Helen – Page 238 – Business Plus Baby

June 17, 2011June 15, 2011

Cybermummy meet and greet

Hello there! *waves*

I’m going to the Cybermummy conference next week and there’s a little tradition of introducing yourself on your blog before the big day. So here’s mine.

I was going to do a video meet and greet, but it would have taken me quite a while to do my hair and makeup, so I decided to type it instead.

That’s the trouble with working from home, you forget about the way you look until you switch your webcam on and then…argh! Scary, very scary.

So I’ve got my sponsor (Smart Talkers Pre School Groups), I’m clutching my mini moo cards – sorry, they are just too cute to give away – and I’m just about ready for the event.

Apart from the hair and make-up which could take me a while!

Name: Helen Lindop

Blog: Business Plus Baby

Twitter ID: @HelenLindop

Height: 5ft 4

Hair: Shoulder-length brown

Eyes: Greenish grey

Likes: Chocolate, drinking tea (a LOT of tea…), social media (I’m probably obsessed…), being in the mountains (too bad I live in Bedfordshire…), Chinese food, showing people useful stuff, learning useful stuff.

Dislikes: Meringue, jelly and custard together (they are OK apart, bizarrely!)

So if you’re going to Cybermummy, please come over and say hello!

June 15, 2011June 14, 2011

Business blogging: What’s the point of your post?

The big difference between writing for business and writing for fun is that business writing needs to have a clear purpose. That’s why you need more than just a topic for each post, you need a point, too. Each post on your blog should have just the one point.

Whether it’s to encourage readers to sign up for your email list, urge them to leave a comment or encourage visitors to buy something, each post should have a specific point and a call to action.

Here are some ideas for points:

To encourage readers to subscribe to your mailing list

The aim is to write a post that’s so useful or engaging that your readers want more. (Blogging gurus call these ‘pillar posts’). At the bottom of these posts, include a sign-up box for your email list so you can capture the reader the second they finish your post.

To sell something

Whether it’s your own products or someone else’s, blog posts can make people more receptive to buying. Product reviews, case studies, and new product announcements can help you sell a product or service. Make the post a conversation rather than a sales pitch, though.

To engage your readers.

Sometimes, you may want to get feedback or create a feeling of community. To get your readers to respond, you could ask questions, invite discussion or even suggest that readers respond in the comments section or on their own blogs.

To encourage viral marketing

If you want your posts to go viral, you need to create valuable content that others will want to save and pass on to friends, or even tweet to their followers on Twitter. These types of posts make up the backbone of your blog. While they may not directly bring in sales, they encourage readers to return again and again and to recommend your site to their colleagues and friends.

You may have another reason that isn’t mentioned above and that’s perfectly OK. The key is to have a reason, and to know that reason before you even start writing.

If you’d like to know more about business blogging, I recommend WordPress for Business Bloggers by Paul Thewlis

Contains affiliate links

June 14, 2011June 14, 2011

Social networking: Good for marketing?

Remember I said I like to watch how big companies do marketing? With all the resources they have to throw at marketing, big companies must be able to teach a little business like me a thing or two!

Well, I’ve just been having a look at Nivea’s ‘100 Years of Feeling Closer’ campaign. Here’s a video to give you a taste of the campaign:

In the video, a psychology professor asks “how social is social networking?” and gives his opinion on whether it’s bringing us closer together or increasing isolation. Then he asks you to give your opinion on the debate on Nivea’s Facebook page.

It’s clever because it uses social media to engage us in a debate about social media. That proves that the Nivea brand is in touch with the Facebook generation and gets Facebook users talking about Nivea at the same time. And since almost everyone is on Facebook now, that’s a wise move.

On the flip-side, are we concerned enough about how social networking is affecting our relationships that we want to discuss it with Nivea? We might chat about it among our families and friends but do we care enough to engage in a debate with a skincare brand? The campaign is also offering prizes to people who upload photos of their ‘moments of closeness’ – and you can’t go far wrong with a prize draw. Plus, the Nivea UK Facebook page has over 130,000 likes so people are definitely engaging with it.

Would you take part in a campaign like this? And would taking part in this campaign make you more likely to buy a Nivea product?

Do I need a business bank account?

If you’re a sole trader (and most of us start out that way) a business bank account isn’t essential. It is a good idea to have a separate bank account for your business though, because it’s much easier to keep track of money going into and coming out of your business.

Most business bank accounts charge a monthly fee and that can be a shock after having a free personal account all your life 🙂 but some offer free banking for the first year.

Some people starting small businesses use a personal bank account like a BBT checking account to avoid paying charges. If you do this and your bank finds out they probably won’t be happy about it and may ask you to switch to a business account.

When shopping around for business accounts, check which services you get with each account as they can vary from one bank to the next. If you need to be able to pay in cash and cheques at a local branch, make sure your account allows you to do so. Also check if a debit card is included. If you want to be able to go into a local branch and speak to a business banking specialist, you need to check that this is included in your account. It may be worth checking out the interest rate the bank pays you although this is very low for any bank account these days plus you can always transfer any money to a business savings account.

The reason some banks are able to offer free introductory deals is that they are web-based and don’t give you face-to-face access to a local bank manager. This is a trade-off that most mums running small home businesses are perfectly happy with, though. Plus you can always move accounts later if you want to.

Last update: 27/7/2016

Please note that the information in this post only applies if you live in the UK

June 10, 2011June 7, 2011

BusinessMums Summit: Scholarships now available

Mums in business, plus those looking to start up, have the chance to apply for a scholarship to The BusinessMums Summit in Brighton, 10th October 2011.

The BusinessMums Summit is in its second year, and is an event for mums keen to launch their own enterprises, those already running new start-ups, directors of highly successful, global enterprises and everything in between. Organisers Suzanne Borrell, Nicky Chisholm and Antonia Chitty explain about the scholarship scheme, “We know that it can be hard to invest in the business training you need when you are starting a business and supporting a family. That’s why this year we’ve created the BusinessMums Summit Scholarship Programme. In 2010, some lovely business owners sponsored a few people to attend the conference. This year we have expanded the programme and made it open to as many people as possible. In this way we hope that it won’t just be mums with great connections who get a sponsored ticket but those who need it most and maybe wouldn’t shout out and ask.”

The event has already attracted top speakers including Kate Garraway and Laura Tenison of JoJoMamanBebe. Attendees will be able to network, get practical help from experts, learn business skills, set goals, celebrate with champagne at the ‘mum and working’ awards and leave with a plan to drive their business forward.

To apply for a scholarship just write about why you need one and how you feel the conference could help you start or grow your business and email to antonia@businessmumsconference.co.uk. All entries must be in by 1st July 2011. Scholarship winners will be announced by 1 August. See www.businessmumsconference.co.uk/scholarships/ for full details, terms and conditions.

Antonia Chitty adds, “For every company we get on board to sponsor a ticket, we’ll match it with another sponsored ticket paid for by the BusinessMums Summit. We’re thrilled to have sponsors so far including Become a Mumpreneur, Tots to Travel, Baby Signing Mummy and BabyTod. We’re committed to getting as many mums as possible to this event as we know the benefits and breakthroughs experienced by those who attended in 2010.”

There are still opportunities for businesses who would like to become a sponsor and help mums break through barriers to starting or growing her business – contact antonia@businessmumsconference.com before 1 July or visit www.businessmumsconference.co.uk/scholarships/

The deadline for entries is 1st July.