Publicity Heaven » Off topic

Don’t let this mistake kill your business

Paul Green — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 08:10:06 +0000

What’s the number one killer of businesses? It’s running out of cash.

You can have a highly profitable business, but run out of cash and the business grinds to a halt.

No money in the bank means you can’t pay staff and suppliers, which means you can’t deliver your product or service, which means you can’t get cash in. It’s a vicious circle and a very difficult one to get out of (especially if you have limited personal funds or lack of available credit).

The key to avoiding this is knowing exactly what is happening with your business’s finances at any moment. How much money do you have; how much is coming in and how much is going out?

HOWEVER most accounting software makes finding this information a total nightmare. When I started Publicity Heaven I went out and bought the old fashioned software many accountants suggest. Oh wow, what a mistake.

Because it was virtually impossible to get the information I actually needed out of the software. The software was very good at giving accountants what they needed, but very little help to me the business owner. It was confusing, irritating and not at all user friendly.

If you own this software you’ll know exactly what I mean!

I rarely talk about accounting software, but it’s actually something I’m highly passionate about. Because being in control of your cash is so very important to create a thriving business.

That’s why I now recommend to my clients that they use modern accounting software called KashFlow. Unlike the old fashioned software, it’s been designed by a business owner for business owners (and 10,000 people already use it).

That means it’s easy to get the information you need when you need it, without ever wasting time. What’s your cash position? How many invoices haven’t been paid? How much VAT is due? Who’s paid how much and when?

It does all your financial stuff in a way that suits you, but still gives your accountant the info they need in the format they want.

KashFlow is also online-based so you can login to your secure account from any internet-connected computer. No more looking for your software registration code just because you got a new laptop.

But don’t just take my word for it. You can get a 60 day risk free free trial here

(any software business that knows it’s good gives this kind of free trial… because the software sells itself)

And I’ve done a deal with KashFlow just for people who read my blog. If you decide to stay with KashFlow after your trial has finished, you’ll pay just £9.99 a month for the first six months (it’s usually £15.99 a month)

Get your trial started right now

If you do try it out, please let me know how you get on – email hello@publicityheaven.com

You CAN have your cake and eat it

Paul Green — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 11:54:53 +0000

It’s been a hell of a week for me. In a 7 day stretch, I’ve delivered 6 days of seminars for business owners.

A much needed Monday off enjoying long walks with baby Matilda approaches…

What’s kept me going this week (and has delighted my team and wife) has been the most inventive and delicious cake from our new client Graham Brookes of CakesNextDay.com

Here’s a picture:

Pretty amazing, don’t you think?

Graham and his team in London produce hundreds of personalised cakes every day for people across the UK.

It’s not my birthday till July, but Graham brought this to our business growth and marketing seminar and served up slices to all the delegates.

We’re looking forward to working with CakesNextDay.com over the next 12 months to help them significantly grow the business.

Thanks Graham, very much appreciated.

Across Britain on a conference bike

Paul Green — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 21:38:21 +0000

I was contacted today by Sophie Backen and the team behind an ambitious scheme to cycle from John O’Groats to Lands End on a conference bike.

A what?

It’s a bike that 7 people cycle at once. A brilliant idea! have a look at their campaign website.

We’ve made a Publicity Heaven donation today and wish them the best of luck.

Here’s the official press release:

JOHN O’GROATS TO LAND’S END ON A BICYCLE MADE FOR… SEVEN!

People from all across Britain are being invited to take part in a charity bike ride from John O’Groats to Land’s End this August. But it’s not just any bike ride. The group will be riding a seven-seater circular bike, all in aid of Cancer Research UK.

The core team of four is lead by Ed Greig, 25, who works for Deloitte, which has chosen Cancer Research UK to be one of its charity partners. He is calling for other supporters to join the team en route to make up the seven needed to pedal the bike. Whether you can stretch to one mile or twenty, or would prefer to help out with accommodation or meal stops along the way, it’s your chance to do something out of the ordinary to help beat cancer. Anyone interested in taking part can book their place on the bike by emailing pedalpower@cobiuk.com.

Going the whole distance with Ed are: Jack Cole, 24, an actor from London and Dylan Williamson, 21, from Dundee. They will be joined by many others along the route including Ed’s cousins, Chris Browne, 25, currently at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst and Chris’ sister, Kate, 23, a recently qualified nutritionist living in London. They are being assisted by Duncan MacCann, a Director at Get Cycling in York.

Ed explains: “Chris and I dreamt up the idea. We’ve been raising money for cancer research charities since Chris and Kate’s mum, Charlotte, died of breast cancer in 1999. There have been many advances over the last ten years that could save people in similar circumstances. Our hope is that the fundraising we do as part of this bike ride will help maintain the pace at which treatments are improving, and ensure that few children have to experience the loss of a parent to this disease in the future.”

Bethan Wood, from Cancer Research UK said: “We’re delighted that Ed and the team have chosen to fundraise for Cancer Research UK with this unique challenge. We really do rely on donations from supporters to fund our work, and this is a shining example. I can’t wait to see how they get on!”

Ed adds: “Our thinking from the outset has been to come up with a challenge that not only covers much more of the UK than any other ride, but that engages with people to give them the opportunity to join in. The idea of CoBi UK is to get as many people pitching in as possible, making this a truly co-operative ride.”

The ride starts at John O’ Groats on 1 August, and the team aims to reach Land’s End on 28 August. The 1,136 mile route will take them from the UK’s tip to toe via Dundee, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Manchester, Birmingham, Cambridge, London and Southampton, including some of Cancer Research UK’s key sites along the way.1

The team will be raising money via Cancer Research UK’s online giving site, MyProjects. The site allows people to donate to a specific project in which they may have a particular interest, especially at a regional level across the UK. It is of particular interest to the CoBi UK project as the team is looking to increase regional engagement and support for the charity’s research centres. If you would like to support the team, visit: http://www.cobiuk.com/donate.html

You can spin just about anything…

Paul Green — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 17:55:51 +0000

My client Brian Holt just sent me this great email

Judy Rudd, an amateur genealogy researcher in southern Queensland, was doing some personal work on her own family tree. She discovered that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s great-great uncle, Remus Rudd, was hanged for horse stealing and train robbery in Melbourne in 1889. Both Judy and Kevin Rudd share this common ancestor.

The only known photograph of Remus shows him standing on the gallows at the Melbourne Gaol:

On the back of the picture Judy obtained during her research is this inscription: ‘Remus Rudd, horse thief, sent to Melbourne Gaol 1885, escaped 1887, robbed the Melbourne-Geelong train six times. Caught by Victoria Police Force, convicted and hanged in 1889.’

So Judy recently e-mailed Prime Minister Rudd for information about their great-great uncle, Remus Rudd:

Believe it or not, Kevin Rudd’s staff sent back the following biographical sketch for her genealogy research:

“Remus Rudd was famous in Victoria during the mid to late 1800s .. His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the Melbourne-Geelong Railroad.

Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to government service, finally taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroad.

In 1887, he was a key player in a vital investigation run by the Victoria Police Force. In 1889, Remus passed away during an important civic function held in his honour when the platform upon which he was standing collapsed.”

NOW That’s how it’s done, Folks!

What’s stopping you updating your website?

Paul Green — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 06:59:34 +0000

My Tuesday PR & Marketing Tips yesterday was all about the easy way to create new content for your website.

And I had a really interesting email back from a business owner in Wales.

She said:

“Hi Paul,

Think you may have missed the crucial point with this feature. When a w/site owner can update themselves, updates are usually frequent. Suggest the reason why most business owners don’t update their sites regularly is that there are, as you say, plenty of w/site designers but in many people’s experience they’re hard work to useless.

1. The w/site may not have been designed/built in a way that it can be easily changed anyway.
Sometimes it will require going back & re-designing & re-programming the entire site.

2. Next there can be long backlogs of work – months pass & nothing’s started.

3. When they do start, they are continually jumping between jobs.

4. Some bigger or status job will crop up which will result in other jobs being sidelined for weeks – then creating another queue.

5. The biggest problem is that almost always they are designers who can’t program & so this part has to be out-sourced – so they lose control of the job & forget about it. Frequently it’s disappeared out in India because programming’s cheaper there & then the programmers disappear to another job/company.

Anything w/sites usually means endless delays & a bucket load of stress with waiting, changing the firm, all promises & then the same again. By the time you get it, so long has passed you no longer want it, it’s out of date anyway & then you’ve got to pay some over-priced figure for it.

Currently I’m looking for a local IT teacher or employed programmer wanting extra work to handle precisely the updates you wrote about, but no more “firms”. The days go to weeks, the weeks go to months & the months go to years.

Maybe you could feature this problem & some programmers might jump in to fill this gap. I’ll list what I & most clients probably want :-

1. A start date.
2. A date, even if approximate, when the job will be completed.
3. They come back to you with a report to confirm progress.
4. Being able to do the job fairly quickly – if you’re planning a summer special it’s no use in December & it’ll be out of date for next summer.

Yikes a rant ! but the problem is not as easy as you make out & I suggest that building a good team around you is the real problem & many businesses haven’t managed this yet on the web front. What is needed is a handy person/team who can say like “Yes I can start this next Monday & be done by end Wednesday” – & simply do it.

By the way I’m in Cardiff South Wales, & if you know of anyone who could fill this gap, as they say, “I’d love to hear from you”. “

Of course, she’s completely right. That hadn’t occurred to me, I guess because we keep our private clients’ websites updated for them so don’t see this problem with the people we work closely with.

Website designers – defend yourselves!

Oh, and if you are based near Cardiff and can help this lady, please contact us and we will put you in touch.

Meet Mr Fowley

Paul Green — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 09:33:18 +0000

While speaking at event in London a few weeks ago I met Mr Fowley.

Mr Fowley

He’s the biggest dog I’ve ever met and absolutely lovely! Here’s the photo he reluctantly posed for (I suspect he’d have been more interested in the camera if I had biscuits)

He was in London raising money for the South West Children’s Hospice.

Here’s Mr Fowley’s website. Would make for a good Christmas donation if you’ve got a fiver burning a hole in your pocket.

The world is changing faster than we think it is

Paul Green — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:28:25 +0000

This video may be a year old and very US-focused, but it doesn’t half get you thinking about how your business is going to have to change as the world does.

We just got a mention from Dale Winton on Radio 2

Paul Green — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:43:02 +0000

Even after nine years in radio myself, still find it exciting to get an email read out!

We can add Dale to the Publicity Heaven Radio 2 mentions checklist. Steve Wright, Jeremy Vine and Chris Evans… all ticked.

Just need Ken Bruce and Wogan and we’ll have a full house of daytime presenters… hey, whatever gets you through the day…

Don’t let your IT people ruin your email marketing

Paul Green — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:06:32 +0000

Sadly my grandmother passed away recently and today was her funeral. So after a long day away from the office and out of email contact, I just ran through a day’s worth of work emails to get them cleared.

If you send a lot of email marketing like I do, it’s always good to approach your email in a different frame of mind now and again. With more than 50+ emails to read in just 30 minutes, I had little time for messages that weren’t totally relevant to me.

Email newsletters that I would normally scour for something useful didn’t get a glance before I hit the delete key. It goes to show why you need to send regular emails to prospects; I might open and read the same email next week.

But I got one email today that really made me chuckle, from a company called MarketingFile.com. I think I bought some data from them a few years ago.

The email told me that I hadn’t logged into my account for 12 months, so as a security measure they had changed my username and password from the familiar login I know, to a bunch of random characters.

Why? What’s the benefit to me, the customer? There isn’t one; in fact they have just made it harder for me to buy from them in the future as my usual account login won’t work.

And since that will probably frustrate me (as I will have forgotten about this change by then), surely that can’t help the company either, as they could lose a sale.

The email suggested I login right now and change my new “random” login to something I’ll remember. Er, no thanks, don’t think I’ll bother.

Is this a case of the IT department ruining the marketing? Security is very important, but really there was no need for them to change my account details without being requested to. Nobody benefits here.

Karting with Star Digital

Paul Green — Fri, 15 May 2009 09:16:45 +0000

Had a great evening last night karting at Whilton Mill with the team from Star Digital. Thanks guys!

See the pics and report here.

Sad to say my lap times were poor… I must be getting old…