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The people behind the business

New members this month

Tip of the monthand More...

www.thebestof.co.uk/epsomandewell

Tirelessly working to make your business the best it can be...

Continued...

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE

We don’t give these away lightly, but when the number of positive, glowing reviews from customers reaches a certain threshold, it’s entirely appropriate that we confer genuine ”Best of” status on our fab Member businesses.

On this occasion, the response I got when I produced the framed certificate from my bag was somewhat unexpected.

“That’s amazing” he exclaimed, “no one’s given me a certificate since I was swimming at school in the 1960s”.

And that’s when I realised that, just like Paul McCartney and John Lennon said, “It’s easy…all you need is love…” People need to be appreciated and told how good they are yet, as a society, we shy away from it.

I was in the car last week when the Beatles’ classic “All you need is love” came on the radio. I caught myself inadvertently singing along and I was a bit shocked when the DJ announced that the song was 45 years old! 1967 – Where do the years go?Even now, after so many listens, it’s a song that I defy anyone not to feel uplifted when they hear it.

So I was in a particularly perky mood when I arrived at my destination to see one of our existing Members. There were two main reasons for my visit, firstly to help crystallise and clarify a super powerful offer that we could put out on our newsletters and on the website to pull in more business for him during a specific campaign that he had lined up and, also to present him with a certificate, officially recognising his business as one of the very best in town.

January 2013 Update

Offer of the MonthIntroductory 1 Hour Photo Shoot and Framed Portrait For £20A 1 hour photo shoot (Value £75) plus a framed 8 x 6 portrait (Value £85).

All for just £20 at Barrett & Coe – Leatherhead Studio.

Discover modern, beautiful, relaxed images that offer you a lifetime of happy memories to cherish.

Offer ends 31st March 2013.

Telephone: 01372 375515 for details

Have a great month...

Nigel

www.thebestof.co.uk/epsomandewell Monthly Update January 2013

We’re much quicker to complain than compliment. We don’t hesitate to pick fault, yet miss oodles of opportunity to

congratulate and commend on a job well done.

That’s why I’m on a mission over the next few weeks to sprinkle my own particular type of love to everyone I meet. Don’t worry, I’m not going all hippy and bohemian on you – and I certainly haven’t been smoking anything – but wouldn’t it be just fab if we all collaborated and focused our efforts, for just a couple of weeks, on spreading the love around and making people feel great?

I’m going to become expert at catching people doing things well, so I can tell them how fab they are – because I know, in a small way, it’ll make them feel better – just like I did when I was listening to that song on the radio and, just like my customer did when I gave him that certificate. It was an awesome feeling and I want more of it and I want to spread it around.

Will you help me?

Imagine what damage we could do to the gloom, doom and misery if we all got together on this one.

As part of that, we’ll be running our 14 Days of Love campaign from 1st to 14th February, in the

run up to Valentines Day. I’m going to work my little socks off to get as many people as possible in our area to “Show some love” to their favourite local businesses. I want to encourage people to fill in a postcard, or log on to our website and leave a nice comment about a great local business that’s done something well - including yours.

So many entrepreneurs labour tirelessly day after day, month after month and, often for little reward. Well, over the next few weeks I want at least part of their reward to be the feeling they’ll get when lots of their customers tell them just how appreciated they are for what they do.

Come on, join in. You can log on now and leave a review on any of your fellow businesses on thebestof.

“Love, love, love, all you need is love…love is all you need…”

The People Behind The BusinessThe Romanos – The Family Behind Spaghetti TreeThe Romano family have food in their blood. Originating from Sicily – Luigi opened his first restaurant in 1985 in Sutton. A small start but his reputation for serving good quality food at reasonable prices and in a friendly atmosphere saw the popularity soar and additional venues followed.

Luigi now takes a back seat in the daily running of the restaurants, and the reins have passed to his children Maria and Danny. Growing up with Spaghetti Tree – they too have their father’s passion, and together they work to uphold Luigi’s vision.

Maria is mainly based at the Spaghetti Tree in Walton-on-the-Hill, by Walton pond. Here she has created a contemporary feel with the décor and ambience, but still with the wonderful Italian atmosphere of friendliness. Maria is a mum herself, and knows how important it is to have a restaurant where families can feel comfortable and relaxed. Maria and her staff have worked hard at this, and have created a truly family friendly location, and have been awarded ‘Best Family Friendly Restaurant’ in Time & Leisure’s 2012 Food and Drink Awards.

The Spaghetti Tree in Sutton, just by the station, has an Italian trattoria feel. Danny is mainly based here, and has created a warm and intimate atmosphere in this busy town centre location. Danny is also aware that many of his lunch and early evening customers need a quick and efficient service, whilst retaining that friendly approach. He has achieved this making the restaurant a very popular meeting place.

Working as a team, Maria and Danny follow Luigi’s principles:

Quality Food – Using the right produce they create Italian classics and unique Sicilian dishes using recipes passed down through the family.

Reasonable Prices – They cook to order, meaning less wasted food and costs, and they can cater for individual tastes.

Friendly Atmosphere – Anyone who has met Luigi, Maria or Danny knows this comes naturally to them, but they also choose their staff carefully, and train them to ensure they meet their high standards.

Who knows where Luigi got the name from – perhaps it was inspired by the wonderful Panorama April Fool’s Day spoof of 1957.

Nigel

It could

be you!

Happy Motoring!! Paul West loves motor vehicles. You’ll probably never see him standing upright – his head is usually buried deep in a car engine, and Paul would not have it any other way. He brings this passion into his garage – Motormaster, and passes his over 30 years of experience to his team. A BOSCH and RAC accredited garage, Motormaster use modern

diagnostic technology, together with things you do not always see in many garages – instinct – resourcefulness - reliability. They will find that rattle, leak, troublesome knocking, or a replacement for a manufacturer’s part at a far less exorbitant cost. Offering both repairs and servicing, Motormaster are also tyre and exhaust system dealers. Motormaster’s reputation is spreading and they now deal with the vehicles, whether private or corporate, of many of our other businesses. Motormaster an independent garage who care about their customers. Happy Motoring!

Support Your Business Community When we took over “thebestofepsomandewell” last year, we wanted to show our support for the local business community and sponsored the Best Bar or Restaurant category of the newly formed Epsom & Ewell Business Excellence Awards. We were not disappointed and 143 The Canopy deservedly won the award.

In just one year the awards have grown, with more categories, more nominees and lots more votes coming in from businesses and the public. For the 2012 awards we

sponsored the Best New Business category, giving the winner a one year membership with “thebestofepsomandwell”.Again we have not been disappointed, and Bike Beans Cycle Café have won the award. We know they come highly

recommended as you, our community, nominated them.Bike Beans Cycle Café have found that rare thing nowadays, a gap in the market. Here in the Surrey hills cycling is a very popular hobby, and with the recent Olympic road racing in the area, it is becoming even more so.So what is more appropriate than a café where cyclists can meet?Much more than a café, Bike Beans Cycle Café is a community. It offers food, drink and a place to swap stories. It can arrange cycle repairs – give advice – arrange cycle events. It sets challenges for cyclists, and helps them monitor their performance. It keeps you connected with fellow riders. It does so much more than just a café.But you don’t have to be a cyclist to drop by, all are welcome.Bike Beans Cycle Café – Fuelling The Revolution!

www.thebestof.co.uk/epsomandewell Monthly Update January 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

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:

Hatty’s Sweet Shop ‘It’s all about the sweets’. Hatty’s Sweet Shop is a candy striped heaven, in The Ashley Centre Epsom. The wonderful smell of your favourite sweets. Shelves full of intriguing jars of oh so tasty treats and the delightful Hatty there to serve you. What more could you ask for.

01372 727779

Venti Venti ‘you’ve come to the right place.’ A young and aspiring company, with an eye for detail and a flair for imagination. For all your web and graphic design, video and sound track recording, keeping up with the latest fashions and trends.

0203 4411688

Quest ‘A Centre of light for your spiritual journey’. For those special gifts, incense – crystals – jewellery – essence – angels – fairies, visit Quest’s tranquil new age and ethnic shop in The Ashley Centre Epsom. Quest also offer readings and clairvoyance to help you continue your own unique journey.

01372 878606

Barrett & Coe ‘Discover modern, beautiful, relaxed images’. For family, baby, pets, weddings and corporate photography, Gill Alexander offers you a lifetime of happy memories that you will cherish for years to come.

01372 375515

Epsom Dental Centre ‘We treat you, our patient, as we would wish ourselves and our families to be treated’. Working with our patients to protect and maintain their teeth for life, we know how important a smile is.

01372 720650

The Sunnybank Trust The Sunnybank Trust provides opportunity, friendship and a voice to some of the many hundreds of people with learning disabilities living in and around the Borough of Epsom and Ewell. A charity, it relies on volunteers and the public to continue its great work.

01372 749871

Facebook, of course, is the daddy at the moment, especially if your market is B2C and the two questions I get asked most about Facebook are;

What on earth do I write on my Page? and…

How do I get people to respond?Now, they’re both good questions so I thought I’d help you out this month and share the answers with you...

Who are you talking to?If you don’t know who you’re talking to on Facebook then how can you possibly know what’s going to interest/ engage/ entertain/ challenge them? So – some proper thought around WHO your audience is please (or rather – who do you want them to be?) What is their lifestyle? What family do they have? What motivates them? What do they want to achieve? What do they love and hate? How can you help them achieve/ avoid key things? If you have already created an avatar of your ideal customer then you will be able to utilise this here.

What do they want to hear?Now you know who you’re talking to, you need to think what you’re going to talk about. This will be grounded in and reflect the positioning of your business, your brand, your core values, your USP, what you offer that

makes you special, your ‘category of one’. It’s also intrinsically linked with talking to the right type of client, of course, so not surprisingly, points one and two are inter-dependent.

You wouldn’t believe the number of people who just set up a Facebook Page and dollop out some stuff and then wonder why social media doesn’t work for them.

So just taking into account these 2 steps will raise you head and shoulders above a sizeable chunk of businesses on there. If you want a good example take a look at the Entrepreneurs Circle page. Great levels of involvement and I know from the guys behind it that it works really well to bring in new business for them.

Don’t forget also that your Page can, and really should, reflect the style and personality of your business. Forget the bland and the beige - make it stand out from the crowd!

Your Facebook page -

flying or a flop?You don’t need me to tell you how important social media is becoming in business – and here at thebestof we’ve been ahead of most over the last few years at understanding how to utilise social media to drive a business forward.

www.thebestof.co.uk/epsomandewell Monthly Update January 2013

What’s your sales pitch?Can you describe what you are offering to the people who ‘like’ your Page?

You should be able to give a little sales pitch for your Page describing the benefits of ‘liking’ it to someone who hasn’t yet done so. Not only is this a great exercise in its own right to get you really thinking clearly about the focus and goals of your Page but it’s also a useful thing to have ready for when you’re out in the real world meeting people face to face and asking them to like your Page, maybe at your premises, or theirs, or at events. There’s endless research on what makes audiences like Facebook Pages – a couple of the best are getting offers and exclusive vouchers, and connecting with the business and finding out more about them. What incentives are you offering to ensure people like your Page and are you articulating this message effectively?

What makes people respond?Rule no. 1 – remember that real people want to respond to real people. So don’t be afraid to show your personality. There’s nothing worse than a Page that’s full of posts just about that business. Put yourself in your audience’s shoes – what would you respond to? You want to be working at getting a response – a ‘like’ is good, a comment is better, a ‘share’ is better still – as this is what gets your post and content seen by the friends of your fans and gives it the potential to go ‘viral’.

Remember that your posts are now more likely than ever to be seen via the ticker feed on Facebook, rather than by people going to look at your Page directly. That means quick, attention-grabbing posts that are crying out for a response will win over long, wordy paragraphs, Think short questions requiring short answers that tap into your audience as people – ask about their opinions, what they dream of, what their favourite is, etc. Always try and talk to your audience in a very personal way. So If you post offers on your products or services, remember to describe the benefits to them, or when sharing a testimonial, try and make it relevant, so readers can imagine using your service or product themselves.

The best way to capture people’s attention? Pictures! Images are huge on Facebook! But this is not a place for stock photos - think again about the personal angle – how about pictures of real people using your product, or novel uses for it, people at an event, or your staff or suppliers, for example? Tell your behind-the-scenes business story. Pictures will need a catchy headline or point made with them to really max the impact – this could be a link back to your website for the full story or just an engaging comment or question.

If someone does come across to look at your Page in all its glory, a good sprinkling of pictures will make it look really appealing and easy on the eye. Remember to both highlight pictures and pin to the top of your page to add some real impact and variety. Facebook now lets you reposition your photos as you post them, so you no longer have to suffer shots of headless colleagues!

And finally…When you do start getting responses to your lovingly-crafted posts, make sure to respond back. You’ll get the most out of the connection if you mention the people who have commented by name. And try to encourage the conversation to continue, as the more of a community feel that builds up around your Page by it being the host for interesting discussions, the greater the chance that people will come back for more!

Happy Facebooking!

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

Epsom is a Market Town Make the Most of The ENTERPRISE Market

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

The Epsom Enterprise Market – held on the last Sunday in each month - is the ideal thing.

Suitable for any size or type of business, it is your chance to introduce yourself to your community.

Epsom and Ewell Borough Council are working in partnership with “thebestofepsomandewell” to make the Enterprise Market a showcase for ALL.

Meet YOUR community and let your community meet YOU.

• Do want to sell your products, produce or services?

• Want to tell people who and what you are?

• Are you a local entrepreneur who wants to ‘test’ an idea?

• Could your hobby become a business?