Will you take up the Challenge?

Today the unemployment figures rise yet again!

The gorvernment have saved the banks and are letting small businesses flounder. So it looks like it's down to a few. Are you going to be one of the few that succeeds through 2009 or one of the many that flounders? What do you need to succeed? Courage and vision.

So this is decision time. This is the time to be courageous, to have a vision. Starting right now.

So lets get talking. Are you one of the few? Will you take up the challenge that I'm throwing out right now? You can help yourself and you can help this country. I've been shouting out that we need a leader but there isn't one on the horizon and it certainly isn't me. But together we can make a difference.

How can we start? Lets think about buiolding up our business to take on an employee. That'll help. It'll help you grow, it'll help the person you took on who might have been unemployed and it'll help the country because smeone won't be getting unemployment benefits and you'll be spending a bit more.

Maybe there's something else. What can you do? What can you and I do? What can a group of us do? Please lets have some comments. Think back to the past.; Do you remember the "Buy British" campaign? Letsc strat with a whisper and finish with a shout.

And that means you. Come out of that shell and yell.

Take action and succeed.

Yes! Video works wonders

Look at yesterday's post. I told you that just a simple basic video is easy to put ion your website and adds a third dimension.


Take a look at http://www.swansealittletheatre.org.uk/nextproduction.php and see for yourself. Just a simple video about the latest production rehearsal and your imagination is set alight.

Try putting up some video yourself.



The Swansea Business Show is falling into place. See the blog . Just click on the link. http://swanseabusinessshow.blogspot.com/ Want to increase your turnover and profits then book a stand today.

If I can help you be more successful call me.

regards

Dylan Thomas Theatre Around the World in 80 Days

"Opening Nights." "Break a leg." "Green Room." "5 minutes beginners"

Yes It's curtains up at the Dylan Thomas Theatre tomorrow night 27th January until Saturday 31st for the Swansea Little Theatre Company to present "Around the World in 80 Days"

Curtains up at 7.30 and tickets at £8.50/£7.00. It'll be a great event and I would strongly recommend you to book now on 01792 473238. Book any night but if it's Saturday I'll see you there.


The bar will be open for a pre-show drink, during the intermission and afterwards.

I've been planning the Swansea Business Show over the weekend and I believe we'll have space for up to 45 stands. All are the same size and within the budget of the smallest business. We'll be e-mailing around 4000 business people next week as our first salvo. I expect stands to be snatched up rapidly and I already have 9 booked without having definite stand sizes and cost. The cost will be inclusive of table and 2 power points for low-energy usage such as laptops, parking in the nearby public carpark and welcoming coffee/tea and biscuits. We'll have a special package deal for an advertising pack of pop-up banner, business cards and A5 leaflets. We'll be having a goodie-bag and a show-guide/wall-planner.

The aim is to have a busy exhibition that will be worthwhile for exhibitors and visitors. As the FSB Road to Success Show isn't running this year We are offering you a dynamic alternative.

Grab a video and capture some interest about your business.





Quality isn't too important, high resolution isn't either. Think about getting some testimonials, show how to usev a product, capture some video of your staff or yourself talking about the compnay success. Use a free or low cost editor, add in some text and launch on Youtube. Embed on your website or blog and send out e-mails to tell your contacts. Just seen on www.



Good marketing isn't fancy ideas and big budgets. It's about doing the simply and basic things well. Good successful marketing can be free or low cost.



Be active. Try something new. Be lucky.

Swansea Business Show

A busy meeting at Local Business Networking last evening.









We meet twice a month to support each to gain new business, discuss ideas and problems and general help get things moving. We have been meeting since July last year and are growing monthly. We are not a social network or referral network. We are a fully working comprehensive network and are finding that we are all bouyant and upbeat at this difficult time for business in general.



And now we are holding the Swansea Business Show on Friday 15th May at the Dylan Thomas Theatre. This will be a successful event tha will benefit both exhibitors and visitors alike.



Exhibitors will be Local Business Networking members and new members are welcome to join. The overall benefits throughout the year together with the Swansea Business Show will work for any business. So join up and book your stand today. Just £25 deposit will secure your stand so do not hesitate. He who hesitates is lost.



There will be no large shell scheme stands and you will find this really affordable.



This is a really exciting project and members who met last evening have committed themselves to making the effort to make this ziiiing. We are already looking at a major e-mail campaign that will set the ball rolling at the beginning of February and gardually build up that interest so that it becomes the busaness community focal point.



The Federation of Small Businesses will not be holding the "Road to Success Show" this year and, with at least two of us having been involved in that I feel we will be successful with this event.



Watch this space. Click here http://swanseabusinessshow.blogspot.com/

If I can do anything to help your success then call me.

Take action and be successful

Swansea Business Exhibition

A busy meeting at Local Business Networking last evening.




We meet to support each other through referrals, ideas and promotions. This is a really positive power group that is taking action to work towards success.











Local Business Networking are organising the Swansea Business Show that will be held at the Dylan Thomas Theatre on Friday 15th May running on until early evening and offering all local businesses the opportunity to participate.



We estimate about 40 stands of approximately 2 metres with no shell schemes. There will be a showguide, seminars and many opportunities for sponsors. This exhibition will be successful and promotion has started today with this blog.



Take a look at

At last - Goodbye Bush

Barack Obama's inauguration day is today!

Will this be a new beginning for the USA?

What about the UK?

Every day it seems we are being led by the blind, spoken to by the dumb and listened to by the deaf.

Every day the banks seem to be reaping a harvest of golden crops glistening in the fields of human endeavour. Our endevours. And I understand the top guys are still getting golden truck-loads of cash. For what? For drowning the UK in a sea of uncontrolled debt.

And the government seem to be drafting in anyone whom they believe can safe the ship. But isn't the ship listing too far? Aren't we just going to overfill the life-boats? Who will be brought ouit of retirement next? Worse still is the government going to hide under Barack Obama's coat and as he takes off try and cling to his coat tails. If it does I guess they probably be so shaken by his rapid progress that they'll possible fall off in an unbalanced way.

What we need is a charismatic figure-head that will inspire us by their singular focus and motivation, openness and forward thinking. Is there such a person? Nobody springs to mind.

And so small businesses will begin to suffer as the unemployed numbers rise and larger organisations flounder. So now is the time to look for opportunities and promote yourself & your business.

Think about your website.

• Does it have your details, tel number and e-mail on the top banner on every page?


• Does it tell a story and give benefits in the opening visible part of the screen?


• Do you keep it up to date and full of good material?


• Can you buy off the site if applicable?


• Is your web-address mentioned on all your literature ad stationery?

Think about it.

If I can help you promote your business contact me.

Keep busy and productive.

Trial of colour.

I've changed the colour of the date box to the left to try and match the blog background. Successful or not?

Just like marketing we've got to test until we get it right, or at least a good match. Do you test? Do you send out direct mail, e-mail newsletters, place adverts or other advertising and see how successful they are if you change the heading or some of the text?

You'll be srprised what a difference it can make. Give it a try. But how can you tell which is which when you do get a response? You could put up a reference and ask respondants to quote that or you could use a different picture and ask "what picture is on the advert" or you could use a colour so the advert says "Ask for Mr Green" or Call Mr White" and you'll know immediately.

Try it and be surprised.

There is a new video on my site Recession Buster 7 My 10 top tips "Using exhibitions to make more Sales". Take a look at just click here or copy and paste http://www.marketing-basics.co.uk/. Why not hold a private exhibition. Use your showroom or convert your office. Book a hotel room or other venue. Why not make it interesting and different so visitors have something else to see. Use a museum for example. I once ran an exhibition on HMS Belfast on the Thames in London.

Find a market such as hotel owners, taxi drivers or who ever your customers will be and let them know what you are doing. Get them in and build up a relationship that can lead on to the sale. You may get sales at the exhibition. You must go for it. Why not hold a series of exhibitions so people don't have to travel too far: live in a city hold exhibitions in different parts, live in a town then hold exhibitions in surrounding towns.

Last evening I held a Local Business Networking event in Swansea at the Dylan Thomas Theatre. This was really successful where everyone gave positive input - I wonder how many other equally positive groups there are focussing on mutual help. Our members came away with a real buzz. I haven't updated the site yet but take a look and if you live locally then think about joining and if you are away then you may consider setting up your own group.

We had a great talk from Shaun Milsom of 3S Systems who opened our eyes on home and office automation. He is highly qualified and is both a bespoke designer and supplier/fitter. Looking to make your home or office easily manageable, want to save energy costs? Take a look at his website. In an office he can arrange for you to be called automatically if the alarm is set off and let you see the video of your cctv so you can see whats happening. His horizontal wind turbines are great for providing free power too. Take at look at http://www.s3systems.co.uk/ and be suprised.

If you are positive and take energetic action looking for new prospects you will prosper. Be lucky by being active.

Call me if I can help your success.

Yesterday was a short blog!

I'll make up today. Firsly I ran a 2 hour sales and marketing course this morning. Great delegates really got involved and all came away with ideas that they are going to put into practice. Marketing-Basics want to give all businesses the opportunity to get some sales and marketing training at an affordable cost.

One sales aid that did come up and that is going to be used by everyone is a sight-seller. You know those plasic binders with clear A4 envelopes inside. Well, use one to make up a story-board about you, your business and the products or services you provide. Use it at each presentation.

Put in the following sheets

• A large logo or picture representing your business
• A page about you and your business including qualifications, awards and anything that makes you outstanding
• Pages showing your products or services with benefit bullet points
• Your guarantee
• Any special offers
• Several testimonials if business on letterheadings otherwise on possibly different types of writing paper and signed.
• A bundle of quotations or order forms. Go for the latter because you want to sign up new customers and not have to go back.

. . . . and you are ready. Tell stories about each page. If you don't have stories at the beginning fake it until you can make it . . real.

A sight seller is one of the most powerful tools you can use when you are giving presentations. It shows something about you and your business that will establish knowing, something about your products that will build knowing and testimonials together with your guarantee that will build up trust. And Bang" you should be almost at getting the order signed off.

The course today went great and at just £49 it's a steal. The original seat price was £65 but feel this is so important to all businesses at this time that I've brought this down to be affordable by all. And that includes a comprehensive work book brimming with "Know-how".

If you haven't booked yet the next seminar is on Thursday 23rd January in Walter Road, Swanse at 9am, finishing at 11.30 (although today's session went on longer because there were lots of questions). To book your seat click here for full details and e-mail or phone me.

Even if you feel you know everything there is to know about selling or marketing come and have your batteries re-charged.

Today has been another day of gloom for some major businesses and unfortunately this must have an impact on us all. I just hope that you take that extra step now to secure your business tomorrow.

NEW NEW
I've just had a fabulous range of health and safety cd-roms delivered for appraisal and can tell you right now that they are the business for any small to medium business: they include training modules and all the policies you'll need. I have this range for several years and cannot find anything that compares in quality and cost.

I will be marketing these as from now,so if you want to know more watch out for links and the product page. YOu'll be able to pay by Paypal and despatch will be within 24 hours of you placing your order.

Remember! here is nothing to compare.


Call me if I can help with your success.

Mike Leahy


Marketing-Basics.co.uk, Health-and-safety-adviser.co.uk, accessaudit.co.uk

Here to help. Call me anytime.

Another weekend over. Don't they just fly.

Another day another dollar.

I've downloaded two short videos on Youtube today that are available on http://www.marketing-basics.co.uk/. They are from my series of Credit Crunch Buster 10 Top Tips. Take a look and you may find something there that you used to do but don't now. Why not? Didn't it work? All these ideas are tested and work for me. Whether I use them all, all of the time I don't know. I just keep trying.

If any ideas are new just give them a try. This series is fast and goes into no detail. For detail look out for Phoenix. I want you to grow your business and overcome any difficulties due to the financial state. There is absolutely no reason why you can't succeed. just check out you've got saleable products or services, your methods work and you are targeting the right people. You may have to change but change is good provided it improves what you are currently doing.

Take action, be lucky.

Onwards and Upwards

What a fabulous weekend! What a way to start the New Year!

Angie, myself a a great couple we know went to the Celtic Manor Resort where the Ryder Cup will be played next year. We didn't have time for golf because our weekend had been pre-mapped out for us. It was a Christmas present from one of my daughters and her boyfriend. They wanted us to be pampered and we had several of their health spa treatments including Indian head and full body deep tissue massages, and hot stone massage. The luxury of just relaxing in the centre and enjoying the sauna, steam room, pluge pool and jaccuzi, swimming pool and relaxation room was wonderful and I've left feeling rejuvenated.

We had a great meal at the Lodge which was very reminiscent of the lodge in the film "White Christmas" with a couple of bottles of taste-bud tingling wine.

The Christmas decorations were still in place and looked just incredible with a huge chrismas tree and decorations dropping from the ceiling (7 floors up) to floor. There was a lage minature railway in the reception and this brought back memories of the displays we used to see in Selfridges and other stores.

I'm now primed and ready to go. It was with some concern that I read of the possibility of so many small businesses failing in the near future. But it needn't be so. Take action now and you can grow your business whatever the economic condition. You need Customers, Cash & a Concept. Maybe you need to think again and get NEW Opportunities, Organisation and Orders.

Opportunities as in new ideas, new markets new products, Organisation in changing the way you look for prospects, handle orders and look after existing customers and Orders as in ensuring there are orders from buyers who can and will pay, and producing sufficient to run the business forward.

If I can help you succeed in your business contact me.

Have a Happy, Healthy & prosperous Year ahead

A new year. A new beginning. Lets hope that this is a good year for us all because last year was bad for so many people. Can we blame the bankers? I'm sure they have caused enough damage with not only their recklessness but on a more local level with their attitude towards small businesses. They lend when the going is good but pull out as soon as they see a problem. They treat small businesses as cannon fodder. Look at the bank charges racket which is still continuing under other guises.

But onwards and upwards. I do believe that there are bags of opportunities around right now, despite the current economic situation which will have a knock-on effect on us all. Any business person has to follow just a few basics to continue to grow. These include being positive, taking action, watching cash-flow, being innovative, marketing like never before without a big budget , honing sales skills to meet 2009 demands, looking for new opportunities, looking for existing customers additional sales and customer care. There are other ingredients but that's a start. To encourage a kick-start for the New Year I'm running my 2 hour sales and marketing seminar again.

My new course "The Big Seminar unlock the secrets" is beginning to fill. I am running two sessions in January, on the 13th and 23rd, with more to follow. I gave this last at the Dylan Thomas Theatre in Swansea in July 2008 and I have been prompted to run it again by popular demand. Each seminar is for a maximum of 8 delegates and is packed with masses of marketing ideas and sales skills.

I recorded an intimate sales and marketing session last year and am planning to have this available as a video download with an accompanying Action Book. Watch this space.

Meanwhile, make this a great year, whatever happened before. Good luck. If I can help in any way e-mail me at ask@mikeleahy.com