2025: Economy Issues?

Turning up to work on a cold and frosty morning, 8am on 2nd January, a friend was made redundant and was back home by 9am, searching for another job. 

The most annoying thing was that six weeks earlier, she had been approached by another company. She checked with her manager that her job was safe for the foreseeable future and, being assured that it was, she turned down the new offer. You could argue that her boss might not have been aware of budget cuts which would result in two redundancies but his role was Financial Controller! 

I flicked through the news today, the following caught my eye.

A newspaper headline today suggested that the housing boom may be over and property prices may begin to slide. 

Housing boom? The housing market has been mostly stagnant since lockdown, almost five years ago. Our apartment was valued at the end of 2019 (but not sold, obviously) and has been revalued since, at a similar price (but, again, not sold) and we are planning to re-value this spring. We'd love to be able to sell the apartment and will consider dropping to the price we paid for it (almost ten years ago) if we can buy somewhere we like for the same price. 

On this subject, here's another news headline "Chelsea FC co-owner pays £56mn for London penthouse" - he could have bought our rural countryside penthouse apartment for about 1% of that!

FT headlines:
"UK long-term borrowing costs hit highest level since 1998" - how does this affect the 'black hole'?

"UK businesses plan price increases as Budget drives up costs. Tax and wage rises have caused confidence to ‘slump’, warns British Chambers of Commerce" 

"UK school budgets eroded by spiralling special needs costs, report shows. SEN spending and higher wages leave headteachers facing ‘very tight’ accounts in 2025, says IFS" - you could argue that these jobs are vocational but, hey, people gotta eat! 

The next headline should make people think carefully about gambling: "Bet365 boss Denise Coates’ pay nearly halved to £150mn last year. Head of betting firm remains one of the UK’s wealthiest executives". 

BUT IT'S NOT ALL GLOOM AND DOOM: 

"The FT View The editorial board

  Britain’s economic gloom is overdone

The government can tackle bad vibes with a positive vision for growth" 

In The Times, there was an interesting article about climate change. It is predicted that global warming will mean that, by 2030, not only will your home need heating for the winter but also air-conditioning during the summer - this will increase the cost of household bills. However, it points out that insulation works both ways, and goes on to suggest that externally-fitted French-style slatted shutters are a great way to stop the sun from heating rooms via the masses amounts of glass that modern homes. 

There's a snag, however. A number of years back, we wanted to fit these but they are designed to be opened from the inside, having first opened your doors or windows inwards. I tried in vain to find replacement windows in the UK that would accommodate these shutters but there were none, so we had to go without. Still, the newer-style external roller blinds are available in the UK (though not yet popular) and can be raised and lowered electrically from inside.

The article was mostly highlighting the overheating problem (over 26C) that attributed to an average of 3000 additional deaths during the 2022 heatwave.

P.S. Pleased to note that the journalist from The Times uses "compared with" unlike the BBC's "compared to" due to deteriorating standards over recent decades.

Property for Sale or Executive Rental?

Unique homes are often snapped up but, when the market is slow, even the best properties can feel out of reach for home hunters.

There are some homes in leafy Hertfordshire, listed by abcproperties.co.uk, that are very interesting. If you can afford over £1m, there is a 4-bedroomed house near Codicote but if your price is around £0.5m a spacious 2-bedoomed penthouse apartment may be your dream home. Or there are one-bedroomed apartments for under £0.25m, in Datchworth and Knebworth.

The most interesting of these properties is the penthouse apartment, a private apartment that takes the entire top floor of the east wing of the manor. Approached via a long driveway and surrounded by acres of parkland, the Manor has private parking as well as en-bloc garages. The solid entrance door leads to a vestibule with a second solid door that is accessed by key or, for visitors, a doorbell-comms system. Walking towards the communal conservatory with south facing terrace, the corridor splits towards the east or west wings.

In the east wing, there is a quiet area at the foot of the stairs, a single apartment on the first floor and the penthouse apartment on the second floor. There is an internal balcony with views through the large window onto parkland and countryside. Entering the apartment through the solid wooden door, there are storage areas, a utility room and a w.c. before the inner corridor offers a choice of drawing/dining room, fully fitted kitchen and two bedrooms, each with en-suite. 

Executive Rental

The Manor's proximity to rail connections into London makes it an ideal getaway for commuters as well as visitors temporarily contracted to UK offices in London, Stevenage, Hatfield, etc.. As such, corporate entities may wish to enter into a sale or rental agreement.

-----

Some photographs are below but full details can be found on the local agent's website. The agent is willing to negotiate on price or discuss rental options.

Astonbury Manor

When to Stop Working

I think I would have stopped working five years ago if it wasn't for some of the clients I've worked with for a very long time, who made my job interesting and very enjoyable. 

Some have now retired and some have passed the reins to the next generation. That's about where I am, too. I have taken the decision to semi-retire and some of my work has been passed to the next generation.

What usually happens is that, eventually, the current generation of clients will reduce in favour of new clients who require the different set of skills that a new generation brings.

The Time To Stop Working is...

    when it feels like work. 

Not having that income can be a problem. You may have paid off the mortgage and be receiving a private pension but a significant drop in personal income means lifestyle changes. And weaning yourself off the business merry-go-round is a tricky one, therefore a staged retirement plan might work for you.

Those who find lifestyle changes the most challenging are people who have been so wrapped up in their business lives that there was very little provision for anything else. Many of us travelled extensively (pre-covid) both for business and leisure, and may have a desire to continue - or not, with a 'been there, done that' attitude. For example, as a family, we stopped travelling by air during covid and haven't returned to it because our memories of rushing to airports just to wait around for hours have put us off. We've looked at travelling by train but it usually takes hours to reach our desired destinations, usually with frequent changes, and the prices are laughable. As people who like a quiet break away from noise and crowds, we resist the idea of cruises - a floating hotel in an all-inclusive resort. The last time we stayed in a resort-hotel was about 15 or 20 years ago and none of us liked it, so we've have usually opted for a quiet self-catering home in the countryside (Provence, Dordogne, Trossachs, Cumbria, Tuscany and so on - all driveable, albeit with one or two overnight hotel stops).

Unless you plan to travel for several months each year (in which case, downsizing your home seems sensible), you may need to find hobbies. These are wide-ranging: golf, bowls, art, reading, writing, gardening, voluntary work plus many other opportunities. Most of these activities can be solitary or involve a small group of people (popularly believed to be essential to delay deterioration of the brain, such as dementia). Perhaps your 'local' has a regular pub quiz?

One of our clients retired at 50, sold his house and bought a canal boat. Another retired to a warmer climate, as he had the advantage of being an EU citizen (this is where the Brexit outcome spoiled our plans). And we gained a client who, in his 60s, decided to use his retirement to become an author.

So, the question of when to stop working hinges on a number of different situations. If you want to stop and you are able to stop, just bite the bullet and do it. If you find that you need to continue in some form, try easing out, either by working mornings only (which I'm doing) or by dropping a set day to a four-day week, then a three-day week, etc. (which my co-director is planning to do). 

Please add your experience or suggestions via the comments (anonymously, if you prefer).

Refining your Business Niche

When the company was set up almost 35 years ago, the main offering to clients was a writing and design service, which we still offer but possibly not for much longer. Why? Our work in design has decreased as software has become more widely available and students are graduating from a number of related courses, enabling them to work independently if they are unable to secure employment.  

Declining standards of grammar means that our writing, proofing and editing work remain buoyant. However, we have noticed an impact from the number of businesses using Artificial Intelligence, recently, so this may eventually begin to decline.

In the past 25-30 years, website design has been the mainstay of our business but creating an 'all singing, all dancing' website with all its associated costs is proving difficult to offer good value. Added to this, large companies such as IONOS (who reach millions with their TV ads) and other companies who offer easy-peasy-DIY solutions with a low entry cost for their proprietary website creation tools, are taking money from small businesses who are struggling to budget and may also struggle to maintain their website, social media, etc..

We have therefore decided, going forward, to switch from creating corporate websites, too. So what are we offering?

• Wordpress blog set up, can be set up to emulate a website;
• Wordpress blog writing/posting;
• Writing, proof-reading, editing;
• Social media posts - LinkedIn page, Facebook page, Instagram, Twitter/X and more.

These are probably functions that you could undertake yourselves but may not enjoy doing them or you just don't have the time. We may be able to help small businesses, individuals, communities, non-profits and local charities in other ways, such as hand-holding and research - just ask. And our rates are probably the lowest you'll find.

Now that we have decided where to focus the business, we'll aim to update the website in the near future.

-----

P.S. I touched on the affordability of 'slowing down' in a post a year ago. There are several more related posts from 2019, too.

Too Many Plants?

Be useful within your community. We offer our services to community groups who are always grateful for help. Here's one way we've been useful to  a local school. 

Every year, Chlorophytum Comosum (spider plants) produce several 'babies' which are incredibly easy to make into new plants. Just pop the cuttings into a jar of water until some roots begin to sprout, then plant into a pot, watering frequently until the maturing plant is settled. You'll have more cuttings the following year.

What can you do with all the cuttings? 

From each plant, you could have 10 or more cuttings. You pot them up, keep a couple, and offer the rest to people you see regularly. The next year, you may have 20, 30 or more, so you pot them and give these thoughtful gifts to your friends, relatives and neighbours. 

The next year, however, you have to be more creative. Perhaps offer to supply some plants to a local charity stall at the village fête. 

This year, we contacted the local JMI school and asked if they would like some cuttings. They were delighted, as their Early Years Foundation Stage pupils love to grow things. 

You can usually find and follow your local charities, PTAs, community groups, etc. via Social Media. 

If AI is the Answer, What is the Question?

Looking further into AI... based on a scathing review from earlier this year 

Original Posted Content (Go to AI content)

We've dabbled. The results are quite boring and not always accurate. AI is not free-thinking intelligence but is a quick method of assembling and sorting words or image elements from the web. Essentially, it's stealing from others. Are you happy to be an accessory? 

Sure, if you have a few gaps in your own knowledge or if you are incredibly busy or just plain lazy, it seems the perfect tool for you. However, what about the people you serve - readers, followers, potential clients, etc.? Are they getting value for money from you? Are you are feeding them hearsay or gossip? Surely they deserve your original thoughts - unless you don't have any - so why pretend that you do? 

We think that, when 'policing' organisations investigate how companies use AI to publish 'their' insights, there may be a strong case for all AI written content to contain a statement to that effect - similar to an acknowledgment when quoting from others' work or disclaimers that the writer accepts no responsibility for the results of anyone acting upon information contained herein.

The question of when and how to use AI needs to be addressed. 

- - - - -

This content has been written without the use of AI.
We accept no liability for direct, indirect or consequential loss or damage of any kind (including without limitation loss of profits) arising from any use of the information and material contained on this site or any site you may access through this site. Any information obtained from or via this site should be verified independently before acting upon it.

- - - - -

AI Version

AI: Tool or Trickery?

The Allure and the Issues of AI-Generated Content

While AI offers a quick way to churn out content, the results are often uninspired and inaccurate. Essentially, it's a glorified search-and-replace function, lacking true understanding or originality. Is this just a shortcut for those lacking time, knowledge, or creativity? More importantly, are we doing a disservice to our audience by feeding them regurgitated information?

The Need for Transparency

As regulatory bodies scrutinize AI use in content creation, perhaps a clear labeling system is needed. Similar to citations or disclaimers, AI-generated content should be marked as such. This transparency allows audiences to make informed choices about the information they consume.

The Bottom Line: Using AI Responsibly

The question isn't if AI has a place, but when and how. Used ethically and with clear boundaries, AI can be a helpful tool. However, relying solely on it for content creation undermines our own originality and potentially misleads our audience.

- - - - -

Conclusion

AI is getting better. This is how I used it: I bashed out a passionate few sentences which could be called unprofessional and, perhaps, rude; typically attention-grabbing to make people think. I ran it through AI which has kept the essence of meaning but lost the personality. A business professional would clearly prefer the AI version. In this case, I think I do, too. 

Except for the American spelling of labelling. Ensure that you check the final content. Good luck. 

Employers and Employees

Early background - a new Employee 

This will probably be a bit of a ramble, having been on both sides over the past five decades. As a teenager with good qualifications from a grammar school, I applied for a clerical position at a local branch of a national company. Despite my extremely short 'skinhead' haircut and fashionably smart clothes of the era, the interview with the 'old boy' in charge (probably aged around 50) went well and I was offered a job at a reasonable salary. A fast learner, I quickly progressed until such time as the office was taken over and closed. It was a great experience for a first job where I started from absolute zero and learned at my own pace. 

Eventually, the experience from this and my next job landed me a role as team leader in the British HQ of an international company. This is the first time I encountered a 'ceiling' within the profession, as the company valued higher qualifications. To be fair, they agreed to release me at full pay for one day a week so that I could pursue a business degree. Part of the course covered computer programming and, at my request, the company assigned me as liaison between the administration department and the new computer department, in preparation of automating some of the menial admin tasks.  

Recruiting: The Thatcher Years and the Fallout 

The Thatcher Years meant that, in the London catchment areas, there was a demand for staff and the rewards were good. Having worked my way through various departments of a multi-national technology corporation over the years (information systems analyst, computer-user trainer, technical support and marketing support at management level), I was head-hunted to run the European Sales and Support department for a USA-based software company for a few years. Subsequently, I was again head-hunted to set up and run the UK office for a German tech company. Both these roles required staffing from scratch. Having used local recruitment agencies for the more generic vacancies, I used industry knowledge and contacts to fill the specialist roles. 

When the boom years were followed by recession, HQ asked the likelihood of the UK office breaking even in the next business year. Having advised them that it was unlikely, I was asked to arrange termination of staff contracts by the end of the current business year. Staff were given a generous redundancy package and references for their next employment. Personally, I applied for a few positions but was never invited for interview. Jobs were like gold-dust. In one case, an agency's recruitment ad described me perfectly so I followed up their puzzling non-response with a telephone call. I was advised that there were so many applicants that the agency just picked the first twenty who ticked most of the boxes and discarded the rest, not even bothering to read them nor reply. Unbelievably rude and a poor service to their clients. Contacts from over the previous decade meant that I was able to offer freelance ad-hoc assistance therefore results of the recession were less significant than for those who lost all equity in their homes. It was a terrible time for many families.

Today - a young person's search for employment 

Generally, for a career in admin or commerce, it is expected that GCSEs will be followed by A-levels or an equivalent BTEC, which will lead to a place at University. 

The job search comprises endless applications that are mostly ignored. Companies are generally more inclined to respond than agencies, as those with good reputations will want to keep them. A good tip for applicants is to find out about the company from their website and contact them before submitting your application, asking a relevant question. This means that your name may be more familiar to them when they see your CV. 

Personal bug-bears include the over-use of the word 'passionate' when describing the 'ideal candidate'. How can people be passionate about an aspect of a job they don't have? They can be very interested but passionate is definitely unlikely. Another annoyance is starter-level roles in which the potential employer lists the years of experience the ideal candidate will have, yet is offering very little remuneration. In certain industries, there is a pro-BAME policy therefore denying opportunities to applicants who, for example, are Caucasian, heterosexual males who live with their parents in a middle-class home. 

It's tough. I wish both employers and employees the very best of luck. The unemployed, homeless, those with mental health issues, etc. are yet another topic. 

Virtual Living vs Life Experience

We recently published a blog post, considering the reasons why people are not reading blogs so much any more (blogging vs vlogging) then - lightbulb moment - we were discussing how so much has changed in such a short time. 

Two of the contributing factors are AI and the pandemic. Let's assume that blog readers want to learn something new or be entertained, many bloggers are now relying on AI to assemble information from the internet - unoriginal and uninspiring, so why bother to read that when you can do it yourself? 

There are long-term lifestyle changes in the aftermath of covid and lockdown. Bloggers who used to entertain readers with their travel experiences (be it a holiday, reviews of local eateries or live gigs) aren't pushing their boundaries, opting instead for a life in front of the computer or the TV. 

How popular are bloggers' reviews of TV shows, movies or books? Not very, we believe. What readers really want is an insight into something less standard and less available which will inspire their future plans - they almost certainly are not wanting to plan a future of TV channel streaming. 

So, how to regain your readership? Get your life back. The one that your readers were interested in. Leave the computer on the desk and experience life as you used to know it. Then write about your new adventures in your blog. 

And we'll try to follow our own advice!! 

Over-Used Exclamation Marks!!

We're all guilty of this, sometimes. Possibly because there can be such unbelievable stupidity in the world? The BBC/ITV morning 'news' programs are masters of stating the obvious and 'news' is often a feature from a few weeks, months or even years ago. So we despair and we use exclamation marks to signify that we remember when there wasn't a need to constantly fill air-time.  

Is it Too Much Information or is it just too much repetition? We need to switch off - and this is meant in two ways. Switch off the news feed now and then, whether it's TV, social media or whatever source is your personal addiction. Switch off our brains now and then, assimilate what we know and decide how much we need to know. 

It's difficult to avoid the bombardment of collective opinions (because that is what much of the 'news' seems to be). For example, which reporters have researched their facts and which ones are merely repeating a point of view, either theirs or the spokesman for whatever is being reported? 

The over-sharing of opinions, that is the way of the world right now, is having an impact on mental health, particularly on younger people who have very little personal experience of history. Older people who are in authority often make it worse. 

Sometimes, everyone needs to stop, step back and evaluate. Maybe, instead of patching up the systems that have been in place - and failing - for some time, it would be a good idea to start over. And if this were to happen, it may still not work out well because the wrong (overpaid, not living in the real world) people are likely to be making those decisions, wasting much time and money. 

I went way off-topic in this post, not even touching on grammar but I think this is warranted (drumroll please, I've left it till the end...) aargh!!!

Artificial Intelligence

The Spielberg film, AI, unsettled me - but we're not there yet!

Using Artificial Intelligence software within the writing and editing industry has already had an impact on the creative economy. Enabling 'lazy' writers to generate income more quickly opens up opportunities for freelance and contract work, providing a pathway for marketing professionals to pursue their career goals.

The downside for those professionals is that, now, anyone can do it. Once their clients cotton on to this, some will just do it themselves, saving £££s off their costs.

Note. Much of the above was originally created with AI but has since been edited to actually be meaningful. Below is a generated paragraph that was totally unnecessary.

Creative Text, Images and 'Moving Pictures'

This is reminiscent of the problems that graphic designers suffered when affordable design software was released. Many small businesses decided to create their own logo, for example. It took several months for most of them to realise that having access to tools doesn't mean that no skill or experience is necessary - would you attempt to re-wire your home just because you had coils of wire and a screwdriver?

Video creation is easy too - kids are growing up with it. A few entertaining TikTok vids are a long way from traditional cinema but could easily become a good marketing tool, in the same way that YouTube is used. The new generation of creatives can engage with the new generation of buyers and users. Podcasts are used by a number of businesses these days, as well as the entertainment industry.

Will the time come when AI writes quality books and film scripts? This was the dream of Film Studios which prompted the recent writers' strike. They also wanted to not pay supporting actors - were they hoping to create a host of androids to play those roles?

Editing and Honing Media

Editing happens all the time! Whether it's for scripts, books, film, etc.. The editing industry contributes to professionalism and growth, enhancing published media to appeal to a wider audience by improving its quality and accuracy. 

The growing use of AI is likely to increase the need for professional editors, both for text and images. 

Retirement - no longer a viable option?

 

Picture this: you've been lucky and enjoyed your chosen career then one more major change in the way you need to optimise your skills comes along and you think, "No, I've had enough. What's the point of having years' of experience just to struggle to keep up with new trends?" There are younger people whose brains are not cluttered with all this historical data who are way ahead of your curve, so you decide to retire. 

But... half your clients ask you to keep working for them and you agree - after all, part time is a gentle step towards retirement. The other half of your time, you ponder the state of your income. Used to a good living, will your pension make up for the shortfall of retirement? No, not if it's just the government pension! 

'Boomers' were mostly lucky with their pension plans - one almost-octogenarian told me recently that his retirement income is higher than if he was working. Probably not so if you're younger.

Most will have been paying into a private pension during the years of bounty or as employees of a company scheme. Due to government policy tweaks, some will have suffered heavy losses in the early part of the century, virtually wiping out their investment. Also, life expectancy is longer therefore pay-outs are often lower. 

Many people downsize their homes or move where property is better value for money, putting aside the spare cash for an unknown future. At 0.1% interest, this doesn't come close to inflation. So how does an Ordinary Joe (or Jo) enjoy their retirement? 

One solution is to keep on working as long as you can, for as long as you enjoy it. Long may it last! 

Social Media for Business or for Fun

Time for an update? It's not that nothing occurred to me since the previous post but life changed during and after lockdown. Please accept our apologies for diverting our attentions elsewhere.

On 30th August 2016 (yes, almost 7 years ago) I wrote a post about Google+ and Tumblr which predicted that Google+ was doomed. It died in 2019, R.I.P..

I also made observations about Tumblr which noted... 

Tumblr is a popular blog tool, supposedly, but in my opinion it is rarely used for business. I have struggled to find interesting posts, despite trying a variety of search terms. It seems mainly full of images and these are mostly from photographers and the leisure crowd. I dip back in now and then but find no significant improvement.

So, here is an update of what's changed, in my opinion, since then. I would now state that... 

Tumblr is a popular blog tool, supposedly, but in my opinion it is unsuitable for business-to-business. I have struggled to find interesting posts, despite trying a variety of search terms. It seems mainly full of images and self-indulgence - lost people who are trying too hard to be seen to be different. I dip back in now and then but find no significant improvement. 

Not a lot different, really. And guess what... 100 posts but no more followers. In fact, I think I may have lost one! 

It's probably not a bad thing that there is a non-business element to Tumblr as there are other options for businesses: Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok are largely leisure posts. 

Twitter has a foot in both camps, despite all the negative publicity over recent months. 

If you want to advertise your business online, the three listed above in purple text are worth considering in addition to or as an alternative to Google ads. Depending on your niche market, Amazon can also be used for paid promotion. 

Is blogging worthwhile?

As previously stated, Tumblr is essentially a blogging tool. Its reach via search engines does not compare favourably with WordPress or Google Blogger (in the UK, anyway). WordPress is the most interesting, at present, as it offers a free blog (with ads) or a paid option (ad-free). They can both be made to look and function as websites and no other software comes close to the popularity of a professional WordPress-based website.

Personally, I love blogs. To be able to read at my own pace, rather than sit through a webinar or YouTube output, is the best use of my time. 

Keep on blogging! 

FYI, here's some more about blogging and alternatives. 

Flexibility is the Key to Business Survival

At the end of this year, The BPc will reach its 30th anniversary as a small business providing services to other small and medium businesses. We have a varied set of skills, some of which are uncommon in many companies. This has enabled us to offer consultancy or practial assistance across a range of technical, design, marketing and admin projects.

Current Services

Client demand is the key to the services we offer within our specialist skillset. Our most poplar contracts this year are for website design, website updates and social media management. As demands change, grow or fall, it provides an indication of significant changes within industries.

Since a few months prior to Brexit becoming a possibility, we have had no work from outside the UK. With the final day looming, we are not even contemplating accepting overseas clients.

Additional Future Services

Over the next few months, we plan to add more video-related services for clients. These tend to fall into two main categories: product showcase or demonstrations (which could be 'live' or animated or a series of stills) or informational presentations and 'vlogs'.

We have seen sparks of interest in video services.

We have filmed and edited product videos since 2012 for a small handful of clients and, for the past year or so, other clients have used our filming and editing services. We are looking to invest in a studio next year with appropriate equipment for filming in-house.

Problems can arise when DIY videos feature people who have a great face for radio or the perfect voice for silent film. Don't worry, there are experienced professionals available who can assist and do not cost a fortune (providing you don't want Beyoncé to spend half an hour extolling the virtues of the Hertfordshire pond life).

Popular Services from Previous Years
In 1990, the internet was unheard of by most small businesses in the UK. The BPc mostly focused on a range of marketing, digital design and branding projects plus - believe it or not - word processing and creating templates for company stationery. A small selection of business cards, brochures, catalogues, etc. is still kept in an archive somewhere.

By 1997/98. some smaller business required our services with their emails and, soon after, we began designing websites for them. In 2009-ish, we moved completely over to WordPress CMS website development that enable clients to update their own content.

Flexibility is Key

During the decades, we covered multiple services. When DIY software made it easy for unskilled people to create their own graphic designs, our work in that area dropped off. It usually came back a few months later as clients needed a professional clean-up but, meanwhile, we spent more time on website design.

Similarly, some small businesses try to save money by creating their own websites and, sometimes, this goes very well. However, clients generally don't pay enough attention to optimising websites for search engines - this is when they usually need services from The BPc. If website design work starts to drop, we focus on branding or social media clients.

We don't sit back. This is why we've been building towards a film studio and improved editing suite. There is more in the pipeline, too, further down the line.

Don't hesitate to contact us if you'd like our assistance. Our website lists our services - these have grown organically and website navigation could be easier, to be honest, so we're working on a new design in our spare time. Thanks for getting this far!

Building Website Traffic: Start-ups & Small Businesses

Following on from the post about affordable website options, there are various approaches to marketing your website. 

Sometimes grants are available for entrepreneurs to market products and services (check with your local Council or Chamber of Commerce). The grant will usually, in part, be payable to a marketing service. If there is no grant, how will you finance building your business and how do you prioritise?

If you reach the conclusion that building traffic to your website is the best way to go, your attention will turn to SEO (search engine optimisation for your website), advertising (e.g. with Google Ads) and, importantly, social media. (Usually, at this point, many people declare their dislike of sharing photographs of food, cats, selfies, etc.). It should be noted that social media for business purposes is approached more professionally. LinkedIn and Twitter are the top choices for B2B, Facebook for B2C.

Basic SEO should be part of your website development so choose a company or service that recognises this and, at the very least, provides you with the tools to continue producing great content.

Google Ads are extremely competitive and expensive. There are cheaper options, such as a short burst of Facebook Ads to boost your followers as you use social media to engage with them and direct traffic to your website. Find out more about using social media for business. The Google section covers three very useful topics.

You don't need a separate Google blog, though. Your website should have a blog or news section - be sure to update this regularly. If you can't do it every week or month, schedule it in for every two or three months and maybe tie it in with sending out newsletters. You don't even have to do it yourself, some good writers' fees are  from around £30-£40 per article and you could negotiate a multiple article fee.

Time / Money

The toughest part of all the above is finding resources, i.e. time or money. There is no single solution. The BPc will be able to work successfully with many small businesses and startup companies within minimal budgets. If you'd like to find out more, send a message.

Can Start-up Small Businesses Afford Good Websites?

Good website design has never been so complex, thanks to government legislation and ever-developing Google guidelines. 

Basic Bespoke Website for smaller Businesses

Summary of minimum design work

A bespoke website, GDPR-compliant, with basic on-page optimisation, image optimisation, cookies and privacy policy, etc. can take a couple of days to build. Once the client has viewed and tested it, there are often edits, even when the site matches the original brief.

Once signed off, there is work to do before the website goes 'live' including responsive settings for mobile devices (i-pad, mini, i-phone, etc.) and further testing of form submissions.

There are often optional extras, such as links to newsletter subscriptions, displaying social media and other inter-activity.

Time = Cost

Excluding time spent discussing ideas with the prospective client and any research (which could be half a day), a bespoke website will take your technical design team at least three days. Following that, there is usually handover training for CMS sites and a period of customer support.

A bespoke website, then, has a value of between £1000 to £1500 which is higher than most small businesses have budgeted. There is, of course, always room for negotiation.

What are the Alternatives?

Pay-as-you-go websites

At first glance, some website services seem good value but if you add up the cost over two or three years, this often isn't the case. For example, one company offers a 3 page website, from a template (i.e. not bespoke to clients' requirements) for a fee of £250 plus £25 per month for a minimum of 12 months - total £550. This price excludes optimisation (an optional extra cost) which is essential. A website without optimisation would be like setting up a shop and hiding it behind closed shutters.

DIY websites

Some are very good. Wix seems to be one of them - they offer templated designs that can be modified by users with moderate internet skills. The cost is fairly low, from under £20 per month for a business website plan (hosting and a number of features) but you have to do all the work and pay more to get additional functionality. Don't forget that the monthly fee is for the lifetime of the website so, again, it can work out less economical.

About Website Optimisation

This is a major subject which includes the content and meta-data on your website and off-site links to your website, both of which you can improve. Your website designer may be able to recommend an experienced optimiation service or provide SEO plug-ins to guide you through on-page Search Engine Optimisation.

Links to your website can come from Social Media, such as blogs, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and more. The links need to be associated with keywords that are on your website and need to be ongoing - no point posting a tweet once a year!

It's also worth reading as many current Google guidelines as possible, though these can be full of jargon, and dip into your website analytics every now and then. If you would rather be concentrating on your core business, it may be worth contracting a friendly local website review service to provide monthly - or at least quarterly - reports.

If you have questions, post them in the comments, I'll respond as soon as I can. Or contact us.

The Website Design Business is Changing Again

Since the start of this Century, there have various trends in Website design. Not just the creation techniques and presentation styles but also Google's influence over content (viewable and back-office).

As with graphic design, a decade earlier, when software packages became available to enable company owners to create their own leaflets, etc., there is an increasingly wide choice of DIY website options, notably Wix, Weebly and, of course, WordPress. A plethora of "W"s, possibly to associate with Website or World Wide Web. 

Startups and hobbyists often invest their own time in building free or very cheap DIY websites because money is scarce. If a business out-grows their website, professional designers are often engaged, as the business owners' time is better spent elsewhere, usually production or sales.

Most likely inspired by small devices (smart-phones), the trend in website display over the past year or two has been for a very long, scrollable home page, sliced into sections of images and text blocks. Not my favourite design but it's the client's choice and, who knows, they may want to follow another trend in a couple of years and come back for a re-design!

The more important trend is to do with security. Not only are site owners being "encouraged" to apply for https certification, which adds to cost, but there are almost continuous updates required to improve protection from hackers. Building a more secure website takes more time and therefore will cost the client more money. Adding features also increases development and testing time.

One estimate that is difficult to build in to a quote is the number of changes that a client will make during the development. In the past couple of years...

• We designed a client's website, migrated it to a different name, made several tweaks and successfully published it until a few days later when the company underwent a change and we had to take it down.
• We had to charge one client more than twice as much as originally quoted because three completely different designs were requested and created in the space of a few months.
• We designed and built four websites for another client, which they liked but did not publish due to a change of direction.
• A successfully published client site was handed over to a third party for updating; it now looks a bit of a mess and we don't like to include it in our portfolio.

The end result is that, of those nine developed websites, we have only one in our recent portfolio. Of course, there are three others that have been published - four websites to show out of twelve developed doesn't help promote our website design services. We currently have two more under construction where we have been awaiting content for several months.

We learned today that a website that we quoted for last week is not going ahead. We're hoping to find out the reason, as this is the second bid we've lost in the past year; the other one was due to the client wanting a larger website company to provide support as-and-when needed (there are only two of us). There is a price to pay for this support though, as their quote was 30% higher than ours, showing that cost isn't the only factor. The BPc is not entirely dependent on website design, as we also offer branding/graphic design services and SEO/social media management, therefore we have remained buoyant, whatever the trend, since 1990.

Along with many other businesses, we wonder what impact Brexit may have in the next couple of years.

Should you require a website or any of our internet/marketing/design services, please visit TheBPc.

Unusual trends ... What's the reason?

We've had a few clients from the past (i.e. from two to four years ago) who have recently called to ask why there has been a sudden change in their visitor numbers or sales patterns. We don't know, of course. They didn't expect us to know but hoped we might.

Sometimes, it's easy to guess. For example, a client selling high value home-improvement products had a dip in orders just around the Brexit vote. Once people realised that there was no immediate change in their circumstances, orders resumed and, in fact, the past few months' enquiries and sales performance has easily surpassed the same period of the previous year.

Another client, whose biggest seller for years was knee-length riding boots, has barely sold any recently although sales of other products are still buoyant.

Sharing or Downsizing?

Recently, a company selling urns for funeral ashes has noted that sales of full size urns have dipped whilst sales of mini-urns have quadrupled. Could this be a result of downsizing or decluttering? That seems a bit heartless so we're exploring the theory that a loved one's treasured ashes are being shared more widely instead of being passed around the family in a traditional sized urn.

From a business viewpoint, determining whether this is a passing trend or a permanent shift in customs is important for replacing stocks held. Similarly, the boot suppliers had re-invested their money in stock which is currently dormant so they need to find new customers.

Both these companies are family-run small businesses, the like of which have been the mainstay of Britain's economy over the past ten years. Currently, with an election in the imminent future, such companies are holding their collective breath.

Are Internet giants influencing people's choices? 

Are internet giants (Google, eBay) influencing people by determining what they are fed? An interesting factor (which might be a red herring) is that both companies noticed a change in sales from their websites after they began selling through their eBay shops. Fewer standard urns and fewer boots, via both eBay and direct sales. We can factor out Brexit and other political influences because these changes happened a year apart.

It could be said that, by setting up as eBay shops in direct competition to their own websites, they were feeding the beast. Theoretically, search engines should address that balance. The thing is, I don't know the answer but I'd be happy to hear other people's opinions.

Google+ and Tumblr Users

Having spent considerable time and effort trying to use Google+ and Tumblr, I'm wondering who else uses them.

I'll deal with Tumblr first as it's the least complex. Tumblr is a popular blog tool, supposedly, but in my opinion it is rarely used for business. I have struggled to find interesting posts, despite trying a variety of search terms. It seems mainly full of images and these are mostly from photographers and the leisure crowd. I dip back in now and then but find no significant improvement. If anyone can guide me on this from a business perspective, please do!

Now, Google+ seems to be an untidy sock drawer, with it's links to Circles, Reviews and Business Pages. I blunder through it as best I can because it's part of Google and may have an effect on clients' website rankings - but I just don't get it. Secretly, I don't think Google does either.

For example, this is The BPc's Google+ page. It has 5 followers. FIVE, compared with our three figure following on Twitter. We have a number of people/businesses in our Circles (i.e. we follow them) but, with three exceptions, they rarely post, the exceptions being: Hitchin Town FC, Novelties Direct and Blogging Tips. None of these have me in their circles (i.e. follow me back), I just have 4 overseas followers and an unknown - not especially useful for business promotion in the UK!

Do I conclude that nobody uses Google+? Pretty much.

Changes in Social Media

I'm rambling a bit here, thinking out loud, pondering the recent changes in Twitter and Pinterest.

Social Media Strategies
Following the success of Google and Facebook money-making advertisement strategies, social media companies invest heavily in offering and honing their free services to hook people. They then use their popularity to bombard users with ads which turn the huge investments into huge profits. That's OK, it's a sound business plan that has been proven over the past twenty years.

Twitter and Pinterest are two services that have more recently changed the way they present themselves to users and have begun to add in 'promoted' posts for people who pay. Again, that's OK, their money has to come from somewhere and, as long as it's not from users, there shouldn't be a problem.

I use Twitter a lot. I have a personal account with around 500 followers and I follow almost 600 accounts that interest me - a mix of interesting personalities, people with similar hobbies and local tweeters. This is what worries me... following Twitter's recent changes, the number of interactions has plummeted. With the exception of 1 tweet last week and 1 on April 8th, none of my personal tweets/retweets during the past month were acknowledged (ie, liked, reweeted or replied). Maybe they were boring? Or maybe it's the way that Twitter is reshuffling tweets now (which is what Facebook does).

One of the things I liked about Twitter was its simplicity - a list of tweets from people I follow, in the order they were tweeted. Not so now. Using my business persona (different set of priorities, I follow clients, industry-related accounts, local business & community) I shall now open Twitter in another tab...

• 1 tweet from someone I follow
• 1 promoted tweet
• 8 tweets from hours ago "while I was away"
• 1 promoted tweet
• 1 tweet from 2 hours ago
• 1 list of "who to follow"
• 6 tweets from hours ago
• 1 promoted tweet (dated December 2015)
• followed by several tweets from hours ago

But WHAT'S HAPPENING *NOW*? Well, I have to refresh the page to get current tweets - and there they are, good.

Not being a total idiot, I realise that you can change settings, so I have. Details here: Twitter Settings. While I await the outcome of this, I'll pose another question...

What's the obsession with the number of followers on Social Media? 
This has always puzzled me. I can understand that, from a business persective, you want to reach a large and expanding audience but if you are a person using social media to be, well, sociable, does it matter how many people click to follow you? Is it an ego thing?

What matters is whether those followers are actually seeing your tweets. If your followers are following 1,000 people and receiving 2,000 to 10,000 tweets per day, the chances are very slim that they are waiting to hear from you. Some astute tweeters may be using lists to separate their favourites - are you in any lists? (You won't know about the private lists.)

Which brings us back to the point that people are not interacting like they used to. Not publicly, anyway. And as things change, so we must adapt. Off to tweet this now - feel free to comment!

Business Relationships

The BPc has been assisting Signcraft with SEO since 2010. Recently, when Signcraft decided to review their marketing strategy, they asked for a meeting, so we got together at their premises last week, to discuss the way forward. This is the first time we have met, despite working together for almost six years.

The journey was particularly tiresome, waiting in traffic on the M25 for almost an hour, almost doubling the anticipated journey time. The round-trip took over six hours, which works out to about one hour a year, which is a really good ratio compared with most client meetings. We all felt that it was worth the effort as we often wandered off-topic, filling in gaps that would not be covered via email.

The meeting was a great opportunity to fill in knowledge gaps on both sides for a greater understading of how we can work together, better. Typically, our clients are proud of the quality of their work but don't expect others to find it interesting. Signcraft creates signage, which can sound flat but the projects are so varied - this is why there is a section on their website for case studies. These include giant wall coverings, giant hoardings and wraps around buildings, printing backgrounds for box-office films and more 'ordinary stuff' such as estate agents' board service and shop fascias... and more... plus their company news.

---

Many of our clients are south of our mid-Herts base; we have been recommended to them and contact has been mainly via email or 'phone. Word of our cost-effective services has spread amongst the small businesses of Watford and North-West London, which is the main reason that we do not meet often, if at all (although there are good links via the A1, M1 and Great Northern Rail).

We write blog posts for a client on the North London / South Herts borders who we have never met yet he has introduced several new clients to us over recent years.

---

We have some loyal local clients, too. For example, Keelings (Accountants) have been a client since the turn of the century! At the time, they were based in Hitchin, Herts., but have been based in Old Hatfield for more than ten years. The BPc designed Keelings' first website and redesigned it a few years later. We still update it with quarterly newsletters but would love to bring it up to date, technologically, as soon as possible. We have met with this client to discuss their website just once in all that time.

---

We have designed a number of interim websites and supplied various graphic design services for a client in Welwyn, since their business start-up in 2006. Millers Cleaning Services expanded to Millers Property Services and is now trading as MPS Facility Services. In those ten years, we have met with Millers just three or four times.

The BPC has designed a commemorative '10 years trading' graphic in the MPS Ltd company style for display on their website, social media, emails and stationery.

---

Further afield, we have a client in the Provence, South of France, who we met once around the year 2000 and who subsequently used The BPc for a new website for their new venture, almost 15 years later. Visit www.sunhatfrance.com for a family holiday and you could meet them too!

---

So, how important is it to meet up? It doesn't seem to be important to many businesses - as long as you keep in touch by other means. We have a good business relationship with our clients because we get on with things, keep them informed and don't put demands on their busy schedules.

---