Emails lists are a crucial component of any marketing campaign and customer relationship strategy these days.

In fact, a recent survey of internet marketers carried out by Webtrends found that email is the most popular marketing technique used by companies. But with so many rules and guidelines prohibiting the sending of unsolicited emails, how can you fairly – and effectively – build up a list of contacts?

Use every opportunity
Online is not the only place you can gather email addresses from potential customers and clients. Use trade shows, seminars, business meetings and any other face-to-face opportunity to get people signed up to your mailing list.
And if your company sells goods and services online, you can ask your customers if they wish to sign up for further communications during the check-out process, or via the follow-up invoice email. Consider adding subscription information to all transactional and business emails that you send. You should also consider adding ‘Subscribe to our newsletter’ links to all your employee email signatures.
Your company’s direct (print) mail content, brochures, catalogues and posters should also include information on how customers can subscribe to your email list.
And get your sales and call centre staff to ask for email addresses when they are talking to customers.

Get permission
Research from IMT Strategies found that 76 percent of consumers will delete an unsolicited email without reading it, compared with 2 percent for a permission-based email. Similarly, only 5 percent of consumers described themselves as eager or curious to read an unsolicited email, compared with 61 percent with permission email.
Getting permission before sending someone an email is not just polite, it’s in your legal interest to do so. (See the Data Protection Commissioner’s website for more information on the legal issues involved.) Sending unsolicited emails can also cause problems with your internet service provider and could even lead to the cancellation of your internet service, if your company is believed to be spamming other internet users.
It takes time to build a permission-based email list, but it’s worth it. By getting the client or potential customer’s permission, you can avoid legal liability and build trust, and you will certainly have a higher response rate than you could expect from sending emails to people who aren’t expecting to hear from your company.

Simplify the process
Put a ’subscribe’ box on each page of your website, so that visitors can easily join your email list.

Say hello, wave goodbye
Make it as easy to unsubscribe from your email list as it is to sign up. Otherwise you run the risk of gaining a bad reputation or, worse still, being labelled a spammer. Make sure to include an opt-out option on all your marketing and newsletter emails. And keep the unsubscribe process simple.

Gather useful information
Without turning the sign-up procedure into a laborious task, try to gather useful information during the process, in addition to just an email address. Useful information includes name, the format of email preference (plain text or HTML, which can carry text, pictures, and all the visual bells and whistles of a media-rich marketing campaign) and information preferences.
By gathering this extra information at the sign-up stage, you can customise your marketing emails and newsletters for each individual.

Make their day
While news about your company might fascinate some people – especially your competitors – chances are that most customers won’t be all that interested in the latest goings on at HQ. So, as an incentive, consider making special offers, discounts and reward schemes available to those who sign up to your email list.

State your privacy policy
Make sure links to your privacy and email policies are displayed not just on your company website, but also at the foot of every email you send. This builds trust and shows your clients that you care about their privacy concerns. Make sure your contacts know that you will not send anyone’s email address or contact information to a third party without their permission.

Go viral
Encourage existing subscribers to forward your newsletter or marketing email to friends and colleagues. A ‘forward to a friend’ link in your email could enable this functionality quickly and easily. If you do decide to go this route, make sure to include a subscribe link in all your marketing emails.

Search engine optimisation
One way to increase readership of your emails is to optimise current and archived newsletters on your company site for search engine placement. This can quickly increase traffic and, consequently, the number of subscriptions. If your company has invested in search services like Google AdWords, consider including email subscription information on the first page that web visitors see when they visit your site.

Source: Enterprise Ireland’s e-Business Live

Renowned film producer and entrepreneur Lord David Puttnam will deliver the keynote address at a conference called “Reinventing Oneself in these Challenging Times” in Kinsale on Friday the 20th February 2009. Aimed primarily at small business owners, entrepreneurs and those with a budding business idea, this half-day conference will explore the topic of reinvention, and how smaller, more nimble enterprises are uniquely poised to turn today’s challenges into tomorrow’s opportunities.

The conference, which takes place at the Kinsale Yacht Club between 10am and 2pm, is being hosted by Cork based Small Office Home Office networking group SOHO Solo, and is open to members and non-members alike. Lord Puttnam will be joined by a diverse array of speakers covering topics like transitioning one business into another, the importance of making and retaining connections and identifying your businesses strengths. It will also feature a selection of real case studies looking at how thinking outside the box has helped real small businesses to thrive and grow.

It may seem counter-intuitive to consider starting or growing your business when times are tough, but Eileen Moloney of the Cork Business Innovation Centre (Cork BIC) maintains that there’s no better time. “The best time to start or try to grow a business is in a recession as all the rules and existing relationships are being challenged and open to change,” said Eileen. “By thinking differently and harnessing possible opportunities you can get up a head-start when everybody else is defocused and looking the other way. This is the time for reinvention!”

John Prendergast, CEO of Aonach Consulting and one of the speakers at the event, agrees. “We are in the midst of a period of rapid global change. This change effects us all. Fear of change is the overriding emotion currently expressed in the media, however change can be a force for good – can we turn this change to our advantage – Yes We Can!

“The current economic turmoil is forcing a re-evaluation of everything from fundamental commercial principles to lifestyle choices. Companies all over the world are re-evaluating their supply chains, their routes to market and their suppliers. There is a huge opportunity for us to re-invent ourselves in this climate, whether by choice or through necessity,” he said. “Technology has brought a global marketplace to our doorstep and the opportunities for trading remotely from rural communities has never been better.”

It looks set to be an inspiring and information-packed event — one that small business owners and solo entrepreneurs are looking forward to. “We’re all very excited about the conference,” said freelance writer Calvin Jones, a SOHO Solo member and co-ordinator of the group’s West Cork chapter. “It will be great to hear what Lord Puttnam has to say, and I’m particularly looking forward to the case studies: hearing how real Irish micro enterprises are innovating, diversifying and thriving despite the hardships we all face.”

Registration for the conference is €20 for SOHO Solo members and €45 for non-members. For more details, and to register contact SOHO Solo on 021 230 7016 or e-mail jberton@corkbic.com.

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• SOHO Solo Small Business Conference (sohosolowestcork.com)

“Reinventing oneself in challenging times…”

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When: Friday 20th February from 10am – 2pm

Where: Kinsale Yacht Club, Kinsale, Co.Cork, Ireland

Keynote address from David Puttnam, Lord Puttnam of Queensgate-renowned film producer of The Mission, Chariots of Fire, Midnight Express etc

Who should attend?

• Entrepreneurs, potential entrepreneurs – possibly with prior international experience
• Those looking at and exploiting new opportunities
• Those thinking of developing a home based business through choice, lifestyle change or necessity
• Anybody reconsidering their career path or getting involved in a spin-off idea

Format: a series of Entrepreneur Case Studies & Workshops

Contact Jennifer Berton  email: jberton@corkbic.com Tel: 021 230 7016

Cost: €20 for members €45 for non-members

Ticket includes light lunch

Agenda:

09.30     Registration

10.00     Welcome

10.10     Keynote Address

                Reinventing Myself:  My Journey and My Challenges

David Puttnam

10. 40    Transitioning one business to another – some lessons

Shemas Eivers, Client Solutions www.clients.ie

11.00     Connections – New and Old 

Alana will lead a reflective/interactive session aimed at identifying current and future connections for personal and professional growth.  A master herself at life reinvention she has learned the power in putting our personal learning environments to work as we surf the currents of change.  Outcomes from this session include renewed energy and a clear plan for next steps/milestones to mark our progress.

Dr E Alana James www.reinventinglife.org

11.30     Coffee

11.50     Evaluating Your Own Personal Skills

Reflecting on your own strengths and skills and how to use your leadership skills for success in your business

Bob McCarthy, Leadership Management Ireland. www.lmi.ie

12.20     Relocating to Glengarriff – using personal networks in the IT world

John Prendergast, Aonach  www.aonach.com

12.40     Bringing Irish soil to the USA – A case study

Pat Burke, The Auld Sod www.officialirishdirt.com

13.00     Building a brand online with the best ice cream in the world

                Kieran Murphy, Murphy’s Ice Cream www.murphysicecream.ie

and http://icecreamireland.

Being your own boss. You make all the key decisions. You chose who you sell to, who you buy from, who you work with.

Including how much you work and how much you spend on promotion, production, and overhead.

Opportunity for greater financial success. Entrepreneurs have been shown to amass even personal fortunes through the development of their companies. Certainly this is not all as many entrepreneurs stay small and remain just independent business people. Nevertheless, employees rarely get rich unless they have stock options, golden parachutes, or lucrative bonus programs. This is usually restricted to the highest levels of major corporations and may be restricted to certain industry groups such as banks or financial services companies. When you work for someone else, you are contributing to their financial future all of the time and to your own financial future to the extent that they decide.

Opportunity to build equity.  When you own your own business, you also own the means of production, which can develop into substantial value. This equity represents assets that can be sold to someone else or passed on to your heirs. You also have the opportunity to bring other family members into your firm and prepare for transition between generations. This is much more rewarding than receiving a gold watch at retirement from employment.

Entrepreneurship creates the opportunity for philanthropy. If you are financially successful you may choose to give away some of your wealth in the manner that you decide to help your community or favourite institutions. Employees cannot give away the firm’s money or assets. They belong to the owners of the firm, not to the employees. Other contributions that entrepreneurs make result from their creating value. New, innovative ideas have been known to change society. Take for example the personal computer or telephone. To have the opportunity to change peoples’ lives through your work is personally rewarding and motivation for some entrepreneurs.

The opportunity to have control over your life and job. It is not just the ability to say what hours you will work but it also involves every step in the operation of a business. This might include environmental sensitivity, social responsibility, and benefiting your own community in certain ways. When you are the boss, all decisions from design concept to job creation, sales, business operations, and customer relationship management ultimately circle back to the boss and his or her philosophy and motivations.

Ego satisfaction. Business entrepreneurs have great opportunities to be visible in their community. Membership in chambers of commerce, business awards, community boards, and other corporate boards of directors serve the personal esteem and satisfaction motivations of some entrepreneurs. 
Source: Jack.Pinkowski@dublincity.ie
http://www.dceb.ie/news/reasons-and-advantages-for-becoming-an-entrepreneur

Natacha Nowack from Transnational Interconnection Ltd. have kindly invited SOHO Solo members to the opening of her photographic exhibition about Sri Lanka on Thursday 11th of December 2008 at 6.30pm at the Alliance Francaise in Cork, 36 Mary street.

It is a charity event to support a project in South of Sri Lanka – The Tangalle Children Relay. It will be also the launch of her book “The adventure of Maxime in Sri Lanka”.

The Ambassador of Sri Lanka from UK will be here also and lots of other people!
The Alliance Francaise offers drink and light buffet.

We wish her plenty of success.

 Jennifer Berton

Due to popular demand, it@cork will be running a LinkedIn event with Damien Mulley in Webworks on December 10, 11am – 1pm

Damien Mulley will give a hands-on workshop about LinkedIn, the most popular business social network in the world, with a large following in Ireland. He will cover the basic of setting up a profile and tips and techniques on how to make your profile truly engaging and then he’ll move on to how to increase connections and gain business from using LinkedIn Groups, LinkedIn Answers and their new ad system. This workshop is open to people of all tech abilities but a grounding in the web would be an advantage.  Register early to ensure your place.  Please register online  

This event is free to it@cork members and just €20pp for non members.

If you have any queries, please email admin@itcork.ie  or call 021 2307011

Course:      Business Strategy & Planning

Duration:    1 day

Date:           Tuesday November 18th 2008

Starts:         9.30a.m – 5.00p.m

Venue:        The Malton Hotel, Killarney

Cost:           €120 

Trading In Tough Times

As part of our programme, ”Trading in Tough Times” is designed to help companies to face the challenges of the current economic climate. Therefore, we are presenting a one day training course on Business Strategy & Planning.

A business without a plan is like a car without a steering wheel

Strategy is the starting point for business planning – if you don’t know where you want to go, there is little purpose planning how to get there.

Every business is regularly faced with having to make choices between different potential courses of action.

In good times, you want to grow your business but in bad times, all you want to do is stay in business.

Strategy involves your business having to make hard choices deciding what it will do but also what it will not do:

• what products and services you will provide;
• what type of customer you will target and;
• how you will position your offering in the market.

It requires trade-offs – choosing to compete in one way and not in another.

It is about focusing on your options and deciding what your business will do, and planning how it will do it by:

• setting clear objectives for the future,
• ensuring better planning,
• effective management of performance and resources,
• reducing uncertainty and risk;

in order to maintain competitiveness going forward.

• In the current economic climate, with its mounting uncertainty, every business needs to: maintain competitiveness and responsiveness, which requires a full understanding of the markets and industry sector in which it operates, the trends in demand and supply, its competitors and their strengths and weaknesses;
• be aware of what is going on in the external environment, and assess the possible impact of events and forces outside its control, e.g. interest rates, energy costs, technology, regulations, market conditions, – in order to avoid the impact of ‘’sudden shocks’’ and prepare appropriate responses. 

Seeking a defendable competitive advantage must be the aim of every business.

Strategy helps you achieve this goal, helping you to stay in business in hard times, but also to position your business for the upturn when it comes …..and it will come.

This one-day seminar is aimed at SME owner / managers, and explains in practical terms:

• The importance of having a business strategy;
• How to develop a strategy, taking into account the external and internal environments; 
• How to develop a business plan based on that strategy.

PRESENTER

Brian O’Kane is an award-winning, best-selling and standard-setting small business writer, editor, publisher and trainer. As the founder and managing director of Oak Tree Press (www.oaktreepress.com), Ireland’s leading business book publisher, Brian has written (and co-written) over a dozen books, and edited two of the world’s largest circulation accounting magazines. He writes and speaks regularly on small business planning and strategy.

Each participant will receive a free copy of Growing Your Own Business: A Workbook(Ron Immink & Brian O’Kane). 

For further information on this course,please contact Joe Barry at 066 – 9762477/ 087-2426941 or email skillnet@skdp.net

Bookings:

To book a place on this programme or for more information please contact Anne Fleming at 066 9762477 or email skillnet@skdp.net

www.kerryskillnet.ie

South Kerry Skillnet is an industry led training initiative promoted by the South Kerry Development Partnership Limited.

The Skillnet Training Project is funded by the National Training Fund through the Dept. of Enterprise, Trade & Employment and by member companies.  

Kerry County Enterprise Board Ltd.

Present

Alternative Ways of Raising Finance

‘Beat the Credit Crunch’

In

The Meadowlands Hotel, on Monday, 3^rd November 2008 from

4.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m.

Cillian Byrnes of the Revenue Commissioners will outline the workings of:

·                     The Business Expansion Scheme and how this tax incentive can help you raise capital for your business.

·                     The Seed Capital Scheme and explain how the Revenue Commissioners can offer a refund of your PAYE taxes to invest in new qualifying enterprises.

Peter Bennett of the Business Angel Partnership will outline the services he offers to:

·                     Business Promoters seeking funding.

·                     Private Investors seeking quality investments.

·                     Professional Advisors dealing with high net worth individuals.

Places must be pre-booked with Kerry County Enterprise Board.

Contact: Josephine Griffin, Deirdre Moynihan, Kerry CEB at 066/7183522 or

E Mail: kerryceb@kerrycoco.ie with your name, address, email address and telephone number to reserve your place.

A fee of €20 per delegate must be paid in advance to guarantee your place.

INVESTING IN  YOUR  FUTURE

County and City Enterprise Boards are funded by the Irish Government and part-funded by the European Union

under the National Development Plan 2007-2013

Just a quick reminder that IT@Cork is offering a special discount to SOHO Solo Members who register for their Technology In Business Conference on the 26 November this year. The conference this year focuses on Green IT, and how technology, when  applied effectively, can help your business make more money without costing the earth. You’ll find full details of the event schedule on the IT@Cork website.

The discounted rate is only available until this Friday, 31 October. To book your place call Catherine Wall at IT@Cork on 021 2307011, and don’t forget to mention you’re a SOHO Solo member to avail of that discount.