Business Tips, Leeds, RedRite

Top tips to Spring Clean your Paperwork

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In our third instalment of Spring Cleaning your business, we look at the paperwork side of things.

Not just physical but also the electronic side including emails.

 

A big thing that is becoming popular in offices, small and big, is having a virtual office only. This is the reduction of paper materials unless absolutely necessary. No more printing out of emails, no more printing out of signed documents and no more scraps of paper lying around. Not only does this de-clutter your space but it is good for the environment too. I know a few individuals who follow this, but others like me still enjoy scribbling notes in a note book.

If you want to completely remove all paper forms from your desk then consider getting either a system such as Dragon – where you dictate your notes directly on to your computer, or a graphics tablet to take notes instead.

 

Not ready to lose all the paper?

If like me you still use a few bits of paper, or still have a need to print documents off then here are some simple tips to follow to de-clutter the papers you do have.

 

Firstly, check the need for some of those papers. If you have any old client papers, such as their personal details from an order, or even an old order form GET RID. The Data Protection Act states that personal information must only be held for as long as it is needed. If you no longer need to know the address of a client from 3 years ago, you do not need that paper file.

 

If you want to keep a copy of any paper invoices, or order forms, then scan them into your laptop and save them in to a cloud storage facility (we will look at storing e-files in a minute). This way you still have a copy of transactions for your record, without the piles of paperwork associated.

 

The same for any notes you have taken associated with a client, find a couple of hours – or hire a VA – to type up all those handwritten notes and then file them electronically before recycling the papers.

 

A cheat I saw off a fellow VA once, and loved(!), was to have a notebook for each client. Or you could use a notebook per month/year etc and then type up all those notes once the note book is filled. It is a good way to keep track of all the notes, rather than lots of scraps of paper.

 

How to organise those e-files

Just because your files are on your PC does not mean they are organised. In fact, you may find it harder to find an e-file than to dig through a paper mountain. The following tips will help you get organised, and reduce time hunting around.

Most laptops are used for work and personal, a good way of separating the two is to create two accounts. A personal account and a work account, this makes it easier to avoid distractions and switch between the two uses for your laptop. It also helps organise your files a bit better.

Secondly create a folder for the following:

  • Each Client
  • Personal Admin – documents such as expenses, receipts, company registration paperwork etc
  • Important Documents – things such as copies of contract templates, client registration files, price cards, website back up files etc
  • Education – I will explain this one in a moment.

Then organise each of the files you hold in to the relevant folder. If you have a folder full of information for a client that is associated to one project then keep it together in the folder, and place that folder inside the client’s folder. It may seem like a lot of folders but this way everything is perfectly filed away and so easy to locate.

If you download a lot of images for work, create an Images folder either in the main Work document location or in each client folder (depending on the need of the image). This saves digging through your download file for something you downloaded months ago – just remember to move it as soon as you download it.

The education folder is for any files that in some way teach you something, whether they are a freebie from signing up to a newsletter, or notes from a webinar you have seen, or even a copy of a webinar you have seen. This way you have all those educational, development supporting files together.

As you organise your files, consider how important they are for you to keep. Have you accessed them in the last 6 months? Do they hold any important information, legal information? Is it the only copy, or are there several copies of the same information? This way you can cut down on the number of files you hold, and create more storage space.

On the Windows interface in File Explorer you will have a tab on the left-hand side called Quick Access. This is where you want to add a shortcut to your work folders. I have my top client’s I access on a regular basis and my Important Documents folder. When I open File Explorer I just click there and saves me having to go into documents, then in to where the files are saved… Saves so much clicking and time waiting for things to load.

 

What about Email?

The e-filing method can be used for your emails as well. Create a folder for each client/project and create a rule in your inbox that will automatically send the emails to these folders without you having to touch them. They will then keep all necessary emails together and save having to dig through your inbox if any is needed.

If you have a lot of subscriptions, go through each of them and remove yourself from any subscriptions you have not accessed within the past 6-8 weeks – if you haven’t looked at them at least once a week you are not interested and they are filling up space. Make sure your spam settings are set to high to avoid your inbox being filled with random sales emails and advertising stuff you have no interest in – any slip through just select either label as spam or unsubscribe. I helped a client with this recently and he went from receiving over 500 emails a day to 200 emails a day! He can now see what is important, and what can wait a few days. I also advised him if it was of no interest to just delete, rather than keep it hanging around his inbox (he has had to increase his inbox capacity several times, so trying to cut back now).

Get in to the habit of flagging emails that require your attention, yet you might not be able to provide when they arrive. For example, I receive my emails to my phone but I cannot always sit and read them. So, I flag them and in the evening when I sit to do admin I go back to the flagged emails and deal with them. You can also leave them unread, that way just filter by unread emails and keep them unread until dealt with. It is easier to manage your time replying to emails if you sit and do it at once rather than every few minutes during the day.

If you need a little help organising your files, and emails, then do not hesitate to get in touch. I will sit with you and assist you every step of the way to cut down on the noise that prevents you from easily accessing what you need. Just book a coffee with me today 😊

Put a spring in your Business, RedRite, Leeds

Put a spring in your online presence with these simple steps

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As Spring makes it’s presence even more known, we look at spring cleaning your online presence. Part two of our Spring Clean Series.

In my last blog post we looked at running a business audit in order to spring clean your business. I would love to hear your feedback on that, because now we are going to look at spring cleaning your online presence.

I have recently looked at the importance of being online (Visit the blog post here) but this time we will be looking at how to be consistent online with your brand, and the benefits.

There are 3.773 billion internet users, and 2.789 billion of those users are active on social media in 2016 and out of those internet users 1.61 billion sales were made online in 2016. Accessing this audience, and becoming recognisable is important to start making those sales and achieving your financial goals.

So how can you be consistent online?

1.       Imagery

Apply your logo to any imagery you use. It does not have to be big and bold, as long as it is clear and recognisable. Software such as Canva, or Photoshop, can assist you in placing your logo on any imagery you use. You can have variations of your logo such as a vertical logo, square logo without writing, or a horizontal logo to fit within the different marketing materials, as long as the logo is the same content.

If you haven’t already, select a collection of colours that ties in with your brand and use them on your website, in your logo and even in your imagery. For example for RedRite, red is the prominent colour which I try to use in my logo, and in the floral images I use by selecting red/pink flowers.

Talking about images, make sure the ones you use relate to your business. If you sell clothing, and use images of individuals wearing the clothes, or clothes flat lays, then keep it consistent and use the same type of images on social media and adverts.

 

2.       Content and tone

Different social media platforms do require different approaches on tone, such as professional on LinkedIn and chatty on Facebook. However, you can still keep the message of your business consistent. Think of a singer, whether they are singing a ballad or something more upbeat their voice is recognisable by their audience – this is what you want. Keep the language the same, just apply small tweaks to the tone in order to match your business. If you brand is happy go lucky yet using LinkedIn as a platform, you can keep your posts light-hearted while still being professional.

Keep your business name the same – seems silly but I don’t just mean your actual business name but also the usernames you use. When setting up a social media account check that the username you use on other profiles is the same. If it is not available do not pick something off topic, just insert a ‘_’ instead or ‘-‘. This keeps it as consistent as possible.

Content is not just the words you use but also the font you use for those words. On social media you are of course limited to the fonts of the platform. However, for your website and marketing materials, eve your logo, it is possible to mix up the fonts you use. Select 2-3 font families that you can use throughout all platforms. If you use a decorative font in your logo then, select third less decorative font that compliments it for use in written content.

A big question I see a lot online is whether or not to have the same posts posted to different platforms at the same time. The answers are always mixed, my opinion is that to be consistent you need to share the same content throughout all your platforms, not necessarily allposted at the same time in the same way but yes you need to post the same things. Use the same imagery but change the tone of the message to match the platform, such as Twitter – make it sharp and witty but to match the same message you have expanded on in Facebook.

 

So what now?

If your imagery and content is not on brand then start to make the changes to match them up. If needed hire a designer to create your perfect logo in various formats so it can be used in all the ways you need.

 

Create your brand colour board, with related image themes you wish to use, add the font families you want to the board as well. Then keep this file somewhere safe so you can relate back to it whenever you feel you are losing focus.

 

The benefits won’t be noticed overnight but the longer you stick with consistency the more your audience will start to recognise your brand and therefore take notice when they see you online.

 

If you need help taking these first steps I offer a 1 hour free consultation where we can go over what you currently have in place and how to change it. Email me to day to book in your consultation.  

Record Keeping, Business, RedRite, Leeds, Virtual Assistant

Record keeping – why it is important

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Record keeping is a vital task for any business but why?

For the past two years I have been dealing with a utility company whose administrative and financial record keeping leaves major room for improvement. It all started with a request to update serial numbers, a simple process of updating a database through a step by step process. It should have taken no more than 6 months, however it took nearly 18 months of monthly phone calls and complaints before I called in a governing body to handle it for me.

On several occasions I provide the same details over and over again including the address I reside at, opening usage readings and the current readings. The first attempt they blamed new software being the cause for delay. Second attempt they claimed the previous attempt had actually been done on my previous address and therefore needed to be reversed and done again. Third attempt they had reversed the last attempted and then successfully changed the serial number to have a member of staff then put a request through to cancel it on my behalf (trust me I never asked for it to be cancelled).

It took months of the governing body being involved before someone was able to successfully change the serial number and provide an accurate bill. At this point I had had enough and switched provider thinking that a final bill would be issued and my problems would end. Boy was I wrong! I was sent several final bills each with different financial figures, different dates and even debt collectors claiming I owed nearly £500 for one month’s usage! So once again requested the support of the governing body. Today I received notification that my problems are at an end, a correct statement was provided and analysed to calculate a final accurate bill which I have now paid and wished them good bye.

It had me thinking about the lack of organisation and the issues they must have between departments. I am always advising people to record everything, no matter how little, so if something was to happen they had information to help them. In this case I had made note of every phone call I had made, all the details I had provided and due to this was able to show a very clear picture of my utility usage, while the figures provided by the supplier seemed to change with each invoice, as well as the requests I had put to them. When requesting what the previous notes stated on my account some where missing and at times not even my phone calls where recorded which is a big no-no for businesses. 

RedRite Record Keeping

It is essential to keep clear concise notes on all your accounts – both clients and suppliers. After every phone call send an email covering the points made in the call to the caller and even keep a record in a CRM system or a database of some kind. An accurate billing system which tracks every income, every expense, even refunds means you are never financially caught out. It can also provide you a clearer view on where your business stands. Use an app or diary to record when you need to make a call, or as a reminder that something needs doing – even keeping notes on social media posts you want to send.

All of this can seem like additional stress and work but in the long term can save you such a headache. If I hadn’t kept record of communication between myself and the utility company, they could easily have fobbed me off. It also helps when dealing with my clients as sometimes they may mention something offhanded which I can use that to improve the services I offer to them; find them a connection they might not realise they needed or even get an idea as to the type of person they are to create a much more personal service.

I have several apps and software systems – particularly cloud based systems – that I suggest to my clients, if you are interested I will be more than happy to share. Send me a quick email with your business, the type of information you wish to record and I will have a nosey through my index.

I would love to hear if anyone else has had an experience such as mine, an experience that has had you questioning the administrative practises of a business. It doesn’t have to be a big business or a corporation we all know. So get sharing!

Contracts, RedRite, Leeds, Virtual Assistant

The importance of Contracts!

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Contracts – what can seem a pain to put together can save you time and money in the future.

Recently RedRite have had a handful of our associates and colleagues ask about our stance on contracts and the importance they hold for small businesses, particularly ones who provide a service. We believe that no terms of service should start without a sign agreement and Terms & Conditions – Personally we require all clients to sign a ‘Sign Up’ sheet accompanied with the Terms and Conditions before we will do any work for them. This way we are protected in case they choose not to pay and the client is protected if we do not provide the work promised.

I cannot count the number of times someone has said to me ‘So-and-So client has not paid and now won’t return calls or emails. I am now out of x-amount of money’ when asked if they had a contract the typical answer is no! They fear that they have no standing in court because of this lack of a contract, however this is not necessarily true but matters are easier if there is a contract in place.

Why is a contract important?

Contracts provide a written document that outlines the full understanding of the business relationship and scope of the work so that no one can claim any misunderstandings later down the road. Contracts can minimise the risk involved in business and are legally enforceable. They should stipulate how and when you get paid, what needs to trigger that payment, and what recourses you have if the client stiffs you.

On our contract we do not stipulate exactly which service is being provided as we offer a variety of Virtual Assistant services and our clients’ needs are constantly changing, however this is a personal choice and your contracts can be written how you feel comfortable. We do provide all clients with an email that covers what services they are initially interested in as well as the cost for this in which they then must accept. If at any time they choose to change their services in any shape then we will again follow this up with an email requesting acceptance of the services. Their responding acceptance of the emails are then filed with the contracts for future reference in case a client ‘forgets’ what it is they agreed to.

What should a contract include?

A typical contract requires both party’s names, contact addresses and numbers – we include email addresses as well – and the starting date. An ending date is not necessarily needed unless there is a time frame on the period in which the services will be provided. If you wish to specify exactly which services the contract covers then they need to be clearly stated also. A copy of a legally correct Terms and Conditions must accompany it so the client is aware of exactly what they are agreeing to. You do not need a lawyer to write up Terms and Conditions, many versions are available online as long as they apply to your business and the different clauses do not contradict each other (this can make a contract invalid). If there is some terms you and the client agree on outside of your standard contract these need to be included as well and initialled by both parties.

If you are handling customer data there must be a Data Protection clause included (You can register with the Information Commissioners Office to provide additional confidence within your business – As long as you abide by the laws). We highly stress including a termination clause as well which will include any notice periods, termination fees and anything else that you would like to happen when a client or yourself choose to terminate the contract – this is something you do not realise is necessary until too late.

Contact us today if you need help with your contracts.

 

Buy Yorkshire, Jessica Zeun, RedRite, Leeds, Virtual Assistant

Jessica Zeun – Digital Marketing at #BuyYorkshire

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Jessica Zeun – Vodafone – Digital Marketing for Small Business

My first seminar of the day at the #BuyYorkshire Conference was looking at digital marketing and the impacts it has on small businesses in particular hosted by Jessica Zeun on behalf of Vodafone. Jessica Zeun is the managing director of Zeun Digital Ltd, she has worked with digital marketing and computers, even teaching as a lecturer for Sheffield Hallam University, since 2006. I was lucky enough to partake in her talk at #BuyYorkshire and took away some interesting facts I had not considered or were aware of beforehand.

Firstly Jessica introduced us to some very interesting facts about the access methods for the internet and the volume of usage within the UK including the following information (sourced from SocialFresh.com/Future)

There are currently:

  • 57.3 Million Active internet users.
  • 38 Million active social media accounts
  • 74.8 Million mobile connections
  • 32 Million Active mobile social media accounts – social media accounts that are accessed on our mobiles.

She also showed us the below image which highlights the percentage of users currently Social Media Marketing

Jessica Zeun spoke passionately about the developing 4th revolution known as the Digital age where Millennials will be the driving force for social media and digital marketing. Millennials are those individuals born between early 1980s to around 2000, many the freshest faces in the workforce and just entering in to the workforce. Millennials have grown up with the developments of the internet and therefore far more comfortable with the uses than those in previous generations are.

What is the 4th Revolution?

The 4th revolution is the generation of data and customer service where marketers need to be asking questions such as Who are the customers? What do those customers like? And more importantly what problems need solving? What could your competitors do that could ruin you – could they offer a more advanced service to even just a more reliable service than yourself? Asking these kind of questions and adapting a company’s product or service to fit offers a more substantial chance at success. For example companies such as Blockbuster who ended up going bust in the early 2000’s due to their lack of interest to develop with the times and stay stuck offering physical rentals while everyone else was moving to download rentals.

Other questions that can be asked is whether your current social media and web presence could be improved for better customer experience and functionality, even making it mobile accessible – 50% – 80% of traffic for mobiles and websites are through mobile applications. Those accessing social media and websites through their mobiles are accessing up to 150 times a day with 68% of people checking within 15 minutes of waking up. An astonishing 82% of buyers consult their phones while out purchasing items to look for better priced items elsewhere, or may even find a company with a better reputation in which to purchase it from. More astonishing is that 91% of mobile users access their phones mid-task for just a few minutes at a time. Therefore it is essential to be Be There – Be Useful – Be Quick.

So should I change my current marketing strategy?

Adapting your marketing to get in front of this audience would benefit your business significantly. Having a relevant and useful website, or even an app, can result in 1 in 3 people choosing your brand over their original intended store. 40% of those shoppers however will leave a website within 3 seconds if it is not clear or easily navigational, the action in which you want them to take must be easily understood. Jessica mentioned the Zero Moment of Truth, (More about ZMOT can be found on google – https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/collections/zero-moment-truth.html) which looked at the introduction of online research to fulfil a need or a desire where in previous generations people would automatically go to associated businesses for a product – I.E. B&Q for garden and building materials or Mothercare for Baby goods. So get your website tested by friends and family, or even random people from social media to assure it is both clear and navigational.

ZMOT Model - Digital Marketing

Figure 1 – Zero Moment of Truth model.

If you have a functional and clear to understand website/social media presence then you need to get advertised, Jessica highlighted several different types of advertising including:

Paid Content

  • Pay Per Clicks
  • Banner Ads
  • Affiliate programs

Owned Content

  • Website and Social Media content
  • Videos
  • Blogs

Earned Content

  • Editorials
  • Bloggers talking about you
  • Word of Mouth
  • Social Shares
  • Advertorial – One of the best ways to advertise and be seen

On top of these there are also paid guest blog posts, boosted posts and apps. It is vital though that once you have a marketing strategy in place you measure it and are aware of what is and is not working. All while making sure your website is core to your strategy as it is your own platform and you control all content, functions and the way it looks unlike on social media platforms. Always monitor regularly and respond to every interaction. Collect information and learn more about your audience so you can target marketing far easier and finally generate active content – do not just sell but interact, provide sharable content and appear approachable within your posts.

For more information on Marketing why not follow Jessica on LinkedIn – Zeun Digital

And also follow us – www.LinkedIn.com/in/RedRite-uk

Mailchimp Guise, RedRite, Leeds, Virtual Assistant

MailChimp Pop Up Forms – How To

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How to set up Pop-Up Sign Up forms using Mailchimp

Social media can only do so much to bring in customers, but keeping them attentive to your business is even more essential. This can be done by creating mailing lists and keeping people up to date with special offers and the goings on within your business. Creating a mailing list takes time and patience as well as some nifty sign up forms. In this help sheet we look at making a pop up form through MailChimp that can be placed on your website every time someone visits your webpage.

Step 1   

Log in to your MailChimp account and select Lists across the top

Step 2 Select a list that you wish to create a sign up form for, if you do not have one then you need to create one. (Please ask for the help sheet for this)

Step 3

Select Sign up forms from the options given and then select which type of sign up form you require. We will be looking at the pop up sign up form so please select this one.

Step 4

Now you get the MailChimp design screen as seen below. You get four choices when creating a pop up form – Just text, text and a top banner, text and a right picture or text and a left picture. You can also change the font style and colour, Button text, colour and layout as well as the ‘X’ close button in the corner.

Step 5

You can add fields such as First Name and Last Name using the Fields tab at the top.

Add a picture and any additional text using the Content Tab.

Settings tab allows you to decide how long a person needs to be on your page before the sign up form pops up and how wide the form needs to be. Always preview the form as you make changes to make sure it fits your preferences – This is done by clicking on Pop Up Preview in the top right corner, just click the ‘X’ in the corner to close this down, hitting the back button takes you back to MailChimp’s Sign Up form page not your designing page.

Step 6

Once satisfied with your form, click generate code. This will then provide you with a pop up filled with text – HTML coding to be precise. Copy and paste the text.

Step 7

Access your WordPress site, and select either your main page or a post in which you want the sign up form to appear on. On the editor screen select the text tab at the right top corner of the text box. At the bottom of the text box paste the code you copied earlier from MailChimp. Save/update the page/post and view it. Now after the designated time you should see your sign up form pop up.

If you have any issues with these instructions or with MailChimp and WordPress do get in touch and I will be more than happy to help. If you want more tips an help sheets sent straight to your inbox why not sign up to your Mailing list?

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RedRite UK – Virtual Assistant Leeds

Research, importance of research, RedRite, Virtual Assistant, Leeds

Research – How important is it?

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Research seems to have filled every spare moment this April, but how important is it?

What a busy start to the month I have had so far, with Easter holidays, birthdays and plenty of interest from people I feel like the year may have finally truly begun for RedRite and hope the shower of interest this April will help my business bloom like the flowers of May.

One of the biggest services I have had an interest in this month is research. I have had clients who are looking to expand their connections and need help researching suitable individuals and businesses to contact. Clients who are interested in a particular app but want the full story and alternatives before making the final decision, and clients who need a little help coming up with blog content. All different types of research but each just as important as each other to the recipients.

According to Wikipedia “Research comprises creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of humans, culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications. It is used to establish or confirm facts, reaffirm the results of previous work, solve new or existing problems…”

Research can come in a variety of forms, even watching the evening news can alert you to so much information that you can put to use, or converse with others about and expand your knowledge more. With so many access points to use when researching the amount of content out there is phenomenal, and finding what is relevant to you and what is not can be a tricky task. In my recent University studies I have been looking at information management and it is intriguing how the theories taught in the book can give insight to the way we research.

Every action of research starts with the need to obtain knowledge and to find it first a person needs to investigate the data available to them. For example you want to obtain knowledge regarding new technologies for your business. You can do a Google search for new technologies and those results are your data. This data then becomes what is known as capta (the process of Capturing Data) when you go ahead and click on several of the search results to investigate further. The data provided on each of those web pages are turned in to information because you are taking on board the data in front of you, making an opinion regarding it and placing in to context – the use the technology may have for your business. Once the information is applied in theory to its possible impact on your business you then hold the knowledge of new technologies for your business.

Research can be a time consuming aspect of everyday life in a business and sometimes not everyone has the additional time it takes to find the information they need to make an informed decision. Many apps and businesses obtain business purely because they are suggested to them or they happen to catch a fancy looking advert, when in reality there could be something far more suited to their needs out there. Unfortunately freedom of time makes the decision for a business owner in these situations rather than financial aspects or easier usability aspects and in the long term may end up costing the business more time and money.

Save a few quid by hiring someone to do the research for you. All it will take is to read over a well-structured document listing pros and cons of each app, the ease in which each app would fit with your company and any other information you require. We at RedRite would be more than happy to help.

Government budget 2016, RedRite, Leeds

Government released Budget 2016. How does it affect you?

by with No Comment ArticlesBlogs

Last week saw the new Budget announced by the government and with it comes a lot of changes that could seriously benefit people with in business.

No matter what industry you are, employees or just you, the changes could mean a big difference with such things as tax changes, threshold increases and even the end of Class 2 National Insurance contributions. We have looked through the Budget and picked a few of, what we feel are, the most imperative changes to small businesses.

Lower Taxes for working people

  • The Government have chosen to increase the current personal allowance to £12,500 and the higher rate threshold to £50,000 by the end of this parliament. Starting with increasing the personal allowance in 2017-2018 to £11,500, higher rate to £43,000 by April this year and then £45,000 by 2017-18.
  • This means that the average employee on National Minimum Wage working 30 hours a week will not have to pay income tax in 2017-18 and there will be 585,000 fewer higher rate tax payers since the start of this parliament.

Soft drinks levy to benefit schools PE curriculum

  • An unusual one in relation to business but the government plan to introduce a levy on soft drink producers and importers, the funds raised will then be distributed in to the school system by providing up to £320 million per year from 2017 to help schools support healthier and more active lifestyles. Up to £285 million a year provided to 25% of secondary schools to increase the school day in order to include a wider range of activities including more sport. Finally £10 million per year to expand breakfast clubs in up to 1,600 schools starting September 2017 to ensure pupils are receiving a nutritious breakfast. If you happen to run sports programmes or wrap around care for schools this may be of interest to you, offering you an added avenue in which to market your services.

Apprenticeships

  • The government announced in the Autumn Budget 2015 an introduction of an apprenticeship levy. This has once again been mentioned in the Budget 2016, with employers receiving a 10% top up of their monthly levy contributions in England which will be available for them to spend on apprenticeships training through their digital account. Further details on the operating model will be realised in April with details on the funding rates published in June.

Employment Reforms

  • The government are seeking advice from an external independent stakeholder group and will offer new peer and specialist support for those suffering from mental health conditions and young disabled people to help them get in to work. A White Paper will be issued later this year with more details on the roles to be played by Health, care and welfare sectors in this reform.
  • Although there has been increase in women returning to work after having children there is still 90% of women who haven’t due to caring for family or children and 1 million who want to work but cannot due to these situations. The government intend to launch a consultation in May 2016 on how to implement its commitment to extend Shared Parental Leave and Pay to working grandparents, with hopes to streamline the system and simplify the eligibility requirements, with intentions of using digital technology.
  • From Early 2017, the government will introduce Tax-Free Childcare to help working parents with the cost of childcare. Allowing more parents the ability to go back to work when they are ready and increase the number of hours they can possibly work. It will be rolled out with younger children enrolled in to the scheme first with all eligible parents brought in by the end of 2017. This will sit alongside the existing scheme Employer-Supported Childcare until it closes in April 2018 to support the transition between the schemes. It will also sit alongside the doubling the childcare entitlement from 15 – 30 hours for working families with 3 and 4 year olds from September 2017.

High wage Society

  • The mandatory National Living Wage will come in to effect 1 April 2016 at £7.20 for workers aged 25 and above. There are hopes that the National Living Wage of 60% of median earnings will reach around £9 in 2020.
  • The National Minimum Wage for 21 to 24 year olds will be £6.95 from October 2016. Other rates will increase accordingly

Goverment Budget

Tax System changes

  • The government are hoping for lower taxes for everyone by aligning tax treatments and imbalances.
  • Up until now employer-provided benefits are taxed more favourably than cash salaries and the self-employed pay lower taxes. The measures in Budget 2016 will aim to treat different forms of income in a similar way to fund a fairer more sustainable tax system for everyone.
  • The Government is considering limiting the range of benefits that attract income tax and NICs advantages when provided as part of a salary sacrificing scheme. However pension saving, childcare and healthcare benefits will continue to benefit from relief when provided through salary sacrifice arrangements.

These are just some of the changes proposed for working people. Come back next week when we have a look at the changes the government hope to implement to support businesses, enterprises and the self-employed.

For more help understanding what these budget changes could mean for you and your business, or want tips on how to take advantage of them please get in touch with us by clicking here.

Personal note from RedRite, Leeds

On a Personal Note This Month…

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How have you been this month? Can you believe it is nearly Easter?

Where has the month gone? After our last post I have just not stopped, with so much going on in the business and personal life it seems the month has gone in a blink of the eye and suddenly Easter is peaking over the hill.

The end of February saw me preparing for some time off and checking the record keeping of many clients and friends who were unsure whether they were safe from the changes of Working Tax Credits. The beginning of March saw me take a few days off to have surgery – a small procedure on my knee to help relieve some persistent pain I have been suffering with for some months now – then diving head first in to a large data project for one of our most exotic clients so far, a lovely fashion house in Malaysia. This month has also seen the introduction of several other businesses to our network including an accountants firm based in Wakefield, AFor Accountants, I am starting to focus more on businesses who want and need a little extra help getting themselves organised for the next financial year. Making sure record keeping is straight forward, simple and exactly what each business needs to keep them running smoothly no matter the industry or their budget.

Not just a busy month in business but on a personal front too. With 3 kids in a dance show and needing costumes, several school projects that all required time to create, my surgery and university assignments to improve the skill set I can offer my clients I do not think I have sat still for long at all this month.

It would be lovely to hear what you have all been up to. So please comment below or contact us on our Facebook page

Email Marketing Campaigns, Newsletters, RedRite, Leeds

Newsletter… For your business or not?

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You have Social Media accounts, you have a website, business cards and the odd ad lying around the market but what about other continuous engagement with those that have shown an interest in your company?

How about a newsletter?

Nearly every organisation has a regular email that goes out to their consumers, potential and current. For example companies like Wowcher and Groupon send emails to their subscribers filled with current offers available, while Amazon and EBay send out emails with items related to your last purchase. Your newsletter does not even have to be a campaign to push products or services on to people, they can also be used to keep people up to date with information, like service providers who let subscribers know of changes in the services or macro forces that may impact on their businesses such as changes in tax laws.

Another form of newsletter is the ‘Hi how are you’ one. Authors particularly use this form of newsletter to keep their readers abreast of the goings on in the editorial process of writing a book. One of our favourite authors Vanessa Kier sends out emails with a sample piece of the writings she is currently working on as well as a little update as what is going on in her life. Keeping them personal yet professional at the same time makes the subscribers feel a part of her world. Her most recent newsletter even has a poll running looking for a name for one of the characters in her newest book with a promise of being mentioned in the acknowledgement – A good way to engage her subscribers.

Have you ever considered a newsletter for your business yet thought it would not fit with your industry? Then guess again!

Even a simple newsletter saying ‘hi’ once a month or even quarterly can remind your subscribers that you are still around, while bringing your business to the front of their minds regularly. We do not guarantee it will bring in a rush of new business but it allows the memory of your business, and who you are, to stay fresh for a time when your services/products are needed. With the use of engaging and eye catching themes, and content that makes your subscribers feel a part of your world yet still gets your message across, a newsletter campaign can be one of the simplest methods of communication between you and your customers, potential and current. A subscriber tab on your Facebook page, a link on other social media accounts and even on your website are all methods to slowly build up your subscribers list.

We currently work with Make-up artists, nutritionists and even a knitter to engage with their customers and let them know what is happening in their world, keeping them abreast not just about their services/products but also just to say ‘hey there, we are still here if you need us’.

Not have time or know where to start, then let us get it sorted for you. RedRite will work with you to design a Mail Chimp template that suits you and your business, guide you in regards to the content and can even create the content for you. We import your contacts and get your newsletter out there. A week after each newsletter goes out we will report on the open rate stats.

Get in touch for more information today!!