WiRE Blog

2011 is set to be a really exciting year for the WiRE team and its members. With bigger, better and more exciting events lined up and a few more in the pipeline, we want to get our members out on show. Boasting some of the most talented, influential and inspiring rural businesses in the Country within our membership, we will proudly be waving the new WiRE flags and representing the very best of British rural business.

We are kick-starting the year with the Passion for Rural Business Conference on 16th February here in the fantastic surroundings of the glistening new Regional Food Academy just a stones throw away from the WiRE headquarters. As you walk into the imposing atrium you will be greeted with beautifully arranged WiRE Member stalls dotted around, prior to entering the all new equipped lecture theatre.

The day will start with two brilliantly entertaining and motivating WiRE members, Claire Martinsen and Emma Heathcote- James followed by two expert seminars led by Regional Marketing Manager for Tesco Caroline Bartrop and Brand consultant Caroline Law. With a focus on Brand Management and guidance on suitable routes to market for varying business types and business sizes, there will be ample expertise at hand to make this a valuable day for all.

WiRE has listened intently to our member’s requests and we are now hoping to bring WiRE conferences closer to you! With the desire for regional conferences nationwide, we are currently in talks with sponsors to bring WiRE conferences to Somerset, Yorkshire and the East of England, so keep those diaries close to hand and watch this space…!

Starting off show season; in the fabulously countryfied “Farrow and Ball” style WiRE marquees, WiRE will be hitting the Devon County Show on 19th-21st May as the first of MANY shows to come through the Summer, later expect to see WiRE Marquees and fabulous WiRE member businesses at the Royal Welsh Show, the Three Counties, Great Yorkshire the Cotswold and view many more shows on our events page.

The year is only just beginning, WiRE want the whole year to be brilliant for you and your business by filling your calendar with opportunities to sell, promote and learn new skills.

The Events Team.

The Seven Deadly Sins of Social Media

by Elaine Clark of CheapAccounting.co.uk

There seems to be a lot of noise about social media just now but let’s not forget that it is just a tool to help you market your business.

It is your window to the world – a much bigger world than was available before. But caution. With increasing use of social media comes the increased risk of committing one of the seven deadly social media sins.

Wrath

Too often I see posts on Twitter, blogs or forums that are antagonistic, overly opinionated, inaccurate and just plain rude! Many of these are from business owners who are using social media to attract new clients or customers and who seem to have forgotten that professional ethics still apply in the social media world. What these posters seem to forget is that most people will view such social media content with the contempt that it deserves!

Gluttony

Social media can be over-consumed. Whilst it is easy to get carried away and get drawn into a social media conversation or debate — don’t over indulge in it. You still have a job to do! Manage your time using the age-old time management techniques.

Pride

Having a high opinion of one’s own importance via your social media streams is not recommended. However having pride in your social media content, behaviour and professionalism should be actively encouraged. Pride can be a double-edged sword — make sure that you pick the right side of that sword!

Greed

Over-promoting yourself or your services on social media can be very off-putting. In fact it could have the opposite effect of leading to a loss of interest rather than the desired effect of generating marketing interest. Keep your social media content relevant, topical, interesting, helpful and not self-promoting.

Sloth

Being lazy with your social media content just will not do. New ideas are required all of the time. Keep up to date with the latest news items, forthcoming events or deadlines and write content that incorporates these. Never copy anyone else’s content unless as a reference and with their agreement.

Envy

Professional envy is often evident via social media. Expressing your envy of others via your social media stream is something to be avoided. Why not learn from what is making them successful and apply it to your business — a much better and more fulfilling use of your time.

Lust

Needless to say, as in any workplace conversations, your social media behaviour should be above reproach. However to show a healthy lust or hunger for your subject matter, by demonstrating your enthusiasm, is to be encouraged. Being positive and motivated will draw people to your content and help to get your marketing messages across via your social media content.

Hopefully you will manage to avoid these sins but if not, you will need to visit the Social Media Confessional!

Elaine Clark is the managing director of CheapAccounting.co.uk, an online accountancy practice aimed at small businesses with big ambitions.

By WiRE member Julie Penfold – Happy Talking Health

January Detoxing – is giving up doing us any good?

If January is THE month of detox for you and it all started out with high hopes and big restrictions which are now becoming a real struggle to keep up – new research reveals failing your detox resolutions might just do you more good than you think.

The reasoning behind these claims is all down to the food and drink we tend to cut out which can in fact be just what our bodies need. Research from Nescafe reveals how tea, coffee, red wine and chocolate all featured highly on the list of most popular items to give up. Yet, when these food and drink items are consumed in moderation, they all are excellent sources of antioxidants which are fab for protecting the body’s cells from day-to-day damage. Coffee and dark chocolate are two of the highest antioxidant-rich sources.

Healthy eating is all about balance – if you fancy a cuppa or a bite of chocolate, just do it! You’ll feel all the better for being a little kinder to yourself. What do you think? I’d love to hear your comments on this…

In response to Lord Sugar’s contentious view on networking groups, Fiona Davies at WiRE has her say on just how beneficial networking can be.  WiRE has the proof…

View Lord Sugar’s article at The Telegraph Online

Dear Lord Sugar,

When you tire of looking menacingly out of your office window at buildings of dubious shape and name and bored with writing articles about how businesses should shut up and shape up, perhaps you could find time to visit one of the many WiRE (Women in Rural Enterprise) Networks. We would like to show you that contrary to your belief that; “these events are money-making exercises and benefit one party and one party only: the organiser and that they “have become an escape for people to justify sitting around wasting a day bullshitting with each other while they should be working, where you “will learn nothing, other than that there are another load of people in the same boat as you”. We would like you to see how valuable networking can be and what a powerful business support mechanism it really is.

Now that you work within a large organisation there is always somebody around; to provide practical support, to solve a problem, to consult with, to explore ideas or provide an expert answer.  But you must remember what it was like to be the chief cook and bottle washer at the helm (sink) of your own business where it was not so easy to find the support you needed.

To survive, all businesses need to continue to collaborate, learn, refresh skills, solve problems, mull over ideas and do business with trusted colleagues – networking is a great way to find this support. Just as you would choose which colleagues would be most helpful in a given situation, you must carefully choose your network. Nothing is quite so disheartening, time wasting and likely to put you off for life as finding yourself networking in a group which has no interest in what you are selling and no use for your skills (they may in fact just be there to make money for the organisers). But not all networks are the same, the reason that WiRE networks are successful is that the constituent parts of the network are likeminded; they are largely rural, run small but very professional businesses, care about their area and locality, have strong ethics, are looking to succeed and want to see other businesses succeed.  It doesn’t really matter what the businesses within the network are (professional, craft, artisan, food etc.), it just matters that the underlying principles of the members are as matched as possible – likeminded.

Scratch the surface of any of the 60 WiRE networks and you will find a rich and varied tapestry of businesses – a personal business board; they haven’t just read about it they have done it, there isn’t a single business problem they haven’t experienced and lived to tell the tale. WiRE networks are not franchised, they are run by WiRE member volunteers who believe that the right sort of networking provides fantastic business support and opportunities – all we ask is that attendees join WiRE (just £50 per year) and contribute generously and enthusiastically to their network.

Support from networking doesn’t let distance and geography get in the way, when you are part of a national likeminded network (like WiRE) networking becomes much greater than what you can achieve, learn, sell and share face to face. The WiRE network comprises thousands of members running rural businesses, so it is a mine of information and experience, if you can’t make it to a meeting, you can still tap into the expertise.

So Lord Sugar, networking works, done well it becomes your team and your business support network, we would love you to come and experience this at first hand – but you can’t because you are a man, please extend our invitation to Lady Sugar.


Yours sincerely,

Fiona Davies

By WiRE member Julie Penfold – Happy Talking Health

Breast Cancer Care 5-Mile Challenge – Newcastle

Breast Cancer Care is looking for media volunteers taking part in the Newcastle event to share their stories and become case studies for the local and national press. If you can help please contact Sheryl at Breast Cancer Care at Sheryl.Plant@breastcancercare.org.uk – Sheryl would also like to hear from anyone who has had an experience with breast cancer or have found one of the Breast Cancer Care services helpful.

The 5-Mile Challenge event takes place at Newcastle Exhibition Park on Sunday 20th March 2011 and participants are encouraged to walk, run or jog five miles to raise vital funds for the health charity.

The route starts and finishes in Exhibition Park and the charity are aiming to raise £100,000 to help support the 46,000 people in the UK who are diagnosed with breast cancer every year.

The challenge is open to all ages and abilities and the route is pram, buggy and wheelchair-friendly – great fun for family, friends and neighbours too.

If you are still to sign up – visit www.breastcancercare.org.uk/5mile and quote Newcastle6 when you register to be entered into a free prize draw.

Making even a small donation can make a big difference to someone who has received the devastating news that they have breast cancer.

* £2 pays for a headscarf set, helping to boost the confidence of someone who has lost their hair as a result of cancer treatment

* £10 pays to provide a comprehensive easy-to-understand information pack for someone newly diagnosed with breast cancer.

* £23 pays for a call to the BCC helpline for information on any aspect of diagnosis and treatment as well as confidential and sensitive support. Conversations can often last more than an hour as the caller is given as much time as they need to talk.

For more information on Breast Cancer Care please visit www.breastcancercare.org.uk