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March 2013 Update

TheMonster Under the Bed

Ordering his sandwich he struck up a conversation with the owner who proceeded to tell him how bad business was. “It’s the recession you know!” The owner said. My friend was stunned. The recession was so bad people had stopped eating now?

Interestingly, it turned out that business had dropped off dramatically since the owner had invested in a brand new caravan and cooking equipment… what they hadn’t invested in was signage!

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out why they had seen sales drop off, they couldn’t have been harder to find if they’d parked up behind a hedge. But in the owner’s mind, it was down to the recession; that monster under the bed that devours businesses.

So here we go again. What are we in now? Recession? Double dip recession, Tortillas and dip recession? New and improved recession? The name changes more often than I change my socks; I just can’t keep up! This constant barrage of dramatic, bad news got me thinking about a story a friend of mine told me.

One early morning, while travelling home, my friend had an overwhelming urge for a bacon sandwich so he went in search of a ‘Butty Van’. Taking the A road rather than the motorway the miles rolled past but no van was to be seen. Finally, just as he was about to give up he spotted a caravan parked up at the top of the hill. The closer he got the more it looked like a family on holiday, until, at the last minute, he noticed the tell-tale cut out at the front.

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Offer of the MonthFREE ‘Business Performance Meeting’, no strings… no catches…If you would benefit from an external assessment with an experienced business performance specialist, now is the time to see what’s really going on. We’re confident that you’ll not only find our ‘Business Performance Meeting’ thought provoking, it will prove you are serious about improving your business.

If you are ready… we are ready to invest our time and energy with you.

You can contact Mark by telephone Office: 07923 267660 or Mobile: 07780 703091 or by email: mark@change-your-thinking.co.uk

Valid until: 30/06/2013

Have a great month...

Kevin & Natalie

www.thebestof.co.uk/ipswich Update March 2013

The recession makes the perfect monster. It is invisible to the naked eye and utterly silent. The media can attribute everything that is wrong with the business world to it

because it never answers back. It is the bogeyman of the adult world and a perfect scapegoat!

Now I’m not going to deny that our economy is not as buoyant as it was 6 years ago. That would be ridiculous. But assuming the demise of a company is purely down to the recession is also ridiculous and, quite frankly, irresponsible. Note the word I use…. irresponsible. To me, irresponsible doesn’t just mean unreliable, it means ‘the inability to respond’. While business owners sit back and lay all their woes at the feet of the monster under the bed, they are not finding out the true reasons as to why sales are dropping or customers aren’t returning. Whether it’s signage, failure to utilise new technologies like social media, not recognising the changing requirements of their customers (see HMV for details), or owners simply not marketing their businesses because they haven’t had to before, all of these issues can be dealt with. Sadly, the Butty Van probably won’t be there the next time my friend craves a bacon sandwich. A real shame as there are plenty of people who not only want them but will take a different, and often longer, route home to find them.

So, before you feed yourselves, your businesses and your bank balances to the monster under the bed, ask yourself a few questions:

Do I really know who my customers are and what they want?

Do I know why my customers buy from me?

Are my customer’s needs changing?

Do I provide my customers with what they want, or what I think they want?

If I wanted to buy from me, how would I find me?

How many customers do I actually need?

Am I doing everything I can to encourage customers, new and old, to keep coming back?

You will probably find, a small change in your marketing, your offering or the type of relationship you have with your customers will consign the monster under the bed to the media’s and your children’s imagination, where it belongs!

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The People Behind The BusinessGraham Barton - 50 Years on and still one of Ipswich’s brightest sparks.Anyone who is familiar with the Ipswich Business Networking scene will know Graham Barton and his wife Kay.

I recently caught up with Graham, to understand more about his business and how he still manages to keep motivated after more than 50 years as an electrician. One thing I discovered is that Graham’s wife has played a pivotal role in everything he has achieved and is testimony to the saying that behind every good man is an even better woman, and the reason for the big Valentine’s card and a dozen red roses on the table at their home in Ipswich.When and where did you start work? Graham said “I joined Manganese Bronze as an apprentice in 1960. In those days we completed a six year apprenticeship, although the combination of shift work and college were fairly tough as we were expected to complete the night shift from 7pm - 7am and still attend college the next day. I attended Ipswich Civic College where I won the accolade of student of the year”. A theme of winning awards continues to this very day.

What made you start your own business?“I was made redundant at the age of 22 and received the princely sum of £2.25 in redundancy money. At the time I was living with my parents who were having some building work completed by Upson Builders. Charlie, the owner, asked me what I was going to do and gave me the opportunity to wire three new houses that he was building at the time and from there they provided a good source of regular work. And that gave me the opportunity to become self employed”.

What was your first big opportunity?“My first real opportunity to grow the business came when an Ipswich based company invited me to tender for some shop fitting work. At the time I took the view that, if its work then I’ll take it”. The first installation was for Took’s Bakery in Newmarket; this work developed into a full-on business with a large team servicing the leisure industry right across the UK.

What has been one of the most satisfying elements of your career?Graham enjoys his part in developing the electricians of the future. Graham has seen a number of young people

successfully complete their apprenticeships over the years and his two most recent recruits have just completed their training. Graham said “ I have gained a lot of satisfaction in knowing that I have been able to impart my knowledge and many years experience to the next generation of electricians.

What has been the secret to success?Graham said “I know that my parents helped me to realise the importance of family values and a strong work ethic, and once you reach adult life it is the constant support of a loving wife and family that really makes the difference”

And 50 Years on and still winning awards

Graham has just recently been named as one of the most loved Electricians in the UK for the third consecutive year. And proof that he is still one of the brightest sparks in town.

It could

be you!

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John Olivers in Ipswich voted a Most Loved Business in National CompetitionValentines is a special time of year for all those in love. It is a time when loved ones go out of their way to show they care. With times being

tough thebestof Ipswich Local Champion Kevin Barber has been encouraging local people to do the same and make an extra effort to show how much they appreciate the great businesses here in Ipswich.

The 14 Days of Love has seen the best businesses across the UK go head to head to earn the title of ‘The Most Loved Business in the UK. For the 14 days leading up to Valentines Day consumers have had the chance to review their favourite local businesses re-invigorating and raising the profile of their local community. During the competition tens of thousands of reviews were added equating to one every eight seconds as the contest reached its crescendo. The locals here in Ipswich have really done their bit.

Several of the Most Loved Businesses in the UK come from Ipswich

John Olivers – HairdressersBKP Limousines – Limousine HireHomeStore – Storage ServicesAqua Eight – Fine Dining RestaurantBarton Electrical - Electricians

Kevin Barber of thebestof Ipswich said, “It’s been so exciting to see such a huge number of people actively talking about the great local businesses and demonstrating their feelings by voting in the 14 Days of Love. It just goes to show how much our communities are supporting their local independent businesses, which is great news for the British high street especially during difficult economic times. Small businesses are the engine room of our economy and lots of local business owners – and their loyal staff – are feeling great today because their efforts have been recognised and appreciated by so many of their customers.”

Ipswich’s Top Ten1st John Olivers2nd BKP Limousines3rd HomeStore4th ZAP Experience5th Aqua Eight6th Barton Electrical7th Harbour Dental Care8th Ramada Encore9th Head To Toe Wellbeing10th Belvedere Reproductions

For further information regarding the 14 Days of Love campaign please contact Kevin Barber. Tel: 01473 272994 e: Kevin.barber@thebestof.co.uk

Working Well...“Share your

successes and let

Kevin know what

bits of thebestof

are working

for you.”

At thebestof Ipswich we are on the lookout for other great members. This month we are looking for....

• Personal Trainers

• Locksmiths

• Chiropractor

• Handyman

If you know a business that fits the bill please contact the team...

01473 272994

www.thebestof.co.uk/ipswich Update March 2013

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Give them a call & make them feel welcome

We’ve uncovered more hidden gems over the last few weeks. A big welcome to the following businesses who have joined us recently:

Christine’s FloristChristine’s Florist is passionate about offering every customer a personal and friendly service, as well as sourcing only the best flowers from around the world. This superb Ipswich florist is highly recommended for unrivalled expertise in floral design and listening to your ideas to create the perfect arrangement.

Tel 01473 250076

The Web TreeThe Web Tree team of internet experts have a proven track record for producing creative and innovative web sites that are built to the exacting requirements of their clients. This is complemented by their knowledge and understanding of search engine optimisation and marketing that has proven to deliver results. In a highly competitive market they are confident that they can provide clients with the winning formula.

Tel 01473 858568

Gary John Norman PhotographyGary John Norman is an award-winning film maker and photographer who produces quality still and motion content. The process combines image concept, lighting and people direction to create images that enthuse and inspire.

Tel 07747 631700

Newsletter GenieNewsletter Genie, the team that delivers proven results through high quality, engaging newsletters. Newsletter Genie has a dedicated team that will write, design, code, edit, check and deliver your newsletter to your contacts – and produce a real, measurable return on a modest marketing investment.

Tel 01449 740118

New Gases LimitedNew Gases supplies both Propane and Butane gases and is also main agents for Air Products and Calor Gas. They serve a wide range of customers in technology, energy, healthcare and industrial markets across East Anglia through their unique portfolio of gas supply products, services and solutions. With premises at Martlesham Heath they have a very well stocked shop full of power tools and accessories and also offer a complete power tool repair service.

Tel 01473 630922

Change Your Thinking It’s time to Change Your Thinking with Mark Featherstone, one of the most highly regarded business coaches in the region, offering Personal Development and Business Performance Coaching to businesses across East Anglia.

Tel 07923 267660

Bestof-Ipswich-March2013.indd 5 05/03/2013 12:34

What youare up against

www.thebestof.co.uk/ipswich Update March 2013

Awards and accolades take this a step further. In my eyes, only the excep-tional win awards; they are a marque that says you’re better than all the others. Switch on the TV any night of the week and you’ll see Aldi proudly displaying their ‘Which Supermarket of the Year’ accolade at the end of each ad. This is particularly important in the current economic climate. It’s not that people aren’t spending money anymore; it’s that they are more dis-cerning about where they spend it. We only have to compare the demise of Woolworths and the consistent year on year growth at Argos to see this in action.

A few years ago Boost Marketing did a survey called “Awards – Vanity or Sanity?” Not only were they looking at whether there was a commercial importance to awards, but also whether the economic climate had increased interest in awards in general.

80% of respondents said consumers were influenced by the presence of an award.

Ok, it seems like a bit of a no brainer, but let’s actually look at this for a moment. Say you need a plumber and none of the people you know can recommend one. You find two on the internet that ‘look’ trustworthy and professional; one has the City & Guilds logo, Guild of Master Plumbers logo, BPEC logo and a Subcontractor of the Year award. The other one doesn’t. Which one are you going to ring first?

49% of respondents said that award winning companies provided superior product and services.

Now this is a biggie! These respondents didn’t just think award winners were superior suppliers, they knew it. How much would you pay to ensure your potential customers knew that you provided a superior product or service?

70% of respondents believed awards were important for generating new business.

The British Quality Foundation take this one step further and state that, on average, small businesses show an increase of 63% in operating income. Let me just say that again…. an increase of 63%!

In truth, that isn’t even half the story! The list of benefits an accolade or award can bring goes on:

There is nothing better than receiving recognition for the work that you do; a sincere well done from a work colleague or a heartfelt thank you from a customer can change a not so good day into a brilliant one!

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www.thebestof.co.uk/ipswich Monthly Update November 2012

TrustIn any business relationship, trust is the most important thing. It’s the thing we spend more time on than anything else when creating a relationship with our prospective clients. Awards build trust immediately because someone independent has judged your business by a set of fixed criteria and found you to be something exceptional. Money simply cannot buy that!

Customer and Employee LoyaltyInvariably, when people talk about the benefits of awards they concentrate on the new business they can bring in, completely forgetting the people you’re already working with.

Employees gain a real sense of pride from awards; after all, their work has contributed to the achievement. Customers also share in the pride; the award gives ‘social proof’ to what they already know, their printer/ accountant/driving instructor is the best.

Marketing OpportunitiesIf 80% of consumers are influenced by the presence of an award, then the fact you have one should be shouted from the rooftops. Every letter, every email, your website, Facebook, Twitter, the local Press should be hearing about it. For press particularly, a success story for a local business it exactly the kind of good news story they want. If you’ve been kind enough to write the story for them on a press release, they don’t have to!

DifferentiationIf you’ve ever read any marketing or sales books you will have come across the word ‘differentiation’ or ‘how is my business different to my competition?’ As I said earlier, in my eyes only the exceptional get awards, that differentiates you straight away because you are better than all the rest. That is a Unique Selling Point that all marketers would kill for!

Validation & TestimonyAnybody who’s ever had a conversation with me will tell you the importance I place on reviews. Once again, it’s all about social proof. ‘If all these people believe this business is good then it must be’. An award strengthens this even further as it not only confirms the reviews you already have, it then states that you are better than the rest as well.

My question to you is this. When did you last enter an award or shout about your own accolades? If you don’t do this you can guarantee nobody else will!

Take a look at our recent 14 Days of Love winners on our loveometer www.thebestof.co.uk/loveometer to see just how our very own have stood out from the rest!

I encourage you, today, to start shouting from the rooftops about your own accolades. It will boost your business in every way!

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Our aim is to provide the best businesses in Ipswich with aworld classmarketing service.We’ll raise your profile, connect you to new contacts and customers - and maximise your business potential.

We really do care about every one of our Business Members and we are there every step of the way to ensure that thebestof works for you.

Our 17 marketing tools

thebestof Ipswich is run by Kevin Barber & Natalie Chaplin

Here at thebestof Ipswich, word of mouth just got louder!

Every business we feature has been checked out by us AND recommended by other local people so you can use them with confidence, knowing they are truly one of the best at what they do…

Call us: 01473 272994Email: Ipswich@thebestof.co.uk

Suffolk Business Exhibition - Ipswich and Suffolk Small Business Association (ISSBA)

Venue: Trinity Park

Date: 1st May 2013

Time: 11am - 7pm

The Best of Ipswich are proud to be exhibiting at one of the county’s best-supported business events, this will be our 8th year of participation and this year we will be demonstrating how you can bring your business to life with Google Street View technology: create a 360-degree, interactive virtual tour. Enabling prospective customers the opportunity to explore and interact with your business like never before. Visit us at stand 13 to find out more.

To find out more about Ambient Light and Google Business photos contact

Carl Lamb 07709 577158For more information regarding the

Suffolk Business Exhibition visit ..www.issba.co.uk

1. Testimonials

2. Dual-branded postcards

3. Mix and match

4. Commercial photos

5. Certificates

6. Brand Awareness

7. Campaigns

8. Call Tracking

9. An Evening with

10. Social Media

11. Blog

12. Events

13. Video

14. Special offers for members

15. Quote me

16. Mobile Website and App

17. Website feature

thebestof Ipswich …

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