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March 2013 Update

TheMonster Under the Bed

Ordering his sandwich he struck up a conversation with the owner who proceeded to tell him how bad business was. “It’s the recession you know!” The owner said. My friend was stunned. The recession was so bad people had stopped eating now?

Interestingly, it turned out that business had dropped off dramatically since the owner had invested in a brand new caravan and cooking equipment… what they hadn’t invested in was signage!

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out why they had seen sales drop off, they couldn’t have been harder to find if they’d parked up behind a hedge. But in the owner’s mind, it was down to the recession; that monster under the bed that devours businesses.

So here we go again. What are we in now? Recession? Double dip recession, Tortillas and dip recession? New and improved recession? The name changes more often than I change my socks; I just can’t keep up! This constant barrage of dramatic, bad news got me thinking about a story a friend of mine told me.

One early morning, while travelling home, my friend had an overwhelming urge for a bacon sandwich so he went in search of a ‘Butty Van’. Taking the A road rather than the motorway the miles rolled past but no van was to be seen. Finally, just as he was about to give up he spotted a caravan parked up at the top of the hill. The closer he got the more it looked like a family on holiday, until, at the last minute, he noticed the tell-tale cut out at the front.

Bestof-Epsom and Ewell-March2013.indd 1 04/03/2013 13:16

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Nigel

www.thebestof.co.uk/epsomandewell Update March 2013

Offer ends 30th April 2013

The recession makes the perfect monster. It is invisible to the naked eye and utterly silent. The media can attribute everything that is wrong with the business world to it

because it never answers back. It is the bogeyman of the adult world and a perfect scapegoat!

Now I’m not going to deny that our economy is not as buoyant as it was 6 years ago. That would be ridiculous. But assuming the demise of a company is purely down to the recession is also ridiculous and, quite frankly, irresponsible. Note the word I use…. irresponsible. To me, irresponsible doesn’t just mean unreliable, it means ‘the inability to respond’. While business owners sit back and lay all their woes at the feet of the monster under the bed, they are not finding out the true reasons as to why sales are dropping or customers aren’t returning. Whether it’s signage, failure to utilise new technologies like social media, not recognising the changing requirements of their customers (see HMV for details), or owners simply not marketing their businesses because they haven’t had to before, all of these issues can be dealt with. Sadly, the Butty Van probably won’t be there the next time my friend craves a bacon sandwich. A real shame as there are plenty of people who not only want them but will take a different, and often longer, route home to find them.

So, before you feed yourselves, your businesses and your bank balances to the monster under the bed, ask yourself a few questions:

Do I really know who my customers are and what they want?

Do I know why my customers buy from me?

Are my customer’s needs changing?

Do I provide my customers with what they want, or what I think they want?

If I wanted to buy from me, how would I find me?

How many customers do I actually need?

Am I doing everything I can to encourage customers, new and old, to keep coming back?

You will probably find, a small change in your marketing, your offering or the type of relationship you have with your customers will consign the monster under the bed to the media’s and your children’s imagination, where it belongs!

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The People Behind The BusinessPatrick and Linda Nolan – Building for the futureWorking together as owners of the local franchise for SAKS Epsom for 10 years, Patrick and Linda have built a great reputation for their salon, and their staff.

Patrick, from Ewell, started his hairdressing career at Vidal Sassoon, working with famous names like Ossie Clark, Mary Quant and international magazines Vogue, Harpers & Queen. He then travelled extensively in North America and Europe, again working with the greats in the fashion world – David Bailey and Yves St Laurent. Patrick not only creates divine hair styles but also enjoys teaching, passing on his great skills to the next generation.

Linda a fully qualified hairdresser and beauty therapist, opened her first salon in 1989 in Ashtead. Linda now manages the salon and trains beauty therapists in the skills of facials, massage, manicure and pedicure.

Patrick and Linda are passionate about training their staff. They undertake formal in-house training programmes to NVQ level 3 and beyond. Their training takes in the latest techniques, products, trends in both hair and beauty.

Hannah, who started as a junior at the salon 8 years ago, is now achieving great heights with her own career and has recently been recognised in the SAKS National Awards as: Brilliant Beauty Therapist

But it’s not all about work. Patrick and Linda are great supporters of charity and this year they have chosen to raise funds for Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH). They held their first event on Blue Monday, January 21st – the ‘saddest’ day of the year, where all proceeds were donated to GOSH. They have also introduced an ‘Oh My GOSH’ pampering massage – with £10 from each treatment going to GOSH.

But the big push – or should we say pedal, will be in May when Patrick, Linda, Hannah and Chanele take part in the GOSH Round the Island Cycle Challenge in Ibiza. A 2 day event cycling around the scenic island.

SAKS Epsom have set themselves a high target as they hope to raise £5k from the cycle ride and £10K in total for the year.

To help support them in their fund raising visit www.justgiving.com/teams/SaksEpsom

Nigel

It could

be you!

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Who Do You Love Locally? 14 Days of LoveCongratulations to Skyrah Beauty – a haven of tranquillity in the heart of Epsom – winners of this years Most Loved Business in Epsom & Ewell. Closely followed by The Spaghetti Tree – Walton-on-the-Hill, and SAKS Epsom.

Many thanks to the local members who took time to enter reviews or fill in review cards for their favourite local businesses.One thing that was very clear from the reviews was the Customer Service aspects of these businesses.

Welcoming – ProfessionalThese words occurred time and again.

“Skyrah offers great treatments and a great price. The staff are professional and welcoming. Well done Skyrah!” said Tracy E.

“I love Spaghetti Tree Walton on the Hill because always fantastic food and service and made to feel very welcome.” said Leaza B.

“I have been coming to Saks for a number of years and i am always impressed with the results! Staff are very polite and professional and always smiling . There is always a warm welcoming when coming to Saks .” said Dawn W.

Whether the review was a few simple words, or a detailed appraisal of the service, they allow the reviewer to give their own opinion. Reviews really do count – they allow people to see what people who have used the business really think.

And reviews are not just for 14 days of Love – they are forever.However, reviews need to be current – a review sitting on your website from several years ago does not tell the story of your business today!So don’t be afraid – ask your customers to give you reviews – it is the greatest form of advertisement – and it’s free !!

Mae Ping – Trying Something NewMae Ping, a delightful Thai restaurant in Epsom, believes in trying new ideas.Last year they introduced their mid-week 2 for 1 offer, and then their highly successful Sunday a-la-carte Banquet - not a buffet – a banquet - with every dish being cooked to order. Following their success in Epsom. These have been rolled out to the 4 other restaurants within their group.But never a business to stand still, they now wanted to revitalise lunch times in Epsom.Thai Street Food – yes authentic Thai Street food in the heart of this busy town – a lunch for under £6. Simply pop into the restaurant, by Epsom station, and leave with a bag of delicious oriental delights, or eat-in with no added service charge.Using flyers handed out to people in the town, together with twitter and facebook – the word has got out there, and this new initiative is proving very successful.

www.thebestof.co.uk/epsomandewell Update March 2013

Working Well...

“Share your

successes and let

Nigel know what

bits of thebestof

are working

for you.”

At thebestof Epsom and Ewell we are on the lookout for other great members.

This month we are looking for....

• Florists• Bridal Boutiques

/ Dress Hire• Garden Centres

and Nurseries• Pet Shops and Pet Supplies

If you know a business that fits the bill please contact the team...

01737 350079

Bestof-Epsom and Ewell-March2013.indd 4 04/03/2013 13:16

Give them a call & make them feel welcome

We’ve uncovered more hidden gems over the last few weeks. A big welcome to the following businesses who have joined us recently:

Ladysafe and Sons‘not just a business, more a personal service’. Ladysafe and Sons, winners of the Best Overall Business 2012 Epsom & Ewell Excellence awards, is a family run, firmly established, licensed, private hire and chauffeur company. Renowned for providing a personal, reliable and affordable service popular with individuals and corporate clients.

Tele:0208 393 8100

Perfect Blend Video‘We see the bigger picture so that you don’t have to’. Perfect Blend Video can help you create, promote and make the most out of your corporate video. For videos that reflect your business and make you stand out – give Perfect Blend Video a call.

Tele: 02081235125

Freedman Alexander“Common Sense, Legalised”. Whether business or personal matters there are times when we need the services of a solicitor to tackle the minefield of the Law. Freedman Alexander offer experience, professionalism and enthusiasm to guide you through the maze.

Tele:0208 393 0941

The HairtrapSit back and relax and let the experienced stylists work their magic on your hair. The Hairtrap is a friendly salon, in Nork Way Banstead, offers hairdressing for the whole family. With fully trained staff using the best products and techniques they will put you at your ease.

Tele: 01737 360847

Bite the dust‘Raising Standards’. Bite the dust offers a range of cleaning services to businesses, landlords and domestic clients. They offer a consistent level of service at a price you can afford, and of the highest standard. Contact their friendly team for a competitive quote.

Tele: 01372 826 625

Golden Connections‘where relationships are formed, referrals flow and businesses grow’. As a business owner you will know that there is no better business than a referral. Golden Connections allows like-minded local businesses to learn more about each other with their regular ‘connection’ meetings.

Tele: 07758 518 766

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www.thebestof.co.uk/epsomandewell Update March 2013

Awards and accolades take this a step further. In my eyes, only the excep-tional win awards; they are a marque that says you’re better than all the others. Switch on the TV any night of the week and you’ll see Aldi proudly displaying their ‘Which Supermarket of the Year’ accolade at the end of each ad. This is particularly important in the current economic climate. It’s not that people aren’t spending money anymore; it’s that they are more dis-cerning about where they spend it. We only have to compare the demise of Woolworths and the consistent year on year growth at Argos to see this in action.

A few years ago Boost Marketing did a survey called “Awards – Vanity or Sanity?” Not only were they looking at whether there was a commercial importance to awards, but also whether the economic climate had increased interest in awards in general.

80% of respondents said consumers were influenced by the presence of an award.

Ok, it seems like a bit of a no brainer, but let’s actually look at this for a moment. Say you need a plumber and none of the people you know can recommend one. You find two on the internet that ‘look’ trustworthy and professional; one has the City & Guilds logo, Guild of Master Plumbers logo, BPEC logo and a Subcontractor of the Year award. The other one doesn’t. Which one are you going to ring first?

49% of respondents said that award winning companies provided superior product and services.

Now this is a biggie! These respondents didn’t just think award winners were superior suppliers, they knew it. How much would you pay to ensure your potential customers knew that you provided a superior product or service?

70% of respondents believed awards were important for generating new business.

The British Quality Foundation take this one step further and state that, on average, small businesses show an increase of 63% in operating income. Let me just say that again…. an increase of 63%!

In truth, that isn’t even half the story! The list of benefits an accolade or award can bring goes on:

There is nothing better than receiving recognition for the work that you do; a sincere well done from a work colleague or a heartfelt thank you from a customer can change a not so good day into a brilliant one!

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TrustIn any business relationship, trust is the most important thing. It’s the thing we spend more time on than anything else when creating a relationship with our prospective clients. Awards build trust immediately because someone independent has judged your business by a set of fixed criteria and found you to be something exceptional. Money simply cannot buy that!

Customer and Employee LoyaltyInvariably, when people talk about the benefits of awards they concentrate on the new business they can bring in, completely forgetting the people you’re already working with.

Employees gain a real sense of pride from awards; after all, their work has contributed to the achievement. Customers also share in the pride; the award gives ‘social proof’ to what they already know, their printer/ accountant/driving instructor is the best.

Marketing OpportunitiesIf 80% of consumers are influenced by the presence of an award, then the fact you have one should be shouted from the rooftops. Every letter, every email, your website, Facebook, Twitter, the local Press should be hearing about it. For press particularly, a success story for a local business it exactly the kind of good news story they want. If you’ve been kind enough to write the story for them on a press release, they don’t have to!

DifferentiationIf you’ve ever read any marketing or sales books you will have come across the word ‘differentiation’ or ‘how is my business different to my competition?’ As I said earlier, in my eyes only the exceptional get awards, that differentiates you straight away because you are better than all the rest. That is a Unique Selling Point that all marketers would kill for!

Validation & TestimonyAnybody who’s ever had a conversation with me will tell you the importance I place on reviews. Once again, it’s all about social proof. ‘If all these people believe this business is good then it must be’. An award strengthens this even further as it not only confirms the reviews you already have, it then states that you are better than the rest as well.

My question to you is this. When did you last enter an award or shout about your own accolades? If you don’t do this you can guarantee nobody else will!

Take a look at our recent 14 Days of Love winners on our loveometer www.thebestof.co.uk/loveometer to see just how our very own have stood out from the rest!

I encourage you, today, to start shouting from the rooftops about your own accolades. It will boost your business in every way!

Bestof-Epsom and Ewell-March2013.indd 7 04/03/2013 13:16

Coming Soon

Our aim is to provide the best businesses in Epsom and Ewell with a world classmarketing service.We’ll raise your profile, connect you to new contacts and customers - and maximise your business potential.

We really do care about every one of our Business Members and we are there every step of the way to ensure thatthebestof works for you.

Our 17 marketing tools

thebestof Epsom and Ewell is run by Nigel & Maggie

Here at thebestof Epsom and Ewell, word of mouth just got louder!

Every business we feature has been checked out by us AND recommended by other local people so you can use them with confidence knowing they truly are one of the best at what they do.

Tele: 01737 350079Email: Epsom@thebestof.co.uk

An Evening With thebestof Epsom & EwellCocktail & Canapés Networking EventStarting on Wednesday 24th April 6:00pm

At The Chalk Lane Hotel – Epsom.

Our regular local business networking event will be on the last Wednesday of every month, and is set to become the premier event locally, where businesses will be able to meet in a social environment.

Put the date in your diary!

1. Testimonials

2. Dual-branded postcards

3. Mix and match

4. Commercial photos

5. Certificates

6. Brand Awareness

7. Campaigns

8. Call Tracking

9. An Evening with

10. Social Media

11. Blog

12. Events

13. Video

14. Special offers for members

15. Quote me

16. Mobile Website and App

17. Website feature

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