2. 1. How to build real connections – Hayley
McKenzie
2. How to grow your client base & sell your
product or service – Craig Willetts
3. Shifting your mindset – Paul Jones
4. Want to invest in cryptocurrency, but don’t
know how? – 10th growth account
5. The Great Swim series 2018 – Mike
Sophocleous
6. How to improve workplace communication
– Christopher Salem
7. Unum International Emissaries – Charity
8. What is the best suit option for
professionals? – by Dr Justin Bell
9. Sleep under the stars – Charity
1
CONTENT
1
3. 10. Digital Marketing Trends – Alix Charles
11. How to increase innovation by eliminating
‘behavioural waste’ – Neville Gaunt
12. How to thrive in an audit – Craig Willetts
13. Acid Attacks – Paul Donnely
14. Which accountancy software is right for
you? - Michelle Smith
15. Video Marketing: why it’s so important &
how the process works – Alex Dunn
16. The built world – Ben Ward
17. How to deal with an addiction without it
impacting your career – Eva Benoit
18. Closing the loop on packaging and the
importance of buying recycled – Maddie
Hickman
19. Where does the manager integration lead
in business? – Mr. Firuz Atakishiyev,Teknur MMC
20. New Program closes the growing gap
between attitude and skills – Neville Gaunt
21. What health risks are there from lack of
exercise – Santia Deck
22. The three stages of social media
excellence – Sarah Seddon
23. How to succeed in recruitment? – Carine
Curet
24. The benefits of networking and expos –
Jasmina Kotlarek
25. Party with a view
26. IT Managed services, web design, SEO
and IT procurement – safeguard uk
27. A very public failure – Creditsafe
28. How to conduct effective internal audits –
Sarah Gillespie
29. Dates for the accounting diary 2018/19 – k,
Jackson
30. Opps 4 Vets – Charity
31. Consulting USA
32. Free Resources
2
If you would like
information on how to
feature or advertise in our
next edition then please
email Craig Willetts
4. Learning how to build an emotional connection is a skill. When you
were a child, it probably came naturally to you. But as we become
adults we get stuck in our ways and easily isolate ourselves. To really
build a relationship is not that difficult. In fact, you probably already
intuitively know how. You just have to freshen up on your people
skills. Learning how to build will help you in ALL facets of life: from
your job, to your home life, to your love life, to your friendships. With
LUMA - Luxury Matchmaking I have been to several networking
events and it always amazes me at how bad people are at
conversation and making connections - especially Millennials who
want my business or money. It made me realize how there is a need
for teaching not only singles on how to connect, but also business
professionals.
Below are some tips to help people to make this connection.
1) Set A Goal and Have A Plan
When deciding which networking events to go keep in mind the kind
of professionals you are trying to meet. Maybe there is a certain area
of expertise you are looking to learn more about or work with. When
you have identified whom you are looking to meet and what event
you will be attending, take a look at the guest list. Strategize about
who you would like to talk to and make sure to do your research on
them. The first person you connect with could be your connection to meeting more people. Maybe they came with friends or know people already at
the event. Keep in mind how many people would you like to connect with at this event. Spending time engaging in meaningful conversations with a few
people is often better than floating around the room engaging in short, superficial conversations. If you want to appear relevant make sure you know
what these professionals do and what you are looking to learn from them. Make it your goal to talk to them by the end of the event and create a real
connection.
2) Introducing Yourself To High Level Personnel
Now that you have decided whom you want to meet how do you approach them? You have finally spotted them but you suddenly feel nervous and
unsure of yourself. The most important thing you can do when attempting to connect with your desired contact is to approach with confidence. Do not
introduce yourself as their fan but instead of as their equal. Make sure you are not interrupting their current conversation with a non-relevant subject and
instead say something thought provoking or ask a question they will want to comment on. Give them a chance to admire you or be interested in what
you are working on.
3) Attitude Is Everything
Deciding to have a positive attitude when entering a room can make all the difference for people approaching you in any kind of social situation. Your
attitude is the first thing people will notice about you! Think back to the professional business people in your life, what kind of attitude do they have? A
constant negative attitude will discourage people wanting to get to know you or use your business. It’s all about being approachable and having people
want to come up and speak with you. If you come off as negative people will choose to not come up to you, or even leave the conversation early.
Smile! Smiling actually makes you feel happier and can convey confidence, openness, and happiness.
1
HOW TO BUILD
REAL
CONNECTIONS
3
BY HAYLEY MCKENZIE
5. 4) Connecting With A Group
Walking into a room full of people already chatting is not easy, but there is
a way to slide into their conversation effectively. If you happen to know
someone in the group tap them on the shoulder gently and allow them to
introduce you or include you in the group. Don’t know anyone? When
timing is right give a brief introduction and retreat back allowing the
conversation to continue or someone to speak up and bring you in with
questions. Make sure you read up on industry news and trends so you
are prepared to bring up topics that are relevant and interesting to your
group. This is really important if you are attending an event that is outside
your area of expertise.
5) Connect With People By Learning Conversation Skills and Techniques
At networking events it can be challenging to approach people you don’t
know and break the ice. Don’t talk about the weather, skip the typical
niceties and be genuinely interested in people and what they have to say.
Simple techniques such as observing, commenting, and a simple touch
on the arm will earn you more rapport than anything you could ever say.
Try to ask about what they like and enjoy doing instead of what do you do
for work? People love to talk about what they love! Eventually what they
do for their line of work will come up, but make the real connection first.
Never abruptly stop a conversation to talk to someone who walks by who
is “more important”. It can be tempting to leave a conversation mid
sentence when you see someone you have been looking forward to
speaking with. When this happens feel free to move the conversation to a
natural ending point and excuse yourself.
6) Give More Than You Want To Take Away
If you want someone’s business and/or referrals, you really need to take it
a step further and first go out of your way for someone. Prove your
trustworthiness. It doesn’t matter how successful you are, if people don’t
feel they can trust you they will not work with you. Getting business cards
and following up with a phone call and email is for amateurs. Provide
them with an introduction, referral, or anything else that may not even be
business related. Make sure you trust anyone you refer! A bad referral
will do more harm than anything good that could have came out of your
first meeting. Karma will come around and “the work” you already did will
reap far more benefits than the constant hassling for new clients.
7) Listen and Engage
Instead of first talking about yourself you need to stop and listen. Give
honest feedback when necessary and you will be surprised the
connection that will form. Open the conversation up to your date (or your
boss, or your friend) and ask them to share something about themselves
instead of immediately talking about yourself.
What you talk about depends on how well you know the person, but you
can start with simple questions like, “Was this the job you saw yourself in
when you were in high school or college?” To deeper questions like,
“What was the best moment or turning point in your career?” Listening is
an art. You must be truly prepared to give your attention to the other
person. Put yourself in their shoes and allow them to fully express
themselves. It’s a sure way to begin building an emotional connection.
Don’t be a “product pusher”. No one likes someone who only comes to
events to push their products on people. Leads may come from
networking events but they should never be used as strictly a place to
sell.
8) Build The Relationship With Common Interests
People are naturally attracted to people they enjoy working with. Looking
for common ground in a conversation can allow both parties to feel
comfortable. One person has to make an effort to build that connection
and build rapport.
Being able to pay attention and read others so one can connect with
different types of people can be extremely beneficial. A successful
communicator knows how to change their pitch, tone, speed, delivery
etc. and mirror it with the person they’re speaking to in order to make
themselves more relatable and therefore, likeable.
9) Embrace Your Past
Giving and receiving attention, affection, admiration, are all important
parts of the human experience. Maybe you’ve been hurt in the past and
feel the need to be protective of who you are. Everybody does at times.
But at some point, if you are trying to create an emotional connection with
someone, your guard has to come down. If you go through life shutting
everyone out, you will never know what it feels like to connect with
people.
Start slowly by thinking back to why your guard went up in the first place.
Little by little you can start to break down that wall. When you let others in,
you will be amazed by how happy -- and emotionally connected-- you will
really feel.
Relationships are one of the most important areas for finding happiness in
life. The ability to connect with people can make the difference between
finding that happiness or missing it all together. Hopefully now you can
take these tips and use them to help further your career and relationships
both personally and professionally.
LUMA is Luxury Matchmaking - where professional matchmakers give
you a luxury experience when it comes to finding the perfect match. Not
everyone is accepted as a Premium Client. Each Matchmaker is limited
to working with about 15-20 clients simultaneously to best serve our
clients.
With our LUMA Match Method we assure you of a customized, luxury
matchmaking service where you're more than just a number. With our elite
and exclusive boutique-style services, which are available in 22 locations
across the US, you won't have to go through random, unrewarding dates
again.
We search through and vet all the singles out there to make sure we
introduce you the right person. All our Matchmakers are also Certified Life
Coaches and we provide each client with 5 hours of Date Coaching in
order to help them put their best foot forward.
Email Hayley McKenzie here
8448225862
4
6. It doesn't matter how good your product or service is, if you can't get it
in front of the people who will buy it then you will never be a millionaire,
here is a checklist of things you should do to ensure you get the
coverage you deserve.
1 – Use email marketing - Loyal customers will be interested in seeing
your latest products or news. Use email marketing to keep them up to
date. Use the marketing to also offer them exclusive deals as this will
give them a reason to want to receive your updates.
2 – Create an affiliates scheme - Affiliates are useful because they do all
the hard marketing for you for a small commission also its a great way of
expanding your operations without any financial risk
3 – Work with bloggers – Bloggers and vloggers are big influences. Use
them to promote your products, you could also ask bloggers and
Vloggers to produce yours in exchange for freebies, also write a blog
yourself its important to gain a reputation as an expert in your field.
4 – Tell the press - Marketing a product particularly a new innovative
product should start with a well written press release to get the word
out, a great way of doing this is creating a campaign or charity give
away to help get the product awareness up.
5 – Embrace social media shops - Twitter buy buttons, Facebook shops,
etc are a good was to maximize conversions from your social media
pages, this is I believe the best form of mass marketing to increase
product awareness and of course its free to use, look at the age group
of your clients and select the right social media to target them for a for
example 25-30yr Facebook is very effective however for the over 50's
Linked in is a much better social media to use
6 – Reward Referrals - Satisfied customers are happy customers, and
happy customers will recommend your product/brand to others, also its
good to give rewards to clients that are unexpected as people will
always talk about pleasant supprises
7 – Reward loyalty - Ensure you reward customers who come back to
you again and again. Offer loyal customers special offers/discount or
maybe establish something to help them in business, I set up a number
of free directory's which are free to register on, but my clients get a free
priority listing for the entire time they use us
8 – Blog - Blogging is a great way to show off your
products/brands/company’s personality and a great way to show off
your best products, also look at synergy between other bloggers, find
businesses that compliment yours and this will increase your
effectiveness and also reduce your work input requirement
HOW TO
GROW YOUR
CLIENT BASE &
SELL YOUR
PRODUCT OR
SERVICE
5
2
BY CRAIG WILLETTS
7. 9 – Use images - A picture paints a thousand words..... Customers love
visuals when purchasing a product. Use high quality images to show off
your product to its full potential also images are important to promote on
some social media's for example Pinterest & instogram
10 – Use videos - Having a video on your landing page can increase
conversions by up to 80% also when you use search engines like google
they will automatically search youtube swell as the web this means it can
be used to improve your page ranking.
11 – Create guides - Guides are a great resource of your customers whilst
carefully guiding them towards your products and remember all guides
can be published as books on for example Apple I Books.
12 – Run competitions - Everyone loves freebies, so why not run a
competition to generate hype around your products ensure that you run
the promotion for a good amount of time, for example instead of selecting
5 people to win, select 1 winner a month for five months to maximise the
effectiveness of the competition.
13 – Social media is about timing - Facebook and twitter are excellent
platform for advertising but can be maximised by working them at the
right time:
Facebook - 12-3pm (Monday-Friday) 1-2pm (Weekends)
Twitter - 2-3pm (Monday-Friday) 12-3pm (Weekends)
Linked In - 12-1pm & 5-6pm (Monday-Friday)
Instagram - 12pm-1pm (Monday- Friday) Various (Weekends)
14 – Make sharing easy - Social media shares are important for
marketing, make it easy for people to share product information, also
thank people who share and forward as this increases the customer
service and builds relationships
15 – Affordable shipping - Make shipping affordable to your customers, a
high postage rate can put people off buying your product, remember in
todays world any business can be run on the web with no rent or office
costs, it also opens up Global Markets.
Craig Willetts, CEO CAW Consultancy Business Solutions Ltd
Here at CAW Consultancy Business Solutions we pride ourselves on
being the most cost effective business solution in the UK, providing
a range of services for example ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO
18788 and all other British standards.
For more information email Craig or call 07427535662
6
CAW Consultancy Business Solutions
Ltd
Here at CAW Consultancy Business
Solutions we pride ourselves on being the
most cost effective ISO & business
solution in the UK,, we have a 100% pass
rate on all standards and are also the
fastest in the UK
We provide a range of services for
example ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001
, ISO 18788 and all other British
standards.
For more information email or call Craig on
01772 932058 or 07427535662 out of
hours
8. BY PAUL JONES
Many business owners have an amazing product or service that they sell.
Whether just started out in their entrepreneurial ventures or who have been
established for many years. The concept of having the best product on the
market can ultimately seem irrelevant if the approach to business and
marketing point in the wrong direction. I have many conversations with
business owners who feel stressed and lose confidence in their own dreams
because their business is maybe not doing as good as they imagined. This is
very frustrating to see, as the ideas are not awful ideas.
There are many factors involved with this. Having a positive outlook on life
can immensely change ones fortunes. If you have an idea and in that moment
you have all the energy within you to pursue it and your gut is telling you it is
the right thing to do, you must act there and then. Otherwise the risk of acting
upon it days or weeks or even months after may seem an up hill struggle and
by then the moment may have passed. You are not so optimistic as the
moment you had the idea. More doubts draw in or your enthusiasm has
diminished to the point of having no love for that dream anymore. As time passes by other events ‘good or bad’ have entered your life, which becomes
priority. Acting in the here and now will bring confidence and excitement within you. A today person will make the most of a proposition and flourish into a
life of prosperity. A tomorrow person may still be living the same old life and not fulfilling their potential.
An example of a delay in pursuing down a particular avenue is quite simply not knowing what to do. Not knowing who to turn to for the correct advice. In
most cases outsourcing certain responsibilities is the most efficient way to move forward. As your business grows, there will come a point when you
realise that you can no longer do everything. Handing over parts of the business to someone else can be tough, but it’s the only way you can keep
growing.
I have been there before. I know what it´s like to be doing everything yourself because you know you are the only person that can do the best job.
However, if you are using all of your concentration and all of your energy on so many responsibilities, then sooner or later your performance will falter.
This is where many feel the strain and the weight on their shoulders. In my case I was keeping my own books and managing tax returns. I thought to save
that extra £200 a month on an accountant is better for my cashflow. It actually turns out to be the opposite. I spent many nights at my computer working
on my books when this time could have been spent exercising or meditating to relax my body and mind, or most importantly having family time.
The day I gave my accountant responsibility in dealing with the tax authorities was the best decision I could have made. I seemed to have gained extra
energy and an improved creative mind from releasing a large chunk of the workload. I seemed to have gained more spare time to focus more on core
business.
While evolving myself in business, I soon discovered collaborating with others or acquiring their services will catapult your opportunities to new horizons
and will expand on your connections within the business world.
In some cases the assumption that one must work tirelessly 14 hours a day 7 days a week to make it successful is an absolute myth. The key in
successful business is to do as less but as effective as possible. Especially in marketing. Social media is one of the biggest myths in marketing. In some
3
SHIFTING YOUR
MINDSET
7
9. cases if you post on Instagram or twitter hourly or daily it can be beneficial
to entertain your fan base but does this bring in revenue for your
business? Not at all. Many people try to do everything in order to run a
business and attract clients and this is what they do… They start a blog
and write all of this content, then a Facebook fan page and start posting all
the content on there. Once Facebook page has been created an
Instagram and a twitter account must be created too, right? Oh and not
forgetting Snapchat to keep sending out regular stories about what cool
yogurt they ate for breakfast or what outfit they’ll be wearing today, then
Facebook live, then podcasts, then a fancy all dancing all singing website
etc. etc. etc.… Is all of this necessary? Depending on your goals of
course. I know my goals are to make money efficiently and to build
business relations for future business. It’s like being a mouse on a wheel
chasing after an impossible goal. The myth that you must do all of this in
order to be successful is exactly that… a myth. It’s also a result in fuelling
up on coffee and stressing out to the max while no results are being
achieved. I know this because this used to be me when I was starting out
in the entrepreneurial world. The truth is it’s about doing less not more. It’s
about focussing on 1 thing not 20.
The mind set of not giving anything away for free and only wanting to take
money can also become an infection to your business without even
realizing it. With this outlook creates a disconnection with your customers
but you must ask yourself, at the end of the day who is one that pays the
bills and puts food on your table of a night? Your customer. So one
essential area that must be achieved is customer satisfaction. This brings
regular custom plus recommendations. Offer incentives to your service
such as a holiday or money back offers. Loyalty schemes work brilliantly. If
you don’t know where to start feel free to contact me and I can
recommend some great ideas.
My mediating and marketing consultancy services has helped many
businesses achieve their goals but most importantly increase in revenue. I
take care of many marketing campaigns in various industries. It does not
matter whether your business is Cosmetics, Automotive, Travel and
Leisure, consulting etc. the strategies are the same.
I recently successfully negotiated a deal worth 100 Million Euros for luxury
Vehicles at a great price too. I will be Mediating the sale on many more
Vehicles such as, Range Rovers, Skoda, Mercedes, Jaguars, construction
vehicles such as diggers, along with Aircrafts, Boats/Yachts, Gold,
Platinum, Diamonds, investment bonds etc... the list in endless.
I like to build business relations with as many relevant professionals as
possible, so I invite everyone to communicate with me. Especially if you
are someone who is looking for a great business opportunity or you work
for large corporation who are looking to invest in the development of future
business. In the future we may be able to collaborate and help each other
out in some way.
Always believe something wonderful is about to happen.
Linkedin
8
Tax Debts Help and Advice, specialists in helping individuals and
businesses that owe to HMRC and can’t pay tax bills back in full and
on time.
With over two decades experience, negotiating the ‘minefield’ that is
HMRC; we know how to help you get back on track.
Our approach assesses tax liabilities in a compliant way, keeping our
finger on the pulse of an ever changing industry, where staying on
top of legislation and HMRC’s activity is paramount.
We could help you get a monthly plan agreed – A Time to Pay plan,
allowing you to pay your debt back at an affordable level.
Sounds simple? Not at all, we understand HMRC’s procedures and
the action they can take against you; we work with you to stop this
and get your debt issues resolved.
Office Contact Number: 01704 628105
Email
Construction CCTV, Scaffolding Alarms, Vacant Property Security,
Security Products, Mobile Security Patrols, Static Security Guarding,
Guard Monitoring
Telephone
0330 311 2729
EMAIL
Registered in England & Wales
Company Number: 11301295
10. The Premier Cryptocurrency Account ‘10x Growth Account’ offers
secure and easy access to cryptocurrency, this fully managed account
invests in the top 20 performing Cryptocurrencies to diversify the
investment and mitigate the risk.
The 10x Growth Account is an opportunity to access the world of
Cryptocurrency and benefit from a 24/7 fully managed portfolio of
Cryptocurrency which is managed by a world class team of experts
who have been managing Cryptocurrency portfolios since 2011. This
removes the complexity surrounding Crypto investing alongside
removing the difficulty of deciding what currency to buy and when, all
from a fully transparent and easy to use platform, with the highest levels
of security.
This opportunity provides you simple access to the world of
cryptocurrency with the unique benefit of a collaboration with the only
UK-based Cryptocurrency exchange, providing security under UK law.
New accounts can be opened with as little as £2000, which can be paid
via Sterling, Dollar, Euro, Bitcoin or Ethereum, the 10x Growth Account
accepts new account holders into its current account until the end of
each month, after which that account will be closed and the funds
invested in a portfolio of Cryptocurrencies,the Cryptocurrency account
will be managed by a dedicated team of Analysts and Traders whose
sole role is to manage the fund for maximum growth.
We will provide quarterly valuation statements, after 12 months, account
holders can choose to fully withdraw their funds, partially withdraw or
leave their investment in full in the account.
“The 10x Growth Account really is the first Cryptocurrency
Account of its kind, and will help many more people to start investing in
Cryptocurrency without the worry of which coins to favour, which
exchanges to use and how to invest. By opening a 10x Growth Account,
people will be accessing some of the best expertise and industry
insight, greatly increasing the chances of their investment in
Cryptocurrency growing over the next 12 months” says David Berryman
(CEO of The Easy Access Crypto Company)
The 10x Growth Account has clients from across the world
that come from a variety of different professions, including Doctors,
Professional Rugby Players, Professional Footballers, Accountants,
Judges, Bankers, Property Developers, Pilots, Dentists, Financial
Advisers and so many more!
If you want to explore this opportunity further get in contact with us now
on 0203 355 2849 or submit your information online at our website
and a member of our team will get in contact with you .
The Easy Access Crypto Company Ltd
Company Reg: 11175033
ICO reg: ZA314422
Office address: Penstraze Business Centre, Truro, Cornwall, TR4 8PN.
WANT TO INVEST IN
CRYPTOCURRENCY, BUT DON’T KNOW
HOW?
9
4
11. I undertook the Great North Swim in 2017 to raise money for The Christie
Hospital and the Myton Hospice following my cancer diagnosis in 2016
and the death of a very close friend to this horrendous disease in early
February 2017. Following surgery at Salford Royal Hospital and further
treatment at the Christie Hospital……..I am still here! My prognosis is
excellent due to the amazing treatment and service I have received from
these two amazing hospitals and the people that work in them. To my
consultant surgeon, Sean Loughran, and my oncologist Kate Garcez,
together with their respective teams, I will be forever grateful for your skill,
expertise, caring and continuing service
Sadly for so many the news isn’t so good. I continue my fundraising this
year to raise funds for The Christie Hospital. The hospital treats over
44,000 patients a year and is Europe’s largest single site cancer centre
whilst also being recognised as the the most technologically advanced
cancer centre in the world outside North America, yet it only receives
limited funding from the NHS and relies on donations to continue its
pioneering work. I will be taking part in the Great Swim Series 2018 to
raise funds for The Christie. The Great Swim Series starts on Saturday 9th
June with the Great North Swim in Windermere followed by the Great East
Swim in Alton Water on 23rd June finishing with the biggest challenge of
all - The Great Scottish Swim in Loch Lomond over the August Bank
holiday weekend.
I am seeking donations to my justgiving page. I know we all receive these
kinds of requests throughout the year but if you are able to contribute to
this wonderful dear cause, both my charity and I would be extremely
grateful.
Attached is a link to a you tube upload with a short video which explains
more, a link to the Christie hospital setting out some of the great work they
carry out and a link to my justgiving page. I thank you in advance for your
kind donations.
Click to visit:
My video:
Please donate here
The Christie:
10
BY MIKE SOPHOCLEOUS
THE GREAT SWIM SERIES 20185
12. Effective communication in the workplace is what separates high
performing companies among the rest. A company that has strong
relationships established at its foundation not only drastically reduces
employee turnover but dramatically increases production and efficiency.
Despite this fact, even companies in good standing still struggle time to
time with proper communication. When not handled correctly, this can
lead to misunderstandings and conflict that reduce productivity and
employee morale. Here are some steps you can take today to start
improving communication in your organization.
Focus on Your Employees First
According to the American Psychological Association, nearly one
quarter of employees do not trust their employer. Employees respond
to leadership that they can trust. Focus on putting your people first with
listening to them and developing their skills works to build that trust.
Employees are more likely to communicate better and give their best
work when you show genuine interest in them. This is empathizing with
their roadblocks or dilemmas, and following through on the ways you
say you will help. Establishing rapport with your employees leads to
better communication. This yields gains across any organization such
as an increase in productivity, efficiency, and revenue.
Set Specific Times to Share with One Another
Proper communication is not once in a while. It has to be part of a
company’s big plan to bring continuous value to their industry which
starts with employees. It also has to be consistent. Setting certain
times during the week to touch base can make all the difference in your
business. You will learn more about the inner workings of what is going
on in the office to offset any potential conflict or misunderstandings.
Leaders of organization who are proactive lead with this as top of their
list.
It is important as the leader to listen well and not to judge. Be the
example always for your employees to follow as this builds respect and
further trust not only with the leader but everyone in the organization.
Take time to listen and be mindful how you communicate with people.
Companies that put workplace communication top of list lead by
example and setting times to communicate and listen are mandatory.
Learn to Leverage People’s Strengths
This is a process and does not happen overnight. It takes time to
assess your staff’s strengths and weaknesses. However, companies
that place workplace communication high on their list will be able to
determine this sooner than others that place less emphasis. Learning
to leverage people’s strengths allows companies to place people in
situations or tasks that more likely will lead to success. This is where
the focus on listening and observation upfront can pay dividends in the
long run. There’s also the personality type route with Strength Finder
being a great resource. All of a sudden, it might make sense that you’re
HOW TO IMPROVE WORKPLACE
COMMUNICATION
11
6
13. motivated by competition and focus, whereas your other teammate does best with input and ideation. By
understanding each other’s strengths and weaknesses, it’s easier to have effective communication in the
workplace.
Establish the foundation of transparency in the workplace
Organizations that play at another level are always transparent from the top down with their workflows.
Everyone knows the bigger picture and vision for the company. In addition, they know each other’s roles
and how it will all work together. It is important to organize a clear walk-through by using Excel
Spreadsheets, so all your team members are on the same page and not frustrated by miscommunications.
The steps above are just a few of many to follow and implement toward taking your organization to another
level. It requires strategy and proper planning, but most important, always being consistent with it.
To your health & prosperity,
Christopher Salem
Visit website
Email
BUSINESS PROCESS STRATEGIST AWARD WINNING AUTHOR, CERTIFIED MINDSET EXPERT
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14. Meet Unum International Emissaries – Not just another Do Good Organization
There are a lot of great, amazing, wonderful and just downright fantastic groups and organizations in the world that address issues and provide social,
emotional, physical and spiritual benefit and comfort to others in pursuit of making this planet a more inviting place to live. So, “why do we need another
one?” you may wonder. Good question!
Most worthy causes which exist today require sacrifices in the form of physical, social, economic as well as time commitments from their members. This
is an acceptable and expected obligation for any progress to be made when it comes to solving or lessening the burden of whatever the cause of an
organization happens to be. But what if there was an organization that brought together the time and talent resources of people from all corners of the
globe, regardless of traditional, physical or perceived, boundaries of political, social, economic, religious or ethnic backgrounds and lifestyles together
to address causes, great or small, or that may otherwise be considered having insignificant impact due to their localized, minimized, or even
stigmatized outreach and impact?
Enter Unum International Emissaries. UIE is different from other worthwhile causes because it seeks to maximize donated international time and talent
bringing these resources to bear on worthy projects around globe. UIE believes that its strength is found in its member’s unity and diversity and ability to
UNUM INTERNATIONAL EMISSARIES
13
7
15. work as one to help everyone. UIE aims to break through the physical and
political boundaries that prevent real change from taking place which will
effectively resolve pressing problems around the world that might not
otherwise be addressed.
The mission of Unum International Emissaries is to improve people’s
quality of life around the world through its pre-vetted members who
pledge to work as one, donating their skills and time to collaborate on
goodwill projects around the world. UIE never solicits for personal gains
and upholds a pure motive at all times. UIE members are simply
dedicated to helping each other help others.
UIE consists of like minded professionals working as one to improve
people’s quality of life with pure motives. UIE doesn’t ask its members for
monetary donations, but instead to support UIE projects in their free or
spare time. There is no stipulation as to how much time must be donated.
It may be an hour a month or two hours a day. It depends upon the time
resources available to the individual member. As an example, this article
is being created by one of UIE’s members who have agreed to take on
the task of introducing UIE to others. It will be shared and used by other
members to promote UIE and it’s causes.
In respect to causes supported by UIE the organization supports any
member proposed goodwill project around the world. All projects are
supported by the UIE management team which in turn gives the support
needed to have the most impact on the cause by sanctioning it as an
UNUM supported project.
If you, or someone you know, is currently involved with a humanitarian
cause and wishes to be considered for UIE membership, or wants more
information about UIE please sign up today
Likeminded Professionals working Together
to improve peoples quality of life around the World
14
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16. I am introducing a series of articles that will, overall, create an in-depth
guide to help professionals in building the right and efficient wardrobe
intend to bring you innovative and exclusive menswear wardrobe
building techniques and to help you to use it correctly with maximum
efficiency, and on end, I will show you the weather to build the entire
wardrobe at once or individual suit or occasional purchasing.
The suit is not a simple outfit for business people; it is part of the
professionals business tools, today everyone knows the importance of
outfit in personal branding, social life and impact of that on business
success. Professionals need to see the wardrobe as an essential and
necessary investment for last long because each item purchased with
the plan will be with them for minimum ten years. How you pay attention
to choosing a partner or friends, you need to pay same level attention
when you are selecting clothing for your wardrobe.
Before to purchase any suits for your wardrobe, you need to know all
available options and educate yourself to make the best investment
plan to build your wardrobe at once or step by step with a clear plan for
your needs. Your focus point should be to select the classic style and
high-quality products for last long, right color and best possible fit for
better presents and look and most important for excellent comfort.
Before to go in depth, we need to understand available options and how
to distinguish and benefit and drawbacks of each.
OPTIONS ARE:
☛Ready to Wear or Off the Rack (R.T.W.)
☛ Made to Order (M.T.O.)
☛ Custom Made (C. M.) | Made to Measure (M.T.M.) | Su Misura (same
meaning)
☛ Bespoke
By learning and distinction between above terms and knowledge, you
could save a significant amount of money and time on your shopping
and will obtain the best possible suit for your wardrobe and each
purchased piece will be chosen with a clear plan and will have an
essential role in your closet and on your lifestyle.
▶▶ READY TO WEAR OR OFF THE RACK (R.T.W)
Ready to wear is a garment that suit makers or designers using
standard pattern which it’s builds the based on specific geographical
and zonal average men’s body shape and sizes, the shape and size of
these ready patterns will differ substantially from one zone to other. For
example, X designer suits made for Spain will vary significantly with the
same designer suits made for US market.
One of the reasons many online shoppers having a difficult time with the
fit of the same designer products is pattern factor which the RTW suits
are moving from one place to other, for that reason RTW suits lost this
crucial element of its value. It is one of the reasons I do not recommend
online shopping for menswear.
Suit makers and designers manufacturing RTW suits, and you have
access to them in menswear stores; you can try it on and purchase it.
It’s intended to worn immediately and hence; you do not need to wait for
to make for you. It’s undoubtedly the easiest way to shop. However, the
chance to find the right fit for professionals in RTW suits is too low
because these suits are made to serve everyone which in reality is
impossible, we all are different and have a different body shape. R.T.W
suits may be suitable for who has symmetrical body shape, which no
human being has symmetrical body shape, by having an alteration you
will get more worse on your jacket. Some people think it fits, but usually,
they’re just not educated enough to see the flaws in the garment.
The fit is not only future you should pay attention, but you also need to
verify following crucial details when you are purchasing the RTW suits:
• The jacket made in full canvased; half canvased or
fused; the fused option is not for professionals even it fits well.
• Machine or handmade
• The amount and quality of the hand craftsmanship
involved in the manufacturing of the suit. Regular machine-made suits
make in less than 3 hours, but handmade bespoke suits need minimum
50 hours artistry work.
WHAT IS THE
BEST SUIT
OPTION FOR
PROFESSIONALS?
BY DR JUSTIN BELL
15
8
17. • Buttons and buttonholes quality, buttons Should be Shell
or horn,
• The lining should be Bemberg or silk or the mix of both.
☛You should try it on and buy if it fits well or needs minor alterations.
Otherwise, I do not recommend to purchase the RTW suits when requiring
significant modification. Here are some of the significant adjustments:
• When need to modify the jacket shoulder shape or
sizes, by readjusting the shoulder shape or size you will lose stability of
the pattern, may look good from outside but will have difficulty with fitting
and comfort; and shoulder is base where your jacket seating on your
body.
• When the jacket length is more than 1.5 inches longer or
shorter, by shortening more than that need to change another seven
crucial elements on the jacket which is not possible in ready to wear suits,
I will cover this subject in my other article why is not possible.
• If the sleeves length is more than 1.5 inches longer or
shorter, by shortening more than 1.5 inches, that means jacket length
needs to be reduced more than 2-3 inches for average people, which I
do not recommend. By doing this modification, you need to change the
jacket pockets, waist, buttons positioning..., which is not possible to
modify it on ready to wear jackets.
• Re-adjustment on lapels and the collar.
• This process will be costly and will destroy the general
shape and look of the jacket because of lapel and collar shape designed
in proportion to the pattern.
• I do not recommend any alteration in jackets body
structure, and construction will be costly, and for sure you never get right
fit after touching the construction of the RTW jacket.
• Taking in more than 1.5-2 inches from jacket waist, more
than that jacket chest will shift back and will create a problem on the
shoulder, and the armhole, also jacket will take concave shape.
Other crucial aspects are weight and quality of the fabric used in RTW
suits, usually made from primary wool materials or mix fibers up to super
100’s or 120’s. The thickness and weight of the fabrics are crucial
because of climate factor. High thread count and premium quality fabrics
do not use even in most of the high-end and luxury designers RTW suits.
The advantage of Ready to wear: Immediacy and relative affordability
drawbacks of ready to wear: Fit, quality of the fabrics and jacket
construction
MADE TO ORDER (MTO)
Made to order is the same as ready to wear garment just having some
customization options. Most of the time this term used for accessories like
shoes, handbags, and ties. It means you pick a standard shoe last or
garment style and decide on materials like fabrics, buttons, leather, colors
without changing anything in a model, pattern or last.
MADE TO MEASURE, CUSTOM MADE OR SU MISURA ( SAME
MEANING)
Custom made or made to measure a very general term which using for
anything that related some form of the measurement. MTM suit is the
worst option of the menswear in the majority of cases if expert tailor does
not make your body size modification and adaptation to the pattern.
Made to measure is set-up from RTW suits, it is same as ready to wear
just taking a few measurements of your body and adapting to the ready to
wear pattern, modifying those points on an existing suit pattern making
the suit unstable, and never fits your body perfectly. Because every
single detail on that pattern was calculated very well to work together in
harmony for just one type of the body shape and for specific
geographical areas men’s body shape, which built for it. By modifying a
few points will destroy that harmony and stability of the pattern unless a
master tailor does that by taking in consideration functionality of each
component. It looks like modifying only one tire of the car and making
smaller or bigger.
In the majority of the cases no have tailor or master tailor involvement in
this process. For that reason, I do not recommend this type of the suits for
your wardrobe unless to order in sartorial designers who has own tailoring
facility. Unfortunately, custom made (made to measure) is very popular
online, which is the inferior version of the suits manufacturing. This kind of
the outfits is suitable for who is not suit wearer and using once for funeral
or wedding. The reason not recommended for professionals, because of
no real tailor involvement in the manufacturing of these suits. Online and
most of offline made to measure suit suppliers not using a real tailor for
manufacturing process especially in pattern adaptation” which is the
crucial element of the suit. They are using a graphic designer to do this
job by using CAD system.
I need to clarify one crucial point here; Starting from body measurements
to the pattern modification and sawing, all people involved in this MTM
processing, seeing the fabrics in 2 dimensional, a master tailor can think
and create and form the materials in 3 dimensional for your body shape.
You may notice for body measurement some of MTM suppliers using 3D
scanning machine, this is just for show purpose, and no have any impact
on pattern making or fit, in the end. This machine giving you the
measurement of the body and shape in 3 dimensional but cannot print
the clothing in 3D like plastic or metal; again they will use only a few of
those measurements data to modify the existing pattern manually. The
function of this machine is to study average of body shape, collecting
many data in short time and establishing the average size of the man’s
body in the specific area. The market is full of wrong information and miss
leading contents, which creating much confusion and making hard for
professionals to choose right products, of course, it is part of powerful
fashion marketing strategy. Using these techniques also time to times
introducing many new terms and words driving us into the grey area and
creating a haven for designers massive sales.
As I mentioned Custom made suits may work well for who has
symmetrical body shape and manufacturer using an accurate pattern for
customization, and a master tailor does pattern readjustment. The custom
made suiting process is same as re-adjusting the existing suits, like
readjusting your older brother jackets to your size. The critical elements of
the custom-made suit are the fit and construction, the fit will rarely be
16
18. perfect, but you have some customization options like the shape of jacket
lapels, the buttons, lining, and other small details may you can choose
from manufacturer offer list to add.
➜ Close your eye and ear for strong fashion marketers and influencers:
Majority of the suit wearers are confusing bespoke with custom-made
suiting, also made to measure suits suppliers pretending they services
like bespoke, this way they are confusing us more. Unfortunately, in North
America we are not hearing the “tailor” word in the fashion market even
less used in vocabulary and fashion influencer articles, instead, using
“Designer.” The fashion marketers are investing lost money in building
high imaginary value around this word.
A young generation even they do not know differences between tailor and
designer and role of tailors in designers products. I will cover this subject
in depth later; I would like to mention in the majority of the cases, even
some of the luxury brand designers involvement in manufacturing and
designing the men’s suits are minimal. Later on, I will surprise you with
some of insider history.
A similar history is with eyewear. Luxottica is doing the entire eyewear
development for most of the luxury designer brands, starting from
designing to manufacturing no brand designers involvement in this
process. The critical question may you will have is " how much
AUTHENTIC ?" we are purchasing X designer brand eyewear and paying
the high-ticket price for it but not designed or made by the brand! For
more detail about this shocking topic please click on this CBC 60 minutes
report.My hope is professionals educate themselves to build they
wardrobe base on tangible value, not imaginary value.
➜ Quality of Custom made (C.M) suits may vary.
Custom made suits can be found from $300 on none brand to high-end,
and luxury designers brand up to $6,000. Both are using the same
method to make the custom-made suit with one essential difference. In
high-end sartorial designer manufacturer, when you order made to
measure suit, tailor or master tailor in factory adopting your body size to
an existing pattern, which it is perfect, all modifications will make by
Taylor’s eye and by tailor control.
Unfortunately, the majority of custom-made suit suppliers manufacturing
they in ready to wear mass production factories and using graphic
designers to adapt the body size into the standard pattern, which is
creating a significant problem because graphic designers no have an
idea about the suit pattern, tailoring and men’s body shape or jacket
functionality. They are using CAD graphics system and modifying the suit
pattern. They are not pattern-maker or tailor, merely graphic designers
which they call a technician.
The custom-made suit is less expensive than a bespoke garment. It’s
usually more expensive than ready to wear because it includes some
modifications, additional customization and an improvement on the
look. High-quality custom made suits; you can obtain only in sartorial
designers who has own tailoring facility and tailors, otherwise is
compromised entirely.
Another important aspect is the construction of the custom-made suits
before to order the custom-made suit you have to take in consideration
following:
• Suits construction made in full, half canvassed or fused.
• Hand-basting or machine made canvassing on the chest,
lapels, and on the collar
• The amount of hand craftsmanship will involve and which
part of the jacket.
• The type of the fabrics, thread count, and fabric supplier.
( fabrics quality)
• Where will make the garment; this is important just
because some countries have a high repetition of quality MTM suits
manufacturing Like Italy and England.
• Who is taking your body measurement, Tailor, men’s
body expert, yourself or salesperson takes your body measurement,
overall, made to measure is an excellent choice for only people who have
symmetrical body shape and they are happy with the standard pattern fit
suit and want to customize they garments.
BESPOKE
The bespoke term comes from the word of “bespeak” means to ‘’speak
for something’’ particular specification for creating a unique product. It
may tailor to the customs, tastes, most of the time related to one garment
or accessories made exclusively for one person.
Bespoke suit processing is entirely different than made to measure. In
bespoke suit never use ready and standard pattern. Your body
measurements transferring directly to the fabric by the master tailor and
cutting the materials and making and forming the jacket, or making the
suit pattern from scratch by the tailor exclusively for you. Usually,
bespoke suits involve more than 50 hours artisanal hand sewing and
shaping the jacket for your body, You can decide and choose any detail
you want, but In made to measure usually you pick from suppliers catalog
just a few simple options.
Unfortunately today many of made to measure and even ready to wear
suit suppliers abusing the market and using the “bespoke” term for they
non-bespoke products because this term not protected by trademark.
➜ Bespoke Suits Quality is matter.
The bespoke garment should always fit perfectly but a good fit is not the
only criteria for the perfect bespoke suit, there are some other essentials
criteria you must pay attention when you order the bespoke suits.
• Experienced Tailor,
Any tailor can make the costume, but an only skilled master tailor can
create comfortable bespoke suits, choose the tailor who makes the whole
suits from start to the end. The bespoke suits are like art, lots of hand
artistry craft involves in creating and forming process, You can have an
17
19. excellent result when the entire jacket and trouser are done all by the
same tailor.
• Bespoke suits should see as an investment.
You should consult with your tailor precisely following:
• The purpose of the suit like, where you are gone wear
• Your job and activity
• The suit will use for occasion or business, and how you
would like to be seen by your partners or customers.
• The role of the garment in your branding and positioning
yourself
• what kind of message you want to send out when you are
wearing this suit( social appearance)
• The most crucial point is where is the role of this suit in
your current wardrobe, this garment must to match and work in harmony
with your wardrobe contents.
• Quality of fabrics
The cost of the bespoke suits is much higher than MTM and RTW, and
your new bespoke garment will stay last long in your wardrobe, you have
to consult with your master tailor and choose right fabrics which fit your
personality and needs. Also, climate plays a crucial role in this choice.
• Opt for classic style for last long
Choose a classic style which not to be out of trend, like the notched lapel
if it is for all-purpose, two buttons jacket and more.
• Shoulder type
Opt for a Neapolitan and soft shoulder if you like to have light and soft
shoulder structure, this way you can move more freely and obtain classic
and sports look at the same time.
• Comfort and functionality of the Jacket (Hand basting
Canvasing)
Hand basting canvas is the most delicate part of the handmade bespoke
suits, which is the foundation for comfort and flexibility and longevity of
the Jacket. Men’s body is getting expansion more than one size during
the breathing and on the extreme movement (average one size 4 cm x
3.14=12.6 cm expansion in diameter). The question is “How can create
the jacket to have extra 12 cm an extra room without changing the perfect
fit and look of the blazer? The answer is simple, ‘’ make hand basting
canvasing on chest, collar, lapels and hand sewing the jacket.
Machine stitch is lock stitch and locking the fabric’s layers to the lining
and interlining, and does not allow any movement and expansion of your
jacket. Hand stitching structure provides wearer to have maximum free
movement because hand stitch is loose and fabrics and inside the inner
structure will move freely with body movement in harmony, of course, this
process takes a lot of the time and this process considering is the engine
part of the jacket. This type of suit construction is creating functionality
and also plays suspension role for the jacket, after few days wearing the
blazer, canvas taking your body shape and blazer will seat in its perfect
position and forming into your body shape like the second skin especially
if used linen canvas.
• High Armscye
To obtain more free movement for your arms, ask your tailor to create
armhole smaller and higher with armscye functionality, this Is the only way
your tailor can create an extra free-movement for your arms, and moving
your arms will not affect the body of the jacket, and will function
separately.
• Body expert master tailor
The regular tailor will ask you what type of the suits you would like and by
selecting the fabrics will start to make your costume. That Is not the way;
you have to order your bespoke suit, there are two ways to order the right
outfit in the right place.
1) Ordering a bespoke garment requires knowledge on your behalf.
You should learn all terms and futures mentioned above and ask your
tailor the features and style, which you would like to have in your bespoke
suits. A good tailor may guide you, but bespoke suit needs your direct
involvement if you do not request, to have specific details in your jacket
you need to have the knowledge and educate yourself.
2) Meet with body expert, master tailor
A body expert will consult you about everything from your lifestyle, job,
the purpose of the suits, your wardrobe, body behaviors … and than will
create with your particular style for you and will explain everything about
structure, craft, functionality, and comfort.
Ferruccio Milanesi Handmade suit
➜My Advice for professionals: Buy your suit from an expert instead of to
buy from a salesperson.
When you decide to opt in any of the suit mentioned above, ask your suit
maker or salesperson above details, let them to explaining what they
know about the construction of the jacket which they are selling to you,
and you verify your supplier knowledge and honesty. This way you will
choose the right garment in its real value. In my next article will explain
the construction of each option and then will show you how to build most
effective and exclusive wardrobe to serve you in every occasion with one
of a kind, handmade bespoke products which will save you on money
and on time “smart wardrobe building techniques for professionals.
contact Dr J Bell
18
21. A charity who work to prevent youth homelessness in Stratford-Upon-Avon and Warwickshire are organising
a child-friendly community ‘Shakespeare SleepOut’ fundraiser on August 10th 2018, challenging families to
sleep out on ‘The Rec’ in the centre of Stratford, away from all the Creature Comforts of home.
Sponsored by Rosconn Group and supported by Stratford Town Trust this event is aimed at raising
awareness of the services offered by young people’s charity St Basils who are currently assisting 142
young people across Stratford and Warwickshire, intervening early to prevent the circumstances that can
lead to eviction and homelessness.
We work with young people on a one-to-one basis providing a bespoke service to help them build the
confidence and life skills they need to access training and employment opportunities and budget
effectively. We have seen the best results from young people working with Sports Psychologists at a top
University applying the same techniques professional athletes use to build the mental resilience needed to
keep striving to achieve goals despite temporary setbacks. St Basils are known as a forward thinking and
progressive organisation willing to instigate innovative projects like this to get results. With so little
affordable housing and rentals in Stratford it is important that this work to prevent youth homelessness
continues for the next generation.
Another aim of this free event is to bring like-minded people in the local community together. It will be a
night of family fun with lots of optional games, activities and competitions to keep everyone entertained
on-site as well as discount entry on Stratford’s Big Wheel nearby. Prizes for the best Shakespearian fancy
dress, creative dwelling and best Shakespeare performance will be presented at the event by the Mayor of
Stratford-upon-Avon John Bicknell.
Daniel O’Donnell, Founder & Managing Director from Rosconn Group who are sponsoring this event said:
“We are so excited to be working with St Basils on this fundraising project and are very much looking
forward to the event. Helping those in need is one of the strategic objectives of the Rosconn Foundation.
This is why St basils cause aligns with ours.”
Rachel Jones, Head of Community Engagement at Stratford Town Trust said:
“We are very pleased to be able support St Basils to raise awareness of youth homelessness in Stratford.
This is a symbolic move from the Trust as we have not supported this campaign through our traditional
grant funding, but through working together and sharing our knowledge and assets. We know that housing
and homelessness is an increasing area of concern for the town and commend St Basils for their tireless
commitment and work with young people”.
St Basils Business and Communities Executive Sian Dhillon, organiser of this event said:
“St Basils are keen to welcome people who would like to join us for this exciting but very meaningful night
under the stars in Stratford upon Avon. We are extremely grateful to Rosconn Group the main sponsor of
the event, Stratford Town Trust and the local community. The amazing support from all those involved and
that take part, demonstrates we can achieve positive outcomes from working together traditionally as a
community while being innovative in our solutions to prevent youth homelessness.”
St Basils was formed in
1972 in St Basils
Church on Heath Mill
Lane in Birmingham. It
supports over 5,000
16-25 year olds each
year who are either
homeless or at risk of
homelessness across
Birmingham, Coventry,
Sandwell, Solihull,
Walsall, Warwickshire,
Worcestershire and
Wyre Forest.
At any one time we
have over 450 young
people living in our 29
supported
accommodation
schemes which see over
1,200 youngsters every
year.
For more information
visit here or contact
Barrie Hodge
Registered charity
number: 1080154
This is a ticketed event.
Please visit St Basils
website to secure your
free places now
click here
20
COULD YOUR FAMILY
SLEEP UNDER THE STARS
AT THE REC TO HELP THE
HOMELESS?
9
22. Every year, the digital marketing world sees massive changes, and trends
amongst businesses and advertisers begin to emerge.
As a PPC (pay-per-click) marketer, I’m constantly looking for new ways to
improve people’s digital marketing and a huge part of this is keeping an eye
on upcoming trends in the industry. However, no matter what your business is,
the chances are you’ll be using or thinking about using digital marketing to
promote your business and generate more sales or leads.
As we continue to swiftly move through 2018, there are a number of trends
that have emerged in the digital marketing world that should not be ignored.
Below are eight trends to keep an eye on an potentially even try incorporating
them into your marketing strategy.
1. Mobile usage continues to grow
I know, I know. You’ve probably heard that it’s ‘the year of the mobile’ every
year for the last couple of years - I know I have. However, it’s advice well
worth taking on board. 80% of all internet users own a smartphone and it’s
expected that the UK will see a whopping £5bn in eCommerce via a mobile
device. It’s no big surprise either. If you’ve caught a train or a bus recently,
almost everyone is looking at their mobile phone.
It could well be time to realign your strategies to get a slice of the mobile
action. Start by ensuring your site is mobile optimised and people can
navigate easily through your site using any device. Secondly, trial
mobile-specific marketing. Some retailers are turning to sending regular text
messages to their customers with offers. Naturally, this doesn’t work for all
businesses, if you’re a Solicitors company, this could be a little harder.
Also, consider your content. Is it mobile friendly? Remember that a mobile
screen is significantly smaller and you don’t have a lot of room to write big,
fancy titles and include detailed pictures. It’s also worth noting, I’m not
suggesting you ought to rip down all your blog posts to date if they’re not
mobile-friendly. Simply updating them with a few tweaks will do just fine and
could improve results. Remember to check the article on a mobile yourself
too. The chances are, if you’re struggling to read and navigate through your
site on a mobile device, your customers are too.
2. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is getting more traction
Again, you’ve likely heard about the rise of AI in marketing already, but this list wouldn’t be complete without it. More and more businesses are turning to AI to
help them cut costs and boost growth.
Just one of many AI uses has included AI generated content. Naturally AI cannot create large thought pieces, or best-practice tips but it can create top-level
content aimed at getting more people to your website. It learns through looking at data and other articles for that authentic human tone of voice. Pretty
impressive, huh? Especially when you hear incredible figures like the AI program Wordsmith creating 1.5bn pieces of content back in 2016.
3. The rise of video
I am constantly asked for recommendations for ad creatives on Facebook and I always mention video. Did you know YouTube users watch around a billion
hours of video content each day?
10
DIGITAL MARKETING TRENDS
21
BY ALIX CHARLES
23. Good videos are eye-catching, engaging and entertaining for internet
users. Those advertising, particularly on social media, will benefit from
bearing in mind that video is a worthwhile investment and 65% marketers
are gearing up to increase their video budget in 2018.
There is a large variety of video types. Facebook live, for example, has
grown significantly in popularity. You also have 360 degree videos, video
GIFs and augmented reality to play about with.
Just remember to bear in mind our first point: keep it mobile friendly.
4. Chatbots are talkin’ over the world
Right now, the AI-based Chatbots are used primarily for customer
service. They’ve been helping answer those common FAQs in real time
with learned communication skills to deliver a conversation just like an
actual human.
It’s estimated that the number of businesses utilising chatbots will see a
massive boost over 2018. It allows companies to provide support at any
time of day to its customers without having to manually staff live chat
functions.
5. More businesses are using Programmatic media buying
Programmatic media buying or programmatic advertising is the term
given to the automated technology for buying ad space and placing your
own ads in front of users deemed relevant to your business. For the most
part, they appear identical to typical display ads which are more often run
manually. Programmatic uses machine learning and sophisticated
algorithms to help the advertiser show the right ads at the right time.
Despite programmatic coming under a lot of fire in 2017 (we’ll talk more
about this in the next point), it seems that business have accepted the
changes made by programmatic suppliers (the main ones include AdRoll,
AppNexus and Quantcast). Since then, further businesses have started
their programmatic journey in 2018 and those already running these ads
are starting to spend more and more throughout the year.
The programmatic scene is not only seeing more adoption by
businesses, it’s also seeing major changes of its own. For example,
programmatic TV is rapidly advancing with Sky and Amazon offering their
own programmatic version of TV ads, allowing businesses to tailor their
targeting rather than the linear option of running as at specific times in
certain regions. It’s also using AI more often to help with the bidding
process, reporting and audience identification which frees up the human
to oversee the process and implement their own creative strategy which
AI isn’t really able to do (yet).
6. The crackdown on ad fraud
Referring to the point above, programmatic media buying saw a dramatic
rise in adoption by businesses and spend across the board. However,
with this rise in popularity came the rise of ad fraud. Fraudsters were
finding ways to capitalise on the spend from businesses for their own
gain, leaving the business with less relevant traffic to the dsite. What
made it worse, it was very hard to detect.
Ad fraud usually carries one of the following characteristics:
● No visibility: This refers to ads having absolutely no chance of
being seen but the advertiser is still charged as though a user has seen
the ad. Common techniques include ‘ad stuffing’ showing a number of
ads on top of each other so the user only sees the ad on top. Sometimes
it’s also done by showing ads in the format of 1 pixel by 1 pixel, which the
user cannot see as more than a mere dot.
● Non-human traffic: Traffic bots were created to mimic a user’s
activity. The more sophisticated bots are able to browse the site in
‘human’ way which makes this one of the hardest types of fraud to detect.
● Intentional Misrepresentation: An example of this is domain
spoofing which saw a large rise in 2017. It’s nothing more than a line of
code that switches the URL of websites making it not only appear to an
advertisers that their ad appeared on lots of different sites but also that it
was a premium site - realistically it’s more likely a fake or adult site that
has a URL suggesting they are a more famous, whitelisted company.
Since businesses got wise to fraud, programmatic suppliers were left with
no other option than to made major changes which is beginning to
crackdown on the issues. There is still a fair amount of ad fraud out there,
so if you’re going down the programmatic route, be very careful and
ensure there is a human scanning results and reports for anything that
doesn’t look quite right. Also consider buying ad space from private
marketplaces. It costs more, but it’ll help your business from being an ad
fraud victim.
Final words…
A lot of changes take place every year in the digital marketing industry
and it’s more of an opportunity than a pain. Staying informed of the trends
that are shaping the digital landscape can help you find new marketing
strategies and stay ahead of your competitors.
Having worked in digital marketing for 10 years, Alix has been
agency-side, in-house and worked as a freelancer. As a result of this
experience Alix has the understanding and knowledge gained from all
sides of the table.
Digital marketing has become more and more complicated over the
years, making it harder for SMEs to get on board with it, so Alix Digital
was set up in 2018 to help demystify pay-per-click (PPC). Alix helps
clients understand PPC through training sessions, consultancy, account
audits that come with in-depth reports and recommendations and
ongoing management of PPC accounts. After all, how can a marketing
company prove they’re getting great results if their client doesn’t
understand it?
If you’re looking to get some support with PPC including (but not limited
to), AdWords, Facebook ads, Display ads, Programmatic, Google
Shopping, get in touch with Alix today: Email or call 07508845435.
22
24. Recently I met a business growth expert in the UK whose philosophy
meshes well with my own. Neville Gaunt is the CEO of Mind Fit, which
provides business and management coaching to organizations and
entrepreneurs. What does it mean to be “mind fit?” As one of its
foundational tenets, Mind Fit tests entrepreneurs and executives at all
levels for their mental attitudes, which fall into three general points of
focus:
• The Can-Do attitude (powerful and in control) – the upper right
quadrant
• The Can’t-Do attitude (helpless and out of control), and
• The Won’t-Do attitude (Defensive, and over control)
Neville Gaunt CEO of Mind Fit (image courtesy of Mind Fit)MIND FIT
Nearly every behavioral or cultural issue within a company, such as
conflict, avoidance, aggressive or passive aggressive behavior, is the
result of dysfunctional behavior that can be identified and improved
through attention to where people’s attitudes and thinking fall on the
Mind Fit map.
The primary approach to addressing poor “mind fitness” is training and
exercise. Thankfully, Gaunt’s team provides mechanisms in a manner
that encourages people to willingly become engaged, motivated and
energized to succeed in the same way a physically fit body is bursting
with energy and delights in addressing movement and challenge.
Conversely, organizations improve dramatically when we can learn to
eliminate what Gaunt and his team call “behavioral waste.”
For example, picture the leader who is habitually 15 minutes late to
every meeting. On the face of the situation, the 15 minutes of waste is
compounding by the 15 minutes also wasted by each of the individuals
in the room. For 12 people, this is bad enough—3 hours of wasted time
per week, equating to 300 hours per year or 7 ½ weeks.
But the problem is even bigger than this as the leader’s behavior
triggers a domino reaction in others. Pretty soon everyone else, realizing
the leader will arrive 15 minutes late, arrives 15 minutes late themselves.
The leader, recognizing people won’t be ready for action when he
arrives, begins to show up 5 minutes later still. People’s attention and
commitment to the purpose of the meeting now progressively drifts.
Energy and commitment suffer. Now the organization is not only subject
to poor mind fitness, but it is also increasingly susceptible to behavioral
waste.
In the recently released eBook, Recycling Behavioural Waste, Mind Fit
authors Graham Williams and Victor Newman note, “Behavioral waste is
parasitic. The Parkinson’s Law that says work expands to fill the
available time is only partly correct. In reality it is unchecked Behavioral
Waste that expands to cripple meaningful purpose.” In addition to
perpetual lateness, other forms of behavioral waste include issues such
as:
• Ignoring and failing to address bullying behaviors
• Allowing conflicts to grow and fester
• Poor training that fails to produce and measure results
• Obsolete working methods
• Cynical attitudes or unwillingness to consider feedback
Overloading of capable individuals, considered easier to work with,
rather than supporting or dealing with the issues lower performing
individuals face
As individuals consider the Mind Fit map, it becomes easier to
recognize the source of “unfit” attitudes that propel bad behaviors. For
example, Can-Do people are eager to expand and grow, and
perpetually deliver. Strong organizations are able to predominantly hire,
HOW TO
INCREASE
INNOVATION BY
ELIMINATING
'BEHAVIORAL
WASTE'
BY NEVILLE GAUNT
23
11
25. train and maintain individuals that fall into this camp, allowing the company to prosper and grow.
Meanwhile, Can’t-Do people ignore and avoid. They feel helpless. They don’t believe their feedback is
welcome or that leaders will support them. In one case, for example, a young man who perpetually had no
response to his pitches was finally “caught” when a manager stepped in to look at the pitch and see if he
could advise. It turned out the fellow had long ago quit bothering to make the pitches at all, figuring
“nobody’s going to respond to me anyway, so what I’m doing with my time doesn’t really matter.” Yet he was
astonished and felt unfairly treated when his Can’t-Do attitude eventually resulted in the loss of his job.
Ironically the fellow’s bid to collect unemployment pay was granted by Workforce Services on the basis that
he was “incapable of performing the job he was hired for,” and in a very real sense, the decision, though
seemingly tragic, was right. With his mind “unfit,” he really was incapable of rising to the challenge of doing
his job.
Even more difficult than the apathetic and unconfident Can’t-Do’s are the unmovable Won’t-Do’s who resist
every idea or suggestion of change.
They put up obstacles, place blame, find excuses or even passive aggressively retaliate against anybody
trying to “tell me what to do” by proposing an innovation or change. Worst of all, the attitude of Won’t-Do’s
is contagious, destroying engagement and culture and dragging backwards on company growth.
The answers, of course, are training (and particularly training that works with the current state of mind
fitness to model ideal exercises for maximum growth). Training requires the repetition of new habits, the
creation of positive social support and example, and the modeling by leaders of the kind of Can-Do
behavior that brings out the best in others and compels everyone in an organization or group to improve.
A healthy organizational body requires exercise and, like physical exercise, the process of growth requires
new habits and thinking. As Neville Gaunt is fond of frequently repeating, the power for personal and
business growth is, very literally, “all in your mind.”
At just 85 pages, Recycling Behavioural Waste is a quick read and it doesn’t waste any time getting right to
the heart of things with valuable information
24
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26. Audits can be worrying, especially when they have such an impact on
your business success, in recent years there has been a huge increase
in companies gaining accreditations in industries such as the Security &
Construction sector. I hope this brief article helps you get over your
pre-audit nerves
What Do Auditors expect to see?
All auditors have their own expectations, they expect you to be able to
demonstrate your knowledge and support with sufficient evidence, this
doesn’t mean you need to print out every policy you have so we can be
presented it at audit like “this is your life”, we are happy to view on line,
on website, in staff portal etc we are there to evaluate not only content
but how the information is made available to interested parties.
What will the Auditor Look For?
The auditor is looking for these main things:
1. You have all the required documentation/information to meet the
standard for your scope – This can be paper based or electronic
whichever is best for your business
2. Your documentation fits what you do day to day – some people
think having a policy in place is enough, but if it isn’t a true reflection of
how you operate then it’s useless….
3. Your activities are performed as per your standard/COP – we
expect you to understand the codes of practice key points for the
standards in your scope and have access to a copy.
4. You conduct the required data capture, analysis and action to
support your meeting and meet the requirements of the standard and
your documentation.
5. You meet the legal requirements for operating for example
Insurance, ICO registration etc
What Makes Auditors Happy?
Be Honest, As well as having knowledge of the standards, ISO auditors
have a great ability smell a rat, they have a mystical gut feeling that
instantly alerts them when something isn’t as it should be – a good
auditor will extract information from a nervous interviewee by asking the
question in a different way….. its ok to say you don’t know the answer to
a question, trust me it’s better than guessing
What will Annoy the Auditor?
The things that will annoy the auditor, if they are prevented from doing
their job, if they are lied too, and if you are being hostile towards them –
The auditor wants you to pass, as many have been in your shoes,
HOW TO THRIVE
IN AN AUDIT
BY CRAIG WILLETTS
25
12
My Advice – Keep your systems simple, ensure that records are
kept up to date, and keep a record of what you do. A lot of
companies meet the standards but don’t record what they do and
therefore can’t evidence it to the auditor, I also recommend asking
the auditor what the best way is to do certain tasks, don’t forget
they see lots of companies and pick up lots of good practices, in
addition each auditor has their own specialities so each time you get
a new auditor ask for their opinion and advise you may be
surprised what you learn
My Advice - Don't write policies and procedures that you don't
need and that you don't intend to comply with as this can result in
law suits etc, once you issue a document or procedure make sure
your staff use it and take it seriously, remember if you don’t
operate to your own policies this can leave your business open to
a range of negative factors
My Advice – Give clear and timely answers supported with
evidence and if you find something isn’t as it should be don’t try
and cover it up, it’s much better to admit you have a problem and
show the auditor how you are going to fix it. This demonstrates how
you resolve problems and if done efficiently and correctly you can
turn this into a positive.
27. however we have standards to keep and want you to improve, see the
points we raise as a way of us helping you improve not discrediting the
work you have done.
What Can’t the Auditor Do?
The auditor cannot raise a non-conformance unless it is a breach of the
standard, the can raise observations which is their way of giving you
advise on things they think could be improved
What
Can The Auditor Do?
The auditor can speak to anyone within the scope of certification, he can
ask to see any document and can walk around the premises.
26
My Advice – Don’t avoid their questions, if they have asked for info
they won’t stop until they get it, plus they know you are staling them.
Don’t lie, as once they find out (which they will) they will lose all trust
in what you tell them. Don’t waste their time, they want prompt
answers and a stream of evidence that is ready when they want it.
My Advice – Never argue with an ISO auditor, I was once told
“it’s like wrestling a pig in mud, the pig will always win as he
enjoys it” but this doesn’t mean if they raise something you don’t
agree with that you shouldn’t question it. Simply ask them to
show you which bit of the standard you haven’t met as you want
to learn, this way they will have to support the NC without
spoiling the relationship. Remember, auditors are humans and
can make mistakes. I recommend using a pre audit checklist to
ensure you’re compliant, and tick of every relevant clause of the
stand you are looking to obtain (if you would like a checklist I am
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My Advice – Don’t just prepare your management, ensure
that all document is complete and all staff are aware that an
audit is taking place and what the purpose of the audit is. If the
auditor is greeted by new staff that he meets and they all know
his name without introduction, it will help demonstrate to the
auditor that the company has good internal communication and
much more.
28. Acid attacks have become one pf the most pressing concerns in the UK for the security industry. With figures for 2017 reaching 465 in 2017 according
to the Metropolitan Police, in what has been called the worst year on record for assaults of this nature by news outlets around the globe. It’s an issue that
has lead the government and the security industry at large to focus its efforts into a higher presence on the doors of nightclubs throughout the UK, and
education being introduced to help address attacks as rapidly and efficiently as is possible for first responders.
New Dawn Security Training Services Ltd (NDST Ltd) opened in 2009, and its emphasis on the quality of its service is its tagline: “Striving to Exceed
Client Expectations.” It seeks to do this through its mix of training and security provision, which they hope allows their staff to not only be fully qualified
for the roles they’re expected to undertake, but to supersede expectations and go above and beyond in instances where life’s may be put at risk.
Paul Donnelly, 49, is the founder of NDST, and has been increasingly concerned with the rise of acid attacks, out of fear for his client’s, staff, and the
general public’s safety. To that end, NDST has begun offering training focused on acid attacks and how to act in a first response situation scenario:
“It’s been more awareness of it. It’s been described as more of a ‘easy access’ solution. Acid attacks have been used a lot in the Middle East and other
areas quite a lot, but a corrosive substance is a corrosive substance. It can be bought anywhere and there’s only so far you can restrict the access to
them. And many corrosive substances mixed together will make a more corrosive substance.
“It is a real threat, it is prevalent and it has been used in nightclubs and in public areas, but recently there has been more of a focus on isolated attacks.
The training has been focused on larger scale attacks with a corrosive substance.”
Paul continues to describe the issues at hand with acid attacks, namely the difficulties of training for a spontaneous attack: “It is correct to say that the
training emphasizes the possibility of larger attacks, and how to prepare for them. For example, the numbers involved in how much water is needed to
help with the attacks is quite immense.
The statistics showing increased attacks reflect not just the security industry, but the UK at large. Acid attacks are particularly prevalent with younger
people, with it being more often used by gangs, and using it as a distraction from other activities such as theft and property damage. While the figures
aren’t illustrative of one industry in particular, it is a huge issue to us.”
13
ACID ATTACKS
BY PAUL DONNELY
27
29. One of NDST’s strengths, which it believes sets it apart from other
security providers, is it’s training. Offering a wide range of serviced and
licensed training, including door supervision and up to fire marshalling
and NVQ qualifications. This, alongside their established presence in the
security industry, leads Paul to believe that NDST is uniquely equipped to
adapt to client needs and provide exceptional service.
“We’ve been operating as NDST since 2009. NDST is a formation of
previous companies that we owned and took the decision to make them
into one: It’s a joint training and security company. Myself personally, I’ve
been running security companies for over 25 years. My operations
management offers up to 55 years within them, as well as my 25 years,
which does make me feel old at this point. We’ve seen the industry shift,
change and grow, along with its functional aspects develop throughout
that time.
“It is a company that will listen to the client. We have the industry
experience, lived through numerous shifts and changes, we’re not ego
driven which we feel a lot of companies can be. It’s not about securing
clients to feather our own CV’s, it’s more about giving our clients what
they want through our experience. We feel we can also meet, and then
supersede the client’s expectations through our experience and ability to
adapt to modern trends in the security industry.”
This includes responding to shifts within industry training: Recent
developments within the industry include increased emphasis on
e-learning platforms such as ACT, which was designed in part as a
response to acid attacks. While they are undoubtedly useful, there are
concerns as to how far they actually are able to sufficiently prepare staff
and clientele for potential incidents beyond general information.
“The online training platforms are there and are specifically designed for
awareness. They are central government driven, and they are there for
awareness. We would hope then through our interactions with our staff,
through our website, our Facebook and social media page and our app,
that we can get them more involved and engaged by hearing their
feedback and thoughts on how their roles can be more improved and
informed.
“We want to hear what they think is needed in terms of legislation at the
top level, but also how we as employers can practically get them involved
in the necessary training measures with real life training scenarios.”
“I think training and education is the way forward for us all. The guidelines
and internet services provided are good and helpful, but they are more or
less taglines for people to get informed and become aware of immediate
response solutions, which is not substantial enough. Which is why we
need to offer more practical training sessions for acid attacks.”
These practical sessions are available to those not in employ by NDST,
and are done regularly to ensure that the staff of NDST are at the best
level of training and preparedness they can possibly be in any situation.
With the modern security climate being one of flux, whether that be
through changes in legislation, responses to drug spreads and deaths, or
due to needs and requirements of clients, NDST offers a unique
perspective on how it’s grown and developed over its years in operations.
Being located in the south-east of England, it still has a national outreach,
providing security yearly to Leeds Festival, along with closer events of
high profile such as Royal Ascot and RideLondon. Paul Donnelly
suggests that this is natural, and is a testament to the company and its
staff’s flexibility.
“NDST is not driven by price, for the last 25 years it, through my
experience and the experience of the people it employs, has organically
grown for what is wanted and needed. We have dealt with contracts
nationwide as per our client’s requests.
“Our base is in the southeast of England because that’s where substantial
portions of our staff clientele are located, as well as our head office. There
are no specific plans to diversify into other regions of the UK, but should
our clients want that, we will grow with our clients.
“This idea of growing with our clients’ needs is important, because
balloon growth would offer a poorer quality service, and would fail our
client base which is the opposite of what we’re aiming for.”
This is furthered by their outreach to their staff through their variety of
multimedia platforms: “We do interact with our staff and our clients on a
regular basis about current promotions such as citizen aid apps which we
promote to our staff, alongside first response apps and others to that
effect. We also then link that with regular training and live event training.”
In a time where the demands on security companies are ever increasing,
NDST offers a practical mix of up to date training and high quality staff
security for any client need. In this sense, NDST is a company that offers
the experience that you’d expect from a company whose executives have
half a century of experience between them, and still are able to provide a
modern flexible service.
Acid attacks are such an example of this, where the increase in incidents
by the hundreds yearly is of a concern, and is best dealt with by having
staff be as prepared for practical first response as possible. NDST offers
the best quality training for the times we live in.
You can reach NDST here, or call the 24 hour number 0808 166 6987 with
any inquiries for security or training.
NDST: ‘Striving to Exceed Client Expectations.’
28
30. It’s the future. If you’re not already on cloud accounting software, you
should be. It’s no longer seen as a “nice to have” it’s becoming essential
to running a streamlined business. Not only can you access anywhere,
on the go, you can get real time financial information and drastically cut
down on the time (and money!) you spend on your books.
Whether you’re on desktop software, a spreadsheet or – gulp – paper
ledgers, I can guarantee you there’s a cloud package to suit you.
Picking the right time to move is easy, your year end. Picking the right
package? Now that’s a tad more complicated.
We’re firm believers in working with our clients to ensure they get the
most from their accounting software. It takes a bit of reflection, a tad of
introspection and some future planning. You need to know where your
business is, where you want it to go and how you see your bookkeeping
playing into those goals.
Thing is, we use these software packages every. single. day. It’s our
bread and butter. We’re certified not only as bookkeepers, but in the use
of the top four cloud accounting packages. So, to help you come to a
decision, we’re giving you the inside scoop on each of these packages.
QuickBooks Online
You’ve probably seen the hip ads and recognise the signature modern,
techy style of QuickBooks Online. It’s being heavily marketed towards
small business owners who want to get stuck in with their own
bookkeeping.
But does it live up to the hype? Well, in some ways yes. QuickBooks has
powerful, customisable reporting capabilities and its integrations are
usually great. It’s particularly useful when running an online shop for
example – you can hook your sales software up to QuickBooks and let
the robots do the heavy lifting for you.
That being said, the phrase that keeps coming to mind when I think
about QuickBooks online is – unfortunately – ‘style over substance’. It’s
just a little… well, clunky. The interface may look slick, but it’s not
intuitive. Common key shortcuts aren’t recognised and it can be
painfully slow to run, even on the fastest of fibre networks.
It’s also just that little bit too easy to make mistakes. QuickBooks ‘learns’
and will attempt suggestions when it comes to categorising your bank
transactions. It’s a great idea, but the system isn’t infallible and, despite
the suggestion’s pleasing shade of green, you should double and triple
check what you’re allowing into your books before you hit ‘Accept’.
When it comes to pricing, QuickBooks is certainly competitive and has
three plans. We rarely recommend QuickBooks Self Employed. Even if
you are self-employed, pony up for at least the Essentials package,
which has more features and is actually easier to use. At 2018 prices
you’ll be looking at somewhere between £7.50 and £15 per month for
the first six months, going up to £15.00 to £25 per month thereafter. If
you’re planning on using a bookkeeper, find a QuickBooks ProAdvisor –
not only should they be proficient in the software, but they may be able
to get you a discount.
QuickBooks could be the perfect software for you. Remember, this
piece of software looks deceptively easy to use and it’s not so simple.
Little mistakes can cause big problems down the line and can lead to
large and unexpected costs when you end up having to hire a
professional to clean up the mess. We’d recommend getting some
decent training in place if you plan to use it yourself, and if you’re
outsourcing to a bookkeeper make sure they’re a QuickBooks
Advanced ProAdvisor.
Xero
Xero is a bit of a juggernaut in the world of accounting software. They
advertise as ‘Beautiful accounting software’, and we have to agree. It’s
intuitive and easy to use meaning that, even for a first-time business
owner, getting your head around the day to day usage is a doddle.
It also has powerful, customisable reports, and add on features such as
Projects, which would be perfect for a production company (for
WHICH
ACCOUNTANCY
SOFTWARE IS
RIGHT FOR YOU?
29
14
BY MICHELLE SMITH