21st May 2008 - Business in Berkshire News: www.businessinberkshire.co.uk/210508.html

Keep Trade Local

At the FSB National Conference in March National Chairman, John Wright, launched the FSB's latest national campaign - 'Keep Trade Local'.

The FSB will be lobbying local MP's and local authorities to call for measures that support local businesses and offers a level playing field.

To ensure we send a message loud and clear to MP's we would like your help. We ask 3 things of you that will take no more than 10 minutes.

Keep Trade Local

Home Working Legislation

If you have employees working from home on a permanent or regular semi-permanent basis, you need to make proper provisions ensuring that you comply with health and safety legislation for home working. In fact, much all of the legislation covering full-time office workers also extends to those working from home.

Complying with the legislation doesn't take a lot of time or effort, but it is crucial. A wide range of legislation applies to home workers including (but not limited to) fire safety, manual handling of loads, first aid, accident reporting and use of electrical equipment.

Home Working Legislation

The Queen's Award for Enterprise

QUEEN'S AWARD FOR ENTERPRISE AND NATIONAL BUSINESS AWARDS RECOGNITION FOR SIGNET INTERNATIONAL

Staff at international transportation and logistics organisation, Signet International, headquartered in Colnbrook, Berkshire are celebrating winning The Queen's Award for Enterprise, the UK's most prestigious awards for business performance.

The Queen's Award for Enterprise

Good morning <07 Name>

If you do nothing else with this email, please take a look at the "Keep Trade Local" article. If we don't start looking after local small businesses then they will simply disappear. Do you really just want a world where every choice is determined by the corporate? Well do something about it and sign the petition.

Now, that's better, how about following that with a duck race! A great idea from the Rotary Club of Windsor & Eton, 28th June will see hundreds and with your help, possibly thousands of ducks taking to the water and racing to the finishing line for their sponsors... and you could be a WINNER! The chance to go quackers into the evening...

With Cooperlease.co.uk set for 1000 unique organic visitors this month, our beta project that we ran in September 2007 has proved excellent value. Focal Point is getting a lead a day from the sites we've built for them. Wider Key Skills is page one on all major search engines and so could you. All you need to do is believe! You'll need a realistic budget and we can help you achieve Strategic Product Levitation...

We'll be polishing up our LiaiseOnline website over the coming weeks and using the techniques we've learned along the way to ensure our message is heard loud and clear, far and wide in the months ahead.

You'll notice us updating BinB sites to carry a common format. There's an increasing number of LiaiseOnline style accounts, and a growing number with an SME Training base. More and more businesses are joining the party, appreciating the power we can offer with our Strategic Product Levitation.

If you are a marketing company who is looking to explore the world of Internet Marketing and have been wondering where to start then might I suggest you contact us on 01753 852904 and we can help you see the light! Until then... enjoy the news...

Today's Featured News

• SEO success story
  
  
• Email marketing 'retains customers'
  
  
• Search Engines Positions
  
  
• Vehicle Graphics Berkshire
  
  
• The design process
  
  
• Golf holidays in Spain
  
  
• Home Working Legislation
  
  
• The Queen's Award for Enterprise
  
  
• Newbury College - Come and taste the future!
  
  
• Keep Trade Local
  
  
• National Grid Increases Emission Reduction Targets
  
  
• How powerful is a postcard newsletter?
  
  
• This week's FREE Business Websites
  
  
• Best deals on travel
  
  
• Andalucia holiday houses
  
  
• Royal Windsor Duck Race 2008
  
  

• Knife Crime Let Off
  
  
• Cup Winners 2006-2007
  
  
• Is Climate change effecting supplies of Nori?
  
  
• How to Successfully Ask For Referrals
  
  
• Do you need to continually improve performance in your business?
  
  
• Commercial carpet cleaning - FREE offer to readers of BinB
  
  
• What does customer centric really mean?
  
  
• Mars is hoping to buy US firm Wrigley's
  
  
• National Work from Home Day
  
  
• Why should you join the FSB?
  
  
• If you join the Police Force you must wear the uniform
  
  
• 2008 Enterprising Solutions Awards
  
  
• Half Term Activities - Slough
  
  
• Verbatim bid goodbye to Grace
  
  

Royal Windsor Duck Race 2008

Is your business quackers enough to join in this years Royal Windsor Duck Race 2008?

The Rotary Club of Windsor & Eton in association with Windsor & Eton Town Partnership presents

The Royal Windsor Duck Race 2008

Saturday 28th June

Sponsored by King Edward Court Shopping Centre

Royal Windsor Duck Race 2008

How to Successfully Ask For Referrals

Don't like asking for referrals, Vince Golder shares some powerful ideas on how you can "Invite" customers to give you referrals, rather than asking direct.

Many business owners and sellers find they have a natural resistance to asking customers for referrals. Why? The simple answer is FEAR. Many sellers are afraid of turning off current customers by asking them for the names and contact information of their friends and acquaintances.

Such fears are unfounded and most companies are missing out on a potential massive amount of business just by not asking for referrals. Most companies only receive 40% of the referrals they should be getting and there are many reasons why?

How to Successfully Ask For Referrals

Commercial carpet cleaning - FREE offer to readers of BinB

200sq ft of FREE Commercial Carpet Cleaning During May & June - Exclusively for Business in Berkshire Readers.

That's right completely and utterly free of charge.

If you are wondering how we can afford to do this then read on...

Quite simply, we would like to give you the opportunity to see for yourself how absolutely fabulous your carpets will look and smell after being professional cleaned and sanitised. This is a genuine offer to introduce us and our service to you and your business and give you a chance to ask any questions about your soft furnishings and how best to care for them.

Commercial carpet cleaning - FREE offer to readers of BinB

Verbatim bid goodbye to Grace

The team at Verbatim waved goodbye to one of their longest-standing members of staff last month as Grace McBain left to join the Ministry of Defence. Grace had been a receptionist at Verbatim for five years and had recently completed her NVQ3 in Customer Service, leading the way for other Verbatim team members who are set to take the qualifications.

Sarah Berrington, Verbatim's Financial Controller, said "We were all sad to see Grace go and there were a few tears on her last day! Mind you, it took her about a week to clear out her desk drawers! I'm sure she'll keep in touch - we'd all love to see her again."

Verbatim bid goodbye to Grace

SEO success story

SEO success story for mini cooper car leasing

One of Windsor Vehicle Leasing's most popular hire vehicle is the mini cooper. No surprise, then, that with the help of some expert SEO, their dedicated mini cooper site www.cooperlease.co.uk currently occupies the top slot in Google for three separate search strings. What comes as more of a surprise is that it did so just 36 hours after the site launched. The stats show what a success story the Cooperlease site has been.

SEO success story

Vehicle Graphics Berkshire

Wrapping up business!

Ex-Microsoft business development manager, Jason Alexis, this year decided to wrap up his corporate day job and re-brand his life with a Raccoon vehicle-wrapping outfit. Based in Maidenhead, and servicing the entire Thames Valley region, the 41-year-old invested in his own vehicle-wrapping franchise just in time to show it off at the recent Ideal Business Show in Newbury. Visitors wowed at the Raccoon stand included keynote speaker and former Director General of the BBC, Greg Dyke.

Says Alexis: "Seeing Greg at the show was great. He came over to the stand and said how much he liked the branding on our showcase vehicle. The way we apply the graphics, using a vinyl adhesive that can last for several years, means that it's almost impossible to discern the images from the original chassis. To look at, it's as though a printed poster has been shrink-wrapped to the exact dimensions of the car - I think that was what really impressed him."

Vehicle Graphics Berkshire

Golf holidays in Spain

Why have Handicaps?

It's difficult to think of any other sport which operates a handicap system. At amateur level, I suppose snooker would qualify (I'll give you five blacks start). But can you imagine pro golfers, playing on any of the major tours, agreeing to play from different handicaps?

Tiger could probably give the field a shot per round and still succeed, but the idea would be thrown out of court -pride wouldn't allow fellow competitors to accept any favours. So how come in club competitions and many amateur events, players have to accept the idea of not playing on a level playing field?

Golf holidays in Spain

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

Our 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.

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

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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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