Issue 44

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 The only business to business publication that guarantees the exclusivity of each category!

Tips & advice on: • Accounting • Computing • Insurance • Lettings • Printing • PR • Social Media

BUSINESS TIPS & ADVICE! Issue 44/2015

June/July

ACCOUNTANCY MATTERS

June/July

Decision time...

By Alistair, Luke & David at BKB Accountants The 23rd June is fast approaching and is the day that we get to cast the most important vote of our lives. It is clear that investors are holding back from investing in the UK in the build time to this vote, slowing our economy and weakening our currency, but what will happen after 23rd June?

If we decide to remain in the EU then the 24th June will dwindle by. We will probably see the money that has been held back beginning to flow back into the UK and provide an upsurge in growth in the short term.

However, if we decide to leave then the likelihood will be a complete anti-climax at first. We will not wake up on the 24th and suddenly be out the EU. It will take the best part of 2 years for the powers of be to negotiate an exit.

Investment will continue to be slow in the UK until it is clear what trade deals can be

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reached with the EU. The probability is that we will continue to have freedom of movement within the EU, just like Norway and Switzerland currently enjoy. We will likely also adopt most of the EU laws and red tape.

One thing is that the EU will not want to be seen to be making things easy for us and set a precedent for other EU countries wanting to leave. Germany will be key to any negotiations as they are the fourth biggest country we import goods from.

If we do decide to go independent, then the short term will certainly prove to be a bumpy road with the long term a complete unknown. Use your vote carefully 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

June/July

Editor’s Note

CONTENTS

Juggling?

Have you ever had a holiday like the man on the front cover? You are not really sure if you can relax and enjoy the sunshine, or whether you should look at those all important emails again. I am sure that all of us who are business owners have done this... more than once.

It is so important in business to have people around you that you can trust and ultimately leave in charge when you are not there. It is also our responsibility to make sure that those people know exactly what is needed, so they can do the job we need them to do.

'Hat' write ups stating what is to be done, how, when and where is vital. Many of us just don't get round to doing them. Taking the time to step back from the business and look objectively at it, to see what can be improved is also really key.

Articles like these in New Business Matters can help you do just that. Each business has a unique strength that could help you. Now is the time to put strategies in place, get those 'hat' write ups done and begin to let someone else do some of the work for you. Then you can go away and have fun without the business worries following you.

We hope you can take the time to sit back, read the articles and call any of these business owners to ask for their help.

Wishing you a great couple of months!

Best wishes,

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

02 DECISION TIME...

03 CONTENTS & EDITORS NOTES 04 KNOW THY CUSTOMERS 05 THE SCARIEST INFECTION: RANSOMWARE 06 CALL FOR IMPROVED CAREERS ADVICE IN SCHOOLS 07 BOURNEMOUTH AIR FESTIVAL HOSPITALITY 08 IS BUSINESS TOUGH? 09 INSURANCE: KEY TO BUY-TO-LET SUCCESS IN 2016 10 ARE YOUR PRINT COSTS HIGH AND KEEP GOING UP? 11 TENANTS NEW RIGHTS ON HOME EFFICIENCY 12 DESIGN & PRINT SERVICES 13 DIGITAL-LITHO-INKJET PRINT 14 MARKETING AND PR: AREN’T THEY THE SAME THING?

NEW Business

15 THREE TYPES OF FACEBOOK ADS

Y O YOUR U R PRINT L O CCOSTS A L B U S I N 16 REDUCE 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

© 2016 New Business Matters UK Limited 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

June/July

Know thy customers

By Stephen Corney, Director at Dorset Publications This may sound like a business commandment, and for many I am sure it is... What is certain, is that if you do not know your customers well, it is unlikely that you will be able to deliver exactly what they need and want!

What may be less obvious is letting your customers know you. Particularly in business, knowing, liking and trusting your suppliers forms a large part in closing any deal. Being willing and able to form that bond at a personal level can go a long way to forging lasting business relationships.

An example that happened to us recently involved our latest title, The Wimborne Directory. Having just had the sixth edition delivered by Royal Mail to all the residential and business addresses in the BH21 1 postcode area, we received a call from a resident. When Debbie answered the phone, the lady exclaimed, "Ooh, is that Debbie? I feel like I know you!"

She went on to say how she enjoyed reading the magazine and how useful it was for finding local tradespeople and businesses. It turned out that she was looking for a mobile hairdresser as the one she usually used had retired after 25 years.

Although we did not have one in the magazine, we searched through our client database and elsewhere for someone who could help this lovely lady. In the end, we were able to put her in touch with a mobile hairdresser who covered the Wimborne area.

Needless to say, she was very grateful.

What followed further was that the mobile hairdresser in question then started to enquire about how she could advertise in the magazine. Just goes to show how going the extra mile for a “customer” can reap rewards!

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.

Get your business details delivered to over 200,000 individual homes in Dorset & Hampshire Full colour A5 glossy magazines distributed by Royal Mail and 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 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 • Wimborne Page 4

To advertise in this local journal telephone 01202 233580

COMPUTER REPAIR MATTERS

June/July

The scariest infection...

Ransomware!

By Clifford Johnson from PCs Made Simple Ransomware works by disabling your computer or preventing access to your data, usually achieved by searching for known file types and encrypting them, it then demands a sum of money (usually £300 in bitcoins) to release the “private key” that will allow you to get your data back. Probably the most upsetting part of ransomware infections is that paying the so-called “fine” is usually the only way to get back your precious photos, documents and other files.

91% of ransomware is distributed via phishing emails.

Ever seen those unsolicited ones with attached “.doc” files claiming to be invoices or something more tempting? Chances are that if you opened one it would have immediately starting encrypting your data and prompted you with a notice requesting you to pay a fine. This is almost a good thing though as it means that the chances of infection can be reduced by over 90% simply by learning the basics of phishing emails. And for businesses, teaching your staff how to be a little bit savvier could save you hundreds of pounds, if not thousands in damages if you can’t retrieve your data.

SO HOW CAN I PROTECT MYSELF/MY BUSINESS? Backup! Backup! Yes two! For a total of three copies of your data. Ransomware has no hold over you and nothing to “ransom” if you already have your data somewhere safe.

Our sister company Simply Backup offers unlimited online backup for any and all files. For businesses, you should talk to us about backup solutions that include a local backup and an online copy. You can also lessen the chances of infections by ensuring that your machines are regularly updated and receive all relevant patches as well as having adequate virus protection on each and every one. We can help you look after your PCs with our Business Support plans.

The best course of action when it comes to ransomware is a preventative one. Ensuring you have adequate copies of any important data means that if the situation should ever arise you will always have an easy way out with all your files.

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

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

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FSB MATTERS

June/July

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.

Business organisations back MP’s call for improved careers advice in schools Prominent business groups including the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), the British Chambers of Commerce and the manufacturers’ association the EEF have joined experts from academia and the Education and Employers Taskforce in co-signing a letter with Graham Stuart MP calling for a change to the statutory guidance for schools on careers advice.

The letter asks Secretary of State Nicky Morgan MP to amend the statutory guidance so that all schools are required to work to obtain a quality award for careers education, information, advice and guidance that meets an approved standard (or standards) determined by the Department for Education. The signatories agree that the statutory guidance – which only recommends that schools should work towards a careers quality mark that satisfies an approved standard – is too weak and is consequently ignored by too many schools.

The letter states: “The central problem facing careers education is that schools are not incentivised to take careers advice seriously. In our high stakes education system school leaders will understandably prioritise those issues that will lead to serious consequences if they fail to deliver them. Careers advice does not fall into this category.

Having made it compulsory for schools to meet an agreed quality standard, the appetite for high quality careers provision would leap among school leaders.”

Graham Stuart MP, who chaired the Education Select Committee from 2010 to 2015 and who now chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group for Careers Information, Advice and Guidance, said: “Young people have never faced a greater variety of choices in their post-14 education, but a series of

reports, including from Ofsted, the Education Select Committee and the National Careers Council, have expressed serious concern that the quality of careers information, advice and guidance in our schools isn’t good enough. Without this, too many young people end up on the wrong courses and either in the wrong job or not in work at all. There is no silver bullet to improve careers education but both business and careers experts alike agree making this change would encourage England’s schools to up their game - and better prepare their pupils to make a success of their lives."

Martin McTague, Policy Director, Federation of Small Businesses, said: “Schools are under a lot of pressure to deliver on a wide range of fronts, so it’s not surprising careers advice has slipped down the priority list. But getting good independent advice at the right time can transform a young person’s chances of finding a job they love and fulfilling their potential. We think this change will provide the nudge schools need to up their game – ultimately leading to better long-term outcomes for young people.”

Professor Tristram Hooley of Derby University said: “Our research on careers quality awards has shown that engaging with a quality award can drive a school to improve their practice in career guidance.

It has also shown some positive associations between holding an award and young people’s engagement with school, their attainment and positive progression. I think that the quality awards are a really useful tool to help to ensure that all young people get access to the best possible support with their career.”

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 6

To advertise in this local journal telephone 01202 233580

HOSPITALITY MATTERS

June/July

Bournemouth Air Festival Hospitality

By John Marsh at Oceana Hotels As the 9th Bournemouth Air Festival approaches, we are busy selling tickets to the Visit England, gold awarded, tourism event of the year. The Cumberland Hotel is excited to offer an additional VIP Seafood and Champagne Lounge Package for the ultimate luxury Air Festival experience this year.

“The Bournemouth Air Festival encapsulates the spirit of modern Bournemouth as a world-class experience. This free festival brings together the thrill of gravity-defying displays in the air and an abundance of family entertainment on the ground against the spectacular backdrop of the UK’s best seaside resort.”

Oceana hotels have been a proud patron of the Air Festival since 2013, supporting the UK’s biggest free aviation event to continue wowing spectators and boost the global awareness of Bournemouth.

Centrally elevated between Bournemouth and Boscombe Piers on the East Cliff, we offer spectators a prime location. Having perfected our Air Show packages, we offer catering for groups of families and friends, right up to exclusive corporate boxes that really exploit the spectacular air show experience.

For more information, or to book your front row seats contact our dedicated Sales Team on 01202 298 350 or email sales@oceanahotels.co.uk.

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

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INSOLVENCY MATTERS

June/July

Is business tough?

By Mark Liddle from the Mark Liddle Partnership You know, the other day someone said to me “we're not in a recession, this is the way business is - get used to it.” And while I have some sympathy for that view, that we all must make the best of whatever the economy throws at us, adapting and changing quickly to keep moving forward, some just can’t.

If your business is really struggling, with creditors chasing you for payment, and the idea that things are unlikely to improve for some considerable time terrifies you, what on earth can you do?

Firstly, list everything your business owes your creditors, whether they are chasing you or not.

Don't forget to include the bank loans, VAT and tax due. Then do the same for yourself personally.

Your car, credit cards, overdraft and so forth.

Finally, call 01202 551193 and ask for an appointment with one of my team. We’ll take

a look at the numbers, talk to you about the security you have given to the bank or finance company and how you operate your director’s loan accounts. And we’ll make sure you haven’t forgotten anything. Then we’ll show you how to plan a way to move forward, and as we don’t believe in adding to your problems, we won’t charge you for any of that.

If you need more intense help, we can negotiate with banks and the authorities on your behalf, or restructure your business or personal debts for you if that is needed. Whatever you do, please do not throw in the towel and decide enough is enough until you’ve at least talked to us. You never know, even in the most challenging of cases there may be something we can do to help.

Contact me on 01202 551193 or email me at office@markliddle.com for help and advice if things are getting tough 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 8

To advertise in this local journal telephone 01202 233580

INSURANCE MATTERS

June/July

Insurance: Key to Buy-to-Let Success in 2016

By John Palmer of Coversure Insurance

The buy-to-let market exploded in 2015 with UK buy-to-let landlords hitting 600,000. The reasons for this included mortgage availability, low interest rates and lack of housing stock which made breaking houses into flats attractive. The result: private landlords enjoyed returns of 8.9% when rental income and equity increases were combined.

2016: Is the Buy-To-Let Bonanza Over?

Last November the Chancellor changed the tax arrangements of private landlords, reducing relief from 45% to 20% with the changes being phased in from 2017. Understandably the decision wasn’t welcomed by landlords, but with mortgage interest relief costing £6bn per year (HMRC) and austerity the political order of the day, it was expected.

Some reacted furiously, suggesting this marked the end of buy-to-let and that the housing market would suffer. However, so far this doesn’t seem to have happened. In January the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors predicted a 6% increase in house prices in 2016, and with the Bank of England hinting that interest rates will stay put until 2017, becoming a private landlord looks like an attractive proposition with returns of 3.4% on offer – some way above most other investments.

2016: Time for Landlords to Watch the Pennies…

Challenges come to every market: shares fall, commodities fluctuate and tax environments change. It’s a mark of an investor if they can make money in tougher times and landlords need to focus on their outgoings and watch the pennies.

Of course watching the pounds matters too – the right property at the right price remains fundamental – but looking after the smaller outgoings could mean the difference between success and failure.

Property Owners’ Insurance: Helping to Boost Returns A simple way for landlords to save money is by reducing their landlord insurance costs. Buy-to-let landlords need a suite of insurances - landlord, buildings and, ideally public liability insurance.

This can amount to hundreds of pounds that has to be paid year-in-year-out, irrespective of the market.

Reducing your landlord insurance isn’t difficult.

By using an independent broker, such as Coversure Insurance Poole, you can get a great deal on your insurances but also get the right cover. For example, if your property is left unoccupied for any length of time, say 30 days, you may want to add unoccupied property insurance. Equally if your property is near a lake, river or the sea it’s important to check that your landlord’s policy has adequate flood insurance. Some insurers will insure properties in flood areas, but the recent spate of flooding has made them pickier. Therefore it’s worth speaking to an independent insurance expert to ensure you have the right cover.

Buy-to-let 2016 - Opportunity Knocks?

There’s no denying that tax changes will impact the buy-to-let market and private landlords will have to work harder to make money. That said, with interest rates low, and predicted to ‘normalise’ at a historically low 2% and with house price rises rising, there’s still value to be had.

Like some Property Owners Insurance Help?

If you’d like some advice on getting the right property owners’ insurance – for a buy-to-let, a holiday home or a portfolio of properties, then please contact me at Coversure Poole on 01202 929141 or email poole@coversure.co.uk.

!

Tel: 01202 929 141

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

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

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IT MATTERS

June/July

Are your print costs high and keep going up?

By Ava Lambert from Copyrite Business Solutions Glanvilles, one of the top full service law firms in the South, was spending large amounts on print and copy every month and the cost was going up.

This was predominantly because of the following reasons: • There was no way to report on what was being printed and who was printing it.

• There were significant quantities of wasted paper.

• They could not analyse trends between departments and offices.

• It was not possible to determine whether documents were being duplexed, when they should have been, or being printed in colour rather the black and white • There was no security on the printing of sensitive information Solutions: Copyrite wanted to offer an integrated solution that would achieve a fast return on investment. Director of Copyrite, Ian Stewart understood how much was spent on print and the potential for savings so he recommended PaperCut. The PaperCut Print Management Solution was implemented in order to: • Save paper and significantly reduce waste • Understand how much was spent on print • Analyse existing print behaviour and trends • Increase security of customer data Results: Glanvilles have established a set of rules to reduce print costs such as default to duplex for jobs over two pages, and force black and white printing on emails and webpages.

PaperCut produces many useful reports which allow a detailed analysis by user, by department, by office and similar. These reports are analysed for trends.

Each user has their own PIN which allows them to collect their print jobs securely, from any printer, even from a different office. This reduces the common problem of “clogging up” the print queue and therefore improves staff productivity.

All users have visibility of how much they have printed and the associated cost. The choice how to print a document is always with the user however it educates them to think before they print; “Could it be black and white? Could it be duplexed?” Users can override the settings, however they need to give a reason which is then reported on.

Mark Harman Head of IT and Marketing at Glanvilles commented, “We had not heard of PaperCut before Copyrite suggested it but soon realised that it would be revolutionary to the firm, giving us full visibility of our print, reducing waste and cutting our print costs. The most important part of the project was to get the Partners as well as each user to buy into it. We endeavour to be a paper-light firm and always look for ways to reduce our environmental impact. After running PaperCut for only seven months we have achieved 61% drop in print costs against the previous financial year which is a great success.”

Ian Stewart said, “We are very pleased to offer a solution which we knew would result in a very fast ROI. However all credit goes to Glanvilles for such a successful execution of the project. We have implemented PaperCut software in a number of other law firms, all of which have achieved significant cost savings.

Since Copyrite supplies the copier hardware, software and technical support to Glanvilles, we ensure that all aspects of the solution run smoothly and the business operates effectively on a day-to-day basis.”

The implementation of “Find Me” printing ensures greater security of confidential information and reduces waste created by uncollected jobs.

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To advertise in this local journal telephone 01202 233580

LETTINGS MATTERS

June/July

Tenants new rights on Home efficiency

By Sharon Canning from Move On

From April 2016, landlords cannot say ‘no’ to a tenant wishing works to be done on their property to improve their energy efficiency, unless they have valid reason to refuse the request, this could be: 1. If the works being requested would not change the rating of the property.

2. There would be a cost to the landlord.

The Government was funding ‘The Green Deal’ when it decided to introduce this legislation a couple of years ago to take effect from April 2016, however, they ceased this funding in July 2015. So now, if a private tenant wanted to go ahead and have the works done, it would come out of their own pocket rather than the government approved fund.

Energy efficiency is rated between A and G. To achieve a grading, the following is taken into consideration; cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, boiler, double glazing and light bulbs. These grading’s do make a difference to a tenant or purchaser considering a property to rent or buy – especially if they are undecided on a couple of properties, as the better the efficiency, the better the household utility bills are and will ultimately influence their decision.

From 2018, F and G energy rated properties will be banned from being rented on any new tenancies. A landlord could find themselves not only breaking the law, but fined £4000. In some of the recent rulings of other legislations, landlords have been known to have to pay back rents received during the time a property was illegally rented, therefore this could also come into play.

From 2020, all privately rented homes on new or existing tenancies granted with an F or G rating will be banned.

Most properties do fall under the E or below rating, however, the government is very keen to make rental properties not only energy efficient but to also outlaw rogue landlords and letting agents who are renting out uninhabitable homes.

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. Don’t forget to tune into The Business Show on Hope FM 90.1and listen to Sharon produce and present two hours of live and up to date property industry news on the first and third Wednesday of each month.

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

June/July

Digital-Litho-Inkjet What do I need?

By Alan Bunter, MD of Remous Limited As technology moves on in our ever-changing world the print industry is having to adapt rapidly!

Digital Print, Litho Print and Wide Format Print are three completely different processes to achieve the same result. But the very nature of each process means each has a particular area of work to which it is better suited in comparison to the others. We are in no way trying to preach to the converted, but we often get asked the difference and this post is a quick and easy guide to understanding which process works best for any particular application.

The changing print market means clients don’t necessarily distinguish between the different print processes, but the discerning client will want to understand what suits their needs best and this understanding can mean they receive…

1. Better value for money.

2. Higher Quality end product 3. Faster lead times All of which can drive your business to grow, saving costs, winning more clients and more.

A proactive print supplier will be able to help you make the choice on which process works best for you, based on the merits of the printed product you are creating.

This is the first in a series of three articles, a Free Guide, that will give you a better knowledge and enable you to make informed decisions for your business.

Digital Print This first article will cover the digital print process.

This has risen to prominence in the last 10 years and is often considered the poor relation in print due to its early development as photocopying technology. Digital print has left that behind and become a real player in commercial printing. Now there is a big gap through between the high street copy shop digital press and a real production digital press (and about £100k!).

What is Digital Print suited to?

So interesting as that may be, how does that apply to you?

It depends on the project is the short answer! We often get asked: ‘when is litho more competitive than digital?’ or ‘how many copies can I have digital?’ The answer is of course “unlimited”!

Digital print is capable of printing 1 million of anything but couldn’t achieve it in a sensible time (or at competitive cost); also a 2000 leaflet run would be a very different proposition in comparison with 2000 x 48pp brochures.

In short runs digital print can produce virtually any product a litho press can, but in small quantities. When we are given a brief to quote we will also discuss what you are looking to achieve, how many you would prefer and the intended use. A village fete programme will be more about cost and timing than a corporate brochure which will need to exhibit premium quality, brand consistency and eye catching print.

The important thing to ask yourself is what is the primary function of my print – what is most important about the final product and start with that end in mind. If you are unsure or would like more advice on a specific print project – just call or email us via the Contact Us form on the website and we will help..

If you would like a free audit of your print or business stationery please give us a call on 01963 250920 and we can arrange a consultation, no pressure just a free audit, with some ideas thrown in for free!

Our new Ricoh 9100 Production Digital Press can run 400gsm board and the long sheet format means A4 Landscape is no longer a challenge!

What are the Benefits?

1. Low setup costs 2. Low waste 3. Short turnaround times 4. No drying time.

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

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PR MATTERS

June/July

Marketing and PR: Aren’t They The Same Thing?

By Michaela Rihova from MRPR Production No, no and no again, most emphatically they are NOT! To a person trained in either marketing or PR the question simply doesn’t arise but it’s probably true to say that most people in business, especially in smaller businesses, haven’t had in-depth training in either discipline. This month, we look at the difference to help you to make the most effective use of both.

The purpose of both Marketing and PR is to help you to sell more of your products or services, thereby increasing turnover and ultimately profitability. There the similarity ends. Whereas Marketing directly promotes the product or service, PR promotes and protects the image of the business itself. It’s about perception; the way in which potential customers regard you and your company; In other words your reputation.

All businesses have one thing in common:

Reputation is fundamental to success. There is no difference between a large multinational corporation and a little one person business or anything in between. They all live or die by it.

PR exists to ensure that it’s the former!

PR is actually the most cost effective way of promoting your business. For example did you realise that a well-written and well-placed article about your business is several times more likely to be read and more importantly still, remembered, than an advertisement placed in the same publication? PR is about gaining visibility. News reports that show your business in a favourable light are worth dozens of expensive adverts. PR is about achieving those favourable reports and spotting and seizing the ones that crop up by sheer serendipity and making the best use of them.

If you would like to know how we can help, just call us.

Get in touch: 01202 375582 07427 648799 michaela@mrprproduction.co.uk

We’re getting you noticed:

...looking after your reputation (and we are really good at it)

• Communication Strategy

• Social Media Management • Content Creation

• Crisis Management

• Event Management

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To advertise in this local journal telephone 01202 233580

SOCIAL MEDIA MATTERS

June/July

Three Types of Facebook Ads

By Mike Sharp from Mike's Online Academy More and more businesses are dipping their toes in the water and running Facebook ads.

They are very effective because they can laser target interests and geographical areas like no other type of ad.

This is because Facebook hold so much information about you (probably more than you would like to think) It is an advertisers dream!

There are many types of ads but I have selected three which are particularly relevant for small businesses.

Page Likes When you create a Facebook business page the first thing you will want to do is get as many likes as possible for your page.

Initially you can get lots of organic “likes” from your friends and customers but after a while you will look for other ways of getting “likes” and running a Facebook page "like” campaign is an effective option.

These ads are effective because they can target people who would be interested in your business and live in the right geographical area depending obviously on what sort of business it is.

For example if you have a Facebook page for a cafe in Poole you can specifically target people who like cafes, eating out and who live in the Poole area.

Because after all you want interested people liking your page.

Page Post Engagement

produce new followers for your page at no extra cost. Bonus!

Lead Generation For many years now businesses have used sign up forms to add potential customers to an email list.

Email marketing is still a very effective form of marketing and it is therefore advantageous to obtain an email address.

Facebook lead ads are essentially sign up forms which harness the targeting power of Facebook.

For example If you want sign ups for your Pilates newsletter, Facebook will target those Facebook users who are already interested in Pilates and capture their email.

Help If you are thinking about using Facebook ads in your business or you have experimented with them and not had much success then get in touch as I can help!

These ads are different from the page like ads because the objective is to get likes, comments and shares for a particular post.

It is important to remember that when you post something on a Facebook business page only between 3% and 22% of your followers will see the post so if you have a post that you really want to be seen by as many people as possible this type of ad could be an option for you.

From my own experience these ads can also

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

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