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International Festival for Business to Provide Global Platform for British Industry

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British businesses are to be given unprecedented access to a global network of potential partners and customers at this summer’s International Festival for Business, which promises to showcase the strengths of the UK’s economic recovery.

Festival organisers have unveiled the details of a series of events that will provide UK firms with a one-off opportunity to tap into key emerging markets when the world comes to Liverpool and the North West in June and July.

Official IFB content partner, UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) will host a number of events throughout the summer to help boost British trade overseas.

These include:

  • UKTI Market Event: Africa, 11 June 2014, IFB Hub
  • UKTI Market Event: Latin America, 12 June 2014, IFB Hub
  • UKTI Market Event: Benelux & Europe, 19 June 2014, IFB Hub
  • UKTI Market Event: SE Asia, 24 June 2014, IFB Hub
  • UKTI Market Event: USA, 26 June 2014, IFB Hub
  • UKTI Market Event: China & Hong Kong, 4 July 2014, IFB Hub
  • UKTI Market Event: Japan & South Korea, 7 July, Langtree Park, St Helens
  • UKTI Market Event: India, 10 July 2014, IFB Hub

 

Building on the success of events held during the London 2012 Games, UKTI will open the Festival with the British Business Embassy (BBE) event in Liverpool on 9 June at St George’s Hall, Liverpool, which will feature keynote speeches from economist Jim O’Neill, chairman of Cities Growth Commission, and Ron Dennis, CEO & chairman of McLaren.

UKTI will have a permanent presence at the IFB Hub, which will occupy two floors of Liverpool’s Mann Island and act as the “nerve centre” for the Festival, providing delegates with a brokerage system that connects them with overseas partners.

BT’s Global City Leaders’ Summit is one of IFB’s standout events, assembling more than 150 city leaders from around the world to examine a shared challenge: ‘how to generate sustainable economic growth as many emerge from a period of austerity.’

The event will feature keynote addresses from Bruce Katz, vice president of the Brookings Institution and internationally renowned advisor on creating urban prosperity, along with UK Minister for Cities Greg Clark MP, Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson OBE and the BT Group CEO, Gavin Patterson.

Other event highlights that will help British businesses make international connections include:

  •       Africa Rising – 10-12 June: A high-profile conference that provides a platform for African businesses and countries, Africa Rising will act as a route into the continent’s fast-growth economy
  •        International Trade Expo – 10-11 June: Aiming to attract upwards of 3,000 delegates, the event will target SMEs looking to export and help them reach their high-growth potential by connecting them with emerging markets
  • Horasis’s Global India Business Meeting – 22-23 June: Described as an Indian Davos, the Global India Business Meeting is the foremost annual gathering of Indian business leaders and their global counterparts
  • The Power of the Global Network – 15-16 July: A two-day conference with breakout sessions and a gala dinner that connects businesses across a range of sectors to stimulate the growth in UK exports

 

IFB has also been launched across the world from the US to Belgium, from China to India and more than 50 countries will be represented at IFB.

Crispin Simon, Acting Chief Executive, UKTI, said: “IFB is an excellent opportunity for UK businesses to find new international customers and boost British exports and I am delighted that UKTI is taking part.

“UK products and expertise are in demand the world over and UKTI stands ready to offer the services that businesses need to help them thrive abroad.”

Max Steinberg CBE, Chair of IFB, said: “To achieve the Government’s target of doubling UK exports by 2020 it is essential that our businesses are given the right opportunities to go global.

“This programme is international in its outlook and I’m confident we are providing businesses nationwide with the right access to markets which will help them drive economic growth and to forge long-lasting connections.”

IFB will offer unique opportunities for small, medium and large businesses to make international connections, exchange new ideas, promote their products, create new partnerships and seek new sources of finance.

The Festival is 50-days worth of world-class events designed to propel UK industry and broadcast the message of Brand Britain to the world.

To take full advantage of the Festival and the specific events, business delegates can register for free as a member of the IFB Business Club. Businesses looking for new customers, suppliers or investors can also log their interest with the free Business Brokerage service to identify potential matches.


94% of IT Security Professionals Using Third Party Apps on their Mobile

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A flash poll conducted at Infosecurity Europe by Centrify Corporation (Stand J100), the leader in unified identity services across data centre, cloud and mobile environments, has found that 94 per cent of IT security professionals use third party applications on their mobile devices for work, with 82 per cent using up to 10 apps.

Darren Gross, EMEA Director, Centrify said: “Applications are now at the heart of corporate IT and have become a vital part of how employees get the job done whilst either in the office or on the move. Removing access to applications isn’t an option – in fact it would create more problems than it would solve. But the risk for organisations is that the more cloud-based or mobile apps employees interact with, the more they create islands of identity that become harder for IT to track and manage.

“How do you authorise access for thousands of employees across multiple devices and platforms? Let alone de-provision them when they leave the company. Identity and access can often be overlooked, but unless enterprises can find a unified way to securely identify individuals, they risk their business coming to a shuddering halt,” he added.

The poll also revealed that of the 169 people surveyed, 7 per cent of security professionals do not believe it is their responsibility to protect corporate information held on their personal device. A further 8 per cent do not have a password or PIN enabled on the mobile device that they use for work purposes, potentially exposing organisations to risk. Surprisingly, despite repeated warnings about the risks posed by WiFi networks, 52 per cent of respondents said that they have accessed sensitive corporate information over unsecure networks at locations such as a coffee shop or airport.

Gross concluded, “As the poll shows, the majority of employees are now leveraging more and more applications on their mobile devices. We are now seeing a greater need than ever for unified security identity across multiple devices and platforms, which is why we have created a full suite of solutions – not only to bring security awareness to the enterprise but also provide the best-in-class tools to reliably protect a firm’s personal data and applications from identity-related risks and attacks.”
For more information about Centrify, visit www.centrify.com.

Changing staff behaviour is a major problem say lenders as new rules come into force

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Some 80% of building society professionals say changing customer-facing staff behaviour is challenging or very difficult – a statistic that will resonate even harder with lenders this week as changes to mortgage applications come into force under the Mortgage Market Review legislation, says performance improvement specialistsMaze.

The findings come from a survey of registered delegates to the Building Societies Association Annual Conference in Manchester next month.

“When the rules, and, therefore, the processes change, lenders have to not only ensure they do not fall foul of the law but also that borrowers have a ‘good experience’ otherwise satisfaction ratings fall and profitability suffers,” explains Jim Nicholson, Maze’s UK managing director.

“One of the biggest challenges that banks and building societies face is to reduce the variance between the best-performing 20% of the staff and the remaining 80%. Given that only 20% of poll respondents said changing staff behaviour fell into the easy or not that difficult bracket shows the enormity of the problem,” added Jim.

One of the ways in which the lending industry finds out how well it is performing is through customer feedback.

Maze’s technology, used by financial, estate agents and retail businesses including Principality Building Society, Peter Alan and Specsavers in the UK, and across the Sparebank1 Alliance in Norway, combines findings from real-time customer feedback, delivered to all staff members, with techniques to help translate the learnings into actions for branch managers to coach their teams and change behaviour.

“Around 90% of the time we make decisions based on habit, using the part of our brain which is on autopilot, yet in a consultative situation we should be using the rational, slower decision-making section. Our techniques are designed to help staff to stop and think before they go forward to ensure the customer is getting the best service so that there is not only personal satisfaction in doing a better job but their performance is reflected in the bottom line,” explains Nicholson.

Andrew Barry, managing director of Peter Alan, said: “A key part of my role is always to find that additional 10% improvement across the business. We had been using Maze to cover the valuations and sales process side of the business but as the Mortgage Market Review comes into effect, it is a perfect opportunity to expand its use into this area of our business. Our mortgage advisers are already using Maze to gain insight into how to ensure that our customers are getting the service that they want.”

The Simplicity Project

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A new pledge to cut ‘to-do’ lists by 90% and achieve more with less…

I took a lot of time out of my business over the summer holidays to spend some time with my kids. As is often the way when you get a chance to take step back, I’ve had lots of time to do some reading and thinking, and reflect on a lot of changes that have happened on both a personal level and a business level this year.

One of the things that became clear to me during this period of reflection was that my life and my business are way too complicated! So is my life and that of my family too. My kids are over scheduled and we are constantly running from activity to activity; I’m finding myself running to do the school run, finishing my work, running to do the school run again, all with my hair flying all over the place! There isn’t any break between juggling the demands of being both a mum and being a business owner and so my life is just one dash to the next!

Within my business, I’ve realised the process of improving and enhancing what I offer is that I’ve now reached the point where I’ve got too many different products that I offer, ways of offering those people and ways of bringing in new business. I’ve learnt that my business is great at creating systems and processes but we’ve now got too many of those as well. The result of this is too much noise and because of this I have made a big decision, probably the biggest I’ve made in my business so far; I’m just going to stop, and I’m going to start simplifying.

One of the other things that has been really playing on my mind as a result of this ‘epiphany’, is the role of women in our economy. If women want to be at the top of organisations and have positions of power in this country, trying to fight their way up within a corporate organisation is all well and good if that’s your thing to do. However, I think the more proactive approach is to create their own businesses.

There are far too many wasted opportunities with women who are not going back to work after having children because they feel under confident, under competent and under skilled to get back into the workplace. They are desperate to use the intelligence and work experience gained before they had children – but the time out has left them worried  about getting back into the traditional corporate environment. For these women, I think that there is such an opportunity there to create a business, and become an expect in their field – whilst also working in a lifestyle that is adaptable to them.

I feel like we now have a real opportunity to create businesses and fill the economy with a new style of business that works in a totally different way from the male corporate ladder, that are flexible, have different ethos’ and mentality towards how clients and team members are attracted and served.

Traditional business models, time management and productivity training just isn’t going to cut it for a many women. As an example, I was recently on a program where we were talking about creating a daily success ritual. The idea behind it was first thing you get up in the morning, before you do anything else in the day you’ll maybe do some exercise, you do some quiet time, some thinking, maybe some writing and reflecting – getting yourself really grounded for the business day ahead of you. That’s all very raw, but if you are like me; I’ve got three children up to the age of 9. I’ve got two hours of running around shouting and screaming, getting kids in the right shoes, with the right clothes on, out the door with the right bags, all before my work day even begins. So strategies like that aren’t practical whatsoever.

With that in mind, I’ve decided to start a simplicity project; I’m going to be creating various projects to simplify and cut back what I am doing in my lifestyle and in my business as well. I’m going to decrease my to-do list by 90% and do a few things really well rather than many things with mediocrity. I’m also going to work out the simple ways of doing marketing, running my business, and using my team and people around me to help me grow in business and getter better results with regards to parenting.

I’m going to be sharing my experience, my journey so you can learn from my tips and my experiences. As I go I am going to be posting home made videos and blog articles. I’ll be sharing with you some amazing books that I have been reading on the journey that have really helped inform me. Some of these ideas are so quick to implement; I’ve been home from holiday for 4 days, and I have already substantially reduced my to-do list. I just cannot tell you how amazing it feels to know I just don’t need to do certain things anymore.

There are too many choices, too many marketing techniques, strategies, and information in our world. I believe that for many of you, it is the overwhelm that is holding you back.

Words by Nicola Bird. Find out more about The Simplicity Project at http://www.simplicityproject.net

Yorkshire Chef in Top 50 List of Most Influential People

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Yorkshire chef Tim Bilton, of The Spiced Pear at Hepworth, has been listed as one of the North’s most successful hospitality operators.

Tim, chef/owner of The Spiced Pear Restaurant and Tearoom, has been included in the Northern Restaurant and Bar Awards Top 50 power-list of influential people, which is selected from recommendations and significant research by the event organisers. He will automatically be put through to compete for one of the three coveted ‘Outstanding Achievement Awards’.

To be considered for the ‘NRB Top 50’, individuals have to demonstrate they have had a significant positive impact on their company’s and on the wider Northern hospitality industry, innovating and excelling in their area of expertise with sustained commercial or critical success. “Tim stood out to the judging panel as a passionate cheerleader for the North and as someone who has racked up the awards and accolades along the way, first at The Butcher’s Arms and more recently at the innovative Spiced Pear” said Thom Hetherington, Managing Director, Northern Restaurant and Bar.

“It’s a fantastic feeling to be listed among some of the North of England’s best chefs, restaurateurs, hoteliers and caterers,” said Tim, who is now listed beside big hitters such as chef Andrew Pern, Stephen Miles at the Radisson Blu Hotels and chef Nigel Haworth at Northcote Manor. “It’s a great honour to be considered equal to such talented individuals and to be recognised for bringing something worthwhile to the northern dining scene.

“It’s especially meaningful for us as we only opened The Spiced Pear last May and have come such a long way in such a short time. As always, I could not have got to this position without my talented team behind me and the continued support of my loyal suppliers and customers.”

Tim will attend a reception for the NRB Top 50 Awards at the Northern Restaurant & Bar Show at Manchester Central on March 18 – where the winners of the three outstanding achievement awards for 2014 will be announced.

Fasthosts launches priority applications for .LONDON domain

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Fasthosts Internet, www.fasthosts.co.uk, a leading web hosting provider and cloud computing specialist, today offers priority applications for the .LONDON domain name.

Those based in the Capital city can now apply for their choice of .LONDON domains, to be delivered by Fasthosts in the Summer. For London firms, a .LONDON domain can immediately establish their status within the Capital and association with London’s economic importance. Priced at £19.99/yr+VAT (plus the .London registry’s one-off £5 processing fee), the new domain is expected to be enormously popular.

Fasthosts has Approved Premium Registrar status for .LONDON domains. From today, London businesses, organisations and individuals can use the London Priority Period to clinch their choice of .LONDON address. Applying now gives applicants the best chance of receiving their desired .LONDON domain, before the expected rush for domains after ‘General Availability’. London enjoys a prestige image, and now Londoners can leverage this image to boost online success.

For selling within London, the domain is expected to help customer loyalty, appeal to international consumers, and offer new potential for capturing traffic and developing their digital branding. When consumers make Search Engine searches for suppliers or products in London, it is also likely that a .LONDON domain will prove an important aspect.

Simon Yeoman, General Manager, Fasthosts Internet Ltd., said “More businesses are learning that regional online identity can be a real advantage for them. London has an incredibly strong positive image both domestically and abroad, and London’s firms can now profit from this directly from their web address. All indications are that .LONDON will become a real mark of trust for Londoners, and a great help for Londoners searching online”.

A recent YouGov survey of 1001 London based SMEs, commissioned by the Dot London registry, found that 26 per cent of respondents said they were likely to register a .London domain, meaning an anticipated total of over 218,000 small firms. Some 48 per cent of businesses likely to register a .London domain reported that they were proud to be London businesses and wanted to associate their business with London.

“Internet Psychologist, Graham Jones, www.grahamjones.co.uk, believes that new geographical domain names such as .LONDON will have an important role to play in how we browse the Internet in the years ahead. He said, “Most people use the Internet locally – looking for local suppliers. Indeed, even for social networking sites, the average distance between people is around 6km. As the majority of Internet activity is focused locally, regional domains will be very important. Being able to instantly associate a website with our own regional identity is likely to appeal to consumers. It will be very interesting to see how well .LONDON is embraced by Londoners. Off the heels of the fantastic London Olympic Games and Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, many would agree that London has gained a renewed sense of confidence and pride in its identity. .LONDON as a domain certainly has the potential to harness this identity and values and build up a London Internet community”.

Providing valuable opportunities for how businesses can represent their web identity, up to 1000 new domain endings are being launched across themes including geographical location, subject area, business sector and website type. Priced from £14.99/year+VAT, Fasthosts offers pre-registrations for many new domains coming to the market including .CLUB, .AGENCY, .EVENTS and .EXPERT, as well as immediate binding registrations for domains already launched and being used by UK firms, such as .EMAIL, .GIFT, .HOLIDAY, .PLUMBING, .RESTAURANT, .COFFEE and .SHOP.

As a leading hosting provider, Fasthosts offers a comprehensive range of services including domain name registrations, web hosting, Virtual and Dedicated servers, online backup solutions and reseller web hosting. Fasthosts is well placed to deliver a high quality service.

For more details about .LONDON domains, head to www.fasthosts.london. The full range of Fasthosts new gTLDs available for pre registration can be found at www.fasthosts.co.uk/domain-names/new-top-level-domains

Top Business Leaders Headline Hart Brown Economic Forum

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Economic forecasters indicating a growth in the UK economy during 2014.

According to recent predictions by The International Monetary Fund (IMF) the UK economy will be the fastest-growing in the G7 during 2014 with a growth of 2.9% in 2014, and a growth of 2.5% in 2015.This has been partly due to easier credit conditions and increased confidence. But it cautions that the recovery has been unbalanced, with business investment and exports still disappointing.*

Similarly, The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) claims that UK growth in the first part of 2014 has been “robust”, and estimated that UK output grew by 0.9% in the three months ending in March. Nevertheless, NIESR also believes that the UK economic recovery was “in its infancy” and that it did not expect the Bank of England to raise interest rates until the middle of 2015.

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) paints a similar picture of the UK economy, and despite forecasting a 2.7% growth, has concerns about the nature of that growth. Consumer spending, fuelled by weaker saving, drove much of the recent upturn, while productivity growth and growth in earnings had remained “disappointing”. Despite the government’s push for several years to boost exports, the OBR expects net trade to be lacklustre for years to come. **

In the workplace, there is similar reserved optimism. Many smaller businesses are looking to create jobs, with UK job creation at its highest rate in months. However, there is an increasing risk of a skills shortage which could impact growth, and although wages are expected to rise in 2014, real wages are not expected to reach their pre-recession peak until 2017.

But business investment is on the rise. The improved economic outlook, together with low borrowing costs is securing business investment, which will help businesses to export more, build more and manufacture more. Securing a private sector-led recovery is essential to delivering long-term sustainable growth in the UK. So with fewer economic risks, should businesses be focusing on growth, taking opportunities and investing more? Are businesses really seeing a change in the economy? Will the South East continue to grow faster than the rest of the country?

To help make sense of the various messages emanating from politicians and economists, law firm Hart Brown will hold their 10thAnnual Economic Forum, on Tuesday 24th June at the University of Surrey, which will see leading economists and business figures discussing their perceptions on the state of the economy. The panel of speakers will comprise Mark Berrisford-Smith, Chief Economist of HSBC, Justin Urquhart Stewart, Co-founder & Marketing Director, Seven Investment Management, and Adrian White CBE, Executive Chairman and Founder of Biwater. There will be opportunities for delegates to ask questions of the speakers, on topics relating to the economy in the South East of England, and how businesses here should plan ahead.

“We are often told by attendees that the Hart Brown Economic Forum is one of the major business networking events held in Surrey,” commented Nigel Maud? Chief Operating Officer at Hart Brown who will be hosting the evening. “With over 400 expected delegates, it provides a unique opportunity for the business leaders in our area to come together in an informal setting, and to listen to the views of some of the top commentators on the economy and business.”

The Economic Forum is support by Guildford Borough Council and The University of Surrey.

If you would like to attend the Hart Brown Annual Economic Forum please register online at http://www.economic-forum.co.uk/ or by calling Hart Brown on 01483 887766. The event is free to attend but registration is essential.

How to create and maintain momentum after startup

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For many entrepreneurs, launching a business can be the most exciting time. Putting so much effort into your ideas and seeing them take form is a great achievement. However, I have spoken to a lot of startups in the past that feel as though they have reached the finish line by simply getting their business off the ground. In reality, this is when the hard work really begins.

After exerting so much energy just to get your business up and running, creating and maintaining momentum after the initial launch can be a difficult and daunting prospect, but a necessary step to ensure sustainability.

Momentum is the measurement of movement that can help decide how high you will go and how quickly you will get there. In business terms, assessing a company’s momentum would be accumulating a series of small, but vital, successes one after the other. It can often take a while for a business to establish momentum but once achieved, you will find your company on the steady path to success.

Set your Goals:

Being prepared is often the most important, and sometimes overlooked, steps to gaining sustainable momentum in your business. Following the launch of your company, it can be quite tempting to rush ahead without being properly prepared and therefore could lead to a number of pitfalls and setbacks.

Putting together a plan of both your short-term and long-term goals will ensure that you know what is realistic and achievable. It’s also important to continue looking back at your plan along the way to allow you to see what you have achieved and your past successes to measure your company’s growth and to continue to drive momentum.

Focus on the Results:

At it’s very foundation, business momentum is based on the results achieved rather than the efforts made. This doesn’t necessarily mean that every idea you have has to be a success – failure is to be expected, particularly at the very early stages of starting up. It does however mean that you need to concentrate on the ideas that work and do achieve clear, positive  results. By focusing on the results, it allows you to see where you are putting your efforts and to see what is working and what isn’t.

Stay Positive:

“If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again” should be the motto for any business owner. It’s easy to lose focus and motivation at any sight of a setback or obstacle but it’s important to stay positive and celebrate even the smallest of successes. The key to having a successful business isn’t just about having a great idea; it’s about perseverance and belief in that great idea to help the overall growth and make it a sustainable business.

Words by Dr Stephen Fear, the British Library’s Entrepreneur in Residence and Ambassador, who will be delivering a workshop on maintaining business momentum aimed at young entrepreneurs and start ups at Hay Festival Thursday 29th May 2014. For more information on Stephen’s businesses, visit www.feargroup.com


Accounts & Legal

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How has a forward thinking new firm gone being unknown to receiving 100 inbound enquiries a month!

Accounts and Legal is an innovative new accounting firm offering added value accounting and tax services. The firm began practicing in May 2013 after their managing director, an experienced business owner, observed that accountants could offer their small businesses clients more.

But how did everyone find out about them?

The Accounts and Legal brand has built itself an extensive commercial presence through a marketing strategy that has been entirely digital. Social media, web and email campaigns have combined solid research and fact-finding with witty tweets and headlines to establish the brand personality and portray the firms mission to make accountancy useful for small businesses.

In conjunction with digital marketing strategies the firm have also employed a more technical approach to attract an audience; their SEO campaign has been a standout success that all businesses can learn from.

Currently, Accounts and Legal is ranked higher than all but one of the top 20 accounting firms when using Google to search for ‘London Accountant’. As of the 4th April, the group ranked fourth on the search results page. The firm’s social media following now comprises more than 2000 in total and the website traffic is still more impressive, attracting over 5000 web visitors per month; a figure that is growing every month.

Accounts and Legal uses a content-rich website to offer interactive advice to SMEs, on subjects from analysis of tax and legal issues, to examination of innovative small business models. One of the most attractive features of the website is the blog which is used to enlighten small businesses on topical subjects using snappy, perfectly-formed articles that are the perfect reading length for the busy entrepreneur.

But there’s more…

Accounts and Legal are one of the first accountants to offer an instant quote tool on their website and the benefits are two-fold. Not only does the clever calculator give enquiring clients a price for the services they need right there and then it also allows the firm convert queries into clients.

Unlike traditional accountancy firms, this automated tool can deal with requests 24 hours a day: 45% of instant quotes are made and sent through out of office hours. The accounting quote tool is both accurate and efficient, as clients can get a quote tailored to their needs within just 60 seconds.

The value added by the services Accounts and Legal provides is the business advice the staff gives, which is not limited to guidance on accounts reporting. They are unafraid to get involved in counselling over management and expenditure issues, and are branching into ad hoc marketing packages to help their small businesses clients grow using their expert knowledge.

Team demographics are split 50/50 between accounting staff, and marketing and sales. This is doubtless the key to the group’s rapid growth.

If you would like to know more about Accounts and Legal and the services they offer to small businesses then visit their website or give them a call to find out how they could help you grow your business.

Accounts and Legal are London Accountants working with small businesses in London and across the UK.

Pork Pie High: Historic North Yorkshire Butchers Opens New Shop

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Appleton’s, a heritage pork butchers originally based in Ripon is opening a new shop in Wetherby. 

The specialist pork butchers is opening its new branch in the Market Place on June 9 – the first time the 147-year-old business has expanded.

The new branch is testament to Appleton’s continued success, and the secret, it seems, lies inside its piecrust.

Alongside fresh hams, cured meats and sausages, Appleton’s famous pork pies – made to an ancient family recipe which gives them their unique flavour – have locals queuing around Ripon Market Square, and the business sells more than 3,500 per week.

So while the new Wetherby branch will continue to offer more of its most popular pies, it will also provide a new range of charcuterie, pork rillettes and patés, and the landmark Tudor façade of its Ripon shop, set up in 1867, will be replaced at the new shop with a Victorian -style striped awning, floor and wall tiles and brass fittings.

“There’s nowhere else in Wetherby that offers what we do,” says owner Anthony Sterne, who bought the business from a fourth generation family member four years ago. “Since the horsemeat scandal, shoppers have become more discerning and are returning to traditional, independent butchers like ours that are set apart by their properly sourced, hand crafted products and personal counter service. We’re striving to become a big part of the Wetherby community just like we are in Ripon.”

Modelled on the French-style charcutier, Appleton’s specialises in pork products such as cured whole hams, and cooked meats such as roast ham, sausage rolls, Scotch eggs and faggots. Ox tongue, for example, is still pickled, boiled and hand pressed using the methods handed down from generations of Appletons.

“We’re keeping old butchery skills alive,” adds Anthony. “And it’s simply not good enough to sell what the supermarkets do any more. We’d rather be specialists; doing the best at what we do, rather than doing a bit of everything and not doing any of it well.”

Log on to appletonsbutchers.co.uk

Britain’s biggest business festival for 60 years launches today bringing the world to the UK

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The International Festival for Business (IFB2014) launches today, offering in partnership with UKTI and the Department of Business Skills and Innovation, more than 1,000 live business opportunities with an estimated value of over £1.7bn.

Starting with UKTI’s British Business Embassy event, the Festival will comprise more than 250 high value business events and more than 70 cultural events running for the next 50 days across Liverpool and the North West.

The biggest business festival to take place in Britain for 60 years, IFB2014 is expected to attract around 250,000 business and cultural visitors from more than 80 countries to hear from a world-class line up of speakers from the worlds of business, government, technology and beyond.

First launched by the Prime Minister, David Cameron, in 2013, IFB2014 is a central part of the UK Government’s plans to drive growth and rebalance the economy. It aims to help contribute to doubling British exports to £1 trillion by 2020, and generating more than £100 million of foreign investment for the UK over the next five years.

IFB2014 has received the support of leading government and business figures including

Lord Heseltine and Sir Terry Leahy, former Tesco CEO.

The Festival also boasts an impressive roster of Ambassadors who pledged their support including John Cridland CBE, Director General, CBI; John Allan, National Chairman, FSB; Terry

Scuoler, chief executive, EEF, The Manufacturers’ Organisation; Sir Howard Bernstein, chief executive of Manchester City Council, Sara Murray OBE, founder of Confused.com and buddi; and Ed Wray, Co-founder of Betfair.

IFB2014 in key numbers:

  • 250,000 expected business and cultural visitors
  • 80 + countries represented
  • Over 250 business events
  • Over 70 cultural events
  • 150 UK SMEs will receive tailored export advice from UKTI experts
  • Each day visitor to IFB2014 is worth £54
  • East overnight visitor is worth £271

 

The largest global showcase of great British industries and sectors in a generation, IFB2014 will provide a platform for business leaders, established giants of British industry, entrepreneurs of high-growth businesses and unsung heroes of SMEs. Highlighting the opportunities across the spread of the UK, the diverse programme of events will take place at more than 96 locations most of which are in Liverpool and the North West.

Beginning at St George’s Hall with the British Business Embassy, delegates will hear from prominent business figures including Lord Livingston, Minister of State for Trade and Investment; Sir Terry Leahy; Jim O’Neill, Chairman, Cities Growth Commission; Lord Heseltine; Ron Dennis CBE, Chairman, McLaren; and Ana Botin, CEO, Santander UK.

Befitting of Liverpool’s title as a cultural capital, an extensive cultural programme consisting of more than 70 events runs in conjunction with the main Festival. This culminates with Memories of August 1914, the grande finale by Royal de Luxe, which is also one of the UK’s flagship World War One commemoration events, featuring giant marionettes parading through Liverpool, July 24-27.

The Rt Hon David Cameron MP, said: “This government wants to work on behalf of every business in Britain to drum up trade, encourage investment and pave the way for growth. That’s the way we’ll generate jobs, pay our way in the world, and create stability, security and a brighter future for Britain. That’s why I’ve backed the International Festival for Business in Liverpool from its inception.”

Joe Anderson OBE, Mayor of Liverpool, said: “IFB2014 is finally upon us and I couldn’t be more excited with the outlook and prospects ahead of us and the amount of people who will be visiting the city.

“The aim of the Festival was to create the biggest business gathering of 2014 in the UK, bringing the opportunities directly to our shores and our businesses.

“What we have ahead is exactly that: a 50 day high value line-up of events and conferences that will be pivotal for UK businesses, providing them with unprecedented access to global markets. It will also demonstrate that Liverpool, the city region and the wider North West are great business locations and are making significant contributions to economic growth.”

Max Steinberg CBE, Chairman of IFB2014, said: “IFB2014 will put the North West, the UK and indeed Liverpool firmly on the map as a great place to do business. The calibre of events, speakers and locations reflects the greatness of British industry and business and I look forward to witnessing first-hand the wealth of opportunities that the Festival will present.”

99% of Customers Choose Cloud Computing!

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Cloud computing is now the preferred option for SMEs in courier business, providing flexibility, mobility, security and manageable costs.

Courier Software, a specialist supplier of systems for international couriers, express delivery and third party logistics (3PL) operations, has published a new paper outlining the benefits to SMEs opting for cloud based software to support their business. The company states that 99% of its customers now use a cloud solution over traditional on-premise solutions, as more and more are using tablets rather than desk-based computers.

The paper explains that by outsourcing technology business risk is reduced and unexpected expense associated with in-house server solution is avoided. Cloud computing is faster to deploy, meaning minimal start-up costs and predictable ongoing operating expenses and with no capital expenditure up front. It grants SMEs access to enterprise-class technology, without the laborious tasks and high costs associated with the maintenance of servers that require specialised air conditioned rooms and back up processes.

Logging onto a cloud based service ensures rapid, instant connection to meet demand and ensures a faster, better service that is also more reliable, both for the courier company and its customers. As their business grows and they wish to increase the service they offer clients, whether it be managing shipments, providing pick and pack warehouse service or enabling customers to build their distribution list, capacity can be quickly increased remotely – with no site visits to upgrade hardware systems.

Jonathan Hare, Founder and Managing Director of Courier Software said; “For our SMEs providing courier services, cost and speed and security are top of their shopping list. Cloud based solutions enable them to take advantage of new technologies – to use tablets and phones to update information at the point of delivery – to become more competitive in a market where the smallest margins can make or break a business. With our cloud based service our customers can be up and running in as long as it takes to do the necessary administration and financial checks and send a secure password. Faster broadband times and connection to the internet has made accessing our software-as-a-service solution a faster, slicker and more cost effective way to run their business.”

Prevent Problem Gambling

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Young Sheffield entrepreneur Adam Bradford, 21, has spoken out about his family’s turmoil one month after his father was sent to jail for fraud as he starts campaigning to bring stricter regulation and controls over betting and gambling including a national ‘Gambling Awareness Day’.

21-year-old Adam Bradford from Waterthorpe has had a rollercoaster of a career to date.

The young entrepreneur launched his IT consultancy business while studying for his business BTEC in Sheffield.

Last month his life took an unexpected turn as his entire family was left in turmoil. On 10th April his father came home from work and delivered some devastating news, little did the family know that the worst was yet to come. Adam explains: ‘He was talking to mum for a long time, then came into the living room and spoke to us all. He said he had something major to tell us – and that we wouldn’t like it. We thought he was going away on work business over the weekend, but he revealed that he was actually going to court. He said he had pleaded guilty to fraud – something about when he worked in Wales a couple of years ago. It was absolutely devastating. I really can’t describe how I felt or how any of us felt. I looked around to my brothers and my mums’ faces and don’t think I even realised how deep my dad had sunk. You go all this way in your life as a decent and honest human being to find out your dad has been harbouring some terrible secret behind your back. That’s really not easy to take at all. I’ve still not come to terms with who he really is behind the family man we seemed to know. We do feel very betrayed and heartbroken.’

The family learned about the enormity of David Bradford’s problems through a Wales-based newspaper early the following week. ‘I get alerted whenever my name is mentioned in the media and somehow the Bradford part of my name came through to me as an article in a Wales newspaper. The headline read that a company accountant had defrauded their employer of over 50,000.00 GBP. I thought that surely couldn’t be my dad – much to my horror it was.’ Bradford, 57, appeared at Mold Crown Court in April this year after pleading guilty to fraud. He was given a prison sentence of two years and was immediately taken away from court to be locked up. It was revealed that the money he stole from his employer in Wales was used to fund a gambling habit; something the family knew nothing of.

Adam describes the moment the family learned about his dad’s jail sentence: ‘We got a phone call from his solicitor telling us he wouldn’t be coming home. I think we all just fell apart. What can you do – there’s no easy way to find these things out, neither is there an easy way to deal with it. My dad’s been taken away, for my mum her husband of 35 years has been taken away from her too. My brothers now don’t have a dad at home either. Who’s going to pay the bills? How are we going to live?’

Adam says although he has an intensive career which has recently spanned international work, he is in no position to cover the burden of debt and destruction which his father has left in his path: ‘To be inundated by the countless demands from debt collectors through the post is horrifying. My dad had a seriously dangerous addiction to money. We can see from his bank records that his wage would enter his account one day and a couple of days later it would have been squandered on online gambling and betting. This kind of thing is just unbelievable.’

Adam explains how his family have realised quickly the devastation which gambling can cause since the news broke: ‘We are convinced that dad had a very serious illness, something psychological that we aren’t qualified to put our finger on. He’s been hiding this monster for long enough. Most of his household bills are in arrears and there is a very real danger of us losing our family home now. I’m glad it’s out in the open and he’s in a place where he can cause no more damage to himself or the ones he loves. Online gambling is a serious problem and seemed to be his last resort to win enough money to sort out his issues.’ Mr Bradford made a loss of around 20,000.00 GBP through his gambling which the court heard took place during the time he was stealing money in 2012.

Adam and his family are now calling for stricter control over online betting where it is normal for users to sign up for an account and automatically link their credit cards, which in this case, emptied Mr Bradford’s bank accounts. ‘There needs to be a Gambling Awareness Day. While it can be an entertaining and sometimes rewarding pastime, my dad ended up seeing this as a way to make money and it became a dangerous habit.

This time he took one bet too far and he’s lost everything he ever had – so have we. We are at serious risk of losing our house now.’

Adam says he will spearhead his own campaigning, lobbying to make sure that more is done to stop these events happening to others: ‘On behalf of my family and many others who may have found themselves in a similar predicament, I’ll use my influence and my networks to campaign across the country for more awareness around problem gambling. There are other campaigns around and there is advice available online, but I need my voice to be heard to raise the profile of the issue. I’ll also take a no holds barred approach with gambling companies who I’m hoping to directly speak to about the tragic events which have devastated our family. I’ll spearhead a national campaign starting right now which I will make sure brings stricter control over potentially devastating betting and gambling.’ Adam suggests there should be a restriction on when and how gambling can be advertised and that banks could assist in being more vigilant when users are hopping between different betting sites when they reach their spending limit. Adam continues:’I do know that most people gamble responsibly, but it is way too easy for a bit of fun to turn into a lot of misery. The problem stops here.’

Exports biggest driver of business growth for nearly one fifth of UK SMEs

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The importance of overseas sales was highlighted this week with a survey showing that exporting is now the biggest business growth area for nearly one fifth of UK small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

The independent study, commissioned by business and finance software provider Exact, revealed an average 54 per cent of SMEs now sell products or services abroad, with those in the manufacturing sector very much leading that charge – 68 per cent of them export.

In light of the latest Federation of Small Businesses’ (FSB) Small Business Index showing that almost two thirds of small firms expect to grow over the next 12 months, it is interesting that exporting is now the biggest growth area for 19 per cent of the UK’s 4.8 million SMEs.

The survey of 453 SME leaders also lends support to Chancellor George Osborne’s efforts to get 100,000 moreBritish businesses exporting by 2020. The results showed that 68 per cent of those who currently export saw export sales increase in 2013 on the previous year. Among these companies, exports now make up at least 10 per cent of total sales for over half of UK SMEs (51%), and for nearly a fifth of them (18%) it now accounts for over 50 per cent of sales.

The survey also revealed that having a specific export strategy can pay dividends. Out of those SMEs that did see export figures grow last year, 74 per cent had business plans in place, of which 85 per cent said increasing exports was very much part of their strategy. This compares to those who did not have business plans in place, where only 53 per cent saw exports grow last year.

Commenting on the findings, Lucy Fox, General Manager Cloud Solutions at Exact, said: “While exporting is not an option for all, it does present huge opportunities for those who can do it.

“Just like tackling the domestic market, SMEs who are considering exporting their goods or services should plan for any international presence. They need to ensure they analyse their target marketplace and competitors thoroughly, that they understand the business and financial implications of selling overseas and set appropriate goals accordingly,” Lucy continued.

“Selling to new markets can help grow revenue streams and generate new jobs, as well as diversify risk in case of adverse economic conditions. If proof of these benefits was needed, a recent Confederation of British Industry survey shows SMEs who export are 11 per cent more likely to survive than those that don’t, and a UKTI survey shows that those who do are 34 per cent more productive.”

The survey shows Europe is still the biggest export market among UK SMEs (79% target EU), followed by USA (40%), then the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) with 24 per cent exporting there. America is particularly high among manufacturers – over half (51%) of those who took part now export to North America.

New Travel App Virtually Guides World Cup Fans Through Rio de Janeiro

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London-based company Go To Travel Guides has announced the release of “Go To Rio”, a free Rio de Janeiro visual travel guide app for iPhone, iPad and Android phones and tablets.

The app allows users to take a visual tour of South America’s most popular city through a collection of full-screen HD photos and videos, as well as helping tourists and Brazil-bound World Cup fans to plan their own Rio de Janeiro trip by using the app’s pre-planned itineraries, detailed maps, tour bookings and hotel booking features. With the FIFA World Cup under way, the world’s eyes are on Brazil and Rio de Janeiro in particular, which will host the World Cup final.

The company’s founders – Nat and Mase, a husband and wife team – are excited about the release of their new app. Talking about the app’s features, Go To Travel Guides’ founder Mase said, “Go To Rio provides people with a free and easy way to discover exactly what Rio de Janeiro is all about. By swiping through our Rio photo guide, our users can easily imagine themselves in the thick of the action in this buzzing city. For World Cup fans who are already in Rio or tourists who are planning a trip to the city, Nat and I have recently returned from Rio, done all the research for you and compiled a Top 20 list of the most popular attractions to visit, restaurants to dine at, bars to socialise at and nightclubs to party at.”

Doubling up as both a travel inspiration app and a travel guide, its users can enjoy:

• Browsing an informative photo guide filled with high-res, full-screen photos of Rio
• Swiping through the Top 20 attractions, restaurants, bars and nightclubs in Rio
• Reading travel tips from a his & hers perspective
• Taking virtual tours of Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana and more

Go To Rio truly allows users to explore Rio de Janeiro without leaving their home. Remember, you don’t have to go to Rio to go to Rio!

See the App in Action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guDsNxi6WQA

Go To Travel Guides creates Visual Travel Guide Apps for iPhone, iPad and Android devices. The company’s 2 founders (Nat & Mase) are a husband and wife team who have personally visited over 45 destinations across 30+ countries together taking photos, capturing video footage and experiencing local culture; ensuring that their mobile and tablet users are provided with 100% original content.

As well as providing travel inspiration with full-screen photography, each Travel Guide App offers detailed information, a female perspective, a male perspective and detailed maps for each destination. The company is planning to release over 20 apps for the iPhone, iPad and Android phones and tablets.


Survey Reveals Live Streaming Will Help Businesses Overcome World Cup ‘Sickness’

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As anticipation builds for the upcoming World Cup in Brazil, a new study has found that allowing staff to stream live games while at work can help British businesses overcome the rise in ‘illnesses’ that seems to occur every four years.

Research has unveiled that, despite kick-off times falling in the evenings, employers should be better prepared to allow staff to watch the games during working hours to combat rising levels of staff absenteeism during the month-long tournament.

A survey of more than 200 football fans in the North West, commissioned by business communications provider Daisy Group, found that more than half of the employees would consider skipping work to watch a crucial game this summer. It also found that 88% of respondents would happily work as normal if they were allowed to watch the game via live streaming.

Although the England matches won’t take place within traditional working hours of 9-to-5, a large proportion of British businesses require staff to work into the evenings, while many others face long commutes home and may ask to leave work early.

Matthew Riley, Daisy’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “The World Cup is an important event in most people’s calendars and something that brings the nation together, so it comes as no surprise to see the lengths that people are willing to go to in order to watch the tournament.

“Aside from creating environments at work where staff can watch the games, such as big screens, businesses today have the opportunity to allow their employees to stream matches to their mobiles, tablets or desktop devices. As organisations across the UK continue to adopt bring-your-own-device strategies, many will already have the necessary policies in place to help deal with any security and bandwidth issues that may arise by staff watching the games.

The research also suggested firms should take a proactive approach to preparing for sport’s biggest tournament.

Matthew added: “It’s important that HR departments plan ahead to cater for the disruptions caused by the late kick-offs which, coupled with the consumption of alcohol, could lead to decreased productivity the following day or even unauthorised absences.

“Being flexible and giving staff the option to watch the games should boost morale within the team.”

Daisy is planning on marking the World Cup by showing the games live in its canteen and also organising a series of staff initiated events which include a fantasy football league, a sweepstake, a penalty shootout competition, the decoration of departments and its canteen serving food specific to one of the countries playing on that day.

The 2014 FIFA World Cup will be shown by both the BBC and ITV, with half the games on the BBC and the other half on ITV. All games will be available to watch online through the BBC iPlayer and the ITV Player.

Diary of an Entrepreneur: Tina Boden

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As well as co-fronting Enterprise Rockers, Tina is a wife, mum, founder of Only Me Here, director of Priorat Provenance, and trustee of Ellie’s Fund – Brain Tumour Trust. We catch a glimpse of a typical day…

6.15am – It’s the second alarm of the morning signaling my youngest son needs to be up and out for his paper round; this alarm is preceded by the one that rudely awakes me every week day at 4.45am when my husband gets up for work.

I am not a great sleeper and I always seem to just be dropping off when an alarm starts ringing!

7am – It’s amazing what great conversations you have with people on social media at this time of the day and some fabulous business contacts have been made thanks to early morning virtual networking. A spot of tweeting followed by a cup of Yorkshire tea is my usual way to start the day.

8am – I cannot face what the day has in store without a tidy house. Whether I am working from home or flying out of the door to present a workshop, speak at an event, or meet a client everything has to be in place at home; I am constantly missing trains because they do not wait while I puff the cushions!

8.30am - Today is a working from home day and I have the pleasure of Grand-dog sitting as well. Olly, a one-year-old black Labrador belonging to my eldest son and his girlfriend, gets me out in the fresh air two or three times a week and I love it. Dog walking is a great way to help you focus on your business plans.

10am – Priorat Provenance distributes awarding winning Mother’s Garden extra virgin olive oil and I spend time chatting to stockists and chefs about their businesses whilst taking the weeks orders and sending them through to Spain.

1.30pm – It’s time for a catch up with Tony about some Enterprise Rockers developments and we meet for lunch at our favourite tapas bar – great food and a glass of wine makes the plans come together a whole lot easier!

4.15pm - Back at my desk to put together a presentation for an Only Me Here networking support slot I have next week – helping micro business owners understand how to network effectively is something I really enjoy doing and I never tire of speaking about it or delivering workshops on the subject.

7.30pm - Dinner time; it is important that we sit down together as a family whenever we can, even more so now the boys are older as they are off doing their own things and catching up with them can be difficult.

8.45pm - While the tale end of the football is enjoyed by three quarters of my household I use the time to catch up with some emails and create a list of ‘to dos’ for the following day – I couldn’t function in my life without lists!

10am – Bath time. At the end of a long day there is nothing better than a nice relaxing bath before climbing in to bed to read a book, though I rarely get further than a couple of pages before I start dozing off – it takes me months to read a novel.

Free Workshops!

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As part of the 10th Hart Brown Economic Forum, being held on the 24 June at the University of Surrey, a number of free workshops will run prior to the event.

Entitled, Are you serious about growing your business? GrowthAccelerator, in conjunction with Guildford Borough Council, will host a one hour seminar from 1.30pm on how businesses can maximise growth. GrowthAccelerator is a high quality unique service led by some of the country’s most successful growth specialists. It exclusively targets high growth businesses who want to enter the next phase of growth and have the potential and determination to get there.

Through GrowthAccelerator delegates can find new connections, new routes to investment and the new ideas and strategy needed for the business to achieve its full potential.

At the event, Mark Addy, GrowthAccelerator Growth Manager will lead a presentation and delegates will learn through a case study example why even growing businesses can benefit from coaching as well as how delegates can join the 13,000 clients already growing as a result of the service.

Also running will be the The One Hour MBA, from the Surrey Business School. Students claim that studying for an MBA is a game-changing experience. In this workshop they and their teachers will share the lessons that have had the most impact on their businesses and their careers.

Delegates will spend the hour with students from the part-time Executive MBA programme who are studying alongside their careers in business and the public sector. The session is facilitated by a senior member of the MBA teaching team. Every delegate leaves with a set of key learning points from each of the MBA modules and the tried and tested top ten tips from the sharpest students.

For anyone interested in studying for an MBA this workshop is also a great taster session with the opportunity to quiz students about the MBA experience and how they are putting their new skills and knowledge into practice in the workplace.

Registration for the workshops will open at 1pm, and places are limited to 20.To book your place, emaileconomicforum@hartbrown.co.uk. And more information at http://www.economic-forum.co.uk/workshops.html

The Economic Forum, which starts at 3.00 will see leading economists and business figures discussing their perceptions on the state of the economy. The panel of speakers will comprise Mark Berrisford-Smith, Chief Economist of HSBC, Justin Urquhart Stewart, Co-founder & Marketing Director, Seven Investment Management, and Adrian White CBE, Executive Chairman and Founder of Biwater. There will be opportunities for delegates to ask questions of the speakers, on topics relating to the economy in the South East of England, and how businesses here should plan ahead.

Diary of an Entrepreneur: Kate Hardcastle

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From a background of transforming the fortunes of companies, little and large, Founder of Insight with Passion, Kate Hardcastle now help businesses who are facing challenges and don’t know what to do. 

It is undeniable that Kate is a very busy lady and a great example of the kind of pace it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. We’re sure you can tell from reading a day in the life of below…

6:00 – One thing about having clients worldwide and travelling to and from them is a body clock that’s broken! I’m just back from Dubai, heading to New York and trying to work out what time it is.

The clock says 6 so we will get up and put on the much-loved magic machine that dispenses the vital caffeine hit.

7:00 – It’s time to wake up my daughter, who is at the questioning stage at the moment. The outfit may not be agreed upon straight away but I love the fact she’s so strong willed and confident. We have breakfast and talk about the day and!her forthcoming birthday celebrations. Note to self: find an archery specialist for children.

8:00 – I’ve text a couple of the team who are very accommodating and allow for my dynamic wish list. I’ve been listening to Radio 4 and heard a story relevant to my Positive Image campaign so we’re going to find out more. I’m also aware of a news story that might help a business contact so I ping that through (I’m always looking out for my contacts – I have a very collaborative approach to business).

9:30 – Quick meeting with a new client prior to project commencement. We work with our partners to ensure they’re happy and understand timescales and expected results. Its a small frustration that we can’t always talk about who we work with due to often sensitive issues – but it’s fabulous to watch their success and know we are part of it.

12 noon – As if by magic, I’m at the beautiful town hall in Huddersfield; the venue of this year’s 7 Years of Charity Dreamgirls concert to meet 2 amazing volunteers who are helping us on the technical side. Many people are amazed at just how long and how many people it takes to run an event like this and the fact everyone is a volunteer makes it that bit more special.

13:40 – Dubai is getting towards the end of its working day – so I need to file some answers to an interview for a magazine there. I’ve been in UAE quite a lot recently as there are significant efforts around the promotion of Women in Business.

14:50 – It’s diary time. Everyone has their unique traits and mine is I’ve always kept my diary as a written entry journal I keep with me. It’s just how I plan my life and I’m reluctant to let it go – so I regularly have to feed into the team electronic diary to ensure we’re synced. This is a task that can be accompanied by food as a late lunch.

16:20 – I’m on a train to London reading through paperwork, which has been stocked up. This includes a variety of legal documents, notes and updates from the Bradford Bulls (where I am an NeD) and a variety of the charities I’m involved with. I’ve also grabbed the papers as tomorrow I’m on Sky for my regular slot reviewing the news.

20:00 – Arrive into Kings Cross, and have to hot foot across town to a meeting with a business with links to the retail world and whom have heard a lot about our events within town and city centres of late.

21:00 – Dinner is early and with one of the amazing celebrities supporting this year’s Positive Image campaign. I want to understand how we could support some of their other charity interests and we’ve thought of a brilliant plan

22:00 – More trains to get towards the Sky studios and another news round up before I sleep in that horrible way before you have to get up for anything early. Its like a startled alarm calls every 40 minutes!

23.55 – Check the phone, I know I shouldn’t – but Australia is already online!!

Sarum PR & Client EASY Software UK Scoop ‘Marketing Team of the Year’ at the 2014 Storage Awards

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Award-Winning Boutique IT PR Agency and long-term Document Management client recognised for innovative, impactful marketing and PR campaigns.

Salisbury, UK – June 16th, 2014 – Thriving boutique IT PR agency, Sarum PR has once again been recognised for its innovative, hard hitting marketing and PR campaigns adding another key industry award to its trophy cabinet. At the annual Storage Awards, held in London last Thursday, Sarum was announced the winner in the ‘Best Marketing Team’ category with its 10+ year client, EASY Software UK.

The in-house EASY Software team of Howard Frear and Rachel Taylor, in partnership with Sarum PR, took the award in recognition of the innovation, creativity and impact of their ongoing B2B campaigns.

The campaigns successfully integrate a number of communication channels, including social media, to raise awareness of EASY’s products, as well as promoting a wider understanding of the industry as a whole. A recent social media campaign, the DM Collaborators’ Blog sponsored by EASY, offers a platform for industry figures to discuss current and emergent issues facing the market.

Howard Frear, director of sales and marketing at EASY commented:

“We never underestimate the high standard of competition that we face at the Storage Awards from all our colleagues in the data storage industry, so we’re all genuinely honoured and excited to win again.” Howard continues, “This success brings EASY’s total number of ‘Storries’ to nine over nine years and to share that success with Carina and the team at Sarum PR gives us great joy. Sarum is an extension of our team and has been for 10 plus years. We are well known for our integrated PR and Marketing campaigns including high impact adverts and electronic mailers, independent authoritative by-lined articles and our most recent social media and blogging campaigns.”

The Storage Awards, which has been running for 11 years, includes 30 categories which are voted for by thousands of Storage Magazine readers to reward the outstanding products, services and people in the industry.

Speaking of the success, Carina Birt, founder of Sarum PR commented:

“EASY Software UK is a tremendous example of a long term client relationship that works and continues to be successful and achieve great things. We provide a wide range of PR, Marketing and Social Media services to EASY and this gives a consistent, joined up strategy that is generating measurable success and profile.” Carina adds, “We have won a few awards over the years together but we never rest on our laurels for too long. Keeping it fresh and agile is what we are all about!.”

More information about the awards can be found at: http://www.storagemagazine.co.uk/storageawards/ or on Twitter @STMagAndAwards #Storries

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