New Year New Goals, RedRite, Business, Leeds

New Year, New goals not resolutions

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A New Year means a new goal for your business. These are some simple tips to set yours this year.

Where did the last year go? It seems not too long ago I was writing a post welcoming you in to 2016 yet here we are in the first month of 2017 thinking about the year ahead.

With the new year many of us will be coming up with new year’s resolutions, linked to either our personal lives or to our business. It is a guarantee however that we will lose our focus on that resolution and will either resort back to previous behaviours or lose the motivation to continue. That is why we shouldn’t set resolution. Instead we should be making new year goals.

Goals give us something to aim for and just the world goal creates a much stronger need to achieve it compared to a resolution. The English dictionary states a resolution as ‘a firm decision to do or not do something’ where as a goal is ‘the object of a person’s ambition, an aim’. Giving ourselves a clear goal creates the ambition in us to achieve it, while keeping us on track.

So how do we pick a goal?

A goal is anything you want to achieve in your business. From taking on so many new clients in the year, to a certain number of sales maybe it is just to organise your in-house systems to become better efficient. Make your goal as specific as possible, it will be easier for you to come up with a plan to achieve your goal.

Think good and hard about what it is you want to achieve more than anything in your business then create an amazing graphic with it in writing. Print it and place it in sight of your work place, next to your bed and even on your fridge. This way you will never lose sight of your goal, literally! Also, understand you reason for wanting to achieve that goal. No point saying you want to improve your in-house systems if you do not have the benefit to you and your business at the fore front of your mind. You are more likely to lose focus if you cannot see the benefit of the end result.

 

Goal Setting 2017 Virtual Assistant
My goal this year

How do I start achieving my goal?

Once you have your goal everywhere you can see it and believe in it you need to start working on how to achieve it. The simplest way is to research the necessary tools needed to achieve those goals. If unsure ask in Facebook groups, or business owners in the same industry. With the right tools and knowledge on how to achieve your goal you can then break it down in to the sub goals.

These sub goals should be manageable goals that focus on a particular aspect of your main goal. For example, if you wish to monetise your blog a sub goal could be to enrol in a course to learn how, or to join an affiliate programme.

It is then like a ball rolling down a hill, the more you achieve towards your goal the more momentum you have to fulfil it.

Focus on those sub-goals

Keep your list of sub goals near your working area and celebrate each one that you have achieved, you will deserve it. Think of them as mile-stones. Every quarter re-evaluate what you have accomplished and what you still need to do, it may be that you have found a more suitable tool, or learnt something new that will make achieving your goal easier. If you find your business may have changed direction and therefore so has your goal, adjust your sub goals list and continue on with your new plan.

Achieved or not, celebrate!

At the end of the year no matter whether you have achieved your goal or not, celebrate the fact your business has grown in the last 12 months. Analyse what you did and didn’t accomplish, then use what you have learnt to start setting the goals for the next year.

 

If you want an accountability partner or some help setting those goals, join my 2017 goal setting post on my Facebook Page and lets get your business growing!

 

Merry Christmas, RedRite, Leeds, Virtual Administration

Merry Christmas, from RedRite UK

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Merry Christmas to all you lovely readers, and clients.

This year has flown by with so many new activities and so many new faces, it has been an absolutely amazing year.

There have been a few changes to RedRite with a tweak in the branding, updated services and changes to my own admin practises to make things easier for both myself and my clients. If I have helped you this year I would love to hear your opinion on the service received.

My goals for 2017 is to provide regular blogs covering business topics – so if you have anything you want the answer to just get in touch and I will happily put something together. A second goal is to implement some basic training on services such a WordPress, MailChimp, Facebook and Twitter, to help you understand better how they work and what you need to do to make hem successful. So far I have had a few beta tests on the WordPress tutorials who have found them very helpful. I am so excited to get them all up and running so I can share them with you.

Although there is still a few weeks until Christmas itself I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and hope you are taking some time off this year. I will be shutting RedRite’s doors from Christmas Eve through to the 2nd January. I will be available by email however the length of time it will take to reply will be extended as I hope to spend a few days disconnected.

I look forward to seeing you all again in the New Year 🙂 Why not join me on social media to see what I am getting up to in the build up to Christmas.

Facebook    &    Twitter
See you soon!!

Time Management, Virtual Assistant, RedRite, Leeds

Time – The one thing your business needs!

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The top tip you can learn for your business comes from a single drop of water!

Have you ever been caving? I have and get totally transfixed every time too think that something as gentle as water can create such large caverns under the ground. Our tour guide when we went to Ingleborough Cave, Skipton explained to us (me and my eldest daughter) how it can take thousands of years for the water to slowly but persistently work its way through the cracks in the rock levels before the pressure causes the layers to break up enough to create the caverns people explore through today. It also takes thousands of years for the drops of water and calcium to create the stalactites and stalagmites formations that add to the views inside these caverns. The beauty left behind can be breath taking and humbling at the same time, to see something so basic yet beautifully made by nature. We were lucky enough to be in a cave with so much documented history and could see exactly how the cave had changed in just 100 years, which was not much even though water still flows through and occasionally floods.

You are probably wondering why I am talking about caving and what it has to do with business but you will see. When the guide explained the time it takes for a small drop of water to wiggle its way down in order for more water to follow and great this amazing caverns it got me thinking. Many people are trying to make millions in weeks and expect it all to just happen instantly when they click the start button, however it is not true.

Just like that little drop of water it takes time for small actions in your business to build in to bigger and better things. Those minutes you sit putting together posts for social media and blogs, those graphics you created and stressed over just to advertise a new product, even all those emails you sent time after time with no replies. They are those drops of water slowly edging their way in to the cracks of the business world. Right now they seem small and insignificant to your business, mostly when they seem to bring very little return for the time and effort put in. Nevertheless, each tiny step you take in your business is pushing your business one small drop at a time to the biggest cavern of success you could ever imagine.

‘Many businesses are known to fail within the first 3 years’ and not always because they are not a viable business but because the owners suffer burnout over the small steps. So do not let those small steps burn out your passion for your business. Do not give up those little steps, take even more of them and celebrate each time you come across a large crack in the ‘limestone’ that is the fight to success. Celebrating each small step makes the step even more significant and therefore can increase your motivation to continue taking those small steps.

Things will take time but they will happen.

Virtual Assistant, People Buy People, RedRite, Leeds

People buy People – Be Nice!

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Majority of sales talks you will go to will teach you that ‘people buy people’ and therefore you must work on your interactions with people and the way you represent yourself.

But it is not just how you present yourself just to potential customer but also how you interact with other business owners, competitor or not.

I recently commented on a public post requesting rough idea of prices for a website. For me web design is a secondary income and therefore I do not charge the full amount many other web designs do charge, and I do not include the additional services such as a custom-made theme, logo design or any other such additional services. I literally help business owners create a basic website presence for search engines at a price that many start-ups can afford. This however resulted in not just myself but other low priced offers being ‘told off’. There was another designer who felt we were insulting her, upsetting the designing community and making it hard for her to create a living. I politely retracted my offer and apologised to her, stressing that I offered my price for personal reasons and not to insult her or others.

At this point many people would have left it be or even just accepted my apology… not this lady. She continued to go on about how rubbish work is from those that offer low fees, how she would end up having to fix the mess made by subpar work and how even though it was not my intention it is what I was doing anyway. I was supported by others in that the prices we charge is our own personal choice and not to insult others, yet it did not satisfy this individual. For me as the consumer it would personally put me off to see someone, who is part of a supportive network of people, insulting other business owners and even after being apologised to continue ‘telling them off’ for their choice in pricing.

I would love to hear your opinions; would it leave a bad taste in your mouth if you saw someone insulting other business owners just because they have a different pricing structure to them?

people buy people, business support

I fully understand that for a working relationship to work you need to feel you can trust each other, that you get along and your personalities don’t ‘rub each other the wrong way’. This is why if, after an initial conversation, I feel I cannot comfortably and successfully assist someone I will suggest someone else I feel they will work with better. Some business owners, especially those starting out, cannot afford expensive outlay and will want a cheaper option. Others will have money to spare and happy to invest in more expensive services. For this purpose, there is a spread in cost for services it all depends on a business owner’s personal choice on what they charge, and to be insulting them over their choice is not good practise.

So remember it is not just your consumer audience that you need to sell yourself to but to other businesses too. If a business owner sees you being polite, helpful and just generally nice to other people, even if they haven’t experienced your services they are more likely to suggest you as a possible referral for a project then they are if you are sat insulting other business owners, and putting them down, no matter how great your services are.

I love referring business to other people and always keeping an eye out for new businesses to refer, either to my clients or to individuals in the groups I am a part of. So, I take note of interactions not just with possible consumers but with other business owners as well, something I am sure a lot of others do too.

Something I was taught as a kid was – If you have nothing nice to say don’t say anything – and to this day I do believe it. If you don’t like someone else has undercut your prices don’t insult them publicly, private message the original poster and expand on your price, make a personal connection with them and win business that way.

People buy People, so be a person someone wants to work with and can trust.

Interact with me on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn and let me know how you feel about people buy people.

 

Facebook Etiquette, RedRite, Leeds, Virtual Assistant

Top tips of Facebook Etiquette of Business

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Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms with 1.71 billion active users as of the second quarter of 2016. That is 1.71 billion people who have logged in within the past 30 days and who could potentially see your business. But how do you use Facebook correctly for business and avoid Facebook jail?

Let’s first look at how to get your business on Facebook. The best, and safest way, to place your business on Facebook is either through a Page or a Group.

Pages

Facebook dislikes people using their personal profiles to advertise business, so creating a Page linked to your personal profile is specifically created for that reason. On a Page you can choose a category as well as up to 3 sub-categories in which to advertise your Page, the sub categories are determined by the main category so make sure you choose the most relevant to your business. If you add your business address you can also place a map in the sidebar so that others can locate you as well as if there is any parking available on site, perfect for location based businesses. Other details such as opening hours, price range and contact details are also added so consumers know all they need to about you.

A Page can then be used just like a personal profile, the difference being the Page is public and used for business posts rather than what you had for dinner. The occasional personal post can allow consumers to see the person they are buying, just make sure you use details you are willing to go public.

Groups

If you want to limit what the audience sees or maybe want to create a small community around your business, then Groups could be for you. Groups can be publicly available to all, closed – public can only see members or secret – were public cannot see anything but the Group name and type. Members can be free to add other members, however if you want to limit your audience you can control who is actually allowed to join once members refer a friend. Choosing the relevant type of group – such as Club, Support, Study group, Team or travel to name just a few – can help identify to potential audiences what your Group is about. There is also a Buy and Sell type which adds the option to list things for sale within the Group, many local communities start up Groups like this for locals to sell second hand items. If you wish for only certain posts to be allowed, or limit the days in which certain posts can be posted, such as Promo Thursdays, then you can adjust settings to require post approval required.

I have found some of the best groups are those that offer support and networking, with numerous members posting issues they are having with their business and other members offering their support and advice.

What are some etiquette points for interacting on Facebook for business

People buy from people and if they see you being rude, offensive, even just plain ignorant to those posting on your wall or commenting in your Group then it can put them off actually purchasing from you. Although many users are not on Facebook to buy, through the correct and polite methods you can slowly build up a relationship with your audience. This relationship can encourage people to return to your business for their purchasing needs, either a product or a service you may offer.

The biggest NO NO of all time is spamming. Posting adverts for your business within groups is perfectly fine (as long as it doesn’t break the Group rules) as long as it is done tastefully. Respect that there is not just you in the Group and spread your posts out over a period of time. Some groups, such as my networking group, only allow business advertising posts once every 48 hours. While others only allow promotional posts on specific days and posts such as a Promo Thursday post. Abiding by these rules put you in people’s good graces, ignoring the rules and you will find yourself blocked from the Group as well as seen in bad light by others within the Group. Be polite, friendly, chatty and respectful of other group members or those on your Page.

The same goes for replying to comments and messages, sometimes even just a simple thank you can make the difference for your business. Facebook places a little icon on your Page for those that are fast to respond to messages including the length of time it can take you to reply to messages. Ignoring messages altogether can have you coming across rude and consumers will go look elsewhere for their purchasing needs.

Keep your content fresh, if you use a Page for your business it is necessary to post regularly to a degree. If you post once every few weeks, make sure the content is valuable! Consumers like to see what a business is up to and the more you post, the more you will be seen in their newsfeed. If you do not post, you do not get seen.

Sticking to these basic rules of Facebook for business and you will avoid ending up in Facebook Jail and can successfully grow your business.

Business Networking, Leeds, RedRite, Virtual Assistant

Business Networking and the Benefits

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I previously wrote about the benefits of networking using the social platform, Twitter. However, this time I want to expand on that and discuss the benefit of networking as a whole.

What is networking?

Wikipedia classes business networking as – “Networking is a socioeconomic business activity by which business people and entrepreneurs meet to form business relationships and to recognize, create, or act upon business opportunities, share information and seek potential partners for ventures.”

Many think of business network marketing as Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) companies, such as Juice plus, Forever Living and Arbonne, however network marketing works for everyone. It is the process in which you use networking situations to market your business and can be beneficial particularly to business to business (B2B) companies who are looking for other business owners to market to.

What is the benefit of networking for a business?

Being a business owner can sometimes be a lonely experience. Yes, you have staff and yes you family but to the staff you are the boss and not all family are interested in talking about business. So who do you turn to when you want to chat about business without being formal? That is where the benefit of networking comes in to play, whether it is face to face networking or even just a member of a Facebook/LinkedIn group. Having access to people in similar position as you to talk to when needed eases the responsibilities of being a business owner as well as open avenues of business you might not have considered.

Through networking you can create a close knit network of individuals that you can go to for advice, do skill swaps with in order to complete projects on a budget or to attend conferences with. The connections made through networking can also provide collaboration possibilities. Regularly meeting and communicating with other owners about your business it can effortlessly spread the word about what you have to offer, without the expense of a marketing campaign or keeping track of what posts went in to which Facebook group. In this way it is one of the cheapest ways of building your audience, keeping people aware of your business and, when giving advice, it is also a way to show your expertise in your industry.

Top Tip: Always carry business cards with you to networking meets, every person you come in contact with is a potential new customer and providing them with a business card means they can find you again after the meeting.

My experience with Networking.

I personally am a member of several groups and run two of my own face to face networking groups. Through these groups I have met so many new people and even obtained several new clients, clients I would not have met any other way. A plus to these groups is when I want to vent about a situation, or dying for advice I can turn to them, provide a little detail and receive feedback that clears up the situation for me.

These networking groups and those on Facebook also offer me an audience to provide market research and it’s a guarantee they are the correct market to help me. I have offered to complete market research for other individuals as well as provide advice in regards to what actions a person should take, particularly in a situation they may not have experienced before. Answering questions put to the groups has helped my show that I do know what I am talking about, I can do what I advertise and in turn has built my client list. I have created a level of authority in my industry by a simple comment on a post.

Is Networking suitable for my business?

Yes! Networking is perfect for any business, whether you sell a physical product or provide virtual services. Finding a group of individuals that can offer you support and open more avenues for sales is one of the easiest and most effective techniques to running a business.

How do I find a local face to face group?

Local business networking groups are everywhere, some of the best ways to find a local group is to post in local Facebook groups or search on local ad pages such as Craigslist or Gumtree. Websites such as Meetups.com or Eventbrite.co.uk are specific sites created to advertise networking events, simply enter in your postcode and choose a search area. If you know another local business owner why not attend together if you are nervous about attending.

If you are local to North Leeds and want to know more about networking groups pop us an email across and I can share my local groups. I also have a list of some networking groups in the West Yorkshire area, just send me a message and I will share a copy.

Email Marketing, Leeds, RedRite, Virtual Assistant

Email Marketing – Top tips to be successful

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Email marketing can be an attention grabbing marketing tool – but only when done right!

There are so many different avenues in which to engage with your consumers and potential consumers, with the changing times however things such as newspaper ads and billboards are not as effective as receiving an email directly in to their inbox, setting of a notification alert on their mobile phone.

First step is to collect your email lists. Be careful though, many countries have laws on how you obtain your email lists, so only add those that have given you permission to add them – some email marketing companies actually ban you from emailing if these rules are broken. Current or past customer who have provided their details previously are ok to add. A sign up form on your social media profile and website can help you gather new subscribers and detailed information from them such as their business name or their gender (for gender related products). Once you have your lists in place you can start creating your email templates.

Something eye catching yet readable on desktop screens, mobiles and tablet will get more opens than those that are only readable on desktops. Basic, clean layouts make it easier for the content to be read, and keeping the content to a minimum is something to consider. You can link to an article or your website for them to read further. Many people do not spend too long reading emails unless work related and necessary, therefore the point of the content needs to be direct and contain a strong call to action. The use of bold writing and design to highlight important information or links. Short paragraphs no more than 3-4 sentences and focused on one idea while persuasive and using the right tone of voice for your customers.

By law all marketing emails must contain in the footer a contact address for yourself, an unsubscribe or change of subscription settings or update their contact information.

Set out a regular schedule for the emails to go out, with flexibility for special events, commercial events and to adapt the schedule for the most popular opening times – this can be found using the statistics provided by your email marketing provider. Too many emails can annoy the receiver and end up with them unsubscribing, the wrong

So now you have an idea how to get started, why not give it a try! If you struggle or run out of time to dedicate to designing email templates and creating content to fill them then give RedRite a shout. We can assist you with getting your name out there and your customers engaged.

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

Buy Yorkshire 2016, Leeds, RedRite, Virtual Assistant

#BuyYorkshire – What an event!!

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We attended the #BuyYorkshire 2016 event this week and can not wait to share what we learnt.

The 17th and the 18th of May saw me at the #BuyYorkshire exhibition and seminars in The Royal Armouries, Leeds alongside hundreds of other business owners and personnel. There was hundreds of stalls advertising the services and wares of companies, from digital marketers to local Universities and everything in between. I had fun meeting a variety of people from these companies and making new connections. I learnt about their services and how they assist other businesses expand and grow. I will be happy to forward on details of anyone I met to those needing support within your business, just email me your requirements and I will see who I have in my contacts list.

#BuyYorkshire is run by the Yorkshire Mafia who also run Leeds Biz Week in October (another event I will be attending), The Yorkshire Sportive, Yorkshire Mafia cycling club and many more networking events throughout the year.

The Yorkshire Mafia are:

  • The Yorkshire Mafia is a new model of business support.
  • It’s a thriving ecosystem of thousands of business across the Yorkshire region and beyond
  • It’s big society for business.
  • It’s an army of thousands of business people
  • It’s a dynamic and highly active group where members freely and gladly assist other members

What they do is:

  • It plugs the gaps following the decline of the regional development agencies and Business Link advice network.
  • It makes a stand for Yorkshire and Yorkshire business.
  • It facilitates the building of business relationships for thousands of businesses across Yorkshire
  • It brings businesses together to share, learn, support each other and ultimately, where appropriate, trade.
  • It enables members to support and guide each other in meaningful numbers and in meaningful ways through sharing wisdom and expertise both on-line and offline.
  • Offline, we meet in various guises from small round-tables sharing best practice and expertise to larger more social events for over 500 people to our mighty annual conference (over 2000 expected).

(Source: www.TheYorkshireMafia.com)

I was lucky enough to take part in some amazing seminars teaching us about digital marketing, never giving up and embracing change within business, all given by some amazing speakers and even some famous faces. Over the next few days I will be posting blog posts about the seminars I was lucky enough to partake in and sharing the advice I have taken away from them. These will start with a delightful seminar from Jessica Zeun, from Vodafone who discussed digital marketing and the impact it has on business.

I hope you will enjoy the following blog posts and if you were there I would love to hear your experiences and what you enjoyed the most!