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Stock Picks System.

You Can Earn 45% – Plus Continuing Income From Our Subscription Service. Our Stock Analyzer And Stock Picks System Was Tested And Returned 99% In 8 Weeks. Simple To Follow System Lets Anyone Pick The Right Stocks.

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Seriously Simple Sums! Master Multiplication & Division.

Dont Let Your Child Struggle With Maths Tables Any Longer! Watch In Amazement As They Calculate Large Sums Effortlessly, Even In Their Head! Help Them Become The Class Genius!

Seriously Simple Sums! Master Multiplication & Division.

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More About the UK and Short Guide to UK Accommodations

The United Kingdom is a rich country with Queen Elizabeth as its head of state. Tourists and business travelers flock the country. There are things to consider when looking for accommodations in the UK.
The United Kingdom (UK) or Britain comprises of Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom of Fantastic Britain. It is recognized as a sovereign state just off the coast of Continental Europe. Among the several islands, Northern Ireland remains the only UK region with a land border, which it shares with Ireland. It is also bordered by the Irish Sea, English Channel, North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Thus, Fantastic Britain, its largest island, has the Channel Tunnel for its link to France.
Regarded as a unitary state which consists of 4 countries, namely Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England, it is governed by a parliamentary system. London is noted as its capital. This is amidst its 3 devolved national administrations with the capitals of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which is Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast respectively.
Queen Elizabeth II remains the head of state as a constitutional monarchy. It also has a total of 14 overseas territories, all noted as remnants of the vast British Empire, encompassing ¼ of the land surface of the world. This makes it the largest empire in the history of mankind. In fact, the British influence can constitute to the legal system, culture and language of its numerous former colonies.
Consider some travel tips when plotting to visit the UK. For both business and leisure travelers, it is vital to have excellent lodging wherever you want to go. Similar to trips to other countries, when going to the UK, make sure you are booked at a hotel that has everything you need, starting from the facilities, amenities to its close proximity to vital areas in your trip.
Business travelers who are always on the go should have a hotel that is near the airport. The hotel should also be able to provide airport-hotel transfers. Some of the vital things to consider when looking for accommodations include the onsite meeting facilities, its closeness to other business facilities, the rooms’ technology and “hook-ups,” accessible transportation and nearness to groceries and shops.
Check out the most well loved tourist attractions in the UK. Look for accommodations near these spots so that transportation will not be very costly. UK has many wonderful sites, and it will all depend on your general interest. You may be scholarly, and want to visit their libraries, museums and well-known universities. There are also many parks and other recreational centers.
If you are still having second thoughts about the perfect lodging facility for you and your family, go with familiarity. You can go for chain hotels known to have branches worldwide. The reason you will not go incorrect with these hotels is because they take care of their guests just as they take care of their establishment. This would include the likes of Ramada Inn Worldwide, Hilton International, Sheraton, Doubletree, Hampton Inn and Embassy Suites among others.
You can also check for the hotel’s long term and small term accommodation packages. For those who will be on a long term project, apartments for lease or hotel suites are the best options. This type not only emphasizes a “homey setting,” it is also more relaxing because of its separate sleeping, kitchen and living areas. Excellent examples in the UK include Hyde Park’s Space Apart Hotel and Citybase Apartments.
Lastly, it will be very vital to research on the general weather conditions during your visit. It can sometimes get very cold in UK. Pack the necessary clothing.

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Jackson Rose Reveals Recession busting Upsurge In Sales and Marketing Jobs

Jackson Rose has revealed that, despite widespread economic turmoil, companies are continuing to hire innovative and talented Sales and Marketing people. The recruitment is occurring at all levels from junior to senior board director level across both permanent and interim positions. Charlie Jackson, Managing Director of Jackson Rose’s permanent and Contract agency operations recruitment division, said: “We’ve seen an influx of Sales and Marketing management jobs (http://www.jacksonrose.co.uk/ ) in the first few months of 2009. This is common in a terrible market, as companies need to make an immediate difference to their business fortunes. These companies know that professionals with a excellent marketing background can analyse every action within an organisation and make recommendations on vital messaging improvements.” According to Jackson Rose (http://www.jacksonrose.co.uk/ ) research, the Sales and Marketing recruitment market has changed a fantastic deal in the last decade – not just as a result of the recent credit crunch. “Over the years, the day-to-day roles have been went nationwide, off shored or outsourced,” clarified Jackson, “What’s left, particularly at the moment in London, are the more strategic roles. Our clients are keen to recruit high level experienced Marketing managers, Account Directors and senior level business people across all sectors of business – particularly in the Luxury and Premium goods  space.

According to Jackson Rose, candidates with experience of brand revaluation, creative marketing communications, market repositioning, luxury goods and luxury retailing are of particular interest for the roles currently on offer. “We’re particularly keen to hear from individuals with senior level sales and marketing experience, who have a demonstrable track record in managing, and working on, business critical positioning projects with multiple workflow streams and deliverables,” stated Charlie Jackson, “A background in Advertising from either Below the line ( BLT ), Through the line ( TTL ) and integrated  is a prerequisite, and ‘change makers’ who have matrix managed are also highly desirable.” Such is the demand for candidates with these skills, remuneration packages are remaining robust with many clients paying competitive salaries for the most strategic project management jobs. Jackson does warn but, that this demand does not mean candidates will find the interview process simple. “Applicants will be quizzed on how they’ve worked at board level before, the size of former budgets managed and just what effect they’ve had on the bottom line on their previous projects”, Jackson concluded. About Jackson Rose:

Established in 2005, Jackson Rose is one of the leading UK Sales and Marketing services recruitment firms in the UK. Jackson Rose consultants, candidates and clients work together to achieve the best employment opportunities and long term relationships. Jackson Rose recruits for Sales and Marketing  jobs (http://www.jacksonrose.co.uk/ )across London and Edinburgh  including long-term contracts, temporary and permanent roles. Jackson Rose is an independent organisation.

Jackson Rose PR Contact: Charlie JacksonJackson Rose 87 New Cavendish Street London W1W 6XD+44 207 467 7337www.jacksonrose.co.uk

 

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Recruiter Training 7 Tips for Getting Past Preferred Supplier Agreements

If you’re actively canvassing for new business, you probably get this objection every day.

And this objection probably causes more frustration among recruiters than nearly any

other. But let’s get things into perspective. This is just a variation of the classic objection,

“we’re pleased with our current suppliers.” The truth is that this objection is less of an

obstacle than most recruiters realise.

What NOT to say…

Most recruiters fall into the trap of asking, “When is your PSL up for renewal?” or “How

would we go about becoming a preferred supplier?” These questions may be useful at

some stage, but not as your initial line of enquiry. Why? Because these questions

implicitly assume that there is no possibility of winning business from this client in the

small term. So usually when you question these questions, you have already admitted defeat in your own mind. And you may be giving up too easily.

The huge lie

If we hear something often enough we’ll usually start to believe it – even if it’s not right.

Be aware that just because the client says they have a PSL doesn’t make it right. Many

companies have learned that this is an simple way to get recruiters off the phone quick.

And even if it is right, it may not be strictly enforced. Often the PSL is applied selectively.

A excellent CV will nearly always be considered no matter where it came from – especially in

a candidate-driven marketplace.

So before you resort to arranging a call back or sending literature, try testing the strength

of the PSL with one of the following strategies:

1. Remind them that there is no cost to consider your candidate

“It doesn’t cost you anything to consider our candidates. Let me send you my best 1-2

people. You can compare and contrast them against the applicants you’re already

considering. If my CVs are no better to the ones you’ve received from other sources, then

fine. On the other hand, you could be missing out on a real star that you would not have

access to otherwise. And at the very least, you’ll satisfy yourself that you are recruiting

from the best shortlist. You do want to recruit the best person, don’t you?”

2. Probe for problems with their current supplier

Now here’s the challenge. If you come straight out and question, “What problems are you

having with your current suppliers” you’re unlikely to get an honest answer. People don’t

like admitting problems to themselves, let alone to a weirder. So we need to do some

detective work. Remember watching Lieutenant Columbo on TV? He was a master at

finding flaws in the suspect’s tale. But he did it without them realising what he was

doing until it was too late. In fact the secret to his success was that he was so polite and

unassuming. He’d always start out with seemingly harmless questions, and these would

inevitably lead to more challenging ones. Take a page out of Columbo’s book.

Try questions like: “You’ve got a Preferred Supplier’s List? I’m glad to hear it! It tells me

that you take recruitment seriously! Who do you use? What were your reasons for

choosing them? If you could change one thing about the service you’re getting right now,

what would it be? Is there anything else you’re not 100% satisfied with? Tell me, how

well do they handle x,y,z (your area of specialty)?” Before you know it, you’re engaged

in a meaningful business conversation with your client.

3. Become a “Second Tier” supplier

Question them, “What would you do if your usual suppliers were not able to provide suitable

candidates? What’s your back-up plot?” Many clients will not have an answer for this.

They’ll be forced to admit that IF their current suppliers could not deliver, THEN they

would need to consider other alternatives. Then you can say, “Our intention at this time is

not to replace your existing suppliers, but to complement them. Let us be your second tier

suppliers.”

4. The “Spare Tire” analogy

If the client is adamant that their current suppliers have never let them down before, try the

spare tire analogy. “Do you carry a spare tire in your car?” Of course. “Why? You have

four perfectly excellent tires. Have they ever failed you?” No, but what if I get a flat?

“Exactly, and it’s guaranteed to happen at the most inconvenient moment when you’re

under pressure and you don’t have time to waste. What’s why it’s prudent to carry a spare

tire. So let us be your spare supplier. No matter how excellent your current suppliers are, one

of these days they will let you down. And we’ll be waiting in the wings to come to your

rescue.” Yes it’s cheesy, but it does get the thought across. For best results, try to adapt this

metaphor to your client’s industry. For example, if your client is in IT, talk in terms of colocation and redundant servers.

5. “We try harder because we’re number two”

This was the well-known strap line that helped Avis rent-a-car win market share from the

market leader Hertz. And you can use a similar thought to win new business too. If the

incumbent is becoming even slightly complacent, then you might be able to get in simply

by working harder.

Tell the client, “I know you’re pleased with your current suppliers. That’s why my

intention is not to replace them, but to complement them. Let me prove to you what we

can do. What vacancies are you struggling with right now?”

If you succeed in filling the job, you’ll be a hero. And if you don’t fill the job, then they

can’t fault you because none of their usual suppliers was able to either! You’re no worse

off for having tried. And at least now you’ve started a dialog that you can expand on.

This approach is fantastic for positioning you as the recruiter who will go the extra mile.

But, beware of the client who says “Sure – send me some CVs.” This line is very

often a brush off. The outcome of this conversation should ideally be a face to face

meeting. As a minimum, insist on taking a proper job order. There’s no point in putting a

lot of effort into a vacancy which is not fill-able, or which the client was never really

motivated to fill in the first place.

6. Sell to the MAN (Money, Authority, Need)

In other words, you need to be selling to the real choice maker. Obviously the MAN is

often a woman. The point is that unless you happen to recruit HR people, you should be

targeting the line manager instead of Human Resources.

Avoid going through HR if at all possible. The line manager is usually more receptive to

your approaches for two reasons. Firstly, she is the one with the staffing problem, and

presumably is more motivated to find a solution. Secondly, she doesn’t usually care about

the PSL and will often let you in the back-door. If you build a excellent relationship with the

line manager, and come up with the right candidates, she can insist on interviewing your

people and get the offer pushed through. Once you’ve got a proven track record, you can

re-approach HR to look at their broader recruitment needs. Remember, it’s simpler to beg

forgiveness than to question permission!

7. The Trojan Horse

Even if you’re getting knocked back, try specking in a star candidate. A top-calibre

candidate can be a powerful door-opener. And it’s much simpler to win the battle once

you’re already inside the fortress. Let me give you a real example from my own

experience. I used to recruit software salespeople, and I was determined to break into

Oracle. Their Recruitment Manager in London told me they had a strict Preferred

Suppliers List and they would not consider CVs from any company that was not on the

list. I refused to give up and went directly to the Regional Sales Director in Edinburgh

where I am based. He admitted that he was always looking for excellent salespeople, and

agreed to meet me. But, he warned me that he already had a excellent relationship with

two of my competitors and was pleased with their service. Undeterred I met him in order to

start building the relationship. Then I simply kept contacting him with excellent candidates.

Eventually I struck gold with a candidate I was representing exclusively.

He was an eCRM sales specialist within the Insurance and Banking sector, which was a

niche that Oracle was keen to develop. I made a £13,000 fee (20% of £65,000) and the

recruitment department was forced to place me on the PSL, which opened up new

opportunities for my colleagues in our IT recruitment division.

So the next time a client tells you they have a PSL, don’t give up – get excited. If they have

a PSL it probably means they spend a lot of money on recruitment. And with a bit of

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Self Catering in Windermere – The Greener Way

For many holiday destinations like Windermere for example, it is even more vital. To preserve this gorgeous part of the country, tourists need to be responsible. Of course, there are the usual steps whilst on holiday such recycling and buying local produce so keeping food miles down but there are also many other ways in which you can help.A self catering holiday is the ideal way to lower the carbon footprint of a trip. The carbon footprint of a self catering holiday is significantly less than a hotel based holiday. Many factors contribute to this, the amount of lights, sheets and towels washed and spa and swimming pool facilities and greater control can be had by the guest to reduce energy consumption. Some self catering property owners and developers are making a more eco friendly property, for example, installing solar panels, wind turbines and worming and composting facilities. Some Windermere self catering businesses offer incentives for cycling to the property such as a £50 discount on the Windermere cottages break. Giving a discount incentive it a fantastic thought especially in the current climate. Storage and wash down areas are a must when arriving by bike and there are Windermere apartment complexes that provide such facilities. A cottage or apartment also allows for extra storage of kit, far more so that a hotel room.Travelling to Windermere couldn’t be simpler by public transport. The main Virgin West Coat Mainline stops at Oxenholme – The Lake District which links Glasgow and Edinburgh to London Euston. Oxenholme has regular direct trains to Windermere. The main south Lakes bus routes all pass through Windermere and stop at the bus station. The 555 Stagecoach service links Lancaster with Carlisle through an hourly service and stops at Windermere, Ambleside, Grasmere and Keswick.The Lake District offers mountain bikers & cyclists of all levels trails through some of the country’s most breathtaking landscapes. The accommodation & facilities at Windermere cottages ensure you get the most out of your Lake District cycling holiday. Self catering holidays benefit the environment too. The carbon footprint of a self catering holiday is significantly less than a hotel based holiday. Many factors contribute to this, the amount of lights, sheets and towels washed and spa and swimming pool facilities. Some self catering property owners and developers are making a more eco friendly property, for example, installing solar panels, wind turbines and worming and composting facilities. By supporting organisations such as Cumbria Business Environment Network (CBEN) the Tourism and Conservation Partnership, tourism businesses in Windermere can get advice and support on how to provide a more environmentally conscious service to their guests. Their mission is “To make a more sustainable tourism sector by encouraging businesses to successfully operate in a way that also supports the environment and local community”.

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An explanation for the absence of a national home refurbishment brand in the UK

UK consumers increasingly place fantastic importance on, and give preferential treatment to, a product or service that has succeeded in placing within their mind a positive perception of the experience and range of benefits using that particular product will offer them.

The company, with its stylized brew of personality, vision, colours, graphics, accreditations and messages succeeds in convincing the consumer in advance that they will attain a range of benefits such as safety, security, health, wealth, wellbeing, social status, self esteem and so on just from purchasing the company’s product. The consumer is promised some of these benefits when they buy something as trivial as a hand bag or a magazine but this ‘brand promise’ is of critical importance to them when they buy something vital like a car or a health insurance plot. It is the commercial equivalent of a referral from a trusted advisor, friend or family member and reduces the inclination and time spent raising and satisfying all their concerns prior to buying a product or service from an otherwise unknown entity.

Without this ‘brand promise’ a consumer would constantly have to determine if the product or service they are thinking of buying is in the first instance safe, does it even work, who are the people behind it, do they share the consumer’s philosophy and values, will they do what they say they are going to do, what if it all goes incorrect and so on.

Yet when a consumer refurbishes their home, (by refurbishment I mean a substantial project including the building of an extension or a complete renovation of a property) or to place it another way, when a consumer tampers with the very fabric of their largest asset where for the majority of their lives their beloved family resides, this is exactly what they have to do. Why? Why is there not a brand in the UK home refurbishment industry that consumers can turn to with the same level of confidence they have when they are shopping in the UK retail, banking and telecommunication industries?

To get an insight in to why the UK does not have a national home refurbishment brand it is necessary to know the restrictions that are placed upon anyone trying to make one. A general building contractor is predominantly a one man band and is the ‘brand’ of their company. If they are competent, likeable and trustworthy then a client may refer them on to another client and so on until they becomes well known to a few.

But is a recommendation sufficient? Does the builder have what it takes to satisfy all of the consumers concerns prior to their engagement? And can a builder grow indefinitely servicing an ever increasing geographical area leaving satisfied clients in their path? The answer to both these questions is highly unlikely because of the following predicaments:

a)  The home refurbishment industry is a fragmented and haphazard industry with small or no universal standards or processes. There does not exist any model sales and delivery process that is referred to by all practitioners, no benchmark payment process adhered to by all and no standard terms of business available to all clients. Instead each building contractor operates according to their own personally preferred and somewhat comfortable modes operandi that the client needs to reconcile with their concerns prior to engagement. Of course an element of flexibility and negotiation is normal in many business dealings but without an established process borne out of experience that withstands the test of scrutiny a client cannot be assured that the arrangement is to the mutual advantage of both parties and so suspicion is aroused in the client which the building contractor has to work against in order not only to win the contract but to maintain the contract as problems arise throughout the project.

b)  A building contractor cannot grow indefinitely because they suffer from severe skill shortages. A successful home refurbishment project requires consistent project management throughout. As it is the role of the proprietor to first visit a client and manage the pre contract phase it is necessary for their involvement throughout the whole project, a fact the client will insist on. The fact that they may be a one man band means also that the client has invested in the proprietor’s character and so does not want someone else to take over. The role is also communications intensive and calls for a personal touch and the authority to make executive decisions whilst maintaining the confidence and satisfaction of the client. This role also involves liaising with the project architect and engineer, engaging suitable trades and monitoring the quality of their work all whilst ensuring the project is on time and on budget. This is a very serious and time consuming role that a client demands the proprietor assumes, if they do not to start with, they will eventually. But a successful home refurbishment project also requires a foreman, someone on site day to day who is ensuring everyone is working according to the project manager’s instructions and that problems are resolved in real time and momentum is maintained. Normally the proprietor carries out this role as well as that of the project manager; if the proprietor is running two or three projects simultaneously they may have a couple of foreman to rely upon so that the project management function is not compromised but to grow beyond this so as to be running 10 or 20 or more simultaneous projects the proprietor has to find a working foreman for nearly every project. The problem is that candidates for qualified foremen fall in to two main categories; they are either running their own general building contractor or they are already employed in the commercial sector for higher wages than they would get otherwise as a home refurbishment foreman for a general building contractor. They are therefore notoriously hard to use as foremen for home refurbishment projects.

These problems mean the proprietor cannot take on too many projects simultaneously as he or she will have to perform many of the foreman’s tasks and thus lose sight of the higher project management functions. This is why, even under the best conditions, general building contractors do not grow beyond the status of a local enterprise. It therefore follows that they do not buy the resources or capacity, nor the inclination due to the nature of their repeat business, to engage communication strategists, PR advisors and brand creative’s to give their operation a professional well polished cooperate image with all the necessary elements to succeed in placing within their prospective client’s mind a positive perception of the experience and the range of benefits using them will offer.

Now let’s assume that a home refurbishment brand did exist, what would it look like?

Well firstly it would possess the appropriate corporate image that its target audience could relate to and rely upon. It would also have policies in place that demonstrated the underlying logic of how the company operates bearing the customers interest in mind especially when things go incorrect – this is of real importance given the whimsical nature of the environment home refurbishment operates within. It would have clear values and a mission driven by a vision that showed clients what kind of an entity they were dealing with and that it was not in the company’s interest to deceive a single client at the expense of a much larger vision. It would nearly certainly invite the client to become a part of this vision and in doing so greater facilitate the delivery of projects. It would also attempt to better the industry it operated within for all its stakeholders by researching and sourcing new methods and actively seeking constructive feedback.

Most importantly It would operate according to a standard sales and delivery process that assured a client that whether they were wealthy or on a tight budget, male or female, single or married, living in Edinburgh or in London their project would be subject to the same terms of business as everyone else’s and that they could know what was going to happen next such as when they would be expected to pay, how much and why.

Next is achieving the task of making these standards available to the nation. What kind of an entity could achieve this given the problems of scalability? One business model available to achieve the transition from general building contractor to national home refurbishment brand considering the aforementioned dilemmas is the franchise model.

The franchise would be operated by a master franchisor who would own the goodwill and Intellectual property of the brand and would be responsible for, but not restricted to, the development and promotion of the brand; making and producing marketing and advertising initiatives; developing and improving operating systems and processes; quality assuring the customer experience and workmanship; Signing off the workmanship whilst at the same time ensuring financial control; providing ongoing support, feedback and advice to all the franchisees and last but not least franchising. The master franchisor in return would receive an initial set up fee and ongoing commissions from all franchisees.

Ideal candidates for franchisees would be professional project managers, architects and other property related service professionals looking for an exciting and rewarding challenge. The franchisee would own their own business and have the right to use the goodwill, Intellectual property and operating methods of the master franchisor. They would operate a particular geographical area such as a borough of London or a small town. For business professionals with strong management skills looking for a larger challenge there is the possibility of operating as a regional franchisee. They could be the regional franchisee for all of London or a region of the UK and sell smaller areas to franchisees. In either case the franchisee would perform the function of professional project manager whilst subcontracting the building works to vetted general building contractors.

The key advantage here to the consumer is that the franchisee can focus exclusively on the higher functions of project management; keeping the client pleased, making executive decisions, managing the performance of the general building contractor, ensuring the project is on time and on budget whilst the proprietor of the general building contractor acts as the foreman and ensures their teams are being productive on site. This way the project runs more cost efficiently and completes quicker.

The advantages here to the franchisee is that they can grow their company in scale and profitability beyond what would be possible if they were a general building contractor as they are not impeded by the foreman dilemma. Also as a result of the flexibility of owning their business mixed with the professionalism of being affiliated with the larger corporate entity they can generate better quality sales with greater ease.

This also means that the general building contractors and tradesmen will benefit from repeat business from a major client – the franchisee; this will make it comparatively simpler for the building contractor to win business whilst ultimately making their service more competitively priced for the franchisee and the client. The building contractor can also now focus on what they do best, building.

The arrival of a national home refurbishment brand with universal standards in the UK would represent a significant social change. It will remove so many stigmas and anxieties surrounding something as fundamental and necessary as improving the home environment. It will improve the relationships between general building contractors, building professionals and homeowners and possibly more stakeholders farther afield. For example depending upon the political nature of the leadership of the brand it could make it simpler and quicker for new policies and technologies aimed at reducing CO2 emissions to reach their intended audience whilst achieving greater results.

If a national home refurbishment franchise emerged in 2009 and be operating in every major city and town in the UK by say the year 2020 then no doubt competition would emerge along the way that by 2020 would have helped produce a larger, more sophisticated industry. This would then present viable options to consumers; who will be able to turn to a range of service providers that have succeeded in placing an affirmative feeling of the experience of using their service in the mind of their users.

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Guerrilla Marketing & Customer Service

I am a firm believer in classic marketing principles, such as Customer Satisfaction, the four Ps, Branding and related topics. Many of those principles were drummed into me in my corporate marketing days and also through my MBA studies in Edinburgh.
I believe all business should have excellent customer service and I believe that all businesses should be taking advantage of the power of the internet and fully embracing what the internet has to offer in driving both offline and online business growth.
Now onto one of the most vital parts of running a business now, let me question you a question.
Have you hugged your customer today?
I’m not just being mushy! I don’t mean literally. What I am saying is customer appreciation is the best way to make customer loyalty. Excellent customer service is the surest path to success in any business.
Lets face it without customers your business is dead. Repeat customers are the life blood of any business. It’s a proven fact that pleased customers make repeat buys and not only that they tell all their friends. Which means more customers.
Tell me:
When your pleased or excited about a product or service what is the first thing you do? You tell every on you know. Right? If you have a fantastic experience with the staff at a store or restaurant what do you do? You go back again!
What if you have a terrible experience, do you go back? NO! and that’s not the end you make sure you tell everyone you know you had a hard time and never, NEVER to use that company.
Have you ever walked into a store and been snubbed, really ignored at the check out, what to you do? You walk out with out making a buy.
Now how many times have you walked into a store with no intention of making a buy. You were greeted by a friendly face and a warm courteous atmosphere, then you end up walking out with a bag full of goodies. It’s happened to all of us. Excellent customer service will never go out of style. It’s so simple but it is where most business fail.
Show your customers that you appreciate them. It’s the small things that matter. Like a friendly voice and prompt courteous service. Going that extra mile to make them feel special. You can make a huge following of loyal customers just by being nice.
But don’t stop there, the possibilities are endless. Have you ever been to a nice hotel where they leave a chocolate on your pillow? Now that chocolate only cost them a few pennies but it made your experience nicer. It made you remember their hotel above others.
How about customer reward programs. Sales will soar when you tell your customers that they will get one free after they buy three. A free gift with every buy. Every one likes presents.
Customer appreciation days, sales and specials. Hold an event throw a party just for customers that you have done business with before. Make them feel special, like they matter, that they are vital to you. Then watch your business reap the
rewards.
Guerrilla Marketing
In this part of the article I am going to talk about.
A cheaper alternative to high budget marketing it’s called guerrilla marketing.
When you started your home business you may have prepared yourself to a large amount of your profits on advertising. Only to learn that you got very small or no response for your money and efforts.
Now comes the time for guerrilla marketing, it can be done with an nearly no budget. This is the time when you change your way of thinking and realize that you are going to have to try just about anything to get publicity.
You have to make yourself known, it’s time to pick up the phone and call local businesses and let them know who you are and what you have to offer. You may be surprised at just how effective this can be, since businesses tend to appreciate the effort that you made to contact them and offer your services. It saves them time.
Start mailing. It shouldn’t be to hard to get your hands on a mailing list that covers your target market. Check with the post office, they can help you with your bulk mail campaigns. If the postage isn’t in your budget then start passing out your mailers yourself.
Print out some flyers. Don’t miss out on this one. It is cheap and simple. Handing out the flyers yourself will also give you an opportunity to meet your prospects and make a excellent impression. Just be sure to choose your location carefully and make sure you have a excellent offer.
Start giving. Handing out free gifts is always a excellent one. Hand out balloons, pens, magnets, small calendars with your business name on them. What ever you can reckon of. Try to make it something that relates nicely to your business and that they will use often, so that they will remember you. People like free stuff!
Remember your in business to make money. With guerrilla marketing it’s all about having the guts to try anything. Do make sure that you continue to add to your knowledge base and constantly learn more about marketing on the internet.

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Do You Have a Marketing & a Disaster Plan?

The author is a firm believer in classic marketing principles. Many of those principles were drummed into me in my corporate marketing days and also through my MBA studied in Edinburgh.
I agree that all businesses should have a plot and that all businesses should be taking advantage of the power of the internet and fully embracing what the internet has to offer in driving both offline and online business growth. Always be learning more about marketing on the internet.
With that said let me question you a question. Do You Have Marketing Plot?
Marketing is the real back bone of your business. Don’t you reckon that it is vital enough to need a plot, completely separate from your basic business plot? After all with out a plot how will you know where you are going. Let’s go over the basic information that your marketing plot should include.
First you need a marketing strategy and a budget. It is a excellent thought to get the basics of your marketing plot written down, so that you can see exactly what you are aiming for. Start the process by making lists.
List of all the advertising you plot to do. Include websites, newspapers, radio, flyers, the yellow pages etc.
For each form of advertising you should assign an estimated cost. Determine how many customers you expect to reach. This will allow you to work out your cost of per customer, which is how much of you budget you need to spend on advertising to bring in one customer.
Next make a list all of the pricing policies you plot to have, as well as any special offers that you reckon will be excellent. Don’t worry you can make price changes and new offers later, The thought here is to have some basic long term plans.
Another excellent thought is to have a list of other businesses in your area that could be considered to be competitors. You need to know who you are up against and a excellent plot to differentiate yourself from them.
This is just a basic outline for starting your businesses plot. Remember, when in doubt seek out help. Do a quick search for sample marketing plans online or visit your local library for more information.
A Disaster Plot:
Disaster plans, do you have one? I don’t mean to be a downer but, any time you start a business, you are taking the risk that the business might fail. What you may not have considered when you started out was along with your business plot you need a disaster plot. Having a plot in place will help you shield yourself from risk and help you make sure that you can keep your business going even on the brink of disaster.
You need to have a plot for what you’re going to do if your business looks like it is going to go under. Are you going to borrow money, raise prices, cut back or fire people. Are you willing to sell your possessions or mortgage your house, ? What will you do? This is where your disaster plot comes into play.
Just like a business plot your disaster plot will layout a list of options that you can refer to if your business runs into distress. In your disaster plot include a list of the things that you will or will not do before you close your doors on your business.
A excellent disaster plot will depend a lot on how much risk you’re willing to take on yourself. If you are sensible and conservative then you will go as far as you can to avoid selling or borrowing against any of your own assets to keep your business open.
If you don’t lean to the conservative side and are willing to take more of a risk, then you may consider getting a loan against your car or maybe even your house. Just be prepared to lose it all if you can’t recover from whatever business disaster you may encounter.
A excellent disaster plot also includes a recovery plot. Once you have chose what you will do to handle a business disaster you need to choose how you will recover. When writing your disaster plot consider adding these things to your list. What will you do if you keep your doors open? How will you rebuild? What will you do if you choose to go out of business? Start another business? Go back into the job market? What will you do next?
How you handle a business disaster is completely up to you. That is where having a excellent disaster plot comes into play. You have to choose are you going to cut your losses and walk away or dig in your heals and risk it all to make your business a huge success.

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The British Royalty

Buckingham Palace has served as the official London residence of Britain’s sovereigns since 1837. It evolved from a town house that was owned from the beginning of the eighteenth century by the Dukes of Buckingham. Today it is The Queen’s official residence. Although in use for the many official events and receptions held by The Queen, areas of Buckingham Palace are opened to visitors on a regular basis.

Besides being the official London residence of The Queen, Buckingham Palace is also the busy administrative headquarters of the monarchy. The Palace is a working building and the centerpiece of Britain’s constitutional monarchy. It houses the offices of those who support the day-to-day activities and duties of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh and their immediate family. The Palace is also the venue for fantastic Royal ceremonies, State Visits and Investitures, all of which are organized by the Royal Household.
Although Buckingham Palace is furnished and decorated with priceless works of art that form part of the Royal collection, one of the major art collections in the world today, it is not an art gallery and nor is it a museum. It’s State Rooms form the nucleus of the working Palace and are used regularly by The Queen and members of the Royal family for official and State entertaining. Buckingham Palace is one of the world’s most familiar buildings and more than 50,000 people visit the Palace each year as guests to banquets, lunches, dinners, receptions and the Royal Garden Parties.

Today the State Rooms are used extensively by The Queen and Members of the Royal Family to receive and entertain their guests on State, ceremonial and official occasions. During August and September when The Queen makes her annual visit to Scotland, the Palace’s nineteen state rooms are open to visitors.

As the Official Principal Residence of the British Monarch, in other words the London home of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. When Her Majesty is in residence her Royal Standard flies from the mast.
The State Rooms of the Palace are open to visitors during the Annual Summer Opening in August and September. They are lavishly furnished with some of the greatest treasures from the Royal Collection for example the paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Vermeer, Poussin, Canaletto and Claude, sculpture by Canova and Chantrey, exquisite examples of Sèvres porcelain, and some of the finest English and French furniture in the world.
The 18 rooms were first opened to visitors in 1993 to help raise funds to repair fire-hurt Windsor Castle. Using the public entrance in Ambassador’s Court, visitors pass up the grand staircase and through magnificent state rooms, not entering the royal family’s private apartments.
The Throne Room is illuminated by seven chandeliers, and here the Queen carries out formal ceremonial duties. The Green Drawing Room is the first room entered by guests at royal functions . The gold and white Music Room, with its original parquet floor, is used the presentation of State guests and royal christenings. By going down the Ministers’ Staircase, and through the Marble Hall, the Garden can be reached which is a haven in the heart of London. Only a 1,500 foot walk is open to the pubic, which goes around the lake, giving a rare view of the west front of the palace.

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