Companies to update websites and emails before 2007

You can locate the original news item here.

An article published on The Register (21st December 2006) outlined regulatory changes that will effect UK business email. From 1st January 2007, companies in the UK will be required to include certain regulatory information on all business email.

This update to the Companies Act requires you to clearly present the following information on your business emails:

• Company Registration Number
• Place of registration (e.g. England & Wales)
• Registered office address

The article, which was written by Outlaw.com outlined how businesses failing to include this information will be in breach of the Companies Act and this can result in a fine. The article also mentions the UK Ecommerce Regulation requirement to include the same information on websites.

I have already updated my email signature to include the necessary information and am making changes to my website shortly. Is your information up to date? If not, make the changes now so that you don't incur a fine!

Until next time,

Emma Walker
CKPA Office Solutions

New Year means new opportunities

A lot of people think about the same type of things at this time of year - New Years resolutions.

So are you taking the opportunity to plan for the year ahead and use it as a means to focus on how to get there?

For me, it is no use just thinking about what I want to achieve and how to get there, I have to have it written down in the necessary stages. For example, I am currently revamping my PR and marketing plan for 2007 and I am producing a calendar so that I know exactly what activities are needed and when - I can then schedule my time appropriately and plan in advance for any specific tasks or expenditure.

Do you need help with any planning for the year ahead to take up the many new opportunities? Contact us now to see how a Virtual Assistant and CKPA can help.

Until next time,

Emma Walker
CKPA Office Solutions

Happy New Year

Well 2007 is now here and most of us are at work getting back into the swing of things after the Christmas and New Year break so I thought the first post of the year would be a very simple message:

"May we all have a successful year in all that we want"

Happy 2007 everyone!

Until next time,

Emma Walker
CKPA Office Solutions

Pretty quiet

It has been very quiet here at CKPA over the last couple of weeks because I have just had my daughter Megan Tayla on 2nd December and have been focussing my efforts on getting to know her - after she was too comfy to come out (17 days overdue).

So this is last post for 2006 and will be back to normal come January.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and happy New Year. Here's to a successful 2007!

Until next year,

Emma Walker
CKPA Office Solutions

Do you know who is on your contacts database?

Your contacts database is one of the most valuable assets any business has regardless of what product or service you provide.

Why is your database so valuable?
Simple really, it is the means to communicate with your customers and associates about your products / services enabling your business to operate.

However, you need to ensure that your data is accurate and here are some ideas for you:

• Schedule time on a regular basis to update your database
• Don't throw away someone's business card thinking they won't be of any benefit to you, you can't see into the future and they could be the perfect referral source
• Categorise your contacts for easy filtering (clients, associates, suppliers etc)
• Include as much information as possible as you can only remember so much
• But most importantly, use your database (send out newsletters, emails, letters)

If you don't have time to maintain your database, then I suggest you either find the time or delegate the task.

To see how CKPA and a Virtual Assistant could help your business by maintaining your database and much more, contact us now.

Until next time,

Emma Walker
CKPA Office Solutions

What is a Virtual Assistant?

I am finding that a lot of people do not understand what a Virtual Assistant (VA) is and what they can do for a business.

The following is the definition of a VA that I use on my website and marketing material.

VA definition
A Virtual Assistant (VA) is a self employed professional providing administrative, secretarial and creative services on a remote basis. Working from their own fully equipped office, VA's work with a variety of different clients helping them in their businesses on an ad hoc, regular or project specific basis.

By partnering with their own VA, individuals and businesses can make more money by focussing on what they do best and growing their business.

Ways a VA can help
To give you an idea of how a VA can help, here at CKPA, we currently offer the following types of support

PA & Secretarial – diary management, travel arrangements, reminder service
Legal Secretary Support - emergency, ad hoc or regular support for UK solicitors
Administrative – typing, spreadsheets, databases, research
Creative – mail shots, websites, newsletters, desktop publishing
Events & Meetings – organisation of any type of event or meeting
Virtual Office – telephone answering, email management, fax service
Accounts – send out invoices, credit control, payment of invoices
Project Assistance – office move / relocation, recruitment drive, HR

I have also written a blog entry about other, non recognised ways a VA can help which you can find here.

Until next time,

Emma Walker
CKPA Office Solutions

What is your Indian name - part 2

As promised in part 1, below is the Indian name that I chose for my 60 second commercial for my networking group and the reason why.

"After careful thought, I believe that my Indian name would be 'queen bee like the wind'. Why, well the queen bee is the hub of the hive – industrious, in charge and organised. You know the wind is there, you can feel its presence but you can’t necessarily see it

I work as a Virtual Assistant helping people with their administrative needs but remotely, I don’t always meet all of my clients!

I can provide all the services you would expect a PA to be able to do and more for less than half the cost of employing a full time employee."

I thought my Indian name summed up what a Virtual Assistant does, but please leave your comments.

Until next time,

Emma Walker
CKPA Office Solutions

What is your Indian name - part 1

I belong to a networking group which meets on a weekly basis with a sole aim to generate business for members. Each week, all members have to do a 60 second 'commercial' telling other members about their business and the type of referral wanted.

Sometimes, when you do something each week, you don't change things and therefore lose the impact of your message. This is bad news when there are 20 other members who could be out referring their clients and associates to you - but don't because they have switched off and aren't listening to what you want.

To combat this, the Leadership Team decided to try to inject a little humour into the mix but also to get members to prepare a different 60 second commercial by giving them a challenge:

'In the film Dances with Wolves, Kevin Costner was given that name because Indians watched him chasing a wolf out in the field.

If the Indians observed you in your professional day to day activities, what would they name you and why?'

So have a think about what your Indian name would be and why - let me know your answers and I will reveal my answer in part 2.

Until next time,

Emma Walker
CKPA Office Solutions

10 ways to reduce the stress of Christmas

Christmas is fast approaching and can be one of the most stressful times for any business. The secret to less stress during this holiday period is to be organised. Below you will find a list of things that all business owners need to consider to really enjoy the holiday.

1. What will your opening times be over the Christmas and New Year period?
2. Do you need to advertise your opening times anywhere (website, leaflets etc)?
3. Customised Christmas cards or purchase from shop?
4. Any gifts for valued clients / suppliers?
5. Do you need to purchase any stationery for 2007 (diaries, calendars etc)?
6. Any corporate branding promotional items (diaries, calendars etc)?
7. Is your Christmas lunch / party organised?
8. Is your contacts database up to date (to ensure all your cards go to right people / address)
9. Have you got any work deadlines approaching during the run up to Christmas?
10. Review work to complete for 2007 (Business Plan, Marketing Plan, recruitment)

Once you have answered these questions, you can proceed with drawing up an action plan to ensure that the necessary tasks are completed and on time.

CKPA and a Virtual Assistant can handle all of the above tasks for you and more - leaving you to concentrate on what you do best and enjoy the holiday season. Contact us now to book a FREE Information Session to discuss your requirements.

Until next time,

Emma Walker
CKPA Office Solutions

How to build a customer focused business

By Robert Warlow - Small Business Success

You can have the best products, the plushest offices, the best location, but unless you are a ‘customer focused’ business, all of this counts for nothing, you will never really hit the heights you deserve.

So what can you do to build a business which focuses outwardly on the customer, and not inwardly on the business?

Build passion and commitment
The first building block is passion and commitment. This is the very foundation stone of a customer focused business. Without passion and commitment the structure you will build above will be weak and prone to collapse at the first sign of stress.

The passion and commitment has to come from you and your staff. All of you have to totally believe in the concept of the customer being the centre of everything you do. From the moment you step into work everyone has to do whatever it takes to satisfy the customer.

As the key person in the business what can you do to build passion and commitment? Lead from the front and set an example. Keep the concept at the top of the agenda and demonstrate it in everything you do. Keep talking about it. Celebrate all the great examples of putting the customer totally in focus.

Build processes around your customer NOT the business
All great businesses have clearly laid down processes on how to get things done. Whether you have a formal Process Manual or a Quick Reference Guide which sets out your processes, a clear procedure provides confidence and clarity for both your staff and the customer.

But don’t just build your processes around making things easier for you, build them to make things easier for the customer. Look at every step in the process and ask yourself, “Can we do something to make it even easier for the customer to do business with us?” Are there steps which can be refined or even eliminated all together? Be inquisitive, bold and challenging!

Build a relationship
Building a relationship with your customer is at the very heart of a customer focused model. Build a strong, firm relationship and you will have a customer for life. The basis of relationship building is ABC – Always Be Communicating. Here are some ideas on building an enduring and profitable relationship through ABC:

Make a point to periodically call your customers - set up a diary system to provide you with a regular reminder or prompt. Call them even if you have nothing to sell! A strange concept perhaps but you never know what will come out of the conversation
Issue quarterly newsletters - telling them about your latest products, what you have planned for the future, a customer profile, news about new employees. Find anything which would be of interest and at the same time binding both of you closer together
Make it a point during any conversation to find out something about the business you didn’t know before - file away any interesting facts and think how you can use it in the future. Imagine how powerful it would be when you ask how the idea they mentioned in your last conversation was going!
Do memorable things - send birthday or anniversary cards to your key contact, a simple thank you note for doing business with us, send articles or newspaper cuttings, which you think will be of interest to them

Build a culture of ‘wanting to know’
If you are to build a reputation for being customer focused you should be making an effort to find out on a regular basis what they want from you. This can be achieved by either an informal phone call or a more formal survey via mail or email. Find out what they like about your business, what they don’t like and what changes they would like to see.

Having gathered together all the information, suggestions and ideas, set out an action plan to follow up. Once you have acted upon the workable suggestions, get in touch with the customers again and tell them what you have done in response to their comments. This will demonstrate that you have taken their ideas seriously and really care about what they think. Powerful stuff!

Being customer focused can be very rewarding and help in building a great business. Which of these steps are you going to put into practice today? Remember this – let the customer be your focus and you will become their focus.

© Robert Warlow - Small Business Success http://www.smallbusinesssuccess.biz/

Small Business Success is a resource dedicated to helping small business owners be more successful. If you are looking for a regular flow of ideas and tips then subscribe to the Small Business Success, a free newsletter, which provides you with quick tips, ideas and articles.

For more information visit http://www.smallbusinesssuccess.biz/

CKPA can help you and your business become customer focused by sending out newsletters, diary management, client liaison, production of manuals and much, much more. Contact us to see how we can help.

Until next time,

Emma Walker
CKPA Office Solutions

What impression do you give out?

I had the pleasure of having a 1-1 meeting with a fellow member of the BNI Chapter I belong to. To those of you that don't know about BNI, it is a referral based organisation that meets on a weekly business with a structured agenda to ensure members get the most business.

BNI places a big emphasis on 1-1 meetings with fellow members as they give you the opportunity to find out more about their business in order to be able to pass quality referrals.

During this 1-1 meeting last week, an interesting observation came out of the other members mouth - his mental impression of me and my business was someone who types, never mind all the other tasks we can perform! Now I try to educate members each week about all the tasks a Virtual Assistant can do but this highlighted to me that I need to change my approach - as it obviously wasn't working! Once I explained further to this member there was the classic AHA moment where he actually said he now understood what I could do for him and his business.

What impression are you giving and do you need to change it?

To see how a Virtual Assistant and CKPA can help your business, contact us now.

Until next time,

Emma Walker
CKPA Office Solutions

Perception IS reality

People don't buy services, they buy people! If they don't like you or have trust in you, then people won't buy from you or refer other people to you.

I seem to be having a few pet peeves lately with certain members of a networking group I belong to which is starting to get very frustrating to say the least. This time, it is about only one member who as far as I am concerned is old enough and supposedly a mature professional who should know better.

What is the problem? Without going into all the details, this person has publicly disagreed with me, doesn't listen to what I am saying and doesn't respond to my emails asking for information.

Why is he doing this? I can only guess but the only thing that comes to me is that I am a LOT younger than him and I don't think he likes being told what to do by someone who is technically young enough to be his daughter.

I don't have problems with any of the members of this group on a personal level, but professionally, that is a different story!

If people treat me this way, do you think I am going to buy their services (and this particular members services would come in very handy to me soon)? Do you think I am going to refer my clients and associates to him? A big fat NO is the answer. How can I trust this person with my business or that of my clients and associates with an attitude that isn't professional.

Remember, how people perceive you and your business is reality to them. They won't think you might be having a bad day, hard time of late - they don't care. Now might be the time to review what you clients think of you and your business - for impartial advice and a Virtual Assistant to help you with this task, contact us now.

Until next time,

Emma Walker
CKPA Office Solutions

Email frustrations

I'm afraid today's post is about a pet peeve of mine but also a very important business tool, so bear with me.

We are in the 21st Century and technology is a daily part of our personal and business lives - whether we like it or not. Nearly all businesses use email as one of their communication tools with their customers, associates and suppliers and advertise this fact on marketing material, websites, business cards etc.

I belong to a networking group and am a member of the Leadership Team. I regularly send out communications to our members via email so that everyone receives the information. What frustrates me though is that a good number of these members don't even look at their emails - even though they advertise a personalised email address on their business cards!

The other annoyance I have is when I specifically ask for information, normally to the benefit of everyone and THEIR business, and I get a big fat zero response.

Well if they can't be bothered to check or respond to my emails, why should I refer business to them? After all, I am one of their potential customers and if they treat me this way, how are they going to treat a paying customer!

I was having a talk with another member of this group who has the same frustrations as me and he said that our members are supposed to be mature business people who are serious about their business. I question whether they are serious business owners as their behaviour and actions speak differently - why should I have confidence and trust in them to be the specialists they are supposed to be?

Please remember that customers can include people who don't actually spend money with you, but they know and refer your future customers!

What is your communication like with all your customers and suppliers? Now might be the perfect opportunity to review your processes and train your staff. To see how CKPA and a Virtual Assistant can help improve communications within your business, contact us now.

Until next time,

Emma Walker
CKPA Office Solutions

Be an optimistic entrepreneur

By Robert Warlow - Small Business Success

Any seasoned businessperson will tell a fresh faced entrepreneur that he has to have optimism - bucket fulls of it! A pessimistic entrepreneur just doesn’t ring true somehow.

You will find, if you are starting out on the road to self employment, that you are full of optimism, otherwise you would not be taking the steps you have. A healthy dose of optimism is essential to counter all the doom merchants!

You know the standard lines by now, “Do you honestly think you can make a living by doing that?”, “What will happen if your idea fails?”, “How are you going to keep on top of your bills?”

If all entrepreneurs listened to the doubters of this world nothing would have been discovered, invented or businesses opened.

If you aspire to be an entrepreneur then optimism is one quality you must have. It will provide you with the urge to persist during the darkest days. BUT, be careful not to tip the scales too far. A pathological optimist doesn’t necessarily equate to business success. What do I mean by a pathological optimist? Someone who can see no danger; someone who cannot see any downsides; someone with no skepticism or suspicions.

To run a successful business you have to have optimism and pessimism in balance. If you think you are the eternal optimist, go and look for someone who will find faults in your plan; ask the negative thinker for his comments! Only this way will you see the flaws which you were blind to before.

One word of warning - don’t get dragged into a discussion about the points raised. Entering into a debate, or defending your idea, will quickly end what is an important session. Listen, acknowledge and move on, thinking and taking action on what has been raised.

But remember, keep the scales in balance and don’t let them dampen your optimism!

© Robert Warlow - Small Business Success http://www.smallbusinesssuccess.biz/

Small Business Success is a resource dedicated to helping small business owners be more successful. If you are looking for a regular flow of ideas and tips then subscribe to the Small Business Success, a free newsletter, which provides you with quick tips, ideas and articles.

For more information visit http://www.smallbusinesssuccess.biz/

CKPA work with their clients to build effective relationships and offer honest advice to all ideas. We will tell you if we think something is good - or bad. To find out how we can help you and your business with our Virtual Assistant services, contact us now.

Until next time,

Emma Walker
CKPA Office Solutions

How to keep your customers for life!

By Robert Warlow - Small Business Success

Being in business isn’t just about getting a customer, selling him something and moving onto the next one. It’s all about making sure that your customers keep coming back to you and spend more money!

But how can you make sure that your customers stay customers for life? What strategies can you put into practice to keep bringing them back for more? A planned customer retention programme is something every established small business should have in place. That sounds great, but what is a retention plan and what should it include?

Do the groundwork
Before starting a retention programme, you need to understand where your business stands now as regards its retention track record. Ask yourself these 3 questions:

1. Do you know how many customers you have lost in the last 12 months?
2. If you do know how many, do you know why they stopped dealing with you?
3. Have you ever quantified the impact these losses have had on your bottom line?

Before you can put an effective retention plan in place, you have to answer these questions. They are the key to understanding and implementing an effective retention strategy. Let’s look at each of them in turn.

How many have you lost?
It’s essential you know how many people stop doing business with you at any one time. Keep a database of all your frequent customers; how often they buy; what they buy and in what quantity. Every month review the information and see if you can spot any worrying trends. Has the average order value been declining over the last 3 months? Has one customer’s regular order dried up altogether? If someone orders a large range of items each month but suddenly stops purchasing one particular range, why?

If you can’t track the customers you are loosing, how can you keep them or tempt them back?

Why have they turned their back on you?
Armed with the information on who’s deserting you, the fight back can start in earnest! There are sometimes very good reasons why business can dry up – the owner could have died, moved away, or closed down. Not a lot you can do about that! But what about more worrying reasons? Your product quality has gone downhill; the customer feels he is no longer getting value for money; your general service levels have declined. These are areas you have to know about, so you can get the business back on track.

If you see a slippage in business and you can identify who is contributing to it, then pick up the phone and get talking! Find out what the problem is. If you can bring them back into the fold, then great but if it’s genuinely too late, then at least you have gathered some important knowledge about where the business is going wrong.

What has it cost you?
You may be thinking that the odd customer here and there is not going to have a major impact on your lifestyle. Think again! Remember, it’s not just one sale, it’s a lifetime of sales that you are losing. Supposing a customer spends £1,000,000 per month with you. He walks away into the sunset and you never see him again. Imagine that he could have been doing business with you for the next 20 years – that’s £240,000,000! Interested now? Well you should be!

Working out the financial impact of loosing just one customer can really bring home the impact on the business. This should galvanise you into action and get you working on a retention plan.

Your Retention Plan
Having now convinced you that you need a Customer Retention Plan, what exactly should it include?

• Have a system in place which allows you to answer all the questions we have just reviewed. Understand what is going on in the business, so you can identify and put matters right. Make sure you know who you lost, why you lost them and how much it has and will cost you
• Get your staff together on a regular basis and remind them of the importance of retaining your customers. If you don’t get them on board then you have no hope
• During your staff meetings hold brainstorming sessions so everyone can come up with ideas on how to hold onto your customers
• Implement the good ideas and measure the results so you know what is working and what is not

A good retention plan can be just as effective as a good marketing plan; they achieve the same results – a contribution to profit. So, sit down and have a think about the steps you can put in place to keep your customers.

I saw a sign in a shop one day, it said, “It’s not how many come in, it’s how many come back that’s important.” Doesn’t that say it all!

© Robert Warlow - Small Business Success www.smallbusinesssuccess.biz

Small Business Success is a resource dedicated to helping small business owners be more successful. If you are looking for a regular flow of ideas and tips then subscribe to the Small Business Success, a free newsletter, which provides you with quick tips, ideas and articles.

For more information visit http://www.smallbusinesssuccess.biz

CKPA can help any business keep in touch with its customers and provide a professional image. Contact us now to discuss your needs.

Until next time,

Emma Walker
CKPA Office Solutions

Small business challenges

I run my own successful Virtual Assistant practice providing professional secretarial, creative and administrative support to individuals and businesses.

As a small business owner myself, I can totally understand the challenges that we all have to face. For example, what do business owners do with their administrative tasks when they are busy, overloaded with work, on holiday etc?

By hiring the services of a Virtual Assistant, they could free up their valuable time to focus on other tasks for their business, achieve better work / life balance, go on a much needed holiday - all in the safe knowledge that your business is taken care of by a professional partner.

To find out exactly how a CKPA Virtual Assistant can help you MAKE more money and SAVE money, contact us now.

Until next time,

Emma Walker
CKPA Office Solutions

Why I love being my own boss

I have been running CKPA for just over 12 months now and absolutely love it. Why?

• I am the boss and have only myself to answer to
• I get to implement all the good ideas I had back in the corporate world that nobody listended to
• I can choose who I work with by selecting the right type of clients
• I currently work with a great bunch of clients
• I decide my working hours and style depending on what is going on in my life

Why am I telling you this? I don't really know but I am loving my job and my business. I am even going to be working remotely next week with the help of technology from (hopefully) sunny Cornwall. Can you do that without taking holiday?

For business owners, don't you think you need a break before we head in to Autumn. To find out how CKPA can support you and your business, contact us now.

Until next time,

Emma Walker
CKPA Office Solutions

The hidden power of networking

By Robert Warlow - Small Business Success

We all make use of traditional forms of getting new business in – advertising, direct mail, brochures etc but networking is one form of marketing which, has been under-utilised. Until now that is. Small business owners are finally beginning to understand the power of networking and what it can do for their sales figures.

But what is networking?
In its most basic form, it’s word-of-mouth advertising but originated by you, not your customers. It involves taking every opportunity to raise awareness of your product or service amongst the people you meet. At a more sophisticated level, networking can be achieved by taking advantage of the formal networking groups or events that have been arranged purely with the idea of putting potential partners together. Perhaps the most famous example of effective networking was the First Tuesday group, which during the height of the dot-com era, was the primary way of getting new business ideas across to the people with the dosh!

But how can you, as a small business owner, become a more effective networker and take full advantage of the opportunities presented? We are going to give you some key tips and ideas on how to be a better networker.

What are the key advantages of networking?
Networking has some very good advantages over the traditional type of marketing:

• It’s free! Talking to someone costs nothing except your time
• It’s targeted marketing in that it’s likely the person you are talking to has a direct interest in your product or service. Consider newspaper advertising, which will mostly be read by people who have no interest in what you have to offer
• It’s face to face marketing unlike direct mail, adverts and telephone calls. You have the immediate opportunity to establish rapport and get an understanding of the person’s problems
• You have the chance to mix with business owners in other industries, which may open the door to new opportunities you had not previously considered
• It’s not only a way of creating business but also a great way to solve problems and seek advice. Why sweat over a solution when someone has probably already experienced and solved the same problem? Ask and find out who can help you

Where to find a network
Finding a place to network, where like minded business owners are present, is not that difficult. Whilst you should be networking all the time – taking the opportunity to promote yourself whereever you can – it’s more effective if you can meet people who are there to do the same thing; you can get onto the same wavelength that much quicker. Here are some possible networking opportunities to think about:

• Your local Chamber of Commerce or Business Club - as well as hosting their normal meetings (which are great networking opportunities anyway) they may hold regular networking sessions which are dedicated to putting business people together
• Business Link – with their remit of helping local small businesses, some of them may already hold network meetings where they bring together a batch of ‘new recruits’. Check out the Business Link website for details of your nearest office and give them a call
• Trade Associations – your industry may have an association which holds regular meetings. Whilst you are dealing with businesses in the same line as you, so making it difficult to get new business, you will still be able to find solutions to problems and pick up new ideas. Who knows, if you establish good rapport with another business, they may be happy to refer surplus work to you or tap into a unique specialisation you may have?
• Seminars – keep a look out for seminars being run for small business owners. As well as being informative, they are a great networking opportunity, especially over coffee and lunch when you have the chance to start a conversation going along the lines of, “How do you think you’re going to apply that point we learnt this morning in your line of business?” In just this one question you will have found out what business they are in and one of the problems they are currently facing. If you’re lucky, you may be able to offer help as well – one extra sale!
• Anywhere and everywhere – remember to network all the time! Never miss an opportunity to tell people what you do. You may only get a successful hit in one out of a hundred contacts, but one sale may be enough to make it all worthwhile!

Where and when are meetings likely to be held?
Formal networking events can be held over breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast sessions are popular because it allows business owners to start the day on a positive note, leaving the remainder of the day free for ‘business as usual’. However, how good are you at holding a sensible conversation at 7 o’clock in the morning? If you don’t look or sound your best in the early morning, then you had better find an alternative!

The best networking events are where you are free to ‘work the room’ and not be tied to a table with food being served.

Hotels and pubs are popular venues but if you are attending events hosted by Business Link then you may find them held at their offices.

What to prepare
As with any marketing promotion, any networking should be thoroughly prepared for. Badly presented sales pitches lead to lost sales; the same goes for networking. So what should you do before attending a networking session?

Step 1: Know your products and services inside out. If you are only just starting out, make sure you are fully briefed on all the in’s and out’s of your product.

Step 2: Write and rehearse an opening statement to the question “What do you do?” This may sound an easy question but try thinking an answer on the spot and at the same time making it some good! Not so easy. Write a clear and concise statement, which encapsulates everything about your business. Remember, this is your chance to impress! Having decided on your opening line, rehearse, rehearse and rehearse. It has to be word perfect and confident sounding.

Step 3: Make sure you have enough business cards. You don’t want to scribble your number on the back of a napkin! Not very professional.

Step 4: Double check the venue and time. You don’t want to turn up late and miss any opportunities or appear to be lacking in time management skills.

Step 5: Dress to impress. Make sure you are neat and tidy – everything a successful small business owner should be.

Step 6: Leave your house / office in plenty of time to make sure you don’t arrive totally stressed out

You’re off!
You have arrived at the venue and if this is your first time, what are you likely to do? Find the nearest corner and pray that someone doesn’t approach you! Networking, especially the first time, can be nerve-wracking. It does take a degree of confidence but over time this gets better.

© Robert Warlow - Small Business Success www.smallbusinesssuccess.biz

Small Business Success is a resource dedicated to helping small business owners be more successful. If you are looking for a regular flow of ideas and tips then subscribe to the Small Business Success, a free newsletter, which provides you with quick tips, ideas and articles.

For more information visit http://www.smallbusinesssuccess.biz

To find out how CKPA can help with your company's networking - contact us now!

Emma Walker
CKPA Office Solutions

How to get your first customer

One of CKPA's target markets is start up businesses and I think the most popular question they have, regardless of industry, is how to get their first customer. I saw this article and thought it might be beneficial.

By Robert Warlow - Small Business Success

Starting a new business is always tough. You have spent hours and hours putting your Business Plan together, sorting out the financing, arranging your office and buying equipment. And the big day arrives - you have to get out there and secure your first customer. It all looked so easy when you were planning, but now this is real and doesn’t seem as effortless as you thought.

What practical steps can you take to ensure your business gets off to a flying start?

Put a plan in place
If you didn’t write a Business Plan (tut tut!) then putting pen to paper is your first step. You have to carefully plan what you want to achieve and what you are trying to do. A Plan will help crystalise your thoughts and ideas and act as a spring board for creative thought.

It will also be a useful boost when you come to review your progress against what you set out to achieve – a cause for celebration or a kick up the backside!

The key element in your Plan is to spell out exactly who your typical customer is going to be. Are they young or old? Well off, or on the look out for bargains? Single or married?

Once you have clearly defined who you are after then chasing your first sale becomes easier.

Email all your contacts
You may not think that personal friends and family may be interested in your product or service, but don’t forget that they have friends and family as well and so can help spread the word!

Email every one in your address book and tell them, if they don’t already know, that you are starting up in business and need their help. In your email describe what you do and the products you offer and request that they forward it to everyone in their address book. A bit ‘spammy’ I know but when such a note comes from someone you know then it doesn’t seem so bad.

For those family and friends who don’t have email, call them, write to them, to officially launch your business. Very quickly word will spread and enquiries and orders will start to flood in.

Ask for a referral
It’s possible you may have ‘road-tested’ your business before you decided to go full time. In that case you will already have a small database of customers. Ask them if they can provide you with some names of people or businesses whom they think may be interested in what you have on offer.

A referral, or positive recommendation, is a powerful and easy way to give your business a kick start. If you want, why not offer a small gift, or a discount on the next sale, for all customers who refer someone to you? This gesture will further cement your relationship.

Tell everyone you meet
Be a walking advertising board for your business! Find any opportunity to tell people, especially strangers, what you do. Be enthusiastic! Have a rehearsed opening which encapsulates everything about the benefits and problems your business offers and solves.

Take your business cards wherever you go and leave them all over the place! Supermarkets, restaurants, shops, anywhere where people will find them.

Be a media star
The local newspaper or radio stations are always on the look out for stories which are of interest to the locality. Don’t expect them to run a story along the lines of ‘And today, Joe Bloggs has just started in business doing …’. Your story needs to be interesting and have an unusual slant. Did you travel the world and come up with your idea whilst riding a train in India? Did you have a flash of inspiration following a shocking experience? Carry out a survey which shows that local people are crying out for a service such as yours. Think of something that will grab the editor’s attention and this will increase your chances of appearing in print.

Build relationships
Don’t be disappointed if you don’t get a sale on the first approach. Sometimes you have to be patient. A way of achieving your batch of first sales is to concentrate on building a relationship with your prospective clients. Keep in touch, remind them you are still around and, assuming you have targeted correctly, they may eventually place that coveted order!

If you are about to start your business get planning right now and start to implement some of these ideas to get your new business off to a flying start.

© Robert Warlow - Small Business Success www.smallbusinesssuccess.biz

Small Business Success is a resource dedicated to helping small business owners be more successful. If you are looking for a regular flow of ideas and tips then subscribe to the Small Business Success, a free newsletter, which provides you with quick tips, ideas and articles.

For more information visit http://www.smallbusinesssuccess.biz

CKPA can help any business start up in the beginning stages of business - contact us now to find out how.

Until next time,

Emma Walker
CKPA Office Solutions

Impressions count

How do you present yourself to your clients?

We all know that first impressions count and that we don't get the chance to make a second first impression!

Lets say that you have an important meeting with a potential new client. Now this is worth a lot of money so is a big deal for your company. Do you turn up to the meeting all casual and not really making much of an effort - what do you think the potential new client will think to the quality of your work from this impression?

Or, do you turn up all suited and booted ready to represent your company with the right image?
Remember, the way you present yourself and your business to clients tells them how important they are to you!

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Contact us now to discuss your needs and see how we can help.

Until next time,

Emma Walker
CKPA Office Solutions