A Reminder....

I feel sure that most businesses in the UK found the last quarter pretty heavy going. With reference to the playwright Jim Cartwright, the first three months of the year was a little like walking through raw meat in high heels.

Today's GDP figures show that the UK's economy grew by 0.5% in the first quarter of 2011, avoiding the so-called double-dip recession. That, in spite of the dreadful December weather and the anticipated dread of financial cut-backs.

The Chancellor is still exercising caution, and warns that "we are not out of the woods yet".

Now seems a good time, therefore, to remind you that we have a few schemes and events aimed at helping the small business to look forward with optimism and make the most of any market activity.

Free Marketing Review

We are offering any small business a free review of their current marketing activity. All you need to do is complete a short questionnaire, and we will provide a report that gives a n objective overview of your current marketing activity and makes suggestions and recommendations for other activities that may wish to try or improve. No catch here; simply a third-party look at what you are doing and what you could improve without wasting money.

The questionnaire can be found at http://www.argentrammedia.com/questionnaire

One-to-One Start-Up Consultation

From a logistical persepctive, we can only provide this free service to Kent-based businesses.

You may have a really good idea for a new business, and be very good at what you do, but very few would-be entrepreneurs have all the experience and confidence they need to get up and running. We have been there, and we know what is expected and what needs to be done.

Whilst there are some very good sources of advice, such as Business Link, sometimes it helps for an individual to sit down and get some personal, impartial advice that takes into account all the skills and shortcomings of each individual. We know that you can't be great at everything, and we aim to guide you through some of the pitfalls.

Simply give us a call, and we will arrange a free 30 minute face-to-face chat that should give you more confidence and some additional knowledge to get you up and running.

Call Lorraine Baker on 01580 761000.

Marketing in a Difficult Economy - Seminar

On Wednesday 18th May, we are holding a seminar in the beautiful surroundings of the Hop Farm, Paddock Wood, Kent.

The seminar runs from 09:00 - 11:00, and is aimed at any small business who wants to ensure that they are getting the best out of their marketing activities. Marketing has changed dramatically in recent months, as the emphasis is very much on in-bound activities rather than the traditional, interruptive methods such as telesales/telemarketing, email blasts and mailshots. Engagement, customer-service and customer loyalty are top of the tree, and you need to explore the many new ways of ensuring that your marketing messages get seen by the right people. Without accepting that marketing strategy is changing forever, you run the risk of having your market share pared down to critical levels.

There is a charge for the seminar of £15.00 + VAT per head, and this includes breakfast. Two speakers will present their insights into cost-effective new marketing methods that could make the difference between your company success or failure.

For booking information, please contact Lorraine on 01580 761000 or email lorraine@argenttrammedia.com

A Practical Suggestion for Start Up Britain

As a follow up to my rant of yesterday, I thought I would jot down my own personal thoughts about practical help for start-ups.

Let us first look at a few home-truths:

1. Start-ups need some money. Not always a great deal, as I know from my own experiences, but they will need some. Even if this does not come in the form of direct funding, it might come as a result of the founder not drawing a salary for 18 months, ploughing whatever revenue is generated back into the business.

Banks, despite their rhetoric, are scared of lending money to start-ups with no proven track record. If you have a property, with some spare equity, then you are in with a chance. Again, from my experience, the banks will take notice if they can secure funding against your home, and even then, they still prefer you to stump up half the required capital first.

2. Individuals interested in starting up a business do not have all the skills they need to get it off the gorund, nor do they have the financial wherewithal to contract in external assistance. Yes, they can get business advice from a wide variety of sources, but it is practical help that small businesses need from the outset.

Many small businesses do not have a clue what a business plan is, have no idea how to go through cash flow projections or appreciate just how difficult it can be to get started. These are not just documents that you submit to a bank in the vain hope that they will shower you with cash as a result. They are a detailed overview of what you, as a new business, would like to achieve and how you aim to go about it.

The home-truths out the way, let me outline what would have helped my business when I started it, two years ago, without a penny to my name:

A co-operative of like-minded individuals, who share skills and expertise.

I have a digital marketing company, a tool hire business and a (soon to be launched) internet dating website!

When I started, I was desperate for people to run some telesales campaigns to introduce our products and services, but I couldn't afford to outsource this.

I wanted leaflet distributors.

I was lucky to have my son, a graduate multi-media designer, available to build my website free of charge. Other start-ups don't have this resource. Even fewer have any idea of how to go about actually marketing their new business.

Sales people, interested in getting in front of potential customers, would have been the icing on the cake.

These are practical aspects of my business that I needed in order to grow, but aspects that were all beyond my financial reach.  So, where to get that help?

I see the co-operative system working in the following way:

Someone in my area might want to start a commercial cleaning business, but cannot afford to have a website or leaflets designed, but they have the skills and equipment ready to get started.

I provide the design skills free of charge, provided I can advertise my services at the same time (on their website and leaflets), as the cleaning company's clients could well be potential clients for me.

I need some telesales done. A new start-up may be offering business services, and telesales may be one of the services they provide. They offer to run a campaign for me free of charge, and I agree to pay them a commission on any generated business. A risk, but the new start-up has a bona-fide client (my business), and gets their name out in front of other potential clients. I provide testimonials that they can use to help gain other business.

This is not rocket science, more a case of "You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours". It is a network of young business owners who all need practical help, not just words. A referral scheme, designed to generate money for the participants on the StartUp Britain website is not the answer. NatWest do something similar - "you are a valued customer, so join our Advantage Gold Scheme. You pay for this monthly, but look at the rewards you get!". I was an Advantage Gold customer and never took advantage of the so-called perks. It is a marketing ploy - pure and simple!

So, is StartUp Britain a marketing scheme dressed scantily as the Start-Up's Saviour, aimed at generating income for its contributors? Start-ups need to get customers, generate sustainable income and keep costs to an absolute minimum. Advocating the spending of money based upon discounts offered is not, in my opinion, helpful. 

Start-Ups - don't get sucked in.  Find ways to work together, help each other gain customers in order to build up referrals and a reputation. Think hard about what you want to achieve, how much money you have and then share ideas and skills with other start-ups, and let's combine to get our collective businesses off the ground.

StartUp Britain

I have got to have a rant!

Leaving political affiliations to one side, I am seething at the half-cocked nature of the new StartUp Britain initiative - http://www.startupbritain.org./

There has been a lot of ranting on Twitter this morning, not least from the design industry that, quite rightly, is collectively shocked that there are links to US design companies. At least support UK companies in this initiative, and only UK companies. This country has a rich and enviable culture of cutting-edge design in all disciplines, but advocating that start-ups get their logos from a US company? Insulting.

I can also understand the comments being made from within Northern Ireland - StartUp Britain or StartUp UK?

My second grievance is that most of the information dressed up on the StartUp Britain website has been freely available via BusinessLink for as long as I can remember. I can't see this scheme offering anything new that will really help the new entrepreneur, or am I missing something?

Thirdly, and most importantly, every new business needs MONEY! I started our business up two years ago, and could I get any funding? I drafted an extensive and very detailed Business Plan, had a very realistic cash flow forecast, sought the advice of Business Link and knew the nature of my proposed business like the back of my hand. The banks were not interested unless I put up 50% of the capital. My problem was that there was no equity in my house, due to the recession, and although I was owed money from a former employer, I wouldn't get to see any of that as they had gone into Administration.

It is easy to get funding if you have a property with spare equity. If you don't, you are up the proverbial creek.

There are many organisations that help the younger generation - the Prince's Trust being the most laudable. I was advised of another today who provides awards over the course of the year (http://www.shell-livewire.org/awards/ ), but the upper age limit is 30! I am 48. Interestingly, this recession affected many small business owners, and employees, all aged over 30, whose skills and experience would make them perfect for this latest round of StartUp enthusiasm. Where is the help for these people?

I have spent two years building up my business, and still receive no help whatsoever. I have been fortunate in that I have two work colleagues who have believed in the business enough to work for nothing. I am an employer, pay VAT, corporation tax and Employer PAYE/NIC. I give something back, but can honestly say that I got nothing to help me get here.

Recycling the same old platitudes is not going to help get this country back on its financial feet.

Oh, and please use UK businesses to help you with your StartUp!