thebestof hitchin march newsletter

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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-Hitchin-March2013.indd 1 22/02/2013 14:37

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Have a great month...

Keith and Louise

www.thebestof.co.uk/hitchin Update March 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!


The People Behind The BusinessMeet Marta Steininger , General Manager at The Radcliffe Arms in Hitchin1. Who are the key players at The Radliffe Arms and what do they do?Marta Steininger- General ManagerJames Nicholas – Head ChefStuart Alder - Director of Marketing and Customer AffairsJoe McMillen - Bar Manager

I was promoted to the position of General Manager of the Radcliffe Arms in December last year by the owner Mr Samuel Isaly. I am responsible for running the business smoothly. I schedule work hours of the staff, arranging maintenance and repair, organise the bookings, budgeting and communicating with suppliers. We are extremely proud of our Head Chef James Nicholas who has been with us for more than 3 years now. With his passion for cooking and with his hard work the restaurant is listed in the Michelin Guide. Stuart Alder is responsible for marketing and running the floor on busy nights. We are very proud of his lovely wine selection which lifts the place to one of the favourite spots in Hitchin for wine lovers.Our bar is situated in the centre of the restaurant and managed by Joe McMillen. Under his management the bar is always spotless and ready for making delicious cocktails, including his phenomenal own creation, the Ume Flute.

2. What do you love most about your job? Helping customers experience a special time when they are with us.

3. What sort of training did you have before going into business?I got a bachelor degree in Teaching English and another bachelor in teaching Theology in Hungary which is where I come from. I taught in a primary school for two years. I have also managed a busy shoe shop in Cambridge, where I received lots of managerial experience.

4. The one local business you couldn’t possibly live without.I love the gym in Hitchin (Xchange), it is close to where I live. You always get a warm welcome and the atmosphere is very friendly.

5. What’s your favourite spot in Hitchin and why? My favourite spot is probably the hill. That’s the only place you never miss when going to the town. It attracts your attention when the weather is sunny, when it’s snowing and a lot of people sledging down on it.

6. Hindsight is a wonderful thing – what one thing would you do differently? I never think about what I should have done or what I shouldn’t in my life. That would be a waste of time. I believe everything is meant to happen for a reason.

7. How would you describe The Radcliffe Arms in three words? Magnificent food, professionalism and quality.

It could

be you!


It’s always easier to moan about bad service and we rarely take the time to say when we are happy. Some businesses find it embarrassing to ask their customers for feedback, either through fear of being criticised or just because its not in their nature to do so. But rather than trying to run from it you should engage and actively seek, gather and promote testimonials. When was the last time that your accountant asked you what you think of them or your dentist? That’s why we run an annual 14 Days of Love Campaign.

This was the 4th annual 14 Days of Love Campaign and we were delighted with the effort put in by many of our customers all vying for the accolade of ‘Most Loved Business in Hitchin’

Huge congratulations go to Pebble Sanctuary, Geraldine, Catriona and their team. This is the 2nd time Pebble Sanctuary have won this prestigious title in the past 4 years.

“At Pebble we all love the fun involved in The 14 Days of Love. It’s a great opportunity to ask our clients to give Pebble a review and they get very caught up in the competition along with us. Winning again is a brilliant way to say a big thanks to

our team and clients for all their support.” Said Geraldine.

And the love didn’t just spread locally! 3 businesses all came top in the UK in their respective categories:-

The White Wardrobe most loved Bridal Shop in the UK

The Framing Lady most loved Picture Framer and Frame Maker in the UK

Austin’s most loved Funeral Directors in the UK

And The Pilates Pod, Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research, Woodside Osteopathy and Pebble Sanctuary were runners up in their categories in the UK too. Over 1000 people voted in the campaign and we are delighted that so many took the time to get involved.

The campaign is a fun way to interact with people but the aim is quite serious. The power of testimonials has such a huge influence over people, who doesn’t look at reviews when deciding whether to stay at a hotel or buy something off Argos/Amazon and it’s the same with local businesses. If you don’t have many reviews, or they are 3 months out of date, then this will have a negative impact. So make sure they are kept up to date!

Here are a couple of examples of reviews that came through over the 2 week campaign.

“Brilliant organisation doing hugely important work - encouraging the medical community to use alternatives to animal research. Not only saving millions of animals from unnecessary suffering, but also ensuring that treatments being developed are effective on humans rather than animals - so everyone is a winner! “

“The one thing you want when it comes to

visiting the dentist is to be treated by someone who is professional, capable but most of all caring. The treatment you get at this clinic is second to none, my whole family go here and without fail you can trust them to take care of you whilst being charming, efficient and honest”

14 Days of Love will return in 2014 even bigger and better!

Working Well...

“Share your

successes and let

Keith and Louise

know what bits

of thebestof are

working

for you.”

At thebestof Hitchin we are on the lookout for other great members. This month we are looking for....

• Locksmiths

• Driving Schools

• Electricians

• Butchers

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

01462 759700



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:

Talents HairdressersTalents Hairdressing has been a fixture in Hitchin for nearly thirty years. Run now by Tracie Armstrong you cannot fail to be impressed.

Ring Tracie on 01462 437687

The Car AgentsThe Car Agents offer a new way to buy and sell your sports or prestige car through a one-stop-shop service taking the hassle away from you.

Call Simon on 01462 441460

Assist MeA cost effective and highly professional virtual personal assistant service that can help and support your business.

Ring Alice on 07879 493806

The Croft Bar & RestaurantIf you’re looking for a friendly, contemporary wine bar and restaurant in Hitchin town centre, The Croft is the perfect location for wining and dining.

Call Steven or Ollie on 01462 441295

Film InfinityVideo production company based in Hitchin who produce superb corporate, promotional and training video content for clients locally and nationwide.

Ring Ian or Chris on 01462 642251

Tilehouse Dental ClinicEnjoy the cosy, friendly environment and experience a full range of services, from emergencies to long-term dental care and cosmetic procedures.

Call Dr Shah and his team on 01462 455855



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!


www.thebestof.co.uk/hitchin Monthly Update November 2012

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!


Coming Soon

Our aim is to provide the best businesses in Hitchin with aworld 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 that thebestof works for you.

Our 17 marketing tools

Thebestof Hitchin is run by Keith and Louise Yexley

As we enter our seventh year of running thebestof Hitchin, we would like to express our thanks to the fantastic people that we have had the pleasure of working with. Local business people that are actually getting out there and DOING IT!We have some help of course, Hilary Robertson is our eyes and ears in the town and writes blog articles for us and Alice Duncan who recently joined the team and many of you will have met her when she collected your testimonials during the 14 Days of Love CampaignCall Us: 01462 759700Email: [email protected] us: @bestofhitchinJoin us on Facebook: /thebestofhitchin

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

Social Media Training - love it or loathe it, social media for business is here to stay and the sooner you get to grips with it the better (before your competitors do)!!

thebestof hitchin will be running workshops on the various social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter AND we’ll be showing you how video and You Tube can transform your business in 2013.

Spaces will be limited but you can reserve your place, just call 01462 759700, email [email protected] or tweet us at @bestofhitchin


thebestof hitchin march newsletter

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