Flyers to publicise the need for residents and businesses to complete the Connecting Devon and Somerset survey to establish demand for superfast broadband are now available.
Choose to download PDF flyers for:
Please download these, email them to your colleagues, friends and family, or print them our and distribute them as necessary.
We need as many people as possible in North Devon to register their interest in superfast broadband at connectingdevonandsomserset.co.uk.
Are UK businesses investing? According to some politicians, they’re not. According to some business surveys, they’re not. But in my various guises I’ve spoken to a lot of businesses who are investing.
Now investment does not only include equipment or physical things. In our current economy, investment in knowledge and skills is often just as important, but these can be investments of time. This form of investment does not not necessarily show up in surveys only recognising investments of money.
I believe businesses in the UK are investing millions of hours of time in development. When you consider that there are 4.5 million small businesses in the UK, that would be 4.5 million hours alone if each invests just one hour. Of course, some will invest nothing, while others will invest hundreds or thousands of hours.
What is the value of this investment if time is charged at £10, £25, £50, £100 or more per hour? What is the real picture?
As a start I thought it would be interesting to do a quick poll and see how UK businesses are investing. Please take part and pass on to your connections.
From my own perspective, my business is investing in equipment, in software and in personal and skills development. I am sure many more are doing the same.
Today I had to write some marketing copy, about 500 words, for a client about which I had some previous knowledge. It took me about 90 minutes, including a short telephone interview, although I have visited them before.
I emailed them the 500 words and had to make one small amendment to a trade name. The client was impressed.
It always feels good when that happens because I feel I’ve got to know the business, understood its aims and delivered the copy to achieve them.
Must have been really easy to do it so fast?
Yes and no.
I’ve been copywriting for business – in large corporate organisations and in my own business – for decades, so have built up skills not only in writing but in teasing out information from subjects.
What does a client pay for?
Is it that 90 minutes or the decades of practice leading up to those 90 minutes?
I’m interested to hear what you think.
At the recent North Devon Tourism conference it was pointed out that the South West England Regional Development Agency and the regional Business Link service had both disappeared. What does this mean for North Devon businesses?
Surprisingly, it seems to me that business support is now far more focused. North Devon+ is offering a programme of affordable, practical business courses, while COMBEbusiness, of which I am chairman, has just obtained funding for a year-long highly targeted training, development and support programme for businesses in Combe Martin, Ilfracombe and Woolacombe. And the NDBA is staging social media workshops too.
Agencies such as Job Centre Plus and colleges such as Petroc appear keener to engage directly with businesses and are attending events to get out and about in the business community.
Perhaps with less funding, organisations are becoming more focused and, as a result, more effective. I remember Tony Robinson OBE at a business event in Barnstaple a few years ago saying that only 10% of the budget for business support reached businesses themselves with the rest spent on infrastructure.
Also, with online networking, businesses have access to unlimited expertise. Previously support organisations were not necessarily staffed by people with direct business experience, while training could be supplied by suppliers good at getting public sector contracts but not so good at training.
I have just received advice on buying a new piece of kit from an experienced user and an IT expert in London, both of whom I connected with via social media. This advice is going to save me money and ensure I get the most suitable piece of kit for my needs. I can’t imagine SWRDA or Business Link being capable of providing such useful, practical support because they were too remote from the day-to-day world of running a business.
I’m not pleased that budgets are being cut, but I think it is a reminder that throwing money at an activity has little bearing on whether it will succeed. Sometimes scarce resources can inspire ingenuity and innovation, which at the moment we need aplenty.
What do you think?
NDMA – North Devon Manufacturers Association – are wanting entrants for their annual awards event!
Entries are required by February 28th and the awards event is on March 23rd!
This year the event has as special guests the Military Wives Choir!
Good luck to everyone that enters!
