Building Your Personal Brand Online

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Our next event will be at Indigo Blue on 9th November. The topic will be 'Having established demand and support for our product what else should we do to ensure commercial viability?" We hope to see you there!

According to an AVG study, 92% of children under the age of 2 already have some kind of digital footprint. We all have personal brands these days – with the advent of social media, we don’t have much of a choice if we want to stay online and connected – what do you want yours to say about you and your business?

The first step is to start thinking about yourself as a brand. Understand yourself and what you’re trying to achieve; be strategic about it. Big name brands such as Google and Coca Cola don’t just leap straight into creating their personal brand; they plan and test before implementing changes.

Think about how you want to be perceived. Are you serious and professional? Creative and quirky? Or all of the above? Focus on how you want to be seen by others and allow that to govern your decisions. What is your unique selling point? Take time to consider your target market; what will their best respond to? What will they trust? What will interest them?

The second step is to audit your current online presence. What do you post and how do you talk about it? Are you comfortable with the ways in which you respond to other people’s posts? Check out what other people say about you: do their opinions match the way you think about yourself? If not, how can you change that?

Make sure that your brand is instantly recognisable. Use the same fonts, colour schemes and images everywhere. Develop a writing style and tone that’s your own, and keep your messaging consistent. Create business cards and get professional headshots taken.

When it comes down to it, this is all about getting yourself known. Let people know who you are and what you can do but keep that image consistent and never make promises that you won’t be able to live up to. Make sure that when you do make promises, you keep your word.

Ask Yourself These Questions

- Who am I and who am I not?

- How am I unique?

- What do I want to be known for?

- What will make me and my business stand out?

- How do I communicate best with others?

Top Tips

1. Authenticity is key. Be yourself and be truthful.

2. Be nice or be quiet. It sounds harsh but it’s a good motto for life, not just social media.

3. Regular speaking engagements are a good way to develop your person to person communication skills. They offer good opportunities to be seen and to be heard.

4. Purchase your own domain name. It’s a small thing but it can make all the difference.

5. Build a narrative, tell stories and be clear about what separates you from the crowd.

6. Network.

7. Create a visual brand that represents you.

8. Join online groups and interact with others. At the end of the day, it’s how we treat other people that defines us.

9. Learn to use social media effectively.

10. Ask questions.

Please comment below with your own thoughts about building personal brands online. What has and hasn't worked for you? We always love to hear from you!

Business Today

Click here to see our membership packages or here to subscribe to our mailing list. 

Our next event will be at Indigo Blue on 9th November. The topic will be 'Having established demand and support for our product what else should we do to ensure commercial viability?" We hope to see you there!

Confidence in UK's economic future drops rapidly after pound value crash

In October, the GfK Consumer Barometer, which surveys 2000 people, recording a measure of -17 f0r confidence in the British economy over the next year. It was -9 in September and has dropped a full 24 points from the same time last year. This most likely reflects concerns about higher inflation and the weakened pound. The overall index score, which reflects a range of indicators, dropped this month but remains above the levels reached immediately after the EU referendum.

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/brexit-britain-uk-economy-back-to-1970s-chronic-pain-adam-posen-bank-of-england-a7384336.html

RBS reports £469m loss for the third quarter

In the first nine months of 2016, RBS made a £2.5bn loss after incurring a £469m loss in the third quarter. As Ross McEwan, the chief executive, tried to focus on the £1.3bn of profits generated before the legal and restructuring charges, he said the 73% taxpayer-owned bank faced several hurdles in the month ahead. RBS is entering its ninth year under government ownership after the bailout of the Edinburgh-based bank was announced in 2008. £45bn of taxpayer money was eventually pumped into the bank, which has not reported a full-year profit since then.

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-stocks-idUKKCN12S11O

Twitter to cut 9% of staff in bid to become profitable by 2017

Popular social media platform Twitter has announced plans to cut 9% of its global workforce, or approximately 350 people, as the company struggles to achieve profitability. Having struggled to sign up new users in amid competition from rivals such as Instagram and Snapchat, Twitter said it expects to book around $10m to $20m in workforce restructuring charges. The decision comes as the company reported slightly higher than expected results on Thursday. Revenue rose by around 8% to $616m in the three months leading up to September, beating the company’s own forecast of $590m to $610m.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-37788052

UK economy shrugs off Brexit uncertainty with 0.5% growth

Consumers may not be confident in the future of the UK economy but, defying City forecasts which had GDP more than halving to 0.3%, it has in fact grown by 0.5% in the three months since the ‘Brexit’ vote. The dominant services sector expanded at a faster rate in the quarter to the end of September than during the three months leading up the vote. However, the promising figures were marred by a contraction in agriculture, construction and manufacturing. Overall, GDP growth slowed from 0.7% in the previous quarter.

Flight of financial activity from UK likely in 'hard Brexit' - ECB's Lane

European Central Bank (ECB) council member Philip Lane said today that there is likely to be a significant flight of financial activity out of Britain if companies are no longer regulated on equivalent terms to those in the EU after Brexit. Speaking at a Reuters Newsmaker event, he also said, however, that “if the UK-EU negotiations deliver an agreement that effectively preserves the single passport for UK-resident entities selling into the EU, the net impact on the structure of the European financial system might be quite minor”.

Earnings rise fastest for the low-paid, says ONS

Figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) indicate that a 6.2% rise for the lowest paid UK workers meant pay inequality narrowed between April 2015 and early April 2016. The pay gap between women and men has also shrunk slightly, the ONS said. Pay rose at its joint highest rate since the financial crisis, driven by wage rises in the private sector. Weekly earnings for full-time workers were 2.2% higher in April from a year previous, or by 1.9% after inflation.

In Other News

-          UK salaries less than they were 12 years ago, official figures reveal - http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/uk-salaries-less-wages-down-inequality-ons-statistics-a7381671.html

-          IAG shares soar as FTSE 100 recovers - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37797007

-          Deutsche Bank posts surprise profit despite threat of $14bn fine - http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/deutsche-bank-posts-surprise-profit-despite-threat-of-14bn-fine-a7382456.html

-          Sadiq Khan warns hard Brexit will cost millions of jobs across UK - https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/oct/27/sadiq-khan-to-warn-hard-brexit-will-cost-millions-of-jobs-across-uk

-          OPEC officials start meeting on implementing supply cut - http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-opec-meeting-idUKKCN12S1BZ

Please comment below with your thoughts and opinions on this week's business news. We always love to hear from you!

Ten Tips for Small Business Owners

Click here to see our membership packages or here to subscribe to our mailing list. Book for our next event here.

Our next event will be at Indigo Blue on 9^th November. The topic will be “having established demand and support for our product, what else should we do to ensure commercial viability”? This should be a familiar question to most small business owners. Once you have an idea, how do you put it into practice? What sets your product apart from others? What makes it unique? How are you going to communicate with your target market?

Take a look below at our ten tips for keeping your small business on-track, innovative and customer-focused.

1. Have specific goals. Break your big goals into small, measurable ones that are easier to obtain. Kn0w what you want, how you’re going to get it and how you’re going to measure success. This will keep you and your employees on-track and focused.

2. Be personal and tell stories.

3. Think carefully about layout, design and photography. Unfortunately, appearance does matter.

4. Do your own PR. People want to hear from you. Make it personal. Tell your story in the way you want it to be told. No PR firm is going to be as passionate about your product as you will.

5. Logistics are key. Customer expectations today have been heavily influenced by companies like Amazon, Netflix and Uber providing products and experiences almost on-demand, smoothly and intuitively. It’s no longer merely about offering the right product, you need to offer the right delivery service too.

6. Free shipping. Customers would rather that the price of the product include the extra cost.

7. Stay networked.

8. Bloggers are your friends. Working with influencers, bloggers, reviewers and journalists is important. This maintains a steady stream of referral traffic from your site, and establishes your product as unique and different. Each influencer will provide a different perspective on your product but also ensures that you target markets in which your product will be well received – they’re not going to promo something they don’t like, unless you’re paying them a lot of money.

9. Listen to your customers. Honest customer reviews provide the best feedback. Make sure you know what your customers like and dislike – respond to those comments and make changes. This will develop brand loyalty because your customers will feel valued. Your customers are the ones who will use the product so let them be your guide.

10. Use social media. It’s free! Everything you need to promote your product can already be found on your laptop, phone and/or tablet from video editing software to apps for managing your social media presence.

Find Out More

10 Things Your Employees Expect You to Know How to Do to Lead Them and Run a Successful Business - http://www.inc.com/thehartford/ten-things-your-employees-expect-you-to-know.html

Olympian Sally Gunnell’s exclusive tips for small business owners - http://businessadvice.co.uk/from-the-top/olympian-sally-gunnell-provides-some-exclusive-tips-for-small-business-owners/

6 Smart Budgeting Tips for Small Business Owners - http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/8323-small-business-budget.html

50 Tips for New Small Business Owners - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140617140953-7089637-50-tips-for-new-small-business-owners

Please comment below with your thoughts on running a successful small business. What would your top tips be? We always love hearing from you!

How to Generate New Business for Your Start-Up

Click here to see our membership packages or here to subscribe to our mailing list. 

Our next event will be at Indigo Blue on 9th November. The topic will be 'Having established demand and support for our product what else should we do to ensure commercial viability?" We hope to see you there!

People won’t buy something that they don’t know that they want yet. So don’t start by selling your product; start by marketing it.

Most successful brands, from Apple to Nike, aren’t selling a product, they’re selling a lifestyle. One pair of trainers doesn’t really differ that greatly from the next and yet Nike manage to convince their customers that a new pair of kicks will change their lives. The same goes for the latest iPhone. It’s not that different from the one that came before but everybody wants it, just the same.

People need to want to live the kind of lifestyle that your product offers. And when they do, you don’t need to directly sell to them anymore. Start as you mean to go on and create an effective communications campaign to drive sales without direct marketing.

Start with Your Customers

Communications is all about storytelling and there’s no point in telling stories that your audience can’t relate to. Make sure you know who your target market is. Think about age, gender, location, etc. What music are they into? Where do they socialise? What are their favourite brands? Look at on demographic at a time – never try to be something to everyone all at once.

Now You Know Who You Want to Talk to, Decide Where to Talk to Them

The next step is to decide which channels you want to use to connect with your prospective customers. Will your target demographic respond best to social media or more traditional channels? Do you want to talk to them directly or via journalists? Or is it your existing customers who will introduce new business?

There are more channels open to you than ever before so be smart about making choices. Don’t try to use as many as possible; decide which ones will be most effective when communicating with your customers and focus on those.

For example, platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram Stories are very effective for energy drink brands, like Rockstar or Relentless, who market to young, active customers who enjoy high-energy and easy access content. However, older, more experienced customers might prefer platform such as LinkedIn or advertorials in magazines and newspapers.

Think About Your Content

With the advent of the internet and smart phones, you have all you need to create quality content in your pocket. All Macbooks have free video editing software as standard and your phone provides a decent quality video camera. There are hundreds of apps offering free photo editing software and we all have word processors coming out of our ears, on our phones, laptops and tablets.

People love to have things and knowledge that they can share and pass on. Ask yourself whether the content you’re putting out has value to others? Does it tell them something that they don’t already know? Why should they share it with their friends?

It’s also worth thinking about what makes your content unique but balancing that with making sure that you stay topical. No one wants to read about Christmas in July but equally, no one wants to read the same information over and over again in different words. Choose something relevant that no one else is talking about – what makes your product unique and why?

Don’t Be Afraid of Change

If what you’re doing isn’t working, then change it up. Another advantage of the internet age is that we all have instant access to metrics telling us exactly what works and what doesn’t. Identify what your customers engage with and interact with the most and do more of that. Then look at what they don’t like and either scrap it completely or change it. There’s no shame in being wrong about something as long as you are able to move on and find the right thing for both you and your customers.

Please comment below with your thoughts on generating custom for small business and effective communications campaigns. We always love hearing from you!

Business Today

Rise in British American Tobacco shares supports FTSE 100

Boosted by British American Tabacco, UK shares steadied on Friday after the company bid for its US rival, Reynolds American. However, profit warnings from mid-sized companies added a note of caution before earnings season picks up next week. The blue chip FTSE 100 index was flat at 7,028.53 points by 0906 GMT, on course to post a 0.2% gain in a week that saw some big fallers following disappointing updates from Pearson and Burberry and a profit warning from Travis Perkins.

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-reynolds-m-a-bat-idUKKCN12L0JV

Government borrowing rises to £10.6bn in September

The Office of National Statistics reported that borrowing rose by more than expected to £10.6bn in September. For the financial year to date between April and September, borrowing fell by £2.3bn to £45.5bn. The monthly figure had been expected to shrink to £8.5bn and economists said it would set the tone for the Autumn Statement on 23 November.

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-borrowing-idUKKCN12L0V5

Collapse in corporation tax receipts pushes public deficit to £10.6bn

The Guardian linked the rise in borrowing and in the public deficit to a collapse in corporation tax receipts to the lowest level since 2009. They said a slowdown in the growth of VAT receipts was also blamed for pushing the deficit £1.3bn, or 14.5%, higher than September last year and higher than the £10.5bn recorded in August.

British company moves HQ to Europe after 122 years of trading in UK, says it ‘can’t afford to wait’ for Article 50

Major Lincolnshire company Smiffys has announced that it is moving its headquarters to the Netherlands as a direct result of anxiety over the costs of a ‘hard Brexit’, which would see the UK drifting away from cooperation with the rest of the EU. Company director Elliott Peckett said 40% of the company’s sales go to the EU, its largest trading partner, and that they need to act to protect what are vital sales to the company.

UK manufacturing recovery based on increase in low-skilled jobs, finds report

A recent report by the Sheffield Poltical Economy Research Institute, finds that Britain’s manufacturing recovery from the financial crash is built on an expansion of low-skilled jobs, somewhat denting the industry’s high-tech image. The report shows that since 2011, far from being a new source of jobs in research and development, the sector has suffered what is described as “fresh era of decline” as it relies on an expansion of assembly line roles. The report also found that output has “barely risen” in the past five years despite a 5% increase in the number of jobs created.

Pound sterling slides back below $1.23 as EU leaders meet in Brussels

EU leaders arrived in Brussels for their latest summit on Thursday, with President Donald Tusk saying that there would be no negotiations with the UK until the British Government triggers Article 50. Meanwhile, sterling slipped back from two consecutive days of gains as worries surrounding the kind of deal that the UK may reach with the EU intensify. The pound was down 0.37% against the dollar at $1.2241, and 0.13% against the euro at €1.118 at afternoon trading.

In Other News

·         - Michael Gove says criticising Mark Carney is seen as 'thought crime' - https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/oct/21/mark-carney-michael-gove-criticism-thought-crime-bank-england

·         - Nissan to make Sunderland plant investment decision 'next month' - http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/nissan-to-make-decision-investment-sunderland-plant-brexit-latest-a7373396.html

·        -  Microsoft shares at new high as cloud focus pays off - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37724557

·         - House price growth in London hits two-year low after Brexit, but other cities bounce back - http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/house-price-growth-in-london-hits-two-year-low-after-brexit-a7372361.html

·         - Mario Draghi dismisses threats to central banks' independence - http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/mario-draghi-dismisses-threats-to-central-banks-independence-a7371876.html

Click here to see our membership packages or here to subscribe to our mailing list. Leave a comment below to let us know your opinion on this week's business news or if there are any major stories we missed.

Our next event will be at Indigo Blue on 9th November. We hope to see you there!

Small Businesses and #Brexit

What does Brexit mean for your business? For those just venturing out into the world of small businesses, trying to establish themselves in an ever-changing market, the uncertainty created by the Brexit vote may seem daunting. The good news is that a survey conducted by research firm BDRC Continental suggested that only thirteen percent of SMEs (small to medium sized companies) rated the current economic climate as a major barrier to business. Many SMEs are reporting “business as usual”, although there is some concern shown by larger companies.

The bad news is that when talking to small business owners directly, newspapers like The Guardian have found mixed opinions on the affects that Brexit is having and will have upon their companies. For example, the anonymous owner of a communications agency told The Guardian that “it’s devastating for us as a small business and I am not sure if we can survive it”, whilst others saw it as an opportunity to be exploited and a chance to expand their client base.

The Small Business Task Force

In the wake of the historic vote to leave the EU, a group of organisations came together to create the Small Business Task Force. This includes The Entrepreneurs Network, Enterprise Nation (whose founder Emma Jones leads it), ICAEW, IPSE, Bright Ideas Trust, Global Entrepreneurship Week, NACUE, Social Enterprise UK, Coadec, CFE, National Enterprise Network, RSA & EISA.

Collectively they represent over a million small businesses and self-employed individuals. Besides facilitating an improved dialogue between the government and small businesses, they are calling for a flexible labour market, a reasonable tax regime, stable business support and an international focus to be kept front and centre in the Brexit negotiations. This includes advocating for long-term residency rights of EU citizens currently living and working in the EU as well as calling for a review of funding available for business support and future plans for its expenditure.

(Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/philipsalter/2016/10/17/small-business-taskforce/#3af7f93c4199)

Top Tips to Survive Brexit

1. Don’t panic.

2. Make sure you have a plan B.

3. Consider how your business’ unique position in the market can help you to make the most of any opportunities that Brexit may present.

4. Check in with your investors, clients and suppliers. Make sure that you’re all on the same wavelength and that you know where you want to go next.

5. Keep a close eye on the news and the markets.

Click here to see our membership packages or here to subscribe to our mailing list. We’re eager to hear your thoughts about how Brexit will impact your business and what you’re doing to mitigate or take advantage of the consequences so please leave a comment below!

Our next event will be at Indigo Blue on 9th November. The topic will be 'Having established demand and support for our product what else should we do to ensure commercial viability?" We hope to see you there!

Company Spotlight: Creamer & Sundt

Creamer & Sundt is a bespoke management consultancy based in London and Glasgow. Alistair Creamer is described as “a catalyst, a creative and a bridge-builder”, and Anna Sundt as “a business psychologist, facilitator and artist”.

In their own words, they work with businesses to “bring about change by using the arts to engage people, inspire better ways of working and accelerate learning and development”. They talk about taking art out of the everyday and putting it into the hearts of the organisations they work with.

Creamer & Sundt's clients are varied and come from across multiple sectors, including Unilever, Film London, Buttle UK and Chichester Festival Theatre. Their inspirations, listed on their website, come from far and wide, spanning the full breadth of the creative arts.

They focus on three main areas:

• Connecting – finding your purpose and communication.
• Creating – innovation and culture change.
• Acceleration – team and leadership development.

Connect

Creamer & Sundt apply the mindset of an artist to their ideas about communication. This means bringing your message to life through a mixture of storytelling, visuals and video.

• Focus on communication within your organisation – people want to feel good about company goals, how they are contributing to the company's success and how the company is performing.
• People need to know “why” - what is the purpose behind your business?

“People don't buy what you do. They buy why you do it” - Simon Sinek

Create

The belief that everyone is creative and that companies are more successful when people are creative at work is a core element of their approach to business. They bring this creative approach into businesses in two ways: innovation and culture change.

• When people come to them with a specific challenge, they try to play it back to them and disrupt their thinking, creating the space and environment for them to see that challenge in a fresh way.
• They also have a passion for working brands that are serious about culture – these projects are a long-term investment in people.
• Engaged employees are the best employees; people really living the values are the ones who deliver.

“If you are going to evolve, to survive and thrive, then you too will need to think more creatively. And you'll need to do it faster, too” ― Nick Souter, 'Breakthrough Thinking'

Accelerate

From strategy conferences in Amsterdam to team-building days in Soho, Creamer & Sundt consider their team events to be their signature work.

• They aim to help you get the most out of your budget and time together, pushing the envelope of what can be achieved “off-site” to pull off some truly invigorating team events.
• Creativity is a key quality in modern leadership.
• Creamer & Sundt's leadership programmes are “a journey of discovery” - they work through challenges, design unique learning sessions, and coach both teams and individuals.

“Change will never be this slow again” ― Mark Holden, PHD Media Worldwide

Watch this space for an exclusive interview with director Alistair Creamer.

Click here to see our membership packages or here to subscribe to our mailing list. Leave a comment below to let us know your opinion on this week's business news or if there are any major stories we missed.

Our next event will be at Indigo Blue on 9th November. We hope to see you there!

Business Today

Gender pay gap is widest during workers' 50s, analysis shows

New analysis by the TUC of figures from the Office of National Statistics suggest that while women get paid less than men at every stage of their careers, the gender pay gap is widest during their 50s. Females employees will cumulatively be £85,040 worse off than men over the next decade and when women turn 50, they start to earn £8,504 less than men.

UK construction output falls in August, ONS sees no Brexit link

The Office of National Statistics has said that although British construction output fell unexpectedly in August, led by a decline in infrastructure projects, the weakness did not appear to be linked to the Brexit vote in June. There have been signs that the sector performed better in September, according to a private purchasing managers survey published earlier this month.

Bank governor Mark Carney says inflation will rise

The governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, has said that inflation will rise on products such as food and fuel due to the fall in the value of the pound. He said that sterling’s fall “helps the economy to adjust” but that it was “going to get difficult as we move from no inflation to some inflation”. He also remarked, speaking at a roundtable discussion in Nottingham, that it is not the Bank’s job to target the value of sterling and that they had to "weigh increased inflation against supporting the economy" with low interest rates.

Pound sterling could lose its reserve currency status as Brexit hardens, Standard & Poor’s warns

US rating agency Standard & Poor has warned that the pound might lose its status as one of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) reserve currencies if the UK fails to gain full access to the single market as it negotiates its way out of the EU. They agency stripped Britain of its AAA status immediately following the Brexit vote in June, stating that the leave result would “weaken the predictability, stability, and effectiveness of policymaking in the UK”.

Tesco, Unilever settle prices row after pound's Brexit dive

Tesco, Britain largest retailer, settled a pricing row with Unilever after halting online sales of goods produced by the Anglo-Dutch giant in a dispute caused by the dive in the value of the pound following the Brexit vote in June. The dispute was the first clear sign for consumers of the potential turbulence caused by the vote and the ways in which it could hurt them. Tesco and Unilever stock fell 2.2 and 3.5 percent respectively.

Snapchat heads for possible $25bn flotation

Snap Inc, the owner of social media messaging app Snapchat, has moved a step closer to listing its shares on the stock market after settling on which banks will help with the flotation. Sources close to the deal confirmed that Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs would underwrite the initial public offering (IPO). The listing, which could happen as soon as next year, would be the largest social media float since Twitter went public in November 2013.

US banks planning exodus from Brexit Britain, says French minister

France’s finance minister, Michel Sapin, has said that some US banks have told him that they will move some of their activities out of Britain to other European countries in the wake of the UK’s decision to leave the EU. Sapin said that until now US banks had adopted a wait-and-see approach towards their British investments. He indicated that some bank had already made the decision to move and that France was working on a plan to promote Paris as a future financial capital.

In Other News

- Saudi Arabia set to become world's biggest tech investor with new $100bn SoftBank fund - http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/saudi-arabia-softbank-techhology-fund-investor-100-billion-a7361036.html

- VW sales lifted by strong deliveries in China - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37652464

- China inflation relief sends stocks, dollar higher - http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-global-markets-idUKKCN12E027

- London trader accused of causing 2010 crash fights extradition to US - https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/oct/14/flash-crash-trader-navinder-singh-sarao-challenges-extradition-to-us

- Verizon says Yahoo data breach could affect deal - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37652461

- U.S. targets corporate tax-reduction strategy with new regulation - http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-usa-tax-inversions-idUKKCN12D2YC

Click here to see our membership packages or here to subscribe to our mailing list. Leave a comment below to let us know your opinion on this week's business news or if there are any major stories we missed.

Our next event will be at Indigo Blue on 9th November. We hope to see you there!