Member Blog

What are contextual links?

Contextual links are deep links from your web page content. This content is the main part deciding the uniqueness and relevance of a web page. Hence, giving links from that section transfer premium URL power to linked ones. They help search engines in developing relevancy factor for both the pages i.e. linking & linked ones. You can’t have all the information on one URL page. Additionally, it is (typically) good to split a lot of information into bite size pieces. Once you have done this these pieces can be linked internally with optimum key phrases to boost them. Linking to authoritative and well known external resources like Wikipedia (citation) increase the credibility of your content for search engines, since it means that written content is not spam. Instead it is researched based and is relevant to the linked URL. Contextual links will typically mean lower bounce rates. It is comparatively easy for the user to navigate your website through links in content since they are reading it. Users may not bother to click on links in other navigational schemes like menus, footer or other links. Enriched reader experience is highly appreciated by Google. This results in higher rankings in search engine ranking positions (SERP’s).

Contextual Linking for Users

Contextual link building will impact on your trustworthiness. Linking to other URL’s means that you admit that you don’t have the answer to everything, and also that you care enough to send your user to the right factual place. Links, at appropriate locations in content, build user interest to explore linked pages. The information can’t be put in one single article at one URL; contextual links help to piece together one subject or topic scattered across the website. If your linking is optimal your content may is likely to be shared on social media by your audience. In-content links normally offer high quality information to your reader, which should always be at the top of your priority list. More recognition will typically deliver more traffic to your website or URL. An increase in traffic can mean different things to different webmaster’s. It may mean more enquiries or, in the case of eCommerce, more orders. It may also mean a better Alexa Rank – a factor in Google ranking.

Contextual Linking Best Practices

There is no doubt that contextual linking is one of the most important SEO strategies in your internal linking and digital marketing strategy, but if you want to make the most out of it, make sure you have optimised your links properly. Here are a few best practices you should consider to create fruit-bearing linking structure:

Use Main Key Phrases as Anchor Texts

Your anchor text should be composed mainly of key phrases. This helps search engines understand the relevancy of the linked URL, and the page can be then ranked next time when a relevant query is performed.

Typically Use Descriptive Phrases – Long Tail

Don’t stuff your contextual links with key words or phrases. It is a practice frowned upon by search engines. Instead, use descriptive phrases, importantly long tail phrases that contain your keywords in a natural way. This said, however, and because all of this activity is targeted against your competitor, you may find you have to compromise. You will need to know your competitor’s spread of phrase and broad matches to be able to compete.

Natural is Optimal

You contextual links should not look like they are forced into the content. Keep them natural where possible (as above).

Link to Authoritative Sources

Link only to websites and URL’s that are both factual and which are known to be a trusted authority on your topic. This increases your credibility among viewers as well as search engines.

Link to Relevant Pages Which Offer Viewers Something of Value

Do not include content linking on a URL for the sake of the benefits of visitors and ‘link juice’. This will cause more harm than benefit.

Is this the future of SEO? Of course not. However, you can see how valuable these links are and both from a search engine and viewer perspective. If you are not carrying out this kind of linking building strategy, I suggest you start now. You’ll love it and your rankings will increase as a result!

If you are one of thousands of people in the banking and finance sectors facing an uncertain future, why not take control of your working life and become part of a burgeoning network of accountants who specifically service the needs of small businesses?

For more than 20 years, TaxAssist Accountants has helped many finance professionals establish their own accountancy practice, earn a good income, as well as building a saleable asset for their future.

Franchisees can either carry out the accountancy work themselves or employ accountants while they concentrate on building the business, holding client meetings and networking. What is important is that you have plenty of energy, a friendly persona and have a desire to succeed.

Phil Sullivan, Group Operations Director of TaxAssist Accountants, knows the advantages of having experience in banking, first hand.

“During a 26-year career at a major clearing bank, which culminated in me gaining Executive Management status, I saw the way that job security within the finance sector ebbed and flowed with the times,” explained Phil. “I decided to leave the bank as I wanted to work for myself and be the master of my own destiny – something I would encourage anyone working in the current precarious world of banking to consider.

“Our franchisees join TaxAssist for a variety of reasons – some are seeking a better work/life balance, some wish to commute less, while others want to break free and work for themselves.

“Becoming a TaxAssist franchisee offers a fantastic opportunity to use skills, experience and knowledge that you have built up over your career to maximise your success. With our help and support, we can help you to achieve your personal goals, whether you’re working towards a five or 25-year contract. With our retail style shop concept which is so convenient for the small business owner we know how successful you could be.”

With its well-established brand and reputation for breaking with tradition, TaxAssist Accountants stand out from the crowd. The majority of its franchisees operate from highly accessible and welcoming shop front premises designed specifically to appeal to the small business target market.

TaxAssist Accountants’ franchise model focuses on working with hundreds of small business clients rather than a few larger ones, so that should one client leave, the risk to the overall business is negligible.

Tax and accountancy services are always in demand, and servicing this bountiful market (small businesses accounted for 99.3% of all private sector businesses at the start of 2015) means your work remains relatively uncomplicated. Services offered by the TaxAssist Accountants network include year-end accounts, tax returns, bookkeeping, VAT returns, payroll and cash flow projections.

After consistently winning awards in both the franchising and accountancy sectors, TaxAssist continues to help its network achieve double digit growth year on year and now services over 60,000 clients from more than 280 shops and offices.

Each franchisee operates an exclusive territory, and there are still many areas and resale opportunities available across the UK.

Phil added: “I am more than happy to meet any interested parties at one of our regular discovery days in Norwich to discuss the TaxAssist Accountants franchise opportunity in more detail. These events are a great opportunity for prospective franchisees to meet the senior support team, and learn more about how we work with you to help you to establish your own substantial business.”

August 2016

Amazingly quick and easy office exercises… lets get moving!

In years to come, we may well look back at the way we have worked for the last 150/200 years and describe the chair/desk set up as an instrument of torture, designed to inflict as much pain, discomfort and lasting damage on the world’s office population as possible!

Our addiction to sitting for long periods of time is responsible for a number of serious health issues surrounding our sedentary working lifestyle. With recent research linking high blood pressure, heart disease and type 2 diabetes to prolonged sitting. Add into that equation increasing problems with our posture including chronic neck and back problems and a depressing picture begins to emerge.

We are forcing our bodies into a lifetime of sitting with a hunched over, neck craned posture, it was never designed for. Throughout our 100,000 plus years of evolution we walked, ran, climbed, squatted, crawled, swam….we moved!

So what’s the answer? A revolution in the workplace is needed

A sit, stand and move approach – incorporating simple movement focused exercises that get your heart rate up, simple breathing exercises that get oxygen pumping around your system and a stretching and mindfulness program that makes you re-engage with what’s happening with your body.

Workplace exercise for the office environment

In this blog we’re concentrating on some of our favourite pieces of equipment, they should help you to get motivated and moving more in the workplace, add a bit of fun and variety into your routine. We’re not experts, but we’ve found everything here has something to offer and is great for a quick office workout. The attached jpegs show Bev and I going through some of our simple routines.

The equipment is easily purchased online and links are attached for further information.

1. Wobble Board 2. Resistance Band 3. Balance Pad 4. Balance Ball

The benefits to your overall health and wellbeing can be truly life changing over the long term and include –

* Increased energy and focus, improves productivity. * Better muscle tone and posture, increasing the feeling of wellbeing. * Less fatigue and tension, better equipped to deal with stressful situations * Improved moods and levels of happiness.

If you spend all day sitting:-

1. Take a microbreak every 30 minutes, change your position and stand, move, go for a walk around the office, or even better do some stretches.

2. We recommend 3 minutes of exercise every hour, mix up what you do using some of the equipment shown, the idea is to increase your heart rate!

3. Keep hydrated, drink plenty of water.

4. Take a proper lunch break, go out for a walk.

5. Try and aim for at least an hour of exercise a day, this includes walking.

Using a sit-stand desk

If you’re already a fan of sit-stand working you’ll be aware of the many benefits including burning extra calories. A height-adjustable desk makes it a lot easier to move, stretch and exercise from a standing position.

Try these exercises out at work and tell us what you think! Get your co-workers involved and – Discover the power of movement!

All the above equipment is easily purchased online.

See the full images here:https://www.flomotionstudio.com/flomotion-blog/

Do you need help to get moving? Flomotion can help, our height-adjustable desk are the perfect solution. Book your free trail online or call us now on 01603 490054.

Want to find out more about our desks and see our most creative projects? Follow us on Facebook and on Twitter at @FlomotionStudio.

Tudor Lodge Consultants are delighted to be working with short term loans provider, TrueBlue Loan. The company offers an unsecured loan product of up to £500 repaid over 6 months which customers typically use for emergency purposes such as medical bills, home improvements, car repairs and more.We have been working with the local company for 3 months, focusingon their user experience, content andsearch engine optimisationfor their main website.

The Brief

The website (https://www.trueblueloan.co.uk/)had a very old-fashioned approach to search engine optimisation which was implemented by a company overseas.True Blue Loan’s briefwas to improve their search rankings on Google byoverhauling their content strategy, fixing errorson their site and ensuringthatcustomers can find them online before their competitors.

Search Engine Optimisation

We noticed that there were hundreds of pages created that were targeting very similar keywords. The purpose of this is to rank for different keyword variations e.g lenders in the UK, online, direct lenders, not brokers, flexible etc. To make a better user and SEO experience, we redirected several of these pages into more specific landing pages. This means that we could focus on optimising just a few pages and avoidany pages conflicting (showing up twice on Google) and users being confused by such similar content.

We reviewed all the meta data and descriptions on the website to ensure that they were not duplicate, perfectly unique and relevant to their proposition and keywords. This was optimised further with matching headings and making sure that there was only one h1 heading on each page.

Over time, the site had developed several crawl errors and links which expired or were no longer in use. We used our specific SEO tools to remove all the broken errors and pages, ensuring a much faster site speed and better user experience (because they weren’t taken to error pages).

Next Steps

Our next steps to further the user experience include creating specialised videos about the loans offered by True Blue Loan which will compliment the user experience and SEO. We also plan to create more useful guides on personal finance, online loans and consumer credit to educate the market and allow TBL to become a ‘true’ resource for financial services in the UK.

We have recently reached page 2 of Google for their target keyword ‘short term loans’ and look forward to reaching that elusive page 1 by the end of the year.

Since 1st August 2016, the administration of the Apprenticeship Age Grant has beed devolved to the NEW ANGLIA LEP resulting in some significant changes for the benefit of employesr and apprentices.

Apprenticeship Grant for Employers (AGE) of 16 to 24 year olds in Norfolk and Suffolk supports businesses that would not otherwise be in a position to support individuals aged 16 to 24 into employment through the Apprenticeship programme. The following information is relevant to employers starting an apprentice from August 2016 in a business with a postcode within Norfolk or Suffolk. For businesses outside of this area should refer to www.gov.uk for details of the national AGE scheme or contact their training provider.

The scheme is being administered by Norfolk County Council on behalf of both counties. The grant will be offered to those employers who are eligible and such employers may receive up to 5 grants in any one-year period. The value of each grant is as follows:

• £2000 for each apprentice who is aged 16 to 18 at the time they start their Apprenticeship;
• £1500 for each apprentice who is aged 19 to 24 at the time they start their Apprenticeship.

The grant will be paid as a lump sum direct to the employers nominated bank account, once the apprentice has completed 10 weeks on the Apprenticeship programme and the necessary paperwork has been received: see “How do employers apply”? below.

So, which Employers are eligible? To be eligible employers must

• Have fewer than 250 employees in total;
• Start a new employee on an Apprenticeship or place an existing employee on an Apprenticeship programme on or after the 1 August 2016;
• Commit to continuously employ that apprentice for a minimum of 12 months or as long as it takes them to complete the Apprenticeship;
• Confirm that they are aware of and do not breach any state aid rules by receiving the grant;
• Agree to pay the apprentice in line with legal minimum requirements or more;
• Ensure that the apprenticeship is delivered by a training organisation that is funded by the Government to deliver Apprenticeship Frameworks.

For the purposes of this grant, the start date for the Apprenticeship is taken to be the date at which the Employer, Learner and Training Provider sign the Apprenticeship Agreement

Which apprentices qualify? To qualify, an apprentice must be:

• Aged 16 to 24 at the start date of their Apprenticeship
• Enrolled on an Apprenticeship Framework. (Starts on Apprenticeship Standards are not eligible)
• Be working with an employer based in Norfolk or Suffolk
• Eligible for Apprenticeship funding from the Skills Funding Agency
• Eligible to work in England
• Be starting a new Apprenticeship framework or progressing from a lower level onto an Advanced or Higher Level Apprenticeship

How do employers apply? Employers in Norfolk or Suffolk, once they have selected an Apprentice and the start date has been agreed, should go to www.apprenticeshipsnorfolk.org/agegrant and complete an online application form for AGE. The following details will be required:

• Name of Business
• Name of the Apprentice*
• Apprentice Date of Birth*
• Name of Training Provider or College delivering the training.
• Address of Business where the apprentice will be employed
• Telephone Number
• Name of contact within business
• Email address
• Bank Details (into which payments are to be made)

*Employers must seek permission from the apprentice to share these details with Norfolk County Council for the sole purpose of claiming the grant before submitting an application. It is recommended that this permission be obtained in writing.

Once the first stage of the application is completed, a password should be created which will allow login to the site after 10 weeks. The online system will issue a reminder to employers after 10 weeks to remind them to provide documentary evidence that the apprentice is still employed and in learning. This should be provided electronically by the training provider or college and can take the form of a progress review or a record of support or assessment. This must be signed by the employer, apprentice and the College or Training Provider representative. Once we have checked this document and verified the claim, the authority will make payment to the nominated bank account within 28 days. If there are any queries or issues, the authority will be in contact by telephone or by email to ask for clarifying information.

This payment is in the form of a grant and therefore it is exempt from VAT.

Employers should note that if the apprentice leaves or is not in learning after 10 weeks, eligibility for any proportion of the grant will lapse.

Employers who have already received a grant for an apprentice under this scheme and who apply for a further grant (maximum of 5) will be asked to provide evidence that the original apprentice is still employed on an Apprenticeship or has completed their qualification in full. If this is not the case, we reserve the right to withhold or refuse to pay any further grant.

Next Steps Employers looking to recruit a new member of staff then visit www.apprenticeshipsnorfolk.org and choose “Employ an Apprentice”.

When the apprentice has been recruited and the college or training provider has completed the paperwork, the employer should visit www.apprenticeshipsnorfolk.org/agegrant and complete the application. After 10 weeks, upload the required evidence and receive the money within 28 days of the claim being verified. Note: Most Colleges and Training Providers provide a free service to help employers to recruit an apprentice.

Training providers will be able and happy to offer assistance with the process, recruiting an apprentice and making sure that he/she is on the correct Apprenticeship qualification. Alternatively, contact Apprenticeships Norfolk/Apprenticeships Suffolk on 0344 8008024 or [email protected].

The primitive economic principle underpinning any business is revenue – costs = profit. Your business will have plenty of factors to be taken into consideration in order for that base sum to work in your favour, and your profit will usually vary daily, monthly or annually depending on foreseen, and unforeseen circumstances such as seasonal changes, customer demand, supplier costs etc.Hopefully, you have a good accountant and a business savvy director who can pinpoint changes in the market and project potential profits throughout the fiscal year. IT downtime, however, is an unforeseen drain on revenue which is difficult to attribute a cost to.

Many businesses rely on IT to keep everything running smoothly. It could be that only your accountant works on a computer, or perhaps just your Director, Managers and Payroll, perhaps every employee uses IT to some degree, or maybe your whole business operates using IT. However much you use IT, there is always an associated cost when things go wrong. What varies is how much that cost is to your business.

Let’s talk numbers The estimated cost to your business can be worked out with a calculation which factors in how much you pay your employees, and how much revenue your business takes each year. Of course, accurate figures would also consider the extent of the issue; if you’re a writer and your internet goes down, you might be ok to continue working, albeit with inconvenience, if you’re a call centre working on a web-based data management system, internet issues could grind your business to a halt and you may even lose potential customers.

This is the raw calculation:

Employee cost per hour + Revenue earned per hour = Approximate cost of IT downtime

So, for example, if an average employee salary is £24,000.00 per year, the estimated annual cost to you (with Employer NI of 13.8%) is £27,312.00, which is approx. £13.13 per hour.If your estimated annual revenue is £250,000, your hourly revenue is approx. £120.19.

Employee cost per hour (£13.13) + Revenue earned per hour (£120.19) = Approximate cost of IT downtime per hour (£133.32)*

So, working in a small, IT-dependent business, with between 15-20 employees, you could be losing approx. £2000 – £2666of revenue per hourof IT downtime.

How managed IT support can save you money So, now you know how much money you could lose with IT downtime, it might be time to look at a more cost-effective solution.Managed IT servicesoffer you a pro-active, efficient, local, IT support package which ensures that your IT downtime is at its very minimum. We’ll monitor your IT remotely, so we’re usually aware of an issue before you are. We’ll get straight on it and often we’ll have it identified, diagnosed and resolved before you’ve even noticed. No downtime = more revenue, simple.

If you’re interested in saving your business’ profits and reducing your downtime, give Andy at S2 Computers a call and we’ll help find anIT supportsolution to match your business.​

Intangible assets typically make up more than 50% of the value of a modern business. In some sectors (for example, pharmaceuticals), that percentage is much higher. In general, IP forms the greater part of these assets; it is hardly surprising that purchasers of businesses and their assets should pay careful attention to the process of perfecting ownership of IP rights.

As with the transfer of ownership of real property, there is a significant difference between agreeing to transfer and the completion of formal change of ownership. The latter requires compliance with formal procedures across multiple jurisdictions and often with multiple authorities.

Advance preparation is crucial for any transfers of IP ownership. Yet, no matter how extensive IP due diligence has been, the recordal process rarely passes without hitch. Updating records is, in general, a time-consuming and often costly process, bound as it is by the cleanliness of the existing records and the vagaries of each jurisdiction’s recordal system. However, there are steps that companies can and should follow to smooth the process and minimise the demands on their internal resources. In the first of our in-depth looks at the recordal process, we set out the process that should be put in place before the sale is even completed.

Smoothing the completion process To ease the completion process, due diligence should include the following in relation to the IP assets being acquired:

• Exactly which entity is recorded as the owner of each right?
• What is the status?
• Are the rights in force?
• Are there licences in force and recorded against any rights?
• Are there charges or other interests recorded against any rights?
• Do the registered rights match those used in the business?
• Are there any unregistered rights?

Obtaining the answers to these questions in advance enables effective planning for the recording of changes of ownership.

Good housekeeping The extent to which companies are diligent in the registration and maintenance of IP and IP records varies. If the vendor has followed best practice, either as a matter of ongoing routine or in preparation for an asset sale, then this inevitably makes the recordal process easier to execute. When IP rights are in force, with a sensible ownership structure and up-to-date ownership details recorded, then this is very helpful.

If rights are not kept up-to-date then they are at risk in terms of validity and /or enforceability. This should come out during the due diligence process and may result in more complicated requirements for the post-completion recordals (as well as potentially impacting the sale process itself).

Obligations on the vendor It is usual for an agreement between parties to place an obligation on the vendor to assist the purchaser in taking all the necessary steps to record the change of ownership of IP rights. This generally includes a requirement to complete whatever documents are needed in order to meet the formal requirements of recording the change.

There should also be an obligation on the vendor to provide information relating to IP. This is particularly important when it comes to unregistered rights where creation and use are important factors in the ability to register or enforce rights post-completion.

The scope of the obligation on the vendor should be clear and broad enough to enable effective future protection of rights as well as enabling recordal of the change of ownership to happen without problem. Clearly, it is in the interests of the purchaser to have as long a duration of these obligations as possible. However, there will normally be a time limit and the purchaser needs to be mindful of this limit when planning the recordal process.

This is part 1 of our in-depth look at the IP assignment process. For further information, sign up to our bi-weekly IP newsletter.

It’s 1976; in a small disused railway warehouse in London, arguably one of the finest exports of the punk movement are being formed…..The Clash.

Both the Clash and the punk movement rapidly gain popularity and by 1982 mohicans and safety pins move out of the subculture and into the main stream. The song ‘Should I stay or should I go’ the band’s only number one single, is released and is sung not by lead vocalist Joe Strummer, but by guitarist Mick Jones and rumours about the song’s content surface, as it seems to pre-empt Mick’s exit from the band.

Upon Mick’s decision to exit, the Clash start a 4 year period of tension before eventually breaking up. The punk movement declines and the UK economy becomes uneasy, unemployment rises to a record 3 million, the miners’ strike is on the horizon and we start to emerge from a recession.

Fast forward 34 years, and we are in a not too dissimilar state of unease following the Brexit vote. Regardless of how you feel about Brexit, if/when we eventually leave the EU, it is difficult to predict how long the uncertainty will take to settle and what its effect on us socially, politically and economically will be.

What’s Happening Now

Being energy consultants, we are concerned with how Brexit/leaving the EU will affect the energy markets and more specifically how it will affect clients. The graph below shows how the price of energy changed in the lead up to and after Brexit.

A steady rise post Brexit, but on the run up, an even steeper one. You would probably expect to see this the other way around given the level of uncertainty, so what does that tell us? – the world has an in-built economic fear of the unknown when energy is concerned? A predictable allergic market reaction to instability? Or maybe it’s just not that big a deal? But, what we do know is there are more factors than just Brexit that have gone into this.

The £

The lower value of the £ means it is more expensive to import energy, impacting on our Wholesale costs. There is also uncertainty on what impact there will be on future investment, specifically raising concern over replacing lost generation and our plans beyond 2025. Short term supply appears healthy though.

Phew…

We currently have a positive supply situation in the UK for Gas and Electricity, Gas import availability is increasing and we have measures in place to secure Electricity for future demand.

…However.

We have also seen the shutdown of Rough until March / April 17, which is our largest Gas storage facility. Traditionally this is filled in the warmer months for use in the winter or when there are other supply issues. Although this is an added pressure to prices, the impact has not been as severe as it would have been, due to the increasing availability of LNG and imports from Europe.

The Future

There is a lot of emphasis on ‘the future’ in the energy industry. Suppliers and generators pay a lot of money for analysts to predict the future for them, so they can shape their future decisions. We don’t have a crystal ball but we do have an Indigo one. Here are our thoughts on what will affect prices moving forward.

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)

LNG is becoming more widely available and with a move away from using Coal for Electricity generation due to environmental concerns and the cheaper availability of Gas, other countries are building facilities to receive LNG, creating more demand.

This may impact on the UK as prices to secure LNG could go up with demand. We will be more reliant on LNG to replace closing Coal and Nuclear operations.

Leaving the EU

So far the UK has led the way in going beyond requirements in terms of carbon targets, but will Theresa May continue to support renewable energy and carbon targets? We have already seen delays with Hinkley Point C power station.

Physically, nothing is likely to change between us and Europe as we will still import and export Gas and Electricity, the politicians just need to make sure the mechanisms/policies remain in place to facilitate this as favourably as possible.

More legislation, more cost, more demand

We have seen considerable swings in what makes up our delivered Electricity bills as well as legislative requirements for companies to comply with. A growing proportion of bills are formed from levies, introduced to incentivise us to reduce consumption, to invest in small and large scale Renewable projects and also, to try and make sure we have enough generation to meet demand.

Uncertainty

Basically, there is a lot of uncertainty and it will continue with widely speculative tabloid headlines until legislation is put into place post exit. In terms of energy costs, we’ll just have to see how leaving the EU eventually trickles down to affect businesses, but as Mick Jones from the Clash once sang, “If I go there will be trouble, if I stay there will be double.” Let’s hope the economy mirrors his sentiment.

–

N.B. If you are a business in Norwich and want to know what 8 things you can do to make better decisions about your energy, we will be presenting a free workshop through the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce on the 11th of August, spaces are limited.

Sign up for Norfolk Chamber of Commerce Free Workshop – Peck Here Sign up to our Newsletter – Peck Here

Article originally from Indigo Swan website:indigoswan.co.uk/blog/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-now/

No matter what business you’re in, you should know broadly what you want that business to look like – your vision. To achieve that vision you’ll need to set some strategic objectives to get you there. You might, for example, need to drive more sales, improve customer service, or reduce lead time.

But what does ‘more’ or ‘better’ look like? And how do you know that you’re heading in the right direction?

You need targets to measure your performance against – key performance indicators, or KPI’s, in “business speak”. Sounds simple, but getting targets right is quite a skill.

You may have heard the acronym SMART. As acronyms go, it’s actually a really good one. It’s often applied to targets or objectives, and serves as a reminder that they should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. If you can cram all that into your target, you’ve got a good one that, if used correctly, will help drive your business in the right direction.

Using appropriate targets as part of a continuous business improvement plan actually works – I’ve seen it! What gets measured gets done. To move your business forward, you need to define the key measures that will drive the right behaviours. It’s a waste of time having aims for your business if you can’t measure actual performance delivery.

I help businesses identify where they need to focus their efforts to drive the growth they want. I helps them define their objectives and create the right targets to help them reap the rewards.

Things to remember when setting targets

I’d like to sharethree top tips to to remember when setting targets:

Firstly, you need to know you’re measuring the right things, not just things that are easy to measure.

Secondly, you need to communicate those targets so the right people know what they need to achieve.

Finally, your targets need to include just the right amount of ambition. Having something to aim for can be a real motivator. It’s OK to challenge staff with your targets, but ask too much of them and it’ll have the opposite effect.

Well-defined targets should form a really key part of your business plan. Written and implemented correctly, they’ll help you achieve your goals.If you need help setting the right targets to help your business grow,please doget in touch!

27th July 2016

Billy McInnes, of online publication Microscope, has taken a look at the problems that some organisations have had in engaging with G-Cloud and spoken to those both who have benefited and those that have not. In this well balanced article it is clear thatthere is no simple answer. What does become clear, however, is that those organisations that claim to have benefited from it are hardly small. Of those interviewed that sing its praises, one is a large corporation with a turnover of over £116 million and an even bigger American parent, one has a turnover of over £32 million, there are very few true smaller companies that are benefiting.

The UK Government defines an SME as a company with fewer than 250 employees and states that this accounts for over 99% of all businesses registered in the UK. This is how they claim it is successful for SMEs and is a large part of the problem. Interesting too, that two of the companies that have benefited most from previous G-Cloud iterations are both organisations that fit in the 1% of UK businesses that the Government’s own definition would describe as large.

The problems with G-Cloud continue to rumble on. Services from the latest iteration, G-Cloud 8, aredue to become available very soon. Will it be better? Will it enable more of the smaller companies to do business with the Public Sector as was originally stated? Only time will tell. In the meantime, read the full article in Microscopehere.

Confusion, dismay, concern, speculation, jubilation……whichever side of the fence you are on, the fact is there now lies ahead a period of adjustment, uncertainty and concern. Regardless of what business you are in, this could be a good time to consider your customers’ motivations and decision making landscape.

The one common denominator amongst all voters is a feeling of being disenfranchised with the current status quo. But whether it’s on a global scale, a national scale or a local neighbourhood scale, each voter had their own reasons for voting the way they did.

It’s done. The fallout will be long and protracted. It may impact every person in the United Kingdom financially and personally. But every person in the United Kingdom will still have to purchase bread, buy services, choose education and select adequate care for their elderly.

Our day to day routines and procedures will still exist but they may all become a little more intense in the short term. Customers will start making more informed decisions and taking careful steps to ensure their economic stability.

This is the perfect platform for you to create a deeper relationship with your customer and provide some welcome assurance that you will continue to honour your agreements or transactions with them.

We know that customer experience is destined to overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator this decade. With that in mind, creating a grounded and stable customer experience should take precedence now. Make it known that you value your customer and their views, whatever they may be. Every customer is different to you. In ‘Future Proof Your Business’ Patrick Dixon writes ‘seek out advice from experts, consultants, innovators – people who think very differently to you and others in your company’. Outsiders’ views will challenge your own views, allow you to step out of the bubble that is your own business which means you stay current and relevant. Your customers are valuable resources. Listen to them.

Of course, you will be considering the financial implications for your own business but your business is worthless without your customers. Take a step back and consider your customer journey. What are they seeking now?

We suggest there are a few things you should certainly NOT say to your customers this summer:

1. ‘You ticked WHICH box??????’ Keep your views to yourself. The easiest way to lose customers is to vocalize a view that does not match theirs.

2. ‘I don’t care about YOUR situation; our industry is unique.’ You do not stand alone and there will always be businesses in different situations to you. This is not the time to moan about how you may be more affected than most. There are winners and losers in every situation. Customers will be looking at how your handle your win or loss and what your strategies are going forward.

3. ‘Of course our pricing will change’. The UK is one of the largest and fastest growing economies in the world. This will not change overnight or this month or this year! Reassure your customer that nothing will change (even if you suspect you may have to make changes in the long-term, do not worry your customer needlessly).

4. ‘We’ve changed our warranty terms’. Any whiff of instability on your behalf will surely result in your customer seeking out other options. You should really be doing everything possible to make sure your customers feel secure and that their relationship with you is permanent and ongoing.

5. ‘I’m studying to become an immigration agent’. Even if you anticipate there will be a mass exodus to countries on distant continents, your customer will not thank you if you announce your intention to leave your current business and cash in on industries that may experience a boom. It is a pointless and futile exercise to predict worst case scenarios. Focus, instead, on opportunities that may be hidden within your own business.

6. ‘We’re all doomed.’ We know that approximately 70% of buying decisions are made based upon how a customer feels he or she is being treated (McKinsey). A depressed, financially insecure customer will not really be amenable to ‘the upsell’. There has never been a better time to make your customer feel loved.

This season, we have some beautiful fabrics in store at Norwich Sunblinds. Favourite fabrics include canvas and linen textured finishes from the iLiv range, which make any room look warm and plush.

The Clarke and Clarke Richmond range of embroidered materials also look absolutely stunning up at the window and are particularly good for living rooms and dining rooms. The Voyage range even includes threads in silvers, golds and beads. Neutral colours are also popular at the moment.

These fabrics all make perfect curtains or roman blinds.

If you are looking for sun control or privacy take a look at the innovative Vision blinds.

These blinds are unique in that they have two layers of material. One is a mesh and one is a solid material. You can control the blind so that you still see out, but it’s also giving you privacy or you can have it completely blocked in. Add in the choice to pull the blind completely up or completely down and you have lots of options for sun control.

There is a lovely range of fabrics to choose from. These stylish fabrics gently filter and soften daylight, which means that you control the light while maintaining the view.

Blackout blinds are also popular at the moment, and are particularly good for children’s bedrooms.

The range of fabrics is fantastic – plains, patterns, textures, lovely children’s designs and we also have a wide range of adult designs such as chenilles and shot silks, for that luxurious boutique hotel effect.

You can even choose a motorised option for your blind.

If you’re interested in blinds or curtains, why not pop in to see us at our shop in St Benedicts Street, or we’ll bring the blinds and samples along to you so that you can match them to your room and make sure that you have the perfect fit.

Call us on 01603 615945

Visit the website to book an appointment online: www.norwichsunblinds.co.uk

Visit our shop at 8 St Benedicts Street, Norwich, NR2 4AG