Read TBE each edition for the latest :
FSB Bath news
‘ The best fish and chips in Bath ¹ an accolade many restaurants , cafes and pubs claim which we read and take with a pinch of salt - if you pardon the pun , but what quantifies being the best at what you do ? Not everyone can be the best .
We live in a review based culture with online channels readily available for consumers to cast their opinions , often within moments of the experience . The opinions generally are based on the overall offering , and people have higher expectations than perhaps they once had . Good news travels fast , bad news travels faster and further afield .
Winning awards highlights your business as ‘ award winning ’ which may set you apart from your competitors , but what really matters is what your clients and customers think about you . Word of mouth is one of the best forms of marketing there ever has been and ever will be and if customers are ‘ delighted ’ rather than ‘ satisfied ’ they are more likely to tell their friends and be your ‘ raving fans .’ People shop based on other people ¹ s opinions , and will look for the ‘ top 10 ¹ ‘ best in ¹ or ‘ award winning ¹ as a way of saying I want to experience what other people have said is great .
Awards , reviews and a loyal fan base are all important aspects of growing local brand loyalty
SMALL BUSINESS FOCUS
Notes from the back room ...
I suspect that there are many who are ready and willing to bid farewell to this year . Let ’ s face it , it ’ s been an eventful year and one that I believe has brought us many unexpected outcomes . Brexit and Trump being just the tip of a very big iceberg that has been 2016 . So let us leave that for now and focus on the future . What will the new year bring , what can we expect to see in 2017 . No - I am not turning into Mystic Meg , but I have been reviewing the insights of some of our top business trend predictors and have seen a few common threads . Several main themes seem to pop up , with one being the continuing increase in personalised service ; from more effective , responsive and personalised online search capabilities to the need for true face to face personal service .
This does not surprise me , as it is combines and any initiative that supports that we should all be supportive of . So that ’ s why I ’ m proud to be associated again with Ben Howlett ’ s Best of Bath Business Awards an awards initiative for independent Bath businesses where nominations and votes are made by clients and customers , so a true reflection of what people think should shine through .
I have my favourite places in Bath and I spread these messages via my social media channels , so that other people get to know about the wonderful independent business community that we are all part of .
We can all do the same champion your local independent businesses by visiting them supporting them and by recommending them to others . We are not a city of secret hideaway high streets , we are vibrant destination city that is proud to be unique , individual and thriving with small , local independent businesses .
Angela MacAusland FSB Bath Branch Chair and Owner of AMPMPA Ltd web : www . fsb . org . uk / 119 twitter @ FSB _ Bath
our growing ability to tailor technology to fit the needs of the individual with the longed for return of what seems to be that old fashioned approach of personal service . Long have we wished for a bank manager that has a name and a face that you recognise and that stays in post for more than 6 months . For the small business community this predicted trend could prove a godsend . For which service are our local businesses known to excel at more than personal service ? It is the cornerstone of small business and one service which we are proud to say cannot be matched by multi-national chains . Thus to 2016 I willingly say farewell ( and I will never forgive it for taking Bowie away ), and to 2017 I say welcome , come on in and join me for a cuppa ( you know exactly how I like my coffee ) …
Anji Henderson , Chair of Small Business Focus www . smallbusinessfocus . co . uk
PR is changing , is your agency ?
Looking back at the PR world when I started , there was a huge amount of calling news desks .
The PR industry was obsessed with checking if journalists had read their press releases . But journalists are busy people and unsurprisingly not tolerant of listening to a PR ask them if they received their press release among the 400 others that day .
Years later I assumed it was an outdated practice , but reading a journalist ’ s blog on LinkedIn this week I was surprised to read that it ’ s not .
Phoning journalists can still be productive if you know your subject and how to sell a story in a very quick and efficient manner . It is still the essence of building strong media relationships . But talking to a journalist is not about wasting their time with small talk in the mistaken belief you are winning them over .
Similarly , a PR campaign is more than simply getting your brand name checked within a publication . The PR industry used to talk about reach and for years clients were satisfied with how many people had read a publication and how many pieces of coverage they received . The industry talked about traditional print media and online as two distinctly different mediums and tended to undervalue online coverage , telling clients nothing beats the kudos of on-the-page copy . The PR industry was reluctant to accept how the media landscape was changing and would continue to change .
Today , we live in an age where we are ‘ always on ’. We gather news in different ways , through smart phones , smart TVs , tablets , laptops , desktops and yes , print . We are Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled everywhere we go . Even our cars can be hotspots .
Media channels don ’ t talk about media benefits in terms of isolated readership figures anymore , instead they layer it with unique users . Reach is more sophisticated than an ABC1 age definition . Targeted campaigns are just that , and as a result , they consistently deliver . Nearly everything is measurable and when implemented in the right way can have a huge impact on how you grow your business .
So why is some of the PR industry still talking about PR using old terminology and techniques ?
Perhaps because for many the change will mean a complete u-turn in what they have said to their clients , and what they can sell their clients . And of course for many it will mean learning a new skillset , and ditching the safe way they have always done things .
If your agency is still measuring PR in column inches and phoning journalists to ask if they have received a press release then may I suggest you take another look at your approach , because it sounds like they are working to an outdated model .
Linda @ geometrypr . co . uk
Regency Offices specialise in great value serviced offices in central Bath and Bristol .
Situated in beautiful Georgian buildings , Regency offers three-month rolling contracts and all-inclusive business rates from just £ 175 per person per month .
Rates include all utilities , cleaning , furniture and maintenance . www . regencyoffices . com Call 01225 326400 to arrange a viewing or email info @ regencyoffices . com
6 THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2016