The Brighton Business Curry Club

Most Valuable Thing That You Learned Last Year?

2014-05-30T09:19:00.001+01:00

Here’s the latest Brighton Business Curry Club video. This month we focused on finding out what the most valuable thing was that our interviewee’s learned in the last year. As always the responses were as diverse as the types of businesses represented at the Curry Club, from food distributers to corporate tax to camping and foreign property.

The idea behind these videos is to harness some of the expertise in the room and offer it to the broader community. It’s always a struggle to get round lots of people at any networking event and time often seems to slip away. With videos like this we aim to extend the exposure of the businesses in the room by asking them to share their knowledge and offer some value to a wider audience.

Video courtesy of David Kilkelly from Blink Back Video

Top Networking Tips

2014-04-14T08:09:00.001+01:00

The Brighton Business Curry Club is a monthly event that combines Business Networking with a sit down curry meal and a bar for drinks. I’ve been several times and although it could be construed as ‘work’, drinking beer, eating curry and talking to interesting entrepreneurs and business owners is not exactly ‘work’ by my definition.

I’d spoken to Nick Harvey who runs the club on a few occasions about a videos and this was the fist month that those talks came to fruition. I’ll be producing further videos for the next events in May and onwards.

What I wanted to do with the video was give them some value. I saw little point in producing several promotional videos that all said the same thing so Nick and I decided on some themes and the first one is ‘Top Networking Tips’. Hopefully this not only gives and idea of what the Curry Club is like but also offers some broader insight into networking in general and why it’s a useful pursuit for businesses to undertake.

I’d like to thank the following individuals for taking part in the film.

James Wright – Streamline Taxis : http://www.streamlinetaxis.org/

Andrew Lake - Laughing Donkey Entertainments : http://www.ldentertainments.co.uk/

Caraline Brown – Brighton and Hove Business Awards : http://www.bahba.co.uk/

Chris Mansfield – Davenport Property Investments: http://www.davenport-wealth.com/

Jayne Hopper – Reach for Nutrition : http://reachfornutrition.co.uk/

Nick Harvey – Harvey Marketing Company : http://harveymarketingcompany.co.uk/

There are some photos from the event at Paul Fletchers site here

http://www.paulfletcherphotography.co.uk/photoblog/2014/04/happy-4th-birthday-brighton-business-curry-club/

Watch this space for more business Curry Club tips next month!

David Kilkelly

Director

BlinkBack Video Marketing

NEWS: Outstanding by Ofsted

2014-04-09T09:25:00.000+01:00

Chichester College have been rated Outstanding by Ofsted, including Work based learning and to celebrate, they are offering all local businesses the opportunity to train up their existing staff as apprentices for free, any age, as long as they don’t already have a degree.

This offer is for is open until 31^st May 2014.

To find out more, contact their Head of Business Development.

..Marketing, Team Leading, Management, Customer Service, Business Administration, and many more!

Sue Garman

Head of Business Development

Chichester College

Tel: 01243 786321 extension 2153

Mob: 07917 243988

Susan.garman@chichester.ac.uk

African Adventures - Orphanage Funding

2014-01-20T08:49:00.003+00:00

Guest post submitted via Sharna. Robs daughter at Davenport Wealth.

I know that we are all regularly asked to help or sponsor various people for various events.

However I hope to gather support from the local business community of Brighton & Hove to sponsor me.

In return for sponsorship I will be giving up half (3 weeks) of my school summer holiday to volunteer to teach and help in anyway I can in an orphanage in Ghana.

I have never done anything at all like this before and, I will be stepping way out of my comfort zone to, travel with some school friends (10) to Africa.

To be able to both pay my way on the trip and also provide a small amount of funding for the orphanage I have a target to raise £2,500. Of this £900 will pay for my flights, approximately £650 will go towards security and accommodation, the remainder of what I raise will go directly to the ongoing financial support of the orphanage.

I began fundraising in November and have managed to raise £500 so far thanks to the

generosity of many people.

I will be asking for sponsorship at the February curry club, in return I would ask all those who choose to sponsor me, place a business card alongside their donation, in return for this I will be holding a prize draw with the winner receiving two tickets for one of this seasons Twenty-Twenty Cricket Matches.

A little about me:

My name is Sharna Pelling, I am just 15 years old and am a student at Blatchington Mill School.

Below you will find a link to African Adventures, the company I will be a volunteer with, if you would like to discover more, please click on the link below.

http://www.african-adventures.co.uk/

Thank you in advance for your kind generosity and support.

Sharna.

Your Guide to Restaurants in Brighton - Guest Post

2013-12-30T14:35:00.000+00:00

Restaurants Brighton is built in collaboration with local Brighton people who have a

background in tourism and hospitality, and have a passion for great food.

The Restaurants Brighton restaurant guide - a portal for Brighton, Hove and wider Sussex is compiled together for its users, so you can easily select between different category listings, so you can quickly find what you are looking for.

- See more at: http://restaurantsbrighton.co.uk/#sthash.hQrYHcJB.dpuf

Here are a few of the most popular pages on the food website.

Best Breakfasts and Brunches in Brighton, Hove and Sussex

suggestions for where we would recommend for a good breakfast or brunch in Brighton, Hove and Sussex. - See more at: http://restaurantsbrighton.co.uk/best-breakfast-and-brunches-in-brighton-hove-sussex/#sthash.ohbKkT9W.dpuf

Sunday Lunches in Brighton, Hove and Sussex

Restaurants Brighton Top Ten – Voted By YOU

Indian Restaurants in Brighton and Hove

Gluten Free Restaurants in Brighton and Hove

Child Friendly Restaurants – Brighton, Hove, Sussex

Restaurants in Brighton Marina

A Visitors Guide to Restaurants in Brighton

Being a tourist in a different city gives you plenty of different adventures and challenges, particularly when it comes to finding a good restaurant. You just don’t want to be disappointed; you want to find and eat the best food in town.
You may be searching for a restaurant in Brighton because you’re here for a weekender, a holiday, or you are discovering the city because of a stint with work. No matter the reason, we have all been there in a new place. You arrive somewhere and you want to make the most of your time in a city and you want to be pointed in the right direction. You may be looking for a candle-lit dinner, award-winning cuisine, or you may be looking for somewhere quiet and boutique so you can impress a work contact; different budgets and companions call for different restaurants.
Restaurants Brighton is built in collaboration with local Brighton people who have a background in tourism and hospitality, and a passion for great food. Our restaurant guide for Brighton, Hove and wider Sussex is drawn together for its users and the information featured is from a local’s perspective and is an effort to highlight the great restaurant options available to you. We aren’t food experts or chefs (but we do like a good feed!) and we are thankful to a team of chefs and independent proprietors in the city who encourage our exploratory attitude to food.

- See more at: http://restaurantsbrighton.co.uk/restaurants-in-brighton/#sthash.TEvBDacj.dpuf

Where to Find a Good Curry in Brighton and Hove - Guest Post

2013-12-26T13:30:00.001+00:00

Fancy a Curry?

Can't wait until the next Brighton Business curry club and in need of a curry?

Take a look at the most comprehensive curry listing for Brighton and Hove.

Featuring some of the best in the city, a list put together by our January event partner ' Restaurants Brighton.'

“Indian cuisine is the general name for the foods of the Indian subcontinent, characterized by the extensive use of various spices, herbs, and other vegetables, and sometimes fruits grown in India and also for the widespread practice of vegetarianism in Indian society. Each family of Indian cuisine includes a wide assortment of dishes and cooking techniques. As a consequence, it varies from region to region, reflecting the varied demographics of the ethnically-diverse subcontinent.” Source: Wiki Pedia.

For more information about the best Indian restaurants Brighton, view the complete listing just here.

Here are the top 3 Indian restaurants in no particular order. Click on each restaurant to find the comprehensive feature on the Restaurants Brighton website:

The Eastern Eye

Chaulas of Brighton and Lewes

Indian Summer

Guest post submitted by our January event partner - RestaurantsBrighton.co.uk

Here are our top three Brighton and Hove Indian restaurants based on authenticity, value for money and of course flavour. These aren’t restaurants that have been adapted for the English palette – these Indian restaurants and curry houses are the real deal. They are listed in no particular order: - See more at: http://restaurantsbrighton.co.uk/indian-restaurants-curry-houses-brighton-hove/#sthash.JcuM7rod.dpuf

Here are our top three Brighton and Hove Indian restaurants based on authenticity, value for money and of course flavour. These aren’t restaurants that have been adapted for the English palette – these Indian restaurants and curry houses are the real deal. - See more at: http://restaurantsbrighton.co.uk/indian-restaurants-curry-houses-brighton-hove/#sthash.JcuM7rod.dpuf

Social Media Aggregation

2013-12-02T14:34:00.000+00:00

Does social media even work for my business?

This is the question everyone seems to ask me.

Well it’s a free notice board to millions of people so it should… shouldn’t it? – Social Media is now more crucial than ever within a robust digital marketing campaign.

With such a large number of platforms available, it’s a daunting task to know where to start and what to say.

Social Media Aggregation helps to organise and simplify the user’s social networking experience, aiding users to keep updates concurrent across all of their networking platforms.

Perhaps you would like Facebook to post a link every time you update your blog, or Twitter to post a photo when you update your Instagram.

These rules will help keep your social network thriving and your presence ubiquitous.

Clever ink not only integrates your Social Media communications with existing marketing strategy – but also utilises Social Media aggregation to ensure that all relevant platforms and tools are brought into play…

The performance of each platform and tool is then measured to ascertain what really works for you, your customers and your business.

For more information, contact our December events sponsors:

www.cleverink.co.uk

Infographics

2013-11-28T17:58:00.000+00:00

A crash course in Infographics by those clever rascals at Cleverink.co.uk.

As part of our talk at the Christmas Curry Club we will be asking for a little bit of data from all that attend. It will not hurt a bit! From this we will produce an infographic to illustrate our findings.

If you don't know about infographics they're the humble pie chart's fitter sister.

In short one sexy way to convey data.

To get an idea of how this works have a quick look at the one we produced from last month BBCC.

How did we do this you say?

Well woven into our witty patter whilst chatting to people on our tables we slipped in a few questions in and noted the answers. From this data we produced the following artwork.

To get a handle on the metric please note the scale for one person to the left of the page.

Looking at the smallest spot size that represents one person you can quickly reference the rest of our findings.

Beautiful, insightful & fun - Welcome to infographic mania. So the more info we gather at the Christmas BBCC on the 10th Dec the better our artwork will be. No pressure!

To check our more about how Cleverink work their magic check out www.cleverink.co.uk

Content First

2013-11-25T14:27:00.001+00:00

Latest research states that in 2012 on site attention or engagement lasts just eight seconds.

That means you have as long as it takes to tie your shoelaces to get your services and point of difference across on YOUR website… makes you think doesn’t it!

The principal weapon in communicating your message is well-written text.

This is just as important as your images and design but all to often not considered properly.

At the end of the day it's the deal closer when people finally decide to contact a potential supplier.

The design of a web page should aid the reader’s experience to absorb information and support the message.

This is why content first design is winning eyeballs across the Internet.

As it says this design movement is clean, simple and content light meaning your pitch, perception, pricing and personality are clear.

To see our beautiful, clean content first design for local superstar architect Koldo Gill please click here: www.koldoandco.com or check us out at www.cleverink.co.uk

Post submitted by Cleverink, sponsors of the December Christmas Curry Club.

Corporate Videos Part 2

2013-08-15T09:05:00.001+01:00

How To Make Your Corporate Look Professional

Following on from the last video blog about why a business would need a corporate film, this blog will go into how to make your corporate film look professional.

Planning a corporate film to help promote your business to others can be tricky.

It’s easy to get bogged down in trying to cover everything and often the person watching the video is left bored or confused by the bombardment of information thrown at them. Here are some things to be aware of when planning your corporate film.

Think About Your Audience:

Don’t think of your audience as a business or the general public. Your audience are all people and need to be treated as such. All people want to be entertained and if you want them to watch your video properly then you need to give them stimulating visuals and interesting dialogue. Use the language of cinema to draw people in as most people watch films so this is the visual language they are used to.

Don’t Try To Say Too Much:

Don’t try to say too much as it will confuse your audience. Make your video focused and easy to understand. A picture says a thousand words so make sure you storyboard your film before you shoot and include lots of cutaways and still images to emphasise the points you are trying to make.

Music:

Music is a powerful tool which can help an audience connect to your video emotionally. It can also liven up what might otherwise be a very dry part of the video. When choosing your music, make sure that you have the right licence to use it. Otherwise you may be restricted as to where you can show your video which would be a great shame having worked so hard on it.

Production Value:

Remember that this video represents your company so production value is key. Good ways to give your video that professional Hollywood look is to use steady-cam shots & crane/jib shots. The use of cinematic lenses with shallow depth of field (out of focus areas) really helps as well. Another way to add production value is cinematic colour grading. This can be a really useful post production tool to make your video look exciting and unique. Titles are very important. If your lovely new video has horrible low resolution titles then you will ruin all the good work you have done. Use particle effects in post production to create stylish transitions for the titles.

Call To Action:

At the end of your film you should include a ‘call to action’. This gives the person watching your video a way to find out more about your company or even better, use your service or buy your product. A great way to achieve this with video is to put hot-links on the video itself. This means all your audience has to do is click the link on the video and they will be taken to the relevant place. The benefit of this over putting the links below the video on your website is that the links will remain visible, even when people are not watching the video on your website and instead using a video sharing site such as Youtube.

Post submitted by Tom Kelly of Kelly Images.

Workplace ‘B’ashes 2013

2013-08-15T08:55:00.000+01:00

Are you looking for an alternative team building / corporate day out?

Or just simply looking to rejuvenate your staff during the summer months?

Join our venue partners the Sussex County Cricket Ground at the BrightonandHoveJobs.com County Ground in Hove on Wednesday 21st August from 1pm, to bash some balls and some business with other local companies at the home of Sussex County Cricket Club.

NO CRICKETING EXPERIENCE IS REQUIRED, softball cricket games will be played on the outfield at Hove.

Each team will play in 3-5 matches against other businesses, with prizes for the winners of the tournament.

There will be a BBQ from 4pm onwards with drinks throughout.

The cost will be £200 per team (Teams of eight, squads up to 12) which includes the BBQ and all the equipment required to play cricket.

There are limited spaces available so please send your entries to carl.tupper@sussexcricket.co.uk to confirm your businesses place.

Corporate Videos Part 1 : Why Do I Need One?

2013-07-01T14:58:00.001+01:00

Google

Videos on websites are gaining in popularity lately and many businesses are probably wondering if they should jump on the band wagon.

The first thing to find out is why businesses produce corporate videos as without this knowledge you won’t be able to plan yours properly.

One of the main reasons businesses are falling over themselves to produce videos now is because ever since Google purchased Youtube, video has been essential to getting top ratings in Google SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) standings.

Where’s The Humanity?

Video is the best medium to use for speaking directly to your clients or customers and encouraging them to pick up the phone. Businesses can use video to show that they are just people too and if done right can take away from the fear factor that some people have before first contacting companies.

Tutorials

Another reason some companies produce videos is to create tutorials for people to show competence in the chosen subject matter. I have filmed a number of these for clients and it is a well proven tactic for demonstrating knowledge in a certain area. Indeed, this is what I’m doing with this very blog!

Summarising Your Website

Websites which have a lot of information on them can benefit from a video which sits on top of the home page and briefly goes over the main points of the website. This means the viewer can get a basic understanding of what a company does without reading whole pages of text. The viewer can then choose to read the rest of the website for further more in depth information.

Branching Out

A video can be a good opportunity to try out a different marketing strategy, test the market for a new product or go after a different type of clientele without alienating your current clients or changing your current website. This is made even easier now as Google has introduced Adwords for Youtube videos, so you can make a marketing campaign around a series of videos and see what people are most interested in.

There are many reasons to get a video made for your business and I have given you a few good examples of how videos can be used in your companies marketing strategy. In the next blog I will talk about how to make your Corporate Video look professional and elevate your company above the competition. Until then if you have any questions about what I have talked about please feel free to contact me through the Kelly Images website.

Look out for part 2 - coming soon on The Brighton Business Curry Club Blog

Post submitted by our July event sponsor, Tom Kelly From Kelly Images

Sussex businesses encouraged to celebrate workplace learning

2013-04-24T08:02:00.003+01:00

Chris Parkinson, Head of Leadership at Dixons Retail and the man behind the army of outstanding volunteers of London2012 said in an interview “Training is critical, not a luxury”.

On 23 May, thousands of organisations up and down the UK will join him in celebrating Learning at Work (LAW) day by promoting activities that develop staff, including everything from formal learning and coaching to mentoring and knowledge-sharing.

In Sussex there’s a programme of free events from 20 – 24 May to celebrate National Adult Learners Week and National Learning at Work day. The programme culminates in the Sussex Workplace Learning Awards that recognise dedication to workplace learning on Thursday 23 May.

The people behind the Sussex Learning Awards are now seeking your nominations.

If you’re an organisation that thinks you’ve got a great learning culture or you know an individual who’s shown real commitment to learning then take a look at www.workplace-learning.org.uk
Entries are done on-line with a closing date of Friday 10 May and places on the free events are also bookable via the website.

By reviewing how you run training in your organisation, or acknowledging the dedication of one of your staff through entering these free awards you’re already in a win-win situation. Together with the free events during the week you’re gaining extra value and when research shows that 80% of senior business people and 70% of customers are influenced by awards you’ve won, it makes sense to get involved.

Mentioning the ‘C’ word – 7 tips for a happy marketing Xmas

2012-10-23T10:45:00.000+01:00

Should you advertise during the run up to Christmas?

Millions of British companies and organisations spend time and money jumping on board the annual Xmas marketing bandwagon. But is it always a good idea?

It’s a bit like the Olympics, where everyone who was anyone came up with an Olympic themed special offer or marketing campaign. Did they all attract loads of new customers and inspire existing customers to buy more? No idea, but common sense suggests there must have been an element of Olympics marketing fatigue and the same thing probably happens at Christmas.

Standing out from the crowd

It’s hard enough standing out from the crowd as it is. But when the entire crowd joins in it makes your marketing life much more of a challenge. Do you have the budget to spend your way to visibility amongst the noise? Or would you be better off lying low ‘til the new year, when everyone gets back to normal?

NOT driving people nuts!

It might turn out that Christmas isn’t all it’s cracked up to be in your sector, full stop. Some people get stuck in as early as September, but does mentioning the C word four months in advance annoy people more than it attracts them?

If you can’t find a logical, clear, practical connection between the stuff you sell and Christmas, is it worth bothering? If your offer or campaign is less than relevant to the season, which many are, will it have the right kind of impact or will it fall flat?

Waiting for better media buying deals

Many direct marketers stop sending out campaigns half way through October because their message just gets lost in the Christmas frenzy. And media buying often costs less after the festive season is done and dusted. It’s a matter of supply and demand: when demand is high, prices go up. In the new year, when demand is lower, it can be easier to find good deals on ad space and advertorials as well as negotiate free or cheap editorial.

What about email marketing? If your inbox is anything like yours it’ll be filling up with Christmas messages already. Would it be better to leave it until the fuss is over and things have died down? Or can you make yourself heard amongst the rubbish? The same goes for your newsletter. Your customers and prospects might thank you more if you just wish them season’s greetings and leave it at that –what do you think? It’s all worth mulling over first.

Whatever you sell it’s worth bearing in mind that female target audiences are traditionally busier than blokes, more so the closer we get to the day itself. We’re supposed to be equals these days but buying gifts, decorating the house, sending cards, buying food and cooking tends to be woman’s work in the majority of households. If your target audience is females over eighteen, it might be safest to leave them to get on with it!

7 tips for a happy marketing Christmas

1. Keep it real – if the things you sell have absolutely no connection with Christmas, think twice about marketing at this time of year

2. If your media costs are going to end up higher than normal because of Christmas, do your sums. Will your usual response and conversion rates cover the cost? If response goes down, what’s the worst case scenario? If you think you’ll end up making a loss, step away

3. Plan everything like a military campaign to maximise your chances, creating a dedicated Xmas marketing plan

4. Choose your target audience/s carefully, establish what they do at this time of year (buy gifts, buy supplies, ignore the whole thing in a business context) and tailor your offers as closely as you can to their needs. It’s always important but even more so at times like this, when targeting might be your only real way to stand out

5. Remember that benefits sell much better than features. Again it’s always important but it’s more important than ever at Christmas, especially for people buying gifts. When you’re buying a gift you often need more detail than when you’re buying for yourself. You want to make exactly the right choice and benefit-led communications do a much better job the feature-led. It’s no good telling people what the buttons on a gadget are. They want to know all the good things the button functions will do for them. Don’t say this gadget has a ‘go faster’ button. Say the gadget’s ‘go faster’ button increases your play speed by at least 50%

6. Do unto others. Use your most powerful tool, your consumer head, to gauge whether you’d appreciate and enjoy the offer yourself. If you wouldn’t, tweak it until it sounds like something you’d be thrilled to receive at this time of year

7. Make your message the best it can be – creative, funny, beautiful to look at, quirky, rude, compelling, awe inspiring… whatever it takes to cut through the babble

Social Loafing

2012-09-25T10:08:00.000+01:00

Why Social Loafing is good for small business owners

You’re a contractor, a freelancer or a small business owner.
Are you missing out on having loads of colleagues, people who can pitch in, lend their expertise and dream up fresh angles? If you’re drowning – not waving – and you’re finding it difficult to cope with all the work, would having a team on the job mean you’d get stuff done faster, in direct proportion to the number of extra hands on board?

Not necessarily. We assume that when we’re joined by others, together we’ll work harder and become more accomplished. But in reality, research proves we don’t pull anywhere near as much weight in a group as we do on our own. Once we have willing helpers, we slack off and invest less effort because we know our work will be pooled. And we know we won’t be judged on our individual efforts, either!

Evolved behaviour

Social loafing isn’t conscious. It’s one of those unconscious behaviours humans have evolved, probably because in evolutionary terms there’s no need to knock yourself out expending valuable energy when the burden can be shared.

Blindfold tug of war

How do the egg heads know there’s such a thing as social loafing? In one experiment the psychologist Alan Ingham set up a blindfold tug of war, with one person at each end of the rope. When he told them they were part of a team, they pulled 18% less hard than when they were told they were alone.

You can read about more social loafing experiments in the book, ‘You Are Not So Smart’ by David McRaney.

Why’s it good for lone cowboys?

The strange phenomenon of Social Loafing works to your advantage. You can drop the notion that the faster you can grow and take more people on, the more efficient things will get. You do a fantastic job on your own. Well done! When you do expand your business, just remember to put some careful thought into the way you distribute tasks and share responsibilities.

That way you’ll get the very best out of everyone.

Reach the top of your own mountain!

2012-08-28T11:56:00.000+01:00

As an active networker, I’m often asked to represent groups that are run and operated by someone else. “It’ll raise your profile!” is the usual reason given. Although that’s not in question, have you ever wondered what it’ll be like to lead your own? Operating ‘third party’ groups is great and I would recommend it. I’ve done so myself and what I learned in a short space of time has been invaluable. Running your own is an entirely different ball game! There’s no big ‘system’ to lean on and the ultimate responsibility is on you.

With a solid networking grounding, here’s a question: Why not climb up and reach the top your own mountain?

My late father, a distinguished army officer in WW2, who fought alongside Lord Mountbatten and his troops to help liberate Malaya, (now Malaysia and Singapore), mentored me to lead. Until I started my own business, I hadn’t really considered that I was in fact more active than most in various leadership roles from a young boy, throughout my adolescence, (more in my LinkedIn profile), and into the business world. I’ll never forget his pride when I became Head Boy of a UK boarding school, despite my not being considered a top academic. Heck, when I arrived at the school at nine years of age, I was the boy who had the “funny accent”, (the Couplands and extended family were – and our family ‘hub’ still is – based in Singapore).

The bar is constantly being raised. Expectations are higher. Effective leadership can be a great solution.

I have come to the realisation that, in order to make a real difference, great leadership has to be at the core of almost everything one does in the world of business. I have shared with those I coach in marketing that the bar was and is still being raised. People’s expectations in what a business person has to offer are higher than ever. Why? Well, there are several reasons. The main ones are lack of time; ever increasing competition and what I often term as ‘noise’.

So what do I mean by noise?

The fact that we live in a busier, more crowded world is a given, so that’s not what I’m covering here. What I mean is I often hear fellow networkers claim that they’ll start something for themselves, however don’t really deliver – assuming they started in the first place! Ideas are the easy part. Most can come up with great ideas so, to me, there’s nothing in the slightest bit exclusive about that. Action and action with great results is an entirely different matter! Sure, there are and will be plenty of mistakes, disappointments and regrets along the way. Isn’t life about that anyway?

Being a leader should no longer be regarded as something one can aspire to be. In my view, it has never been so vital in the business world.

Ever presented in front of audiences that consist of your customers, your network and your competitors? I can tell you, it’s no mean feat, however seldom have I found such a rewarding experience. In fact, taking on the mantle such as this has so far been one of the best things we have done so far since I started my business. Great relationships and business that resulted exceeded our own expectations.

So whether it’s networking, a committee or your business, why not climb and be at the top of your own mountain? I’m not saying I’m there yet however, for me, one or two mountains aren’t enough, I’m climbing more and, although my legs can sometimes hurt like mad, there’s no way I’m turning back!

There are no “you have to’s!” here, I‘m deliberately being thought-provoking.

…and what about representing someone else? (I’m not referring to advocating here, which is of course a great thing to do). If you represent someone else, ever considered removing the billboard of him / her / their logo at events and representing yourself? It could well be time to move on and, usually, the best time is when you feel you’re at your (or their?!) peak. Don’t just imagine being at the top of your own mountain, why not do something about it? It’s called change and a change that should have an even better view!

Reach the top of your own mountain! It doesn't have to be the tallest

What I seldom see are people truly aspiring, taking focussed action at coming out of their comfort zone and at least trying to lead and carve their own way, representing themselves and leading – no matter how large or small the initiative.

Those that do get more respect through what they have achieved anyway and, even if they end up doing something else later, it’s most certainly not failure as they’ve climbed their own mountain, took a deep breath of satisfaction and took in the view.

Now how exclusive is that?!

John Coupland
@networkerplus Social Media
www.networkerplus.net

Organisational Stress and Sustainable Wellbeing

2012-08-21T08:14:00.001+01:00

Stress is a real issue in the workplace and a growing problem.

Employers recognise the benefits of a stable and well trained workforce; the immediate benefits include an engaged workforce as well as reduced recruitment, training and sick pay costs.

Poor health is one factor that can undermine a sustainable workforce.

More than ever, a wellbeing strategy is a must have if you want your staff to compete and gain an edge from your competitors then you need to look after them.

Firstly, it is very important to understand the culture of the company, the market, the environment, the clients, the demand of the jobs and on the very top knowing your people. They are the ones the day in day out deal with those factors regularly.

The approach used will determine the results. Involve your people, ask them about their challenges, about what they need andhow you can support them as an employer.

Define your strategy to achieve sustainability. It’s not good doing something for the sake of it. You will achieve sustainable wellbeing if you use a holistic approach considering the mind, body and spirit about the employee.

Psychological health, physical health, emotional wellbeing, financial wellbeing – consider all of these then bring the organisation into the equation. Important aspects such as culture, values, internal procedures, communication channels and other factors in your organisation should be looked at.

Sustainable wellbeing will not only make your organisation a stronger business to compete in the market, but also will prevent health and wellbeing absenteeism through a cared approach where the employee comes first. If you get the balance right the results can be magnificent in your business, reducing illnesses, stress levels, increased motivation, sense of belonging and loyalty.

The corporate world is evolving all the time. Do not spend time and money providing training and development that nobody wants; focus on people’s wellbeing now.

It’s all about the approach, it’s all about people.

With a big thank you to Joao Bocas, CEO of Sports13 for submitting this article.

Sports13 are Specialists in Health, Performance & Wellbeing

joao@sports13.co.uk,
T - 01273 810277
M - 07731983936
www.sports13.co.uk

A Great Home for Curry Club - The Sussex Cricket Ground

2012-07-12T18:04:00.000+01:00

The Sussex County Cricket Ground

The Sussex County Cricket Club is the new home of the Brighton Business Curry Club.

"One of the largest informal networking events in Brighton and Hove."

What with the redevelopment of the PROBIZ County Ground in Hove, the Sussex Cricket Ground have the perfect venue to see the event attract more happy networkers while enjoying a great curry! Here is a little more information about the venue.

Delicious Indian Food

Event and Catering Expertise

1839 Hospitality & Events are able to cater for any kind of event with various different rooms around 'The PROBIZ' giving the option of a modern, adaptable and purpose-built facility compared to the more historic and nostalgic setting.

The BrightonandHoveJobs.com Boundary Rooms, built in 2010, can be used for a variety of different functions, seating 300 for dinner as a whole or 60 in each private module if required.

It is extremely popular for Matchday Hospitality with its private viewing area and decking which offers an excellent view of the action.

The Spen Cama Pavilion

The recently refurbished Spen Cama Pavilion, one of the oldest of its kind in County Cricket, now plays host to three very different rooms. It comprises of the spacious Long Room and the charming Dining Room, with a brand new entrance at the back of the Pavilion constructed from scratch. The excellent facilities, which have already received superb feedback over the past twelve months, are developing a blossoming reputation in the City of Brighton & Hove for hosting a range of different events.

Maintaining History and Tradition

The Long Room, which includes the newly refurbished Jim Parks Bar, maintains all the history and tradition of the Pavilion whilst also providing a modern function area, as does The Dining Room which forms the part of the Pavilion nearest the Cromwell Road End.

The Museum, situated in the lower part of the Pavilion, is also suitable for drinks receptions and small parties.

A Venue for Many Occasions

The County now have ample facilities to hold family celebration and occasions, weddings and seasonal celebrations. Not forgetting the business side of the organisation with conferences, teambuilding, small trade shows and seminars, with Sussex CCC being recently nominated in the Brighton & Hove Business Awards Category of 'Best Place to Entertain Your Clients.'

Why does Sussex Cricket Ground work for the Brighton Curry Club?

Here are a few words from Nick Harvey, one of the Curry Club organisers and founders explaining why the venue works so well:

"Having spoken to a number of event organisers in Sussex, plus having attended a number of events personally at the ground, the Sussex Cricket Ground seemed like a fine choice for our event. Free parking for our attendees, an accessible location, plus great quality food were the obvious draws to the venue; plus in addition to this we have been very impressed in the investment into state of the art facilities. What's more, the team there have an enthusiasm to deliver events which match your expectations and this has been important as we try and improve the offering of the Curry Club."

Getting in Touch

For those looking for more information about 1839:
Visit www.sussexcricket.co.uk/1839
Or e-mail 1839@sussexcricket.co.uk

Kevin Berry is Sussex’s Catering & Hospitality Manager and he can be contacted on 01273 827124.

Here are a few more images from our most recent business networking event which was held on Tuesday 12th July. The fantastic images are courtesy of Paul Fletcher Photography.

Why Most Business Owners Fail At Social Media Marketing

2012-07-09T13:24:00.000+01:00

Imagine this for a second... you’re at a networking event, and talking to people. Someone walks through the door who you’ve not met before and to nobody in particular says...

“I’VE GOT A FANTASTIC OFFER ON UNTIL MONDAY! IF YOU ORDER 3 WHITEBOARDS, YOU’LL GET ONE FREE!”

What do you do next? Ignore them and turn away to continue your conversation? Perhaps you figure you’ll give them a chance so go over to chat.

You shake hands and introduce yourself and tell them that you’re moving into new office premises next week and are busy sourcing the furnishings and equipment.

In response the person replies “well, here is the order form, sign here and I can sell you some whiteboards for your new office... you get one free if you order today.”

What are the chances that you’ll order their whiteboards? Slim to none I reckon!

Yet, every single day, business owners make this critical error in their social media marketing. They sell on first interaction, spend too much time broadcasting and not enough time listening.

If the person selling the whiteboards had taken the time to talk to you first, they may have discovered that you already have whiteboards, but you know someone else who could be interested.

Or they may have realised that when they stop staring at the pound signs over your head, you are an interesting person to talk to, and while you may not be a customer or referrer straightaway, it doesn’t matter because they’ve discovered you have plenty of other stuff in common.

The big difference you can make in social media marketing that will generate more sales is to;

“GIVE PEOPLE WHAT IT IS THEY ASKED FOR OR HOPED FOR WHEN THEY WROTE THEIR MESSAGE"

Because, if you can get this right, you create emotional connections with everyone you come into contact with... and I’m sure you’ve heard that most people make emotional buying decisions? Making sales on social media is easy, providing you give people what they want from you.

So, how do you get this right? You SMILE...

S – Solutions:

If you see a tweet or Facebook/Linked in post from someone asking a question and you know the answer, give them the solution they are looking for. You’ll see lots of questions and it is a great way to share your knowledge and expertise... plus you’ll find plenty of opportunities to pass referrals too... double win!

M – Make people feel valued:

It’s a common human trait to make instant judgements. I urge you not to do this on social media but to treat everyone you come into contact with as if they were the most special person in your life at that moment. You know, just because someone doesn’t appear to be a potential client, you might be right, you could be very wrong but more importantly, who do they know?

You want everyone who comes into contact with you to leave with a positive impression... if they don’t, they’re never going to rave about you to their friends or contacts. And how much business will that cost you?

I – Inform, educate and entertain:

Share content that will add value to your followers... whether it is your own or you’ve sourced it elsewhere. Stay true to yourself, don’t try and be someone you’re not but if you have a love of F1 or an opinion on something, share this stuff. People buy from people and you may find clients where you find common interests.

Be careful with humour though, don’t say anything that could cause offence... no matter how funny it might seem at the time. And it’s never a good idea to post when you’re angry or drunk. Step away from the internet. You could damage your brand!

L- Listen:

Make time to listen to what the people around you are saying. To give them what they ask or hope for, you need to know what that is, so spend more time listening than talking. In social media terms that means more time commenting and replying to people than talking about your business. That leads me nicely onto...

E – Engage:

If you make the effort to talk to 6 new people a day on social media, in a year, 2,000+ new people will know who you are... and many (not all, I won’t lie to you) will become customers, referrers and raving fans. Search for keywords and phrases relevant to the problems your products and services solve for your customers and give the poster what they are asking or hoping for.

What I really want you to take away from this post is that your mindset is so important when you are marketing your business on social media. Don’t do anything expecting sales in return. You’ll get more sales if you give of yourself freely and because you care about the people around you.

And when you care about others, they’ll care about you too... and we’re back at the emotional sales decisions again. I promise you one thing, most of your competitors are too busy selling to care so you’ll be their go-to person when they are ready to buy what you offer.

Bio:

Veronica Pullen has been building profitable relationships on social media for over 15 years and teaches business owners and business celebrities how to generate more sales from social media in her Academy training.

Based in Redhill she is the Surrey Mirror Social Media Columnist and has recently joined our team at the Gatwick Curry Club. Download her free eBook “Unlock The 3 Secrets To Skyrocket your Sales From Twitter” by visiting http://www.veronicapullen.co.uk or follow her on Twitter @VeronicaPullen

Understanding the Benefits of Networking.

2012-07-02T11:46:00.002+01:00

Get to know other businesses

Networking Effectiveness.

Recently there have been some great online discussions about whether networking yields the results that you want it to, offering some great insights as to what it means to different business people.

Here is our understanding of networking, what it means to us and how you can use it to your benefit.

Getting to Know Local Businesses
Networking is an incredible tool for generating business in our opinion and it is something which helps businesses understand the different business types that are out there. Also, you can learn a lot about how other businesses conduct themselves, along with what opportunities and challenges they each face on a month to month basis.

So we think there is a lot of added value in networking as you learn about the 'business' environment from each other, plus you see familiar faces time and time again and this allows individuals to open up and trust each other a little more.

Success in networking isn’t guaranteed though and it depends to which business type or industry type you are operating in, your attitude to networking and your ability to spot an opportunity. You never want to be too pushy and it is about the getting the balance right.

"It takes a combination of factors to get networking right; part Ambassador, part sales person and part psychologist. Networking is a skill which fine tunes itself over time, the most important things is to learn from the whole experience and continually quantify how the process is helping your business."

Developing Business Relationships

Be yourself

Networking enhances the process of relationship marketing and relationship building whereby each contact could possibly become a buyer of your products or services.

On the other hand these contacts can become ‘sales ambassadors’ for your business if they enjoy your personality and what you stand for. Always bare this in mind, you never know where your business may come and it is amazing when you get a referral from a fellow networker.

With all this in mind though, you have to ask yourself the following questions about networking as your time and energy is important to you:

Is the perception of what I’m presenting as good as it can be?

This means 'YOU'. Your delivery, what you wear, your business cards, your body language etc. Ask a friend/ business acquaintance for an honest appraisal of your perception and how it could be improved. This is a great exercise and one that will help you immensely.

Is there an opportunity to follow up on this contact?

Should you add them to your address book, send a full introductory email, a proposal, suggest a face to face meeting - or do nothing at all? Only you can answer this one. Think about any buying signals in a conversation, what will this contact mean to you? The most important thing is to leave a new introduction with a pleasant feeling, this way everything is left positive.

Engage and learn

Is this the right networking event for you?

There are many different networking events out there and you have to look at the positives and negatives of each event. Do you feel comfortable, what are the costs, do you like the format, does it have potential ?

Some people don’t network and they can be incredibly successful. There could be many reasons for this.

Some people don’t network and have very little business.

We personally generate about 50% of business through 'business networking' then about 50% through referrals. Networking sits very prominently within our marketing plan.

"Networking helps with the development of an individual too and enhances ones ability to communicate. Success in networking takes time, so regular attendance, NOT selling to others directly, but following up on conversations."

We hope that this article has been of use and you can pick up a few pointers which will help you improve your networking. Please remember, networking is just one activity within a whole spectrum of sales and marketing activities.

For a list of other networking events to try, please refer to this list.

What is Great ABout Doing Business in Brighton?

2012-07-01T14:45:00.000+01:00

Celebrating the Brighton Business Curry Clubs 2nd Birthday.

A recent video from our anniversary event of the Brighton Business Curry Club.

Here we find out about what businesses love about doing business in Brighton?