John Ball's Blog

Business is building

2012-01-04T17:23:00.002Z

Another speaking engagement this week proved that I was on the right path with my change in direction caused by the economic climate. Twenty years as a business adviser working on government funded projects with new start and growing business came to sudden end last summer as the money ran out.
Having retired three times already and not finding it to my taste meant I had to find an outlet for my energy and found it in volunteering to help with a wildlife charity. Always having been a 'people person' with a passion to meet new people I wanted to make sure that visitors to the wild life reserve enjoyed their experience so worked hard researching the reserve history, geology, botany and ornithology to make my commentaries interesting. You can read my blog about volunteering for the Wildlife Trust at www.brockholesvolunteer.com

It worked so well I was invited to come and speak at various clubs about the work of the wildlife charity. Polishing my presentations proved fascinating and I quickly realised the business potential so have now developed illustrated talks about Venice, The Panama Canal, New Zealand and am working on a talk about the wild flowers of Lancashire.

More trips are planned to exotic locations that will give me the opportunity to take lots of photographs and provide material for new talks. My wardrobe is being revised from pinstripe suits with highly polished black oxford shoes to increasing numbers of easy wash mosquito proof shirts and trousers that will stand the rigours trekking along Amazonian jungle trails as well as sampling the best of South American wines at the finest wineries in the foothills of the Andes and Chile's Acongua Valley.

Visit johnballtalks.com soon if you would like to arrange a talk for your members.

It's the numbers that make the difference

2011-12-19T16:23:00.001Z

Running your own business is never easy. The day-to-day management of the business can take all of your time and your effort; however, it is vital to keep your eye on the numbers.

Constantly checking the profit margins, the ratio between various costs and sales can make the difference between a business that is failing and one that is thriving. Assumptions are always dangerous, but I will assume that you have prepared a business plan and cash flow forecast in which you have set out your expected gross profit margin. That profit margin, of course, will vary from business to business but if it drops without you having made a conscious decision to reduce your margin then it time for urgent investigations.

Legitimate reasons for a drop in growth profit margin could be that you have had a sale, that you are heavily discounting to meet local competition, or you have suffered losses from unsaleable stock. If these have not occurred then it's time to look for reasons for the drop in gross margin; examples of these could be waste, in a manufacturing business mistakes could have been made and the evidence disposed of hoping you wouldn't find out. There are a host of reasons in a retail business such as members of your staff selling on to their friends at less than your marked prices, sticky fingers in the till, or what is euphemistically referred to as shrinkage. Shrinkage is nothing more than theft by members of your own staff perhaps smuggling out stock in shopping bags or delivery drivers sneaking your goods into their vans and dropping it off at home. In service businesses one of the major causes of loss of profits is time wasting, service people parking up in a lay-by is to read the newspapers instead of getting on to the next job.

Keeping good financial records and consistently checking your ratios are key tools in preventing these causes of the profit margins.

Monitoring the results of all promotional activity is also a vital check, it is so easy to waste valuable resources by continuing marketing activities that are not producing the expected results. It is always important to work out the level of sales you need to achieve from your marketing activity to generate the sort of profit needed just to cover the cost of the marketing activity.

If you are unsure of the maths needed to work out the sales or other ratios arrange a meeting with your accountant or with a suitably qualified business adviser who you could find through the Institute of Consultanting. Your business manager at your bank could also give you invaluable advice, if your bank manager asks you for a copy of your year-end accounts the reason will certainly be to check out this sort of ratio. It is not just good sales figures that will persuade your bank manager to provide a loan for new development but a combination of these key ratios that will be analysed when making a lending decision.

Beat the recession

2011-12-15T10:22:00.001Z

As the recession seems to be biting deeper than ever with our politicians appearing to be scurrying around like headless chickens talking the talk the talk but never seeming to get down to the nitty gritty of an answer to the crisis we are all facing.

As small businesses meet the problems of rapidly diminishing sales and tiny, if any, profits corporate bosses, senior bankers and politicians continue to bank their salaries and many are believed to be salting it away in overseas accounts.

It would be so easy to give up, to try and sell what assets are left to us and walk away from the shambles that these corporate gamblers have created for us. As a nation, or even a nation of shopkeepers as Napoleon contemptuously dismissed, us we are not known for giving up in the face of adversity.

Before the Siege of Harfleur in 1415 William Shakespeare had Henry V make what is still the most motivation speech ever delivered. Starting with "Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more" and continuing "Then imitate the action of the tiger, Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood"

Now is the time to stiffen the sinews and summon up the blood, now is the time to re-look at the business model. Has the tried and tested model run its day? Does it meet the needs of businesses demographic? Is the pricing policy in line with the affordability of of cash strapped customers?

Many customers have sufficient resources to meet their needs but, almost without exception, they are watching their spending in case things get even worse.

Evolution is the formula for survival, the dinosaur failed to evolve and became extinct but our close cousins swinging through the trees began to walk upright, began to use tools and eventually communicate becoming man.

A business may have survived and prospered for generations as butchers, bakers or candlestick makers but now may be the time to change track. Look around you, who is prospering? Who has customer beating a path to their door?

The small business owner often is so involved in the day to day routine of trying to survive that they don't look out and see what the rest of the world is doing. Now is the opportunity to take time out to look at the word around you and look to the future, perhaps wearing a different hat. The business owner is, of necessity, a very resourceful multi skilled person who can normally turn a hand to most tasks. If the skills are there to run one sort of business they are certainly there to run another.

Take the new idea, research the customers, the competitors and the costs of running the business and draw up a new business plan. Define your customers, Forecast the potential sales and with the information from researching costs like rent, telephones, advertising, delivery, direct costs and wages produce a cash flow forecast to test the viability. Think the idea through properly, if the figures don't work in the first forecast look for opportunities to cut costs, increase sales or improve gross margins. When the figures are beginning to look good to you get someone to go through them with you. You don't want a yes man, you want someone you trust, with good commercial judgement, to challenge your forecast until you are certain the new business idea is right for you.

Speakers for your Club

2011-11-18T17:04:00.002Z

Brockholes Conference Room

It can be a problem for speakers secretaries to find interesting speakers for club night but now the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire Manchester and North Merseyside has expanded its team of experienced presenters so that they can accept more bookings across the county.

The portfolio of talks include 'The Development of Brockholes - The Unreserved Nature Reserve', 'The Work of the Wildlife Trust', 'Red Squirrels' and 'Wildlife Gardening'.

The speakers are all passionate about nature and conservation with a wide knowledge of the Trust's reserves. One of our speaker team, a keen amateur botanist, is developing a talk on the'Wild Flowers of Lancashire' which will be available later in 2012.

All our volunteer speakers make presentations free of charge but donations, which are passed to the Trust in their entirety to help with conservation work, are gratefully received.

You can arrange an entertaining talk at your club by contacting Clare Kenny at the Lancashire Wildlife Trust on 01772 324129, by email to ckenny@lancswt.org.uk or dropping her a line at:

Clare Kenny, Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside, The Barn, Berkeley Drive, Bamber Bridge, Preston PR5 6BY

A gluten free day out

2011-11-07T11:07:00.002Z

The Kingdom of Rheged covered all of the north west of England in the fourth century from its capital of Caer Liqualid, modern day Carlisle, and the Rheged Visitor Centre at Penrith hosted the 8^th Annual Food Festival devoted to gluten free foods on November 5^th.

Despite having been diagnosed as a Coeliac and suffering from a gluten intolerance for over twenty years ago this was the first organised event I had ever attended. What a surprise! Despite its location in the far North West of England the day attracted thousands of visitors and the huge car parking area was packed to bursting point. I know that the Coeliac Society believe that as many as one in a hundred people suffer from gluten intolerance but until this visit I always felt that I was on my own.

The two exhibition halls were packed with visitors checking out the fantastic range of gluten free products on offer. What a change from my first diagnosis when the only source of gluten free foods was the pharmacy unlike the large range on the ‘free from shelves’ in the local supermarkets. The supermarkets mustn't get complacent, they are not there yet and need to look much more closely at some of the wonderful new small producers who are creating products with love and care..

Angela Murtagh of Freedom Deli was offering her range of frozen ready meals, products I am familiar with as I had advised her on starting up her business in Darwen, Lancashire. Sarah Hunter, ably supported by her mum on the stall was presenting her range of Hunter’s gluten free puddings. Can I tell you that her Chocolate Fudge pudding is just to die for.

Giant bakers, Warburtons, have introduced their range of gluten free breads and the sample loaf was put to good use the following day with a bacon sandwich for breakfast and a packed lunch for later in the day, as I was leading a guided walk around the Brockholes Nature Reserve. Absolutely delicious! How wonderful to eat fresh bread rather than always having to be ‘refreshed’ in the microwave before being edible.

There was so much to see and taste; cakes, tarts, biscuits and other baked products from a host of suppliers. Shaws Meats of Cumbria were there with their range of Gluten Free Salamis, Cured Meats, Game, Sausages, Burgers, Black Pudding and Haggis. I have been buying their sausages from Barry Shaw at Farmer’s Markets for many years and can tell you they have raised the humble sausage to a new level.

The day was completed by a meal at No 17, a new restaurant that has just opened in Park Road at Milnthorpe just off the A6. The restaurant has been beautifully refurbished and has a huge car park close to the entrance. The kitchen under Chef Graeme Shuttleworth, late of the Brown Horse Inn, famous for its fine foods, in the Winster Valley close to the south of Lake Windermere saw no problems in providing for a gluten free diet. Everything was managed with care including the provision of specially prepared gluten free gravy that was so good I emptied the gravy jug.

A big thank you to all the team at No 17, you gave us a warm welcome, prepared and served our meal with care and skill so we left your wonderful new restaurant with a warm glow and a vow to return as soon as possible.

Let's talk about it

2011-11-03T14:09:00.001Z

Never one to to simply sit still and let things happen partial retirement has given me the opportunity to indulge my passion for travel, for photography and for natural history.

Extra time has provided the opportunity for trips to far off destinations with enough time to spend there to absorb the culture and visit those places never possible on a fortnight's summer holiday.

The first on our list was New Zealand, probably inspired by a love of Tolkien's Hobbits and their adventures in Middle Earth but reinforced by Kiwi film director Peter Jackson setting his trilogy in his homeland.

Taking over 6,000 photographs during the sail out to Auckland through the Panama Canal and an 8,000 kilometre drive round North and South Islands led me to prepare a film show for friends.
Little did I know that would lead to a request to give talks and that my love of Natural History would result in becoming a guided walk leader at the Lancashire Wildlife Trust's new reserve at Brockholes with yet more request to give talks.

A new business was born, John Ball Talks with a website outlining the range of talks. If you would like to hear more about my adventures visit the website and perhaps I could deliver a talk for your organisation.

If you want to know more please give me a ring, all the details are on the website at www.johnballtalks.co.uk

Now is not the time to give up

2011-10-06T11:26:00.000+01:00

OK, so we seemed to be surrounded by whining politicians and journalists who seem intent intent on drowning us all in a sea of misery but that's no reason for us to throw in the towel and wait for disaster to strike.
If we listen to the Jeremiahs of this world things will never improve to it's up to the business community to do what we always do, think of other ways for us to pay the bills and keep our businesses afloat.
Let's look at our product or service and make sure we are delivering something that meets our customer's needs in these straightened times. Think about them in terms of price, service and specification. Can we change our product line to meet changing needs?
Look carefully at those customers, has their needs changed, have the people changed, is your contact list up-to-date.
How are you reaching your customers? Are you using the most cost effective ways of promoting your business?
I have to admit that I remain astonished at the number of businesses who still haven't embraced the power of the Internet to increase their market place. We can't bury our heads in the sand much longer as the service provided by companies such as Amazon are dragging customers away from the high street at an alarming rate. We certainly can't beat them so let's join them and use the Internet to our advantage. We already have premises, stock and a business so let's utilise them and make the whole country our high street and take advantage of the 24 hour increased footfall we can win from customers sitting at home.
We need a blog that provides the sort of information your customers are looking for in way that keeps them coming back for more.
We need good copy, words that attract attention,words that sell, words that keep customers coming back for more. We can use them in blogs, websites and sales letters
We need good pictures, photographs that show your product or service to advantage, that make them stand out as the best in their class.
I can help. As a blogger with years of experience and having worked with websites since the early nineties and a photographer from the days of the Box Brownie roll film camera I can give you the help you need at prices you can afford.
Drop me an email at john.ball@criticalmarketing.co.uk and tell me about your problems and I will give you some ideas of how I could help and how little it need cost you.

Languages for trade and commerce

2011-09-08T15:41:00.000+01:00

It is very difficult for people whose mother tongue is English to feel it a good investment of their time to learn other languages when the world is all learning English. The recent tragedy in Norway and the freedom fighters in Libya showed that news reporters were able to find local people to interview in English. If the reporters had been in Preston, Bolton, Blackburn or any other northern town they would have not found it so easy.

For many years I was on the receiving end of salespeople from various European countries calling at our office with their latest offers trying to win a sale, all in perfect English albeit with most interesting accents. On a visit to an Italian supplier in Vicenza the receptionist changed effortlessly into English once she realised I was English. My Italian wasn't bad but certainly not as good as her English which helped them win another round of sales.

If British exporters, and particularly Lancashire exporters are going to fight their way out of recession by finding new markets in continental Europe language skills are going to be a must. Pressure of work being what it is we often find it difficult to book lessons or places on training courses but thanks to the Internet we can now study in our own time and at our speed. I have just been experimenting with learning Spanish, essential for sales to mainland Spain and much of South America, with a system developed by BUSUU. The provide a flash card systems introducing you to new words, phrases and grammar with frequent tests and the repetition that drills new languages into your memory. You get a fortnight to try out the full system completely free and if you like it you can sign up for periods of one, three or six months. If you prefer to keep it free can still use the learning tools without the sound tracks that help with pronunciation. You can find out more at www.busuu.com

The website for Radio Lingua, www.radionlingua.com, also provides lots of free podcasts with hours of listening practice to accustom your year to the sounds of your new language. I am using both and am delighted with the progress I have made in a short period of time and feeling much more confident about my forthcoming trip to South America.

A big factor on the BUSUU system is the interaction between language learners from around the globe. I have benefit enormously from the corrections to my written exercises by new friends from Spain, Chile, Ecuador, Argentina, Peru and Uruguay. The motivation to spend the hour or so every day on learning the language is really helped by their comments and advice.

Don't let sales people from other companies steal the orders from under your nose, develop some language skills then produce sales literature,websites and business cards in the language of the country you are targeting. ¡Buena Suerte!

Make your money go further

2011-07-21T17:29:00.000+01:00

Cash is King in every business so it make sense to make you money work harder. Fastning your capital in expensive vehicles often doesn't make sense when companies can provide vehicles for long term use at economical rates.
An example in many business planning workshops show spending £5,000 on a van which results in negative cash flow unless short term funding is arranged to cover the lack of cash. Renting a vehicle means you can have a fully insured modern vehicle which is a credit to your company and keeps cash in your bank account to fund increased trading.
You can find more information at long term car hire by clicking the link

Increase your sales through Blog Sites

2011-07-02T18:46:00.000+01:00

Across the globe in countless languages businesses are taking advantage of bloggers to mention their products and refer potential buyers to their websites.

The latest figures out of the US, where blogging has become an art form, indicate that 70% of Internet users read blogs relating to their jobs, their industries, their interests and their hobbies. Further research has shown that 50% of these readers are influenced in their buying decisions by what they read in blogs.

These are seriously big numbers and businesses ignore these sort of changing trends at their peril. Most bloggers are selective about the products they mention, after all it's their reputation that's at stake. I have always restricted services that I mention to those where I have some practical experience of their use and only mention those that are relevant to my various blogs. With this sort of discipline it ensures that advertisers partnering with me and getting their message to their target audience. John Ball's Blog concentrates on business issues with particular relevance to new and growing business. My other passion is for photography and natural history so mentions on my blog, http://www.brockholesvolunteer.com/ provides a path direct to buyers across the world who share my interest.

To allow your business to take advantage of this very cost effective way of bringing your business to the attention of targeted buyers you should take a look at the Blogvertise to find out this can start earning you extra sales.

If you are a frustrated writer with a burning desire to get yourself in print it could also be the way you learn about creating your own blog and bringing your views to the world.

Barclays' Business Workshop in Blackburn

2011-06-27T12:13:00.000+01:00

I am presenting a Barclays' Workshop at the Furthergate Enterprise Centre in Blackburn tomorrow, Tuesday 28th June starting at 9.30.

Working on the principle that nobody plans to fail - but lots of people fail to plan this workshops takes you through the business planning processing highlighting the 'need to know' information essential for anyone thinking of starting their own business.

It is the easiest thing in the world to start a business but the sad fact is that most businesses will not see out the first year in business. Key factors in this startling failure rate are; not knowing if there is a demand for the product or service - a lot of people think they know based on falling in love with the idea rather than detailed research into the market, never having worked out exactly how much money is going to be needed until the business makes a profit - it will invariably more than you ever thought possible, not knowing enough about the business in question - experience in the sector takes a lot of beating, failing the market the business properly - understanding how to deliver a marketing message to potential buyers economically.

I will be covering these topics, and many more, during the Barclays's workshop so if you are in the East Lancashire area ring Enterprise Blackburn on 01254 314095 to book yourself a free place

Barclays Lets Talk Starting a Business

2011-05-12T08:42:00.000+01:00

I had the good fortune to be one of the original presenters chosen to present Barclays Bank funded business planning workshops when they were first introduced and developed the presentation used at workshops in East Lancashire.

Yesterday I returned to, you might say to my roots, I presented a Barclays workshop at Bolton Business Venture in the very training room where, back in 1991, I attended my first training sessions for business advisers. Then organised by Business in the Community we covered business counselling, marketing and financial management. These are still the mainstay of business advisers but over the last twenty years I have enriched my knowledge and skills thanks to interaction with literally thousands of appointments with would be entrepreneurs. The world of business is a constant changing world and business advisers, like their clients, need to keep up to date. I have diligently followed Aristotle's maxim that excellence is the result of training and habituation by constant reading and attending training sessions provided by national experts to make sure I can pass on appropriate advice.

Over the years one thing has become very clear; the vast majority are good at what they do, many exceptionally so, what they do tend to lack is marketing and financial management skills. Yesterday's workshop was no exception and a very keen and enthusiastic group were keen to enhance their business management skills during the workshop. The day was a constant stream of excellent questions highlighting that everyone was following the workshop keenly and and anxious to leave with a good understanding of what was involved.

Barclays workshops are presented at Enterprise Agencies across the country on a regular basis and you can find out more on their website:

The moving writes, and having written moves on.

2011-04-16T15:46:00.007+01:00

At the start of the eleventh century the mathematician and poet Omar Khayyám wrote the words, “The moving finger writes, and having written moves on. Nor all thy piety nor all thy wit, can cancel half a line of it”, and its truth has remained a constant ever since.

This has been brought home to me with drastic changes at the Enterprise Trust where I have been providing business advice to new start and growing businesses for the last two decades. Draconian financial cuts by a government trying desperately to balance the books they inherited after years of mismanagement have made change inevitable. This has resulted in my role being restricted to presenting business planning workshops to groups rather than on a one-to-one basis. From a financial viewpoint this makes good sense, I can pass on advice to a group of 12 or 15 new entrepreneurs in the time I could talk to two individually.

Getting advice in a group session does mean, however, that confidential topics can’t be discussed. The details of individual business ideas cannot be covered in depth as they would have been treated previously when funding was more liberal. Advice is still available through Enterprise Trusts but financila restrictions amy reduce the amount of time available with a reduced number of advisers.

To provide an answer to this problem I am expanding my private client list to offer my services in the BB and PR post code areas to businesses requiring the following help and support:

Development of Business plan, Cash Flow Forecast & Budget Profit and Loss Accounts to test the viability of business ideas, to provide targets for the first year of the project and to support applications to grant or loan providers.

Assistance to create direct mail campaigns including sourcing of target customer lists, copywriting and setting up of mail merge for the sort of personalised sales letters that enjoy increased conversion from mail shot to purchase. This will include taking a holistic view of the business’s marketing to ensure an integrated strategy is implemented for maximum effect and minimum cost.

Proving a very popular choice is coaching in the skills needed to build your own website that you will be able to manage and update as necessary with no extra costs. Options include:

· Brochure websites with up to 15 pages, 20Mb of storage and 1Gb of bandwith coping with around 20,000 hits with no hosting or other charges.

· Ecommerce website with PayPal facilities charged at around 3% of sales plus 20p per transaction. You get up to 1000Mb of storage, unlimited web pages, 20GB of bandwidth, a free .co.uk domain name, and up to 5 separate websites for £80 per year.

· Creating a blog for your business, an on-line newsletter that allows you to demonstrate your expertise and keeping in contact with your customers and prospective customers completely free. The latest research indicates that 70% of internet users read bogs and over half of these admit that reading blogs influences their buying decisions. This service includes setting up the blog and coaching in preparing copy to deliver your message in an effective way

If you, like me, feel that in depth research, careful planning and well targeted marketing are keys to business success visit my website at Critical Marketing to find out if this service would be right for and your business. Needless to say this quality of service doesn’t come free but then quality never does.

I shall be taking the opportunity to increase my participation as a volunteer with the Lancashire Wildlife Trust's new reserve at Brockholes acting as a reserve guide and leading walks around the 106 hectare reserve. Please come and join us one day, find out more on my blog Brockholes Volunteer or on the Brockholes website.

Building and managing a website

2011-04-02T18:18:00.000+01:00

Despite the huge number of people shopping on line or searching for products and services on the web it's amazing how many businesses still don't have a website. When I first started advising clients about the web, shortly after Tim Berners Lee invented it in around 1991, I was asking clients if they had thought about having a website, by 2000 I was asking when they are going to have a website. Today I am saying why on earth haven't you got a website - you are missing out on sales even if you only provide a local service.

Many of my clients are worried about the costs, about managing the site once it has been built and not understanding what the 'techies' are saying to them.

There is no need because using website building tools available on-line you can have a three or four page website up and running in under three hours. Even people who only use the web for email or a little shopping can be coached in building their own sites and being able to manage it as things change.

Responding to demand from clients I can now provide a morning's or afternoon's coaching which will have you on line and with all the skills you need to maintain your site for under a hundred pounds. That's it! No hosting charges! No software to buy! No ongoing fees!

To find out more visit my Moonfruit Web Training website for the full story

Customer care is the name of the game

2011-03-27T10:40:00.004+01:00

The businesses that will survive these difficult trading conditions are those that take 5, that take that extra five minutes to provide the sort of customer care that will turn a satisfied customer into a delighted customer; the sort of delighted customer who will become an ambassador for your business, who will spread the word of the excellence of your service.

Nearly three thousand years ago Greek philosopher and thinker, Aristotle, said that excellence is the result of training and habituation. Translated into modern times this means that those businesses that have acquired to skills and knowledge to delivery good service and habitually provide that high level of service can be considered excellent.

The success of Disney world is often put down to the excellence of the service and that fact that ‘cast members’ as they call their employees are empowered to ensure that their visitor experience is set at a very high level. The cast members are encouraged to TAKE 5 and go the extra mile to please their guests.

Sales people should be dressed appropriately for their role, scuffy street clothes simply don’t belong, for example, in a catering business. Jeans and T-Shirts make great casual wear but simply don’t present the sort of professional image that propels a sales approach nearer to achieving a sale, the sullen greeting or staff members chatting together and ignoring customers simply isn’t going to win any friends.

Take a look at your business, starting with yourself; are YOU delighting your customer? Are YOU professionally turned out for your sector? Are YOU giving the sort of welcome to your customers that you would like to receive? Only when YOU can tick off every box should you turn to your employees as they will learn from watching you and your success in making sales or delighting your customers.

The Safe Traders Scheme

2011-03-17T09:43:00.002Z

The television programmes are full of stories of unscrupulous traders taking advantage of the more vulnerable or naive members of society which creates a feeling of distrust and uncertainty when looking for someone to provide services.

Lancashire County Council has set up the Safe Traders scheme which allows traders from Aerial Installers through to Woodworm Control Services not to mention Dog Walkers to list their businesses free of charge. All businesses listed will have shown evidence that they have the appropriate public liability insurance and provided references that are checked by the scheme organisers.

To be listed in the directory visit Safe Traders and after your application has been checked you will be able to display the logo in your advertising and on your vehicle building credibility for your business. Once you are listed you can get a hotlink to your own website from the Safe Trader directory which will increase your visitor numbers and potentially increase your website ranking in the search engines.

If you don’t already have a website you can build your own free of charge at Moonfruit and businesses supported the East Lancashire No Limits or NWDA ISUS Programmes may be able to get help creating a website from an adviser at the Enterprise Trust. Your business adviser will also be able suggest many other ways to promote your business without expensive advertising costs

Get your business on-line

2011-03-11T17:21:00.000Z

Since the invention of the Internet in the early nineties marketing has changed out of all recognition. Social networking has arrived with sites like FaceBook and Linkedin, communication in brief messages using Twitter, longer messages with blogs like this one and for a huge part of the world if you don't appear on line you don't exist.

Many of my new business clients have been slow to adopt through the fear that costs would be prohibitive. The fact is that by using website creation tools you have a simple website completely free of charge and sites with more facilities such as on-line shopping using PayPal can be had for as little as £8 per month with two months free if you pay annually.

I have just built a new website using Moonfruit web creating tool which you can see at Moonfruit Web Training which shows what a non website designer can do in a couple of hours. You can even incorporate a booking system using Booking Bug for under £15 per month which frees up people like fitness trainers,
workshop presenters, theatre groups, campsite owners, and dozens of other business owners having to have some one stand by the phone to take bookings.

Blogs like this have to a large extent made the old fashioned newsletter redundant.
The important thing is to create interesting copy on a regular basis so that your readers will come back on a regular basis. I have been astonished at the distribution of my readership with enquiries and coming from all around the English speaking world. This equates to more would be business owners making appointments for busines advice and coaching from me which makes my bank manager, not to mention my wife, happy.
You can create your own blog to promote your business at BlogSpot

If you are planning a new business in East Lancashire or a post start business that has been supported by the ISUS programme you may be eligible for free advice from the Enterprise Agencies

Don't travel blind

2011-02-27T20:24:00.000Z

I can‘t think of anything more dangerous for a new business owner than to set off without researching the potential of a new business idea. Most people can spend many hours researching a fortnight’s holiday before making a booking but many of them rush into business with very little thought.

Fortunately a great deal of help is at hand. Enterprise Trust advisers have access to the Cobra Information Service and can provide printouts covering many key issues.

Business Opportunity Profiles (BOPs) provide practical, factsheet style guides to starting up more than 350 different types of business, in the following business sectors:

Animals and pets , Business services , Clothing & accessories , Farming & horticulture , Food & drink, Health & beauty, IT & telecoms , Personal services , Residential property services , Retail services , Sport and leisure.

Information Factsheets (BIFs) provide concise, informative and practical guides to over 300 management issues which have been categorised as follows:

Finding Business and Market Information, Management, Marketing, Office and Premises, Personnel, Raising and Managing Finance, Starting a Business, Trading Abroad, Trading Legally.

COBRA also features:

UK Market Synopses, Local Area Profiles, Business Support and Finance, Business Legal Library,

Sources of Business Information, Events and Exhibitions, Useful Contacts

With all this information available it makes sense to arrange an appointment with a business adviser and talk over your idea before you leap into business. The true entrepreneur doesn’t take silly risks, the idea is researched so that only acceptable risks are taken.

Another Life!

2011-02-20T12:55:00.004Z

Brockholes Nature Reserve

Visitor centre nears completion

Regular readers of my blog may get the impression that my life is centred around the world of business but, to preserve my santity, I do have another life.
A lover of the natural world since a boy I spend a lot of my non working hours bird watching and trying to capture their photographs.
Now I have volunteered to become a guide at the, soon to be opened, Brockholes Nature Reserve located alongside Junction 31 of the M6. The reserve is due to open at Easter and 130 volunteers will be helping with everything from litter picking to working in the shop, welcoming guests to events or, like me, introducing visitors to the natural world many have only seen on television.
The centre will create a new welcoming environment for everyone bringing their children along for a day out and to watch the birdies to passionate bird watchers looking to add some ticks to their lifetime list of birds seen. Brockholes is reinventing the idea of a nature reserve; challenging people's ideas about what a reserve is, and showing that theycan be fun and a place to learn something new. There will be catering on site so it will be a great place to drop in for a meal and will be open 364 days a year.
The site is a mixture of wetlands, ancient woodlands and grassland providing a home to more than 53 species of birds.
The business world hasn't been forgotten because the centre will be able to provide a venue for meetings that will add something different to usual boring choice of venues.
You can find out more about visiting Brockholes at the Lancashire Wildlife Trust website.

Drop in for free business advice

2011-02-13T10:44:00.001Z

Any sensible housewife knows that she has to keep her family expenditure within the family income. David Cameron and his coalition government are trying hard to do the same thing even though it is causing most of us a great deal of pain, and, we are told it is likely to get worse. One major outcome of this tightening of the purse strings is the number of redundancies on the cards within many organisations dependent on government funding, whether these are local authorities, charities or firms supplying them.

Enterprise Trust advisers are already talking to more and more clients who have been affected and considering starting their own businesses as a route out of unemployment. I have been self employed for the greatest part of my working life and consider myself very lucky that I have spent that time doing jobs that have given me huge amounts of job satisfaction. They have never been roles that have given me the spending power of a Premier League football player or a city financier but I have always looked forward to going to work.

If redundancy or unemployment is the catalyst that is driving you towards self employment but are uncertain of the avenue you should follow give some thought to the following suggestions;

Consider what you have to sell in the way of skills or experience. Does your past work experience provide opportunities that are currently not being supplied as well as they could be? It’s vital to research your potential customers very carefully indeed and not reply on the gut feeling that customers will be there if I can only get the business started. Find out what they are buying now, where they are buying it from, the frequency of the purchase and the amount of money they are spending, how satisfied they are with their current supplier.

Do your hobby skills create chances to start your own business and are those skills good enough to compete in the professional market place? Lots of DIY enthusiasts have been doing little jobs for family, friends and neighbours and have often been paid for their efforts. The amount they charged was, in most cases, well below what a tradesman would have charged so make sure your quality of work is up to those professional standards and you can do the job quickly enough to charge a competitive hourly rate. I have recently seen an upsurge in the number of people wanting to start businesses as photographers who have shown me excellent portfolios of past work that stands up well to professional results. The market is very competitive with a lot of well established businesses out there so in order to find a niche the new photographer has got to add value or demonstrate exceptional talent to win a place.

Whatever the idea you are considering talk the idea over with a business adviser to get an unbiased view and get some help in developing a business plan from your market research. This will show you exactly how much money you are going to need to invest to give yourself a decent chance of success. If you want an informal chat why not drop in, no appointment needed, at one of our events over the next few weeks at various locations in the Ribble Valley. If you need to know more contact Andrea: 01200 504024 or visit www.ribblevalleyenterprise.co.uk

Wed 23^rd Feb	1pm - 4pm	Longridge Old Station Berry Lane, Longridge. PR3 3JP
Wed 2nd March	9am – 12pm	Delicious Deli & Café, 11 Park View, Gisburn, BB7 4HA Gisburn
Wed 9th March	1pm - 4pm	Slaidburn Village Hall The Green. Slaidburn. BB7 3ES
Wed 16th March	9am - 12pm	Longridge Old Station Berry Lane, Longridge. PR3 3JP
Wed 23rd March	9am - 12pm	Delicious Deli & Café, 11 Park View, Gisburn, BB7 4HA

Start your business

2011-02-02T13:12:00.000Z

Are you thinking about starting your own business? Have you got the germ of a business idea? Don't you know where to start?

If you would like an informal chat about starting your own business why not drop in at the Heritage Centre based in the old Longridge Railway Station on Berry Lane. Click here for the map

I will be there hosting a drop in session and would be delighted to see you. There are no charges and you are not commiting to anything at all. I will be there between 1.30 and 4 o'clock on Wednesday 23rd of February waiting to have a chat with you.

Maybe you need to talk about how much work there would be for you, what are the legals of starting a business or how to promote your business with limited cash. I will be there to help, just call in, no appointment needed.

If you can't make it on Wednesday afternoon just give our our administrators, Danielle and Charlotte, a ring on 01254 844144 and make an appointment to see me at our offices in Blackburn

Think again about using Direct Mail

2011-01-30T10:40:00.009Z

Direct Mail

Like mine, your email box is probably packed every day with junk mail. The product of companies adopting the mindless mailing of millions of email messages to addresses harvested from the internet by address brokers. If my junk mail folder is anything to go by most of these are for highly suspect and unaccredited training courses that only the most naïve reader would buy; business opportunities that are likely to prove a greater opportunity for the e-mailer to cash in on the unsophisticated than to give them a chance to change their lives and, of course, hundreds of emails purporting to help people improve their sex lives.

This positive tsunami of emails highlights the benefits of stepping back and reconsidering the use of carefully crafted direct mail. These mail shots, using modern customer relationship management techniques, can be addressed to a data base of known buyers stored on your computer. Direct mail is an often criticised marketing tool but then many campaigns have been badly put together and sent to the wrong people so don’t deserve any praise. A well constructed mailing piece sent to a, meticulously selected, list of prospective customers can increase the conversion rate of ‘mailings-to-sales’ up to ten or fifteen sales per hundred mailings rather than per hundred thousand mailings the mass e-mailers get if they are very lucky. This doesn’t take into account the negative effect of damage to their reputations which they suffer by these mass emailing techniques.

Use email well

There is a place for emails to known correspondents, buyers or prospective buyers, who have signed up to received emails. Particularly those buyers who can be persuaded to add your email address to their ‘white list’ of welcomed emails thus avoiding the trap of the junk mail folder. This type of mailing is often very productive for keeping in touch and updating contacts with changes and special offers.

A well designed direct mail campaign will comprise an envelope that attracts attention when it drops through the letter box, a correctly addressed letter that highlights the benefit of the offer in the eyes of the addressee, supporting evidence such as leaflet or sample, some form of response device which could be an 0800 phone number (avoid the dreaded 0870 like the plague as it will alienate thousands of prospective buyers) or a freepost address to stop customers failing to respond for lack of a stamp.

It’s important before making any marketing spend to work out the amount of sales needed to break-even, how many sales are needed to provide the profit that will cover the costs, and to help with that calculation I have created a spreadsheet to simplify the problem which can be downloaded here for 59p or around 94 cents.

Writing an effective sales letter is an art form that earns skilled practitioners handsome salaries every year but, like riding a bike, it’s a skill that can be learned. Many Enterprise Trust advisers are happy to share their skills and help you create your first sales letter and direct mail campaign setting you on the road to a lifetime of winning sales for your business.

Are you getting your share?

2011-01-23T16:35:00.001Z

Internet sales grow by 18%

According to the global consultancy firm CapGemini internet sales in 2010 increased by 18%; with December alone increasing by 25% providing total sales in excess of £6 billion. The Office for National Statistics add to the importance of internet sales by estimating at 10.6% of all retail sales are now taking place on line.

These enormous numbers clearly indicate that, for British retailers and producers selling direct to the public, a website sales channel has gone from something that would be nice to have to something absolutely essential if they are going to stay in business for long.

Opportunity for Growth

Those businesses that have a range of products, light enough to ship economically, can hugely increase their sales potential from just the customers that can visit their business premises to a global market place. All it takes is a website to introduce your business to the potential customers, and a shopping cart to display your products that will take the orders and payments.

Anyone with half decent computer skills can manage the whole process themselves with web hosting for on-line shops that can be had for under £10 a month and shopping cart software can come free with many hosting providers such as Just Hosts who also provide free web building templates as do Arvixe who specialise in open source and free shopping cart hosting . Those businesses who have taken the professional approach to their bookkeeping by using QuickBooks can add an integration package created by QuickBooks Gold Developers Aaatex which will automatically add all sales records to the accounting package cutting management time and reducing the risk of the sort of entry mistakes that can take hours to rectify.

Naturally for those business owners without the time or skills to develop their own ecommerce website there are many website developers who can be commissioned to carry out the task and provide the training to allow them to maintain the site once it’s up and running. When commissioning a project such as this it is important to provide a brief to the developers outlining what is expected from them. They should respond with a proposal clearly stating what they intend; this should be checked carefully against the original brief and if it does not meet the expectations the proposal should be signed off until it does. If there are any elements of the proposal that are not fully understood discussions should be continued until both parties are fully aware of each other’s positions and everybody is happy with the proposal.

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

The Tax Deadline Draws Closer

2011-01-19T17:47:00.000Z

January 31st

The Deadline Draws Ever Nearer

The deadline for completing self assessment returns for sole trader and partnership businesses in the UK. Miss the deadline and you could face penalties from the Tax Man who likes to get his money in on time.
Business Advisers across the country are getting calls from people who have suddenly woken up to the fact that there is very little time left and have to complete their returns on line, they may not have even arranged authorisation to use the Government Gateway on the internet to do this which could take a week to put in place. If this is the case visit the taxman's website to get registered and ready to do your returns in time.

A lot of my clients, with some pressure from me, have been promising to get their books in order for months and are now panicking as they search for missing bank statements, cheque books and lost receipts so that they can complete their tax returns.

How easy would it have been if they had been keeping their books with QuickBooks. Not only would two or three click have produced a completed profit and loss account for the year with all the information needed for the tax return but all the other advantages would be there as well.

A list of all your customers for ongoing marketing to make sure they stay customers and don't disappear to the competition
A list of all those people who owe you money so that you can chase them up
Regular reports on how much profit you are making
Ability to create professional estimates and invoices
Manage VAT
Module for payroll with easy to use PAYE and National Insurance calculation.
Stock control in some versions
Ability to monitor your projected cash flow against your actual cash flow.
Reports can be set up to match Self Assessment Return form for simple completion

All of this and much, much more. Just click the link Download QuickBooks Pro Now! Save 10%to find out what QuickBooks can do for you and for your business. There's professional help available across the country from members of the QuickBooks Pro Adviser team who, like me, can help you set up QuickBooks on your computer and providing coaching in using the system.

There's even a 10% discount when you buy a copy of QuickBooks from one of the links in John Ball's Blog.

Bid for work at the London Olympics

2011-01-10T10:12:00.003Z

NEWS FLASH

There are lots of opportunities for business to bid for work at the London Olympics.

CompeteFor Opportunity Alert
The opportunities listed below have been registered on CompeteFor in the last 7 days. To register your interest and find further information on these opportunities access the CompeteFor website at www.competefor.co.uk

________________________________________
Opportunity name: Large Small and Power Tools
Awarding organisation: TG Tunnelling Ltd
Response deadline: 10/01/2011 11:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Muckaway
Awarding organisation: TG Tunnelling Ltd
Response deadline: 10/01/2011 11:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Red Diesel
Awarding organisation: TG Tunnelling Ltd
Response deadline: 10/01/2011 11:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: HDPE Downpipe Supply & Install (Waterpolo Temporary Venue)
Awarding organisation: ESG Group Ltd
Response deadline: 18/01/2011 16:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Supply & Install of Temporary Partitions (Waterpolo Temp. Venue)
Awarding organisation: ES Group Ltd
Response deadline: 12/01/2011 16:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: C272 Paddington Integrated Project - Anti Skid Surfacing
Awarding organisation: Carillion Construction Ltd
Response deadline: 09/01/2011 16:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Marketing Research Consultant
Awarding organisation: E-Technology Systems Ltd
Response deadline: 18/01/2011 10:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Cable Supplier - Twisted Pair & Fibre Optics)
Awarding organisation: E-Technology Systems Ltd
Response deadline: 18/01/2011 10:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: CCTV Supply & Install (contractors)
Awarding organisation: E-Technology Systems Ltd
Response deadline: 18/01/2011 10:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Security Software Suites
Awarding organisation: E-Technology Systems Ltd
Response deadline: 18/01/2011 10:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Alarm Systems (Contractors)
Awarding organisation: E-Technology Systems Ltd
Response deadline: 15/01/2011 10:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Crash Deck
Awarding organisation: Workforce Rail Ltd
Response deadline: 10/01/2011 12:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Internal Doors and Partitions
Awarding organisation: Workforce Rail Ltd
Response deadline: 10/01/2011 12:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Timber
Awarding organisation: Workforce Rail Ltd
Response deadline: 10/01/2011 12:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: PPE
Awarding organisation: Workforce Rail Ltd
Response deadline: 10/01/2011 12:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Paint
Awarding organisation: Workforce Rail Ltd
Response deadline: 10/01/2011 12:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Cement
Awarding organisation: Workforce Rail Ltd
Response deadline: 10/01/2011 12:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Scaffolding
Awarding organisation: Workforce Rail Ltd
Response deadline: 10/01/2011 12:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Small and Large Tools
Awarding organisation: Workforce Rail Ltd
Response deadline: 10/01/2011 12:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: First Aid, PPE and Harnesses
Awarding organisation: TG Tunnelling Ltd
Response deadline: 10/01/2011 11:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Scaffolding
Awarding organisation: TG Tunnelling Ltd
Response deadline: 10/01/2011 11:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Proximity Switches Partner
Awarding organisation: Wilcomatic Purchasing
Response deadline: 01/02/2011 12:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Photocells Partner
Awarding organisation: Wilcomatic Purchasing
Response deadline: 01/02/2011 12:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: 3 Way Solenoid Valve Partner
Awarding organisation: Wilcomatic Purchasing
Response deadline: 01/02/2011 12:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: SS2/10/42 Supply & Delivery of Gloves
Awarding organisation: Metropolitan Police Service
Response deadline: 13/01/2011 16:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Supply of AV Cabling Equipment
Awarding organisation: Universal Cabling Ltd
Response deadline: 07/01/2011 12:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Supplier of Temporary Walkways (Waterpolo Temp. Venue)
Awarding organisation: ESG Group Ltd
Response deadline: 05/01/2011 16:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Supplier of Temporary Steel Staircases (Waterpolo Temp. Venue)
Awarding organisation: ESG Group Ltd
Response deadline: 28/01/2011 16:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: The Supply of All Terrain Vehicles (ATV's)
Awarding organisation: Metropolitan Police Service
Response deadline: 06/01/2011 13:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Brick and Masonry
Awarding organisation: Workforce Rail Ltd
Response deadline: 10/01/2011 12:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Flooring
Awarding organisation: Workforce Rail Ltd
Response deadline: 10/01/2011 12:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Pan London Procurement Portal and eTendering Solution
Awarding organisation: Westminster City Council
Response deadline: 17/01/2011 12:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Refugee Migrant Advice Needs GLA/80066
Awarding organisation: GLA Respond
Response deadline: 05/01/2011 09:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Printed Circuit Board Partner
Awarding organisation: Wilcomatic Purchasing
Response deadline: 01/02/2011 12:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Amplifiers Partner
Awarding organisation: Wilcomatic Purchasing
Response deadline: 01/02/2011 12:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Tooth Belt Partner
Awarding organisation: Wilcomatic Purchasing
Response deadline: 01/02/2011 12:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Idler Wheels
Awarding organisation: Wilcomatic Purchasing
Response deadline: 01/02/2011 12:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Gear box Partner
Awarding organisation: Wilcomatic Purchasing
Response deadline: 01/02/2011 12:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Transductors Partner
Awarding organisation: Wilcomatic Purchasing
Response deadline: 01/02/2011 12:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Pulse Generator Contactors Partner
Awarding organisation: Wilcomatic Purchasing
Response deadline: 01/02/2011 12:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: AIR RAM Partner
Awarding organisation: Wilcomatic Purchasing
Response deadline: 01/02/2011 12:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Rienforced Steel Supplier/Rebar
Awarding organisation: TG Tunnelling Ltd
Response deadline: 10/01/2011 11:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Facilities Maintenance and Cleaning of London Bus Service Sites
Awarding organisation: Transport for London
Response deadline: 05/01/2011 17:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Tunnel Segments
Awarding organisation: TG Tunnelling Ltd
Response deadline: 10/01/2011 11:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Provision of North London Sub-Regional Housing Stock Analysis
Awarding organisation: London Borough of Haringey
Response deadline: 19/01/2011 23:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Provision of Business Planning and Financial Consultancy Related to Housing Retrofits
Awarding organisation: London Borough of Haringey
Response deadline: 19/01/2011 23:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Plant and Machinery Partnership
Awarding organisation: Fairview Lifting Gear Services Ltd
Response deadline: 07/01/2011 16:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Specialist Plant/Machinery Partnership
Awarding organisation: GAP Group Ltd
Response deadline: 21/01/2011 16:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Air Testing Contractors - Athletes Village - Stratford
Awarding organisation: Galliford Try Construction South
Response deadline: 08/01/2011 16:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Design of Accredited Event Stewarding Volunteer Training
Awarding organisation: The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Ltd
Response deadline: 05/01/2011 16:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Flowers for London 2012
Awarding organisation: The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Ltd
Response deadline: 21/01/2011 09:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: The Supply of Development and Delivery of Training for the MPS Heart Programme
Awarding organisation: Metropolitan Police Service
Response deadline: 17/01/2011 14:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Builders Clean - Athletes Village - Stratford
Awarding organisation: Galliford Try Construction South
Response deadline: 08/01/2011 16:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Sealants Contractor - Athletes Village - Stratford
Awarding organisation: Galliford Try Construction South
Response deadline: 07/01/2011 16:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Floor Finishes - Athletes Village - Stratford
Awarding organisation: Galliford Try Construction South
Response deadline: 07/01/2011 16:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Acoustic Testing - Athletes Village - Stratford
Awarding organisation: Galliford Try Construction South
Response deadline: 08/01/2011 16:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Plant Hire
Awarding organisation: TG Tunnelling Ltd
Response deadline: 10/01/2011 11:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: Concrete Supplier
Awarding organisation: TG Tunnelling Ltd
Response deadline: 10/01/2011 11:00
________________________________________
Opportunity name: DR3889 for the Vending Service for London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Awarding organisation: London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Response deadline: 28/01/2011 12:00

________________________________________
Need help preparing your company to compete and to win business from the London 2012 Games?
Call: 0845 00 66 888
email: info@businesslinknw.co.uk
or visit: www.businesslink.gov.uk/northwest
________________________________________
We regularly hold events to help North West businesses prepare to compete
for London 2012 opportunities.
Forthcoming events
Friday 21 January 2011
How to Tender Workshop - FAQs
NWDA, Renaissance House, Centre Park, Warrington WA1 1QA

To attend these events please register on www.businesseventsfor2012.co.uk

Vist the Compete For website at

https://www.competefor.com/business/login.jsp

for details