Issue 42

NEW Business MATTERS Y O U R L O C A L B U S I N E S S J O U R N A L Reaching 16,000 business people in print & online Exclusivity in each business category - guaranteed!

BUSINESS TIPS & ADVICE! Issue 42/2015

December/January

ACCOUNTANCY MATTERS

December/January

Don't Panic...

By Alistair, Luke & David at BKB Accountants Words that would be useful to Eddie Howe right now, but also to us business owners.

We may not have world class opponents against us, but we do seem to have some issues heading our way that will need careful planning.

Living wage: from April 2016, all employees aged 25 and over must be paid at least £7.20 per hour. This is rising to £9 four years later. This is way above wage inflation and businesses such as those in the hospitality trade will be clearly affected by this.

Auto-enrolment: this is now taking effect for all businesses and once enrolled, all employers must contribute a minimum 1% of salary, rising to 3% by October 2018, into their employees’ pension scheme. This clearly amplifies the effect of the living wage above.

Dividend tax: as discussed previously, this will increase the tax owners pay on extracting profits from their business by 7.5%. This is

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slightly reduced with a reduction in the rate of Corporation Tax to 19% in April 2017 and 18% in 2020.

Landlord tax: owners of residential property who let the property out are horrifically affected from April 2017 in part, 2020 in full.

With the allowance of finance charges and interest only at 20%, this will likely affect ALL or near all landlords, regardless of whether they’ve been higher rate taxpayers in the past.

There are some limited options available but every landlord must sit down with their accountant over the coming months to plan for this.

Moral of all this…plan now and don’t be an ostrich!

To see how we can help you to understand the ramifications of these changes in your business, please contact us on 01202 950527 or email us at info@bkbaccountants.co.uk

To advertise in this local journal telephone 01202 233580

NEW BUSINESS MATTERS

December/January

Editor’s Note

CONTENTS

Reflections and Goals...

02 DON'T PANIC...

As we all get ready to leave the work behind for a few days or maybe even a week or two, this is definitely the time of the year that we reflect on the past twelve months.

03 CONTENTS & EDITORS NOTES

Did we do well? Are there areas we know we can improve on? I am sure each and every one of us can say that we could do better in certain aspects of what we do. New Years is a perfect time to set new goals and put plans into action to bring those goals into a reality. In my own opinion financial goals are important, but it is more vital that we name our overall aim, our purpose for the business and then align all our actions into creating that, then the finances will follow. Having a fulfilling goal is far more satisfying than just having money in the bank, though that is desirable. By working with other like minded business people we keep our goals and futures alive. There are such business people here in New Business Matters who would love to hear from you!

Stephen and I would sincerely like to wish you a Very Merry Christmas and a Fantastic and Prosperous 2016 in all aspects of your life.

Best wishes,

04 WATERING THE SEEDS 05 SERVICING - WHAT YOU'LL GET 06 AUTOFOCUS & JARGON-BUSTING 07 IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN! 08 STATEMENT FOCUSED ON GROWTH 09 WINTER CHECKS FOR FLEETS 10 NEED FOR GLADIATOR LEADERS 11 WHAT'S ON AT CUMBERLAND 12 THE MISSING SECRET 13 WHY USE A BROKER? 14 ARE YOU LOSING TRAFFIC? 15 REDUCE ERRORS IN CREATION PROCESS 16 SELLING PROPERTY IN 2016?

17 REFRESH THE FACE OF YOUR BUSINESS 18 DESIGN & PRINT SERVICES 19 RE-KINDLE LOVE OF BOOKS 20 POP THE KETTLE ON...

21 CANDIDATE DRIVEN MARKET 22 GET YOUR POSTS SEEN MORE

NBM Debbie 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: Stephen 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

NEW Business

23 PROCRASTINATION - ART FORM?

Y O USYSTEMS R L OTO C CELEBRATE A L B U S I N 24 BUSINESS 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 Y O U R L O C A L B U S I N

© New Business Matters UK Limited January 2009 Designed by: Stephen Corney

Printed by: Remous Limited, Sherborne

Published by: New Business Matters UK Limited

To receive a FREE copy go to www.newbusinessmatters.com

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COMMUNITY MAG MATTERS

December/January

Watering the seeds

By Stephen Corney, Director at Dorset Publications My title might sound like this is going to be an article on gardening, but the analogy is not far off...

What is the purpose of advertising? In general, it is to get a potential new customer to make contact or to remind an existing customer of your products or services.

The seeds that I am referencing are these new potential client contacts and those old customers that you may not have been in contact with for a long time. They have not yet germated into paying customers or have not bought from you for a while and need your careful attention and nurturing to get the right end result.

Following up on any new lead is obvious in most businesses, but once the first transaction has occurred, what then?

Many business leaders comment that it is up to five times more expensive to get new clients than to

sell to those who have bought in the past.

If you retain your existing clients, getting them to regularly come back for more, and then add new clients on top of that, growth is almost unavoidable. However, if you concentrate on getting new clients and do not keep bringing your existing back into the loop, then this can lead to sales stagnation.

Regular client contact, be it a simple thank you card or a newsletter outlining new products and services, is often well received and not generally viewed as "harrassment" as some may think.

Equally, keeping your business name and contact details in regularly read magazines is a great way of reminding people you are still there!

For more information about how local community magazines could help your business to grow, give Stephen or Debbie a call on 01202 894397 or send an email to info@dorsetpublications.co.uk.

Would you like your business to reach 1000s of potential residential clients on a monthly basis?

Full colour A5 glossy magazines distributed by our own team of distributors - you can rely on us! » A free article, the same size as the advert booked in one of the months, with a 3 months booking » Free advertising on our magazine Facebook pages » A free listing on our Website Directory pages » Each magazine is fully uploaded every month on the internet via our website

Call Debbie or Stephen on

01202 894397 info@dorsetpublications.co.uk

West Moors • Ferndown & West Parley • Bournemouth • Poole • Southbourne • Christchurch Page 4

To advertise in this local journal telephone 01202 233580

COMPUTER REPAIR MATTERS

December/January

Servicing - What you'll get

By Clifford Johnson from PCs Made Simple Much like a car, a computer needs constant love and attention. You wouldn’t miss an MOT, so why would you miss out the arguably more important health check of your PC? Especially when you consider the sorts of things we use them for nowadays such as online banking and the backup of our precious photos and videos. A yearly service becomes even more important when you are depending on the reliability of your PC to perform work on too.

This is why we offer our Tune Up service. It is designed to be an all-inclusive package to set at ease any worries you might have about your PC. It’s also an essential service to anyone who values the performance of their computer.

As you use your PC it collects more and more unwanted programs, low-level infections, start up programs and wasted storage space which add together and slow it down.

We’ll remove all of these over the course of a few days, as well as making sure everything is up to date, ensuring that you have adequate virus protection, removing all infections, freeing up storage space (typically around 1-10GB) and fully checking all your components to make sure none of them are about to fail.

Things we'll do include: • REMOVE UNWANTED PROGRAMS • A FULL VIRUS CLEAN • ANALYSE START UP PROGRAMS • FULL SYSTEM CHECK • REGAIN STORAGE SPACE • PERFORM ALL UPDATES Sometime between your computers first and third birthday, it’s quite likely that a part of it will fail or something else will go wrong as a result of its poor maintenance. Even things as mediocre as installing updates will protect your system from the latest generation of malware that could reek havok in moments. There’s a reason that we recommend a Tune Up or similar service once a year as it greatly increases the chance that we can catch and amend any issues before they grow out of control. It can also often extend the lifespan of your PC due to lower wear on certain components caused by all the ‘clutter’.

If your PC is running slow or if you have any other trouble, talk to one of the PCs Made Simple team on 01202 830121.

Or email us at info@simple-pcs.co.uk.

We make computing easy...

It's as SIMPLE as that!

PC & Laptop Repairs & Sales

PCs Made Simple can usually fix any sick computer. We can also supply a new one, off the shelf or tailor made just for you.

We Come To You!

If your computer can’t come to us, PCs Made Simple can come to your computer! We cover all of Dorset and most of West Hampshire.

Tel: 01202 830121 E: info@simple-pcs.co.uk W: www.simple-pcs.co.uk

312 Ashley Road • Poole • Dorset • BH14 9DF

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FINANCE MATTERS

December/January

Autofocus and Jargon-busting

Advertising Feature

By Lee Walker, Wealth Manager Many small employers remain unaware of their automatic enrolment pension obligations.

Automatic enrolment started in 2012 and is now halfway through a process which obliges every employer to automatically place their employees into a workplace pension scheme. But despite its success so far, there are concerns that the biggest challenges are yet to come.

More than five million workers have so far joined the scheme. But that figure doesn’t tell the whole story – as these are from the largest companies, only 3% of employers have so far automatically-enrolled their staff.1 The huge majority of employers are still to go through the process. Between now and 2018, over three million more workers will be enrolled by smaller employers.2 Ros Altmann, the government’s pensions minister, has warned, “It will be a much tougher ask to make auto-enrolment work for everyone.”

The worry stems from concerns that many ‘micro employers’ are unaware of their pension contribution obligations. Whilst similar to an employer’s responsibility to deal with National Insurance and Income Tax, many smaller employers remain confused as to their automatic enrolment duties.

Steve Moy, wealth management consultant at St. James’s Place, believes that the problem has been partly caused by the government’s inability to change the language used when dealing with businesses to allow the layman to understand it.

“Government advertising has been effective Page 6

at letting employees know about the process, but we believe that more needs to be done to educate employers, particularly those employing just one or two people,” suggests Moy. “The language being used is still too complex and needs to be kept simple and jargon-free so that the average man on the street can understand.”

If you employ anyone, even just one person and pay them at least £192 a week or £833 a month, you will need to comply with automatic enrolment rules. Failure to follow the rules could lead to a £400 fine; and continued failure to comply has already resulted in daily fines of between £50 and £10,000 depending on the severity of the breach.

“There is a real danger of many people leaving it until the last minute before taking action,” comments Moy. “Micro employers should start preparing for automaticenrolment now and be seeking professional advice in good time if they are unsure of their new responsibilities.”

To receive a complimentary guide covering Wealth Management, Retirement Planning or Inheritance Tax Planning, contact Lee Walker on 07770 333302 or send him an email at lee.walker@sjpp.co.uk.

Lee Walker represents only St. James's Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the Group's wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the Group's website www.sjp.co.uk/products. www.nowpensions.com/blog/time-for-small-and-microemployers-to-gear-up-for-auto-enrolment/

1

2

www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk.

To advertise in this local journal telephone 01202 233580

FITNESS MATTERS

December/January

It's that time of year again!

By Angela Barton at Body Fitness It’s that time of year again, New Years resolutions looming. The most popular ones being, to lose weight, give up smoking, eat healthier and cutting down on alcohol.

We end up putting so much pressure on ourselves to succeed and then disappointed when we fail to maintain it.

Rather than starting in January, why not try starting in March when everyone else is giving up!

Or think about changing just one thing, setting yourselves small achievable goals.

Maybe it’s swapping that bowl of crunchy nut cornflakes at breakfast for a healthier option, say porridge or egg on toast.

Start once a week, eventually building up to every day but then having that naughty breakfast as a treat once a week.

Ultimately you have to want to make that change and at the same time be confident in making the change.

This is where people can fail because of a lack of confidence. Everyone can do one press up can’t they?? So here is a challenge for you all.

Do a full press up or a girlie one (on your knees) every day for a year.

Let me know how you get on, on my Facebook page. Check out my website: www.bodytherapy.fitness and click on the FB icon.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and look forward to hearing how you get on! You know you can!!

If you would like some help or just want someone to keep you on track, call me on 07813 805541!

• Personal training • Holistic massage • Deep tissue massage “Angela is a tremendous force of nature.

For me, she does the impossible, by making exercise fun. I always have a fantastic work out and a massive laugh. She is more of a friend than a trainer, I cannot recommend her highly enough!” Claudia Tuohy

Contact Angela now:

T: 07813 805541 E: angela@bodytherapy.fitness

www.bodytherapy.fitness

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FSB MATTERS

December/January

The Federation of Small Businesses The FSB is Britain's leading business organisation with over 200,000 members. It exists to protect and promote the interests of the self-employed, and all those who run small businesses.

The FSB in Dorset has 4,000 small businesses as members.

A Spending Review and Autumn Statement that focussed on supporting long-term growth, says FSB Commenting on today’s Autumn Statement and Spending Review speech from Chancellor George Osborne, Neil Eames, Development Manager for Wessex said: “Given the tight constraints that the Chancellor was working to, small businesses will be pleased that he has listened to their concerns. Mr Osborne has managed to fund areas that drive productivity and long-term economic growth, such as skills and the science and innovation base. He has also committed to funding critical infrastructure projects which are key to successfully rebalancing growth across the country. And importantly, small firms will be relieved by the extension of small business rates relief for another year, pending the full reform due in 2017.”

Commenting on specific areas detailed in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement, Neil Eames continued: Business rates “Small firms face a challenging start to 2016 and the FSB welcomes the Chancellor’s commitment to small firms by extending the temporary doubling of Small Business Rate Relief to April 2017. Over 600,000 small and micro enterprises depend heavily on this relief.

Many are still struggling to adjust to challenges around the National Living Wage, changes to dividends on tax and pensions auto-enrolment. Its removal would have been an additional tax rise. Measures to devolve powers over business rates to local authorities provide opportunities but also risks for small businesses. We look forward to engaging with the Government on this agenda. But also we urge the Government to deliver on its commitment to fundamental reform of the wider business rates system.”

Apprenticeships “The FSB supports the decision to use payroll as a measure to determine which businesses pay the

Apprenticeship Levy, as opposed to headcount. The 0.5 percent payroll levy on firms alongside a £15,000 allowance will mean that the levy will only apply to firms whose total payroll exceeds £3 million. We believe this is a fair level as it recognises that not all businesses will be able to afford to pay the charge. While the levy will not be applied to the smallest firms, it is important that these businesses can continue to interact with the apprenticeship system. The Government must ensure that whatever system is ultimately implemented is simple, accessible to all and delivers the high-quality apprenticeships sought by employers.”

Energy “The FSB recognises the Government’s commitment to exempt the steel and chemicals industries from the cost of environmental tariffs. However, we seek reassurance that the £410 million a year of lost tax revenue created by this measure will not be sought from the less intensive and smaller businesses in the energy market.

We welcome the £250 million investment over the next five years in the nuclear research and development programme. If the Government pushes ahead with nuclear, as with the emerging fracking industry, small businesses must be offered a central role in developing expertise in this area, as well as providing innovative products and technologies through the supply chain.”

Transport infrastructure “We welcome the significant and much needed increase in investment in transport infrastructure, allowing our road and rail network to help provide an environment to support economic growth and rebalance the economy.

The commitment to start building HS2 early on in the Parliament is a welcome statement of ambition. We now look forward to seeing such an unequivocal statement about expanding airport capacity in the South East..

FSB Local Contacts: FSB Regional Office, Christchurch - Tel: 01425 280080 - Email: wessex@fsb.org.uk Neil Eames, Development Manager, Wessex Tel: 07920 846684 - Email: neil.eames@fsb.org.uk FSB website: www.fsb.org.uk/wessex - Twitter: @FSBWessex Page 8

To advertise in this local journal telephone 01202 233580

FLEET MATTERS

December/January

The importance of winter checks for fleet vehicles

By Ian Pounds of Longham Motor Engineers

Jingle bells! Jingle bells! Santa’s on his way, get your vehicle serviced now, or else you’re gonna pay!

Festive ditties aside, it makes sense that your vehicle should be well maintained and road worthy all year round, but this is doubly important through autumn and the lead into winter. Wet, greasy roads and worn tyres don’t mix, and tired batteries have a habit of always letting you down when you least need them to on those cold, damp mornings.

And with Christmas just around the corner, we all need to save our pennies for the festive season and a winter check-up for your car simply makes sense. A winter safety check is also the easiest way to quickly identify any potential problems that can then be rectified before they become expensive and ruin your festive period before it’s even begun.

Whether you are a private car owner, or a manager of a small fleet of business cars or light commercial vehicles, now is the time to get on the phone and book an appointment and put your car or van into the hands of Longham Motor Engineer’s team of experienced mechanics. You can then avoid the stress and extra costs which can occur with vehicles being off the road due to breakdowns or accidents.

For results that matter and a fast and friendly service that will cost much less than you think, do your vehicle a huge favour this autumn by saving money, time and effort and head down to Longham Motor Engineers for some preChristmas peace of mind.

Contact Ian at Longham Motor Engineers on 01202 894488 and let him take the hassle and worry out of your winter driving.

Stress relief for commercial fleets...

Your local motor experts for specialist advice, servicing and repairs on all makes & models.

MOTs • Servicing • Diagnostics

Tel: 01202 89 44 88

Here to service your fleet vehicle’s every need!

www.longham-motor-engineers.co.uk 441 Wimborne Road East, Ferndown, BH22 9NA

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HR / LEADERSHIP MATTERS

December/January

Today’s Businesses Need “Gladiator” Leaders

By Gregory P. Smith of Chart Your Course

Remember the heart-pounding, soul-stirring message of the movie Gladiator? Remember how Maximus, the Russell Crowe character, rallied his men around him and led them to victory, even in the face of almost certain defeat? Remember his “envision the goal” technique for getting through the horrors of battle? Now, consider the leadership in your own company. Any gladiators in the ranks? Are you a gladiator?

The time is right for a more heroic style of leadership.

Desperate times lend themselves to the rise of gladiators. Instead of seeing today’s economy as a negative, executives should view it as an opportunity in disguise—a chance to position your organization for the inevitable economic upswing. Here are eight virtues of Gladiator Leadership.

1. Gladiators have a mission for which they feel real passion. Call it a purpose, an obsession, a calling: whatever the terminology, good leaders have a defining mission in their life. This mission, above all other traits, separates managers from leaders. In Gladiator, Maximus lived for the mission of killing the evil usurper Commodus and restoring Rome to the values that made her great.

2. Gladiators create a vision. Having and communicating a clear picture of a future goal will lead to its achievement. Dare to think great! Maximus helped his fellow gladiators see that they could overthrow their enemies and survive the horror of the battles they were forced to participate in. In business, a leader may create an “enemy”—the economy, the competition, inefficiency—to challenge the energies of his or her people and give them something to fight for.

3. Gladiators lead from the front—they don’t dictate from the back. In the movie, both when Maximus was a general and a gladiator, he fought up front where the firestorm was heaviest. So does a good business leader.

Working “in the trenches” shows you’re not afraid to get your hands dirty, it helps you fully understand the issues your “soldiers” are facing, and inspires loyalty in your troops.

4. Gladiators know there is strength in teams. Where would Maximus have been if he hadn’t trusted his men to fight with him and cover his back? Likewise, where would you be without your employees? While the gladiator leader has the skills to draw people together, he doesn’t hog the spotlight. He has care and compassion for his team and wants every member to be recognized for his or her efforts. This is especially important in a time

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when the old style “command and control” structure is waning. Younger workers (Generations X and Y) tend to be loyal to their coworkers rather than the traditional “organization.”

5. Gladiators encourage risk-taking. In the Roman Empire, gladiators were expected to die with honor.

Refusing to lie down and let one’s opponents win was bucking the status quo. (And certainly, killing the reigning emperor—however corrupt—simply was not done!) If a company does not examine its way of doing things, if it does not push out its boundaries, if it never makes mistakes, it may become road kill.

6. Gladiators keep their heads in a crisis. Maximus had to think on his feet and refuse to give into terror and panic. He faced the most formidable foes calmly and with focus. Business leaders must do the same. They must take a position and defend it when things go awry. Being graceful and brave under fire is the surest way to build credibility—a necessity for sound leadership. Gladiators don’t retreat due to the slowing economy, but look for the opportunity under their feet.

7. Gladiators prepare for battle 24 hours a day. Essentially, a Roman gladiator was a fighting machine. To stay alive, his mind had to be constantly on the upcoming battle.

Business leaders, likewise, must be obsessed with training and developing their people in good times and bad.

People need and want to hone their individual skills and “sharpen their swords.” Furthermore, good leaders must constantly learn what’s necessary to survive and unlearn the “old rules.” Just because a management style worked a decade ago does not mean it will work in today’s economy—good leaders evolve with the times.

8. Gladiators are teachers and mentors. Maximus taught his men the lessons they would need to survive in their new role as gladiators. In today’s rapidly changing environment, leaders must also teach and train those who may soon replace them. We are not necessarily talking about formal classroom training. We need leaders talking to people in the hallway, in the restaurant . . . everywhere.

Everyone should be mentoring someone.

Greg Smith’s cutting-edge keynotes, consulting, and training programs have helped businesses reduce turnover, increase sales, hire better people and deliver better customer service. As President of Chart Your Course International he has implemented professional development programs for hundreds of organizations globally. He has authored nine informative books including Fired Up! Leading Your Organizational to Achieve Exceptional Results. For more information, visit ChartCourse.com.

To advertise in this local journal telephone 01202 233580

HOSPITALITY MATTERS

December/January

What's On in 2016 at The Cumberland

By John Marsh, Webmaster at Oceana Hotels We’re very excited about our line-up of events at The Cumberland Hotel for 2016.

With a variety of different shows running every month, there’s something for everyone.

Our events offer a great night out in the opulent style and comfort of the Cumberland Hotel, located on Bournemouth’s East Cliff.

So if you’re looking for an opportunity to let your hair down with friends, family or work colleagues visit our website to find out more.

“Having hosted events at The Cumberland for many years now, we know the 2016 What’s On Guide is our best to date!.. Packed with Themed Nights, Superstar Tributes, Burlesque shows, Ratpack band, Curtain Up shows, Great Gatsby, Comedy Sitcom Experiences, Murder Mystery and much, much more! It

really does offer entertainment for everyone, accompanied with our delicious food and top service. Check out the website below for more information and to see the line-up.”

WWW.OCEANAHOTELS.CO.UK/WHATS-ON Fantastic bedroom rates are available on line for all our shows, where you can pay a package amount to include the entertainment, dinner, room for the night and breakfast the following morning, subject to availability.

We’re also offering a special deal in 2016 where bookings for 8 or more people get one place FREE. For more information, or to make a booking, contact our team on 01202 298 350 or send an email to sales@oceanahotels.co.uk.

To receive a FREE copy go to www.newbusinessmatters.com

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INSOLVENCY MATTERS

December/January

How to make money The Missing Secret

By Mark Liddle from the Mark Liddle Partnership Over the years, I have learned a lot about business, their owners and what makes them successful – or not – and this month I want to share with you some of the secrets of success.

I have been involved in over 500 Phoenixes, that is, businesses which have closed down and started again immediately.

Many of them go bust because they have given out credit to a customer who has then, for whatever reason, failed to pay. This is a fundamental lesson in life, as well as in business. Don’t lend money to people who may not pay you back.

The second thing I have learned is that once a business goes bust and we get the owners going again, far too many do exactly the same as they did before. Learn from your mistakes and change things because business problems are not all down to bad luck, like choosing the wrong lottery numbers.

The third lesson is that just because a business goes bust it does NOT mean the owners are failures. When we have a business that closes, we should be grateful for the experience, learn from it and move on.

So to the reason why businesses make money and the reason why businesses succeed and why they don’t. Focus. We create our own reality by the way we think and the way our thoughts drive our behaviours. Learn from your mistakes, change what you do and focus on what you want.

To sum up, what you focus on is what you get and if you think you can or your think you can’t, you’re right. That is the simple truth!

Contact me on 01202 551193 or email me at office@markliddle.com for help and advice regards focussing on the right things for your business.

Business Problems?

Talk to people who care...

discreet | confidential | professional | friendly We work for you

• not your creditors • not your landlord

• not your bank • not the tax man

Call us for a free confidential chat

01202 551193

My creditors were chasing me and I felt like I was losing control of my own business. The people at Mark Liddle Partnership helped me get control back.

30 Christchurch Road, Bournemouth, BH1 3PD

www.markliddle.com Page 12

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INSURANCE MATTERS

December/January

Why Use an Insurance Broker?

By John Palmer of Coversure Insurance When it comes to getting the best insurance policy for you, you’re always better off using an insurance broker. With the television swamped with meerkats and dancing robots advertising price comparison sites, it is not surprising that so many people look to comparison sites for what purports to be the cheapest insurance. But as the name suggests, price comparison sites are often, for legal and practical reasons, one dimensional in the result they give. Consequently, the insurance policies you’ll be shown are often generic and are effectively a one-size-fits-all solution. However, getting the right insurance for you is dependent on your exact individual circumstances, with the devil being in the detail. For this reason alone it is always better to use a broker when getting your insurances.

and public liability within their policies and if you’re not advised of this you could soon find yourself with three sets of cover and paying for the privilege.

Insurance Brokers – The Human Touch

There is an old saying in the insurance industry that ‘insurance is only as good as your claims experience,’ and it’s here more than anywhere else that a broker can really add value. In the event of a claim, your broker may speak to loss adjustors and claims departments and do as much as possible for you, so you don’t have the hassle and worry at a time which is often stressful. Now I’d like to see a talking meerkat or a dancing robot do that!

As we get older, our insurance needs inevitably become more complex. Health and housing insurance becomes more important, motoring policies are open to a greater range of benefits and risks and dependents, such as children, create further complications. A broker can provide you with the quality of cover that you need and make potential savings through their knowledge of the market.

Insurance Brokers – Giving You Advice, Saving You Money Some people think that insurance brokers are just for people with little time or exceptional insurance circumstances. But if you’re thinking of buying an insurance policy for something you don’t know much about or insuring something unusual, an expert in the market such as an insurance broker can often find you better cover at a great price.

Unlike comparison sites, a broker’s specialist expertise can give you the right product for your individual needs. For example, insurers won’t always offer you every type of cover when you go direct nor tell you if you’re already covered by any existing policies you may have. It’s not unusual for insurers to offer legal support, home maintenance,

Brokers can also be more flexible on price than comparison sites. If you require specialist insurance, such as income protection or critical illness, then you will undoubtedly need a specialist provider. These kinds of products are not widely available on comparison sites because they have to be tailored to your specific circumstances and lifestyle. Equally, if you need special insurance cover for something like a high-value antique or a collection of paintings, an insurance broker will know where to go to find you the cover you need.

Insurance: The Proof of the Cover is in the Claiming

If you have any questions regarding your insurance, whether you have the right cover or could get a better deal, give John a call on 01202 929141 or email poole@coversure.co.uk.

!

Tel: 01202 929 141

Email: poole@coversure.co.uk www.coversure.co.uk/office/poole

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INTERNET MATTERS

December/January

Is your website losing search traffic?

Two key things to check

By Gino Cirelli from Website Internet Marketing

Have you noticed a drop in website traffic over time? It can be difficult to work out why your website traffic is decreasing because search engines like Google are always changing the rules on how they rank websites, for example in April 2015 they announced that if a website was not mobile friendly then this would cause the site to lose its ranking points. Below is an example of a website that is mobile friendly on a mobile screen compared to the desktop view: 1. So the first thing to/ check is if your site is properly optimized for mobile, this is also known as having a responsive website. This means that the web pages on your site should change to suit the size of the screen, so if a customer is looking at your site with a smart phone or tablet, the design of the page should change to make it easier to see and navigate on the smaller screen. If you are not sure, then you can test your website by putting the web address into the Google mobile friendly test on: www.google.co.uk/webmasters/ tools/mobile-friendly. If it isn’t mobile friendly then you should prioritize converting it as soon as possible.

Mobile optimised site (left) and the full desktop version (right) of the same site

2. The second thing to check is the site content. Search engines like Google want to give high rankings to web pages that are engaging and one way they measure this is by seeing how long visitors spend on the page.

So ask yourself if the content on the page is relevant to the page title and is it original and interesting for your visitors? Is there any way that you can improve on the content?

Search engines like Google want to provide good quality search results and as more and more searches are done on mobile devices, they want to give points to websites that have good original content as well as websites that are mobile friendly..

For more information call Gino on 01425 200 678 or email gino@webiml.co.uk and quote NBM.

01425 200 678 Page 14

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IT MATTERS

December/January

Reduce errors in document creation process

By Ava Lambert from Copyrite Business Solutions Forty hours a month have been saved by the property finance team at Paris Smith since the law firm invested in powerful software which is used to create documents more quickly and eliminates any risk of error in the process.

Called in to identify ways of increasing productivity, minimise risk, and improve efficiency, Copyrite Business Solutions helped Paris Smith to implement a full electronic document management system which provides the latest in document security and is easy to use.

As part of their review, Copyrite proposed to automate the document generation at the firm's property finance team with HotDocs software.

Alan Cousins, Practice Director at Paris Smith explained: “Volume of work always poses challenges but a 40 hour per month time saving for a team of six people has made a huge difference. We are looking forward to the solution benefitting the firm more widely as further departments move over to the new system.”

Ben Summerfield, Director at Copyrite commented: "It is all about the process - once we understand a firm's current workflow, we can then take steps to improve it and make it

seamless. We are now working with Paris Smith to integrate the document generation with the document management which will further enhance and complete the process.”

Since implementation, Paris Smith have created an internal ‘Technology Champions Club’, where groups from across all departments meet to discuss best practise and innovate ways of using the toolset to further benefit their work and Paris Smith as a firm. Such meetings also facilitate collaboration between the departments and expedite the process of technology change from within the firm.

We are currently offering local businesses a free document creation audit, this will involve a member of our staff visiting your business and providing you with a complete report detailing your current document creation process costs and potential savings.

To find out more, visit: www.copyrite.co.uk Or email Ava Lambert at: ava.lambert@copyrite.co.uk

To receive a FREE copy go to www.newbusinessmatters.com

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LETTINGS MATTERS

December/January

Are you selling your property in 2016?

By Sharon Canning from Move On Have you decided to put your property on the market in the New Year? Or perhaps at some point during 2016. You will be one of the many with the same thought…, get Christmas out of the way, declutter the house, do those odd jobs that need finishing off whilst over the Christmas break and then call in the estate agents.

Do you know who you will be asking to come round for a valuation? Is it the agent you originally purchased the property from? The agent down the road? The agent who seems to have the most boards up?

Traditionally, most people will ask for three agents to come round, but then who do you go with? They all seem pretty nice people, they all say pretty much the same thing, and so who do you choose – dilemma!

Do you go with the agent who valued your property the highest? As an agent it can be very frustrating to lose the opportunity of selling a property because a fellow agent has put an unrealistic value on the property, so does this then encourage agents to go higher because it is what you want to hear?

At the end of November, Rightmove was advertising the following properties in Poole and Bournemouth.

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Under £250k £250-£500k £500-£1m Over £1m

Poole 413 453 208 275

Bournemouth 1018 644 189 31

A total of 3231 properties currently for sale. So where does your property fit amongst those on the current market? And this is where the agent you choose should be able to tell you and back it up with their due diligence and full report, not words – fact!

Do me a favour, put Move On, on your list to be one of the three agents to come out and give you a market appraisal on your home and we will show you what we mean. A free valuation with no obligation.

Don’t forget to try our new valuation button on our websites www.moveonrentals.com or www. moveonsales.com or www.landlordtolandlordsales. com. Look for the orange button (you can’t miss it!).

If you would like a friendly, no obligation chat regarding any property matter, then please call Sharon on 01202 711169 or email her at sharon@moveonrentals.com.

To advertise in this local journal telephone 01202 233580

MARKETING MATTERS

December/January

Refresh the Face of Your Business

By Jamie Street from J Street Creative Give your business a fresh look with creative graphic design and marketing services from JStreet Creative. Your logo, brochure, business card, flyer, banner, literature and letter heads represent the face of your business. Let me deliver a face lift that will help elevate your company above the competition.

Through creating a positive first impression, businesses can impose themselves in buying decisions and enhance the opportunity to gain new long term customers. A fresh approach not only creates a positive impression on new customers, but can also represent a powerful reminder to existing customers about the services you provide and place you as a modern leader in the field. In an age where finer details make the difference, large and small business’ can benefit significantly from taking a fresh look at how their brand communicates with

their customers in order to spearhead their sales goals.

As a self-employed marketing consultant I am eager to help your business grow, and offer complimentary consultations to assess areas of your company profile that need improvement.

Whether you simply require a new logo or flyer or a complete range of new marketing literature, I have the skills to help you meet those goals without unnecessary expense. Projects of any size and duration are welcome and are approached with your company ethos and best interests in mind.

To learn more about the graphics design and marketing services I offer or to book a free consulation to discuss how I can help your business gain new customers visit my website at www.jstreetcreative.co.uk or send me an email at jamie@jstreetcreative.co.uk.

Refresh The Face of Your Business

FREE CONSULTATION

Marketing strategy guidance, graphic design services, eye catching adverts, vibrant visuals, gripping press releases or powerful product descriptions.

I can help your company meet its goals.

• • • • • • •

Flyers and brochures Logo designs & revisions Business cards and stationary Vehicle signage Copywriting and press releases Company presentations and CPDs Packaging design & production

J ST REET

www.jstreetcreative.co.uk jamie@jstreetcreative.co.uk 07738832743 To receive a FREE copy go to www.newbusinessmatters.com

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WE PROVIDE: • Instant drying print on our Lightcure Press • Complete project from design to delivery produced in house • Fast turnaround times, we work to your deadline • Experienced team, delivering print for the last 30 years to find out more, call, visit or click 01963 250920

alan@remous.com info@remous.com

www.remous.com

Remous Print, Wyvern Buildings, North Street, Milborne Port, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 5EP

Bunter, Alan Bunter, Keith Sparks. Registered in England: 1479229. Registered Address: Nylands, Charlton Horethorne, S

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To advertise in this local journal telephone 01202 233580

PRINTING MATTERS

December/January

re-Kindle Love of Books?

Book Printing Comeback!

By Alan Bunter, MD of Remous Limited

Who would have thought it?

Waterstones to drop the Kindle after ‘Pitiful Sales’.

Something we have seen in the last 12-18 months is an increase in book production. People still love books and through our sister brand www. shortrunbrooks.co.uk we have helped many people self publish, launch their writing careers or simply document their lives for generations to come.

The tangible documentation of printed short run books or indeed longer run books can never be replaced by the Kindle or e-readers. I for one love technology but the bookshelf full of well-thumbed reading conquests feels more of an achievement than a list of PDFs. Our short run book printing service has enabled people easy access to self publish, or print small runs of books to send out to publishers around the country. This is why I am proud of the service we can offers both private and business clients, taking you through the whole process from a word file to a finished product.

definitely swung in the favour of the paperback book, that tangible item, complete with scent of the freshly printed word, has proven to have more appeal than the ‘like paper’ screen.

Similarly workbooks in the training sector have become more bespoke and used to complement electronic media and with so much training available on so many subjects the need to offer a short run of printed books has become more relevant than ever.

We are pleased to bring you a service we are excited by, know a lot about and can deliver in a friendly and efficient way for individuals and companies alike.

If you would like to know more about book printing or indeed like some print support for your business, give us a call on 01963 250920.

With our in-house design and production facility, short run book printing is carried our all in one place, we can recommend the most appropriate papers, binding style, finishes and more to give you the best result within your budget.

So what will happen to the Kindle? I suspect it will move towards a standard tablet. The battle of the books has To receive a FREE copy go to www.newbusinessmatters.com

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PUZZLE MATTERS

December/January

Put your feet up over coffee or lunch and have a go at these!

Pop the kettle on...

3

8 3

5

8

6

9

4

1

5

6 2 4

2

6

1

2 5 3

1

3

6

8

4

8 6

Crossword

Across 8 Sieve (4) 9 Uncompromising (10) 10 A short passage at the end of a literary work (6) 11 Longing (8) 12 Effervesce (4) 13 Unfinished (10) 17 Decorate with gold leaf (4) 18 A Great Lake (5) 19 Coral island (4) 20 Opinion pieces in newspapers (10) 22 A stupid person (4) 23 Cajoles (8) 27 Fail to fulfill a promise (6) 28 Companionship (10) 29 Appear (4)

Down 1 Made less complex (10) 2 Used (8) 3 The kookaburra bird (10) 4 Chancy (4) 5 Queen of the gods (Greek mythology) (4)

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6 Converse non-verbally (6) 7 Scheme (4) 14 Papal court (5) 15 An unpublished literary work (10) 16 Systematic religious beliefs (10)

19 Incivility (8) 21 Increase threefold (6) 24 Gardening tools (4) 25 Lascivious (4) 26 Area of central London (4)

To advertise in this local journal telephone 01202 233580

RECRUITMENT MATTERS

December/January

Changing to a candidate driven market

By Aggy Lublinska of Mploy Staffing Solutions The surplus of candidates on the market might have been convenient for many employers in the last few years but it has now come to an end. Although the recession is still a far from over, the recruitment market is changing rapidly. This has some really important implications for your business. Are you ready to adopt new recruitment and staff retention strategies? The prerecession conditions are here to stay for a while.

1. It’s harder to recruit good staff With the current trends of the market most industries have seen an increased number of vacancies, with visible shortage of candidates equipped with desired skill sets.

Highly skilled candidates receive multiple interview offers and take longer to make up their mind before taking on a job offer. They can negotiate more favourable conditions for themselves, and in general can pick and choose between very attractive job offers.

2. Valuable members of staff are more likely to be headhunted As it is much harder to find good people among the applicants, your competitors could decide to skip large and expensive recruitment campaigns, and team up with a professional headhunting specialist. If you employ executive and senior managers with particular expertise which is hard to come by, you could face this problem very suddenly – the chosen high performance individuals are approached with a high degree of discretion.

3. More attractive job offers are being advertised and your staff can see them It is now harder than ever to retain your staff. You will need to think through your current staff retention strategy, that is if you have one. The high level of potential job offers will easily tempt your staff if you do not act quickly.

You may need to think about adding value to pay and benefits packages. One way to do this is to look after your employees mental and physical wellbeing, which will add real value to your business.

4. Career priorities are changing During the recession, the motivation to change jobs and progress one’s own professional career, was secondary to the necessity of job security and steady income, even if it meant a lower salary. Nowadays, in a candidate driven marketplace employers must make an effort to understand people’s motivations to move, otherwise they won’t be able to persuade their staff to stay. For many employees priorities have shifted from job security and money – to a healthy work-life balance and personal desire for more responsibility, and higher status. If you planning to adopt a new staff retention strategy you will need to take these changes into account.

So in what ways can a professional recruiter help?

1. Save your precious time The main reason to use a recruitment specialist has not changed, and now, with the high level of vacancies, finding the right staff can be extremely time consuming. Having instant access to a database of candidates should not be undervalued. Many candidates register with agencies

on a very discreet basis, not wishing to post their CVs online because of privacy issues. Agencies can offer them a discreet service, keeping them updated of any suitable vacancies, but not disclosing their personal information until they wish to pursue the position they have serious interest in.

2. Negotiate with the highest priority candidates Make sure you don’t lose the ‘perfect fit candidate’ just because your competitor offers a slightly higher salary or a gym membership. Your recruitment partner will obtain feedback from candidates receiving multiple job offers and will ask for the reasons why they shift towards accepting an alternative offer. You will then have a chance to negotiate if you think the candidate is worth it.

3. Make use of your recruiter’s professional sales skills Similarly to negotiating with the candidates, having a recruitment partner gives you a chance to sell your organisation to candidates in the best possible way. Hiring a professional recruiter with strong sales skills will put you in the best possible position, giving you an edge over your rivals competing for the same individuals. Taking care of your company’s image could make all the difference when looking for the candidates who will be the perfect fit for your organisation.

4. Gain the insight in the market place Extensive knowledge of the market place is one of the most valuable aspects of the professional expertise the recruiter has to offer. A good recruiter will be able to give you advice on what salary you should be offering to gain the attention of the best candidates, or alternatively, what sort of candidates you should be targeting if your budget is limited.

You should be able to discuss different options and possible candidate profiles before advertising the position. You will also find out whom you are competing with, searching for certain skill sets and what salary packages you rivals offer for similar positions. This should make you confident that you are on the right path to finding the best people who will be the perfect fit for your organisation.

Mploy Staffing Solutions

Head Office: 3 Longfleet Road, Poole, BH15 2HN 24 Post Office Road, Bournemouth, BH1 1BA 12A Castle Street, Christchurch, BH23 1DT 9 High East Street, Dorchester, DT1 1HS 55 Milford Street, Salisbury, SP1 1BP

Tel: 01202 668360 Email: aggy@mploystaff.com

www.mploystaff.com

To receive a FREE copy go to www.newbusinessmatters.com

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SOCIAL MEDIA MATTERS

December/January

How To Get More People Seeing Your Posts On Facebook

By Mike Sharp from Mike's Online Academy

Ever have the feeling you are talking to a brick wall on your Facebook page?

You have 100 followers so all your followers should see your posts right?

Well no, Facebook use what is called “Newsfeed algorithm” formerly called “Edgerank” to decide how many followers see your post.

If you are a Facebook user you will know that your newsfeed can get pretty crowded and it would be easy to for your newsfeed to be flooded with posts.

Facebook use the Newsfeed Algorithm to improve the user experience by displaying posts that they think you will be interested in.

The Newsfeed algorithm takes into account: 1. How often the user responds to a friend or page who posted 2. How often the user interacts with a post and how often that post receives likes,shares, comments (affinity) from the user and their friends.

3. How often the user has interacted in the past with this type of post 4. How often the user has hidden or reported this kind of post.

In light of this, to improve the chances of your posts being seen your posts need to

be engaging and the kind of posts that your followers like to see.

This involves doing a bit of experimenting, seeing which posts engage your followers and which don't.

Think about the kind of posts you find interesting.

Also you can look at similar facebook pages in your niche and see which of their posts engage.

Facebook reward you for popularity and penalise you for not understanding your audience!

After all Facebook want their users to log on again and again and not be put off by boring posts.

Feel free to contact me if you would like 1 to 1 training on using Facebook in your business.

T: 07402 174436 E: mike@mikesonlineacademy.com W: www.MikesOnlineAcademy.com Page 22

To advertise in this local journal telephone 01202 233580

TIME MATTERS

December/January

Procrastination an art form? An Excuse?

By Yvette Lamiday

How many of us tell ourselves that we perform better under pressure so there’s no problem with doing things at the last minute? We put it off not to the 11th hour but the 11th hour and 59 minutes!

“Successful people are great procrastinators but know when to procrastinate. Unsuccessful people are great procrastinators but don’t know what to do, how to do it and are waiting for the right moment,” says Peter Thomson.

There’s a balance we don’t often recognise – we’ve usually spent time thinking about a task before we start doing it and that thinking time is an important part of the process. But we can spend so much time thinking that we run out of time to take the action or something else that’s urgent/ important is brought to our intention and we don’t do anything towards it.

And sometimes we purposefully let those urgent and important things take precedent because we simply don’t know where’s the best place to start.

If you’re like me hours can be spent on research, continuous refinement, getting new skills because we think that we don’t have the tools, skills, exact version, knowledge that we need. Everything has to be perfect when in fact what’s only just good enough for us is probably perfect and all that’s needed for everyone else.

We create stories in our head about why we can’t do it now, running all those usual scripts in our head and get attached to the outcome and in doing so get ‘action paralysis’ and everything is on a

‘procrastination loop’. When actually all we need to do is just get on and do it.

So here are a few tips: In his book ‘Get Everything Done and Still Have Time to Play’ Mark Forster suggests that before you take a break of any sort at least start the task. Even if its just writing a heading and the first line.

If it’s a difficult conversation then just call the person and ask them when it would be a good time to call to have a longer chat and book the call.

Write a focused question, which takes your mind beyond the point of deciding to do something.

“What do I/we need to do to….?”

Brainstorm what’s needed to do.

When you’ve captured everything then analyse, prioritise and reorder into the plan.

Chunk up and down as necessary.

Write a double priority action list of the actions to take and then schedule times in your diary for the actions. If you chunk them up into sections you can then schedule each section. If it’s in your diary then it’s more likely to be done.

Prioritise each component parts, just the first three to start with, do the first action then reprioritise the new next three actions; do the next action number one and so on. You’ll move through the tasks more easily only doing the ones with a high priority and, therefore, more meaningful.

Why not have a go yourself?

To receive a FREE copy go to www.newbusinessmatters.com

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