Member News

“Why am I sharing the most valuable skill I’ve learned in Sales & Marketing?”

By Nial Adams, The PUSH Academy

Back in 1999 I started to learn something that would prove to be the most important business skill I now possess.

In fact, it’s just about the most important thing I’ve learned, ever…

Ethical Influence and the Power of Persuasion.

Why?

Because it underpins all aspects of Sales & Marketing, it’s the juice that drives the results you’re looking for.

And yet it’s a subject that so many people have never really been exposed to, or learned how to use effectively.

My own Mentor explained to me like this –

“Nial, when you get this, really get this, at a deep and emotional level there is only one question left… your integrity.”

I’ll be honest, at that time I didn’t really get it, or at least I didn’t really understand just how important this knowledge was to become to me.

Today it represents a huge part of my skill and experience, it helps my clients and I’m proud of the reputation I’ve gained as a result.

If you’ve ever attended any of my Seminars or Training Events you’ll know that I’m often referencing the work of Prof Robert Cialdini and his seminal work on Influence and Persuasion.

Learning this stuff completely changed my approach to marketing and selling. The results were instant and have been long-lasting.

Lots of people have asked me when am I going to run an event that really gets into this topic and, most of all, how it can be used; effectively and ethically.

Well, it’s here…

Next month I’ll be running the first seminar event on Influential Sales & Marketing. And honestly, I’ve not been this excited for some time!

Ashley, I want you to be there to find out what all the fuss is about and how this can change your results too.

I’m going to lift the lid on this topic and share with you exactly how this works and why.

Of course, seats are going to be strictly limited and it’s going to be a ‘sell-out’ event for sure. But then you’d expect me to say that, right? 😉

So if you’re looking for that elusive gold-dust that makes the magic happen…

I really want you to join me on the 7th July, in Norwich. And I promise you it will be worth it!

There’s an Early Bird Offer live now and by claiming your Enterprise Training Credits you can save up to 75% on the Standard Ticket price and bring a guest with you for free.

So if you’re interested, or even mildly curious, then check out the link below where you’ll get all the information you need and grab your sponsored seat(s) now.

I hope to see you there, you can book here.

Nial

PS. And like everything I do there’s a 100% Money-Back Guarantee on this event; so the only way you can lose out is by not attending!

PPS. If you can think of anyone else that would find this valuable please accept my invitation to share this message.

Interested in the history of art and thinking about returning to study, part-time or full-time? Consider applying to UEA’s introductory course in Art History.

This course is aimed at adults who are interested in the history of art, and who would like an introduction to the key skills, techniques and concepts needed to learn more about art and its historical meanings.

Beginning in late September 2014, Studying Art History will consist of 10 evening classes, taught in the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts by members of faculty from the School of Art History and World Art Studies. This course will involve the close study of artworks, and will develop students’ presentation and writing skills whilst introducing them to methods of analysis, research and interpretation used by art historians as well as archaeologists and anthropologists of art.

If you are 21 or over, have some post-16 formal qualifications (for example, BTEC, A levels or a degree in another discipline) which you gained three or more years ago, and have an interest in studying the history of artistic, visual and material cultures, this course is for you.

The deadline for applications is Friday 25 July 2014. For more information please contact: 01603 592286 or email art.introcourses@uea.ac.uk.

Connect-Ed 2014 will be focused on business , and will create a great opportunity for teachers, career advisors and support staff to engage and connect with business leaders based in Norfolk.

We would like your help during the day to share your knowledge and experience .

Promoting Knowledge and Careers

The main theme that runs throughout the day is “Getting Connect-Ed”, a real chance for those working with young people every day to get an insight into business, careers, and how business employers recruit.

Connect-Ed is about just that, getting connected. Developing young people, and providing opportunities for them to progress into the world of work, needs a network of people working together, informed about how the other operates day-to-day. Connect-Ed is about bringing those people together and sharing that knowledge.

The day will consist of a combination of presentations and interactive sessions. We would look to group those attending into small focus groups made up of teachers, careers staff, training providers and employers. Each focus group would contain 8-12 members with at least a half of the group made up of attending employers and encourage the sharing of knowledge, ideas, and career opportunities within the sector.

For more details you can visit our page on the Chamber Members event listing here – Connect-Ed

Or Visit our website here – Inspired Youth Connect-Ed 2014where you can book your place

Following significant discussions between the two companies SSCS appoints SERS Group as their agents covering Singapore, Vietnam, Philippines, China and Hong Kong from their Singapore HQ for SSCS’s range of scour control solutions effective for 2 years from 17th June.

SERS Group is a global subsea specialist service provider. By combining experience and expertise SERS Group designs and delivers tailor-made, professional, safe and cost effective solutions to clients in the Oil & Gas, shipbuilding and subsea telecom industries world-wide.

https://sersgroup.net

Macmillan Cancer Support – Charity Golf Day Sponsored by NFU Mutual

Sunday 10th August 2014 – Eaton Golf Club • Coffee & Bacon Roll on Arrival from 10am for 11am tee off • Prizes: Best Team/Single score, nearest pin, longest drive & more • Dinner & Presentation • £35 per person (£140 per team) All profits to Macmillan Cancer Support (Call Will Roffey on 07812622754 or william_roffey@nfumutual.co.uk to book your ticket)

With cardiac arrests causing around 100,000 deaths in the UK a year it is no surprise that there is an increasing number of stories appearing in the press about people whose lives have been saved with the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (or AED for short) like the boy in Wigan who collapsed at the gym or the man who was rescued from certain death at the Sandringham estate.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is caused by something called ventricular fibrillation, this is an electrical malfunction of the heart, and this stops the blood pumping to the body and brain due to an abnormal heart rhythm known as arrhythmia.

So how do defibrillators help? They work by delivering a small electrical current to the chest; this should shock the heart back into a normal rhythm and allowing it to pump again. Rapid response using an AED can also increase the quality of life for the survivor; this is because the longer the brain is starved of oxygen the more damage is caused, this can happen in a matter of minutes.

With ambulance response times increasing it is becoming more and more necessary to have AED’s on hand especially in rural or hard to reach areas. And even general businesses, leisure centres, gyms and schools are all now investing in AED’s so they can be prepared for the unexpected.

Most AEDs have a storage life of 5 years; they also perform their own maintenance check making these a great asset to any business for that extra added peace of mind.

It is important to note that a defibrillator should only be used in the event of a cardiac arrest and not a heart attack, as most people confuse the two we have put together a handy infographic attached to the article which explains the difference for you.

If you are interested in buying a defibrillator, you can view our range of defibrillators online or speak to our award-winning and friendly customer service team who will be happy to help and answer any questions you may have.

SSCS is pleased to have welcomed back Wayne Hall as a returning Service Engineer on June 7th following a short period away from the company.

SSCS is proud of its staff retention rate providing long term careers in a variety of roles to over 25 permanent local employees, along with up to 10 additional on-call engineers.

SSCS are featured in this month’s SPE Magazine celebrating 30 years servicing the offshore energymarkets by providing permanent low cost scour protection for assets including platform legs, subsea pipelines, wind turbine foundations, etc. This article also promotes our newly finishedanimated video that demonstrates how the SSCS Frond Mats provide this level of protection, andthe installation methods used for deployment.

The video and full article are available from https://www.spe-gy.co.uk/, and will be available from our website shortly.

TVC will be moving to new premises over the next two months.

The move is as a result of ever increasing demand for our products and the integration of the ASAMS Subsea MPI equipment manufacture. It will also allow the entire company to be under one roof for the first time since 2007.

The ASAMS MPI manufacturing facility has already moved in to the new building with the bulk of the company following over the next couple of months.

Further details will be posted once the move is complete.

At ESE Direct we pride ourselves on getting the best people in to our team. Everyone at ESE Direct is dedicated, enthusiastic and passionate about what they do.

ESE Direct has been enjoying a year on year growth for the last four years and with that comes the expansion of our warehouse by 40% and growing our team of truly talented individuals.

We have especially been growing our team steadily in 2014 and our newest members are Kelly Raynsford who very recently joined us as our newest Sales Co-ordinator and Julie Davidson who joined in February as our Sales Development Executive.

We were thrilled when Julie joined us in February; she brings with her a wealth of experience in sales having previously worked at a major educational book retailer as well as a national pest control company.

You may hear from Julie in the very near future to see whether we can help with any of your business product requirements.

Kelly joins us from Quotatis where she was as an account manager having previously worked at BT Local Business; she has experience in lead generation, sales as well as knowing the importance of customer service.

So the next time you call through to our team you may very well be talking with Kelly.

We are also growing our I.T department and we have welcomed Kevin Tootill who has previous experience with Aviva, RAC and the Co-Op. Kev will be helping to develop and optimise the website as well as increasing performance across mobile device channels.

We give Kevin, Kelly and Julie a warm welcome and look forward to their contribution to the ESE Direct family.

A recent survey conducted by Airport Parking and Hotels has revealed that of the UK’s 25 main airports Norwich International Airport is one of only four to provide passengers with unlimited free Wi-Fi access throughout the terminal building.

Gary Blake, Customer Services Manager of Norwich International said: “We see the provision of unlimited free Wi-Fi access as essential to our passengers experience as so many people now travel with Smartphone’s, tablets and laptops. In addition, we also offer a free to use Business Zone which is a dedicated quiet area within our departure lounge offering free access to a Wi-Fi printer, charging points and work stations to enable our business travellers to keep connected with their office or prepare for their next meeting while waiting for their flight”.

The other airports providing unlimited Wi-Fi access were named as Aberdeen, Birmingham and London City.

If you provide goods or services to consumer customers you will need to review your current terms of business and sales practices to ensure that you comply with new legislation coming into force on 13 June 2014. The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2014 will affect you if:

• You sell goods or services to consumers online
• You sell goods or services to consumers by telephone
• You sell goods or services to consumers in their own homes
• You sell goods or services to consumers from a shop or business premises, including a market stall
• You sell digital content to consumers via either a tangible medium (such as a CD or DVD) or intangible medium (downloads)

The new Regulations apply to both sole traders and to those trading through a business entity such as a limited company or partnership. You will still need to comply with the new Regulations even if you trade through an agent or sub-contractor or if you are a government department, local or public authority.

However, you will not be affected by the new Regulations if:

• You only sell to other businesses
• You sell goods or services to consumers but the type of goods or services that you sell are exempt under the Regulations (for example package travel services, financial services or consumables provided by roundsmen such as milkmen)

The new Regulations replace the Distance Selling Regulations (The Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000) and the Doorstop Selling Regulations (The Cancellation of Contracts made in a Consumer’s Home or Place of Work etc. Regulations 2008). The steps which must be taken to ensure compliance with the new Regulations will vary for each business but some of the issues that you may need to consider include:

• Information requirements – do you provide all of the information required under the new Regulations? Are you providing the information at the correct time and in an appropriate medium?
• Delivery – can you comply with the requirement to deliver goods within 30 days? If not, do you have a procedure in place to obtain your customer’s consent to delayed delivery? Do you need to renegotiate terms with your courier company?
• Cancellation rights – have you updated your terms of business to reflect the extended cooling off period of 14 calendar days under the new Regulations? Have you made the Model Cancellation Form available to your customers?
• Returns & refunds -have you reflected the new rules on returns and refunds in your terms of business? In particular, have you made it clear how goods must be returned and who must pay for the return, what time limits apply to returns and when you may make a deduction from a refund to reflect any diminished value of the goods returned? Do your terms make it clear that you will not pay any refund until goods are returned (or evidence of their return is provided)?
• Ancillary contracts – are you aware that any ancillary contracts you enter into (such as warranties or service contracts) will automatically terminate if the customer cancels the main contract? Have you discussed how you will handle this with any third party providers you may have arrangements with?
• Additional payments – are you aware that you must now obtain your customer’s express consent before taking any additional payments (no pre-ticked boxes allowed)
• Premium rate telephone lines – you must not make your customers call a premium rate line to discuss an order they have placed with you. Do you need to use a new contact number?
• No excessive payment surcharges – do you need to revise the methods of payment that you will accept in light of the ban on imposing additional charges if customers pay by certain means, such as credit or debit card?
• Pay now – if you trade online you must clearly mark any button or method to pay with wording such as “order with obligation to pay”. In its guidance, BIS has suggested using “pay now” buttons.

Failure to comply with the new Regulations can render your contracts unenforceable and, in some cases, will amount to a criminal offence.

If you would like further guidance on the steps that your business must take to comply with the new Regulations please contact Kitty Rosser on 01603 281141.