Why do we need holidays?

Every year I make a new year’s resolution which can be kept to not just for one year, but year after year. This way it is a more realistic goal compared to something like ‘lose weight’ or ‘detox’. In 2013 it was to spend more time in my garden as I had just had it landscaped. Whenever the weather has allowed I have sat out there and admired the plants/flowers I have managed to grow. Resolution achieved.

For 2014 it was to have more holidays. I know this was going to be a tough one considering the business that I have just started as I knew that any time out would affect it. But I think that the benefits of having holiday time will help the business in the longer term.

I am pleased to say that I on track to achieve this resolution. This year I have been to Monmouth during Easter. There was a very bizarre museum/attraction I visited called Littledean Jail in the Forrest of Dean. If you are looking for a crazy exhibition then get yourself there! I have been to the snooker championships in Sheffield and a number of whisky tastings from the Wee Dram shop in Bakewell.

Also I have recently been to Turkey for an all-inclusive holiday. Yes I ate and drank too much, but it was nice and relaxing and it recharged the batteries. New York is on the agenda later on in the year which I am much looking forward to.

Why do we need holidays? I think that without them people can lose focus and sight on what they are trying to achieve. If you don’t recharge then you run the risk of making mistakes and becoming less motivated. These breaks are essential so please, if you are able, take a break.

2 months into my whole brave new world...

2 Months In...

I've been officially a financial adviser for just over 2 months now, so you might be wondering how things are going? Well thankfully they are going according to the business plan! (Although the optimist and impatient side of me wants it all to go a bit quicker!)

Initially I have had to do some training. These have included an induction course, pension transfer workshop, at retirement workshop and an auto enrolment workshop... just to name a few! All of these have had a test prior to attendance and then a post workshop test for full understanding of the knowledge imparted onto you. Once this is all done you are signed off to trade in these areas. There has also been a lot of systems learning. Obviously every business have their own systems and just getting to grips with them, whilst not difficult, just takes time to learn.

Of course all of it is CPD time, so I've managed to build up a time of almost 54 hours with 33 of it being structured! No problems for getting next years SPS for me then!

New Year; New Phone; New York! 

I've had a Galaxy S2 for 2 years now and it was starting to get a bit sluggish. No I didn't get a brick phone  but got a Nexus 5. Mightily impressed so far with it and just waiting for my protective case to take it out into the big wide world!

I've also booked a holiday to New York. This is something that I've wanted to do for a long time and now is the time to do it. Anyone got any recommendations of where to see?

Finally, Happy New Year to you all. I hope that 2014 is a fantastic and productive year.

Today is my last day at Aviva.

Today is my last day in the Aviva offices!

I am leaving Aviva to become a fully qualified independent financial adviser with Charles Derby Wealth Management Ltd based in Sheffield. I know that this is a big step up and there will be a good few months of learning the ropes, but the opportunity that has presented itself is too big to not take.

 

Aviva has been my employer for just under 12 years in all. This is a third of my total time on this mortal coil, so undoubtedly it has been a massive part of my life. The company has been supportive in my career progression, with personal development and professional development for examinations with the CII for example. I thank them wholeheartedly for all of this.

The people that I have worked with at the company have been amazing. This was always going to be a tough one to leave behind. The friendships formed will stay and I hope that the banter continues!

I have been privileged to have qualified for 3 incentive trips over my time at Aviva. First was at Gleneagles whilst I was very new into the role. This was something that lived with me and made me want to achieve more of them! The second was in Botswana & Zambia. This was again an amazing trip. Staying at the Royal Livingstone Hotel on Victoria falls and viewing the falls from a helicopter was just spectacular. Finally the trip to Rio. So many highlights to mention, but a once in a lifetime experience.

Finally an observation I have made over the years

The Aviva share price does go down when someone important leaves.

Well, as I type this, it has gone down by 0.5%. However I will technically still be employed until the 31^st October (I’m taking some overdue holiday entitlement). So I’ll watch the share price on Thursday and see if the same happens! 

Wish me luck in my new endeavour and I'll keep you updated through social media as to how i'm getting on!

Some ideas on how to gain local media coverage.

Wherever you are, there will be local press, some free some paid for. Your local media are always interested in news, but by ‘news’ they mean information that will be of real interest to a majority of their readers. If you can deliver this then you will gain local media coverage of your business.
In an ideal world, you should be sending a press release every month.
So what can you do to achieve this? Examples include:

1. Give something away for free:

Examples include money off vouchers and branded umbrellas etc to individuals

For business customers this could include a recent white paper

2. Write a press release. Here are a few example subjects:
   
   
• The announcement of a joint venture with other local businesses.
• An announcement that you are recruiting members to your local referral group or networking group.
• A case study of how you managed to solve a tricky problem for a local customer.

Gain better SEO(Search Engine Optimisation) by publishing online to your website and social media.

3.      Take the role of the local expert. Put yourself forward to your local media as an expert in consumer and business insurance.

Every time an investment/insurance story is being covered, you will be called upon, as the local expert, to comment on it.

4. Use local events, fetes and county shows. Helium balloons are an easy way to get noticed and the kids will push parents to your stall to get one for free! All are potential new clients.
5. Use local sponsorship marketing to generate awareness, media coverage and a positive positioning for your company. This could be local sports competitions or supporting a local charity.
6. Organise a local survey and publish the report. 

Plan for seasonal sales periods. Eg ISA season or tying in with events such as Mothers Day or Valentines Day or even the Football World Cup.
See this useful online guide to PR methods and techniques.

Costs

If you manage your own PR, then the costs are limited to company time/salaries.
If you employ a professional PR executive (freelance or agency) then budget for their fees.
If you decide to offer free offers/give-aways in your local press then you will need to budget for the associated costs of buying the chosen goods/services.

Some legal guidance

If a substantial gift or incentive is part of your proposed strategy, check its legal status using:

• The 2010 Bribery Act (UK)

Note: always speak to a lawyer (and potential new customer?!) to get up-to-date legal advice before implementing your plans and also check with your compliance department to ensure you are not breaking any rules or regulations.

Lets get mobile – Social media of the future

The divisions between the Social Media world and the real world are becoming increasingly blurred. Just look at how the breaking news happens: Breaking News! and even looking at Andy Murray brilliantly winning Wimbledon recently – how many smartphones can you count?

So where do you start?

Mobile and associated tools such as QR codes (scan my business card below!) and Augmented Reality is starting to happen (sites such as Blippar) have turned everything from brochures to business cards into gateways to the Social world. Why not give them a go?

Gateways can either give you the edge on your competitors or leave you trailing in their wake.

Some stats are saying that half of Smartphone users are browsing Social Media and 50% are using it for local business searches, so mobile browsing is already big business and I think that this can only increase.

To get you started in this new way of marketing here are a few things to think about.

1. KISS - Keep it Simple Stupid.

Highlight your Social Media presence on all your communications.

Facebook, Twitter and the other major networks are mobile-friendly so even without the respective apps (of which there are well over 150m in use) customers and prospects will be able to reach your pages.

2. Create an app.

Apps can be built for relatively little these days and as well as making access to your Social Media a tap away, you can also integrate a quote service, email newsletters, claims and customer service into it too.

App creation requires specialist knowledge so talk to your website development agency and see who they recommend.

Some examples of finance apps are shown here for different operating platforms.

http://www.money.co.uk/misc/best-mobile-apps/mobile-finance-apps.htm

3. Google places.

This is a free tool that you can make part of your Google+ page and integrate into paid search.

Google state that 97% of consumers search for local businesses online and with mobile predicted to be the biggest web platform it’s an opportunity not to be missed.

4. Invest in local Social Media advertising.

Facebook also offer all sorts of free targeting tools for local businesses within their page functionality such as, your hours of business, location and even public transport directions.

You can augment this presence with some relatively low-cost local Facebook advertising.

Facebook is tight-lipped about the number of local business searches they receive, but Borrell Associates claim it represents 74% of their advertising revenue.

Add to the fact that around 33% of Facebook’s traffic was mobile in 2011 (which can only increase) and it’s definitely worth investigating.

5. Mobile media.

Mobile media is no longer the future of the web: it’s the present.

Mobile will overtake desktop browsing this year according to Google, and with UK membership of Social Networks having topped 30 million in 2011 the opportunity is huge. 

I think that absence in this area will raise more questions than not, so jump on board and embrace the future.