Wednesday 31 May 2017

Laura Platt Now Has A Great Work/Life Balance Thanks To Becoming Self-Employed!

Working in the salon and experiencing the same thing every day was becoming tedious for makeup artist Laura Platt. So, Laura decided to set up her own freelance makeup business. The opportunities found along Laura’s journey has led her to opening her own salon in St Helens.

Prior to taking the plunge, Laura worked in a beauty salon for 12 years. Laura is still currently working here. She started off as an apprentice on a worked based learning scheme. As time progressed, so did Laura’s career and she was then promoted to Salon Manager. ‘I saw it as a great privilege.’


And if like Laura you would like to access expert advice to start your business, contact the Enterprise Hub team, email us on enterprisehub@thewo.org.uk or ring us on 0151 706 8113


Wednesday 24 May 2017

iWoman Media & iWoman Academy Are Launched By BBC Radio Merseyside Presenter; Ngunan Adamu

There are some women who come along to us for support and end up becoming part of the family! Ngunan Adamu is one of those women, she’s such a regular here at Enterprise Hub partner; The Women’s Organisation, that we’re considering asking her to move in! Ngunan received support from us to help her start her businesses; ‘iWoman Media’ and ‘iWoman Academy’. 



iWoman Media, which has been funded by The Wellcome Trust, is an organisation aimed at the female global community using media to promote sisterhood and iWoman Academy is a radio training academy aimed at women using radio to empower and build confidence.

Read Ngunan's full story here.

If like Ngunan you would like to access expert advice to start a business, contact the Enterprise Hub team on 0151 706 8111 or email enterprisehub@thewo.org.uk



BBC Radio Merseyside Presenter Ngunan Launches Not Just One Business, But Two! iWoman Media & iWoman Academy


Tuesday 16 May 2017

Digital Marketing Tips for Small Businesses

More people are searching, comparing and buying online than ever before, making online marketing more important than it’s ever been. With social media and other forms of online marketing changing so often, it is constantly providing new ways for businesses to reach and connect with their customers.

Before talking about ways to improve your online presence however, it is important to be aware of what opportunities you miss out on if you don’t plan your social media strategy properly:

  • If you don’t have a proper plan in place, you risk getting lost amongst the crowd. There are many businesses on the same platforms fighting for the same customer base. Having a clear plan helps you identify your unique selling points to make you stand out.
  • Failing to use social media means you miss out on the opportunity to connect with a much larger customer base than you would expect to find just using more traditional forms of marketing (which of course are still important!).
  • Finally, it is easy to waste time and money on social media if you don’t know who you want to reach and how you are going to reach them.
Focus:

Many small businesses struggle online because they’re not entirely sure who they want to target. Once you have decided the type of customer you want to attract, it becomes much easier to work out how to reach them. This gives you an idea of what sort of content they are interested in, which leads me nicely to my next point.

Content marketing:

Content marketing involves you creating and sharing valuable, and of course free, content to attract and convert followers into customers, and current customers into repeat buyers. The content you share should be closely related to your product or industry, as to make it interesting for the people who choose to connect with your online channels.

This type of marketing is very powerful because it shows you as an educated business that they can follow, like and trust enough to do business with you.

Content can include anything from weekly blog posts responding to relevant and industry specific news articles, to sharing links, videos and photos. It’s important to remember content should be focused on quality information, not your product.

The advantage of being a small business is that you can bring a personal touch that bigger companies can’t always achieve. You should also utilise the fact you are local and becomes a valued member of the community.


Engage with your customers:

Social media provides you with the perfect platform to talk to your customers which is invaluable. Don’t be afraid to ask them questions. What do they enjoy? What would they like to see more of? Is there anything they would change? Regardless of your industry, you can be the expert. Answer your followers’ questions, be happy to talk to them and show it. It’s all part of the customers experience after all.

Measure your results:

It’s important to keep track of what works and what doesn’t. What type of posts do people respond to? Digital platforms all for quick change, which means if something didn’t quite get the response you were expecting, learn from it and change it moving forward.


Digital marketing is vital to small businesses, no matter how resistant some may be. If you identify what platforms potential customers are using and how they communicate, this will have a huge impact on the success of your business. With a well thought out digital marketing strategy, businesses of any size can really thrive and achieve amazing results. 


Thursday 4 May 2017

Wirral Chamber of Commerce Helps Turn Resolution Into Reality

Julian Perkins started 2017 with an important resolution, to take the plunge and start his own business.

Starting up is one of the most daunting prospects facing entrepreneurs. Arriving at our first Start-Up Business Workshop with existing skills and a business idea, Julian Perkins was well placed to turn his business dream into a reality.

Originally from London, Julian started a career installing Jukeboxes and disco equipment nationally. Work brought him up to Wirral where in 1998 he settled whilst working for Perfect Music running the Northern contract. An injury three years ago made Julian rethink his career and outlook especially with the physical aspect of his job.


Keen to utilise his existing expertise in the electrical industry, Julian attended a Start-Up Business Workshop, delivered by Wirral Chamber, a partner of the Enterprise Hub.  With support and guidance from the Wirral Chamber of Commerce team, Julian established Grounded Tech Solutions, a company that specialises in looking after PAT testing as well as advising customers on existing electrics within a building.

On the workshop, Julian commented: “The support I have received has been invaluable, showing me I am not alone and really made me focus on how I present myself and target my customers”.

Setting himself up today as a sole trader, Julian is delighted to now be a fully-fledged member of the Wirral business community.

Paula Basnett, CEO of Wirral Chamber of Commerce said: “The Enterprise Hub is a fantastic programme that helps people develop the skills, contacts and confidence to start their own business.  I am proud that Wirral Chamber of Commerce has been able to support Julian to turn his New Year’s Resolution into reality and encourage anyone with a business idea to contact us.”


Three months into the project, being delivered by Wirral Chamber the Enterprise Hub is helping start-up businesses like Julian’s to find their feet, ensuring that people’s business ideas are given the support required to become successful companies.  If you’re thinking of starting a business in Wirral, please contact The Enterprise Team on 0151 650 6940