B2B Newsletter Sample: Wired Sussex

Wired Sussex Business Link Newsletter

Fancy some free business workshops and advice? Then read on. Business Link is offering free support for Sussex businesses and, since those of us in digital media enjoy a helping hand just like everyone else, we’ve looked over what’s on offer and picked out services you might find useful. Here’s more…

New to Freelancing or Business, and Want Some Good Advice?
If you’re within your first 24 months of freelancing or running a business, chances are your hair is whiter than it used to be. Those learning the ropes, but still getting the odd rope burn, might want to read more about Business Link’s ‘Start-up Business Review’, which offers a few hours with a business expert to talk over challenges and plan for less stress. Find out more at: www.edeal.org.uk

Run Your Own Show for Donkey’s Years, but Still Want Free Advice?
If you’ve been freelancing or running a media business for so long you no longer recognise the word ‘holiday’, you might like a bit of advice about how to work smarter, not harder. If so, Business Link offer a ‘Small Business Review’, for freelancers and businesses with one-to-five employees, and a ‘Business Improvement Review’ for larger businesses, to help everyone take stock of their working practices and plan for more success. Find out more at: www.businesslink.gov.uk/southeast

Book a Review: To sign up for the Small Business Review, or the Business Improvement Review, call: 0845 600 9 006. To book a Start-up Business Review, call: 01323 413 500.

Free Workshops for Anyone Who Wants to Be Their Boss
Wired Sussex members considering the courageous step into first-time freelancing, or starting up a brand-new company, might want to consider Business Link’s ‘Starting Your Own Business’ workshops, which give free advice and tuition on:

• Deciding whether becoming your own boss is right for you
• Business planning for success, including legal aspects
• Sales and marketing for new businesses
• Managing money and cash flow

 

The idea of the sessions is to help new businesses plan for success and identify potential pitfalls, so if you have a feeling your current business plan may have missed a hole here and there, the workshops could be just the thing for testing the foundations. To book your free workshop sessions, call Business Link on: 0845 600 9 006

Thinking about Going it Alone, but Keep Putting it Off?
The Business Link ‘Enterprise Gateway Service’ is aimed at people who want to be their own boss, but for some reason struggle to take the plunge. Could be you haven’t had a job for a while and have lost a bit of confidence, or maybe you spend so long living virtually you’ve forgotten how to network. Basically, the idea of the ‘Gateway’ is to get you to a stage where you feel confident enough to get going, and give you some good advice along the way. The services it offers include:

• Confidence-building and communication-skills training
• Help to develop networking skills, time management and website fundamentals
• Access to DVDs, books and videos that help develop essential business skills
To get involved or find out more, call: 0845 600 9 006.

Any Questions Answered – Well, Almost
Anyone working in digital media knows asking the right questions is easy – it’s finding the answers within an ‘information overload’ culture that causes the headache. If you’ve got questions like: how to sort your accounts as a freelancer, how to take on permanent members of staff, or how to find an illustrator who isn’t hung over every Monday (just a little joke, there), you can give Business Link a ring on 0845 600 9 006 and they may be able to help. Or take a look at their website: www.businesslink.gov.uk for a whole array of useful information and e-seminars.

Free ‘Need to Know’ Business Guide
The experts at Business Link have created a useful pocket guide to starting and running your own business, which offers 24 ‘Need to Know’ valuable tips. For your free copy, ring 0845 600 9 006, but in the meantime here’s a three-tip preview.

1. Be Original
Offer something original to your clients/customers, otherwise you’ll be competing with some awfully wealthy big businesses on price alone.
2. Focus on the Customer
Every successful business thinks: customer, customer, customer. Research your customers’ needs and opinions, whether you’ve been in business for ten years or ten days, and don’t assume just because you love smiley faces on emails that all your customers will too.
3. Listen to Experts
Research shows businesses who seek professional advice are twice as profitable as those who don’t. That’s quite a statistic. Seek advice wherever you can, mainly because it will help you, but also because people love to give it.