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Marketing Portfolio

LEGAL PROPERTY OF ADAM BARR

Marketing Portfolio 2017/18

Contents

Building the Brand 4

Crown Gas & Power 4

These values were derived 4

How Crown Should be perceived? 4

10 Buzzwords to describe Crown Gas & Power 4

Across Social Media 5

Here are some topics that I’ve discussed 5

Industry Advice 6

Energy Saving Tips for Businesses 6

Tackling Climate Change 6

“Take a Break” Weekly Puzzles 7

Inspiring Business Quotes 7

Tips & Recommendations 8

Infographic 8

Timepieces Direct 9

EPS Supplies (Social Care): Brochure Design 10

Blog Articles 11

Industry Advice 11

Understanding the terms within our simplified commercial gas invoice 11

Climate Change & Sustainability 13

Improving Sustainability: After seeing growth in the UK’s Sharing Economy, how can businesses capitalise & use their products/services to benefit others. 13

Climate change: Add some entrepreneurial spirit & start taking measures to become carbon neutral 16

SME Sustainability. Strange ideas to become more Eco-friendly 18

7 Strange energy sources that could supply your business 20

Energy Saving tips 22

Cut back on the Carb’s, give yourself an energy health kick 22

Property Managers need to start improving their Energy Efficiency 24

Business Tips & Recommendations 26

Professional Pitching: 5 mobile apps every salesperson should be using for inspiration 26

Attracting customers. 5 Tips to draw more people off the street 28

Motivated workforce: 5 ideas to instil innovation 30

Meet individuals frequently 30

A little friendly competition 30

Encourage Smarter Working 30

Weekly Puzzles 31

10 tips to boost innovation in your business 31

Infographic 32

4 inspiring business leaders and their first jobs 32

2 Adam Barr, 07872939929, Manchester, UK.



Building the Brand

Crown Gas & Power The Energy Market is vastly competitive and complex, with Customer Service at the forefront. You don’t have to look far to find an article about energy prices or customer complaints. Therefore, the most important traits that described Crown Gas & Power, we’re Simplicity, Honesty & Personalisation. “Switching to Crown Gas & Power. It’s Simple. It’s Honest. It’s Personal.”

Brand Values To best present Crown Gas & Power’s brand story the following values were derived which set the foundations for content themes and campaigns. ● Honesty –- not everything always goes to plan ● Efficiency – “We’ll get it done” ● Competitiveness – Energy Prices & Contracts. Ties to versatility ● Commitment –- We’re committed to our customers & we’re always listening to feedback ● Clarity -– Everything is simple, quick & easy to understand ● Versatility – Adapting and putting the customers first. Backed up by products.

How Crown Should be perceived?

● Communication -– Friendly, amicable service. Less “corporate jargon” -- Professionally informal ● Admirable –- Always at the customer's side. Each have a dedicated Account Manager. Committed

Customer Support Representatives. ● Versatile –- Products are designed with the customer at the heart. “We’ll adapt for you.” ● Personalised –- Meet the whole team. Direct communication. Email signatures. Keeping to the

friendly tone.

10 Buzzwords to describe Crown Gas & Power Here’s 10 buzzwords that define Crown Gas & Power & their personality.

● Competitive ● Personal ● Committed ● Knowledgeable ● Supportive ● Straightforward ● Strategic ● Integrity ● Accurate ● Adaptable




Across Social Media

Firstly, it was important to display Crown Gas & Power’s brand identity consistently across all channels. Keeping to the same style using similar images. For instance, I discovered that across Facebook and Twitter, the use of people in cover photographs added more personality than just Service information a logo or advertisement. Furthermore, another method that was tried was pictures from Charity events, to add to the family orientated atmosphere offline.

Here are some topics that I’ve discussed 1. Industry Advice 2. Energy saving tips for business 3. Tackling Climate Change & making a difference 4. “Take a break” Puzzles & more laidback content 5. Quick business related inspiring quotes (branded) 6. Tips & recommendations for businesses

This document will display some of my latest posts and articles (from page 7).




Industry Advice Throughout Social Media, it was important to engage with stakeholders and enlighten Crown Gas & Power’s reputation as an Energy Supplier that cares about their customers through advisory posts.

Energy Saving Tips for Businesses When engaging with stakeholders within the Energy Industry across Social Media and through email it was important to express desire to help our customers. Therefore, I’d produce many Industry specific posts targeting the Food Industry, Healthcare Centres, Property Managers & SMEs. One Hashtag for the Summer was #NoCarbs emphasising Carbon Cutbacks.

Tackling Climate Change Moreover, I’ve discussed pressing issues such as tackling climate change and sustainability, using a few more unusual topics. Such as product recommendations, future innovations, entrepreneurship, the Paris Agreement & Renewable Energy.




“Take a Break” Weekly Puzzles Furthermore, as well as presenting Industry related advise posts. Another element to Crown’s Brand Story was sticking to their values as an Independent, local, family-orientated business. With its people at the heart of it.

Inspiring Business Quotes It was discovered that to boost engagement on each platform, particularly on LinkedIn, I’d publish a daily, morning quote using the popular hashtags of the day. Each quote was also branded with the Crown logo & web address.




Tips & Recommendations To further branch off from Energy Industry related topics, other posts I’d publish included recommendations and tips for Small Businesses. Whether that be technology or cultural.

Infographic

To summarise some of my posts I’d design an infographic to help paint a clearer and concise picture of what had been written.




Timepieces Direct Recently performed E-Commerce SEO duties to help launch the latest Jacob Jensen watch range on Timepieces Direct.




EPS Supplies (Social Care): Brochure Design

Upon taking on some Freelance work I began to design a new product catalogue for EPS Supplies; who are a specialist social care equipment provider. The brochure is aimed at Foster Carers, Agencies, Charities and Government Authorities.




Blog Articles Please find some of the articles I had written for Crown Gas & Power.

Industry Advice

Understanding the terms within our simplified commercial gas invoice We believe in providing a simplified approach to your business energy, whether it’s switching suppliers, paying your bills or keeping track of your gas online. At Crown Gas & Power our simplified business gas invoice accommodates all our consumers. We’ve amended our gas billing process to ensure the most important information is clearly displayed. We want all our customers to thoroughly understand their bill and the different charges involved. Here’s some quick tips to help you further understand your commercial gas invoice: The invoice totals Clearly stated at the top of your invoice is the total amount owed. Simply you’ll be able to understand how the subtotal is calculated, and what other charges are involved. The invoice total figure is the amount you owe after any previous payments, credit payments, your meter reading and monthly gas consumption. Monthly gas consumption Within our newly designed gas invoices your most recent meter reading and consumption amount will be clearly displayed within a table. Furthermore, our customers can quickly cross reference their previous invoices online within their Customer Portal, this enables you to check monthly consumption patterns also, through regularly updated charts. For a more thorough understanding of your commercial gas bill To go into more detail, we’ve translated some of the more technical terms and written a few definitions on the back of our invoice. These contain information such as why your bill might have been estimated, how your bill is calculated and what additional charges are involved in your bill: such as standing charge or vat. Why would I receive an estimated gas bill? We request all our customers to submit regular monthly meter readings, to further ensure your business gas invoice has been produced and delivered accurately. Your meter readings are clearly displayed on your bill. If you’ve received an estimate, the reason could be that we haven’t received an actual meter reading. However, if our customers receive an estimated business gas bill, simply by contacting our team (up to 10 days from the invoice date) we’ll be able to resolve the situation and work out a plan to ensure you no longer receive gas estimations. This situation could be quickly resolved by either arranging for an AMR to be installed or opting into receive monthly meter read email reminders. Simplified costings & calculations




Cost per unit - you’ll be able to view the exact cost of each unit of gas, allowing you to determine exactly how much you’re spending. Each unit is measured in Kilowatts per hour (kWh), you’ll be able to see exactly what formula we use to calculate each of our business gas invoices. Standing Charges - these are fixed costs involved across all business gas contracts, these cover areas such as your gas meter and general servicing costs. Other Charges Climate Change Levy There are some other parts of the gas bill that are important for you to take note of, such as Climate Change Levy (CCL) and government and regulatory incentives which are mandatory within the energy industry. Furthermore, you’ll also have relevant contract details on your invoice such as the initial invoice date, due date and contract end date. Contract Information Our customers also needed to clearly understand the different types of contract should any changes occur to their gas supply. For instance, the back of our commercial gas bills contains deemed and out of contract information to inform you of a situation such as moving properties or contract expiry. It’s our responsibility to ensure each commercial or industrial property under a business gas contract with us, consumes at a competitive, fair rate. Deemed Rates only occur when no contract is in place. If your business is receiving gas bills based on Deemed Rates, the likely situation is that you’ve just moved in and haven’t procured a new supply contract yet. Therefore, get in touch with our team today on 0161 762 7744 to discuss your sites new supply contract. Alternatively, obtain a gas price online! For further questions about your business gas bill get in touch with our team today on 0161 762 7744 we’ll be able to resolve your queries promptly. We aim to ensure all gas bills we distribute are produced accurately. Therefore, we reiterate to all our customers to regularly submit meter readings, or arrange for an Automated Meter Reader installation to ensure you're always on the receiving end of an accurate commercial gas service.




Climate Change & Sustainability

Improving Sustainability: After seeing growth in the UK’s Sharing Economy, how can businesses capitalise & use their products/services to benefit

others.

There are more and more alternatives to manage your day to day. From productive applications to sharing applications. These are important, available assets you could use to help maintain a more sustainable business. Tackling climate change and maintaining your corporate social responsibility delves deeper than just saving on your energy & cutting back on your bills. Start looking towards the wider environment. Think innovatively. As transactions on the UK’s sharing economy are valued at around £7.4 billion. This presents confidence when you consider making a change & moving towards sustainability. For instance, if you’re willing to share (use someone else’s property), then why not recycle or use recyclables too. Previous research (Whelan, Fink, 2016), explains that to improve your sustainability, your practices should be defined as:

● Something that does not harm people or the planet ● Have the intention to improve environmental & social performance throughout all levels of your

business, from sales to operations & supply chain. Their main conclusion was, that business sustainability should be held in the highest regard and Executives can no longer afford to hold a sustainable business idea as “nice to have.” Further concluding that by making sustainability a core element in your policy. Then employees, shareholders & customers will become more confident and enthusiastic about it. In today’s article, we’ll explain the key influences on any Corporate Social Responsibility strategy. After reviewing Whelan & Fink’s research, we’ve had a look at how it can be used to assist smaller businesses and how you can implement or create a strategy to improve business sustainability. To improve sustainability, these indicators should be considered:

● Stakeholder engagement ● Product Development ● Financial risk management ● Customer loyalty ● Employee engagement

Whelan & Fink’s research was performed on a wider scale focusing on organisations obtaining the highest market share. Including Coca-Cola, Nike, Unilever and Procter & Gamble. Each of the above factors were discussed. For instance, Unilever developed more sustainable products under the line, “brands for purpose.” From observing these larger organisations, we’ve derived a few similar suggestions to help you on your way to sustainability. Factors to improve business sustainability Empowering people Most importantly, communicating your sustainability strategy in office wide meetings, training sessions & promotionally set’s out the foundations to empower your people and instigate an environmental & social change.




“Stakeholder engagement isn’t just corporate social responsibility. But enlightened self-interest” (Heinsz et al, 2014). From this statement, we’re able to understand how communication across your entire network remains pivotal. Especially when it comes to overcoming climate change & offsetting carbon emissions. Moreover, create shared value, like Nestle who changed their coffee procurement methods, to work with impoverished farmers, to offer something back to the community. They offered farming advice & they supplied fertilisers & other materials. This caused the farms environmental impact to drop, whilst the coffee quality increased. Therefore, explaining how extending stakeholder relationships present a clear understanding of what exactly is needed to create a sustainable product, build relationships & abstain a positive environmental impact. Developing products Product development also adds to your business sustainability. Consider adapting your products or services for positive environmental and social implications. Here’s a few examples of sustainable products:

● 3M -- created the Pollution Prevention Pays scheme. Which involved redesigning equipment, recycling and modifying their products to reduce waste and avoid pollution.

● Nike -- they developed the FlyKnit line; a yarn system that started to reduce 3.5m pounds of waste throughout its duration.

● Procter & Gamble -- They discovered that too much energy was wasted from heating water. Therefore, they launched cold water detergents that require 50% less energy than warm water washing.

Furthermore, adding fair trade to your products and making a change to your supply chain, could also present an opportunity to present a “premium offering.” Taking the cosmetics industry into account, Lush create bespoke bath bombs, lotions etc. With a prime focus on clean testing, saving animals and preventing animal testing. Furthermore, take an ethically conscious decision when manufacturing. By improving business sustainability, you’re able to show off where your product came from and you’re able make it exclusive. Providing a cash boost As well as being able to provide a higher markup and launch a more competitive product. There are numerous financial benefits to maintain a low carbon, sustainable business plan. It has been discovered that companies can experience a rate of return of 17-80% from low carbon investments (Whelan & Fink, 2016). Furthermore, to express another example, General Electric reduced their Greenhouse Gas emissions by 32% which accumulated to around $300m savings. Emphasising that by --

● Recycling, ● Consuming efficiently, ● Diversifying your products, ● And engaging with stakeholders;

Offers you an opportunity to make more than just a saving. But, also boost your brand as a positive influence on your customers and community. Furthermore, in terms of energy there are several financial incentives involved to encourage consumers to cut down on their carbon emissions. Crown Gas & Power empowering sustainability in UK businesses




At Crown Gas & Power, we operate a Carbon Neutral Scheme, allowing customers to obtain a Carbon Neutral Certificate as they begin to offset more of their carbon emissions. Presenting this opportunity, to further commit to business sustainability. For more information about how to compensate for your carbon emissions with us, contact our Account Managers on 0161 762 7744. Crown Gas & Power are a gas supplier to the commercial world. We currently do not supply electricity. This post is based on research to inform and provide an opinion to support UK businesses. Please ensure you research and ensure you've fully understood the benefits and implications to you, before making any changes. If you'd like any information about Crown Gas & Power's commercial gas supply contracts or Site Works services, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our team on 0161 762 7744 or receive a price online.




Climate change: Add some entrepreneurial spirit & start taking measures to become carbon neutral

Climate change and the attempt to reduce our carbon emissions has been high on the agenda for some time now. Politicians and world leaders have come together to instigate changes to our general consumption habits and launch new prerogatives. Although, it’ll take more than just a few enforced regulation changes and political issues -- we’ve had a look at various research from Singularity University (SU), whose Framework explains how climate change is “one of humanity's greatest challenges.” To begin with, Gregg Maryniak, Co-Founder & SU’s Energy & Environmental Chair explains how economic incentives will provide a key driver for encouraging others to lower their carbon emissions. In the nature of a Carbon Tax, cheaper renewables and energy storage. Furthermore, Maryniak emphasises that with more economic support they’ll be more funds available globally for research and development into discovering innovative techniques to overcome climate change. SU have also put forward 5 techniques to encourage entrepreneurs and businesses to take a “mindset shift -- from linear to exponential.” Here they are:

● Embrace endurance ● Utilise technological advances ● Test new ideas & be ready if you fail ● Look for supporting technologies ● Take on the 10^9 Challenge ●

What is SU’s 10^9 Challenge? They’ve channelled their Graduates entrepreneurial spirit to launch many businesses that help change lives, lower carbon emissions & help to tackle climate change. “If you want to run a Billion Dollar company… Work on solving a problem that touches a Billion people” (Diamandis, 2013). Some of the companies that were started, fit sustainably into numerous sectors -- from technology to consumables. 3 companies looking to tackle climate change Now we’ll look at little deeper into some of SU’s Graduates and companies which they’ve started. To instigate change to the transport and delivery sector, Matternet was founded, they’ve built autonomous drones that can transport small goods on demand (up to 2kg). Packages they’ve delivered include medicine, documents and replacement parts. Coincidently, Matternet was founded two years prior to Amazon Prime, who had the same idea to take off with delivery drones. More recently, as seen on their website, Matternet have teamed up with Mercedes-Benz to merge their drones with Mercedes Vans creating a cleaner, quicker and futuristic delivery service. Setting the pace to tackle climate change. Fellow Robots have taken the retail space by storm. Designing and building a robot that allows customers to identify their needs and quickly navigate the shelves. Enlightening a more efficient customer experience. If you think contactless & Apple Pay are futuristic, just wait until a robot starts doing the weekly shop.




Our personal favourite is Anticip8 who have created an accurate “micro weather prediction” perfect for assisting renewable energy producers and consumers. You’ll have a better idea of the weather allowing you to decide how much energy to consume or store daily. Furthermore, expressing confidence when committing to the renewable grid. They’ll build a “decentralised, ground up weather model, that updates every 10 minutes.” These three organisations were founded on the back of a University that specialises in innovating, research and development into technology, to create a better way of life for the majority, using their fascination of our developing cultures to create an initiative to eventually tackle climate change and build our society for the future. On a wider scale, it was reported that the world’s leading CEO’s from Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg; have invested up to $1Billion to provide the next generation of energy technology further enhancing the future aims zeroing in on a carbon neutral economy (PCmag, 2016). Tackling climate change does lead heavily on our own commitment as well as investing towards the latest technology. The Smart Meter rollout in the UK provides just a small step to help UK homes and businesses take more control of their energy bills and watch how much they're consuming. Although, it’s the pinpoint of most advertising campaigns, there’s more to advanced metering than the bills you receive, it’s being able to control and manage your monthly usage to consume more efficiently.




SME Sustainability. Strange ideas to become more Eco-friendly With changes to environmental and economic legislations, it’s important for businesses to adapt and become more ethically conscious. Start taking steps to improve SME sustainability. Previously, we’ve emphasised different approaches to tackling climate change and how sustainability is more than portraying environmental change; it’s making a difference. For instance, the initial case study we focused on was the Harvard Business Review’s Report on Business Sustainability. Which focused on Singularity University and what some of their Graduates had done to make a difference -- starting up sustainable businesses. Which gets us into today’s post, we’ll take a light-hearted approach and discuss a few stranger ideas and products that could improve SME sustainability. Not recommended, without research. Sustainability in popular culture SME sustainability isn’t just looking to save energy, it’s changing the way you operate. From using Biodegradable soap to recycling and even changing your commute and working standards. Recently, we’ve discovered a new television programme, Jungle Town on Viceland. Based in the makeshift town of Kalu Jala. Based in a Panamanian Rainforest, Kalu Jala is aimed at creating a fully sustainable University, where Students, don’t only pay to study but to take part in the development of a remote and diverse sustainable community. Socially Sustainable Based on an article, from Huffington Post, we’ve discovered that over 257,000 Tweets mentioned the keywords “#Sustainability” or “#Susty.” From this survey, the online Newspaper interviewed one of the more influential Handles: John Khoo. The article goes on to explain, a little more about sustainability and its importance on social media. Khoo explained how alliances can be formed on Twitter to promote and empower sustainability. You’ll notice different groups from charities, corporate companies, employees and individuals Retweeting and getting involved in the cause. 5 Strange Sustainable Products for an unsubtle changeover Reusable toilet wipes Everyone likes a home comfort in the office. Soft toilet tissues. So, we’ve found a softer, reusable toilet tissue. They're made from cloth and offer the home comforts of quilted toilet paper. However, with sustainability there’s always a drawback -- it’s storing them to reuse. Hopefully, there won’t be too much of a stench. Stapleless Stapler Do you get fed up when the stapler runs out? Cut out the fidgeting, with a Stapleless Stapler. Simply, it will cut out strips of paper and use those to keep your documents together. Whitepapers will never be the same again.




Urine Batteries Not the most appealing by a long shot. Did you know? Human urine has been proven to mix perfectly with other elements to create an AA Battery. The television remote won’t be the same again. Renewable Dancing Back in March, we discussed 7 strange renewable energy sources. With muscle power as one of them. Now dancing or movement, in general, could provide power at your office. A nightclub in London managed to offset the electricity from the dancefloor to cover 60% of the club’s overall energy. Driving with Cooking Oil In Japan, they’ve developed a car that operates off cooking oil from Tempura. The core objective was to raise awareness of Biofuels and whether it would be possible to run a car renewably. Which today we know is possible with the launch of Tesla (we safely prefer). The car was trialled in the Paris to Dakar rallycross, they finished 68th out of 109. So, cooking oil isn’t so bad after all.




7 Strange energy sources that could supply your business We’ve discussed different techniques to save on your energy bill by monitoring consumption, taking regular meter readings and even switching suppliers. Within this post, we’ll take a more light-hearted approach. Renewable energy is on the rise. There are numerous strange energy sources around, which possibly could be used to keep you bright and toasty through the Winter. Which strange energy source do you prefer? Although, we wouldn’t recommend actively using these sources, some of them might have disastrous consequences. Strange energy source #1: Leftover food Biogas can be obtained from the collection of rotting fresh foods and beverages. Such as Coffee and fruit skins. Simply by scavenging organic waste from city businesses and putting it all together you could create a greener initiative at your premises. You’ll recognise this approach to renewable energy from the Hollywood blockbuster Back to the Future. Strange energy source #2: Electric eels A Japanese aquarium, lit up their Christmas tree using energy obtained from Electric eels. Simply by using an Eels defence mechanism; by installing a large fish tank in your office, you could be running on eel Power. Put a thousand eels in a tank and you might be able to watch a full series on Netflix. Electric Eels would be an unrealistic, costly strange energy source. Strange energy Source #3: Livestock Have you ever seen a cow fly? Well this strange energy source brings that possibility to life. As each burp/trump produces methane gas. Which subtly is harming the environment. Cows are responsible for causing global warming. Therefore, by simply attaching a balloon to a cow’s rear you’ll collect the gas and provide an interestingly, unconventional renewable gas source. Who said cows can’t fly?! Strange energy source #4: Muscle Power In Hong Kong, there’s a gym with an innovative new machine which converts human energy into electricity. So, whilst you’re working out in the gym, you’re also keeping the lights on. So next time there’s a power cut during your morning workout, it’s because you’re not working hard enough. To put some figures together, on the bench press; it’s possible for the average person to generate up to 50 watts per hour. Similarly, on an electric pedal bike the average, active person could generate 500 watts of power. This is one great way to keep fit whilst watching television. Just don’t stop pedalling; you’ll end on a cliff-hanger. Strange energy source #5: Human waste As well as coming from cattle. Obscure energy can also be obtained from human waste. We wouldn’t recommend this strange energy source. It’ll get very messy in the office if you’re collecting everyone’s waste just to keep the lights on. However, urine has been known to provide a better source than water, once it’s been hydrolysed. Additionally, high obesity levels provide an energy source; as our own fat can also be used as a replacement for oil; creating Biodiesel. Strange energy source #6: Texting




In the UK, we send over a Billion text messages a week. Keeping your head down and your mobile obsession could become a strange energy source. A few years back Push to Charge released a mobile phone featuring plastic buttons on top of a hard metal casing. Each time a button is pressed it would produce a minimal wattage of 0.5W. However, when you think about how many times a button is pressed whilst typing the wattage will multiply. Producing quite a lot of power. Imagine what Apple or Samsung could do with this idea. As the original phone was taken out of the market for unsuccessful performance. Strange energy source #7: Breathing The final, probably simplest and easiest to accomplish is breathing. After digging out the Daily Mail’s archives we’ve discovered a breathing device which can be used to charge up your phone; aimed at the fitness and wellbeing market. The device would work whilst sleeping or exercising, during moments of intensive breathing. Although, most recently it’s simpler to charge your phone wirelessly. By breathing it’ll provide a renewable and cost-effective source in the long term. Which weird & wacky source do you prefer? After looking at strange energy sources that provide renewable energy. With all these options, it makes you wonder how easy it can be to reduce your carbon emissions and present a greener initiative for your business. We’re not suggesting using any of these strange energy sources. However, simply take measures to maintain your carbon footprint; offset emissions, use less power, upgrade infrastructure or even use an alternative method of transport.




Energy Saving tips

Cut back on the Carb’s, give yourself an energy health kick Over £400 million a year is spent on energy in hospitals and healthcare centres (Carbon Trust, 2016); which is a heck of a lot when you consider some of the other cutbacks that the Public Sector often face. Therefore, it’s important that hospitals, NHS doctors’ surgeries and medical centres delve deeper into the energy market when procuring a competitive supply contract to ensure they’re able to start managing energy consistently. At Crown Gas & Power, we can adapt our service to a vast array of Public Sector organisations as well as SMEs and companies which also fit into Ofgem’s Micro Business Criteria. In the healthcare sector, it’s come to our attention (Carbon Trust, 2016) that paying your utility bills can be an extremely costly expense. Something which we think you shouldn’t have to worry about! Therefore, our Account Managers at Crown Gas & Power will provide a service which perfectly benefits the Public Sector & healthcare centres. Most importantly, you’ll be able to lock in a fixed price. Avoiding hikes for as long as 48 months. That should help you avoid overspending. Further allowing you to budget for the more important areas of your healthcare facility. Managing multiple healthcare centres In addition, as a Public-Sector NHS Trust, you’ll be able to benefit from our multiple site commercial gas services; ensuring that each medical facility under your control remains in therm control of their gas consumption. Checking your consumption is pivotal; especially when such a high amount is spent on commercial energy. Make sure you're regularly evaluating how much gas (or electricity) your NHS healthcare centres consume throughout each month. Therefore, we also present to our customers several energy saving tips to help your organisation consume cost efficiently. Not only helping you budget but also allowing you to add a “green stamp” to your health centres. How to take back more control over your medical centre’s gas supply? Longer term contracts with a competitive fixed price The first element to maintaining control over your energy supply is to source a competitive contract. This might not be as easy to obtain. Therefore, we’d probably suggest meeting with a commercial energy consultant directly; avoid comparison websites. The reason for this is because a consultant can provide a personalised service accompanied by extensive market intelligence. Get in touch with our team to find out more about our Public-Sector supply contracts. For smaller healthcare centres consuming less than 500,000 kWh per annum; we could have the perfect supply contract to match. Just ask our friendly team on 0161 762 1883. Submit monthly gas meter readings




Anyone will tell you that when managing energy, it’s most important to submit regular meter readings. There’s no point spending time trying to find the best gas prices if you’re billed to estimations each month! You want to maintain that feel-good factor once you’ve secured a better gas supply rate, don’t let your bills estimate. With Crown Gas & Power, our customers can subscribe to our Meter Reading Mailing List ensuring you never miss out on suppliers meter read deadlines. Think Smart! In addition, as well as submitting regular meter readings. Energy efficient buildings will provide a better, more comfortable atmosphere for customers, patients and staff (Carbon Trust, 2016). Moreover, we’ll explain the importance of AMR and Smart Metering. The latest in metering technology will help your healthcare centre to achieve its environmental goals. Whilst increasing your exposure in the local community and creating a cleaner more comfortable environment. Keep your healthcare facility well maintained Regular maintenance is also important because boilers, heaters and metering connections need to be kept up to date. Outdated equipment often causes inconsistencies, by keeping your gas supply connection updated, you’ll also be in a better position to consume efficiently. If you are struggling; we will be able to stretch further and make amendments to your health centres; keeping your utility infrastructure well maintained. When you decide to refurbish, we’ll ensure your sites are properly connected to the gas mains. Monitor your consumption With the latest technology, most energy suppliers allow you to track your consumption online. At Crown Gas & Power, we’ve got a team of developers continuously designing and developing our Customer Portal allowing easier access for consumption tracking and account monitoring. Every month will have been accounted for under our supply contracts. We will give our all to ensure you never receive estimated bills. In addition, to accommodate multiple site supplies, each customer will have access to our MAgent portal, easily presenting groups and large organisations an opportunity to keep a close watch on each site with consumption charts & access to a full statement of accounts for each site. Now you’ve completed your health centres energy check Now that you’ve taken steps to reduce the cost of your energy bills and you are starting to become more energy efficient, the opportunities will be endless. Think about the smile on your Accountants face; you’ll have more money left over to fund anything from the latest medical equipment or hiring new nurses. Utilise your savings wisely! If you’d like more information about our Public-Sector energy services get in touch with our Account Managers on 0161 762 1883. Alternatively, if you're working with one of our recognised commercial energy consultants. Delve into the market, give Crown Gas & Power a mention and we'll provide you our competitive supply prices. Our Public-Sector gas services:

● Competitive, fixed gas prices ● Variable length contracts ranging from 12, 24, 36 & 48 months ● Online account management for quick consumption tracking ● Dedicated service for multiple site management ● Smart advanced metering ● Multiple utility connection services ● Regular meter reading email updates



http://www.crowngas.co.uk/get-automated-meter-reader-installed/


Property Managers need to start improving their Energy Efficiency Did you know that one third of commercial buildings could become unlettable by April 2018? Yes, this is true as according to the UK's Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards. 33% of buildings with ratings of D or E will be dropped and deemed as inefficient. Consequently, not adhering; means that Landlords and Property Managers will be unable to draw up any new tenancy agreements. Commercial Property Managers will end up missing out on new opportunities. As of April 2018, under the Energy Act. Owners of non compliant buildings could even receive fines extending to £150,000. (Brendan Coyle, The Energyst, 2017) It’s not just reducing consumption that’ll help you to save on your energy bills & improve efficiency. Subsequently, it’s also by maintaining accuracy from submitting regular meter readings. Which'll eventually help Property Managers and Proprietors to cutback on the usual dilemmas once you’re billed at the end of the month. It's important to focus on energy efficiency Did you know that around £78.5m was overcharged to companies operating in the property market (Inenco, Missing Millions, 2017)? Furthermore, emphasising how important it is to regularly manage and audit your energy consumption. As we’re firmly into 2017 and Brexit negotiations are underway it’s important to adjust processes to accommodate sudden regulation changes. The benefits of creating a well-organised energy environment & higher EPC rating:

● Lower running costs ● Cheaper and more controllable utility bills ● More popular amongst occupiers (Webb, Cushman & Wakefield, 2017) ● You’ll be able to keep your property up to date ● Your rating is solidified for the next 10 years

Let’s have a look at some unequivocal techniques to keep your property up to date, reduce your annual utility spend and adhere to the UK’s Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards. Nevertheless, 2018 might seem a while off, but it’s important to start making changes now and adapt. Don’t fall foul to a £150,000 fine. What should Property Managers do to obtain a high energy efficiency rating (EPC rating)? Check your infrastructure first Commercial Property Managers have the responsibility to ensure that the correct arrangements are made. In order to keep your establishment’s infrastructure up to date. To begin with, let's start with roof insulation which should be at least least 270 mm in depth. It’s important to create a comfortable and organised energy environment. Furthermore, by sealing up gaps and holes in windows and doors you’ll trap heat inside ensuring you save on your monthly heating bills. Additionally, your utility infrastructure might need updating. Most recently, the UK’s Smart Meter roll-out has come under critical scrutiny by Dieter Helm of Oxford University (Grimwood, Utility Week, 2017). He proclaims that suppliers taking the lead to distribute Smart Meter’s has obstructed the 2020 target.



http://theenergyst.com/landlords-unable-to-rent-energy-inefficient-commercial-buildings-from-2018/

http://theenergyst.com/landlords-unable-to-rent-energy-inefficient-commercial-buildings-from-2018/

https://www.inenco.com/missingmillions

http://www.cushmanwakefield.co.uk/en/news/2016/02/act-now-to-ensure-commercial-property-buildings-comply-with-energy-act/

http://utilityweek.co.uk/news/dieter-helm-resurrects-network-led-smart-metering-argument/1299162#.WNuQeKLTWUl


Therefore, ensure you’re working with a supplier who’s actively adapting to the latest metering technology. Replace your lighting for a better EPC rating We mention frequently about saving on your electricity. Therefore, in order to consume electricity more efficiently to improve your EPC rating; you could consider converting all lighting to LED. Likewise, you could even try and find a way to purchase Singled LED bulbs from the USA! Update to Smart technology As a Multi-Site Property Manager, we know it can be complex managing a large real estate portfolio. From submitting regular meter readings to keeping track of the transactions across sites. Therefore, at Crown Gas and Power, we’re committed to installing Automated Meter Readers, across all sites under our gas supply. Furthermore, no matter whether you’re running 2, 10 or 1000 properties. You probably have a very busy schedule. Therefore, utilise the latest technology available or hire a Virtual Assistant to keep your life in check, organise your calendar or even take charge of all that tedious administrative work. We also suggest that within your commercial property portfolio, you start upgrading and connecting your properties with the latest low consuming, Smarter Technology; whether that includes utility controls, music players, television, cooking or hygiene appliances. Audit your energy consumption At Crown Gas and Power, we believe it’s important for Commercial Property Managers to regularly audit and keep updated on how much energy exactly is consumed each month. Rather than keeping hold of paperwork & checking each individual bill. We’ve developed a web-based property management application; for Managing Agents. Presenting a clear and concise overview of gas consumption, payments and a full statement of accounts. The best way to arrange an energy audit is to obtain a partnership with an Energy Procurement and Management Specialist. There are numerous organisations who’ve obtained experience maintaining energy efficiency for UK Property Managers. Therefore, once you’ve found a Management Consultant that matches your requirements. They’ll then be able to manage, procure and ensure your gas (or electricity) supply is consistent & well-organised. Make sure your tenants are aware It’s great that you’re taking time to measure and improve your commercial properties energy efficiency rating (EPC Rating). However, how much do your tenants know about your new initiative? Here are 2 ideas you could incorporate to ensure tenants, start consuming energy efficiently. Publish Email newsletters Start by sending out a monthly newsletter to tenants, around a week after you've collected rent, so there are no clashes. Present some tips to help them save on their energy bills for the future. Help them to help you become more energy efficient. Tenancy agreements Within every contract and tenancy agreement it’s important to keep your people informed of any new strategies, terms and other charges involved in the rent. We think it's important to give your tenants access to their Annual Quantity, then break it down into devices. Such as “30% of your usage is likely to be spent on heating & 20% of your usage is likely to be spent on computer usage.”






Now that you have adapted to change Because of a reduction in the overall energy consumption and after creating a greener, more comfortable environment. Subsequently, you’ll want to apply for a new Energy Performance Certificate. To do this you’ll need to contact an Accredited Energy Assessor; who’ll rigorously assess your properties. Furthermore, expressing the importance of maintaining a well-organised property. If you’d like more information about Crown Gas & Power's services to landlords and Property Managing Agents, get in touch with our team to find out more about our commercial gas contracts or Site Works services. Call us on 0161 762 7744 or email [email protected] for more information. Here’s a quick overview of our Property Management Gas Services:

● MAgent Portal. With our latest gas property management application, we’ll make it easier to manage individual sites, monitor payments and easily access important documentation. Maintaining that new energy efficiency rating.

● Simplified billing & credit processes. Credit decisions can be made on the client’s entire portfolio rather than just individual customers. I.e. Direct Debit or BACs.

● We take a portfolio view. Most importantly, we'll assist Property Managers to obtain competitive prices and common contract dates, suitable for renewing large portfolios.

● Automated Meter Reader installations. To improve accuracy, we will offer AMR installations, ensuring all sites are billed to a more accurate meter reading.

● Simply Change Tenancies. We’re committed to providing Property Managing Agents a quick turnaround to ensure contracts are up to date, especially for the less operational sites.

● Multiple Utility Connections. In addition, we're experienced in all meter installations, exchanges, removals, upgrades, downgrades, service alterations & disconnections. For gas, electricity and now water

Business Tips & Recommendations

Professional Pitching: 5 mobile apps every salesperson should be using for inspiration

No matter your level of confidence, professional pitching & mastering public speaking can be huge outlay for any aspiring Sales Executive. Even the most experienced sales tycoons, flutter at the sight of a suited re-enactment of the Last Supper. It’s important to remain focused and develop your own ritual. Look for motivation in the right places. We’ve recommended 5 of our favourite mobile apps, all aspiring salespeople should be using to channel those public speaking fears. Using technology to improve professional pitching For assistance in professional pitching to a large audience, your team or even providing a best man's speech, try using Orai. Which is an Android application that uses Artificial Intelligence to provide feedback on your speech pace, your tone & you can take part in challenges to help you improve performance. You’ll hit the keynotes in no time. Don’t be afraid. Listen to your own voice Furthermore, Virtual Space provides professional pitching support, enabling users to simply upload a PowerPoint presentation and practice in front of a virtual audience. Whilst also providing voice analytics



http://mailto:[email protected]/


for constructive feedback. The app even works with Virtual Reality (VR) headsets. Who said talking to yourself was insane! Stay in tune If you’re worried about hitting all the wrong notes. Pro Metronome, which was developed to help stage performers stay in tune, is perfect if you’re just looking to stay on pace with your audience. Keeping them interested isn’t just in your voice, body language and moving around a little, create a lasting impression. Don’t worry though, nobody expects a singalong. Stay calm To keep calm and avoid stressful situations, shift your focus onto something else. Don’t overthink it. Which is why we are recommending Headspace. Our tip to help excite professional pitching is to relax, meditate and put your mind on something else at least an hour before. You’ll already be well prepared for the meeting. You have the knowledge. You have the experience. Just channel those together to overcome those anxieties. Take time out. Stop Overthinking it. Timed to Perfection Time management is crucial when pitching & public speaking. Blended with a clear & concise tone, confident appearance and relaxed atmosphere. You’ll curate a memorable experience for the recipients of your meeting or presentation. To help manage your time Speaker Clock, is a simple timer inspired by the famous Ted Talks clock. Time, it perfectly, like the professionals.




Attracting customers. 5 Tips to draw more people off the street Attracting customers shouldn’t just be sales outreach and procuring attention through the mass media. It might seem like a great strategy to hit as many national, regional or local media outlets. However, don’t be naive! Don’t oversell yourself as your starting up (HBR, 2017). Our case is based on the social media start-up Ello. Tackling the clutter of Facebook’s 1.94 billion users, have proven to too much to handle. What is Ello and how were they attracting customers? Founded in 2014, they were founded on the back of Facebook’s controversial “real name policy” and the selling of personal data. On the back of this Ello made several promises including no advertising. In fact, their Manifesto stated that the customers “are not a product.” Which in our opinion sounds great? Although, as published back in September 2014, the Guardian emphasised Ello as the “Anti Facebook.” An anarchist to the technological world of data and social media. The Founders promised to not sell data on for advertising. Upon their surge in the press they were picking up around 30,000 followers per week, explaining how the world was listening to its extreme press coverage. The message here is not to be naive; there are three simple questions to ask, which’ll help when attracting attention and successfully achieving your marketing strategy. Ask.

● Where you are now? -- where is your product aligned. Determine how many customers you have, your value and create a vision

● Where you want to be? -- set yourself a benchmark. This is when you look at competitors. Set out your long-term goals. But, be adaptable, have a plan if your vision doesn't work out how you expected.

● How you will get there? -- Most importantly, set SMART objectives. Be realistic. To meet your long-term ambitions, focus one step at a time. Only sell what you have. Don’t overdo it.

Where are Ello now? Nowadays Ello slightly recovered their social network, instead of instigating a full-frontal attack on Facebook’s users. Whilst sticking to their no advertising values; they have shifted their focus onto creating a network of artists through flamboyant portfolio displays. Their audience now consists of a growing community of artists, designers, illustrators and GIF makers. From observing Ello’s overturn of events, it expresses the importance of honesty and versatility when launching a new product into a competitive market. Nothing should ever be engraved in stone; be ready to make a change. Based on our latest case study on Ello, we’ve come up with 5 tips for getting the best out of the media, whilst attracting customers. Communicate with Industry influencers Influencer marketing should play a key role for small business in the UK. Simply, reach out to the influencers in your industry. Not competitors, but journalists, trade magazines, membership bodies or community representatives. There’s more to attracting customers than paying for space in the Broadsheets. Look closer to home, get in touch with a specialist journalist, explain your strategy, your product, who you’d like to target and what you’d like to say. Reach out to a more realistic & applicable demographic.



https://hbr.org/2017/06/why-startups-shouldnt-chase-media-buzz

https://www.statista.com/statistics/264810/number-of-monthly-active-facebook-users-worldwide/

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/sep/26/ello-anti-facebook-privacy-lgbt-social-neetwork


Attracting customers with your own blog Before you start reaching out to influencers, start by curating your own content. Your blog should be your backbone. Organic growth is focused on reputation. With enjoyable, engaging and knowledgeable content; you, yourself could become an influencer in your industry. Build up your social profile. Master social media Once you’ve started to curate your own content. Boost your online identity. Start attracting customers via social media. Build a credible reputation online not only by sharing your well thought out, encouraging blog; but also share content from other credible sources. It’s not just about writing yourself. It’s building a valuable network. Be artistic Differently, utilise the internal media vehicles. Such as Point of Sale. For instance, if you’re operating on the High Street, creative signs are a huge representation of your brand. A few weeks ago, we found a photograph of a sign outside a cafe. Which perfectly summed up small business culture. Slightly controversial. Despite serving its purpose. Most importantly, your offline material can easily be designed and put into Facebook/Twitter form. As your starting up. Control your own media presence.




Motivated workforce: 5 ideas to instil innovation Building a team is one thing. Retaining and keeping a highly motivated workforce is another. There’s more to keeping your employees happy than a regularly increasing pay check. Money isn’t everything. Moreover, everyone’s different, there’s no point generalising -- don’t use the “can’t please everyone mentality.” To freely motivate your workforce, focus; you’ll need to create multiple motivating strategies instilling innovation into your office workflow. Now we’ll present four new ideas to help you to retain a motivated workforce. It’s important to keep your team happy & enjoy coming into work every morning. Meet individuals frequently Spend more time alone with individuals -- allowing them to present you with constructive feedback. Rather than just dishing it out. Let your employees take the floor and lead the meeting. We’ve mentioned meeting frequently, we’d suggest at least once a month. Whether you’re running small business or a larger corporation it’s not uncommon for an employee to become isolated. So, it’s important to dedicate at least a fortnight, allowing you to split your time equally for your monthly discussion.

● Structure your meeting wisely: o Start by discussing targets o Then open the floor to questions o Ask what they think needs improving

A little friendly competition Another great way to keep your workplace motivated to instigate a little friendly competition, bring in a game revolving around targets and offer a periodical incentive. This’ll be budget dependent. But you could offer store discounts, an iPad or even a mini-break. Encourage Smarter Working Avoid questioning how hard your employees work. Less pressure usually creates a motivated workforce. With the added pressure of an employer in the ear, the passion for the job might crumble. Allow them to work Smarter, create a positive atmosphere and present more than adequate resources and support. Furthermore, make sure you emphasise your company spirit and enlighten your office community. Remote Working In addition, consider allowing employees to work flexible hours. Particularly within a demanding sales environment. It’s pivotal your team stay fresh. Therefore, create some space for negotiation. Let you workforce decide.

Become a Friend Rather than keeping your working and personal lives separate organise your work and life balance and share some of your experiences with your subordinates. Teamwork is great. But forced friendships aren’t. So, consider letting your guard down, let your employees see the real you. Building a friendly, motivated workforce creates a long-lasting bond encouraging employee retainment. To conclude, the Harvard Business Review puts forward that a highly motivated workforce can produce great things -- “from Shakespeare recitations to win customers to weddings in office lobbies” (HBR, 2013). Additionally, emphasising that motivation (and making the office a fun environment) is the key driver in any employer-employee relationship.



https://hbr.org/2013/10/three-things-that-actually-motivate-employees


Weekly Puzzles

10 tips to boost innovation in your business We all hit a stumbling block from time to time, as you’re starting up everything tends to move quickly. Especially your cash flowing outwards. However, as you begin to settle, even the most technologically advanced entrepreneurs will have a lapse of innovativeness. In today’s post, we’ll look at 10 brainteasers to help you keep your mind active, hopefully improving innovativeness and ambition. Making you think like a start-up entrepreneur every day. Daily, we’ll only see what you expect and what you want to see. Which cuts out the important parts, when you’re researching into competitors, customers and markets. It’s important to stay sharp and keep your mind in check. Think like a legislator, look for fine print. 10 Brainteasers to boost innovativeness 1.The Barista in a coffee shop stands five feet ten inches tall and wears size 13 shoes. What does he weigh? 2. Which is correct to say, “The yolk of the egg is white” or “The yolk of the egg is white?” 3. In British Columbia you cannot take a picture of a man with a wooden leg. Why not? 4. What makes this number unique -- 8,549,176,320? 5. A man takes his car to a hotel. Upon reaching the hotel, he is immediately declared bankrupt. Why? 6. What do these words have in common: polish, job, herb? 7. Are the squares inside the blue and yellow squares all the same colour?

8. You should be able to spot 2 things

9. If you were running a race and you passed the person in 2nd place, what place would you be in now? 10. A sundial has the fewest moving parts of any timepiece. Which has the most? Brainteaser quiz sourced from: Holly Green at Forbes Online & Sharp Brains




Infographic

4 inspiring business leaders and their first jobs It not always where you start it’s how you finish. Although, it’s always important to remember where you started on your road to success. Some trips are shorter for others, but remember, with hard work and determination; everyone gets there in the end. Today let’s discover a little bit about some of the world’s business leaders, who fight for top spot on the Sunday Times or Forbes rich lists. From Jeff Bezos to Alan Sugar, Warren Buffett & Reed Hastings. Inspiring business leader #1 -- Jeff Bezos Let’s start with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, bred into the entrepreneurial world his first enterprise capitalised on upper class children's Summer needs. He set up an American summer camp during his High School years, charging around $600 per child. After school, Bezos graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science and unfamiliarly began a career on Wall Street in Finance. Following a successful career, the entrepreneurial risks sunk in -- he jumped in the innovative e-commerce space creating an online bookstore in 1994. The office was his garage & officially Amazon’s site was launched on July 16th, 1995. To date his net worth is around $82.3Bn (Forbes, 2017). Inspiring business leader #2 -- Alan Sugar Alan Sugar was born in Hackney in East London, born into a Jewish family. Sugar remains one of the richest & most successful entrepreneurs in the UK. Known as a “wheeler dealer” from his early career selling electronics (specifically aerials) from the back of a van. So, differently to Bezos's first venture as a Camp Director, Sugar could take the role of Travelling Electronic Salesman. Although, his first job was in a greengrocer in London. With most of his fortune coming from advertising & property his net worth is around £1.04bn (Sunday Times, 2015) Inspiring business leader #3 -- Warren Buffett American investment tycoon Warren Buffett born in Nebraska in 1930, has become a pivotal influencer across Wall Street and the global financial world. He was bred into investing from chalking prices onto the blackboard in his father's stock brokerage to making his first investment at 11 years old, purchasing three shares of Cities Service at around $38 each. Although, his first official position was a Paperboy. It wasn’t just the newspapers he was delivering, as a young entrepreneur he wrote and sold his own horse racing tip sheet. Another fun fact is that for his first Tax return his claimed $35 for his bicycle. His holding company is Berkshire Hathaway and his net worth is around $73.3bn (Forbes, 2017). Inspiring Business Leader #4 -- Reed Hastings The founder of Netflix, Reed Hastings was born in Boston; once a decorated recruit in the USA Marines and a graduate of Stanford University. He had to start his career somewhere, he was a vacuum salesman. Before paying a late fee on a video rental & changing the way we all entertain ourselves outside of the office. Reed Hastings didn’t just change television & launch an entertainment company -- he created a new culture. Netflix started, as a mail order video rental service in 1997. To date there are around 73 million Netflix subscribers watching over 100,000 titles. Reed Hasting’s net worth is around $1.94bn (Forbes, 2017). You’ll notice that it’s not just money and investments that helped their fortunes it’s resilience, passion and even the spur of the moment that created some of the global enterprises that change our lives today.



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