Sainsbury's comes to Weymouth

The opening of any shop is big news for those involved. The opening of Weymouth Sainsbury’s is big news not only for the 300 staff it’s just hired but also for the entire town.

A new supermarket brings more choice and also more competition. That’s good for consumers but what about existing local businesses, some of which may feel threatened by the arrival of another national brand.

 Bizoh spoke to Steve Jones, store manager to find out more.

 Let’s get some facts out of the way. The store opens on 16 October 2013. It’s 46,000 sq ft (if you can visualise what that looks like) with 520 car parking spaces and a café upstairs. The store is designed to be easy on the environment.

The filling station canopy will trap energy from the sun and use it to supply electricity. The store has over 70 rooflights to gain maximum natural illumination. All the internal lighting uses LEDs and a highly sensitive monitoring system turns these up or down depending on the amount of natural light available.

Sainsbury's and local business

This is manager Steve’s second new store and he’s familiar with the concerns of other local traders. In his previous store, he invited a worried local newsagent to sell some of their own products in the store foyer, and from this, a monthly community market developed.

Steve wants to “co-exist harmoniously” with his neighbours. He’s arranged for teams coming in to set up the store to stay in local guesthouses rather than the bigger hotels. Sainsbury’s have sponsored a local rugby team. He’s met with the organisers of Weymouth Foodbank and many other local groups. 

The Sainsbury’s team has performed makeovers at local venues and together chosen to support a local charity. They’ve certainly worked hard to win friends in the area. Steve says his door is always open to any local business wanting to discuss concerns or ideas.

A boost to the Weymouth and Portland economy

The arrival of Sainsbury’s is already delivering some benefits to Weymouth. Almost all of the 300 staff have been recruited from nearby, including 18 of the 20 team leaders. There’s scope for others to join them once the store opens and the home delivery network builds up.

 Local young people could find themselves a job for life at Sainsbury’s. Steve himself joined as a trainee butcher at 18 and he’s now managing his seventh store.

 Local firms always worry when competitors, particularly big hitters like Sainsbury’s, turn up in town. But competition and change are part of business. The biggest beneficiary of the new store’s arrival will be, we trust, the local economy of Weymouth and Portland.

Why you need to know about inbound marketing

Inbound marketing: it sounds like being on the receiving end of a particularly nasty piece of pressure selling. But while it’s definitely the sort of business jargon that you’d cross the street to avoid, inbound marketing is something you need to know about if you’re promoting a business.

Many of us think of marketing and advertising as being the same thing. That advert on the side of the bus, in the cinema or on the edge of your Facebook page is the product of an organisation’s marketing team.

But marketing teams should do more than just create adverts. They should be interested in every point of connection between the organisation and its customers. That’s because these are the places where the reputation of the business can be enhanced or tarnished. Good marketing is more subtle than simply promoting ‘buy us’ messages.

Inbound marketing is about attraction not offers

If you put your advert in front of enough people, some of them will take notice. That’s the been principle behind a lot of marketing over the years. Unfortunately, advertising this way can be expensive and the majority of people who see your advert won’t be interested in your product.

The people who do notice your advert are often already considering purchasing what you’re offering, or are open to being nudged in that direction.

Inbound marketing is about creating material aimed at people already interested in the products you sell. It could take the form of a blog post giving advice or news, a video that explains how to solve a problem or an infographic that sets out important facts in a visually interesting manner.

Having created these materials, the challenge for the inbound marketer is to find a way of getting them in front of the people who’d be interested in reading them.

An example of inbound marketing

Here’s how inbound marketing might work for a florist. Rather than pay for an advert in the local paper, they work with a graphic design agency to create an interesting and amusing infographic around the subject of men giving flowers as gifts.

Related: Power up your marketing with an infographic

They put the infographic on their website and share links to it through social media and their email newsletter. Because it’s informative and attractive, people share it with their contacts, who are more likely to take a look because it comes from someone they trust.

One infographic, like one advertisement, is unlikely to boost customer numbers. But sustained campaigns of inbound marketing activities are proving to be very effective for many businesses. It also sets you apart from your competitors who are still publishing adverts in the paper.

You might not like the term ‘inbound marketing’ but you should decide whether it’s an approach that could work for your business.

Paula and Brian drive business down a new road

Paula Thompson

Every time the government changes the rules, it can also create a new niche into which businesses can take root. This is what happened when firms were made increasingly responsible for ensuring the safety of their staff on the road.

Paula and Brian Thompson of Poole have just launched a new business aimed at helping small firms with the process of managing both a small fleet of vehicles and their drivers. The company, Uneedus Business Solutions, is providing advice and practical support to firms keen to comply with the new legislation around business motoring.

Experience counts for a lot

This isn’t Paula’s first start-up. She’s previously run her own businesses in hospitality and, more recently, in recruitment. In 2012 Brian looked to join his wife in running their own business, bringing with him almost 30 years’ experience of advanced driver training and fleet management.

It seemed logical they should blend their skills into a new venture, resulting in Uneedus.

The business supports small local firms both with recruitment advice and a fleet management system which does more than help keep vehicle running costs down. It also makes it easier to monitor and educate drivers, whether they’re on the road every day or just get behind the wheel for business on an occasional basis. 

Putting the pieces together 

Starting a business can be something of a puzzle. Achieving the desired outcome - a profitable and sustainable operation - requires piecing together the right skills, finance and resources, and having a product that others want to buy.

Like so many small firms, Paula and Brian have begun by working from home, although they expect that to change when growth comes. Finance has come in part from their previous business. They’ve also been working with a business coach provided by Business West.

“Having a coach gave us the focus we needed,” said Paula. “She helped to set targets and provide accountability.”

When it comes to advice for others thinking of setting up their own firm, Paula has some strong advice: “Don’t believe the hype; it’s hard work. It’s not as easy as you think.”

To find out more about UNeedUs visit their website.

Guide to using listening skills in your business

Listening is harder than you might think. Every day we’re on the receiving end of verbal messages from staff, customers and suppliers, but while we might hear the words, we often fail to spot the significance of what’s being said.

Poor listening skills can lead to incorrect assumptions and bad decisions - mistakes that can cost your business time and money and which sometimes damage relationships, leading to longer term issues.
Here are some tips to improve your listening skills and boost your ability to understand the messages coming your way.

1. Avoid making assumptions

We find it very easy to hear what we expect, rather than listening carefully to the message contained in the words coming our way. The danger of assuming that we know where a conversation is going is that we give the wrong response.

Faced with customers regularly asking similar questions, it’s easy to develop a set of stock answers. However, if you think you know what someone is asking without listening too closely, you could fail to spot their real need, meaning your response is less effective than it might be. The result could be a dissatisfied customer who might never come back.

2. Effective listening means focusing on the speaker

Listening as carefully as possible means giving your full attention to the speaker. Avoid distractions and make a conscious effort to listen.

Your body language will tell the speaker whether you’re taking in what they are saying. Let them know they have your attention by looking at them and giving small visual clues of your interest, such as an occasional nod.

Take care not to glance away at a computer screen or your mobile phone. Even if you’re still listening, these actions send negative messages to the speaker, implying that you’re not interested in what they have to say.

3. Avoid predicting what’s coming

Because time is precious, it’s too easy to jump ahead of the speaker, particularly if they’re not sure how to articulate the message they’re trying to get across. It’s tempting to finish their sentences for them, or give answers before they’ve finished.

While you think you’re being helpful, these actions can unsettle or annoy the speaker, resulting in poor quality of communication and possibly damaging customer relations.

4. Summarise what you’ve heard

We all think and speak in a slightly different way, meaning that the message you receive from the speaker might not be quite what they really meant. An effective technique for ensuring that you have heard the message clearly is to repeat back what you think was said.

This is particularly useful where a customer is trying to explain a complex requirement or problem. Repeating back what you think they said gives them the opportunity to correct or clarify the message.

5. Effective listening means asking questions

Another technique for seeking clarification is by using questions. Don’t be put off by thinking that you’re meant to understand everything that’s being said to you - it’s safer to ask questions rather than make assumptions that lead to a misunderstanding of the message.

If you’re not entirely sure what a customer is telling you, ask a question about a specific issue they’ve mentioned. Don’t be embarrassed if they have to repeat a point they think they’ve already explained.

This, and the other effective listening tips above, could lead to your conversations becoming a little longer. But they can also save you time by avoiding the misunderstandings that lead to mistakes and dissatisfaction.

Show your customers and others who engage with your business that you care, by taking the time to listen carefully to what they have to say.

Other articles that could interest you: 

Seven website mistakes that will kill your business

Power up your marketing with an infographic


Photo credit: niclindh from Flickr

Selling Weymouth harbour until the boats come in

Every year, thousands of people pause to enjoy the maritime ambience of Weymouth’s often busy but always good looking harbour.

Very few, if any, of both visitors and locals, realise that the harbour is a small business, operating under similar pressures to the local restaurants, fishing boats and tourist attractions that line the quaysides.

The head of this £2m a year operation is Harbour Master Keith Howorth, who recently took over following a long career in the Royal Navy. Keith, and his team of up to 15 people, ensure that both the inner and outer harbour remain fit for purpose and generate the revenue needed to cover the substantial running costs.

Keith and his team work for Weymouth & Portland Borough Council.

In the business of berthing

Just a few years ago, the marina business, a primary source of revenue for the harbour, was booming nationally. But the recent recession, combined with rising fuel prices, have driven boat owners out of the water. Along the entire south coast, one out of every five berths now stands empty.

Weymouth has three marinas - two operated by the Harbour Master and one in private ownership. These two marinas have capacity for 450 boats. The harbour can also provide temporary berths for 200 visiting craft, along with housing Weymouth’s 80 commercial vessels.

Filling these berths, and managing the administration of collecting payments and offering advice, is a 7 day a week job for the Harbour Master’s team. They are also responsible for the operation of the town’s lifting bridge.

Attracting income to pay for infrastructure

The recent reconstruction of the quayside for Condor Ferries has highlighted the Harbour Master’s biggest headache - maintenance of the port’s infrastructure. New walls, pontoons and walkways don’t come cheap, but they’re vital to the successful and safe operation of the business.

This hardware is also essential for drawing in more boats, short and long-term. This in turn attracts visitors, both from the water and the quayside tourists, who admire the nautical scene while perhaps aspiring to a boat of their own one day.

It’s with this in mind that Keith, the Harbour Master, is considering how to improve the marketing of the business he operates on behalf of the town. By selling the attractions of Weymouth  harbour to south coast sailors, he’s also raising the profile of Weymouth itself, which should in turn benefit local businesses who depend on a steady stream of visitors with money to spend.

How to build your business with renewed confidence

Do your legs turn to jelly and your stomach tie itself in knots when you stand up to address an audience?

Despite being skilled in our chosen line of work, many of us lack the confidence to speak in public, even to a very small group. Part of this is down to nerves, but our reluctance can also spring from a sense of low self-esteem.

Unfortunately, this shortage of self-confidence can also feed through to other aspects of our lives. It can hold us, or our staff, back from achieving our full potential. The good news is that self-confidence can be built, or if it’s been knocked down in the past, re-built, with the right training.

Toastmasters provides a low cost training option

Around 100 years ago, people like Dale Carnegie realised that the ability to speak in public could open the door to better self-confidence. One organisation that grew in order to help people develop these skills was Toastmasters, a set of local clubs that has spread to become a worldwide non-profit operation.

Toastmasters International gives its members a safe, friendly environment in which to practice and refine the art of public speaking. At every meeting, everyone has an opportunity to give a short presentation, even if it’s just a few seconds long.

Through a process of supportive and constructive feedback, speakers can learn what others perceive to be their strengths and weaknesses, giving them the opportunity to work on improvement.
Toastmasters offers both a speaking and leadership development programme that has made a real difference in the lives of thousands of members, and it’s all available for a modest fee and time commitment.

More businesses should make use of Toastmasters

With training budgets squeezed, often out of existence, Toastmasters offers an inexpensive leadership and confidence-boosting training programme that organisations of any kind can choose to get involved with.

It can also help sole traders and other small business owners to overcome their fears of networking and giving presentations. These are barriers which, if not overcome, can hold back growth and lead to missed opportunities.

Today, four Toastmasters clubs operate in Dorset: in Dorchester, Ferndown and two in Bournemouth. Many of their current members can testify to how the speaking and leadership coaching they have received through their peers has made a real difference to their professional and personal lives.

To find out more about Toastmasters in Dorset, visit www.toastmasters.org  or for the Dorchester branch, visit www.casterbridgespeakers.org.uk.

Wendy transforms walls into wonderlands

With the arrival of her second child, Wendy Stead of Blandford Forum decided to lay down her sales career and start her own business. At the same time, she was having difficulty locating the accessories she wanted to transform her daughter’s new room into a special place.

These twin challenges led to the formation of Enchanted Interiors, a home-based business creating magical themes for the spaces where children live and play.

But as Wendy discovered, the fairytale dream of earning an income from home, doing something you love while having the time needed to raise a family, doesn’t come easily.

Finding the right product in the right place

When the business began in early 2012, Wendy started by selling products online on a drop shipping basis. That is, she did not carry any stock as her suppliers shipped directly to her customers.

She soon discovered this to be an ineffective business model, as the supplier took the majority of the income, leaving her with very little. The solution seemed to come in the form of an artist she met in the USA, who designed and sold giant wall stickers.

Unfortunately, this approach produced equally dissatisfying results, with every order taking far too long to deliver and proving too expensive to be viable.

However, Wendy loved the idea of the huge stickers. Unable to find suitable suppliers, the logical next step was to consider making them herself.

Solving the problem with home-based manufacturing

The raw materials for Wendy’s business are attractive, imaginative images and high quality fabrics. She sought out UK designers to create the attractive artwork which she then converted, with the aid of a newly purchased printing and cutting machine, into giant fabric pictures.

After months of hard work, Wendy had finally discovered a business model that delivered the results she was looking for. This has allowed her to concentrate on growing the business, by adding to her range of images and raising awareness of the stickers, largely by working with Mummy bloggers.

Producing the images at home also allows Wendy to offer custom designs, based on pictures submitted by customers. Mastering the image conversion process has led to her becoming an expert on Adobe Illustrator, an application she hadn’t heard of six months ago.

This is just one of the many skills Wendy has learned on her journey to achieving her ambition of owning a small but successful business, with plenty of potential for growth.

To find out more about the high quality fabric wall art available from Enchanted Interiors, visit their website.

Lauren’s shaping her new business with flowers

How many Dorset florists have not one but two Chelsea Flower Show medals to their name? That's what Lauren Curry of Concept Flowers, based in Christchurch, has achieved, and her career has barely got going.

Concept Flowers is a very fresh, new floristry business. Less than twelve months old, it’s run from the family home Lauren shares with her parents. Begun in September 2012, the early months have already seen lots of positive growth and there’s plenty of early promise of future success.

Floral art saves the day and paves the way

Like so many young people, Lauren wasn’t sure what direction her career would take. Careers interviews led her to start a course in floral art at Bournemouth & Poole College. Despite never having worked with flowers before, by the end of the opening session, her very first creation was top of the class.

Eight years of dedicated training followed, leading to Lauren achieving a Master’s qualification, and winning those medals at Chelsea. Her feet were firmly placed on the path to a future in floristry.

However, her achievements threatened to be more of a hindrance than a help, with established florists refusing to provide employment. After almost a decade spent learning her craft, Lauren was considered to be ‘over qualified’ by the local firms she’d hoped to work for.

This left only one option open - to starting trading in her own right. From those rejections sprang an entirely new business - Concept Flowers.

Learning the new skills needed for commerce

Becoming a business owner means further education, usually through hard commercial experience. Lauren started by approaching a bank for the capital needed to establish her operation and fund the initial marketing, which she also invested into.

Without a High Street presence, Lauren had to find other ways to get noticed, to put herself in front of potential customers. Social media played a part, as did getting involved in events. A major wedding fair in Bournemouth proved the turning point, allowing her to demonstrate her skills in front of brides searching for the perfect floral creation.

Her early work has led to recommendations and repeat business.

Lauren ascribes her success to date to her marketing efforts and believes that personal contact is the key. “A lot of the time it’s you who makes the business,” she said. Online marketing has its place, but when it comes to securing sales: “People buy from people.”

Lauren’s story is an inspiration to anyone who’s spent years honing their skills and now plans to start their own business. We’ll be checking back with her in a few months, to discover more about how Concept Flowers is blooming.

To find out more about Concept Flowers, visit the website by clicking here.

Cumulus reigns in Dorset’s outdoor adventure sector

Russell Thomoson - founder of Cumulus

Dorset is rich in start-ups, but very few are grounded in the depth of experience possessed by Russell Thompson, founder of Cumulus Outdoors.

Even the condensed version of Russell's CV is ruggedly impressive. Former Royal Marine, creator of team building training in some of the UK’s leading schools, trainer of mountain rescue teams and Team GB Olympic coaches, who helped Sir Ranulph Fiennes test cold weather gear in temperatures down to minus 53 degrees Celsius.

A long-term Dorset resident, Russell spotted that his skills, combined with some of the most exciting coastline in the world, could provide the basis for a successful outdoor adventure business.

He set up Cumulus in 2004 with the vision of creating an environment allowing anyone to learn about themselves, and their team, through a variety of physical and intellectual challenges. But rather than be a gruelling battle for survival, the experiences were to be enjoyed and achievements celebrated.

Climbing to a high standard from the outset

Excellence, in preparation and execution, was central to Russell’s plans. In an industry where risk is part of the product, it was important that, from the very start, only the best qualified and most experienced instructors were brought into the Cumulus team.

The result of that commitment to quality is a business that, nine years later, has trained teams from some of the UK’s leading organisations. Cumulus also works with schools, colleges, families and private groups including stag and hen parties.

The initial focus was coasteering, which is about scrambling along the base of cliffs, jumping and diving where necessary to complete a journey. The business now encompasses a much wider range of physical activities and, where appropriate, combines these with workshops and coaching.

Success demands conquering varied terrain

Coasteering

As with every business, Cumulus faces its challenges. While outdoor events take place all year round, demand is always highest in the warmer months. The company is continually broadening its range of activities to smooth its turnover across the seasons. In addition to coasteering its offering now includes bushcraft, team fun days, mountain biking, kayaking and even an old-fashioned school sports day experience.

Another hurdle to overcome is marketing. It’s not easy for a small business in Dorset to reach out to the corporate clients who, once they discover it, derive real benefit from the Cumulus experience. The firm has invested in its website and is looking to broaden its reach into social media.

Advice from Cumulus to anyone considering setting up a similar business is to plan for the costs associated with operating at a high standard of quality. The welfare and safety of everyone involved is of paramount importance. It’s only by taking these considerations very seriously from the start, along with the extremely clear vision and hard work by Russell Thompson and his team, that Cumulus has achieved its position as one of the leading outdoor events companies in Dorset.

To help build up from this firm foundation, Cumulus has recently taken on Peter Boyce as MD. His experience of setting up successful businesses will secure the company's position on the ascent from local to national achievement.

Find out more about Cumulus Outdoors from their website, and you can follow them on Twitter.

Has your business got what it takes to win?

“And the winner is...”

The speaker pauses, extracting the maximum anticipation from the audience of finalists. Your heart pumps, as you can’t quite believe that your firm’s name might be called.

But it is! You stride through the applause to the stage, climbing those few steps to the platform before receiving that warm handshake and the acknowledgement that your organisation has been recognised as a leader in its class.

Winning awards is good for business

However good it feels on the night, there’s more to winning a business award than a warm glow and the congratulations of your peers.

News of your success can secure free coverage in local and trade media.

Recognition of their hard work can be a valuable morale-booster to staff, pushing up productivity and loyalty.

The winner’s badge can help build credibility with customers.

These are more than enough reasons why your business should enter the 2013 Dorset Business Awards.

Get the recognition you deserve

Organised by the Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the awards celebrate the creativity, dynamism and high levels of excellence exhibited by firms across the county.

Entries for the 2013 awards are now open and more information on how to start the process can be found by clicking here.

It’s free to enter the awards and they’re open to any business based in Dorset, from the smallest to the largest.

Entries must be in by Tuesday 10 September, with the sweetener of being entered into a draw for free tickets to the awards ceremony if your submission is received by Friday 23 August.

The award categories are:

• Apprenticeship Training Award
• Business Engagement with the Community Award
• Business Woman of the Year Award
• Dorset Tourism Award
• Entrepreneur of the Year Award
• Hays Employee of the Year Award
• KPMG & Lester Aldridge Company of the Year Award
• Nuffield Health Excellence in Customer Service Award
• Princecroft Willis Family Business Award
• Retail Excellence Award

You can also follow the Dorset Business Awards on Twitter.

Guide to HMRC deadlines for businesses

There’s no reason why your business should be one of the many who waste money on fines because they miss HMRC deadlines. These fines are a cost that’s entirely avoidable with a little planning and preparation.

To help you plan ahead, we’ve put together a list of some important dates you need to remember. Write them onto a calendar now, or put them into an online calendar and schedule reminders in advance.

If you use an accountant to make your returns, there’s no harm in reminding them of the deadlines. You’ll be responsible for any fines if they submit late.

Monthly deadlines

22nd of each month - PAYE and NIC payments

If you run a payroll, the payment for PAYE and NICs must be in the HMRC bank account by the 22nd. Leaving three working days for the online payment to clear means you should make the payment by the 19th of the month. Or even earlier, if there are weekend days or bank holidays on or immediately before the 22nd.

If you pay late, you can be charged a penalty and interest.

Quarterly deadlines

Once per quarter for VAT returns and payments

VAT registered businesses on the standard scheme must complete an online VAT return once every three months. Your firm’s deadline is set by HMRC.

It’s important to keep a record of the submission receipt reference number, in case there’s any doubt about whether the VAT return was processed correctly in the HMRC system.

Copies of old online VAT returns can be accessed up to 15 months after they have been submitted.
VAT payments must be made online by the date on your VAT return, or you can agree to a Direct Debit. If you do this, HMRC will take the money three days after your VAT return due date.

Your deadlines may be different if you use one of the special VAT schemes or have other arrangements with HMRC.

If you submit your VAT return or payment late, you may have to pay a surcharge. You can request an email reminder of an impending VAT deadline, through the VAT online system.

Annual deadlines

31 January for online income tax returns

There’s an initial fixed penalty of £100 if you miss this deadline, even if you owe no tax. The later you are, the higher the penalty becomes.

The tax returns will relate to the year ended the previous 5 April. (This means online returns for the tax year ended 5 April 2013 must be made by 31 January 2014.)

31 January for paying tax

Whether you submit your returns online or on paper, you must pay the income tax due for the previous tax year by 31 January. The tax due for the year ended 5 April 2013 must be paid by 31 January 2014.

You may also be required to make the first of two payments on account, towards your next tax bill. HMRC will tell you if this is required. A payment on account in January will be for the current tax year.

22 July for Class 1A NICs

These National Insurance Contributions are paid by employers on benefits in kind and calculated from P11Ds. If you’re not sure whether these apply to your business, speak to your accountant or whoever handles your payroll.

31 July

This is the deadline for making a second payment of income tax on account, if you have been asked to by HMRC. This will be for the tax year ended the previous April.

31 October for paper tax returns

If you’re still completing paper tax returns, they need to be with HMRC by midnight on 31 October. You can extend this deadline to 31 January if you send in your return online.

The penalties are the same as for late online returns, which are due on 31 January. The tax returns will relate to the year ended the previous April. (So paper returns for the tax year ended 5 April 2013 must be made by 31 October 2013.)

Corporation tax

For most small firms, with taxable profits under £1.5 million, corporation tax is usually due nine months after the end of your financial year. So if your year end is 31 March 2013, the corporation tax should be paid by 31 December 2013.

Businesses with taxable profits over £1.5 million usually pay corporation tax in instalments, which will be agreed with HMRC.

Your corporation tax return is due 12 months after your financial year end. This means that the tax needs to be paid before you are legally required to submit your corporation tax return.

Rob and Michelle infuse a passion for tea

Blend a tea lover, a tea sceptic and personal tasting on a Darjeeling tea estate. Leave to brew for several years in Brussels and the result is another Dorset business served with passion and commitment.

Comins Tea House in Sturminster Newton has been sourcing and blending the finest teas for a couple of years. Rob and Michelle, the husband and wife team behind Comins, have spent a long time developing the eye and the taste for a beverage that offers huge variety and complexity, that’s missed by most of us when we dunk a tea bag in a mug.

Realising that setting and mood are essential ingredients in the best tea experiences, this year they opened a real Comins Tea House. Here you can choose your black, white, green or oolong tea and enjoy a contemporary take on the traditional ceremony associated with its serving.

Making time for tea

“Tea becomes a personal journey,” said Michelle, who from her childhood learned the importance of the tea ceremony in bringing people together. “People come into the tea shop saying they want to stay for ten minutes and they’re still here an hour and a half later.”

Michelle and Rob want to share their enthusiasm for tea with their customers, by serving it themselves. The tea shop is only open four days a week, giving them time to run their importing and blending business, and to allow space in their busy lives for their young family.

Recently the tea house hosted a visit by Jane Pettigrew, tea specialist and historian who has helped Rob and Michelle find their way around the fascinating world of tea. An author of several books on tea preparation and culture, Jane’s visit included a presentation on tea to an enthusiastic audience. The event was extremely popular and with demand for places so high, they hope to run it again.

Allowing everyone to discover the secrets of tea

The tea served in the tea house is personally sourced from single estates. It’s served in exclusive tea ware designed by Comins and made by British craftspeople. If you choose, the tea can be accompanied by delicious locally sourced food.

“There are exclusive tea houses in London,” said Michelle, “but they can be very intimidating. We want to make tea accessible.”

And they’re doing just that. Customers are making the effort to seek out Sturminster Newton, and the Georgian building that is home to the tea house. Rob and Michelle’s recipe for a successful business based on a product they love is working.

Discover more about Comins Tea House by visiting their website, or you may spot their stand at one of the many festivals held around the area.

By Andrew Knowles

Seven website mistakes that will kill your business

Despite so many people looking for products on the internet, too many firms seem happy for their website to deter, rather than inspire, potential customers.

1. Your website tells what you do, not what you can do for the customer

“We provide bespoke financial advice” is the opening line of one Dorset business website. It might be true, but it’s not the right message. What it should say is something like: “Get a better return on your savings”, or “Don’t be short-changed on your pension”.

Telling the customer what you do is better than nothing, but telling them how you can improve their lives is a much more powerful message.

2. Your website looks rubbish on a mobile

Have you dared look at your website on a smartphone or tablet computer? Others probably have, because it’s fast becoming one of the most popular ways to search online. It doesn’t need saying that a site that won't be popular if looks poor on a mobile device, or is hard to navigate.

3. Your content is out of date

The web is littered with social media accounts and blogs set up by small firms in a fit of inspiration, only to die after a few months. But the bodies are still out there: accounts and blogs where the last entry is dated sometime in 2011, or earlier.

Out of date content doesn’t send out a good message.

4. Your ‘Contact us’ navigation is useless

You might think that saying ‘Contact us by clicking the link at the top of the page’ makes it really easy for the reader to act. No, it doesn’t. Every time you use the words ‘contact us’, make those word a link or display a phone number.

Put a gap in between ‘Contact us’ and the customer actually doing just that, and you risk losing them.

5. Your website is still under construction

Worst case (and it still happens) is your site isn’t there at all. Still bad are the sites that contain the minimum content, but contain links to pages that are clearly waiting to be filled.

You may be planning to add more content, but good intentions don’t get results. Action is required.

6. Your content contains typing errors

Typing errors - that’s the polite way of describing spelling mistakes or grammar howlers. Will a misplaced apostrophe lose you a sale? Yes, it could. You might not notice mistakes, but some people do and for them it’s a real turn-off.

7. Your ‘About Us’ page kills business

Whether you’re a sole trader, a partnership or a limited company, your website should display a business address. Some visitors to your site look for this, because it helps build their confidence in your business.

The same goes for your ‘About Us’ page. People come to this because they want some clue as to who you really are; they’re not looking for yet another sales message. Being a little more open about who's behind the business can win you more sales.

Six reasons why your ‘About Us’ page is losing you business

For more business tips, click here.

Protect your business with simple financial controls

From the moment its cash flow comes close to being out of control, your business is in serious danger.

It’s not a lack of profit that kills firms, it’s a lack of cash.

You know cash flow is heading out of control because you aren’t sure where the money is coming from to pay the next set of bills and you’re scrabbling around, trying to borrow in order to keep trading.

Staying on top of your cash flow isn’t always easy, particularly when sales are down or customers pay late. But it’s less of a headache if you operate some basic financial controls.

Here are some suggestions for simple financial controls that every firm should consider implementing.

1. Plan your cash flow

This is all about predicting where your cash will come from, where it’s going, and how much you expect to have in hand at any point in time.

A cash flow plan involves estimating how much money will be coming in and going out every week for the next few months. You’re not looking at sales or purchases, but at receipts and payments, because these can occur at quite different times.

To be effective, a cash flow plan should stretch several months into the future and be updated regularly, at least every few weeks.

2. Keep an eye on debtors and creditors

Knowing how much you owe, and are owed, is fundamental to good cash flow. Make a point of checking the numbers every week, so as to see how they’ve moved. This can reduce the risk of debts going bad, as it will be easier to spot the customers who don’t pay week after week.

3. Approve every purchase and payment

Money could be leaking out of your business through lots of tiny holes, as the firm commits to all sorts of small purchases here and there. Insisting that every purchase must be approved brings accountability to those with the authority to place orders, and could encourage them to think twice before committing to expenditure.

Similarly, a process of approving every payment makes you more aware of where the money is going and reduces the risks of error, or even fraud.

4. Tighten your grip on expense payments

Incidental expenses are another potential drain on cash flow. They’re often necessary, particularly when you have employees travelling, but without a clear and consistent policy, the business could be paying for more than it needs to.

A good expense policy has specific limits for daily expenditure and clear guidance on what is, and is not, acceptable. This needs to be communicated to staff and backed up by rigorous checks and, where appropriate, rejections or at least discussions about excessive amounts being claimed.

5. Lock up the petty cash

The amounts may be small, but petty cash can be another gap in your cash flow controls. If possible, do away with it altogether. If you must have petty cash, ensure it’s checked regularly and that questionable expenditure is investigated.

Explain to employees that your business can’t function without cash. Make it everyone’s responsibility to guard the firm’s bank balance, because it’s in everyone’s interest not to have a crisis which could threaten your future.

More tips: do you know why you lost that sale?

Click here for more business tips.

Dorset Seafood Festival is a winner says The Independent

Despite being one of the newer celebrations of food on the national calendar, the Dorset Seafood Festival has been placed among the top ten in the UK.

That’s according to a recent listing by national news organisation, The Independent.

Run by the Weymouth Harbour Traders Association, the festival is a charitable event raising funds for The Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen. It also promotes Weymouth’s historic and picturesque harbour.

Every year, visitors flock to Weymouth to sample the bountiful array of Dorset fare on offer. Much, although not all, is seafood, drawing on a relationship between land and sea that stretches back centuries.

On the news that a respected national newspaper had shortlisted the Weymouth event as one of the top food festivals in the country, Roger Dalton, Chairman of the Dorset Seafood Festival said: “It is great to see that we are so highly regarded."

"This is good news for our sponsors, the stall holders and, of course, the organising team. Most of all, it is really good to see a Weymouth event up there with the UK’s biggest and best.”

Nigel Reed, Chairman of Weymouth BID Ltd, the town’s proposed Business Improvement District, said: “This is fabulous news for Weymouth and an indication of why a ‘yes’ vote is so important in the current BID ballot. We need more quality events like this and the BID will help achieve this.”

Click here to see the full listing from The Independent.

Martin's energised his Dorset cycling tours

Few can be unaware of the joys of cycling in the countryside, with all the sights, sounds and smells that are missed when you’re enclosed within a car.

However, the idea of slipping into tight Lycra vest and shorts and puffing and panting to get to the top of our lovely Dorset hills is not everyone's idea of a good time.

That was the starting point for a new venture by Martin Gershon, the owner of Marshwood Trails, a business established in the spring of 2012 to offer guided electric bike adventures in some of the loveliest parts of the West Dorset countryside.

Martin realised that many were deterred from cycling locally because they were worried about the amount of effort required to pedal in hilly West Dorset. Electric bikes were the answer.

Also referred to commonly as an e-bike, this amazing machine is a traditional bicycle that incorporates the assistance of an electric motor, allowing riders to travel further with much less effort than if under their own power alone.

Martin said, "It really is incredibly exciting how electric bikes are transforming cycling, opening it up as an activity to people who would never previously consider having a go. Our electric bikes are top-of-the-range models that are tough, reliable and ride brilliantly. You can select exactly how much assistance you want the motor to provide, although you do still have to pedal. They can be ridden all day without the need to recharge the battery and have proved themselves in the Alps, so Dorset hills are well within their capability."

Marshwood Trails' guided tours have been designed to show guests the very best that West Dorset has to offer. Destinations include the stunning Marshwood Vale fringed by Iron Age hill forts, the short but perfectly formed Bride Valley, the glorious Hardy Country and the rocky Isle of Portland.

Although a new venture, the tours have already been featured on ITV and in a number of national press articles. Guests consistently rate them as 'Excellent' on Trip Advisor.

Martin said, "The routes for our guided electric bike tours have been carefully selected to ensure guests, whatever their age or fitness level, have a great day out. It’s definitely about the experiences along the way,  not the number of miles covered, so the pace is gentle and the distances travelled are always to everyone's comfort."

Prices for a half-day guided tour start at £30 which includes bike, helmet and pannier hire. Large groups can be accommodated, so the tours are ideal for special family events and corporate activity days.

Marshwood Trails also offer electric bike hire for those wanting to explore without a guide, as well as 'try before you buy' taster sessions for people considering an electric bike purchase. More details about all Marshwood Trails' activities can be found at www.marshwoodtrails.co.uk or by calling Martin on 07796 135256.

Discover other Dorset start-up stories here.

Bizoh opinion: Poor marketing is damaging Dorset firms

By Andrew Knowles

Too many of our small firms are struggling, or even dying, because they refuse to invest in marketing.

I’ve lived in Weymouth for less than three years and I’ve already seen a host of bright, ambitious businesses pop up, only to wither away within months. You can probably names some of them, or you’ve seen the same happen elsewhere across the county.

Behind every failed business is a disheartened individual, couple or even family. Dreams have become ashes, relationships are strained and there’s often a legacy of debt.

Is it too bold to say that their problems could have been avoided, or at least mitigated, with some decent marketing advice and action? No, I don’t think it is. I’ve been close enough to some of these businesses to see their reluctance to spend on marketing.

Marketing is the first business action

There’s more to marketing than advertising. Marketing is about the relationship between sellers and buyers, and the very first action is to verify if that relationship is even possible. Because if the customers aren’t there, it won’t happen. Too many firms seem to open their doors in the hope that customers will turn up, rather than having genuine confidence in the demand for their product.

Setting up a business is a risk, there’s no getting away from that. Small-time entrepreneurs don’t have a lot of time or money for market research. But there’s a lot to be said for seeking, and accepting, honest opinions. If everyone says “Well, it could work...” they’re also saying “There’s a good chance it won’t”.

If you’re considering starting a business in Dorset (or anywhere else for that matter), I suggest that you talk to the local Chamber of Commerce. Ask them what marks out the start-ups that have found success, or failed, locally. Learn what you can from the experience of others, because it’s cheaper than learning from your own mistakes.

Getting the message out

Customers won’t buy your good idea. They will buy something that benefits them. But only if they know it’s available.

I could (and probably will) write a post about some of the appalling online marketing efforts by local firms. Websites that are unclear, out of date or just plain wrong. Social media campaigns that don’t justify the name because they’re nothing more than a Twitter account with a dozen posts made in 2011.

Every business needs a different marketing mix - that is, the blend of actions that will draw in customers. But too many don’t seem to give much thought to what is right for them. I’ve seen firms print and deliver thousands of leaflets, to no effect. I’ve also seen firms fail to produce leaflets, despite that being a proven marketing route for all their competitors.

My plea to all Dorset firms struggling right now, and to anyone planning to jump into a business, is please spend more time thinking about marketing. Yes, you may have to spend a little money, but that could be a lot less painful than the loss that comes with business failure.

Do you agree that many firms could do better if they improved their marketing? Or do you think local businesses are being damaged by other issues? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment.

Make QR codes work for your business

QR codes, those blocks of apparently random black and white squares, have popped up all over the place in the last few years.

You’ve probably spotted them on magazine adverts, billboards, restaurant menus, business cards and all sorts of other places.

The theory behind them is simple. Snap the blocky image with the camera on your mobile phone or tablet computer and a specific website will appear on the screen of your device.

But like all simple ideas, the practicalities are a little more complex. For your customers to access QR codes, they need a phone with a camera and an internet connection, along with an incentive to take a photo of the code, and often, to find the right app on their phone to make the process work.

Every one of these steps is a potential barrier to customers bothering to access a QR code. But firms are learning to overcome these difficulties. Restaurants find the codes work well on menus, as customers are a captive audience, as they sit at the table, waiting to order.

This gives them time to photograph the code, which often takes them to a page offering a competition or special offer. The restaurant benefits by capturing more information about their customers, by having them fill out contact details as part of the process.

Dynamic ID system using QR codes

Another practical use of QR codes has been provided by QRSecured of Dorchester, supplier of dynamic QR code management systems.

The dynamic ID system provides secure verification of ID cards using QR codes. For example, one of QRSecured’s customers, in the healthcare business, needed a quick and secure process that allowed clients to verify the identity of staff, when they turned up for a site visit. Many of the staff were employed on a short-term basis, so it was important that those they visited had a reliable method of identifying them.

The firm had been using identity cards which included a photo of the employee, but when their contracts expired, some staff did not return these cards. As a result, there was a concern that some ex-employees might be tempted to use them inappropriately to gain access.

By adding a QR code to the identity card, linked to a QR code management system, the firm can maintain up-to-date records on employee status. Those checking the card simply scan the code and get an immediate update on whether the card is still valid. In addition, the card holder’s manager receives an email alert every time a card is scanned.

This is just one example of where QR codes are being increasingly adopted by organisations to solve a specific problem.

If you think QR codes could help your business, contact Geoffrey Boult of QR Secured by calling 020 3002 0539, email geoffrey.boult@qrsecured.com or visit their website www.qrtaginsights.com.

Have you found another use for QR codes in your business? Share your QR code experience with other Bizoh readers by leaving a comment below.

By Andrew Knowles

Four quick tips for local SEO

A guest post from Decoded Solutions.

Now that Internet access is virtually ubiquitous, with potential customers more likely than ever to seek out local businesses using services like Google Maps, ensuring that your company can be found online is of paramount importance.

What’s more, the higher your placement in these local results, the more reputable you look and the more traffic you’re going to get. Some of these fields can be hugely competitive, but there are a few simple measures you can take to ensure that you are ranking and keep yourself in the running.

Get on Google Places

While Google isn’t the only game in town, it still accounts for around 90% of search traffic in the UK, so getting your business on there is essential. Thankfully, this is made easy by Google Places for Business, which makes managing your listings across all Google services very easy and is believed to be the single most important factor in ranking locally on Google. Once you’re approved, you’ll immediately start appearing on Google Maps and mobile services when people search for local companies in your field.

Importantly, it puts the management of your business’ details in your hands. While Google is usually clever enough to find information like opening hours on your website, Places lets you be proactive when it comes to advertising your latest services.

Be social

Facebook and Twitter are increasingly popular business destinations and your interactions with customers do contribute to your rankings in search engines. But be sure not to overlook Google+, which may not be as popular but is being pushed hard by Google. It’s not a coincidence that businesses with a presence there will be the ones appearing near the top of the local search results, as in the image attached to this post.

Engaging with people across all social networks is to be encouraged, both from a traditional marketing and an SEO perspective. Search engines treat people sharing and linking to your content as a kind of vote for your popularity and will bump you up the rankings accordingly. Every time someone does that, it gives you more exposure to all their contacts, who could end up being your new best customers.

Encourage reviews 

Once you’ve completed the above two steps, combine them by encouraging your customers to leave reviews on Google+. The number of reviews is listed right there in the local search results, and if you’re a customer and you see one Italian restaurant with 20 reviews and one with none, which one are you going to look at first?

There are plenty of ways to get people to spread the word about this. Why not put a QR code on your business cards that links to your profile page? (There are dozens of websites that will generate one for you.) Make sure you respond to existing reviews as well, including helping to straighten out negative ones, as this kind of customer engagement will only count in your favour. Just don’t be tempted to incentivise reviews too aggressively. That’s a violation of Google’s guidelines and you could get penalised if you’re spotted.

Keep your contact details prominent 

Obviously, without your address and contact details on your website, your customers can’t find you. But is that information on every page? Keeping it in the same place across your website – for example, in the header or footer – will ensure that search engines know where you’re located. What’s more, it’ll get you ranking on local variants of all your keywords by default, since anything Google picks up on your site is automatically going to have ‘Bournemouth’, ‘Dorset’ and the like on the page with it.

It bears mentioning that you should keep them updated wherever your company is listed. Your website is easy enough, but don’t forget to tell Google Places, directories like Yelp and 192, social networks, the Chamber of Commerce, or any industry directories you belong to that you’ve moved. Search Google for your business at your old address to pick up anything that’s drawn your address from elsewhere and drop them a line with the new info.

Without needing to invest a huge amount of time into your search engine optimisation, these tips will ensure you’re visible, and coupled with designing your site around Google’s best practices, you should see your search performance boosting your traffic and therefore your business.

About Decoded Solutions: Decoded is a bespoke software development house in Bournemouth, specialising in database systems for companies in a wide range of industries.

For more tips from Bizoh, visit our business tips page.

Do you have any SEO tips to share? Please leave a comment below.

Dorset business networking group offers practical support

The 'wicked issue' discussion

Business networking isn’t all about growing your list of potential customers. While some groups, like the recently profiled BNI, focus on referrals, others approach networking from a different perspective.

KM4B, meeting once a month at Kingston Maurward college near Dorchester, is one of these. At its heart is the ‘wicked issue’ discussion, an opportunity to source valuable advice from others, in a round table discussion.

KM4B is a new networking meeting, picking up from where BusinessXchange left off, after the withdrawal of Business Link funding. It’s run jointly by Kingston Maurward and Laura McHarrie of The Hidden Edge.

The power of the ‘wicked issue’

Feedback from participants in wicked issue discussions suggests that the advice they receive can be worth literally thousands of pounds in time saved and opportunities discovered. The price is a modest charge to attend the breakfast and a willingness to be open.

Laura describes a wicked issue as “something that keeps you awake at night, either because you’re so excited, or because it’s something you’re really worried about”. Examples include the obvious: “How do I get more sales?”, the technical: “What’s the best free cloud-based CRM system?” and the human: “What do I do with my overly-demanding customer?”

The issues are discussed in small groups of about five or six people, with everyone being given the opportunity to offer a point of view based on their experience. The benefits of pooling knowledge in this way can be enormous, particularly for very small firms where time is a precious resource.

Don’t forget the famous Kingston Maurward sausages

The ‘wicked issues’ discussions aren’t the only highlight of KM4B meetings. They start with an excellent Kingston Maurward breakfast, one of the best on the Dorset networking circuit and complete with sausages made from the college’s very own porkers.

Meetings also include a short, topical presentation on a subject that’s highly relevant to local businesses. Everyone attending is encouraged to consider how to apply what they’ve learned by participating in a facilitated discussion of the issues raised.

Regular attenders at KM4B will tell you they love the creative buzz generated during the meeting, and the wealth of new ideas they take away with them each month.

Whether you’re a sole trader or part of a larger business operating in Dorset, KM4B could offer tangible benefits and allow you to widen your contact base without any pressure to sell, or be sold to. That said, regular attenders develop a trust which often leads to referrals, or to them doing business together.

For more information contact Laura McHarrie of The Hidden Edge.

If you've experienced KM4B and the 'wicked issue' discussions, please share your opinion by leaving a comment. Thank you! 

Visit our list of Dorset business networking groups.
 

Free ebook gives Dorset entrepreneurs start-up business tips

Record numbers of people are starting their own business.

Some are turning a hobby into an income stream, others are taking the plunge of leaving (or being pushed) from full-time employment into working for themselves. Start-ups are everywhere and many will become major contributors to the Dorset economy of the future.

One of the challenges when starting you own business is the feeling of isolation. 

Wouldn’t it be good to put yourself in the shoes of another Dorset business and find out what they would advise their younger selves on how to build a successful business?

That is exactly what new website IfYouCouldGoBack.co.uk looks to achieve by asking established business owners from the local community, if they could go back in time, what three things would they advise their younger selves to grow professionally and personally. The answers are delivered in the form of an ebook, available free from the site.

British entrepreneurs broke records in 2012 with start-up numbers up by 10% to 484,224 businesses (over 440,000 in 2011) according to StartUp Britain.

Produced by Bournemouth creative marketing company, The ID Group, the free ebook is intended to be used as a resource for budding entrepreneurs and start-ups, helping them to benefit from the experience of local business owners.

MD, Mark Masters, commented, “If we can learn from those who have built solid businesses in the area and take on-board what they would advise their younger selves, it can become quite a powerful tool, in terms of decision making and looking to establish your business in the marketplace.”

“There are 4.8 million private businesses in the UK, 99.9% being small to medium sized companies. If we can take advantage of the knowledge from those that have ‘been there, done that’ then it can perhaps build stronger foundations in an ever more competitive world.”

The ebook is available to download from www.ifyoucouldgoback.co.uk and features interviews from business owners such as Jonathan Sibbett (Sibbett Gregory), Gary Neild (Blue Sky Financial Planning), John Corderoy (Breeze Volkswagen), Brian Maidman (Maidman’s/Store & Secure) and Barbara Cox (Nutrichef).

Visit our other business tips pages for more valuable information.

Networking with BNI in Dorset

When you start business networking, you’ll quickly run into lots of people who are members of, or used to be members of, BNI.

Self-styled as ‘The world’s biggest referral marketing organisation’, BNI holds thousands of meetings around the world each week, and several of these are in Dorset.

Their approach has a distinctive style - a curious blend of assertive self-promotion, betraying its American roots, and British reserve. It’s a style that seems to work, if a recent visit to the breakfast meeting of the Olympic Weymouth group provided an accurate representation.

A clear focus on getting results

Every BNI group, or chapter, only allows one member per trade or profession. So there’s one accountant, one builder, one independent financial advisor and one florist. It’s expected that everyone else in the room will keep their eyes open for opportunities they can pass on to their peers in the group.

This referral process is more than just passing on the plumber’s phone number to someone who may need their help. Every opportunity is documented on a referral slip that’s passed on at the meeting and the chapter keeps a copy.

There are several benefits to this. A referral has to be reasonably serious if it’s written down, although the writer can grade it as being anything from ‘hot’ to ‘tepid’. The recipient has a written record, with details of who to contact to pursue the business. And the chapter can ask whether anything became of the referral, and how much it was worth to that member.

Following a pattern to find business 

At every BNI meeting, each member, and guests, can promote their business for one minute. This ensures everyone in the group has a clear picture of the services offered by others, making it easier to promote fellow BNI members where appropriate.

A couple of members also get to speak for a few minutes more, allowing them to explain more about why and how they run their business. There’s also a short, informative education session.

Not everyone who’s come out of BNI found it useful for them. It’s said that the trades can do very well from it, and it can be successful where you strike up a rapport with someone in a related business with whom you can regularly share referrals.

Many find the structure works for them, justifying the fees and the commitment to attend a meeting almost every week.

If you want to know more about BNI, visit their website and tap in your postcode to find a local chapter. BNI chapters in Dorset include Weymouth Olympia, Harbour Poole, Badger at Blandford, Bournemouth Bay and Minster at Wimborne.

Does BNI work for you? Please share your experience by leaving a comment.

Visit our list of Dorset business networking groups.

(Photo by Ewan-M, from Flickr - used under a Creative Commons licence.)

Dorset company makes mouthwatering "Marshmellows"

Catch sight of a stand in a food festival offering Marshmellows for sale and you could be forgiven for thinking that someone had made a spelling mistake. But you’d be wrong!

Gavin and Jackie, the couple behind the Dorset company Miss Marshmellow, decided that the delicious marshmallows that they hand-made were so soft and smooth that they needed their own name, to distinguish them from the commercial 'pink and white ones'. And so Marshmellows were born - marshmallows but mellower!

The inspiration for the business started whilst they were on their honeymoon in Provence in 2011. They loved the local Montelimar Nougat and wanted to be able to produce something similar using Dorset honey and other local ingredients.

After trying out various recipes, and experimenting with sugar technology, Gavin made some flavoured marshmallows that were pronounced 'fantastic' by willing tasters from amongst their family and friends.

Gavin then spent the winter extending the range of flavours, which involved tweaking both the proportions of the ingredients and the details of the process, and finally, in the spring of 2012, 'Miss Marshmellow' was ready to go.

"We are passionate about using only real flavour ingredients in our Marshmellows," Jackie explained, "and there are no artificial colours or preservatives either. Gavin zests and juices our lemons, we use a high cacao chocolate and melt it into our chocolate range and if we can use locally produced fruit, then we do... And the flavours really do taste wonderful."
"The range we make changes seasonally and we love trying out new flavour ideas and combinations, often those suggested by customers."

'Miss Marshmellow's Marshmellows can be found in a few specialist shops, mostly in Dorset, although the couple find that having a stand at food festivals and markets is the most enjoyable way of selling their product. "We like to interact with our customers," Gavin explained. "We always offer lots of samples, because people won't know how good they are, and how different to 'ordinary' marshmallows, unless they taste them, and customer feedback is really important to us in helping us to develop our product."

At the start of this year, Jackie and Gavin were delighted to be chosen by Theo Paphitis, from Dragon's Den, for one of his Small Business Sunday Awards. "It's really helped our business. We've had many more orders online, through our website, and it gave us a boost, personally, to know that he had recognised our business in that way."

"This year," Gavin added, "we are planning to be at many more food festivals and events locally, and we're also moving into the wedding market; our Marshmellows make great wedding favours. A bit further in the future, but within this coming year, we're planning to take our Marshmellows to one of the specialist food fairs in London."

Jackie and Gavin haven’t forgotten their original idea of making nougat, and are still working on it. "Next year we'd like to be able to offer Dorset Nougat as well as Marshmellows...and, of course, we'll continue to work on increasing our range of Marshmellows whilst ensuring that the flavours remain real."

Read some of our other Dorset business start-up stories.

Celebrating 50 years of Dorset's leading commercial property provider

Mickey Jones of DJ Property at Link Park, Weymouth

DJ Property, based in Weymouth, Dorset, is celebrating 50 years in business this summer.

The company, founded by David Jones in 1963, was one of the first located on the Granby Industrial Estate in Weymouth and was responsible for many of the buildings on that site.

Mickey Jones, one of David's three sons and Chief Executive of DJ Property, said this is a very special year for the family business. Mickey said: "Dad was instrumental in the development of the Granby Industrial Estate and probably the main reason why today it is the leading employment site in South Dorset.  For decades he promoted the estate and the businesses based on it, with great success.  The Granby is now the first choice of most businesses looking for premises in South Dorset."

DJ Property is marking their landmark anniversary by launching a competition to design the 'David Jones Memorial' with Weymouth College stonemasonry students. The memorial, in memory of the founder of DJ Property, will be sited at Link Park, Weymouth's newest business park.

"I have been looking forward to including a memorial to Dad’s business achievements at our newest development, Link Park, and it is fitting that this memorial will be completed in DJ Property’s 50th year of business," said Mickey Jones.

He added:  "I really wanted to involve the skills of the students at Weymouth College, and the competition brief was to use materials that played a part in Dad’s life such as Portland stone and steel.

My father spent his early years on Portland, and, from quite humble beginnings, worked hard to build DJ Property into the largest provider of commercial property in South Dorset.  DJ Property remains a very successful family business and we work hard to continue to invest in the local economy and its people."

To find out more about DJ property visit their website by clicking here.

Read some of our Dorset business start-up stories here. 

New magazine delivers luxury lifestyle across rural Dorset

A new luxury lifestyle magazine for Dorset has launched this month, combining the best in quality country living with stylish city dwelling. 

The magazine, ‘Village’ is currently distributed to local villages in and around Piddle Valley and Blackmore Vale in Dorset. It makes no secret of being aimed at affluent residents, being delivered direct to homes with a value of £850k or more.

The publication is the product of collaboration between strategic marketing agency Cre8ive Wisdom and advertising sales and distribution specialist, Mogul Media.

Publisher of ‘Village’ and Managing Director of Cre8ive Wisdom, Neil Armstrong, explains:

“There was a real gap in the market for a luxury lifestyle magazine aimed at people who live in the Dorset countryside, but also still have one toe in the city.

Mogul Media MD Danny Nash and I pooled our substantial publishing and distribution experience to create our first issue. We’re delighted with the positive reception we’ve received and hope to make the magazine monthly, with different editions in different parts of Dorset as soon as we can.”

Mixing the very best of opulent rural living and city trends, the first issue features Julia Bradbury as its cover girl with an exclusive interview and competition by the ‘Countryfile’ star.

The restaurant review section highlights gastronomic delights, both rurally and in London. The first issue features The Priory restaurant in Wareham, specialising in locally-sourced dishes, and the prestigious London restaurant, The Ivy.

The fashion-oriented ‘Lookbook’ section includes an interview with top London designer Maria Grachvogel while the ‘Treasure Trove’ article looks at jewellery designer Tessa Metcalfe.

Village magazine may be picked up from quality restaurants, hotels and other establishments in Dorset.

For more information about 'Village', or to view the latest edition online, visit www.villagemags.co.uk.

Read more Dorset business start-up stories here.

Dorset's largest fish merchants promotes Great Dorset Seafood Campaign

Customers of Samways Fish Merchants of Bridport will now be able to trace their seafood purchases back to where they originated, in a scheme to support Dorset Wildlife Trust's campaign for Great Dorset Seafood.

Every time a customer opens their delivery of fresh Dorset seafood from Samways, they'll find a label promoting the Great Dorset Seafood campaign. They'll be reminded of the campaign's aims, to encourage a return to a healthy and productive marine environment through sustainable, low impact fishing methods.

Samways have pledged to label all seafood supplied by fishers working a Dorset Port and approved by the campaign, demonstrating provenance and traceability to their customers.

Mark Machin, a trained chef from Samways sales and marketing team, said: “Samways supply hundreds of customers, ranging from village pubs serving Lyme Bay crab sandwiches to Michelin stared restaurants cooking hand dived scallops. 

The Great Dorset Seafood campaign fits in really well with Samways’ other work, contributing toward a sustainable fishery here in Dorset demonstrating some amazing produce on our doorstep from Lyme Bay”.

Dorset Wildlife Trust’s Great Dorset Seafood campaign, established in 2011, seeks to restore the health and productivity of our sea through choices, sourcing and information.

Peter Tinsley, Living Seas Manager at Dorset Wildlife Trust, said: “This partnership shows we are standing up for local inshore fishermen and for local marine wildlife by putting our seal of approval to seafood that is fresh and locally caught, using more selective capture methods. These fishing practices are sensitive to the environment and provide high quality seafood, so it’s good for you and it’s good for Dorset and its wildlife.”

This month also sees the annual revision of the Great Dorset Seafood Fish Guide and comprehensive online consumer and retailer guide on a variety of seafood species and fishing methods in Dorset.  Seafood that gets the green light includes mackerel and black seabream caught using rod and line; crabs and lobster caught using pots; diver-picked scallops; and herring and sole caught using static nets.

Further details on the Great Dorset Seafood campaign and Samways Fish Merchants can be found online at greatdorsetseafood.org.uk or Samwaysfish.com. 

For more Dorset business stories click here.