Category Archives: Business & Careers

Why Your Business Needs Car Bumper Stickers

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When you run your own business getting your message across is an important factor. If you are offering the best service or goods then you’ll want to shout from the rooftops about it. Most people have exhausted all of the usual marketing tools at their disposal, but if you don’t use car bumper stickers then you are definitely missing a trick.

 

Car bumper stickers are a great way to advertise your business or get your point across without the hard sell aspect of some other marketing options. Compared with other outdoor marketing tools, bumper stickers are relatively cost effective considering their reach. You can fork out huge amounts of cash for perfectly placed billboards advertising your company and offers but a bumper sticker can often be seen by many more potential customers as they are a form of mobile advertising.

 

If you decide that car bumper sticker advertising is for you then ensure your feature all the necessary information – whether you are advertising a business or an offer you must give people a way of contacting you or taking up the offer. The easiest way to do this is with a phone number or email address. Your sticker should also feature your company logo. Bumper stickers are well received if they are humorous in nature, have you ever laughed at a political bumper sticker and made a mental note to get one for your car?

 

Your bumper stickers aren’t just for people who work for you, give them out to satisfied customers to extend your advertising reach even further. You can even offer a discount to customers who have one of your bumper stickers on their car.

 

Bumper stickers are also a great way to keep an eye on your employees. Many commercial vehicles now feature stickers that ask fellow road users ‘How’s my driving?’ offering you valuable feedback.

 

Grab the very best car bumper stickers for your business from harris screen print, they offer a full range of screen-printed stickers that they print in-house.

Confidence Coach Vivienne Goldstein Tells All

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Tell us exactly what you do?

With a background of NLP as a Master Practitioner and qualified as a Personal Performance Coach, I support my clients to deal with a range of personal challenges. I specialise in improving the communication and impact my clients make in their work and home life.

My role is that of a thinking partner. I give a balance of support and challenge. I provide a safe and confidential environment without any outside distractions where my clients can concentrate on themselves without any interruptions. It’s important to be allowed time to think, time to reflect. By speaking out loud, it enables your thoughts to come into your consciousness and you lower some of the filters that have been stopping you seeing the options and opportunities that are there for you. You get your “juices flowing” so that one thought can easily lead to another … or not … and then we can find out what’s stopping the flow.

In the recent Olympics, all the Veteran Medal winners and the Coaches were saying how very important the mindset of an athlete is to their success. It’s the same for you and me in our everyday lives. We need to find out what motivates us, what our best qualities and skills are, understand how to hone them and how to get the negative thoughts under control and pushed to the side so that we can be our best.

To do my job well, I have to be completely in the moment. I listen carefully not only to the words that my clients speak but also the way in which they say them, the tone of voice, the intonation and their body language eg lots of fidgeting, screwing up their face, rolling their eyes, sitting very still, not showing emotion.

Everyone is an individual so my success lies in how quickly I can establish rapport and get my clients to feel comfortable to open up and dig deep into themselves.

The most difficult thing for me is when someone comes to me knowing they have a block and yet they keep hanging on to a belief that means this block is impenetrable. … they won’t let go of it to see what could happen if they did let go.

It takes time for new ideas to settle into the consciousness. Some people take longer than others. And it’s down to the individual themselves. I’m the catalyst. Ultimately, it’s their responsibility.

How did you get into coaching?

I was brought up in Brazil as a child and returned to London to finish my education.
I have many years’ experience in retail, photography, recruitment, teaching and charity work. And then someone suggested I’d make a great Coach. I’d never even heard of such a thing! I studied a lot and I love it! I combine my professional coaching expertise with life experience.

What kind of people do you coach?

My clients are mostly professionals who come to see me privately on a one-to-one basis. I sometimes run workshops which give a group of people a foundation in becoming more self-aware of the impact they make on those around them.

The typical client is the one who knows they have an issue they want to address. They’ve been thinking about it for a while and not getting any clearer on how to improve things. They then realise that working with me will get them to a better place quicker.

One lady came to me because her boss is a bully and she was struggling to cope with various situations at work.

A man came because he was anxious about his wedding day speech.

One lady was up for Partner in a very large law firm. She had to be interviewed by all 150 Partners. After 30 interviews she was given the feedback that she lacked gravitas. She came to me to understand how to change the message she was sending out.

Some people are struggling to come to terms with their situation which they know they can’t change but want to see it in a different light.

A mother came to see me because she wasn’t getting on very well with her teenage son.

Successful women in business who take maternity leave and on returning to work, they feel a sudden loss of confidence. It’s a whole different world once you’re a parent as well as a business person.

Are people born confident?

Of course. We are all born perfect. It’s what we experience that shapes our lives and the choices we make.

How do you fix a lack of confidence?

Firstly, you have to recognise when you are feeling a lack of confidence. Then work your way backwards in your life experiences as to when this feeling first started. Then understand how you are behaving when this feeling starts. Then change your behaviour. It’s starts with faking confidence and eventually you become confident.

Can someone who has no confidence be completely cured?

Nobody is 100% confident 100% of the time. We all experience moments on uncertainty – whatever anyone may tell you otherwise!

Top tips for confidence?

What is happening inside your head is reflected outside by your body language. So an easy tip is to make sure you wear clothes you are comfortable in, fit you well, make you feel good. Good grooming is always helpful.

If you’re unsure of something, do some research, find out as much as you can before doing whatever it is that is causing you to feel unconfident. The more prepared you are for something, the better and more comfortable you will feel going into the situation.

Be aware of your mindset. Don’t walk into a room in a bad mood. The results will not be satisfactory for you. As Abraham Lincoln said:

“Most folk are about as happy as they make up their minds to be”.

Who mostly has a lack of confidence: men or women?

I think that it’s pretty evenly distributed but the situations in which there is a lack of confidence may differ.

How do you relax?

I always feel better after an exercise workout. That gets rid of my toxins both physically and emotionally!

I love the cinema and theatre …. and laughing. Laughing is the best relaxation!

The five things filmmakers can learn from Kickstarter by Andrew Harmer

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The five things filmmakers can learn from Kickstarter (and visa-versa The five things Kickstarter creators can learn from filmmakers). By a filmmaker in the middle of a campaign!

 

Hello, I’m Andrew Harmer, the writer-director of the Fitzroy. Right up front I want to say we are currently slap bang in the thick end of a Kickstarter campaign.

 

Here’s the elevator pitch for the film.

 

The Fitzroy is a live action black comedy set in an alternative post-apocalyptic 1950’s. The world is covered in a poisons gas and the last place for a traditional seaside holiday is The Fitzroy hotel an abandoned submarine just of Margate.

 

This list isn’t necessarily the five things we have done, but it is the five things we would do (or be prepared for) if we started over again! Kickstarter, like film making is a constant learning curve and this list might well change by the end of the campaign.

 

  1. Tell the most interesting story.

You only really get one shot at a Kickstarter campaign or making a film. Sure you might do another one or another dozen but then a bus might also hit you! So you better make this one count and make it the best it can be.

 

And that means telling the best story you can.

 

A film has to be the very best ‘version’ of that story you can possibly tell. The most interesting, dramatic and honed story possible.  Nobody want’s the B plots to be more interesting than your focus so make sure you are telling the most interesting story.

 

The same goes for a Kickstarter campaign. You need to hook people into your campaign and to do that you need a great story (as well as a great product). And I don’t just mean the story you are selling, I mean the story behind the project. YOUR story. Your struggles, the adventure you have been on to get to this point. Is your idea based on a life altering brush with death? Did you witness a moment of kindness between an old man and his wife on the buss while riding the bus to work? It doesn’t matter what it is, just make sure it’s interesting and told the best way possible.

 

2) Be yourself.

Let your personality shine. I like films where I can ‘see’ the personalities of the filmmakers. I don’t always like those personalities, but I would much prefer to see an idiosyncratic film than a pixel pushing blockbuster with no heart. I truly believe a soul of a film comes from the people who make it. While it is being made it absorbs the personality and characteristics of the director (if they want it to). And I want to see that. Film is a personnel experience a conversation between the viewer and the director.

 

Same goes for Kickstarter, but to an even larger degree. The old adage ‘people invest in people’ is true. You have to put yourself out there. It’s scary but you have to share your passion, fears and hopes. Sure you might end up looking like a fool but if you don’t put yourself out there people will just turn off. But word of warning – don’t try to be something you’re not. If you’re funny be funny but if you are not don’t even try. Cool and hip? That’s fine but if you aren’t don’t force it. People can smell it, and it stinks. No bullshit. Just be yourself and people will engage with you.

 

3) Do it quick.

Okay this is straightforward. Kickstarter is on the web so you don’t have long to tell your story. Minutes, if you are lucky but seconds in reality. So you better make your page accessible, clear and your pitch video SHORT and to the point.

 

Same goes for the film (unless you’re Terrence Malick) edit, edit, edit. Cut the fat and edit that script so it’s tighter than a drum. All through the film and into post production, if it doesn’t move the story on then it goes. Don’t waste people’s time.

 

Word of warning though don’t jump the gun and rush head first in to it. With both Kickstarter and films make sure you are ready, that everything is prepared. And even if you think it is –  it probably isn’t. Do it quick but make sure you are prepared.

 

  1. Know your audience and engage with them.

Kickstarter is social, very social. It is a direct link between creators and their audience and in my humble opinion a very powerful tool. But before you start a campaign you must identify the audience you are targeting. This could be fairly obvious, your family and friends, people with ipods, hardcore gamers, Teddy Ruxpin fans. Whatever your audience you need to identify them, find them and engage with them.

 

Film-makers need to do the same thing. There’s not a one size fits all film. Everyone has different tastes and yes you can try to create a film that appeals to as many people as possible and the mass market. But I prefer films that are aimed at… well… me and my tastes. There is a distinct risk when trying to appeal to everyone that you can water down a story. Be specific and know your audience.

 

  1. Take it seriously and have respect.

Both Kickstarter and filmmaking are, at the end of the day, businesses and you are asking for people’s time and money. That is not to be taken lightly. Sure you are hopefully giving back to them in the form of entertainment or in the case of Kickstarter some sort of reward. When people give you their hard earned money you have a responsibility, a contract to deliver on your promises and work your boney ass off to make sure you do.

 

If I can tell someone has put their heart and soul in to a project or a film it means a lot to me as an audience member and it pays dividends.

 

  1. Be flexible and learn to adapt.

Just like this list! It was meant to be five and we end up with six? It’s not a problem just not what I was expecting when I started writing. It took me by surprise. Your Kickstarter project is an organic beast, it is going to change and develop as the campaign progresses. It is going to throw you some curve balls, stuff you planed will fail and other avenues and opportunities will suddenly appear. You can’t let the setbacks knock you, you just have to keep moving forward and be open to any new possibilities.

 

I can’t think off anything that is more applicable than that to film making! Be flexible and make it work.

 

 

So that’s it, that’s what I have learnt so far, and who knows what is around the corner. Hopefully we can reach our target and make an awesome film. If I heed my own advice, we just might!

 

If you would like to see how we are doing on our campaign please check it out. www.thefitzroy.com/ks any advice or support in spreading the word would be warmly welcomed.

 

 

 

Improve the Workflow of any Business by Improving Organisation by Matt Rawlings

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When you’re looking to take a business of any genre to the next level, the main stumbling block is quite often the level of organisation. It can be absolute chaos in some industries with paperwork here, there and everywhere, products being shipped all over the world, employees at various different company locations, the list could go on and on.

As a result, keeping your staff not only in order but in a positive mood to ensure that productivity is at its highest can be difficult; but nowhere near as difficult as keeping productivity and efficiency to the standards desired by those paying for your goods and services. This is where technology can come in handy.

Let’s look at an example that might not immediately spring to mind when you think of computerized organisation – the construction industry. You could have a head office on one side of the UK, in Newcastle for instance, and you could have a project in progress in Taunton, the complete opposite end of the country.

Communication between the two locations is simple – you can just ring from the site to the office – but paperwork needs to be signed off at the end of each stage of the process, and when it has to be mailed from one location to the other this can take days, even longer, slowing the whole construction process down, decreasing productivity.

If the company were to install some form of documentation controlling software, they could store all of the papers in one central location on a computer and provide access for all relevant parties, whether it’s those in the head office, those at the site, or the company they’re building for – allowing them to monitor progress and make sure that the deadline will be met.

As with any business, the more organised a company can be, the more efficient the essential processes can become, helping you to take your business to the next level in terms of productivity, customer service and also reducing the stress levels of those involved!

Matt Rawlings

Calling Aspiring Bloggers! Win a year’s contract with Mira Ink, the home of teen fiction

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Do you have a passion for writing?  Are you looking for an opportunity to showcase your talent and get paid for it? Look no further.  Mira Ink, the home of popular teen fiction books and ebooks has launched blogINK, a search for the next British blogger extraordinaire.

 

Write about the latest from The Glass Trilogy or follow Kayleigh Kavanagh in the Soul Screamers Series. Tell the world about Iron Fey or Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares. This once in a lifetime contract starting in January as MIRA Ink’s blogger, will not only see you writing about the most exciting teen stories but also creating your blogs on a top of the range laptop, courtesy of MIRA Ink.

 

If you have blogging ambition, then start right now. Enter a 500 word blog of your choice via the blogINK App by midnight on 25th November.  Then ten finalists will be shortlisted by MIRA Ink’s judging panel on 29th November and then asked to create a 60 second YouTube video and use social media sites to show how enterprising they are at generating buzz around their video.  Finally, the winner will be announced on 14th December.

Claudia Symons, MIRA Ink Brand Manager says:  “This is an exciting campaign for us; we’ve never done anything like this before.  We know there’s a wealth of teen talent out there waiting to be unlocked.   We are looking for someone who would love the chance to write about the wonderful world of teen fiction and who’s not too shy to shout about it.”

 

Stages & Deadlines:

  • Stage One:  9th – 25th November – Participants to enter a 500 word blog of their choice via the blogink App.
  • Stage Two:  29th November – Ten competitors will be shortlisted by Harlequin’s judging panel and asked to create a 60 second YouTube video and use social media sites to show how enterprising they are at generating likes.
  • Stage Three:  14th December – The winner will be announced and win a yearlong paid contract at Mira Ink and a top of the range laptop.

Follow the action on twitter using hashtag #blogINK

Twitter.com/MiraInk

Facebook.com/MiraInk

Miraink.tumblr.com


The First Horseman by Clem Chambers | Book Review

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Clem Chambers book touches on news-worthy and relevant subjects as ageing, the possibility of living forever and the financial markets. A riveting and thrilling read, I got through this book quite fast. The way the book has been written flows beautifully. The First Horseman is fresh and interesting.

This book touches on the subject of what people would do to live forever. This is the fourth book in the Jim Evans series but you can still know what is happening and not get lost.

Jim Evans is a brilliant character and so is his butler, Stafford. Together they make a great team. Professor Christopher Cardini is a good character too. He has a sick and twisted mind, but is obviously a genius. Like all good books, The First Horseman has wonderful observations. I found myself turning the corners of the page to go back to certain parts.

I thought The First Horseman was great and I will now be catching up on the rest of the series, and the rest of Clem Chambers books. Clem Chambers is the CEO of ADVFN, so goodness knows when he finds the time to write books, but I for one am glad that he does.

The First Horseman by Clem Chambers

Some would give everything just to live one more year. To live another
hundred, some would destroy everything.

Jim Evans, retired super-rich trader, only wants to do good. He wants to
fund research that will save lives.

Professor Christopher Cardini has developed medical technology he says
will change the world. Through cell therapy, he can even rejuvenate the
dying.

Yet there’s something Jim will find even all his money can’t buy:
protection from a brilliant, but twisted, mind.

The First Horseman is the fourth book in the acclaimed ‘Jim Evans’
thriller series, by Clem Chambers. It focuses on what might happen if we
had the ability to turn the human body clock back?

If we were able to repair telomeres, the tiny proteins found at the end
of every strand of human DNA – we could live much longer, perhaps even
become immortal, like Hydra.

Yet when such a medicine would result in many more billions of people
fighting to live amongst ruins of an ecologically exhausted planet, what
would be the point?

Professor Cardini sees no point. He plans to deal with seething humanity
in a way that will both shock and horrify. Will he succeed in releasing
his tiny, but deadly ‘First Horseman’ and wreak bloody havoc on the world?

Not if Jim Evans can help it.