16th April 2008 - Business in Berkshire News: www.businessinberkshire.co.uk/160408.html

Business News

   

Wider key skills

Teaching wider key skills in schools, colleges and higher education establishments has never been more important. Wider key skills turn students into enterprising, employable graduates who are ready to engage with today's working environments. The government's Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) has made funding available to help education establishments provide wider key skills training to students.

Wider key skills

   

Verbatim staff Race for Life

Nine members of Newbury's Verbatim professional telephone answering service are lacing up their running shoes and pounding the pavements for a good cause.

Sunday 6 July will see the intrepid nine join 3000 other women at Newbury Showground to run the 5K "Race for Life" event, part of Cancer Research UK's massive summer fundraising series.

Verbatim staff Race for Life

   

Service of Thanksgiving at St. George's Chapel

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will be attending a Service of Thanksgiving at St. George's Chapel Windsor on the 23rd of April.

This will mark the 660th anniversary of the Founding of the Order of the Garter and the College of St. George, and the 60th anniversary of the reintroduction of the annual Garter service by King George VI.

After the service Her Majesty, The Queen and His Royal Highness will give a reception for those attending the service in the State Apartments.

Service of Thanksgiving at St. George's Chapel

   

Good morning <07 Name>

How much better organised do I feel now we're back in the house? I'm managing to keep to my target of driving only a few miles per day... marvellous. Minimising my global footprint but also my nerve endings are retreating and I'm generally feeling on top form. Don't you find, when behind the wheel, your mood and that of your environment can change rapidly when some numpty gets within visual signal reach!?! I used to love driving but now I'd rather not, preferring to stay local.

People ask me whether I am planning Business in Yorkshire, Business in Katmandoo, etc. Berkshire will do for me chaps! There's more than enough happening on our own doorstep...

Anyway, what have I been up to in the last few weeks? After Nigel's excellent event at the start of the month I went to see one of my old accounts and discussed running a "We can get your marketing message out in China, in their language and style" event. When you reflect on those TV programmes that take the mick out of adverts from around the world it is very apparent that we all think differently and need to be spoken to the way we like it, not necessarily the way others like it. Just ask the Mrs! So if you are looking to market yourself in foreign parts, you need some expert help.

I followed that up with a meeting at The Renaissance Hotel or should I say the Penta Hotel. We'll be running... no, I leave that for Christine to announce when she's good and ready.

Friday morning I went over to Basingstoke and had a meeting with a new contact via Ecademy. Charles had some interesting widgets in his Internet Marketing toolbox. Hopefully he'll be coming along to our future Meeting of the Minds events and sharing his wisdom with those that choose to join us. The afternoon was spent in the jovial company of Mary Flavelle and Richard Knight.

Monday 7th I went to visit Ray in Bracknell. On Tuesday I was privileged to receive Mr Charles Lovibond who was in town for a Charity ball; we tried to find that Missing link! Talked to Sam on Time 106.6 Tuesday evening and spent Wednesday in the office, beavering away...

Next day, great meeting with my mate Will Cory who runs the marketing blog and we're teaming up to offer a great solution to those looking to get their message out to marketing departments around the UK. Connected Will to the Mouse who popped round so I could educate him on the art of contextual links. We shook up his account, dusted it off and prepared it for some subliminal marketing. Nothing dangerous, just a little tweak which will make interesting reporting should our theory prove itself!

On Friday I had an early morning breakfast meeting with Absolute Health and Safety in Bracknell and then back to the shed for a meeting with some new friends from Lyris. We'll have a solution for the bigger chaps who want to monitor all from a single screen.

Monday 14th found me meeting with a black belt in the Internet Marketing space who's created some super widgets and we'll be putting them to the test. See if we can't add some nitro to our superchargers!

After all that excitement I needed to be brought down to earth with an FSB meeting. Why do I get involved with the FSB and attend regular monthly meetings that don't directly relate to me? Because I give a monkeys and I find the FSB ticks many of my boxes, allowing me to contribute to business lobbying activity that makes a real difference for small businesses. Glad I'm not in the chair this year, preferring to pick my battles from a small local selection.

Today I had a meeting with my man at Oracle and spent the afternoon building 10 more websites. Bringing the total of FREE business websites built since we launched the programme to 50, with 7 more in the melting pot. Claim your FREE business website and let's help you get your Internet Marketing started.

Tomorrow morning I'll be at Mary's Keller Breakfast and then, if the sun gets its hat on, I'll be spending a few hours enjoying family time before the holidays are over...

Seem to have waffled on a bit but hey, at least we've caught up... 'till next week!

   

Today's Featured News

 
 
   

Zeroing in on Waste - RE3

Shadow Environment Secretary to Visit Smallmead Recycling Centre

Reading East MP Rob Wilson will welcome Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs to Reading on Thursday...

Zeroing in on Waste - RE3

   

The Best Time to Send an Email Newsletter

Does it matter which day of the week you send out your email marketing campaigns? Does your email stand a better chance of being opened on certain days of the week whereas it might be ignored on others? And what's the best way of finding out?

When sending out an email marketing campaign, it's worth considering that some days of the week seem to attract better response rates than others. Although it does vary from one type of business to another, there are some general rules to be followed. If you want a high click-through rate for your email, which days should you avoid?

The Best Time to Send an Email Newsletter

   

Improve your Sales Performance

Improve your Sales Performance through Improved Information

Your new salesman is a high flier, recruited from your competitor to work the same magic for you.

Yet despite his Blackberry full of contacts, the sales figures never materialise. He never matches your best sales people. It looks like a recruitment disaster. But why has it happened?

Improve your Sales Performance

   

Creative taxi advertising

Tip Up Seats

When you think about the taxi medium, forget about tip up seats at your peril!

On average a typical journey in a taxi is between 10 and 20 minutes. As most taxi journeys are taken by either one or two people, it means that the two tip up seats offer a perfect way of communicating a detailed message to the passenger, where they are the epitimy of a captive audience.

Creative taxi advertising

   

Sale and Leaseback

Company vehicle fleets "Sale and Leaseback" takes the spotlight again for 2008 and beyond!

The insatiable need for capital for many companies, whether for growth or damage limitation, has once again brought the sales and leaseback of car fleets well and truly back into the spotlight, as a practical and increasingly popular corporate financial tool.

Sale and Leaseback

   

Writing a book

How to Unleash the Book Inside You

• Does this sound like you?
• Do you have a message or a story you would like to reach a wide audience?...

Writing a book

   

Online Marketing Testimonial

"Having worked with Jon for 3 years now I have found him to be a man of great passion, creativity and energy. His knowledge of his business and market place is second to none and his drive to keep improving his skills and services never cease to amaze. Jon is a truly larger than life character who cares about people and their businesses as much as his own. I am happy to recommend him for any On-line Marketing projects."

Online Marketing Testimonial

   

Yellow brightens spring 2008 interior trends!

The trees are bursting into leaf, the daffodils are in bloom and that glimmer of sunshine from time to time tells us that spring is almost here. So what better interior styling trend for spring 2008 than... yellow! Yes, the colour yellow is currently one of four key trends on the UK high street. So expect to be dazzled next time you go shopping for furniture or accessories. It will certainly get you in the mood for summer! But do you know how to use yellow to best effect in your home?

Yellow brightens spring 2008 interior trends!

   

Jazz Legend Phil Woods!

Spring is here! Welcome to the first newsletter for April.

This weeks highlight was the performance of jazz legend Phil Woods with the BBC big band at Birmingham's newly refurbished Town Hall. Jazzmouse's Paul Fawcus was delighted to engineer the live front of house for this recorded concert for Radio 2. Even aged 76 Phil proved to be a tour de force with arrangements of six of his own compositions including 'My man Benny' and 'Goodbye Mr. Evans'...

Jazz Legend Phil Woods!

   

Designer prescription sunglasses

2008 Sunglasses at Windsor Vision Express

After a snowy Easter Bank Holiday weekend, we're due a burst of sunshine, and the team at Windsor Vision Express predict that Spring is just around the corner. The clocks went forward on 30 March, meaning evenings will be lighter for longer. Whether this means more time for outdoor activities or that your morning commute will be straight into the glare of the sun, you'll need the protection of sunglasses. Why not visit Vision Express in Windsor for a new pair of professionally fitted brand-name sunglasses?

Designer prescription sunglasses

   

Free business website

We launched our FREE Business Website offer on the 19th March and by the 13th April, 24 days later, we'd had over 50 requests for a FREE business website. A great response.

PRO:GRESS Estate Management Ltd, The Design Quorum, Aspiration Therapies, Casa Mia B & B, Beta Gardens, British Inflatable Hirers Alliance (BIHA), Novarlis Ltd, Green-A-Way Ltd, TM Chauffeur Group, terptree, Petrophase Ltd, Koolway Autoleasing & Asset Finance, The Psychotherapy Practice, Selleck Testing Ltd, Showpiece Lifestyle, Aston Press Printing Limited, Mireille GOURBIN, Britannia 2000 Limited, Sharon Langford.

Free business website

   

Internet Marketing Seminar

Business in Berkshire's Meeting of the Minds at the Saxons Barn

23rd April 2008 - 9:30am while 1:00pm
29th May 2008 - 9:30am while 1:00pm

Internet Marketing Seminar and Networking

Getting more from the Internet:
• Attracting visitors to your website
• Facilitating dialogue with your visitors
• First impressions count - maximise YOURS

Internet Marketing Seminar

   

Try before you Buy

We are happy to offer businesses and business groups the opportunity to "Try before you Buy" our Business in Berkshire service. You can sign up for the newsletter for FREE and also provide us with 250 words relating to your business and a key phrase that you'd like to be associated with. We will launch your article on one of our websites and push it out, via our newsletter, to our readers.

Try before you Buy

   

SILVER SEO Service

FRIENDSOur Silver Search Engine Optimisation service gives you FRIENDS Membership plus:

  1. We will manage the creation of your Business in Berkshire website foundations.
  2. Our Silver SEO service launches you with a SEO Special Feature. One of our journalists will knock on your door, write 250 words, pass to our design team who will create a pdf and launch your promotion / event in one or both of our newsletters.
  3. You have the ability to add news & events to your account which are then published in our newsletters for FREE.
  4. For a small additional fee we can Feature your event or product promotions.
  5. Of all the articles we have run in the first half of 2007, over 80% of the story titles can / could be found on page one of Google, 75% in the No.1 spot
  6. FREE delivery of news/events updates.
  7. Membership card which identifies you as part of the Business in Berkshire network.
  8. Discount on Business in Berkshire networking events.
  9. Exclusive member offers.
  10. Recognition for Members who help their FRIENDS!
  11. The inclusion of your existing website address in our Search Engine for Berkshire.
  12. All for just £540 + Vat, payable online
  13. Once payment had been made your website foundations will be set up and your account manager will contact you with log on details.
  14. We provide an online training manual and the opportunity to attend offline training workshops.
  15. Your account manager will make contact on a regular basis to help you make the most of our services.
  16. We recommend link to the content via your own email signatures and newsletters so that people can click through for more information on your business. This activity will encourage the interest of the search engine spiders.
Call us on 01753 852904 to discuss your internet marketing requirements and we'll be happy to suggest a plan to suit your particular needs.

Become a Member TODAY

   

Managing Your Content Management System

We have produced 4 video's that give you a short introduction into the key areas of the website CMS. Please download and review as required. They have been made in house, enjoy!

If you need a higher resolution version for perfect viewing then please let us know and we'll send you a CD.

Managing Your Content Management System

   

Thanks for reading today's News

Jon DaveyHave you considered promoting your news and events via Business in Berkshire?

January 2008 saw over 100,000 visitors to more than 500,000 pages on Business in Berkshire and partner websites.

Enjoy today's news...

Jon Davey

Editor
01753 852904
www.liaiseonline.co.uk
Producers of www.businessinberkshire.co.uk

Portrait by John Welburn

   

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