The UKs Affordable Mentors

Nail your USP in 2012!

Kerrie Dorman — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 10:20:25 +0000

Despite having mentored quite a few businesses to date, I am still amazed at how business owners overcomplicate all sorts of things.

The message - I have recently been concentrating on USPs* and making sure that the right message, which is all about what the business delivers and why it’s special, is being received by the right people at the right time. But nailing the message seems to be a tricky exercise as business owners overcomplicate it.

Mixed messages and complicated sounding USPs is what I have found in most circumstances and the relief of the business owner when we have worked through simplifying their message and nailing what really is unique about their business, is tangible. As a result marketing strategies have gone full steam ahead as it is so much easier to market a business with a simple message and a clear USP.

Make a mission to revisit this in 2012!

*USP – unique selling point, point of difference to set apart from competitors, defining competitive advantage.

Credit Easing

Kerrie Dorman — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 09:41:37 +0000

Recently we have helped three businesses achieve loans from one the high street banks utilising the Enterprise Guarantee Scheme. Not massive loans, in fact all under the £50,000 mark but what this means is that the businesses concerned can make the investment to reach the next stage, the next steps to bigger goals.

This is an important point on the loan from banks issue. These businesses have been trading for a minimum of a year and have accounts that show potential, not all showed a profit (no losses though), but could prove that they were able to service the loan. Very limited risk, which is reduced even further by the guarantee provided by the government.

This is what the banks are all about! LIMITED RISK. But my point is it is possible with a show of potential and an exceptional business plan, by us of course, a business can relatively easily access this sort of finance. These amounts cannot be sniffed at either, by any business in the SME sectors. This could be a salary for a salesperson who could double sales or an accounts person who could free up an owner to drive the business forward.

My message to the banks is, get organised with this scheme. Many managers do not know the ins and outs and certainly don’t offer it to their clients. Some training is desperately in need here to be able to deliver this service efficiently.

It’s not rocket science is it? Never the twain must meet and help George Osborne out with his Credit Easing plans and we shall all enjoy a healthier economy and brighter days.

What is a Mentor Why a Mentor?

Kerrie Dorman — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 09:40:09 +0000

I am constantly asked about what exactly a business mentor is and does. I now, when introducing myself almost automatically explain how I’ve come to call myself a business mentor.

‘the experience of having started, bought, sold a number businesses one I had to close down’

Mmmmmmmmm so the next question is predominantly one of these;

‘So how can you help me?’ or ‘Do you charge?’ and sometimes both.

Well Mentors all work in different ways but the common thread should be that utilising experience in the business world they can guide, advise and challenge a business owner in their actions and plans for the business.

This differs from a ‘Coach’ who should be all about personal development whether in business or privately. In fact I have a client who is a coach. The busiest coach in the UK!

And yes we do charge. I pay my mentor and I charge my clients J But everyone involved increases the chances of survival and then success by 50%!