Testimonial

Let's take a look at some of the people we have helped...

What the Business Advisor said...

I have recently worked with a lady called Jennie who has worked all her career in finance and accounts departments. She was made redundant when the company she worked for suffered in the recession and went out of business.
 
Jennie was determined not to stay at home reliant on benefit. Although she had the right attitude she didn't know where to start when it came to setting up a business as she had never done anything like this before. This is a common situation as most people becoming self employed have never been through the process.
 
Jennie came to us with many years experience of her trade wanting to start her business as a self employed book keeper. What she needed help in was understanding who her potential customers were and how to communicate with them.
 
We helped Jennie to:
  • identify her target market
  • generate enquiries
  • convert enquiries into customers
  • encourage word of mouth recommendations
We helped Jennie to develop a plan but then it was over to her to implement it. She understand that there are rarely any shortcuts and that a long term approach has to be taken. She has stuck to her plans, lots of development work continues to take place and she is now seeing the results.
 
If you could benefit from the services of a local book keeper in your business then take a look at Jennies website:www.jennieshotton.co.uk or call her on 07884133599
 
What Jennie said...
 
Enterprise Made Simple helped me enormously when I decided to start my own business. I had a lot of experience in my trade but was unsure how to take those skills to the next level of building my own business.  Having made the decision to start a business I started to network and advertise but soon found I ran out of ideas which direction to go next.  Enterprise made simple quickly recognised where my efforts should be directed and provided a springboard for me, firstly by helping get the necessary funding for the project, via Business Link and secondly by making me think through all the avenues and opportunities that were open. Enterprise made simple helped me by making me believe I could succeed and by giving me the tools and knowledge to do so. I couldn't have done it without their support.  
Thank you Enterprise made simple.

 

 

What the Business Advisor said...

I met Sue at a networking event in Newcastle, she was just starting her business providing Sage training to local business. Sue had drafted her Business Plan before we met but felt she could benefit from some intensive support on her marketing activities.

 
Sue is very confident and outgoing and knew that her strengths lay in meeting people face to face and therefore networking was going to be an obvious marketing tool for her. We needed to make sure that Sue used her time effectively and had a clear service on offer.
 
We helped Sue with the following:
 
    • Lead generation – identifying a whole range of marketing activities that were appropriate and practical.
    • Networking skills – Sue has already identified networking as an essential activity but felt she could improve her skills to make the networking more effective.
    • Conversion rates – turning enquiries into customers using a range of techniques including testimonials, guarantees and added value.
    • Sales Skills – developing sales skills in different situations.
    • Writing proposals – fine tuning the writing and delivering of proposals to maximise conversion.
    • Repeat business – identifying key strategies to win repeat business.
Sue's business is going from strength to strength and she continues to work 'on' the business not just 'in' it.
 
If you have any difficulties using Sage or could benefit from some training then visit Sue's website: www.suebowman.com or call her on 07954 601647 / 0191 2095642
 
What Sue said ... 
When I set up my own business I knew that I could offer a great service, but what I really wasn’t very sure of was how to get that message out to the companies who might benefit from that service. My experience had always been in the ‘doing’ of the work, not the sales and marketing which you need before there’s any work to do!
 
Before meeting Andrea I had spent many hours thinking about how and where to market my business, but had come up with more questions than answers and was more than a little worried about the potential costs involved in activities which might produce no work at all!
Working with Andrea helped me to create a realistic strategy which could grow with my business: she gave me numerous ideas regarding lead generation, conversion, and repeat business, and regular meetings meant that we could discuss in detail what would work for my business now, as well as what should be revisited as the business grows, and what just isn’t relevant for the services I offer.
 
During our sessions Andrea taught me about sales and marketing strategies, made me think for myself about applying these to my personal circumstances, and acted as a sounding board for my ideas and a voice of reason when those ideas were a bit off track. This project has given me an insight into the vast world of marketing, and I have taken away from it plans, ideas, and targets, which will help to grow my business and move it forwards, as well as being given some much needed confidence in an area where I had none!
 
What the Business advisor said...
Kate was recommended to speak to us by a friend who had used our services. She had been working as a graphic designer for a national franchise until the recession had an impact on the business and she was unfortunately made redundant.
 
After looking at the job market, Kate felt her best option was to work for herself and registered self employed with the Inland Revenue. Although Kate knows her job inside out she had never had to look for the work before and be the sales person and therefore this is were most of her concerns lay.
 
Kate is having regular meetings with us to help develop an action plan, we are working on the following topics:
  • identifying opportunities - taking advantage of contacts and specialist work already carried out
  • Developing a web site
  • Putting together a strategy using social networking - e.g. facebook, twitter, linkdin
  • Lead generation - putting together marketing activities on a budget
  • Converting enquirys to customers - working on sales techniques and confidence
Kate will learn how to think like a business owner and how to put plans together so she can deal with situations in the future. If you want help designing products such as Business cards, leaflets or new logo's  visit Kates website www.anthauragraphics.co.uk or call her on 07984421464
 
What Kate said...
Enterprise Made Simple have given me some great ideas and info on how to market my business and how to improve my website all on a low budget. Every meeting we have discussed new ways on how to promote the business such as in certain magazines and social networking sites that I never new existed! This has certainly been a learning curve for me!
 

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