A wasted Shopping Trip by George

Hi folks,
George here and in a thoroughly cheesed of mood! I am sure I am turning into a grumpy old man and if Maud is to be believed it has already happened. So; not to be perturbed I have decided to have a moan, but not about Christmas starting in September, no that can wait for another time.

No; this moan is about the mirage of a bargain. Like everyone else in the Country I was upset to hear of the demise of one of this countries great high street names recently. Not only has a great name gone for good, but I like everyone else have a memory of that great store from my child hood.

Mine was when I was 8 years old and after what seemed an eternity I had managed to save 5 £1 notes yes notes, an absolute fortune. I trundled down to the store having secreted the fortune in my sock in order to buy a board game, no computers then, and managed to purchase Monopoly for £3.95. The change I spent on sweets and the rest got me into the cinema to watch Jaws ( I pretended I was with another family).

But childhood was then and now I am a sprightly 21+ something and consequently look for a bargain in other peoples misfortune. Now do not say that; we all do it, we slow down at accidents, ask for the details when something goes wrong in someones life and so on, even if we do not admit it out loud . But the prospect of taking advantage of a closing down sale which already had a sale on was simply to good to miss. So of I trudged thinking that if I was careful my £200.00 budget could be reduced to £20.00 and no one would be the wiser, ha ha an absolute winner.

Upon entering the shop I should have suspected something was amiss. The crowds were not evenly spaced, in fact everyone was to the right and no one to the left. However being a bloke and thinking that they must have already shopped in the left hand side; I innocently wandered over into the void.

Within 5 seconds my jaw was slack, my eyes glazed and my need of a pint enhanced. There were no reductions, everything was as priced apart from the odd 10% here and 7 for 8 there. CDs, DVDs everything which is quick and easy for stocking fillers were the same price, where were the bargains? Where was my money saving going to take place?

After the initial shock I drifted aimlessly over to the crowded side. Here at last were the bargains, waist paper bins a £1, mugs reduced to a £1, bathroom mirrors £2 and so on and so on. Deciding I needed to rethink my plan I visited a nearby watering hole and contemplated my fate over my favourite pint which had just gone up by another 3p.

So when you think there maybe a bargain be warned, image is not everything, it may be a mirage and your hopes may be dashed.

In terms of Maud, I have a plan. The mirror, i will say; is to reflect your beauty my love, the waist paper bin; to empty your life of everything that is holding you back and the mug to drink to the new opportunities around the corner.

Happy Christmas everyone

George

Formula for Success - As your future unfolds

Now are you ready?
Because if you are expecting me to go on and on about how you can be successful in business you will be disappointed because I am not going to.

But what I am going to talk to you about is those people around you that do not want to see you succeed.

So if you are ready take a deep breath and here we go.......Lets be honest many of us have been jealous at some time in our life of other peoples achievements. What I want you to do is consider for a few moments is; who are those people in your life at the moment who want something for nothing? Or want to moan on and on about their lives but never do anything to change their situation! You know the people I'm talking about; the time stealers, the difficult people or customers we interact with everyday.

Remember that a sale is real only when the cash is in the bank. As your future unfolds you need to be clear about the kind of people you surround yourself with. And at the end of the day no matter what business you are in; cash and reputation is your top priority. Many of us forget this and give our time and energy away to people who sometimes do not deserve it. Remember people will keep taking if you keep giving it away free and I know I have been guilty of this, this year.

So on reflection I have made my decision not to work with 50% of the people I know, why? Because:
1. They do not see the bigger picture
2. They want something for nothing
3. They are not prepared to come out of their comfort zone
4. They are playing at being in business and not prepared to step up to the next level.

So the question is why am I telling you this? Its simple; do not go into a New Year carrying people you do not need to carry anymore. Realise that not everyone wants you to succeed in your new job, new life or new business.

So have a good look through your database or the contacts on your mobile phone and think who really does need to be with you in 2009. And remember what ever dilemma you face there is always a way out of it.

Success is not about being brilliant its about knowing what is important to you

Building Successful International Contacts: Los Angeles Entrepreneur Ross Weitzberg

I have been talking a lot about our International Entrepreneur programme; so its about time I introduced you to one of our International contacts. Ross Weitzberg is the President of Space Potential www.spacepotential.com in Los Angeles USA, a company which specializes in designing unique exhibits for various trade shows around the world.

Sharon met Ross in July when she was in Beverly Hills on a research and development trip for Vision. Since then Vision and Space Potential have been in constant contact developing ideas for future projects in Los Angeles.

During one of our recent conversations I asked Ross about the importance of establishing a network of International contacts.

Ross:
The best method for us to be successful is by creating a strong network of vendors who we can rely on. It is because of this we are able to connect with resources all over the world.

We are always looking for new ways to meet people who can help us service our clients better and I find development tools like the International Entrepreneur Program by Vision Development Consultants to be a great concept and very useful for developing new business and markets.

Brendan:
Is it easy finding and developing these contacts?

Ross:
No, the challenge of course is finding these resources. The Internet offers great opportunities but sometimes you do not really know who is on the other side. I use many other methods for finding qualified companies as well, such as networking groups, attending International Trade Committees at the local L.A Chamber of Commerce, various trade show groups and industry websites.

Brendan:
Once you have found these contacts; how does it help?

Ross:
They say you are only as strong as the people around you. Great, so then you should surround yourself with who ever you can. Not everyone can be a good resource but maybe someone they know can be.
Building relationships with foreign clients has been a great niche for us because doing shows in America is a bit different than doing shows overseas. Many foreign companies find it convenient to work with a company like ours because they don't have to worry about anything being done incorrectly and it can be more cost effective. With trade shows there are many differences for example terminology, costs, logistics, language, currency, rules and the booths themselves to name a few.
Therefore having an awareness of International needs and Business language is essential, and having that contact which can personally recommend you or signpost a possible opportunity is priceless.

I can prove that it works...you now know someone in America.


Many thanks Ross, we look forward to enjoying the LA sunshine with you next year.

For the past two years Vision have been developing our own International Network to assist our clients and UK companies generally.
If you would like to utilise our expertise then call our Head office on 0044 0115 9418242.

Vision and the Award winning BBC

Before you read this stop and think; does your business, product or service make good TV viewing?

Rob Pittam; Business correspondent for BBCs Working Lunch and Vision have been working closely to develop media exposure for some of Visions clients on a National stage. A recent example of this was Sentimental Connections; a client of Visions who enjoyed local and national coverage on TV.

Because we have such a good relationship with Rob; we have invited him to become a regular contributor to our newsletter; and I am pleased to announce that he has agreed. His first instalment is below for your entertainment and enjoyment.

Hello everyone,Want to know a secret? Wondering how to get your business on television? Well here is a tip just between you and me; if you are within a one hour drive of Nottingham, you have got a head start. My job is to travel the country for the BBCs Working Lunch, reporting from places and businesses that rarely see the light of a tv camera, or the light of day in the case of some of the gloomier parts of Britain. It is a bit like the John Noakes role from Blue Peter, only without Sheep.

But I live in Nottingham, and if I can film an interesting piece without braving the M25, the M6 or the Derby ring road, well, it makes a pleasant change. Because while our presenters, Declan and Naga, have been sipping coffee in their comfortable tv studio, the jolly Northern bloke is travelling the jammed motorways and the flood-closed highways of Britain in search of stories. So what exactly are we looking for? My job is to take the pulse of the whole of the UKs economy, covering everything from major job losses, company collapses to the business start up in someones front room.

But we also have to make business interesting and palatable enough for a general audience to swallow. My producers will probably tell you that I make impossible demands and have eccentric objections to some stories; cheese making or brewing are two that spring to mind. And if you are a software developer, I am afraid you might as well stop reading now. The truth is of course that what I and anyone involved in television likes, is good picture.And there are just some things that it is impossible to make telegenic; the European Union for example, or software developing. The other magic ingredient is people. All journalism is about something happening to somebody, but only television allows you to gawp at them from your own sofa whilst it is happening. The more people and the more inventive the thing they are doing, the better.

Another major factor is geography. A nice background makes a big difference. If you are going to develop software, and you do it in the Lake District, you might be back in with a fighting chance. Over the course of a year we cover the whole country, from the Shetland Islands to Cornwall by way of Northern Ireland. We cover every part of Britain, without fear or favour or a decent hotel budget. Nevertheless, I sometimes need a break from all that travelling and if you have got a fantastically photogenic business, brimming with people doing something and a short drive from Nottingham, do get in touch.

Thanks Rob and ill look forward to your next instalment in Januarys newsletter. In the mean time; if you would like Vision to help you and your business get National coverage via television or print; just call our Head office on 0044 0115 9418242.