#ndevon business news from the NDBA

September 2013 | Issue 4

Social mediaseeds reap

NDBA awards

#ndevon

➤ ndba.org.uk ➤ 0333 044 2038 ➤ @northdevon

magazine production for

North Devon Business Alliance

@northdevon business news

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September 2013

#ndevon is edited, designed and produced by pressme, a Zarywacz brand, on behalf of the NDBA. Call Robert Zarywacz for editorial and to advertise.t: 0333 0444 354 e: [email protected] w: pressme.co.uk

Contents

Contents

Social seeding 3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

NDBA Awards 2013

Sponsor’s message / Book Awards Lunch

Twitter Award

Facebook Award

Google+ Award

Multiheat & Energy Systems

LinkedIn Award

Blogging Award

Online Media Award / Networking lunches

Online Networker Award

The views expressed by contributors to this magazine are not necessarily those of the North Devon Business Alliance or Zarywacz. Readers are strongly recommended to seek the advice of an appropriate professional before taking any action on any topic discussed in the magazine.© 2013 North Devon Business Alliance and Zarywacz.

Join the NDBASubscribe online for £15 a year

#ndevon magazine

Membership of the North Devon Business Alliance is open to all

businesses in North Devon.Membership costs £15 per

year and includes discounts on events, including our regular Friday end-of-month networking

lunches and workshops, a directory listing on our web site, blogging opportunities and discounts on advertising in #ndevon magazine.

To join visit ndba.org.uk and follow the link to pay online or download a membership form.

September 2013

3➤ NDBA magazine produced by

Networking in #ndevon

Welcome to our latest North Devon Business Alliance issue

of #ndevon.Since our last magazine the

NDBA has continued to network in North Devon at regular Friday end-of-month lunches, at workshop events and online through blogs at ndba.org.uk.

As formal business support continues to decline and social communities grow rapidly, especially online, the NDBA is at the heart of connecting businesses and providing peer-to-peer support.

Networking returnsWhile business people have always networked, both at industry and social events, networking is now recognised as an essential activity.

It’s no longer sufficient to be good at what we do or to provide superb products and services; we have to network, either face-to-face or online, to promote our businesses. Whether it’s attending events or interacting on a Facebook page, social promotion of business is essential for success.

This doesn’t mean working a room to sell to every new person we meet, but making

new connections and building relationships for the long term.

It’s very hard work to win a new customer and much easier to sell to existing customers who know they can rely on us.

That’s why the highest returns of any networking activity are in returning customers who give us repeat business.

Supporting networkersFollowing the success of our initial NDBA Awards last year, we are launching our 2013 awards with even more event categories.

The awards recognise the achievements of North Devon business people who are already networking effectively online as well as encouraging beginners to take their first steps.

However you network online, through social media services, blogging or using audio or video, there is a category for you to enter. You can enter as many categories as you want.

See the winners announced at our 2013 NDBA Awards and Christmas Lunch on Friday 13 December. Book now to reserve your place. Good luck!

Social seeding

September 2013


The NDBA Awards return for 2013 with an expanded range

of categories (see below left).The winners of

individual awards will go on to compete for the Winner of Winners title.

Blogging, online networking and social media are vital tools for the North Devon business community. They

eliminate the barriers created by our remoteness and even turn that remoteness into an advantage: many of us can transact with customers across the UK and even worldwide before finishing work to go surfing or walking by the sea. This is not an option for most town and city dwellers across the country.

Thank you to our sponsorsWe are very grateful to our nine sponsors who have made the awards possible this year.

Barclays have generously agreed to be the main sponsor, while other sponsors have each chosen to sponsor a specific awards category.

You can read about each sponsor and how they use social media on the page for each award.

Who can enter?Any business in North Devon can enter the NDBA Awards. You can enter one, more or all categories.

Why enter?We will promote the awards every day from 1 September to 8 November 2013 on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+ and on ndba.org.uk, drawing attention to your online activities.

We will announce the names of winners at the 2013 NDBA Awards and Christmas Lunch on Friday 13 December and publicise them online on social networks, on our web site and in our magazine.

The awards provide an excellent opportunity to increase your social media and blogging activities, make more connections and transact more business online.

How much does entry cost?Entry to the NDBA Awards is free.

How will entries be judged?All entries will be judged by Stacey Pledge of B My Office, Kevin Woodward of Multiheat and Robert Zarywacz of pressme.

The judges’ decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into.

How do I enter?See the following pages for details of how to enter each category or visit ndba.org.uk

Any questions?Please ask us on our blog or on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or Google+.

NDBA Awards

NDBA Awards 2013Enter North Devon’s online business awards at ndba.org.uk

NDBA AWARD CATEGORIES ➤ Twitter ➤ Facebook ➤ LinkedIn ➤ Google+ ➤ Blogging ➤ Media ➤ Online Networker

➤ Winner of Winners

September 2013


Sponsor’s message

We are delighted to be one of the sponsors at this year’s

North Devon Business Alliance awards which seek to recognise excellence within the business community across the north of the county.

Elaine De Trafford, Area Business Manager at Barclays, said: “At Barclays we recognise that online networking plays a key role in the success of businesses today.

“Use of the internet and social media can open up new markets and channels for businesses and help them to compete on a national and global stage.

“We encourage our business customers to promote themselves

online and take advantage of the opportunities available to them. Recently we have been running training courses locally to help businesses new to online marketing, to get them started.

“Recognising the great impact an online presence can have, Barclays has also set up a business networking site called ‘Connector’, which as the name suggests, strives to help businesses get connected.

“It’s free to join and you don’t have to be a Barclays business customer to benefit.

“We wish all shortlisted businesses the best of luck at this year’s awards.”

Book for awards lunchBook before 30 September for earlybird rate

Our combined NDBA Awards and Christmas Lunch on

Friday 13 December 2013 at the Chichester Arms, Bishops Tawton will be packed with food, fun and festivities.

Enjoy traditional Christmas dinner (or vegetarian meal) plus a light-hearted review of the business

year in North Devon before we reveal the winners of all categories plus the North Devon Business Awards Winner of Winners.

Book before 30 September for earlybird rate of £17.50 members / £22.50 non-members.

Reserve your place and pay online by visiting ndba.org.uk

Sponsor’s message

September 2013


At Coversure Insurance Services (Ilfracombe) we

are delighted to sponsor the NDBA Twitter Award.

Twitter has grown massively since its launch and now has over 500 million users. Traditionally a social networking website, where people could keep in touch and interact with friends or celebrities, it has now been adopted as a viable marketing tool and is a major communication channel for many businesses.

We use Twitter a lot and find it a fantastic way to interact with our customers, local organisations and prospective clients. When dealing with our customers’ insurance requirements, the emphasis is on speed – we’ll often respond to @mentions almost instantly.

The customer is at the centre of everything Coversure does.

We follow what members of the community are doing and discussing. As 95% of people are likely to buy from a recommendation, what our customers think about us is highly important as it helps us shape and grow our business.

Marketing is constantly changing and it’s widely acknowledged that traditional methods are no longer sufficient on their own. Businesses need to focus on a multi-channel communication strategy and include social media platforms such as Twitter in their marketing effective.

If you’re not already actively engaging with your customers online, you’re behind the pack. We congratulate all businesses entering this award for adopting this powerful tool and would like to wish all finalists #GoodLuck!

Success is TweetEnter the NDBA Twitter Award

Twitter Award

Tweeting your messages in

140 characters is a powerful way to promote yourself and your business.

We’re looking for the North Devon

businesses who use Twitter to make themselves stand out.

This can include: ➤ raising awareness of your business or product

➤ engaging with your followers through Tweeting and reTweets

➤ entertaining Tweets ➤ originality of contentRemember to use the #ndevon

hashtags to connect with other North Devon businesses on Twitter.

TWEET YOUR ENTRY NOW1. Follow @northdevon.2. Tweet: ‘I am entering the @northdevon #NDBA #ndevon Twitter award.’3. We’ll add you to our award list. 4. Tweet regularly between 1 September and 8 November 2013.

NDBA Twitter Award sponsored by

t: 0800 3081 334 w: coversure.co.uk/ilfracombe Tweet: @CoverIlfracombe

September 2013


Facebook Award

Face the challengeEnter the NDBA Facebook Award

Established in 2006, and run by husband-and-wife team

Richard and Elaine Isaac, Convallis Software specialises in helping businesses gain the most from using technology.

We provide a range of useful products and services to help with this including bespoke software development, tailoring software specifically to a business to help it run efficiently. We also offer consultancy, websites and hosting.

ConvallisCRM, our customer relationship management solution enables you to keep accurate records of your sales and contacts. ConvallisCRM helps you maximise your profits by improving customer relationships, sharing knowledge with colleagues, increasing sales and reducing costs.

We are very pleased to be

sponsoring the NDBA Facebook Award, as Elaine was a previous winner of the Online Winner of Winners and Blogging awards.

We understand the importance of social media as a tool in an overall marketing plan. We use Facebook as part of our social media strategy to keep our ‘page likers’ informed of what is happening in the IT world. We also use it to offer hints and tips on various aspects of IT and to promote our products and services.

Facebook is an ideal channel to get your voice heard and engage with your followers. When you post interesting articles, they can be shared with a wider audience.

To find our more about what we can do for you, like us at facebook.com/convallissoftware

Good luck in the award!

Facebook pages offer many ways to attract customers and engage

with them online.We’re looking for the North

Devon businesses who use their Facebook pages most effectively.

This can include: ➤ promoting your business, products or services

➤ entertainment provided by

photos, videos or other content

➤ interaction with followers through comments, likes and shares

➤ most original use of Facebook pagesIf you have a Facebook page,

now is the chance to make it work.

ENTER YOUR PAGE NOW1. ‘Like’ the NDBA Facebook page at facebook.com/NDevonbusiness2. Add your Facebook page name to the ‘Enter the NDBA Facebook Award 2013 here’ thread.3. ‘Like’ and ‘share’ the thread.4. Be active on your Facebook page.

NDBA Facebook Award sponsored by

t: 0845 527 7221 w: convallissoftware.co.uk Facebook: convallissoftware

September 2013


Google+ Award

Is Google a plus?Enter the NDBA Google+ Award

South West Office Supplies, your premier office supplies

company, are proud to sponsor the NDBA Google+ Awards for 2013.

At South West Office Supplies, we actively use social media as part of our sales and marketing strategy. Google+ was not an instant hit with us but we feel now that its importance is growing due to recent updates and its ability within the whole of Google to improve your web ranking.

With this in mind, over the coming months we will be increasing our Google+ posts with offers, videos and products that we can supply.

South West Office Supplies can provide over 25,000 office products and machines direct to your premises. We offer free delivery in North Devon using our own

van and nationally all orders over £35 are delivered free by courier. This is all backed up by our superb knowledge and award-winning customer service.

We source from major UK distributors to bring you excellent value for money on all major brands so you can totally rely on us to deliver the goods whilst you carry on concentrating on your own business.

As a member of the UK’s largest buying group we are able to compete with large national companies but with the advantage of our own personal service.

Call 01271 889337, email [email protected] or visit swofficesupplies.co.uk

Good luck to all who enter the NDBA Google+ award from all at South West Office Supplies.

Google+ is one of the latest social

media networks to launch. It has many useful features and, of course, it is linked to the most popular search engine.


businesses who use Google+ most effectively. This can include:

➤ engaging with followers and in Google+ communities

➤ supporting others through +1 activity and sharing posts

➤ raising awareness of your business or product

➤ entertaining and original contentSee you on Google+!

PLUS YOUR ENTRY NOW1. Join the ‘ndevon NDBA Google+ Award 2013’ community with your Google+ account or page and post ‘I am entering the +North Devon Business Alliance #ndevon Google+ Award 2013’.2. Share the community publicly.3. Be active on Google+ between 1 September and 8 November 2013.

NDBA Google+ Award sponsored by

t: 01271 889337 w: swofficesupplies.co.uk G+: South West Office Supplies

September 2013


Multiheat Infrared Heating

Multiheat & Energy Systems Ltd are pleased to be a sponsor of the NDBA 2013 Awards.

As a company we greatly value our membership of the NDBA and through this membership and networking with other members feel much more confident in our approach to using social media.

We are active users of Google+, we blog regularly on our own multiheat-energysystems.co.uk website and on Blogger at multiheat.blogspot.co.uk.

We have our own Facebook page at facebook.com/multiheat and Tweet regularly at @infraredheating. We have a

LinkedIn profile, we use Pinterest and are just starting to use YouTube.

All of these avenues give us an edge to marketing our product on the internet and being in all of these places enables us to reach far more people than if we just used our website.

Don’t worry though, we are ineligible to enter any of the awards as we have been asked to judge some of them, but I encourage all local North Devon businesses to enter not just one award but as many as you feel able to.

And if you are not yet embracing social media – give it a go – it is fun as well as useful!

NDBA Awards sponsor

t: 01237 451759 w: multiheat-energysystems.co.uk

INFRARED HEATING PANELSfor your garden building, log cabins,

studio / office, summerhouse

☎ 01237 451759multiheat-energysystems.co.uk

★ ceiling / wall mounted★ space saving★ energy efficient★ no maintenance★ 3-year guarantee

September 2013


LinkedIn Award

Don’t miss the linkEnter the NDBA LinkedIn Award

The number of registered users of LinkedIn currently stands at

over 100 million – almost twice as many as it had only two years ago and there has been a huge shift in the mind-set of recruiting people who are active rather than those who are passive.

These are two of the main reasons why Marsdens Cottage Holidays uses LinkedIn on a regular basis.

As a family-run company which has been established for nearly 40 years, moving with the times is essential. We have around 450 properties which we manage for our owners and, as a result, need a dedicated and varied workforce.

In the past LinkedIn has helped

us recruit property managers, helped us source housekeepers, who are instrumental in ensuring all of our properties are ready for our visitors each week, and is a good medium for establishing links with local tradesmen such as plumbers and electricians.

Marsdens Cottage Holidays is the leading provider of Visit England rated properties in the South West – something which we are very proud of. This quality applies to all our employees and we only take on the best.

We are proud to sponsor the NDBA LinkedIn Award as it represents us and our working ethos – forward thinking, proactive and productive!

LinkedIn has evolved from an

online repository for CVs to a networking site for the corporate community.


businesses who use LinkedIn to network and promote themselves.

This can include: ➤ engaging with your connections in the North Devon group

➤ debating business issues ➤ supporting connections with answers to questions on business

➤ originality of contentLinkedIn is more focused on

business issues than most other social networks.

LINK YOUR ENTRY NOW1. Join the LinkedIn ‘North Devon’ community.2. Comment on the award post: ‘I am entering the LinkedIn NDBA Award 2013’.3. Be active on LinkedIn between 1 September and 8 November 2013.

NDBA LinkedIn Award sponsored by

t: 01271 813777 w: marsdens.co.uk LinkedIn: Marsdens Cottage Holidays

September 2013


Blogging Award

Blogging is a key promotional activity. A blog can discuss any

aspect of your industry, business, products or services.

We’re looking for the most informative and original blogs from North Devon businesses that:

➤ discuss problems and solutions ➤ celebrate achievements ➤ make us think

➤ stimulate debate and comment

➤ entertain usBlogs can include

images, audio or video and vary in length from a short paragraph to hundreds of words.

Start blogging now!

Tell stories with blogsEnter the NDBA Blogging Award

Many of us get apprehensive about selling, but often we

sell without even realising it.At pressme, we believe that

stories are the best sales tool. Most of us are interested in hearing about other people and what they do. Stories give us the opportunity to show others our approach to business, demonstrate our knowledge and share our enthusiasm for what we do.

Blogs provide an accessible format we can use to tell stories that will interest our customers.

What do we write? How do we get ideas when sitting down in front of a blank screen?

A blog doesn’t have to be a masterpiece and can be as short as a paragraph asking a question.

We’re most likely to get ideas for blog topics when doing something

else or away from our workplace. It’s useful to have a notepad (either paper or on your phone/laptop) where you can jot down topics and thoughts before you forget them.

Or if you’re at your keyboard and you get an idea, take five minutes to write your blog when having a cup of tea or coffee. You could publish it then or save a draft to complete later.

pressme tells clients’ stories through press releases which are also published as blogs. If you don’t have the time to write material yourself, we can do it for you.

Blogging and PR work best when sustained over a period of time and we offer fixed-price PR campaigns so you know the price you’re paying before you start.

We also offer free resources – check us out at pressme.co.uk

ENTER YOUR BLOG NOW1. To enter a blog on your own site, email the link to [email protected]. NDBA members can also enter by posting blogs on ndba.org.uk3. You can enter more than once.4. Blogs must be posted between 1 September and 8 November 2013.

NDBA Blogging Award sponsored by

t: 0333 0444 354 w: pressme.co.uk Tweet: @pressmenow

September 2013


Online Media Award

Sight and sound Enter the NDBA Online Media Award

We think online media such as Audio Boo, YouTube

and Vine are fantastic tools for businesses to connect and engage with their public using an interesting and different approach.

Within our business we have used these tools, especially our YouTube channel, to showcase our capabilities and also to show our fun side. For example, recently

we commissioned a talented voice over artist to perform a short voice over script to our animated video highlighting the benefits of our telephone answering service.

We hope to see a great variety of different methods and ideas used to enter the NDBA Online Media Award and look forward to seeing and hearing all the entries over the coming months – good luck to all!

Video, audio and photography are

powerful, easy-to-use social media tools.

Services such as Vine enable you to record a six-second video just by

touching the screen of your phone.We’re looking for North Devon

businesses who use interactive media to promote themselves.

Please enter material created with or published on:

➤ Audioboo ➤ Instagram ➤ Pinterest ➤ Vine ➤ YouTube ➤ any other media service

LINK YOUR ENTRY NOWLeave a comment on the ndba.org.uk Online Media Award page before 8 November 2012 giving your name, business, type of media and a link to the photo, podcast, interview or video you want to enter.

NDBA Online Media Award sponsored by

t: 01271 344545 w: bmyoffice.com

Network over lunchThe NDBA’s online networking complements our face-to-face, end-of-month Friday lunches.

These provide an excellent opportunity to make new contacts, built relationships and discuss current business issues in a relaxed environment. There are no

presentations and no exclusivity: we welcome businesses of all sizes and from every sector.

There is no need to join and you can attend as often as you wish, although NDBA membership offers you a substantial discount on our events and services.

September 2013


Online Networker Award

Making connectionsEnter the NDBA Online Networker Award

A lot of people have set themselves up as social media

experts and tried to make money by persuading businesses to network online. The question is ‘does your business need to network online?’

The simple answer is ‘no’, especially if you are just looking for a quick-fix marketing solution. Contrary to all the hype, you do not need to be on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or Google+.

You may not need to use these communication channels, but networking online can be beneficial to your business.

If your customers and prospective customers are networking online, then joining them gives you the chance to build relationships with them, share information and raise awareness of how your business can help them.

Accountancy Edge has been networking online for a couple of years now. We view the time it takes as being equivalent to attending a couple of business breakfasts a week. Just like that form of networking, it’s the relationships you build that have brought us new business. We’ve talked to people all over North Devon and we’ve ‘met’ new people.

Our results show it can work: we’ve had several people approach us when they want a fresh view of their accounting and taxation affairs.

Oh, and it can be fun too!This is why we think online

networking is important and can be good for business. That’s why we want to know which North Devon businesses you think network online effectively.

Who do you think contributes most to the North Devon

online community?They could use one or more

social media networks. We’re talking about business

people who network by: ➤ interacting with followers ➤ answering questions to help us ➤ developing conversations

➤ connecting us with others

➤ entertaining usSend us your

nomination during September.

The award will be decided by a public vote on those who are nominated.

VOTE FOR THE BEST NETWORKER1. Nominate the business person you think should win the award on the ndba.org.uk Online Networker Award page before 30 September 2013.2. A public vote will be held during October 2013.

NDBA Online Networker Award sponsored by

t: 01237 421342 w: accountancy-edge.co.uk Tweet: @accountancyedge

accountancyEdgeEarn more. Keep more. Enjoy it more.

September 2013


Thank you

Virtual Business Assistants

37 Bear Street, Barnstaple Devon EX32 7BZ T: 01271 344545 W: www.bmyoffice.com

E: [email protected]

● Free your time to focus on main business activities

● Flexible extra team members as and when you need

● Improve your image and your relationships with your clients

● Cost effective alternative to a permanent employee in the current economic climate

Unzip Your Potential and Grow Your Business Our Team of Virtual Business Assistants Can Help You Flourish.

Book Your Free Business Review Today...

We are grateful to

as sponsor of the

North Devon Business Alliance Awards 2013

and thank all sponsors

of individual award categories

Good luck to all who enter!

accountancyEdgeEarn more. Keep more. Enjoy it more.

Virtual Business Assistants

37 Bear Street, Barnstaple Devon EX32 7BZ T: 01271 344545 W: www.bmyoffice.com

E: [email protected]

● Free your time to focus on main business activities

● Flexible extra team members as and when you need

● Improve your image and your relationships with your clients

● Cost effective alternative to a permanent employee in the current economic climate

Unzip Your Potential and Grow Your Business Our Team of Virtual Business Assistants Can Help You Flourish.

Book Your Free Business Review Today...

energyenergyenthusiasmenthusiasm

excitementexcitement

Sharing the excitement of your business through PR Visit pressme.co.uk

Proud to sponsor the NDBA Blogging Award 2013 Call 0333 0444 354 NOW!

When you’re busy running your business, where can you find daily . . .

. . . to maintain awareness ofyour brand in the marketplace?

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#ndevon business news from the NDBA

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