Freelance Business Services Update

When The North Wind Doth Blow

Well, here we are halfway through February and we’ve just experienced one of the coldest weeks on record here in Norfolk, with temperatures dropping to a rather chilly minus 16.8….brrrr!  The good news for Essbee is that whilst the outside temperatures may be dropping, inside in the warm and cosy office, business is hotting up.

 

 

Essbee has recently been given the go ahead on two new marketing/PR accounts; one for a local historic monument which is undergoing a refurbishment by English Heritage and one for an international e-learning provider wanting to launch their products into the UK market.

In addition to these marketing accounts a new contract with Immediate Media Ltd. was confirmed last week, which involved sourcing and managing a team of subscription staff for the Prima Baby & Pregnancy magazine stand at the forthcoming Baby Show in Excel on 24, 25 and 26 February. After many phone calls and a dozen telephone interviews the team, who are all London-based to save accommodation costs, has been selected and is now briefed and prepared to subscribe over 1000 visitors to the magazine in just three days.

Old Buckenham Airshow is going well with the Eastern Daily Press confirming not only their support as media sponsors for the event, but also that the EDP roadshow unit team will be in attendance selling their county famous goody bags. The launch of the new Airshow website surpassed all expectations; in fact there was such an amazing response that after only a month of the website being live  entries to static exhibits had to be closed as all the allocated space had been filled. With over 400 classic cars, military vehicles and agricultural machinery the Airshow will now also host one of the largest gathering of vintage vehicles ever seen in the county. Corporate Sponsorship, Trade Stands, VIP Hospitality Ticket and Advanced Saver Ticket details are available at http://www.oldbuckenhamairshow.co.uk

In the air, Wildcat Aerobatics are set to amaze spectators with their fantastic Pitts air display and the show is delighted to have GBR Advanced Aerobatics Team member David Jenkins demonstrating his extraordinary skills in the Edge 360. Amongst the other confirmed displays are The Great War Display with a dogfighting Sopwith Triplane and Red Baron Fokker Triplane and Marco Di Prima in his Extra.

So, as you can see, a bit of ‘busyness’ in the cold, wild S. West (of Norfolk) has certainly kept those chills away. My next post will cover exhibitions and how to make the most from exhibiting. Until then, keep warm….

Sara
Essbee Marketing Communications

2012 is off to a flying start…

2012 is off to a flying start with Essbee being chosen to design and build a new website for Old Buckenham Airshow 2012.

This year’s airshow, which is under new management, is shaping up to be bigger and better than ever. There will be exciting air and aerobatic displays, nearly 300 exhibits including classic cars, military vehicles and vintage agricultural machinery, trade stands, live bands and a fairground. Providing entertainment for all ages throughout the day.

The brief for the website was to promote the airshow as a fun, family day out in Norfolk.  The design functionality had to encompass ticket payments online, contact forms for exhibitors, host a photo gallery and provide content management for the organisers.

The airshow raises money for EACH (East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices) so budget was crucial, as was time…two weeks from start to finish!

All targets were hit and the resulting design can be seen at www.oldbuckenhamairshow.co.uk.

The next job for January is to secure corporate sponsorship and to promote the VIP hospitality for the event. So if you are a business owner, or know a business owner, who would like to be associated with this great event please do not hesitate to contact me, Sara Boddy on 07855 955947 or email sara@essbeemarcoms.co.uk

There are three different type of sponsorship package available which offer superb hospitality, excellent exposure for your business and an unforgettable
day. Prices start from £50 per head.

Details:

In previous years the Old Buckenham Airshow has regularly attracted as many as 5,000 visitors. In addition press coverage, advertising, internet presence and DVD sales ensure a far wider audience. Tailored affordable packages, with limited numbers, represent the opportunity to enjoy a truly memorable day, whilst enhancing your organisations’ profile in Norfolk.

Gold Sponsors
★Table of 10 for Lunch with welcome drink and 2 course buffet lunch
★Full VIP access for 10 all day
★Full Page Advert in the Event Program
★VIP Forward Parking for your guests
★A Free Trade Stand, in a prominent location
★Sponsorship of one of the air displays, with mutiple mentions by our commentary team throughout the day.
★Your logo on all airshow advertising
★Space for a banner in a prominent location (to be provided by the sponsor).
All for just £500 +VAT

Platinum Sponsors
★Table of 20 for Lunch with welcome drink and 2 course buffet lunch
★Full VIP access for 20 all day
★Double Page Advert in the Event Program
★VIP Forward Parking for your guests
★A Free Trade Stand, in a prominent location
★Sponsorship of one of the air displays, with mutiple mentions by our commentary team
★Your logo on all airshow advertising
★Space for a banner in a prominent location (to be provided by the sponsor).
All for just £1000 +VAT

The Title Sponsorship
★A Table for 30 for Lunch with welcome drink and 2 course buffet lunch
★Full VIP Access for 30 all day
★A Double Page Advert on the first two pages of the program, as well as the back cover.
★VIP forward parking for your guests
★A Trade Stand in the most prominent position at the event
★Sponsorship of the main air display, with mentions every 15 minutes during the display commentary.
★The event will be re-titled to incorporate your company name
★Your logo alongside the airfields’ on all advertising
★Space made available for up to five large banners (to be provided by the sponsor)
★Two spaces to fly with the Wildcats Aerobatic Display team at a later date.

Packages can be tailored to suit your individual needs, including more spaces, sponsoring of ground vehicles used during the display, and any ideas you may have.
Please contact Matt Wilkins, Airfield Manager, on 01953 860 806 to discuss further,
email airfield@oldbuck.com, or call Sara on 07855 955947.

About Essbee Marketing Communications

Essbee specialises in providing a range of business support services for companies in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. Delivering professional business assistance and continuity without the costs associated with permanent staffing.

Essbee is me, Sara Boddy. I have over 20 years experience in business management, marketing and administration, having worked at both a local and national level within a variety of industries.

This experience in the business world means that whatever assistance your company requires, from a single press release to short-term office administration cover, analysing your corporate branding or designing a new company website; Essbee can help.

Working in-house or virtually, my flexible approach provides vital and affordable support for your business as and when you need it.

Business support services include:

* Administration
* Marketing
* Corporate branding and literature
* PR
* Website design and build
* Search engine optimisation: analysis and implementation
* Social media management
* IT assistance: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Email and Internet
* Basic IT and social media training
* Exhibition organisation and event management

www.essbeemarcoms.co.uk

Website Launches New Bookshop For Small Businesses

Norfolk based marketing company, Essbee Marcoms, has recently launched an online bookshop for small businesses and start-ups.

As an extension to their current offering of marketing, PR, web and social media support for the small business, the company has recently become an Amazon Associate. This association has enabled them to add a new section to their website dedicated to a range of educational and informative books for small business and start-ups.

The bookshop has been set up to make it easier to find small business publications. The titles available cover the main areas of business including branding, marketing, PR, web design, advertising, social media, blogging, exhibiting, finance and administration. New titles and relevant products will be added on a regular basis, plus a section for offers and discounts.

All purchases via the bookstore are linked directly through to the Amazon website, which means buyers can be assured of high standards of quality, service and delivery

Sara Boddy, director of Essbee Marcoms, said: “I wanted to make finding relevant publications for small businesses easier and quicker for people. Essbee’s ethos is to help businesses in whatever capacity they require and this new bookstore is an extension of that philosophy.”

The Small Business Bookshop can be found at www.essbeemarcoms.co.uk

Ends

For further details please contact:

Sara Boddy on 07855 955947 or email sara@essbeemarcoms.co.uk

Is Creating A Brand Important For Small Businesses?

At a recent meeting with a potential client we started discussing the importance of branding. The Client felt that a brand wasn’t important for a small business, saying: “ It’s more about word of mouth and recommendation”. In response, and coming from a design perspective, my argument was that whilst word of mouth is invaluable, a good brand is just as important for the small business in order to make the company more recognizable, differentiate them from the competition and build a strong reputation.

Design, as a whole, is an extremely subjective discipline and one that is sometimes looked at just for the image created and not necessarily at the psychology and thought process behind this creation. Unfortunately, it can sometimes lead the client to feel that they are being ‘hoodwinked’ by the creative with ‘just another way to make more money’. So to try and allay those apprehensions below are some very valid reasons for establishing a good brand.

To understand branding, it is important to know what brands are. A brand is the idea or image of a specific product or service that consumers connect with, by identifying the name, logo, slogan, or design of the company who owns the idea or image.

Branding is when that idea or image is marketed so that it is recognizable by more and more people, and identified with a certain service or product when there are many other companies offering the same service or product.

A strong brand identity will help a small business in many ways:

• It creates an established and professional feel, increasing the customer’s trust in the products or services the company offers.
• It’s the quickest way for your company to express what it is and what it can offer. Inaccurate branding of a new business can make it difficult for people to grasp why the business exists in the first place.
• A brand is a company’s face to the world. It is a major factor in the buying process. Advertising has been around in some form or another since the year dot, but with the invention of TV and explosion of the internet the resulting increase in brand awareness has made society incredibly savvy about our likes and dislikes. As consumers we often make snap-purchasing decisions based on how something looks and the critical first impression it has created.

For those that don’t consider branding important, look at your own consumer habits. Take a few moments to think how you make your purchasing decisions and what factors influence you. Word of mouth will always be a strong influencer, but even then, if you don’t like what you see of the recommended company’s brand you are highly likely to reject the recommendation.

This last point about individuality and decision making is vitally important and one that probably should be at the top of this page in block capitals, underlined and highlighted with flashing lights. So, before anyone puts pen to paper, nose to the grindstone or anything else that costs money, consider this last point; because whilst branding is vitally important in creating recognition and the right impression, THE most important thing your small business can do to ensure your brand is effective is to fully understand who your potential customers are.

We’re here if you need us….

Sara Boddy,
Director
Essbee Marketing Communications
Marketing, PR, Website, SEO and Social Media Support for the Small Business http://www.essbeemarcoms.co.uk

Hello world!

Hello World!

This is the new blog for Essbee Marketing Communications.

As a business we specialise in Marketing, PR, Website Design, SEO, Social Media and Exhibition and Event Management for the small business.

We hope that you will enjoy our future blogs….we’d better get cracking with the first one.

For further details on any of our services please contact Sara on 07855 955947 or email sara@essbeemarcoms.co.uk

www.essbeemarcoms.co.uk