When you’re a startup business, you need to turn your investments into revenue and profits quickly. Most believe that improving profits is about increasing sales. However, increasing sales will often mean more marketing and acquiring new customers is going to require more investment too.
Therefore, one of the best ways to improve new business profitability is often to look at costs. Here are some of the top ways you can cut costs without compromising on the high standard of customer service you offer.
1. Business insurance
You need business insurance, there’s no question of that. It helps protect you financially from any claims made against your business from accidents caused by your equipment or any mistakes made during your work. Not having insurance can ruin your business’ chances of survival if something does happen.
However, if you just bought insurance from an agent, then you might find that you’re spending too much on your business insurance. Instead, you need to speak to an insurance broker. Unlike sales agents at insurance firms, brokers are legally obliged to provide you with accurate information. They can find you a policy that matches your exact needs at a good price.
This can save you money in one of two ways. Firstly, you can save costs on your monthly outlay by paying only for what you need and nothing else. Secondly, it can save you from claims. A broker might find that you’re missing some protection and should a claim be made against you which isn’t covered in your existing policies, you’re liable and this could cost you significantly.
2. Services
Some services you’re probably going to be paying over the going rate for. This could include leases, IT services and more. These services could be scaled back and then you can recover the lost costs. A classic example of costs that are too high is with your website. A managed hosting package is not normally very expensive, but there are services that might offer you a better deal.
In addition, you might find some utility companies have better rates than others. According to a study by Ofgem, UK small businesses often pay 50% more than they need to for their electricity. So, speak to your supplier and see if you can get a better deal.
You might also want to talk to your landlord if you lease premises. Landlords don’t want to leave their buildings vacant, it makes no financial sense to them. So, if you’ve been paying the rent on time, then it might be a great time to ask for a reduction or look for new premises.
3. Bulk buying
This is a common one that can sometimes cause problems, but might be a good option. When you buy products, you can often find that buying more lowers the unit price. This allows you to make more profit per unit sold. This saving is either done based on the number bought, reducing the price per unit, or the shipping cost being split between more units.
The biggest problem with bulk buying is where to store all the products. This could cost your business more money, so you might need to conduct a cost-benefit analysis for this approach.
4. Recognise staff performance
Another thing that you can do is to create an employee recognition system. This might seem counter-productive, but giving staff a well-time reward for good behaviour can actually save on costs over the long term.
Staffing costs are often the largest expense of any small business and recruitment is very expensive. If you need to replace a staff member, the cost of recruitment and lost productivity can be up to 150% of the employee’s annual wage. By improving job satisfaction, you reduce the number of people taking absences or leaving your company, saving you money in the long term.
In addition, staff recognition is linked to higher performance levels. So, while this might be an initial cost, the actual benefit might be larger.
5. Ditch some marketing expenditure
Another expense is marketing. However, not all marketing is created equal. Some marketing avenues like PPC and print adverts can be rather expensive. You have to be sure that the campaigns you’re running are having a positive effect.
So, be sure to do an analysis to check that your marketing is having a positive impact on your profitability. If a strategy is too costly, perhaps you need to drop an option.
Conclusion
There are many ways that you can save money within your startup business. Everything from business insurance to staff recognition can be utilised to save on costs and improve your business’ profitability. How you do it is up to you, but an effort on numerous fronts is often the fastest way to improve your business’ performance.
Is there anything practical individuals can do to protect themselves?
A new concept to emerge from the Covid-19 lockdown has been ‘shielding’ – those who have been at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus who have had to minimise all interaction with others and stay at home as much as possible.
This has led to unforeseen daily difficulties for individuals who have previously been able to lead completely normal lives. For example, what happens if you cannot leave your home, but you need to visit your bank to complete an urgent transaction?
Is there anything practical individuals can do to protect themselves?
In these instances, Lasting Powers of Attorney (‘LPAs’) provide a useful tool to help facilitate an individual’s needs should anything arise in future leading to similar lockdown requirements.
What is a Lasting Power of Attorney?
An LPA is a legal document which allows an individual to appoint one or more ‘Attorneys’ to help them make decisions or act on their behalf. You must be over 18 and have full mental capacity to make a legally valid LPA. Your Attorney(s) should be someone you trust to make decisions in your best interests – this could be a friend or relative or a professional person if you have no one close to you who you would like to assist you. A ’property and finance’ LPA will allow the Attorney(s) to sign documents on your behalf, discuss your accounts and investments and to transfer funds. If you do not want your Attorney(s) to have too much control, you can tailor the document to restrict what your Attorney(s) are allowed to be involved with.
Practical protection
Often, relatives and friends of elderly people take the step to draw up an LPA when their loved one becomes physically or mentally incapacitated. As we have seen during lockdown, an LPA can actually provide practical protection to a much wider group of people who are still very much in control of their own physical and mental capacity at the present time.
As long as your LPA does not contain a restriction that it will only come into effect if you loose mental incapacity, your Attorney(s) can use the document to act at your direction to do the things that you are unable to do – so with your consent your Attorneys would be able to move money around, do your shopping, pay bills for you, and manage your finances both due to shielding, or in hospital for any length of time or simply if you are due to go away on holiday.
It can be very sensible to get an LPA in place as a matter of course – perhaps if you are considering getting your will updated, you should arrange an LPA with your spouse, partner or trusted friend at the same time. You should also consider making a ‘Health and Welfare’ LPA which would allow your attorneys to make decisions about your day to day living, choice of medical treatment and where you should live – but only if you are unable to make these decisions yourself.
This montha report into the state of charity finances has raised serious concerns about the financial health of charities as lockdown restrictions start to be lifted.
The report, issued by NCVO in conjunction with Nottingham Trent and Sheffield Hallam Universities, confirms an obvious problem – demand for charity services is up while overall income is down and costs have also risen due to organisations having to change the way they do things in the COVID-19 environment. While 31% of 590 charities surveyed have seen an increase in their income, 47% have seen a decrease, and 46% of charities have had to use cash reserves to get through the last year, which in many cases are beginning to run out.
Organisations that rely heavily on public donations and earned income have been hardest hit. Many of these organisations had made a conscious decision to move towards these more self-sustaining sources of income to avoid the impact of government/Local Authority cutbacks. With emergency funding beginning to deplete combined with reduction to the CJRS funding later this year, and some organisations worried that their previous income streams may not recover, it is an anxious time for many charities.
Going concern is an important assessment for trustees to make on an ongoing basis and in particular in relation to the year end accounts. The charity’s annual Audit or Independent Examination will also need to consider going concern which will involve assessing the charity’s budgets and financial forecast for the foreseeable future; typically this is at least 12 months following the date the trustees approve and sign the accounts.
The Charity Commission has highlighted how important it is in the current situation for trustees to have an understanding on the use of charity reserves and to consider making changes to their financial planning if necessary to allow essential spending to continue. They have reminded trustees of their guidance on financial resilience (link below) which may help trustees to focus on what is important in a challenging economic climate.
If you’re looking to win new business in 2022, you’ve got to start experimenting with new ways of managing your business and attracting customers.
How Do I Win New Business?
Ever heard the saying, “if you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always got?”
It’s a popular saying, so it’s likely you have. And it’s a popular saying because it tends to be true!
So, looking to win new business in 2021 will mean that you have to step out of your comfort zone (more on that later!). Bear with the discomfort because the business results are likely to be well worth it.
To help you get started, here are five of my favourite business-winning strategies for 2021.
1. Get Creative
Being creative doesn’t just mean being a whiz with words, or a master of design. It’s all about ideas.
Something as simple as changing up your daily routine can inspire new ways of thinking… helping you to come up with fresh, creative ideas for your business.
For example, if you sit in the same chair, at the same desk, every single day, why not do some work standing up, do some regular exercise or take a walk in the fresh air?
Doing things a little bit differently will give your brain a ‘nudge’, helping to open up new patterns of thought.
(Don’t forget to record your great ideas when you have them, or they’ll disappear. I keep a notebook with me at all times… or if I’m driving, I voice-call my answerphone and leave myself a message!)
2. Put Your Customers First
Micro and side-hustle business owners like you have a huge advantage over the big boys.
You’ve got much more opportunity to connect with your customers on a personal level, so don’t waste it!
Make your customers feel warm and special by engaging with them regularly. You could send email newsletters, ask them to complete quick surveys, or work on creating tantalising VIP-only offers that keep your best customers coming back.
Oh, and if you’re not already using social media to help engage your customers, you need to start.
Especially since 74% of people rely on social networks to guide their purchase decisions, and 80% trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation.
3. Work Smart (Not Hard!)
Did you know I spent most of Christmas tinkering around with my website?
Not because I was bored, but because I wanted it to do some of the hard work for me in 2021!
Whenever you choose to do it, spending a few hours implementing simple systems and processes can help you save time AND win new business in future.
Examples include setting up email automations that mean you don’t have to respond personally to every message that comes in.
You could also use free systems like Calendly to automate calendar bookings… so people can arrange their own appointments with you.
(For example, you can easily book a complimentary, half-hour Breakthrough session with me by clicking here!)
4. Plan for Profit
Did you know that there’s a genuine link between passion and profit?
It’s called planning!
And the great news is that you don’t have to do much of it to get results (my One Page Business Plan is a good example of this.)
So, dust off your original business plan and see what’s changed. Haven’t got one? Start work on it today.
And don’t forget to make a plan for important customer-attracting strategies like social media activity and marketing. These need time, thought, and care, because a few posts every now and again just won’t hack it.
5. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone!
You knew this was coming… it’s time to push those boundaries!
We’ve all got a personal sticking point in business. That ‘thing’ you don’t do because you’re scared or you don’t know how, like going Live or starting that podcast.
But now, you’re finally going to learn that thing, and you’re going to use it to win new business!
Whatever it is, remember that your first time is likely to be your worst time. Accept that you probably won’t be perfect on your first go, but you’ll also learn from it…
…so your second time won’t be as bad, your third time even better than that, and by your fourth or fifth time, people might even mistake you for a pro!
Alternatively, if you fancy discovering new productivity methods and meeting other business people, you can join my Facebook group, The JFDI Club – just click here.
If you’ve been thinking about taking the leap into working for yourself, now could be an ideal time
2021 is finally here, bringing with it a healthy and much-needed sense of optimism for the future. And, even though 2020 was not a typical year (by any means), I am still being asked the same, start of year questions about how to start a small or micro business at home.
Interestingly, this massive sense of optimism has trickled into business.
Recent research indicates that even with 2020’s challenges, three out of four business owners are feeling confident about generating success this year.
So, if you’ve been thinking about taking the leap into working for yourself, now could be an ideal time. And, if you are one of those people who want to know how to start a small or micro business at home, read on.
Always Begin with the Basics
Setting up a home-based business isn’t particularly challenging in the UK, at least from a practical point of view. All you have to do is tell HMRC that you’re trading. Oh, and then make sure you pay your tax bill on time.
But if you also want that business to be successful and make a profit, you’ve got to do sit down and do some thinking and planning.
In their eagerness to just get going, lots of new entrepreneurs set up businesses without asking themselves ‘why’.
Why they’re starting that particular business, or why they’re the right person to start it – right now.
Asking yourself questions like these will help you understand your business and instil a sense of purpose that will sustain you, even when times get tough.
So if you are thinking about how to start your small or micro business from home, always begin with the basics. Ask yourself the who, what, why, when and where questions.
Passion Isn’t a Substitute for Practicality
Let’s say you want to start a yoga business.
You might have the qualifications and the passion, but you’ll also need to consider the practicalities of
Running a business, and
Operating that business from your home.
As I said previously, you have the yoga skills and qualifications as well as a passion for your craft. But do you have any business skills?
What do you know about business operations, financial management and marketing?
‘Business’ is a skill-set. Your passion and practical and applicable skills will only take you so far. To make a business work you will need to develop a set of business skills also.
Then there is actually operating the business from home. For example, have you got the technology needed to run your classes online? How will you check that the participants are doing everything safely?
If you’re going to run any type of business from home, you may also need to check with your mortgage and home insurance providers, and any relevant authorities, to make sure you’re legally able to use your home as a place of work.
Drawing up a simple checklist of practicalities before you start your business will help you avoid problems and pitfalls later on.
Share the Load
Following on from what I said about ‘business’ being a skill set, you should make a list of all the different skills that go into running a business.
Then, decide which ones you want to concentrate on yourself (and the ones you can do – easily), and which you will outsource to others.
Yes, you should be thinking of outsourcing from Day-One!
If you thought micro business owners and side-hustlers had less to worry about because they haven’t got teams of staff, think again!
No matter how many people work for a business, the vast majority still have essential things to take care of. Things such as using IT, managing legalities like data protection, and keeping on top of financial record-keeping.
(It still shocks me that I regularly speak to business owners who have been trading for years, yet they’ve never thought about serious issues like data privacy.)
Working for – and by – yourself from home means you will most likely need extra support in some areas. We can’t do everything by ourselves, and nor should we.
Mine your network to find the right people, ask for recommendations. If that doesn’t work, use sites like Fiverr to find freelancers to do the work you need. If you can’t afford to pay a professional, you could consider an exchange of services instead.
And Finally… Don’t Get Too Caught Up in All the Excitement!
In my experience most new small and micro businesses will lose their first ten customers. How? Because their owners are too distracted by the fun and excitement of setting everything up.
It’s so easy to get pulled in, and it’s also completely understandable! After all, you’re starting the thrilling journey. You’re turning your brilliant idea into something that’s going to help others, AND make you some money.
It doesn’t get much better than that!
But with the right planning and preparation in place from the start, you can set yourself up for lasting business success.
If you’d like to learn more about how I can help you on that journey, why not book a complimentary, half-hour Breakthrough Session?
Just pick your favourite date and time, and I’ll take it from there.
Norfolk Screen launches its new one stop service to boost film & TV production in the County
Yesterday, Gorelston-on-Sea (Lantern PR)
Norfolk Screen is excited to announce the launch of its new resourceful One Stop Shop service dedicated to promoting Norfolk as a screen-friendly county that showcases locations, talent, services & facilities within the region. The company provides a signposting service to those considering or intending to shoot in Norfolk, whether they be shorts, docs, feature films, TV productions, commercials, music videos or photo shoots.
Whilst still in its early stages of development, the web driven initiative has already started to develop an impressive online database of local businesses, production facilities & services, cast, crew and locations. Claire Chapman (Managing Director) and Craig Higgins (Head of Development) – the founders of the service – want to encourage even more screen related services and creatives to sign up so that they can signpost to incoming international and national productions the unsung production infrastructure the region has to offer. Since their website went live last November they have already received several enquiries from high profile Film & TV productions looking to shoot in the region.
Regionally based businesses that can supply screen productions, such as accommodation providers, catering companies, security firms, productions offices, property owners and more, can register their services for free. As Claire and Craigexplain, “As a service we believe the more we can showcase the assets Norfolk has to offer, the greater the chances are of encouraging more Film and TV production to the region, thereby creating more opportunities for our regionally based services, facilities and creatives to thrive.”
As BAFTA and Emmy-nominated film director Julian Jarrold (a member of Norfolk Screen’s Advisory Board) says: Despite its riches, Norfolk is still an underused location by the TV and film industry. That is all about to change as Norfolk Screen is now up and running: an impressive one stop shop for anyone wanting to film or broadcast in the county. Check it out! (Director: Great Expectations, Kinky Boots, Becoming Jane, Brideshead Revisited, The Crown).
Oscar and BAFTA nominated producer, Debra Hayward (Bridget Jones Diary, Love Actually, About a Boy, Atonement, Paul, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Les Misérables), also explained:
“I am excited to be part of Norfolk Screen as they are flying the flag for the region and championing local talent and services. Norfolk can offer first-class talent, services, and world-class locations. With the explosion of streaming platforms, and more TV and Film shooting than ever before, we need to encourage more production in Norfolk and help build a thriving, local industry
WHY NORFOLK?
“It’s not just the glorious vistas, the famous skies, the coastline, the market towns, and the sheer variety of landscape and location that the county of Norfolk offers – it’s something else, something to do with the authentic continuity of character and difference that has run through the people and the place that lends Norfolk its uniqueness, charm, quirkiness, beauty and grandeur. I’m prejudiced because I grew up here and live here still, but I’m more prejudiced because I’ve filmed here, and I know that there’s no experience like it…” Stephen Fry
It is no secret that Norfolk has hosted several film and TV productions with many well-known programmes and films being shot in the county ranging from Classic TV shows such as Dad’s Army to epic Hollywood Blockbusters like Shakespeare in Love, Atonement, The Duchess,Jack The Giant Slayer, Stardust, Avengers: Age of Ultron to British Feature Classics including 45 Years, Yesterday, The Souvenir and Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa.
Here a few quotes about Filming in Norfolk:
“Norfolk is one of the most atmospheric and unspoilt places in the UK to film – and we could not have asked for a better set of landscapes, marshland and beaches with which to visualise the world of David Copperfield. Digging in with a cast and crew in North Norfolk made the experience of making a film even richer than usual.” Kevin Loader (Producer – The Personal History of David Copperfield).
“It was an absolute pleasure to film in Norwich. The people were extremely welcoming and the council couldn’t have been more enthusiastic. Everyone involved was super helpful. A wonderful experience!” Lynsey Cosford (Location Manager – Netflix’s Jingle Jangle).
“Norfolk is a special county – for many still an unknown secret! With vast sandy beaches, historical buildings, the broads and beautiful countryside, there are potential film locations everywhere…”Jake Humphrey (Sky sports presenter and TV producer).
Norfolk’s dynamic history and culture has helped to contribute to its vibrant character; from the complete medieval street of Elm Hill, the incredible Norwich Cathedral and Castle to the most stunning coast line in the world and of course the best river system in the UK – the Norfolk Broads. All this is topped off with Norfolk’s big open skies, iconic landmarks, award winning facilities/services and an array of talented crew which is all easily located within reach of London offering ample opportunities at a competitive price.
Furthermore, in recognising the economic and cultural benefits of attracting international production and developing a local industry, the UK government’s film and high-end television tax reliefs are widely considered as the most transparent, inclusive and reliable production incentives in the world, making Norfolk an equally attractive production destination as other counties in the UK.
So here are a few examples of just what Norfolk can offer…
Norfolk has a long-established production history dating back to the days of Anglia TV and over the years has seen its development of studio spaces such as Epic Broadcast Studios, October Studios and Raynham Hanger Studios. Further to this there are a number of award-winning companies including Ember Films, an independent production company with multiple Emmy wins and BAFTA nominations, to outstanding award-winning VFX companies such as Lexhag.
By local businesses signing up to Norfolk Screen’s database (for FREE), the stronger the screen production infrastructure in the region will be and that Norfolk Screen will have to shout about!
CAST & CREW: The county boasts an incredible list of skilled and locally based crew ranging from the fields of sound, direction, cinematography to runners. For more information about local talent please check out Norfolk Screen’s Cast & Crew database here.
LOCATIONS: Norfolk is easily located within reach of London and provides a gateway to some of the best locations in the UK. With over 90 miles of unspoilt coastline, breathtaking countryside, historic stately houses, incredible rivers including the Broads National Park with over 125 miles of lock-free waterways, picturesque market towns and one of the UK’s finest cities Norwich. The city features the stunning Norwich Cathedral, Norwich Castle, a medieval street, outstanding architecture, and a thriving outdoor market. Check out a selection of Norfolk’s stunning locations here.
WHY ENCOURAGE PRODUCTION TO NORFOLK?
The Screen production sector is increasingly regarded as not only culturally important, but as a powerful driver for economic development. Screen productions generate significant amounts of expenditure in production locations, which is distributed across on-the- ground crew, local production companies, service and rentals companies, and a range of other suppliers such as caterers, restaurants, hotels, and transport providers.
As published by the British Film Institute earlier this month, in 2020 international film and HETV production spend in the UK grossed £2.34bn despite the impact of COVID-19.
Ben Roberts, BFI Chief Executive, said: “After an unbelievably tough year, {these} figures show an incredibly vibrant and positive picture for film and TV in the UK. Last spring it was hard to imagine that we would be generating £1 billion worth of production activity in the final quarter which has been achieved by industry and government pulling together and the determination of our workforce to get back up and running. This sector is primed to grow with expansion underway in studios and production hot spots across the UK, delivering more jobs and more to the economy.
With the growth in screen productionawarding winning TV producer Hilary Bevan-Jones noted: “I am delighted to be involved with Norfolk Screen, who are making strides to promote and showcase this incredible county to film and TV. We have had many productions successfully shoot here over the decades but, until now, no one has been proactive in sharing this region with the world. It is great to see Norfolk Screen developing a local directory of talent, services and locations and illustrating the many great opportunities that Norfolk can offer to production.”
Norfolk Screen is championing more Film and TV production to the region to enhance economic growth, job creation and skills development.
Text marketing is an effective way to reach a captive audience with targeted messages.
Text marketing is an effective way to reach a captive audience with targeted messages. Boasting much higher open and engagement rates than any other form of marketing, they’re a great way to communicate with customers on a personal level without intruding on their time.
Get to the point
Getting to the point is vital when it comes to text messaging. You have 160 characters to capture your recipient’s attention but you want to get there in less if you can. Keep messages as short as possible while still including all the relevant information, this is certainly not the place for waffling. You also need to bear in mind that recipients need to understand the value in your message, otherwise they will label you as spam and feel irritated by the intrusion on their day.
Great ways to add value include offering vouchers or discount codes, segmenting based on customer behaviour to ensure the messages they receive are relevant, and using texts for appointment reminders and other useful information. By using text messaging in a way that is useful for your recipients you reduce the risk of being ignored and help recipients see the value. The best messages will address the recipient by name, state who you are, and why you’re messaging them, with your offer front and centre.
Clear call to action
You don’t need us to tell you that all marketing you put out should have a clear call to action. The whole point of marketing is to encourage the recipient to take action and engage with your business, so calls to action are really important.
With Smart Messenger Text Messaging you can create rich messages, with links and attachments, to encourage action. Attachments are a effective way to encourage engagement and, with Smart Messenger, have the added bonus of being able to track click-through rates. You can upload documents, photos, audio and even video to create a better experience and give your recipients really useful interesting content. Links can be used with great success in text messaging, so if you’re not able to say everything you need to in your message include links to mobile-optimised landing pages.
Personalise
Personalisation is definitely your friend here, the more targeted and personal you can make your messages, the better. Creating a sense of exclusivity in text messaging can significantly increase click-through rates so make your recipient feel special.
If you’re sending out a discount code or promotion, your customers should feel as though they’re receiving a hot tip that no one else knows about. It goes without saying that if you’re using text marketing as a way to remind customers about upcoming appointments, you should definitely be personalising every message. At the most basic level, you should be including recipients’ first name but any additional information is a bonus. A great example would be recent activity and interactions with your business to suggest other products or services they may enjoy.
Timing is key
Timing your message correctly is really important. While they’re less intrusive into people’s day than a phone call, you’re still contacting them so you want to make sure it’s at a convenient time. You’ll need to experiment with different timings to figure out the best time to send to your list, with detailed text marketing reporting it’s easy to see what’s working and what could use a little tweaking. You can also prevent messages being sent at unsociable hours.
Smart Messengers detailed reporting includes delivery information, opt outs, and the ability to track campaign attachment and link clicks.
Options
Whenever you send out marketing you always need to give recipients the ability to manage what they receive from you, and text messaging is no different. This could be in the form of opt-outs or updating their preferences. You also need to make sure you have permission to contact them in the first place, whether it’s via an opt-in form on your website or from capturing information during a visit, at point of sale or other means. You must be clear about how you’ll use their data. If you are unsure, speak to one of our inhouse GDPR data practitioners for some free advice.
If you’d like to discuss how text marketing could work for you, get in touch.
You can find this article and many more from Smart Messenger here
When we say, “Just call us!” we mean it and remember that our support is unlimited. Our friendly team are based in Norwich, UK and are ready to pick up the phone.
I meet a lot of entrepreneurs and business owners. Some are at the idea stage and some may be long in the tooth in business.
I meet a lot of entrepreneurs and business owners. Some are at the idea stage and some may be long in the tooth in business.
But what many of them do not understand fully is; what they sell. Personally, I sell products as all things can be boxed this way. If you are a plumber you are providing a service but if you think by the hourly rate you can sell time as a product or a boiler service etc. People understand products as they have a price as opposed to a service which may not have a fixed price so make sure you do this as often as you can.
Sounds simple doesn’t it. I have advised numerous new ventures at idea stage that before they start choosing brands and developing websites, business cards and touring offices they should spend some good solid time on their exact proposition. Who will be the client and as importantly why should they buy from you?
At start point you need to understand your product in very finite detail as if you don’t your client never will and why should they? What exactly does your product do for the client? And yes, it is exactly not generic. For instance, there are lots of emotive reasons why we buy certain types of cars, but the core reason and benefit are for the method of travel that they allow us. We want to get from A to B. That is the core benefit of a car.
They have lots of features and advantages that add weight to the buyer journey without doubt and will also preference one over another but if they did not move the features are pretty pointless. It is this we buy. You must think of what you sell in the same way. What does it really do?
Your job is to sell it to them not for them to have to work hard to understand it. Like buses another one will be along soon.
Too many businesses miss this very important point. I find too that some advice centres and business coaches and mentors do too as they have never sold so therefore don’t understand the importance. If you cannot sell you likely will not succeed.
Now you get what it is you have made, invented or developed you need to now understand fully who will buy it and why would they buy it? What is it that this provides that they need or want? What problem are you solving and who has that problem? That’s your customer and your pitch all in one. Remember too we are all generally selfish and lazy so you need to know the features and advantages of what it is but, it is the benefit that sells it.
What does it do for your client, save time, money, improve their life? This is what will cause an action to purchase in them. You will also need to consider how you sell it and market your product. This can be directly via mail order, the internet, advertising and employed sales people. Will you sell direct to the consumer or via a wholesaler or 3rd party such as a retail outlet.
Going forwards don’t forget some simple tasks like ask for the order. Often overlooked. And keep asking and keep telling clients what else you sell that they might buy. The easiest sell is to someone you have already sold to yet too many companies spend all their time searching out new unconnected clients rather than repeat or upsell the existing.
There is also networking and alongside choosing your event wisely you should not expect to sell at an event. Take the time to build relationships and carry the chat onwards to another day when the pitch mentality can settle in effectively.
So, that’s some of why I love sales and if you don’t anymore, or have lost your way then maybe I can help you love it again.
You can view this article from Brian Bush, Business Growth Specialist here
Norwich University of the Arts Alumni Start Their Own Animation Business
The Business Development Team at Hethel Innovation have been working with Studio Goblin for a number of months now, as part of the business support work conducted at NUA’s Ideas Factory. Studio Goblin are an animation company based in Norwich city centre with clients all around the world.
One of the earliest interactions with Studio Goblin was to help them get found more on Google. The team helped them to improve their SEO, as originally Studio Goblin did not appear even when searched directly. Since then the team has continued to work with Fraser and Luke on how they work with clients, how to find more clients and how to put themselves forward in the best way possible.
One big area of discussion between Studio Goblin and the Business Development Team has been how to improve the journey their customer’s go on. A continued stress point for Studio Goblin was the nature of bringing a client on board, and getting the right information out of them. After discussing at length with the team, a multi-pronged attack was thought of collectively. In order to remove steps of information gathering, one approach will be to improve the contact form on the website. Upon initial contact with Fraser and Luke a potential client will be asked for more details, including reference videos, length, project brief, and if they have a storyboard or character sketches. All this is information that SG have to ask for, and so by including it on their website in the future it will be a way of freeing up more time for the creative work the team excel at.
To compliment this direct approach, there has also been a lot of discussion about the use of blog posts and how Studio Goblin can demonstrate their expertise and thought leadership on the topic of animation, providing deeper confidence in their ability to potential new clients, as well as helping clients understanding of the level of work that goes into animation projects. This will also feed into SEO work as blogs are a great way to improve the discoverability of a site.
It has been a pleasure to see Studio Goblin grow over the past few months, with the team there reporting continuous growth of the brand and the projects they are undertaking!
I am thoroughly bored of podcasts. Anyone else? Everyone seems to have a podcast right now; and lockdowns around the globe prompted countless individuals to create millions more hours of pointless drivel. Why even bother?
Ouch! Was that a touch cynical? Yes! I cannot lie— I LOVE podcasts!
But—to some degree—is there an element of truth in thinking there are no interesting angles on any given subject left unexplored? Apple alone (far from the only place to get podcasts) carries more than 550,000 shows—north of 43 million individual episodes—and that number, like all internet statistics, climbs by the minute.
Most likely you will have recently taken one of those new podcasts for a spin. Perhaps you listened to one episode, maybe one and half? Weeks went by, and you eventually got the message ‘iTunes has stopped updating this podcast because you have not listened to any episodes recently.’ You unsubscribed. I do the same, many podcasts do not even survive the full duration of Episode 1. So, it is understandable that you might wonder if you have missed the boat for launching a podcast. Do listeners have the appetite for any new shows?
Yes. Categorically, 100%, yes! Sure, the podcasting boat sailed a long time ago, but many of the passengers are creating total garbage— and inevitably fall overboard when life gets in the way. There is ALWAYS an audience for CONSISTENT QUALITY!
So, how do you create a consistently high-quality podcast?
Short answer: Signing up to a podcast platform, recording, syndicating, and promoting are just routine procedures and housekeeping. You need to get those things right but—even done well—they are not going to magically create a podcast anyone would listen to. Get your strategy nailed down before anything else! Reach a point of absolute clarity about why you want to launch a podcast, and who really needs it in their lives.
1. Produce entertainment or useful—actionable—information, not advertising! The business podcast arena is especially saturated; the category has been bloated by the low-to-no investment required to throw a handful of episodes into a free publicity channel. Creating a podcast with hopes it will become a promotional vehicle for your business is short-sighted.
Listeners are discerning, they can smell a superficial PR exercise from a mile away. Too many podcasters launch for no deeper reason than increasing exposure for their business or making a name for themselves. But, honestly, do any of us really want to listen to another narcissistic wannapreneur documenting their hustle and their gratitude journaling?
If you regularly create episodes that listeners are eager to hear—giving them something of value—good karma for your brand or personal reputation will take care of itself.
2. Prepare every episode. Almost every podcast I have deleted shared two common faults: they were freewheeling and unfocused. Two or three people had gathered in a studio, confident their collective expertise and humour would effortlessly align into a great podcast— but the result was often muddy, aimless, and lengthy. Episodes should be researched, planned, and produced.
You will no doubt have seen a celebrity on a chat show respond to a question (without a moment’s hesitation) with a word-perfect, truly hilarious, anecdote that just happens to be about their new movie. Wow! Are they simply gifted in the art of spontaneous sparkling conversation? Unlikely. The host and guest almost certainly discussed the setup question that would seamlessly segue into the story at just the right moment.
Prepare your questions, brief your guests, do your background research. Choose to wing it, and you will likely end up recording hours of rambling small talk.
3. Commit to the work involved. Planning and producing something that is worth listening to is seriously hard work, and it is going to occupy a lot of time in your calendar. Linda Holmes of NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour said in an interview with The Guardian, “People have a really inaccurate understanding of how much work they [podcasts] are, both from a content point and especially from a production standpoint. People don’t understand that people who produce high-quality chat shows spend a lot of time editing and cutting them. Don’t be in the position of thinking that for the low, low price of a couple of hours of work a week you can make something that is going to make something that sounds like it came out of BuzzFeed.”
4. Deliver on time. Work to a schedule. If you promise a weekly show, deliver a weekly show. Delivering on schedule reassures listeners that you are committed, that you have a plan, that it is worth subscribing. Superficial vanity podcasts seem to be all-or-nothing; the host will use some downtime to upload an episode every day for a couple of weeks, then go AWOL for months while they work on other projects. Upload sporadically, or go quiet for too long, and subscribers will assume you quit.
5. Consider outsourcing production. Full disclosure, JMS Group is a recording studio near Norwich that regularly records business podcasts, so I am somewhat biased toward capturing the very best audio possible! That said…
You can record a podcast on your phone with reasonable—but less than ideal—results. As a minimum though, I would start out purchasing a high-quality condenser microphone, headphones, and a professional audio interface for a couple of hundred quid on Amazon (check out Focusrite’s excellent Scarlett range). The results will be dramatically more professional than using the inbuilt microphone on any device. Plus, you can use the same kit to seriously dial-up your audio quality on Zoom calls.
So— with inexpensive equipment available for next-day delivery, it might feel like wild extravagance to consider booking a professional recording studio. Yet, many business podcasters (especially those recording with multiple guests or connecting with guests remotely) choose to hire a studio— strategically delegating parts of the process that do not require their personal attention. Preparing a quiet room for a recording, arranging two or three microphones, making sure the audio is capturing correctly, then spending hours editing the episode, writing accompanying text, and getting it all uploaded is— well, a faff that someone else can worry about!
Artists creating albums are often booked into top-flight studios to work with big-name producers and engineers. Most artists are entirely capable of operating a studio themselves (they likely have decent studios at home) but booking somewhere else gets them ‘in the zone’ and frees them to do the stuff they are best at, while someone else takes care of the technical stuff. A pro studio also brings more pairs of ears—and more years of experience—to an album than if it had remained a solo endeavour. An experienced producer can be transformative.
The same will be true for your podcast; you could do it all yourself—you might even really enjoy doing it yourself—but if producing and engineering are not in your wheelhouse, there are plenty of ready-to-roll podcast recording studios that can make you sound like a professional right from Episode 1.
Tom Vaughan-Mountford is an expert in audio and video marketing for SMEs. He has more than twenty years’ experience in production and post-production for broadcasters, major advertising agencies, and name-brands. He is a regular writer on the media industry, a columnist at Brand Chief Magazine, and an author. Tom is a senior creative at JMS Group, a long-established commercial production company and sound recording studio near Norwich.
Let’s face it, we’ve all had times when we’ve popped a post up on Instagram, and…well…nothing. Or at least, not a lot. Sometimes, posting on social media feels a bit like shouting into the abyss. And almost without fail, it’s the post that you really worked hard on, and really want to do well, that is the one that bombs. But what if there was a failsafe way that you could guarantee engagement on your posts? Wouldn’t you snap our 24 fingers off? For many Instagramers, this is why they enter into the world of engagement pods.
But, before you nestle yourself in amongst your fellow peas in one of those aforementioned engagement pods, let us have a little word in your shell-like: do your research, and know what you’re getting into. Because we’re here to tell you that Instagram engagement pods, unfortunately, don’t always work.
What is an engagement pod?
Of course, you may be wondering what on earth an Instagram engagement pod even is. Well, the long and the short of it is several Instagrammers who form a group (or ‘pod’) in order to increase the engagement on each other’s posts.
The usual set up is that once a day, you all share the link to what you’d like boosted. This is either in a private message on Instagram itself or on another platform entirely, such as WhatsApp. Everyone in the pod then goes and leaves a bit of love on the post. This is done through adding comments, likes or shares to each other’s posts, usually within a short space of time in order to trick the algorithm into thinking your post is the most popular thing since sliced bread.
A great way of boosting engagement, yes? Well, yes and no. Yes, you can get lots of likes and comments very quickly, which is always an ego boost if nothing more.https://giphy.com/embed/KJCsv8KcpwHjG
But unfortunately the algorithm is cleverer than we think, and becoming cleverer by the day.
Don’t lower yourself to the level of the bots
So, as we were saying, the algorithm is cleverer than we think: in 2018, Instagram announced that it was committed to reducing inauthentic activity. This included cracking down on bots, fake accounts, spam and, yep, you’ve guessed it, artificial engagement.
And you may wonder how it can tell that you’re using an engagement pod. A like’s a like, right? Like, it is, but like, when it comes from the same set of users on every post, and the same sort of comments are applied to your posts time and time again, the algorithm can certainly don its super sleuth outfit and keep an eye on inauthentic activity. And if Instagram does suspect your account of using an engagement pod to boost your likes and comments, it could suppress the reach of your post. Or worse: you run the risk of being banned from the platform altogether *gulps*.https://giphy.com/embed/ZikyVyLF7aEaQ
There’s a lot to be said for authenticity
Aside from the risk of being given the boot from Insta, there’s much to be said for being authentically you. We’re not about to get all motivational quote on you, but think about it: if you’re an influencer and it transpires you’re using an engagement pod to boost your likes and comments, you won’t appear to have that engaged following you sold your services on originally.
And for brands who are part of a pod, unless it’s very much in line with your niche, do you want to be commenting on other people’s posts as your brand? Besides, the usual ‘nice photo’ comment won’t cut the mustard; you need to make sure it’s meaningful if you want to trick the algorithm, which can be time consuming. Furthermore, likes very much do not equal sales when they come from engagement pods; these people are your peers, sometimes your competition, so they are less likely to buy from you than organic followers.
And on top of all of this, if you’re skewing your analytics with fake engagement, how are you going to work out how your posts are really doing, going forward?https://giphy.com/embed/64afibPa7ySzhFAf00
Be less engagement pod, and more your own little pea
If you do decide not to go down the route of using an engagement pod, what can you do to boost your engagement naturally? Well, if you’ve been listening to anything that your Aunty 24 fingers has been telling you for the past however long, there are lots and lots of things you can do:
Put good quality content out there.
Build your network and find your own little tribe.
Engage naturally with other accounts as they are likely to take note and engage back.
Post consistently to both your feed and your stories.
Be yourself: no one else does *that* thing that you do so well, so sell that.
And if you need more ideas for increasing your Instagram engagement, we’ve got a course for that. If you want to know more, get in touch and let our very own 24 fingers drop some love on your posts in the form of good quality, engaging social media planning, training and management.
You can view the original blog and more from 24 fingers here
In March, we hosted the first episode of Buxton Insights: a series where we share our knowledge and expertise. This time, we talked about The New Norm, and the available opportunities for traditional Business to Business (B2B) businesses to move to a Direct to Consumer (D2C) model. Keep reading to find out how you can build a D2C channel in 4 easy steps.
CHANGE
Let’s start by looking at what’s changed over the past year. At the start of the pandemic, executives were asked how quickly they expected to see an increase in customer demand for online sales. They estimated that it would take 585 days. In reality, it took only 22 days.
This shift towards digital isn’t new, but it has been accelerated by Covid. The digitalisation of consumer behaviour has progressed 3-4 years in less than 1.
We know that we’re not going ‘back to normal’. Increased digitalisation is the new normal, and it’s making our lives easier and more affordable. With the ability to shop for anything at the click of a button, access healthcare on-demand, take part in events online through platforms like Clubhouse and Instagram, and work flexibly and remotely, digitalisation is saving us money and allowing us more time to spend with loved ones.
To change this now would be regressive.
The fall of Arcadia and Debenhams shows us that the high street has finally collapsed. Against this backdrop, John Lewis has spent £150m on a Milton Keynes warehouse that serves online operations, and M&S has announced that it will stock rival brands online to attract a greater customer base. The brands that fail to adapt risk being left behind – but those who have done successfully are dominating the market.
LOOKING FORWARD
For businesses who have been impacted by Covid, whose customer base has been impacted or those who are perhaps experiencing a ‘lumpier’ order book than before, it might be time to look at new strategies and opportunities to achieve growth.
A D2C SOLUTION
We believe in acting proactively, not reactively.
Acting reactively is building a website or an online channel for your B2B manufacturing business. It’s not thought through, it’s not targeted or strategic. It’s not the same as having a D2C brand.
When we talk about acting proactively, we’re talking about building a D2C model for your business. This is a carefully constructed brand with insight, analysis and the consumer at the forefront.
Here’s how to build a D2C channel for your business.
STEP 1: KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER
Get to know your customer. What makes them tick? Where do they shop? What music do they listen to? Understand how to connect with them on an emotional level.
STEP 2: DEFINE YOUR BRAND
Using your understanding of your customer, define your brand. What do you promise to deliver? What can your brand offer them that others can’t?
STEP 3: GET CREATIVE
Now that you know your customer inside out and what value your brand offers them, you can work out how to communicate with them visually.
STEP 4: PERFECT YOUR EXPERIENCE
Every interaction that your customer has with your brand comes into play now. Your social media channels, website, ordering system and product packaging influence your customer’s experience. If you’ve communicated with them well up to this stage, your new D2C brand will be a success.
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If you’d like to hear more about the 4 steps to building your own D2C channel, or how we built Dough and Glory – a D2C brand from a traditional B2B manufacturer – get in touch with us at buildbrands@buxtonthreetwo.com.
