk space What are the alternatives? Convert your documents into a secure PDF format before emailing or distributing! eCopy PDF Pro is a low cost option to: • Convert PDF to and from Word and other office formats (Excel, PowerPoint etc) • Compress the document to a fraction of its original size • S ecure the PDF file by encrypting it and restricting who can print it, view it and edit it • P rotect confidential information by redacting (placing a solid black band over it) • C reate searchable documents so one can search on any words within the document • A utomatically compare versions of documents such as contracts • C onvert paper forms into electronic PDF fillable forms and email them to clients/ customers to complete • C onnect with popular Document Management Systems Try before you buy – please contact us for a free 45 day trial version of your eCopy PDF Pro Please quote NBM 28 when you call 01202 848866 or send an email to info@copyrite.co.uk
Microsoft Word documents are not guaranteed to look and print the same way on every computer and printer. A document produced with Word on one
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LETTINGS MATTERS
August/September
Latest court ruling put landlords into panic!
By Sharon Canning from Move on Rentals On the 14th June 2013 the Lord Justice Lloyd handled the appeal on the Superstrike v Rodrigues case. The outcome of this appeal has put the lettings world in turmoil for private landlords and letting agents. The Deposit Schemes are seeking legal advice and online property forums are in full discussion. This particular case is because a tenant entered an Assured Shorthold Tenancy(AST) prior to April 2007, which meant the deposit did not have to be protected. The tenancy was for twelve months and expired in January 2008, it then proceeded into a statutory periodic tenancy(SPT)/rollover, which we have been led to believe did not require you to protect the deposit. The judge ruled a SPT is deemed as a new distinct tenancy and not a continuation and therefore the deposit should have been protected. Failure to protect the deposit resulted in the Section 21 Notice not being recognised in
Court and therefore the tenants were not evicted! This has opened a can of worms, if each new month is a new distinct tenancy, does this require protecting every month? If a guarantor was in place for the original tenancy does this mean they are no longer in place unless renewed every month? The majority of landlords will have tenants in tenancies that started after April 2007, but if you do have a tenant prior to this date and thought there was no need to protect a deposit, then my advice is to protect it now, as it would show your good intentions. This is likely to go to the Supreme Court, so you can watch this space or put your tenants in a new tenancy and be covered! Understanding and keeping up to date with all the legislation is becoming more vital for both landlords and tenants, which is why both should use a good reputable Letting Agent.
420 Poole Road, Branksome, Poole BH12 1DF
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MAIL BOXES MATTERS
August/September
Sending by Courier? Packing for safe delivery! By Howard Woodward, Mail Boxes Etc.
Here are some quick tips for successful packing of goods so they arrive safely at their destination: • Above all, make sure you pack your goods properly, taking account of their fragility. Don’t skimp! As a rule of thumb, fragile items should have at least 2 inches of cushioning between them and the outer box wall. • Sending china or glass by courier? Always, always double-box with plenty of cushioning between the layers. • Packages can be subject to rough treatment when sent by courier. You need to protect them against pressure, compression, shock and vibration • Don’t assume that just because you’ve put a ‘Fragile’ label on a package it’s going to be handled any more carefully. Sadly it won’t!
• Need to pack & send a TV? It really helps if you’ve got the box it came in originally. If not, it needs at least 4” of cushioning all round. • Sending a painting? Masking tape any glass, cover images without glass in acid free tissue paper, bubble wrap and put into an art box. • It always helps if you’ve got the original box & packing when sending a PC or laptop. But it might still need extra packing to be sure. • When packing a parcel, bear in mind that courier charges are affected by the package size as well as the weight. So don’t leave empty space! If you need help with packing a delicate item, or you simply need packaging supplies, visit www.mbebh1.co.uk, email info@mbebh1.co.uk or ring 01202 299151.
WHILE YOU’RE THINKING BIG, WE’LL HANDLE THE SMALL STUFF.
As international packing and shipping specialists, Mail Boxes Etc. has the expertise to make it happen. Shipping across the UK or around the globe is easy when you trust your packages to MBE. Anything from important documents and samples to a new product line – MBE can pack it and ship it anywhere in the world via a choice of major couriers such as UPS, FedEx, DHL & TNT. Choose from a range of services which allow you to balance speed with economy, helping you to reach new customers and suppliers wherever they are based. Worried about confusing paperwork or regulations? We’ve got the knowledge and technology to cut through all the red tape.
Bournemouth Lansdowne t: 01202 299151 e: info@mbebh1.co.uk Bournemouth Triangle t: 01202 292831 e: info@mbedorset.co.uk
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PAY PER CLICK MATTERS
August/September
How can I get more customers using PPC?
By Adrian Stephenson from Done for You PPC Businesses without customers never survive! The inescapable conclusion to be drawn from this is that all businesses must have a marketing strategy to have any chance of success and that strategy might simply be to meet with other business owners at networking meetings, or it may include a range of marketing pillars, including……..the internet! To be clear, internet marketing falls into two distinct categories, namely Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and Pay Per Click (PPC). These are frequently confused by business people, who just see search engines (typically Google) as a way of getting their web site seen by potential customers, whereas they are completely different methods of achieving that objective. SEO is the way to get your web site listed higher in Google’s organic rankings (the ones on the left of the page underneath the sponsored ads at the top).
This generally takes time to achieve (think months, not days) and is often undertaken by a specialist in optimisation, thus putting a large question mark against a common theory that ‘I only click on organic links because they haven’t paid to be there’. Since when did paying for an advert to be shown to an audience become a crime? PPC is an alternative, but quicker, route to the top branches of the Google tree, where bidding on keywords is the catalyst to success and ROI is measureable. Nevertheless, it is by no mean’s a case of ‘the company with the deepest pockets wins’. For more information on how you can get more customers by using PPC please call Adrian on: 07956 908888 or send an email to: adrian@doneforyouppc.co.uk
Special Google Adwords Offer for NBM Readers 50% Discount On Set-Up Fee (usually £250) JUST £125 for all engagements before 31st August 2013
It’s Almost Instant It’s Targeted It’s Cost Effective It’s Scientific
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Ü Ü Ü Ü
Ü Ü Ü Ü
Ü Ü Ü Ü
Hot Leads In A Flash Specific To Your Market Only Pay For Relevant Clicks Everything Is Measurable
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PRINTING MATTERS
August/September
How to print your book! By Alan Bunter, MD of Remous Limited It has been said that everyone has one book in them and perhaps you are no different? Over recent years this market place has seen a considerable increase in the number of people looking to publish their own book and if this is something you are considering doing then here are a few guidelines for you to follow. There are some key decisions you will need to make, which will have a big influence on the cost of the project, and you will need to take professional advice to get the best value for money. Books can be instruction manuals, fiction, user guides or memoirs, but in terms of production they are all held as a valuable piece of literature that requires due care and attention! So where do you start? • Size – The actual size of your book and the number of pages you are considering will play a big part in the value for money element of your project. If you can make your book fit a more available paper size and you are flexible on the number of pages you are writing you will be able to save money. • Colour – This is the big one! The more colour you have the more expensive it becomes, but you can be clever with colour and get more value for money by letting colour fall on the right pages; then it will come at minimal cost. • Paper – Different types of paper can lift and brighten up images or it can dull the text, so
you need to choose your paper carefully. Also different papers work better for different print processes, therefore careful consideration on how it will be printed is essential. • Printing – This could depend on your content, but basically if the quantity you require is small then from a cost point of view you would look at digital printing, but for larger quantities and the best quality then litho printing is best. • Binding – Most people choose Perfect Bound, which is like a paperback book and the fastest and most cost effective method. PUR Bound, which appears the same but is more durable, will have the pages sewn into one block and they can never come loose. This is the most durable method, but also the most expensive. Finally there is Case Bound, which involves making a hard case, sewing the pages together and then ‘casing in’ the book blocks similar to Encyclopedias and Dictionaries. These are some of the more important decisions you need to ponder before choosing a printer and if you are looking to ‘print your book’ then perhaps you should consider Remous as your print partner? We have been printing books for over 30 years and we have set up a production line to complete the whole process in-house, making us perfectly placed to help at the planning stage. Check our website at www.shortrunbooks.co.uk or even better our YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/remousprint
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RECOVERY MATTERS
August/September
BY GRAHAM DOWN | www.bscorprecovery.com
SOME NEVER LEARN SomePEOPLE people never learn. Some people like Mr Allan Jeffrey Court... Mr Court was a director of Project Two Services Limited, which went into administration in 2004. In November 2006, he was disqualified from acting as a director of a company for a period of 3 years and 6 months. At the same time he formally resigned as a director of another company in which he was involved, Ducal Building Services Limited. Ducal went into liquidation in March 2010. On investigation, it was found that Mr Court had controlled the company’s finances and decided which invoices would be paid. When the company had been sued in 2008, it was Mr Court who dealt with the proceedings. What’s more, he had received more remuneration than the registered director. The Court decided that, although Mr Court, was not registered as a director at Companies House, in fact he was a director and had been concerned in the management of the company.
He claimed that he simply had not understood what he could and could not do as a disqualified person, but the judge concluded that his conduct had been deliberate and intentional, and that he was financially competent. She decided that 8 months in prison was appropriate. Mr Court also had his disqualification period increased. The lesson here for directors is that someone who is banned from being a director, either because of a disqualification order or by being bankrupt, can’t get around the law by simply registering someone else as a director at Companies House, but otherwise carrying on regardless. Anyone who flouts disqualification restrictions can expect a harsh penalty. If you’re involved with a company that’s struggling, we can provide clear, jargon-free advice to ensure that any personal liabilities are avoided or at least mitigated
The lesson for creditors is that they should not just ignore insolvency procedures. Creditors may have information about the way failed companies have been run which might otherwise not come to light. When faced with the insolvency of a customer there is a temptation for credit managers to lose interest, assuming that any dividend is likely to be a few pence in the pound at best. By engaging with the insolvency practitioner, creditors can ensure that wrongdoing is identified and dealt with, and that potential assets may be traced and realised. If you’re a creditor we can help ensure that delinquent directors are brought to book, and our insolvency claims management service can free you from some of the administrative drudgery of dealing with your claims – usually at no cost. Call us for a no obligation discussion.
Cash flow problems …or worse? Clear, professional advice for you and your business when you need it most. CONTACT US FOR A FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION CALL: 01202 313624 | www.bscorprecovery.com 2nd Floor, Bristol & West House, Post Office Road, Bournemouth, BH1 1BL
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RELAXATION MATTERS
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August/September
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SLEEP MATTERS
August/September
Can't sleep? Learn a new way to put your brain to rest! By Gary Hales from Optimal Brain Technologies
Do you have young children of your own, grandchildren, or friends with youngsters? If so you are no doubt familiar with how a frazzled parent breathes a sigh of relief when they at last get that child off to sleep. No matter whether it’s for an afternoon nap or for the night, the parent’s sense of relief comes from knowing there’s a pretty good chance they can get on with their own agenda without being disturbed. That’s because children tend to sleep deeply, soundly, and long. Conventional wisdom has it that as we age, we can expect to experience disturbed sleep that’s shorter, leaving us feeling tired when the alarm finally goes off - and, by afternoon, longing for a nap!
to researchers, because it shows that poor sleep isn’t simply to be expected with age. Quite the opposite, its people in their peak years - especially the 40s - who are having the most struggle with sleeping, while those in their 70s and 80s are in many cases snoozing away quite contentedly. At Optimal Brain Technologies we’ve got the explanation for this, and we know how to correct it. The brain is responsible for disrupted sleep patterns - and chemicals such as sedatives can’t really fix the problem, whereas Brainwave Optimization™ can. For more information please call us on 01425 471947 or send an email to Gary at info@optimalbraintech.com.
There’s a new study out that has come as a shock
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SOCIAL MEDIA MATTERS
August/September
Social Media: a Free Lunch or the Thief of Time? By Katherine Hanson – Soci@lite
You wouldn’t do your own books if maths isn’t your strong point or design your own website if you barely know your way around Microsoft Office, so why would you even attempt to manage all of your Social Media? And, as a business owner, you invariably lack the time and inclination anyway, right? If you're going to commit to Social Media then you need to truly commit because infrequent participation will not work; the immediacy of Social Media also dictates that your content should never really be more than three to five days old. Yet, that Social Media is free remains one of the biggest misconceptions surrounding this form of marketing. The platform(s) you use might be but your messaging is not. Even if you are looking after all of your marketing internally the cost is still there
in the form of your precious time. And, the more invested your business becomes in its Social Media presence, the more resources and time you need to devote. Whether you outsource to a Social Media Manager or use somebody internal, the reality is that as a business you need a dedicated person to push all of these efforts. Regardless of how much time your business is spending on Social Media, make every moment count so that it doesn’t become the thief of your time. Contact Soci@lite today (01202 798270 or 07771 303932) to discuss how we can make every Social Media moment count and ultimately help to increase your online presence and drive traffic back to your website.
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TRAINING MATTERS
August/September
Is it time to face change? How effective is your strategy? By Audrey Davies from The Way Ahead
Managing Change is a topic that many companies tend to ignore – and certainly one which they would not contemplate spending money on training people to cope with it. The UK Economy seems to be taking a turn for the better. So, if you’re a business owner, perhaps it’s time to ask yourself some questions: • How closely do your people identify and associate their own roles with your business purpose? • Do your people really know what your strategic aims are, and if so do they see and agree with how they fit in? CMI* research shows that 92% of managers have experienced some sort of organisational change in the last year but only 30% felt that their senior managers had managed that change effectively.
The CMI goes on to say: “It's therefore no wonder that as change becomes the norm within most organisations, employees start to `disengage’. It has therefore never been more imperative to understand how management development can support change, both cultural and structural, by providing managers with new skills and behaviours to help steer them in the right direction." The next question is: “So why does Change fail?" As managers, we each have a responsibility to consider the ambitions, goals, needs, fears which will either help - or hinder - our ability to bring about Change. Our business simulation: “Winning strategies” could point you in the right direction, to get you started on the road to successful Change. [*Chartered Management Institute]
Training today’s people for tomorrow’s world Does your business have the resources and skills needed to capitalise on any economic upturn? Have you reviewed your workforce and feel you need to inject new ideas, enthusiasm and energy? Maybe you do have the skills - lurking, or hidden somewhere…?
WE can help! • 1-2-1 coaching & mentoring • 1-day group-led workshops • Tailored programmes for your own specific business needs • Leadership & management qualifications
Call us to talk about how we can help you develop your people – whatever their age and need.
We’ll guide your business to The Way Ahead and success! Tel: 0845 803 7768 www.thewayahead.org.uk Page 22
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Remous Limited, Wyvern Buildings, North Street, Milborne Port, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 5EP
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