flea business edition 218
DESCRIPTION
Flea Business Edition 218TRANSCRIPT
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F R E E f o r Wa t f o rd b u s i n e s s e s
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B U S I N E S S E D I T I O NI s s u e 2
BACK TO BUSINESS AFTER THE HOLIDAY AND LOOKING FOR INSPIRATION?
• Areyouanewbusinesslookingforwaystogrow?
• Perhapsyouareanestablishedcompanylookingtoattractnewclients?
• Aretheretimeswhenyouwishyoucouldhavetheopportunitytodiscussbusinessideaswithpeersinarelaxed, friendly,thoughprofessionalenvironment?
• Haveyouinthepastenjoyedtheopportunitythatonlyface-to-facenetworkingmayoffer,tohaveyourinitial expectationsstifledbymembershipfeesandinflexibleattendancearrangements?
BUSINESS IS BUILT ON RELATIONSHIPS, RIGHT?
Whynotcomealongforbreakfast*,7amto8.45am
Weofferanenvironmentthatencouragesindividualideasandexpressionwithafocusondevelopingthoseallimportant businesspartnerships,sowhynotcomealongforbreakfast*,7amto8.45nextWednesday,ThursdayorFridaymorning?
Weekly Business @ Watford Indoor Bowls Club
Rear of Woodside Leisure, Horseshoe Lane, Garston, WD25 7HH
Telephone 07804 038570 or 07789 620825
*Cost £10 for breakfast, no membership or fees.
Weekly Business @Watford Indoor Bowls Club
‘people buy from people’
We’ve been catering with flair and distinction, in and around Watford, for over 15 years.
So let us feed your guests, whatever your event. We specialise in canapes and platters, buffets & BBQ’s, and meals for:
•Christenings,Weddings&Funerals •Officefunctions&Corporatehospitality •Parties&Breakfasts.
Fordetailsofmenus,optionsandprices,callMatthew Bashford-Hayes on 01923 351421 or 07789 620825 orEmail:[email protected]
OriginallyfromBushey,forthe
past12yearsJoGileshaslived
intheeasternpartofAndalucia,
wheresheeditedasimilarlocal
magazineservingthelarge
expatriatecommunityinthat
coastalregionofSpain.
Havingrecentlyreturnedto
theWatfordarea,JofoundacopyoftheWatfordflea
magazineandmadecontactwithus.We’redelighted
thatshehasacceptedouroffertobecomeeditorof
Watford’sfleamagazine.
Jo said “what attracted me, even more than the look of
the magazine, was its amazing strength on the internet.
It’s unique because every printed edition also appears
online in four fully web-linked versions. There’s even a
new mobile edition due for release later this year.”
“The on-line versions are on highly-ranked websites
(two of them in the UK’s top 1200) and, with every
advertisement offering click-through links to the
advertiser’s website, they provide far more exposure and
value than is available from any other printed magazine.
Amazingly, all that web exposure is included in the very
attractive rates that flea offers - along with a lifetime
guarantee against price rises.”
“What finally convinced me to work with flea was a
Google search for <Watford Magazines> where I found
them in three of the four top positions on Page 1”
Overthecomingmonths,Joaimstobringthestrengths
offleatotheattentionofmorelocalbusinessesandto
growthemagazineintoanevenmoreinterestingand
usefulresourcefortheWatfordcommunity.
To contact Jo:
Tel:01923731161 email:[email protected]
elcome to our second Business Edition - devoted to Watford business and designed for local B2B companies and others that want to promote themselves to business customers in
the Watford area, both in print and, most importantly, on the web.
With Jo Giles adding strength to our editorial team, our sister edition, the family flea magazine, which is perfect for advertising to the local consumer market, will be published monthly. Already available at over 100 pick-up points in and around Watford, Jo intends to significantly increase the visibility of the printed version of the family flea magazine within the community.
The Business Edition will in future appear bi-annually, in April and October. Following its successful launch earlier this year, we are already planning for a enlarged and further improved edition for next year.
Every flea magazine now appears on three separate websites from which every advertiser enjoys inbound web and email links directly from all four online versions.
Meanwhile, the development of a mobile edition, in partnership with iPixel Labs, is racing ahead to meet the rapidly growing demand for access to our websites by users of Apple and Android devices.
If your company still advertises in ordinary local magazines, then perhaps it’s time you gave one of the Watford flea magazines a try?
Much More than a Magazine!Copy deadline for next Business Edition : 31 Jan 2013
Copy deadline for the family flea in Watford will be the 14th of every month.
PublishedbyFleaLtd58VicarageRoadWatford•WD180EW
Tel:01923731160Email:[email protected]
Theopinionsexpressedbycontributorsdonotnecessarilyrepresenttheviewsofthepublishers
www.watford.theflea.co.uk 3
Talented New Editor joins flea magazinesW
4 www.watford.theflea.co.uk
A1DigitalMedia is a full serviceDigitalMarketingAgencythathelpssmallbusinessesspendlesstimemarketingonline
OnlineMarketingSpecialistandManagingDirectoratA1DigitalMedia,AidenNichols recallswhenhestartedthebusiness“Iwouldneverhavepredictedmyalmostinstantsuccessandreallycouldn’thaveaskedforabetterstart”.
“IfoundedA1DigitalMediatohelpsmallbusinessesspendlesstimemarketingonlineandmoretimedoingwhattheydobest-actuallyrunningtheirbusiness!”
“The importance of being seen online is obvious. Theinternetisafiercelycompetitivearenawhereinadequateonline marketing and/or bad web design results in lowsearch rankings, insufficient business exposure andultimatelypotentialcustomersgoingelsewhere!”
“Ourunparalleledexpertise inwebsitedevelopmentandonlinemarketingallowsustoprovideourclientswithaconstant stream of carefully targeted prospects, leavingthem to carry on doing what they love - looking afterthosenewcustomers!”
“OurservicesincludeWebDesign,WebsiteDevelopment,Email Marketing, Search Engine Optimisation and PayPer Click Management, all of which provide incredibleexposure and return on investment - but only whenimplementedcorrectly!”
“Forthosewantingtotaketheirbusinesstothenextlevelonline, we run a variety of training courses and onlinetrainingprogrammesthatprovidedetailedadviceonusingonlineplatformseffectively.“
For more information or to talk about howA1 DigitalMediacanbestserveyourbusiness,pleasevisit:
www.a1digitalmedia.com or call 01923 693 720 toarrangeapersonalmeetingwithAiden.
Unit400,WentaBusinessCentre,Watford,WD247ND.T: 01923 693720E: [email protected]
Spend less time Marketing!Watford’s Leading Digital Marketing Agency
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Telephone 07804 038570
‘working with you’
Enterprise
Thinking of starting a Business?
www.watford.theflea.co.uk 5
Caringforyourpeoplewithacomprehensivemethodofpromotingwell-beingwhilepreventingill-healthwillimproveperformanceandproductivity.
Autogenic Training (AT) courses offered to your staff bring about:
{A} FOR THE COMPANY • Increased staff well-being • Improved performance • Reduced absenteeism • Increased staff loyalty
{B} FOR STAFF • Reduced stress-related symptoms (including sleep problems, anxiety, mild depression) • Improved general mood and well-being • Increased confidence / self-esteem
ForseveralyearsJaneBirdofferedATcoursestoBritishAirwaysand sawallof theabovecomeabout.Theenvironmentwasa simple training concept, backed up by research of therelaxationresponse.
Notallstressisworkrelated.Andmostproblemscanbequicklyreversedwithouttheneedforlong-termintervention.
Whenexcessivedi-stresscreepsuponusitcanbeinfectious.Ifbehaviour and morale deteriorate, conflict increases, and staffsufferhealthandemotionalproblems.Attendancelevelsdecreaseandsobusinessperformancesuffers.
Taught in 10 short weekly group sessions, AT is hugely costeffectiveforbusiness.
PhoneoremailJaneforaFREEin-houseintroductorypresentationtomanagement(andstaffifappropriate),tofindoutmoreabouttheeffectofmanagingthe‘fight-flight’stressresponse.
More information? Read the on-line version of this article at www.watford.theflea.co.uk/magazine or visit Jane’s website.
YOUR COMPANY’S MOST VALUABLE ASSET IS ITS PEOPLE
Over-stressed staff take more sick days1. ‘Stress’ is now the most common cause of long and short term absenteeism1.
Autogenic TrainingTel: 01923 675501Email: [email protected] 1CIPD 2011
Unless you read fleamagazine, youmay not have heard of
Autogenics-arelaxationtechniquetoreducethesymptoms
ofexcessive stressandanxiety.
In1984,The British Journal of Medical Psychologyconfirmedits
efficacyasa“costeffectivetreatmentforstressandanxiety”.
Watford resident Jane Bird discovered Autogenics when, as
she says“Iwas an angrymummy - and didn’twant to be”.
SoimpressedwasshewiththeresultsthatJanesubsequently
studied to become anAutogenicTherapist, has co-written a
bookon the subject andoffersAutogenicTraining topeople
andbusinessesinWatfordandthehomecounties.
IfyouliveinWatfordandsufferfromstressoranxiety,how
wouldyoudiscoverAutogenics?
Awhileago,Janemadeanotherchoice-tocontributesome
articlestotheWatfordfleamagazineandinvestinaSuperflea
listing-ourgeo-optimisedwebtool.
The results speak for themselves!
•HerprintedarticlesarebeingseenalloverWatford
•Herwebbannerhasappearedover45,000times
•Some1,200uniquevisitorshaveclickedonherbanner
•Allherarticlesarevisibletoaglobalaudience
•Sheisrankingrather wellonGoogleforrelevantlocalsearches
RATHER WELL ? Seeforyourself-searchGooglefor“Stress Watford”or“Anxiety Watford ”.
On 16th September 2012, out of 400,000 results, Jane’sflea linkwasatthetopofGoogle’sfirstpageforboththesesearches-asithasbeenformany,manymonths!
Ifyou’restilladvertisinginordinary localmagazines-maybeit’stimetotryflea?
Family edition: 01923731161 [email protected] Business edition: [email protected]
DO YOU ADVERTISE IN LOCAL MAGAZINES? Then you should read this
Areyouinbusinesswithapartnerorco-director? If so, howwell do you get onwiththeirfamily?
Ifyouhaven’tmadeplansforwhatwillhappenintheeventofthedeathofyourpartnerorco-director,thentheirshareofthebusinesswillpassinaccordancewiththeirWillortheLawofIntestacy(iftheyhaven’tmadeaWill).ManypeoplemakesimpleWillsleavingeverythingtotheirspouseortheirchildrenanddon’tupdatethemastheircircumstanceschange,soitisnotuncommonforapartnerorco-directortosuddenlyfindthemselveshavingtoraisethemoneytobuyoutadeceasedrelative’s shareor facehaving toworkalongside them. Thiscouldhaveadisastrouseffectonthebusinessandunforeseenconsequencesforyouandyourfamily.
ShirleyBatten-SmithofPlanetWillsisaprofessionallyqualifiedWillWriterwithabackgroundinBankingandFinancialServices.Sheunderstandsthesimplesolutionsthatneedtobeinplaceand how to construct an effectiveWill to ensure that yourbusinesscancontinueandwillnotbeadverselyaffectedbythedeathofapartnerorco-director.
If you want help or advice, call Planet Wills
6 www.watford.theflea.co.uk
WILL YOUR COMPANY SURVIVE IF YOU DON’T ?
Moore Solicitors are Watford’s
Specialist Advisors on Employment
Law for Employers
Employment Law and HR Solutions
Principal Harsha Moore asks: Do you need Advice and Representation?
Areyourpoliciesandproceduressufficientlyrobustto
protectyouagainstfutureproblems?
AtMooreSolicitorsweprovidesolutionstointernal
disputesandprovidefullrepresentationtodefendyour
businessagainstEmploymentTribunalclaims.
CallHarshaorCarolineforaninitialconsultationon
01923 238 427 oremail: [email protected]
Meridien House69-71 Clarendon Road
Watford WD17 1DS
www.mooresolicitors.co.uk
O O R EMSOLICITORS
O O R EMS O L I C I T O R S
O O R EMs o l i c i t o r sHarsha MooreSolicitor
To read the full story, search for B2S in the fleasearch box at the top right of any page on the Watford flea website.
Two partners had been working together for about ten years running a small IT and telecom business.
Michael was a steady family man. He was the more educated, creative and thoughtful - a successful technical guy who had become the “front” for the company. He created the marketing and sales literature, established client relationships, looked after sales, finance and strategy and got involved in any technical problems that arose.
George, a bachelor, was an extremely active and practical but unqualified chap who’d previously worked in a factory. He managed operations. Having escaped from the production line and with a bit more cash in his pocket than before, he lived life in the “fast lane” - at least to the extent he could now afford. He loved fast cars and enjoyed a very active social life. Many would say he was a bit reckless, including
when he was behind the wheel. But he was also very committed, always first on site in the morning and usually still there late in the evening. Perhaps surprisingly, he was also a good manager of people - leading from the front and always ready to roll up his sleeves and get involved. His staff loved him and he got the very best out of them.
Michael and George made a good team and were moderately successful. The business ticked along nicely.
By chance one day, Michael heard about a major project in their field - one that could make a step change in the fortunes of the company and be life-changing for himself and George.
BUSINESS - A CAUTIONARY TALEThis is a true story. Just the names have been changed.
Shirley Batten-Smith01923460011
www.planetwills.co.ukMaking the difficult easy
www.watford.theflea.co.uk 7
Whynotvisitourwebsitetofindoutmore?-orcall
MikeBurtonforaFREEconsultation.
17CrissGrove,GerrardsCross,
Buckinghamshire.SL99HG
T 01753893390
W www.mycosystems.co.uk
Because IT Matters...“Ten minutes of Mike Burton’s time is worth 3 days of other peoples.” - The Luxembourg Stock Exchange
Some companies you’ve probably heard of who chose to work with Myco Systems:
Myco Systems Ltd – Making IT work for you.
publicity for business
•Areyoulaunchingabusiness?
•Areyoulookingforhelpwithmediastrategy?
•Haveyouplansforgrowththatneedimplementation?
• Perhapsyouneedtorefreshyourbranding?
Ifso,whynotcallusforanoobligationdiscussiononhowwemaybe abletohelp‘makeadifference’toyourbusiness,ortakeaminuteto visitourblog,http://charliekenny.wordpress.com
Tel . 07804 038570Shop Window … Marketing Services … Business Planning … Growth Consultancy
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Every business, from the smallest to the largest, needs practical and cost effective IT solutions that don’t break the bank.
For over 25 years, we have been serving a wide variety of businesses, from start-ups to globally recognised names,
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Whateveryourneeds,largeorsmall,we’realways
readytohelpyou.
8 www.watford.theflea.co.uk
romitshumblebeginningsinLondon’sMileEnd,Blavo&ConowhassevenofficesinLondon,SurreyandHertfordshire,andcanlookbackwithprideatthousandsofclientswhohavebeen
helpedoverthepastfifteenyears.
StartedbythecharismaticJohnBlavo,it’seasytoseethatmuchofthefirm’ssuccesshascomefromhismeticulouscommitmenttoitscorevalues:engagingwithemployeesandpassionatededicationtoeveryclientandtheirpersonalneeds.
But there is something more.
Blavoalsounderstandsthattheworldischanging,andwhetheryouneedlegalexpertiseforyourself,yourfamilyoryourbusiness,nationallyorinternationally,Blavocanhelpyoueverystepoftheway.
Toachievethistheyhavedevelopedaspecialculturewithinthefirmbyrecruitinglike-mindedindividualswhohaveahighlevelofpersonalcommitmenttoexcellence,integrityandknowledge.
Andbytakingaholisticapproachtoproblemresolution-byunderstandingyourpersonalandbusinessgoals-theydeliverclearlegalsolutionswhichpreciselymatchyourneeds.
TheirclientsarehappytopointtoBlavo’srealism,abilitytountanglecomplexproblemsandstrongemphasisonempathy,professionalism,costeffectivenessandcommunicationasthereasonswhytheyworkwiththem,againandagain.
TheyalsoappreciatethefactthatBlavoisafullservicelawfirmcoveringawidevarietyoflegalareasandissohighlyregardedintheirprofession.Asyouwouldexpect,fulldetailsoftheservicestheyoffercanbefoundontheirwebsiteat www.legalblavo.co.uk.
Thesedays,itisn’tenoughtosimplyclaimtobegoodatwhatyoudo–clientsrequiretangibleevidenceandBlavoprovidesthisintheformoftheiraccreditations–theLegalServicesCommissionQualityMarkandtheLawSociety’squalityassurancestandard(Lexcel),whichrecognisethattheydeliveraconsistent,qualityserviceatalltimes.
Lexcel’spracticemanagementstandardisonlyawardedtosolicitorswhomeetthehighestmanagementandcustomercarestandards.Lessthan7%ofthe12,000lawfirmsinUKhaveachievedthisaccreditation.
WithofficesinStAlbans,Guildford,London,Hackney,Barnet,EnfieldandUxbridge,Blavohasdevelopedareputationforbeingapproachable,friendlyandforconsistentlyexceedingtheirclients’expectationswhilstmaintainingethicalandsociallyresponsiblestandards.Theyaretrustedadvisorstotheirclientsandhaveanexcellenttrackrecordofprovidingqualityandvalueformoneyservice.
JohnBlavoalwaysadheredtotheprinciplethattheclientcomesfirst.AsBlavo&CoSolicitorsmovesintoits16thyearthatphilosophyisclearlyinevidence,notleastatyourlocalBlavo&CopracticeinStAlbans.
Welookforwardtoyourvisit:www.legalblavo.co.uk
Blavo & Co Solicitors are proud to have recently celebrated 15 years of service.
F
Your first callfor legal matters
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Business Immigration • Commercial Law & Business ServicesPersonal & Commercial Property • Dispute Resolution • Employment Law
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Phoenix House Suites 2 & 3 • 63 Campfield Road • St Albans • Herts AL1 5FL
T: +44(0)1727 732 800F: +44(0)1727 835 344E: [email protected] @legalblavo
10 www.watford.theflea.co.uk
2012 will be the fifth year that flea magazines has welcomed a student from a French business school for a two-month training attachment as part of their first year course. This year’s attachee was nineteen year old Pauline Vinot. We suggested she write an article for our Business Edition and here’s the result. We think she did a great job - and hope you agree. Perhaps there are some lessons in here for us?
LocatedintheregionofFranche-Comté,closetoFrance’s
border with Switzerland, – the Ecole Gestion et de
Commerce(EGC)isaprivateschoolofManagementand
Businessthathasthreecampusesintheregion,atVesoul
(in the Department of Haute-Saône), Besançon and
Montbéliard (in the Department of Doubs). The school
offers three-year business studies courses leading to a
Bachelorlevelqualification.
The school was developed
from a partnership between
Franche-Comté’s Chambers
of Commerce and Industry
(CCIs) and is partly financed
bysubventionsandtaxesthat
the companies in the region
mustpaytotheCCI.Thefact
thattheschool isan integral
part of the Chambers of
Commerceensuresthat itmaintainsacloserelationship
withlocalfirmsandthatindustryiscloselyinvolvedinthe
trainingprovidedforitsfuturerecruits.
Like most large schools of business, every prospective
studentmustpassanentranceexam.Afterthat,welearn
aboutthevaluesoftheschool,whichareverycloselyallied
tothevaluesofcompanies:commitment,communication,
responsibility...andhardwork!
Among the most important skills that are taught
includemarketing,management,financeand,ofcourse
languages,Englishbeingparticularly important.Butthe
courses at EGCalso include less common subjects like
personaldevelopment,timemanagementandrelaxation.
So for we French, business schools and business in
general are not just about commerce - but everything
thatsurroundsitinourlivesaswell.Thatleavesusplenty
ofchoicesforourcareerpaths.
BecausetheEnglishlanguageisviewedasessentialinour
school,attheendofthefirstyear,wemustundertakea
placementofat least twomonthsabroad. It isadvised
to go to English speaking countries to improve our
businesslanguagewhichhelpsusprepareforanEnglish
examwhichmustbepassedaspartofourdegreecourse.
However, students can go elsewhere if they wish. e.g.
Spain,China,USA.
Mostteachersareprofessionalbusinesspeopleseconded
toEGConassignmentsofvarying length,althoughkey
subjectsaregenerallytaughtbyfull-timestaff.Themix
of skills and experience amongst the teaching staff
ensures that students receive not just an academic
grounding but have the opportunity to benefit from
the business experience of their tutors. This improves
the overall quality of the courses, which are further
enhancedbytheforeignplacementinthefirstyearand
strongencouragement to combineouracademic study
with a student apprenticeship in a business duringour
secondandfinalyears.
LifeatEGCincludesengagementwithothercampusesin
classwork,aswellasinjointactivitiesandprojects,the
primeobjectiveofwhichistodevelopourteam-working
skills.The experience ofworking closelywith others in
differentgroupshelpsusgaininconfidencewhichisvery
importantforourfuturecareers.
Pauline Vinot fleamagazinesattachee,Summer2012
Editor’snote:AfulllistofthesubjectsstudiedatEGCduringthefirstyearisavailableinthewebversionofthisarticle.Ifyou’dliketofindoutmore,[email protected]
Business Education
french STYLE
www.watford.theflea.co.uk 11
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FREE DESIGN (NO VAT)IN YOUR FAMILYFLEA MAGAZINE
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01923 731160/[email protected]
12 www.watford.theflea.co.uk
TheSouthOxheychoirbroughtthislocalareatothenoticeofanationalaudience.
NowalocalmanhasbecomeoneofBritain’syoungestentrepreneursasFounder
andMDofA1DigitalMedia.WecaughtupwithnineteenyearoldAidenNicholsfor
achat,hopinghewouldsharesomesecretsofhisearlysuccess.
Have you always lived in South Oxhey?
Yes. I started school at Warren Dell Primary and on to St Clement Danes in Chorleywood.
Did you do well at school?
I suppose I did. I always worked hard but only concentrated on my favourite subjects - Maths and Business. I had an amazing Business teacher!
What got you interested in computers and IT?
My Dad bought our family computer when I was 8 years old. I was fascinated and started teaching myself HTML.
Why choose the software side of IT?
It was something I’ve always liked and been good at. The “IT” industry is huge. The internet has drastically changed the way people communicate and do business.
Was there a particular event or person that persuaded you to start up in business?
My parents have always been very supportive of whatever I did. From a young age, I knew I wanted to start my own business, so it wasn’t a surprise to them!
What would you say were the biggest challenges you faced when starting?
Sounds clichéd, but almost everything was a challenge at the beginning. I had pretty much no money and, although I knew the technical stuff, I needed premises, marketing material, sales processes, accounting systems, contracts and other legal stuff! It was quite a roller-coaster.
You’ve been incredibly successful in a very short space of time. Who helped you most?
As well as my parents I also have to thank Mick Dobson and Sara Armstrong at the Watford
Enterprise Agency (WENTA). They spurred me on since I got my first office space there.
How do you recruit staff?
I don’t employ anyone full time. I outsource everything that I don’t do myself. That keeps costs down and lets me use the best possible people for specific tasks. Websites like People Per Hour and Freelancer have made it easy to engage talented people quickly and economically.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?
I definitely still see myself working with A1 Digital Media, but whether I’m still as involved as I am now or just working from a beach somewhere with a glass in one hand and my iPad in the other - well that remains to be seen!
What do you foresee as the biggest challenges ahead?
Its going to be a huge challenge when I need to change roles from actually doing much of the work myself to just managing other people doing it - but I’m up for it!
What advice would you give a school-leaver thinking of starting a business?
Pretty much, “just go for it”. You’re only going to find out if your business is viable by doing it. There will be plenty of people who support you and even more to tell you it won’t work. As long as you’re not trying to sell chocolate teapots - just give it a go.
Afullversionofthisinterviewappearsonourmain web edition.
The Business FleaWe talk with a young South Oxhey entrepreneur
www.watford.theflea.co.uk 13
25%ofbusinessesneverreopenafteramajordisruptionbutforthosethatdo,80%saytheywereaidedbyhavingBusinessContinuityPlans.
Floods,fires,transportdisruptions,civildisturbances,lossofkeystaff,theft,terrorismanddatalossareallexamplesofincidentswhichposearisktoyourbusiness.
Considertheimpactthesewouldhaveonyourstaff,reputation,andofcourseyourcustomers,manyofwhomrelyonyourproductsorservicesandtrustyoutodeliverwhattheyneed.Howwouldyourbusinessororganisationcope?
Business Continuity Planning is about looking after your business to ensure you can get back to doing what you do best as quickly, efficiently and effectively as possible.
Ifyouwouldlikesomehelporadviceonhowtomakeplanstoensureyouarefullypreparedforanincidentorbusinessdisruption,whynotgetintouch?Whetheryouarealarge,complexorganisationorthesmallestmicro-business,atContinuityGovernancewecanofferyoutailoredsupportaccordingtoyourbusinessneeds.Notonlydoweofferplanningbutwecanalsosupportyouwithcomprehensivetesting
andtrainingtoensureyourbusinessisfullyprepared.
Call01923 693 [email protected]“Continuity Governance Ltd – Putting People at the Heart of Business Continuity”
Planning for the worst?
Workplace Pensions Reform
...Or hoping for the best?
Smallbusinesseshavetimetoprepareforauto-enrolment,butwaitinguntilyouhave toisthewrongapproach.Therearesignificantbenefitstograspingthenettleearly.
Asabusinessowner,you’realmostcertainlyawarethat,sometimebetweennowand2017,youwillneedtocomplywithnewrequirementstoautomaticallyenrolmostemployeesandsomeotherstaffintoa“qualifying”pensionschemeaswellastocontributetothatscheme.
BigcompanieshavetocomplybyOctoberthisyear.TheschemewillthenrolloutprogressivelytosmallercompaniesoverthenextfourandahalfyearssothatbyApril2017itshouldbeimplementedbyeverycompanyinUK.Ifyouhadmorethan30employeesonthepayrollon1April2012,younowhaveatmost3yearstocompletetheimplementation!
By2018,theminimumcompanycontributionwillbe3%ofqualifyingsalaries,whileyourenrolledemployeesmustcontributeatleast8%.
In the 13 months from September 2017, the minimum employee contribution will increase by 300% (from 2% to 8% of salary)-oneofmanyelementsoftheschemethatwillcauseconsternationamongstyourstaff.
AstheDWPgearsupwithitsadvertising,youremployeesarelikelytoquestionthecompany’sintentionsandseektodiscoverhowthechangeswillaffectthem.Youneedtobereadytoadvisethemanddemonstrateyourcommitmenttothemandthescheme.
Ifyoualreadyhaveapensionschemeinplace,findoutnowifit“qualifies”forauto-enrolment.Thequalificationrequirementsarenotonerous.Ifyouhavenoschemeinplace,nowcouldbeagoodtimetostartone.
AUTO-ENROLMENT
14 www.watford.theflea.co.uk
Marion Matthews starteddoingpatchworkasahobby
over12yearsagoafteravisittoAmerica.Herpassionhas
grownsteadilyeversince.
Traditional English quilts
were handmade from
pieces of scrap fabric,
stitched together by hand.
Themodern take on this is
the craft of ‘patchwork and
quilting’. Longarm Quilting
addsmodern technology to further enhance handmade
patchworkquilttops.
A traditional handmade quilt comprises three layers of
fabric.Ontopisthehandmadepatchworkpiece,secondly
comesthewaddingandfinallythebackingfabric.Thethree
layersarethendecorativelystitchedtogether.Thisiswhere
theLongarm Quilting Machine(essentially,a14ftsewing
machine!) works its magic, completing unique stitching
patternsandbespokedesignsinjustafewhours.
Thebusinessideadevelopedfollowingrequestsfromfriends
andotherstoquilttheirprojectsonherLongarmmachine.So
in2007MarionopenedasmallworkshopofferingaLongarm
quiltingservicetofellowquiltersunderthecompanyname
of‘DragonflyQuilting’.
Marion says “I take
pride in ensuring that
every quilt is treated like
one of my own, with the
result that some of my
customers are returning
with their third or even
fourth quilting projects ”.
Dragonfly Quilting has quickly emerged as a successful
local crafting business.Marion nowmaintains a stock of
extra-widebackingfabricsandwaddingsforsaleandison
coursetohavetheseavailabletopurchasefromherwebsite
withinthenextfewmonths.
Findoutmoreat www.dragonflyquilting.co.ukorcontact
Marionon01923 440551.
From Hobby to BusinessYouknowtherearemanywaystogrowabusinessincluding:
•Getmorecustomers
•Sellmoretothoseyou’vegot
•Stealmarketfromcompetitors
•Addnewproductsand/orservices
•Increasemargins
And you know your best marketing people are your
customers-theycanpersuadetheirfriendsandfamiliesor,if
they’reabusiness,theirowncustomers,tobuy.
Asmallcompanywillfindevensmalleffortsintheseareas
haveimpact.
Big companiesmustmake huge strides tomake any real
differencetothebottomline.
Soreviewing“bigboy”marketingmightrevealsomelessons
forsmallerbusinesses.
Let’s consider the perfect marketing strategy for a big industry sector.
Theymustuseallthelevers-sothey’llneedawholenew
rangeofproducts,alargepopulationofnewcustomers,to
sellmoretoexistingcustomers,makethestuffcheaply,sell
itatahighprice,stealcustomersfromcompetitors,usetheir
existingbusinesscustomerstobuyloadsofitandpersuade
theirownsecondlevelcustomerstobuymore.
Nowjustimagineifthepotentialnewcustomerbasewas
about>20%oftheUK’sadultpopulation,therewasahuge
indirectcompetitorfromwhichtostealthebusinessandthe
strategywas repeatable throughout Europe, theAmericas
andmaybeelsewhere.
Andwhatiftheycouldpersuadetheirbiggestcustomernot
onlytofundpromotionandmarketing,buttobuythestuff
andgiveitaway-andevengetthegovernmenttosupport
thewholescheme?
Ifyouhaven’tguessedthesector,you’llfindtheanswerand
moreintheonline version of this article-enterB2Minthe
fleasearchboxattoprightofeverypageofthewatfordflea
websitetofindit.
Happy marketing..!
Marketing Brilliance
www.watford.theflea.co.uk 15
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