Debra Mann is moving on.

I suppose it’s been a difficult time and some really hard decisions had to be made.

Firstly, Maria my partner went off sick in February, although she said she can still help out, on days of events, she made the decision it was just too much to work full time.  And although I have had a couple of people working, doing the sales, unfortunately these people have not worked out.

Therefore, over the last few months, I have been doing nearly everything and I know, those of you  who work “in” their business, know what I mean and it has been tough on me as well.

So when I got speaking with HANDD regarding a marketing position based in Pangbourne, it seemed a great opportunity to concentrate on what I am best at Marketing, rather than everything else we do when running a small business.

This then presented me with an the opportunity to speak with some key people about someone developing Variety Events and Keeping Business Local.

I am not saying it’s been an easy decision, because it hasn’t, this was my baby and I had to let it go.   The new owner will be announced in the next couple of weeks, but my feeling is, they will take this baby and show it how to run!

I am now in the process of transferring everything over to the new owner, and so I had to postpone the Newbury event as we just couldn’t get everything ready in time.

The new date will be October 27^th, at Newbury College and the line-up hopefully will remain the same, but we will get this up on the website by the end of July.

I will be announcing everything shortly and I will still be on @KeepingBizLocal for the next couple of weeks, but we will be changing everything over to the new owner and so there is still a lot to be done.

In the meantime, I really want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support over the last couple of years and I look forward to your continued support with Keeping Business Local and Variety Events. And I know the new owners will really develop this business as I felt, it has the potential to do.

Protect Your Greatest Assets. The Risks, Protection and your Rights.

Latest security scares leaves us all in a bit worried about what is being shared and what is being hacked,  Sony Play Station resulted in the personal information of 77 million users being compromised at the same time Microsoft X box also had their worries too, although these stories seem to have died down there isn’t one part of me that think everything is OK using your cards on-line.

I don’t do online banking, why would I after my own security scare with Barclays only a few weeks ago, who gave me the best advice ever ” do not put your card details into a website if they don’t offer the chance to pay by Paypal”  Paypal would have checked them out and it gives you a little bit of security.

However, lets not forget that DWP also lost personal data of  25 million people  so its not just information we post on-line but companies inputting data for us.  I am not sure what the answer is as there are always going to be hackers, programs are on-line showing them “How to” so unless security tightens on-line websites and about what is shared on websites then we are always going to be at threat.

Your single biggest asset is your personal data, so why give it away so easily?

1. Refuse to give your personal information over the phone to anyone. ( Banks you will have to change your policy)

2. Refuse to give your information to any third party suppliers ( phone companies need to change their policy and stop selling OUR data)

3. Refuse to accept any call centre incoming calls who ask for personal information.

The plain truth is, banks, insurance companies, mobile phone, energy suppliers, government bodies are giving our data away and their systems is not hacker proof.

Given this and the importance of our data, here are eight quick security questions you should ask before you pass over your information to anyone.

1. Are you only storing the data for your business use?

2. Do you have an ultimate data owner for each system you support?

3. Do you have documented audit trails surrounding our data access?

4. Have you developed a data classification scheme?

5. Do you encrypt everything that leaves the secure data centre?

6. Have you recently undergone a security audit by an independent authority?

7. Do you back up our data often enough and are encrypted tapes or files stored at a remote location?

8. Have you kept your employees completely informed about policies and procedures they need to follow to protect your data

Now, firstly the call centre operative (reading from a script will not know the answer to most of these questions) but there’s a real story to think about here if they don’t know what or how your data is being looked after then they are not fulfilling their duties and following the code of practice so do not proceed with the call and change your supplier, only when we all do this will Banks, Building Societies, Energy Suppliers, Insurance Companies, Government Bodies and mobile phone companies change how they do business.

If you have any data scares name and shame them, perhaps we can then see how big this problem is.

Good Idea? Google + 1

+1 button coming to Google AdWords

This was from Google adwords this morning thought I’d share it with you all.

In the coming weeks, your search results and ads on Google will include a +1 button, which users can click to recommend your ads. You don’t need to make any changes to your account in order to take advantage of them. The final landing page URL of your ads can also appear on the Google profile of any user who +1’s your ad.

Here’s how the +1 button works:

Let’s say you own a hotel in Madrid. Brian had a lovely stay at your hotel last summer. When Brian starts researching accommodations for his next trip to Spain, he searches on Google while signed into his Google account and sees your ad. He clicks the +1 button on the ad to recommend it to his contacts.

When Brian’s friend Ann plans her trip to Spain, she signs in to her Google account, searches and also sees your ad – plus the personalised annotation that Brian +1’d it. Knowing that Brian recommends your hotel helps Ann decide where to stay during her travels.

Think of the +1 button as a way for fans of your business to recommend what you offer, for all their friends and contacts to see. By helping searchers see more personal, relevant ads, we believe you’ll see more qualified traffic. You can also add the +1 button to your site to give your customers the opportunity to +1 your site after visiting it.

To learn more about what’s changing and how +1 works, visit the AdWords Help Centre.

To add the +1 button to your site, visit the +1 button tool on Google Webmaster Central.

Yours sincerely,
The Google AdWords Team

Would you BUY & SELL, Social Media followers?

I have been trying to think about what to write or where to start after yesterdays Variety Events  – Social Media Conference #SMCVE at Bracknell, Blue Mountain, the event was just superb.

There were so many hightlights,  and I’m not going to go over everything, if you didn’t go,  you missed a fantastic day.  Firstly The Social Media Guys covered the basics of Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, of course, all of them had superb comments and have to say Ant Hodges is looking partricully trim and I must say a little debonair after sheding 1.5 stone.  Well done Ant, inspiration to start my diet again.

We then went into our workshops, not sure it was the right place before lunch, I think would have been better after lunch but no-one complained.  I went into blogging with Sarah Arrow from Birds on the Blog and was shown how to and what to do when blogging,  I will try harder and send some pingbacks, I must say, I knew more than I thought, but just wasn’t using it, perhaps come Monday a quick call may put this into the right “Must Read” of blogs.

Paul Allen did 15 Apps to save time on your Social Media and although he had technical difficulties, down to the venue using cloud, most people said excellent or good and with a good recovery after the problems he went on to deliver a session which will possible start our next conference in October,  Dave Griffin did the session on How to use video and You Tube, of course was excellent, he always is.  Oh and I must just say the #Hashish tag as Paul tweeted about was in fact #SMCVE all day and can be used to comment on from now on as will stay live.

The afternoon sessions, Adrian Moss  – The podcaster – one person did comment,  are podcasts dead? interesting and certianly something that Adrian’s customers are not aware of, as they have increased business through podcasting into the millions, last time Adrian did give stats on google ranking podcasts higher than video, so my view is no definatlyt not.

Ian Hendry is always a pleasure and always helping people find business, the time went so quickly, people felt that they wanted to know what to do next, so perhaps some practical guides for afterwards could be added to the conference.

Tracey Thomas from Saucy Horse  had inspiring comments although some practical methods were needed.  However, the conversational session, was no surprise  Amanda Hill decided to change her presentation around and quite rightly, as she wanted to make it topical! today! relevant!  Her  advice about being social and joining a game… yes a game!  I don’t play games either, I too busy,  I have kids,I am a single mum, I am the taxi, I am the cook,the chief and the bottle washer, I DO NOT PLAY GAMES.

And there I am, signed up, worth £ 71.602 and share price has risen to £24.58, so what she said was in some repect controversial and maybe to the wrong audiance, It was clear from the start that our audience are newbies to Social Media.  But, what Amanda was saying, was,  it isn’t always about business, “share alittle, love a little” I liked that line… and you will be followed, I have already had one direct following from a guy in London, coz I bought shares in him coz he was cute!  I have no idea who he is @Sqizme but what I can say is it the beginning of something, once Dave Griffin and I understand the rules, Dave also joined last night!  I’m sure this game will not only be frustrating, entertaining and a little fun, but if it gives you contacts, then it has to be worth having a go.

For me, I will be following all the attendees from the conference and chatting on twitter and #FF for them all this week, And who knows I might be BUYING and SELLING them in the future.

 

 

Social CRM: Using the Social web to build and maintain customer relationships – Ian Hendry

Ian Hendry Ian has nearly 25 years experience in the software industry and uses it to great effect working with companies on use of technology to enter new markets and grow existing ones. 
CEO and founder of WeCanDo.BIZ, the online business network for sales leads and business referrals is his third start-up: his first company was ultimately acquired by a US-based e-business security software company during the Dot Com Boom days of 2000 in order to strengthen its European presence. He worked as European managing director for the company before leaving to found Entelegen, a sales consultancy, in which he still play a very active part alongside his most recent venture. 
Ian was the 51,208th user on LinkedIn (who have since tried to sue him!); is a Twitter and Facebook developer; and blogs and speaks on the Social Web in business, customer relationship management and business networking.

“Social media presents new ways to promote yourself and your business. Learn about: 

• Finding new customers on the Social Web and how the way we market online is changing
• Why your most important customer is no longer your biggest, but your most social
• How to cope when power transfers to the customer

Ian Hendry

How to harness the use of video, YouTube and webinar – Dave Griffin

It amazing that only 2 years ago I was producing videos for £10,000+ working for a digital marketing agency we were sold the benefits of a professional looking video for your website, however thisngs have moved on and not only do videos need to be shorter, they also have to have a personal feel to them nowadaya and Business Growth Co-Pilot, Dave Griffin – Co-author of ‘Wealth Accelerators’ & Mentor of The Business Wealth Club in Newbury – Has an unique mix of Business Strategy, Personal Growth, Practical takeaway ideas and infectious energy has inspired audiences all over and made him a sort after business growth consultant and speaker.

Dave is the mentor of The Business Wealth Club in Newbury; this innovative training and networking club is rapidly expanding with clubs set to open in Maidenhead and Northampton in the next few months as well as the flagship club in Oxford, which has been going for 7 years. 

David Griffin

Runs a Social Media Marketing and Business Mentoring company called Business Growth Co-Pilot. He is also the author of a book called “Navigating The Social Media Minefield” and also co-author of the book “Rev It Up!” which helps puts people in the fast lane of the wealth highway  Listen to David Griffin – Podcast  on how you can best use video in your marketing.

Blogging: The Core of your Social Media activity – Sarah Arrow

I struggle with this myself, finding something to write and finding the time and Sarah leads a team of over 100 bloggers worldwide on her multi author blogs, one of which made the top 100bwebsites for women (Forbes) when it was just 6 months old. The only UK entry. Martha Stewart invited her  to a party, Stephen Fry left a kiss on one of the multi author sites and Kriss Akabusi has just joined her team of bloggers. She hates bloggers that drop names but understands why they do.  And Sarah is going to share her secrets…

Blogging for just 4 years, going from prolific to pro blogger, publishing ebooks at the rate of one every 2 months means Sarah has the blogging know-how through experience rather than theory. As she puts it “If I hadn’t of learned to blog I would have to cold call and I wouldn’t want to be doing that that now would I?”

Sarah Arrow talks about how she went from a naïve blogger – helping the family courier business survive the recession and generate new customer enquiries (despite her first blog post informing people the courier van was white, had two doors and four wheels and was in Sheffield with some space available!) to professional blogger and earning a living from it in just 4 years. She shares some of the really valuable practical tips she has learnt that can make a blog even more successful. Sarah will cover many more in her session at the Bracknell event in June

 

Visit our site http://www.varietyevents.co.uk for more details

Barclay’s Bank it’s not rocket science

I have written a blog before about Barclay’s Bank and I didn’t imagine I’d ever have to do it again, but yes,  the wording which came out of my mouth to Barclay Bank remains fresh on my mind, least of all I ended up screaming at the idiot on the end of the phone, who refused to grasp the English Language or what I was saying on my 6^th call.

First of all it was an “automated  call“ from Barclays fraud department as I had just made a payment online and the card was refused saying the expiry date was incorrect, not thinking, I tried again and used another card to which the same problem occurred, I wrote an email to the company and looked for other ways to pay. There weren’t any.

Anyway, within 5 minute, fair play to Barclays the “automated call” came in, seriously  though in today’s criminal world, would you expect anyone to continue with the call when its saying “press any key” on your mobile to continue.  Seriously would anyone?  I didn’t, I then received an email saying £80 has been transferred from my bank account to a company in Germany, about the same time I received a text from Barclay saying call the fraud department on the number. I checked the number 08453512288

on-line to which many comments are being made

So I went on and find the number to the fraud department for Barclays

1^st call which I went through security and gave the information I had and was asked a series of security questions.  I was then told that payment had been made to an online company that they found strange and had I authorised them.  Yes, but explained what happened.  Then 2^nd call I was transferred to the fraud office in India and again I went through security and gave the information I had and was asked a series of security questions.   I went through the story again including all the information about accounts and security including 3 questions

Name your insurance DD?

Name the pharmacy you recently made a purchase in?

How much did you have in your account?

None of the above I could answer correctly.

3^rd call I spoke to Damien in UK who again, I went through security and gave the information I had and was asked a series of security questions.  Damien confirmed the payments had been made and promised he would NOT put me through to India and promptly transferred me again.

4^th call Fraud department – India I went through security and gave the information I had and was asked a series of security questions.  I could not understand this person what so ever, he did not understand that I had made the payment but there was something suspicious, he went to transfer me and cut me off.

5^th call Barclays call centre – transferred to India I went through security and gave the information I had and was asked a series of security questions.  I asked to speak to UK and was put through to a young lady who explained that the payment to some of these sites the data can be sold on and suggested I do not authorise these payment s, but I have to go through to India and again I went through security and gave the information I had and was asked a series of security questions.  It was at this call I lost it as the girl in India would not listen and understand what I was saying and that the payment went out on both accounts,  I ended up and screamed “ You are not Listening” and she transferred me back to the girl I had spoken to who explained that India has to do it otherwise both my cards would be inactive. Until I confirm or deny these payment. She would put me to a manager in India and again. I was transferred to India

6^th call Barclay India I put the phone down and decided to take Nigel  Morgan’s advice and blog about the appalling service, my problem is still not dealt with but I put phone down and said I will go into my branch tomorrow, after all my cards have been put on hold and there is nothing I can do today.

Let’s get something clear, I am not racist but this continuing trend with call centres abroad is really beginning to make my blood boil they do not understand our English and they do not divert from the script they follow.

Barclays what could have been a call by a person in the UK to ask about this transaction would have taken 5 minutes and instead wasted over 2 hours of my time and still not dealt with.  Surely you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to work out where the problem lies.

Organic Growth – How Social Media Impacts on SEO – Tracy Thomas

So tell me – will Social Media really make a difference to my business?  You bet!

How organic SEO via an intelligent social media strategy can get you more traffic, more interest, more engagement, MORE CUSTOMERS!

Let’s face it, in this world of online marketing, we no longer find our customers – they find us!

Our products and services have to be “found” before those of our competitors – and that inevitably means on the web, which in turn means we need to be near the top of the search results for the keywords that people use when searching for what we are offering.

I’m always looking for ways to learn more about social media, search engine optimisation (SEO), and web analytics – and how they integrate. I spend a lot of time on these intriguing matters, working alongside our website design teams – after all, the successful marketing path for any business begins with The Message, The Audience, The Media, and that’s exactly what brings us to Social Media.

In this session we will talk about the ways in which you can bring together the free tools that the social media platforms offer with a coordinated and intelligent social media strategy (not so free…) so that you are optimising your organic SEO efforts.

What we’ll cover:

+ Taking that Twitter account and that Facebook Business Page and making some use of it! 

+ Stopping the “broadcast” and making a real connection with your customer

+ Setting up campaigns using relevant content – what is relevant content and how to get it.

+ Maximising organic SEO with content full of the right words. 

+ Getting the attention of the Search Engines with new content they will love.

+ The power of links from social-sharing websites like YouTube, StumbleUpon, Delicious, Flickr, & Digg.

+ Joining in with social media activity that the search engines are noticing – and ranking!

With experience of the ups and downs in a range of industries, Tracy can relate to the challenges faced by today’s business owners – she has started up, grown, marketed, diversified and sold businesses, and more latterly helped organisations develop innovative strategies to maximise the opportunities offered by the online marketplace – what’s clear to her is that the use of social media and video are at the forefront of today’s SEO opportunities for organic optimisation and driving of good quality and meaningful traffic to each of our websites – and she’s keen to help business owners understand and get some real value out of that for their businesses.

Tracy brings with her an extensive marketing background, beginning with Nat West and the major players in the broadcast TV industry and more latterly her portfolio of business interests which have included property companies and retail, and now include Saucy Horse – providing video production & design services for websites & online marketing. She also helps businesses who want to know how to make Social Media work for them in the marketing mix – and has immersed herself in the world of the Tweet & and the Update – “Liking” and “Friending” many business people along the way and enjoying the business benefits that it brings to be engaged and engaging!

SaucyHorse

Follow The Leader – Ant Hodges

“I thought about following you… then I decided not to.” – What is there to think about?  Well quite a lot really! Ants topic on twitter really does give us all something to think about, I get lots of clicks from USA “tweeters” and politely say that I am @KeepingBIzLocal and there is no benefit to following me as all my events are local but then Ant got me thinking, should I really being turning away these followeres.

Well that is what Ant is going to be talking about and how you should be engaging with fellow Twitterers

His seminar at the next Social Media Conference on June 17th  will give you some different ideas about how to grow your own Twitter following and get the most out of building relationships and being social with others online. weather you have a twitter account or not Ant will show you “how to”

• A Twitter account

• A mobile device or laptop with connection to tweet

• An open mind

We will dig deep into best practice techniques and also some of the deep dark secrets from the underground of Twitter ‘gurus’ and internet marketers.

What you will get out of this session:

• A strategy for gaining more followers on Twitter

• A structure to managing your time in Twitter

• Knowledge on how to use Twitter ‘Properly’ for business

Ant has a strong background of leadership in the design and marketing industry, helping organisations harness the power of online marketing and combining them with more traditional marketing strategies. Ant leads teams and individuals through digital and new media planning and strategy implementation. Firstly though, he makes sure that the activity YOU think will work, is in line with your brand and values held by your target market. His specialism is relationship based marketing online – covering Social Media, Email Marketing and Website Design/Usability. Ant works for  in Swindon – an integrated online marketing agency. He is also a founder member of The Social Media Guys, a talented trio of experienced social media enthusiasts, all of who are speaking at this event. Graham Jones will be talking about LinkedIn and Nigel Morgan will be focused on Facebook.

Visit our site http://www.varietyevents.co.uk for more detials