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Your EnterQuest Bulletin - Issue 215
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| Thought for the week: "Many a small thing has been made large by the right kind of advertising." Mark Twain |
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In this week's issue:
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Podcasting for publicity: tips from an "out of the way" business
A business based "in the middle of nowhere" has turned to podcasting to publicise its wildlife gardening products.
Wiggly Wigglers is a farm diversification business based at Lower Blakemere Farm in Herefordshire and is named after one of its main products - the worms it sells to compost garden and kitchen waste. The wildlife gardening products website is jam-packed with information and features, and as well as a blog also publishes a weekly podcast.
Business owner Heather Gorringe, who was recently interviewed in The Sunday Times, spoke to EnterQuest last year about the importance of grasping technology and the power of the Internet for small enterprises.
She said: "Our website has been very important to us from the start. We're based in the middle of nowhere and we have a very niche market."
Around 35%-40% of the firm's sales are online and Heather was concerned about losing the "personal" touch - so she was very excited when she heard about podcasting.
She attended a podcasting conference, downloaded the relevant computer programs and the weekly Wiggly podcast - which she describes as "like the Archers, but real" - was born.
She said: "It gives us that connection again, that voice. It can be replicated to anyone, all over the world.
"It's like a noticeboard the size of the Empire State Building.
"We're very, very pleased to have got in at the beginning. It'll change the way people think about things. It's such an opportunity it mustn't be missed."
The Wiggly podcast concentrates on wildlife, farming and the countryside, and people at the firm. Heather is adamant that the 30-minute broadcast shouldn't be used as an advert.
She said: "We don't sell a product on a podcast. You have to respect the fact that people have bothered to listen in.
"It gives small businesses the opportunity to be themselves."
For more information about getting started with podcasting, see our EnterQuest tip on the subject or visit the Podcast Blaster website.
Renting business premises - a brief guide
When renting premises for your business, the lease that you enter into with the owner of the property is the legal document that gives you the exclusive right to occupy premises as a tenant for a fixed term in exchange for the payment of rent. It also covers the conditions of your tenancy.
Terms that you need to check and which are usually contained in an agreement include:
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Commercial lease period. This is usually between 3 and 5 years, but some can be as long as 25 years. Short leases are sometimes more difficult to obtain.
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Notice period to terminate agreement, including break clauses. Break clauses allow you, or the landlord, to terminate the contract early, after a set length of time. For instance, you may be able to terminate a six-year lease after three years.
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Value of the rent and review dates. Rent may be charged monthly or quarterly in advance, and will usually be liable for VAT. It will also be subject to periodic reviews.
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Insurance obligations. It should be clear who is responsible for insuring the premises. If the landlord insures them, they may pass on this cost in service charges in addition to the rent.
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Access rights. Do you have access to the premises 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year, if you need it?
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Repairs and renewals. What are your responsibilities for maintenance and repairs to the premises?
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Decorations and signs. You will need to seek the landlord's permission for any business signs you want to install at the premises. There may also be local restrictions and planning regulations.
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Service charges for shared services provided by the landlord.
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Subletting and assignment. Subletting involves leasing all or part of your premises to another tenant. Assignment involves a third party taking over the rental agreement. You will need to check with your landlord if this is allowed under the lease.
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Security measures. The agreement will usually cover who is responsible for the security of the premises, and whether you can you add extra security measures such as CCTV cameras and physical barriers, if they are required.
The agreement, once signed, is a legally binding contract. Therefore you should ensure that you take advice from a solicitor prior to signing the document.
For more information see our practical factsheet on renting business premises or see the code of practice for tenants and landlords in England and Wales.
Each week we provide you with summaries of some popular or emerging business ideas in the UK and elsewhere around the world.
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Key storage services. New York-based NewYourKey offers customers a key-storage service. The firm takes a customer's spare keys and keeps them in secure storage. If the customer loses the originals, NewYourKey personally delivers the copies at any time, day or night.
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Cupcake delivery. An Internet-based business delivers freshly-baked boxes of cupcakes directly to customers. Fru Fru's cupcakes come with a choice of decorations and can be sent with a personal note for the recipient(s).
Business climates
German think-tank Ifo Institute for Economic Research has revealed the top 25 business climates in the world. The UK ranks sixth in the study, which analysed tax policy, basic institutions, human capital efficiency and labour markets. The top ten is listed below.
1) Australia
2) US
3) Netherlands
4) Canada
5) Ireland
6) UK
7) New Zealand
8) Finland
9) Denmark
10) Germany
According to The Times, the UK's sixth place suggests steady improvement since the early '90s - it hit seventh place in 1998 and tenth spot in 1994.
Regularly improving your vocabulary is not just about learning a new word and its meaning. It will improve your general knowledge and make you feel and act smarter in all sorts of personal and business situations.
Do you know the meaning of the word 'perquisite'?
a) Necessary before something can take place
b) A profit or benefit in addition to a salary or wages
c) A type of celebratory cake
d) A tax levied on a sole trader's profits
Answer at the end of the Bulletin.
The following topical business issues have been recently reported in the media. Did your radar pick them up?
1) Scotland is leading the rest of the UK with the take up of which type of technology?
a) Broadband
b) Mobile phones
c) Satellite navigation systems
d) Flat screen televisions
2) The growth in retail sales slowed in May, according to the British Retail Consortium's (BRC) monthly Retail Sales Monitor. What did the BRC blame for the slowdown?
a) The colder weather
b) Easter
c) A lack of new product launches
d) A rise in interest rates
3) Online retailers are being reminded they need to change what information by the end of June?
a) All sterling prices to euros
b) Customer passwords
c) Switch debit card logos to Maestro
d) All prices to exclude VAT
Answers at the end of the Bulletin.
Online networking for small business owners
Business4Brunch is a free-to-use website for small business owners. Once a business owner signs up, they can showcase their enterprise online, book and pay for networking events and read business articles. Users can also create events and offer advice to other members.
Write blogs with Windows Live Writer
A beta version of Windows Live Writer is available to download. The tool enables users to write, edit and publish blogs and is compatible with existing blog services such as Moveable Type and TypePad. Live Writer can handle media-rich content so users can insert photos and other media into their blogs.
Free Workspace from BT
BT has introduced BT Workspace Lite, a free tool for small and micro businesses. Workspace helps businesses share internal information, such as company policies and discussion boards, through intranet provision. The tool includes project Workspace, personal Workspace and company Workspace, and is currently free for up to two users.
Guide to search engine copywriting
This useful article provides an introduction to the importance of copywriting for search engine optimisation. It covers the concept of key words and phrases, and provides general hints and tips for writing content and avoiding plagiarism.
This book is all about learning to be decisive, with the author placing you into a situation where you have to make a decision, and where your decision will have consequences for others. The book examines the repercussions of those decisions and helps you learn how to make the right calls in real-life situations. Check out:
Just one word answer
The answer is b).
Perquisite means a profit or benefit in addition to a salary or wages.
The newsagent allowed the paperboy to choose a magazine each week as a perquisite. |
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Good luck
The EnterQuest Team
This information is meant as a starting point only. Whilst all reasonable efforts have been made, the publisher makes no warranties that the information is accurate and up-to-date and will not be responsible for any errors or omissions in the information nor any consequences of any errors or omissions. Professional advice should be sought where appropriate. |
