When you’re starting out, getting recognition and finding buyers for your product or service can be a challenge – how much money and time do you spend on marketing? 

One thing you may want to consider is partnering with another company or brand, says James, Marketing Manager at Mail Boxes Etc. UK, in his tips for start-ups and entrepreneurs.

Partnership Marketing Tip #1 

Identify the key strengths, USPs and audience appeal of your business or brand.

Before looking for another organisation to approach, make a list of your own company or brand’s attributes, USPs, customer base, target audience and growth plans. This builds on the SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis you did when you were putting your business plan together. In particular, you should gain deeper insights into your current customer and market base, which in turn will help you identify potential new audiences.

Not only do you want to be very clear about your business’s key characteristics and market appeal, you also need to be able to present them in a compelling and attractive way to a prospective partner brand.

Remember it’s not just you as the business owner who can input into this research. Ask your customers what’s great about your business or brand; ask your suppliers why they like doing business with you, and ask your employees why they like working for you.

In doing this exercise, you’ll also discover more about the type of company you’d like to join forces with.

Looking for more tips on partnership marketing? Click here.

When you’re starting out, getting recognition and finding buyers for your product or service can be a challenge – how much money and time do you spend on marketing? 

One thing you may want to consider is partnering with another company or brand, says James, Marketing Manager at Mail Boxes Etc. UK, in his tips for start-ups and entrepreneurs.

No matter how small your start-up, don’t dismiss the idea of teaming up with a complementary brand to broaden your appeal. Not only will you get access to a ready-made audience, you’ll also benefit from the positive associations your chosen partner has already created in the marketplace. Partnership marketing doesn’t have to be hard work, and it isn’t just for the big guns either.

Partnership Marketing Tip #2

Know where you want to be

Distilling the essence and USPs of your business should help point to where you want to take your business next. 

For example, your brand may appeal to affluent teenagers and perhaps you want to reach more of them. On the other hand, you may want to start targeting the 18-35 age-group and, rather than waiting for your current customers to get a little older and take your product with them, your aim is to break into this new demographic as well.

Knowing where you want to be will help you identify your ideal partner brands. This focused approach will enable you to whittle down the possibilities, too. 

Some of your prospective co-marketers will already be paired with other brands and may not want to crowd their audience, while others may have taken a very cautious approach to marketing and be ripe for a compelling proposal from you.

Find the full series of partnership marketing tips here.

James, Marketing Manager at Mail Boxes Etc. UK, shares his tips on writing a business plan for SMEs and entrepreneurs.

If you’re starting out in business, you’ll need to put a lot of detailed thought into where you’re going and how you’re going to get there. A business plan will put that thinking into logical and workable order – and it’s vital to have one if you want to get some investment or a loan from your bank.  

There’s plenty of guidance online, and several websites have business plan templates that you can use. For young entrepreneurs, The Princes Trust – the UK’s leading charity for young people – offers a great range of templates in addition to helpful tips and case studies covering the whole spectrum of self-employment and setting up a business. It’s all sound advice, even if you’re not aged between 18 and 30. But if you are, you might also be eligible for some start-up funding through the trust’s Enterprise programme, so it’s well worth a look.

Another useful resource is gov.uk, where not only will you find the Princes Trust business plan template recommended, but within a few clicks you can also get detailed guidance on writing your plan and see the business plans that other start-ups have put together.

All the major banks have online help for start-ups, and one of the best is HSBC’s, which includes a really useful interactive tool that walks you through the business planning process online. You can use the tool to shape your plan by populating the various fields with information that answers questions or prompts at each stage, and the end result (which is downloadable) should be a business plan your bank manager would be proud of!

Once you’re ready to get going with your business, remember your local Mail Boxes Etc. store is there to help. From company registration and a professional address for your website and correspondence, to back-up services like post and parcel delivery, print and copy, our friendly teams are mines of expert knowledge and our Business Hubis designed around your needs.

Our final tip from the partnership marketing series from James, Marketing Manager at Mail Boxes Etc. UK.

Partnership Marketing Tip #5

Learn and grow

As with all good marketing programmes, one of the secrets to success is creating a workable plan and then measuring its effectiveness. You will then be able to learn and grow, building on the positives and addressing anything that didn’t work so well, with the result that your future efforts will be better targeted and more effective.

Communication is key, so make sure you keep in touch with your customers, your marketplace and your brand partner along the way. If possible, try to feed your new knowledge into the campaign as you go along, rather than leaving the assessment to the end.

When the initial campaign does come to a close, however, you may choose to use the experience as a one-off and enjoy the opportunities it brought, or you may feel you want to make it more permanent.

Whatever you decide, Mail Boxes Etc. is here to design and print your co-branded promotional materials – from product labels to posters. And remember, our Business Hub services are built around your needs as a small business, with everything to help you succeed – from telephone answering and postal services, to virtual office address and mail order fulfilment.

Tip number 3 from our partnership marketing series by James, Marketing Manager at Mail Boxes Etc. UK.

Partnership Marketing Tip #3

Find your ideal partner

It can be a bit daunting to start with a blank sheet of paper and try to come up with some prospective partners for your business. Luckily, though, there are some tried and tested methods that will help you cut to the chase. There are also some organisations that specialise in putting brands in touch with each other.

Remember to expand your view beyond the scope of your own marketplace – the best collaborations aren’t always the most obvious ones. What you do need to be sure of, however, is that their values and ethics are aligned with yours. 

The government’s innovation agency, Innovate UK, has more to say about partnership marketing and finding your perfect match here.

See all of our partnership marketing tips here. 

When entrepreneur Gary Roberts decided to set up a business, he returned to his roots and opened a Mail Boxes Etc. store that would help make life easier for busy local residents.  

MBE Southend is a post, parcel and print specialist - part of a nationwide network of over 160 stores.  Located at 15 Clifftown Road, and open six days a week, the new business is already thriving thanks to its central position and extended opening hours.  

“We’re here from 8.30am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday, and 10.00am to 2.00pm on Saturdays,” explains Gary, who was born in nearby Basildon.

One of Gary’s main reasons for opening a Mail Boxes Etc. store was the range of services available to customers. “We offer Royal Mail postal services without the queues; fast and easy parcel delivery using UPS, DHL, FedEx and other big brands; a mailing address service that’s perfect for students, individuals and businesses, and lots of extras too,” he says.

Shipping is one of Gary’s most popular services with local businesses and private customers alike:  "We ship all items - no matter how big or small - to every part of the planet.  I’m currently working with a craft beer company to distribute their products to customers; I recently shipped a BMW Z3 car to Australia for a lady who is moving there, and my regular shipments for local auction houses include a dolls’ house that went to France and an antique military sword bound for Hong Kong.“

The new Southend store also specialises in design and print: "I’m currently designing a company’s logo and printing their letterheads, business cards, roller banners and clothing,” says Gary, who offers collection of items for post, shipping and print:  "We regularly call at local businesses, including NHS health centres, to carry out mail fulfilment and courier services.

“Schools and colleges also make the most of our services by regularly requesting collections and emergency print jobs for school plays and various events.  It’s great to be able to help so many customers in the community,” concludes Gary.

15 Clifftown Road, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS1 1AB
Tel:  01702 749275
Fax : 01702 352044
info@mbesouthend.co.uk
www.mbesouthend.co.uk

You’ve got the big idea. You’ve done your business plan, your financial forecasts and your first year’s budget. So how do you get the start-up funding that will get your new venture off the ground? 

Marketing Manager at Mail Boxes Etc., James, shares his top tips for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Tip #1: Start small

Some people are lucky enough to start their business while still working. If you can continue to bring in enough money to support yourself and your family while putting in those extra hours to get your new venture up and running, you may find you don’t need start-up funding. Instead, you’ll want to ensure your outgoings are as low as possible and keep a close eye on your forecasting, so you know when it’s safe to turn pro.

Tip #2: Keep it in the family

It can be tempting to turn to family members for a loan or ask them to support you financially while you get your business off the ground. According to Entrepreneur it’s the most common way for start-ups to finance their new venture. It’s important to treat this as a formal arrangement, though, to avoid misunderstandings down the line.

Tip #3: Could you qualify for grant funding?

It’s worth doing your homework to see if you could benefit from start-up funding from charities and other organisations that support the UK’s entrepreneurs. Websites like startups.co.uk have detailed information about small business grants and how to apply for them.

Tip #4: Crowdfunding

An alternative way to raise vital seed funding from a range of backers is crowd funding. Using an online platform, the idea is that with crowdfunding an entrepreneur can attract a ‘crowd’ of people, each of whom takes a small stake in their business idea, contributing to an overall funding target. As well as helping raise money for your business, crowdfunding helps build a network of supporters and can also create a newsworthy story that will help your start-up get much-needed publicity.

Tip #5: Tried and trusted

For a more traditional approach, your bank may be the best place to start. Most offer loans and in-depth advice and support for business start-ups. You’ll also find a comprehensive guide to sources of business finances on You.gov.

Ready to start your business? Mail Boxes Etc. offers a great range of services for start-ups. Register your company with us, get a professional business address that projects the right impression from day one, and choose from our Business Hub services as and when you need them.

If you’re thinking of starting a business this year, you’ve probably spent time pondering over a name for it. Whilst considering your short list, avoid making these 3 mistakes.

1.     Is there a suitable URL?

You’ve thought up a brilliant name, but when registering your domain name, twitter handle and company address – nothing comes close.  See what is available before making that final decision.

2.     Can you spell it?

Got your business name ready? Take a step back and run it past others. Have you come up with some very obscure? It is difficult to understand when spoken? Be careful when picking something too different – if they can’t pronounce it or spell it you might just get passed by.

3.     Where will you be in 5 or 10 years’ time?

Many companies use their location as part of their company name. Whilst this is useful in the beginning, if your company wants to grow outside of this location – think about the impact it may have. For example, ‘Kentucky Fried Chicken’ is now ‘KFC’

Starting a business can seem complicated but the friendly team at Mail Boxes Etc. are here to help.  Follow us on twitter for small business tips or pop into one of our many high street stores.

In our occasional series offering useful hints and tips to small business and entrepreneurs, James, Marketing Manager at Mail Boxes Etc. UK, shares his advice on coming up with creative ideas

Are you looking for a business idea? A lot of people want to work for themselves, and more of us are doing it each year. According to the Federation of Small Businesses, at the start of 2016 there were a record 5.5 million private sector businesses – an increase of 97,000 since 2015. 

SMEs have a lot of financial clout too: the combined annual turnover of small and medium-sized businesses accounted for 47% of all private sector turnover in the UK.

If you’re aiming to be one of 2017’s start-up successes, you’ll already have your thinking cap on – but how do you channel your creative spark, whether it’s to help identify the big idea or hone your new product to perfection?

If you’re struggling to shape your business concept, ask yourself the following questions:

• Is your business going to be based around you – your personality, your experience, your skills and/or knowledge?
  
• Or are you looking for a great idea that’s going to appeal to enough people to generate an income for you and your employees?
  
• Are you creating something that people don’t even know they want yet?
  
• Or have you identified a need or a ‘gap in the market’ that you believe you can fill with your product or service?
  
• Do you want to employ people, outsource, curate (for example, set up an online marketplace that offers products or services from a range of suppliers), or be a sole trader or freelancer?
  

The answers to all these questions should help focus your thinking.

Once you’ve got your idea, you’ll find lots of websites online with helpful ideas. Entrepreneur.com is a great resource for budding businesspeople, with inspiring case studies, ‘how to’ articles, plenty of ‘top tips’ and a strong focus on identifying the business idea that’s going to work for you.

Or perhaps you’ve already got your business idea and you want to get creative about promoting the business itself, or a new product or service. 

Companies like NowGoCreate specialise in bringing out creative skills in everyone – from individuals to boards of directors. They believe creativity can be learned and the process applied wherever it’s needed. 

Read more about how to inject some creativity into your business and why it’s vital at Business News Daily, which specialises in small business solutions and inspiration.

Once you’re ready to launch your business, product or service to the market, don’t forget that here at Mail Boxes Etc. we have a host of indispensable business back-up services. From company formation to a business mailbox or virtual address, and from printing your corporate stationery to supporting your mail order business with product fulfilment, we’re here to help. 

Our stores are conveniently located on the high street, and we really do go the extra mile for our small business customers.

How to make the most of Black Friday

How can retailers make the most of the opportunities that Black Friday brings?

Black Friday is one of the most highly anticipated shopping events of the year, when consumers can enjoy discounts on a huge array of products. But how can retailers make the most of this opportunity to boost sales, raise brand awareness and move stock to make way for new items?

Whatever the size of your business or customer base, you can still use Black Friday as a springboard to greater brand awareness, increased loyalty and sales growth. At this time of year, consumers are expecting brands to promote their offers and are much better disposed to receiving – and acting upon – sales messages. That’s why it’s worth applying discounts and making a big splash across all your channels, from social media to e-shots and physical collateral like flyers and posters. With consumers more likely to be ‘warm’ to your sales messages, it would be a shame to miss out.

Black Friday deals are often applied to the key consumer goods categories: electronics and IT, fashion, cosmetics, household appliances, sports equipment, toys and games. But whatever you’re selling, you can still catch the consumer’s eye with the right messaging.

If yours is a start-up or you’re still building your audience, think of Black Friday as a boost to your marketing efforts, a foot in the door. Even long-established brands that pride themselves on customer loyalty can still leverage consumers’ curiosity and perhaps gain themselves some new fans.

It’s not all about discounts

Black Friday is also a chance to look at your product range and move inventory to make way for new stock. If your summer sale has resulted in leftover stock that you need to shift, consider a ‘30% off all sale items’ promotion for Black Friday or even throughout November.

On the other hand, if you want to grow your reputation as the go-to retailer for the best deals on cutting-edge tech, make sure you’ve got your offers lined up (and your warehouse well stocked) before October’s out. Once consumers decide they want to buy, if you’ve run out of what they want they will go elsewhere – even if it means paying a bit more. You don’t want to miss out on their custom.

It’s not necessary to discount your products to tap into Black Friday energy, either. Consider instead giving away samples with every item purchased, or starting a loyalty club and offering every new customer a certain number of free points with every purchase during November. This is a great strategy for smaller or new businesses who want to reach a wider audience without direct impact on their profits.

Say it loud

The benefits your brand gains from its Black Friday promotions go beyond additional sales. This is an opportunity to enhance your reputation and promote your values. With the potential for greater audience reach, your marketing activity should amplify your brand, both visually and in terms of key messages.

This is also a chance to showcase your customer service, as well as the quality of your products. In short, think of Black Friday as a platform for broadcasting your brand’s personality. Ensuring a smooth online purchasing journey for your customer is also essential at this busy time, as well as a seamless returns process.

There’s a quid pro quo element to this, too. Because you can ask your customers to do something for you in return for your generosity in discounting your products or offering added value at this time of year. There’s no denying power of positive reviews on Google, Feefo, Trustpilot and similar sites: recent research shows that more people are likely to trust product reviews from other customers than from industry experts, professional reviewers and companies or brands. And if up to 95% of consumers read online reviews before buying, your brand should be looking to gain as many positive recommendations as possible. That’s why offering an incentive for customers to leave a review is a good idea, particularly during Black Friday.

We can help

If your business needs help with order and inventory management, packing, shipping and automating the management of orders and returns, talk to the experts at MBE. We’re also here for your design and print, specialising in digital and physical marketing materials that boost your brand and ensure your messaging is received loud and clear.

Find out more here.