Jump in... Small business is all about relationships. Heck! All business is about relationships so networking is the perfect way to build your business. Let’s be honest here, at 6.00am or 7.00pm, probably all you want to do is sink back gratefully into bed or the sofa. So what’s it going to take to get you excited about using networking in your business growth? People Buy People First There are plenty of sales people out there who say ‘If I could just get in front of our potential clients, get to know them show them why they can like and trust us, the sales would fly in.’ Guess what, they’re not wrong! Networking is the perfect solution to this. People have come prepared to do business and prepared to make recommendations. They’re off site so they won’t be disturbed by the day to day running of their business and they are more relaxed. The perfect time to have a meaningful conversation! It Ain’t What You Do, It’s The Way That You Do It Networking is about helping people. I go to every meeting thinking about what can I do or say to benefit the people I’m meeting with. It doesn’t have to be something huge or even business related; it could be as simple as pointing out the cheapest town car park or introducing them to the best tasting teabags this side of the Pennines! It seems, when we are focused on helping other people, all the worry about talking to strangers about business seems to disappear and great conversations are had. It’s Always the Same People, Talking About the Same things... So you’ve been networking for some time and actually it’s all getting a bit dull and you’re not picking up any new leads, let alone business. So maybe its time to shake things up a bit and step outside your normal group. In actual fact, any kind of group is a networking opportunity. So whether it’s the Local Sports Club or Rotary Club give it a try. What have you got to lose? The Fortune Is In The Follow Up Networking becomes a whole lot more interesting when you get great contacts and new business from it. So are you capitalising on that big pile of business cards you’ve collected? Just a quick call or a short email can be the very thing that turns a nice conversation into a new client. The important thing is that you make contact as early as possible. I can promise you, most of your competitors are not! With the right conversations, networking is a sure fire way to grow your business and find new customers. So why not take the plunge… I promise you, you won’t regret it! Michelle Heywood Your FREE Local Newsletter The People Behind the Businesses Our New Achievers Club Dates for your Diary Pg.2 Pg.3 Pg.7 KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON NETWORKING The Voice Of Windsor Nov 2014 the best of windsor Bringing trusted busines se s and the com munity together
Transcript
Jump in...
Small business is all about relationships. Heck!All business is about relationships so networkingis the perfect way to build your business.
Let’s be honest here, at 6.00am or 7.00pm, probably all you want to do is sink back gratefully into bed or the sofa. So what’s it going to take to get you excited about using networking in your business growth?
People Buy People First
There are plenty of sales people out there who say ‘If I could just get in front of our potential clients, get to know them show them why they can like and trust us, the sales would fl y in.’ Guess what, they’re not wrong!
Networking is the perfect solution to this. People have come prepared to do business and prepared to make recommendations. They’re off site so they won’t be disturbed by the day to day running of their business and they are more relaxed. The perfect time to have a meaningful conversation!
It Ain’t What You Do, It’s The Way That You Do It
Networking is about helping people. I go to every meeting thinking about what can I do or say to benefi t the people I’m meeting with. It doesn’t have to be something huge or even business related; it could be as simple as pointing out the cheapest town car park or introducing them to the best tasting teabags this side of the Pennines! It seems,
when we are focused on helping other people, all the worry about talking to strangers about business seemsto disappear and great conversations are had.
It’s Always the Same People, Talking Aboutthe Same things...
So you’ve been networking for some time and actually it’s all getting a bit dull and you’re not picking up any new leads, let alone business. So maybe its time to shake things up a bit and step outside your normal group. In actual fact, any kind of group is a networking opportunity. So whether it’s the Local Sports Club or Rotary Club give it a try. What have you got to lose?
The Fortune Is In The Follow Up
Networking becomes a whole lot more interesting when you get great contacts and new business from it. So are you capitalising on that big pile of business cards you’ve collected? Just a quick call or a short email can be the very thing that turns a nice conversation into a new client. The important thing is that you make contact as earlyas possible. I can promise you, most of your competitors are not!
With the right conversations, networking is a sure fi re way to grow your business and fi nd new customers. So why not take the plunge… I promise you, you won’t regret it!
2 | The Voice of Windsor - Nov 2014 | thebestof.co.uk/windsor
ThePeople
Behind theBusiness
Q: What did you do before you started vision2video?I’m originally from Venezuela and have had a very varied life, the perhaps most bizarre period being my years as a missionary to High Security Prisons in South America. Here I met the head of the infamous Cali drug cartel who was a very charming man which belied his history of murder and corruption. I also spent some years marketing the Tampax brand for Procter and Gamble in Venezuela before moving to the UK to do a Master’s Degree in Applied Linguistics, with a focus on using filmmaking to teach task based language learning.Q: What triggered your passion for film?My parents were diplomats so my childhood was spread between eleven countries. This meant that very early on I became passionate about filmmaking as it was my way of capturing the
places we were in and the people I met. It was always my dream to become a videographer, and when commercial drones came into their own in 2013, I saw the sensational benefits of being able to add images from the air to tell a full story on film so I took a deep breath, left a teaching career and launched vision2video Ltd. I have piloted RC helicopters as a hobby for years so adding aerial videography and photography was an easy thing to.Q: What was the best advice you’ve been given?Remain teachable. Never think you know everything.Q: So what do you film from the air?The applications for videography are never-ending. I am the ‘eyes in the sky’ for Oxley Conservation where I can determine a snapshot in time of the health of a building (such as National Trust Properties) or check a specific issue without expensive and intrusive scaffolding. We flew up to the top of a skyscraper to check if a nest of protected birds was still inhabited before the building was demolished and we provided support to the environmental agency during last year’s floods. Q: What makes you unique as a videographer?Our passion and where I stand out is telling businesses’ stories! A video provides a unique and effective way
to promote a company’s brand and service and adding aerial shots gives that unforgettable ‘WOW!’ factor.Q: What do you love most about video?You never get the same thing twice - the light changes throughout the day and seasons create a different atmosphere, you can capture and re-represent the world and make sense of it. You also see everything from a unique perspective and then there is the magic of the unexpected like a stolen kiss or swans suddenly taking to the sky. As Alfred Hitchcock succinctly put it: ‘In feature films the director is God; in documentary films God is the director.’Q: What do you do when you’re not involved with vision2video?I fly my RC helicopters and spend time with my wife and 4 month old son.
Contact: Paulo Coll, 07875 070998
Have you made great progress with thebestof? We’d love to hear about your success and share your story here
The People Behind the Business Paulo Coll, vision2video - a video paints a thousand words
thebestof.co.uk/windsor | The Voice of Windsor - Nov 2014 | 3
of the month20% off food and drink at Macdonald Windsor Hotel20% off any food and beverage at MacDonald Windsor Hotel, High Street, Windsor. Come for lunch or dinner at the Scottish Steak Club for mouth-watering steak cooked how you like it, juicy burgers or seafood or have Afternoon Tea served the traditional way on tiered cake stands with savoury fi nger-sized sandwiches, followed by scones with jam and cream, a selection of cakes and more. Offer ends Friday 28th November 2014. Not valid in conjunction with other offers. Only valid on production of this voucher. See you soon!
OfferSpecial
OF THE MONTH
Call us now! 0844 879 9101
Our New Achievers ClubAwarding outstanding businesses locally…
ACHIEVERS
NETWORKING: Cindy Nicole - PleasesupplyPleasesupply offer an impressive portfolio of products from business stationery, large format posters, banners and canvas prints, to over 70,000 promotional items. Their business attracts a lot of loyal customers due to their tailored, personal service which includes the sourcing of bespoke items. They successfully make the most of thebestof Windsor’s networking events and connections too and are an invaluable member of thebestof Windsor.Call Cindy on 01753 442000
USE OF REVIEWS: Cathy Farrant – Wrap2ToneWrap2Tone’s body contour treatments provide fast, lasting results if you want to tone your body, minimise the appearance of cellulite, stretchmarks and scarring or lose a dress size. Cathy’s products really work but as it all sounds too good to be true she directs people to her feature and customer reviews on thebestof Windsor to provide reassurance which is all they need to then call and book. Call Cathy on 01753 439192
MULTI-CHANNEL MARKETING: Richard Keay – Keay Roofi ng ServicesRichard and his team are pros at maximising multiple elements of online and offl ine marketing to promote their extensive roofi ng capabilities which include maintaining listed and older buildings. No-one can see up on the roof so they tell the story of their work using videos, blogs and customer reviews distributed via social media. Working with thebestof Windsor they are continuing to build an impressive local profi le.Call Richard on 01753 720484
4 | The Voice of Windsor - Nov 2014 | thebestof.co.uk/windsor
Working Well
We are looking for...
Want to shine in our next newsletter? Share your successes and let Michelle Heywood know what bits of thebestof are working for you!
At thebestof Windsor we are on the lookout for other great members. This month we are looking for...
If you know a business that fi ts the bill, please contact the team:
Cracking ITGiles Cunningham runs IT support business Cracking IT, and has achieved success by creating loyal customers and referrals due to exceptional customer service. But he is also savvy in maximising all the marketing opportunities presented to him. Using The Best of Windsor’s reviews widget on his website he has created a dedicated page, to show prospects what his customers think, and improve his SEO by association with thebestof brand.
‘The Best of Windsor is in a league of its own. Michelle has proactively introduced me to other businesses that I can benefi t from, and others who can benefi t from my services. No hard sell, just a recommendation to speak to each other, and these have been very fruitful conversations
leading to business. One of my desires is to improve my position on search engines, for which I have been given advice and support in achieving this, at no additional cost. One of my search terms is now on Google page 1. Michelle gently nudges me when I am busy to remind me of my SEO strategy. I think of the other business members of the service as my peers. They have been met and validated to ensure the quality of their business’.
T: 01753 290820
Woodward FinancialsDavid Woodward has built up an enviable portfolio of long-term clients with his impressive investment track record. He joined The Best of Windsor to raise awareness of his other fi nancial services on a local level and has fully embraced the benefi ts of posting regular and interesting blog articles. David has also optimised The Best of Windsor’s offl ine activity such as Royal Windsor Racecourse big screen advertising and Doodle’s Den ads. He is extremely creative and even has branded umbrellas which carry his brand all over the town!
T: 01753 831202
Doodle’s DenHazel launched Windsor’s fi rst family-friendly café at Windsor library in August and has not looked back since. She uses The Best of Windsor kitemark on all her marketing material to build credibility and reassure people of the quality of her healthy food menu which is loved by kids and mums alike. The café is a real hub for parents offering a safe environment for the kids to play whilst they can chat or relax. Doodle’s Den also houses The Best of Windsor’s very own digital advertising unit which introduces other members’ services to the mums and displays their leafl ets as well as letting parents know which events are coming up soon.
T: 07850 031517
thebestof.co.uk/windsor | The Voice of Windsor - Nov 2014 | 5
Making that offer special!We’ve all heard the horror stories about well known voucher companies. That offer, that seemed like such a brilliant idea at the time, that then turned into a profit drain of epic proportions. You would not be on your own if those stories had put you off special offers for the rest of your life.
But here’s the thing! Offers, when used correctly, can not only find you more customers, but can also increase your profitability dramatically!
So how do you come up with a killer offer without breaking the bank? Here’s how?
1. Give something away that has low monetary cost to you but high value to your target customer.
One of the most successful offers via thebestof was ‘Free Won Tons & A Coke’ with every main meal On Wednesdays. The cost of the won tons and coke are negligible, but that’s a starter and a drink in the eyes of the consumer and the average spend per customer went up!
2. Use offers to increase footfall/orders at typically low times
The Won Tons and coke offer was for Wednesday’s only; a typically quiet time for this Chinese Take Away. However, the kitchen was open and the staff were being paid whether there were any customers or not. This meant that any extra meals bought on a Wednesday put profit straight on the bottom line!
3. Be different
The days of people getting excited at a 10% off offer are gone! If you can give something away for free (again, low cost to you) that will always grab attention. Don’t forget, an offer doesn’t have to be something you normally do. Recently a photographer and cosmetics company got together so they could offer a make over and professional photography session together, just in time for Christmas! The idea behind it is that this offer will be bought for Christmas presents (and has been positioned as such), which will then be claimed in January, typically when both companies’ orders drop off.
4. Test your offers
To make sure your offer is delivering what you hoped, don’t forget to test it. Use either a voucher or code that people give you to claim the offer so that you can see whether it’s working or not. If you can capture your new clients data at the same time, even better!
We know it’s not easy to come up with killer offers, so here’s just a few of the most successful ones featured with thebestof:
Low Fat Meat Pack - Just £35 (Butchers) Extra lean lamb steaks, pork steaks, gammon steaks, frying steaks, chicken breasts, diced chicken, stewing steak, minced steak and Ale and Mushroom Casserole Sauce - Over 250 page views
Buy One Get One Free On All Drinks Including Wine! - Over 235 page views
Free Bottle of Wine for every table of four or more - Over 160 page views
Half Price Back, Neck & Shoulder Massage with every Reflexology treatment - 120 page views
Free Home Wiring Safety Check Over 80 page views
1 months membership of Our Health & Fitness Club for a £1 - Over 70 page views
Don’t despair if you’re struggling to come up with offers, we’re here to help. Give us a call and we can talk you through the ways to use offers to attract new customers without breaking the bank.
6 | The Voice of Windsor - Nov 2014 | thebestof.co.uk/windsor
Meet The MembersWe’re consistently uncovering hidden gems.Say a big hello to our local heroes.
Give them a call and say hello!
Royal Windsor RacecourseGreat entertainment all year round, with 26 fl at racing fi xtures and a variety of family fun days. A fabulous venue for corporate hospitality and weddings too.t: Call 01753 498 400
London Kayak ToursA unique and memorable way of seeing Windsor Castle, Windsor and Eton from the majestic River Thames. All ages and abilities welcome.t: Call 0845 4532002
Macdonald Windsor HotelStunning boutique hotel right opposite Windsor Castle with the best traditional afternoon tea and the Scottish Steak Club at Caleys restaurant.t: Call 0844 879 9101
Learn to DanceSomething for all levels of ballroom dancing experience including classes, workshops, tea dances, socials and even dance holidays!t: Call 01753 360121
Nikki Hill PhotographyNatural, beautiful and exceptional photography that you’ll love forever.t: Call 07968 534715
Smith & CullenFriendly and award-winning family hairdressing salon trusted and loved by ‘locals in the know’ for years. Experts for all occasions and hairstyles including extensions and up-dos.t: Call 01753 853209
Ieva PorieteBespoke womenswear designed from scratch or adapted just for you from each season’s ready-to-wear collection.t: Call 01753 852706
Want to be featured on our Meet The Members page?Call us on 07584 163385 and let us know!
WPATailored healthcare insurance - doctors are 8 times more likely to recommend WPA to family, friends and colleagues than any other leading health insurer.t: Call 01753 201350
thebestof.co.uk/windsor | The Voice of Windsor - Nov 2014 | 7
Community PartnersFor people who go out of their way for the community.
Dates For Your DiarySome important dates coming up in the calendar!
WWRA - Improving the quality of living in West WindsorThe West Windsor Residents Association (WWRA) works tirelessly to safeguard, promote and represent the interests of its members, to promote good governance, and to help residents where possible. Working with Independent Councillors, the association scrutinises proposals which could impact local residents including issues such as aviation, housing, transport, leisure and the environment, to make sure the local voice is heard. If you live West of the Royal Windsor Way you should join! Contact via website at www.wwra.org.uk
East Berkshire College - Free apprentice matching serviceEast Berkshire College offer a free apprentice matching service to ensure companies fi nd the right individual for their business and the apprentice fi nds the right placement for them.The college supports the employer as well as the apprentice, with each employer assigned a dedicated account manager. They have over 35 years of experience in delivering high quality training to SMEs and multi-nationals in a wide range of industries, and even help organisations access funding and recruit apprentices. A large variety of apprenticeships are available including business, childcare, construction, engineering, hairdressing & beauty therapy, health & social care, hospitality & catering, IT, motor vehicle and science. They are an invaluable part of our community. www.eastberks.ac.uk/apprenticeships.T: 01753 443855
Eton Natural History Museum – Free entry to this hidden gemEton’s wonderful museum is open to the public for free once a week on Sunday afternoons. There are some unusual surprises as well as children’s activities so this is a fabulous place to come with the family too.The museum opened in 1875 to house the Thackeray Collection of British Birds (plus other collections) and it has been in its present location within Eton College since 1895.It’s the only dedicated natural history museum in Berkshire with over amazing 15,000 specimens, donated from the 19th Century onwards, however all the displays are newly created (over 70 of them) and date from 2000. The museum building itself is well worth the visit in its own right!T: 01753 671288
East Berkshire College Windsor Open Day
Windsor EmporiumUnique, contemporary art, quality hand-made gifts and eclectic home interiors, The Harte & Garter Hotel Windsor
Windsor & Ascot Ladies NetworkingSecond Tuesday of each month at Loch Fyne Ascot, 10-12.
Christmas Live corporate parties at Royal Windsor Racecourse
27thNov
7thDec
9thDec
Novto
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Did you know...Windsor Castle is the most popular attraction visited by holders of top tourist guide the London Pass in terms of annual visits, putting us ahead of Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London! Over 90,000 people are expected to use the Pass to come to the Castle in the next 12 months so thebestof Windsor has included a feature in the Guide as well as on their website and mobile app to encourage these visitors to explore Windsor & Eton more fully whilst they are here. Check out our ‘Hidden Treasures of Windsor & Eton video http://tinyurl.com/Windsor-EtonIf you have a shop or restaurant in Windsor and Eton and want one of The Best of Windsor bears in your window, please call me on 07584 163385. Bears are subject to availability - they have a busy diary you know!
thebestof Windsor is run by Michelle Heywood.
We help local businesses fi nd more of the right business, using an affordable mix of marketing which works for you - from social media, online marketing and email marketing to local advertising, networking and much more. Our unique local business community, made up of the best businesses in the area, gathers together regularly to network with and support each other. If you’re a great local business, or you know one who you think may benefi t from our services and our community, please give me a call. We look forward to meeting you!
We are here to help, please get in touch! Call us on 07584 163385Michelle [email protected]
Bringing trusted businesses and the community together
/thebestofwindsor
Call 07584 163385www.thebestof.co.uk/windsor
@BestOfWindsor
thebestofwindsor
At a glanceAt thebestof we go out of our way to provide our members with all the marketing tools that will help them grow locally.
We pride ourselves on being committed and dedicated in working with only thebest local businesses that are recommended by local people.
Focussing on 4 key areas, thebestof has a proven track record of ensuring our members get;
Local Exposure Connections Marketing support Brand Building
We do this through 17 core elements including our reviews facility, our consumer app, our dedicated feature pages for each member and through social media, not forgetting direct email campaigns to our ever growing local database - plus much much more!
Everything we do is about bespoke, results driven marketing, ensuring that our members get what they need, at the right time for them and the good news is that we can tailor everything we do, to your local budget.
We really do what we say we will do;
Bringing trusted businessesand the community together
