Just to tell you about a great way to record conversations and anything else

I've been recording conversations on Skype using prettymay (available under extras freeware on the Skypwe site for a year now and it's always come up trumps. Simple and reliable. If you want to record Skype interviews or for any other reason then mp3freedownloader is the answer.

Boy how technology has moved on! I remember when music came on thick vinyl records, played on a turntable. The arm was gently placed on the record and a metal needle ran along the groove picking up the vibrations (I guess) and transposing them into music that came out rather crackly.The first one we had was wound by hand and you needed to listen out for the music slowing down.

I remember my first sound recorder back around 1958. It was like a Walkman in size but a dinosaur in technology by today's standards. A school friend made this and fitted it into one of his father's tobacco tins! I could record about 8 minutes of sound and play back. It worked on a very basic reel-to-reel player and you needed headphones to hear. I used a pair of ex RAF headphone, probably second world war surplus.

So what a contrast between then, when crystal sets were common, and now when we can record using a variety of devices and play back to such high quality that you'd think the musicians were in the same room. Anyone under fortyish wouldn't understand. 
 

Now I have an on-line radio show which you'd probably call a podcast but I like the sound "radio show". It rings of entertainment. And of course my show is made up of some music but lots of interviews a, handy hints and tips, and live news items. I use Skype for phone interviews because it's clear and I can record easily. I use mp3 free downloader because it has so many benefits.

When I call using Skype my mp3freedownloader automatically switches on and records as an mp3 which I can then use directly or edit. All files are stored together in a dedicated folder so they are easy to find. I used the free version but it's limited to 15 minutes of conversation and it is awkward telling an interviewee that we'll pause after 15 minutes whilst I re-set the recorder. It's a good way to trial the software and you can do that for as long as you like: but the pro version is really low-cost so it's a natural progression.

And here are some uses. Interviews are a natural. But what about those difficult conversations where you need a recording, just remember that you need to tell the other party and you need to get agreement. Record a sales conversation and listen back. Did you talk too much? Did you close enough? You'll learn to exchange words, vary the pitch and pace of your voice and speak with clarity. And you can pick up testimonials from satisfied customers. Give it a try and surprise yourself. Go to http://www.mp3freedownloader.com

Cinchast Adds an Extra Dimension

Communications are moving at such a fast rate "I don't believe it". I remember when we had the only telephone in the road!

You have Facebook, Twitter and other social sites that give you the freedom to express yourself on one level but promote yourself and business on another. none of this was possible and practical just a couple of years ago. Just for a bit of fun I formed a Facebook Group "Boycott X Factor" last Sunday and within a week there are nealy 1000 memebers. Not as big as some groups by a long way: I didn't have a logo: and it was devised in minutes so there are several things I didn't do that would increase membership. But how could you have done that just 36 months ago?

I've now discovered www.cinchcast.com and can phone in from anywhere in the world, leave a message and that will be on the website within a few seconds. Connect to Twitter, e-mail & Facebook and you can send out audio group messages instantly. Uses are limitless. It's currently being used to give out tips and messages in general. How about uswer groups where you send out information about product specification or price changes, setting up meetings for sales or other teams, telling your group of customers about a special saver deal just for them? The ideas are limitless. I used it to do short promos for people I met at the exhibition over the weekend but you could even do interviews or get testimonials.

Try it out and please follow me. You can do that at http://www.cinchcast.com/Mike-Leahy And please write your comments at the end of this blog.

Show Girls Literally

Just saw these girls dancing at the New Start Show at Cardiff today.




They were excellent but deserved a bigger crowd.
Watch for more details about the Show. By the way can you spot the deliberate mistake in the video?
And go to http://www.cinchcast.com/Mike-Leahy and see what's happening around me, on the spot one-minute interviews with exhibitors at the New Start exhibition in Cardiff

Local Business Card New Press Release

"Carrie" Your Card

Carrie, the Local Business Card says "Yes" to the idea of giving shoppers savings and sellers marketing support.

The Local Business Card has just arrived and will save shoppers money through freebies and discounts. The card has been named "Carrie" and is designed to get consumers buying from local business, whether out shopping or through the internet.

The brainchild of Mike Leahy, a Swansea marketer who believes in supporting local businesses, the card is designed as a key-fob and is easy to carry and always available. Mike said, "Consumers just look for the symbol in shop windows or on websites. When they present their card they will get a saving or other benefit. There is no paperwork, nothing for the retailer to complete or record. And this is ideal for businesses to promoting themselves. It is hassle free. "

Shoppers save when they Carrie their card.

What about the retailer. Carrie brings in new customers and gets them coming back over again. Shoppers become loyal customers through the newsletter that is sent out fortnightly. This is a great way for them to find genuine bargains and start buying from new retailers. And it’s a really low-cost way to find new customers at just a couple of pounds a week. There is nothing else of value for so little. The marketing budget goes to the customer as a Thank you. And provided the retailer looks after that customer they will be able to build up a solid customer relationship.

Carrie can be used in a wide range of shops, hairdressers, health clubs, restaurants, entertainments and much more. Simple to use, Carrie is available for just ten pounds a year, less than a couple might save on a meal for at their favourite restaurant.

There is a website where all offers are shown. It sounds great, a loyalty card that is accepted by favourite retailers and entitles shoppers to freebies or discount simply for shopping with them. And it is planned to use Twitter, texting and the new exciting Cinch, which allows telephone messages to be up on the website immediately.

Mike Leahy said "I was involved in a similar scheme called The Gainers Club back in the sixties in London but the cost of regularly printing updated directories and sending our information by post was prohibitive and the club only lasted for 18 months or so. The Internet and automated e-mail newsletters brings the cost down to peanuts and we are just charging something to cover our overheads. We are giving a top-line service to both cardholders and sellers. Just ten pounds a year for the card and two pounds per week to advertise as a merchant is not going to break any bank. Most people will save that on a single purchase and many merchants will recoup the annual cost in less than a week. In addition there is no commitment. I just want a card that is easy to get, simple to use and guarantees the user something extra. Something that helps everyone through the current economic climate and beyond."

Mike went on to say "And it is not just shops. I am looking for entertainment such as clubs bowling, racing and theatres, restaurants, hotels and health clubs, internet businesses and business-to-business.

In fact the scheme was originally created to work between businesses but the demand has opened the floodgates. So there will be web designers, sign makers, graphics designers, stationers, plumbers and electricians and many others. I have designed the scheme to be simple without any need for unnecessary paperwork apart from registering. A scheme that will be good for both shoppers and sellers."

When you Carrie your card you can be sure of a great deal.

There are already sellers signing up in Swansea but this will become much bigger and nationwide through franchising. In fact the first new area has been signed up just today so Carrie can be used in Lincoln too. The Local Business Card is the only card you need.

kind regards

The Local Business Card has been ticking over slowly and now the time has come to crack it.

Sign up today. You have just about 3 months to try for free. Think of the savings you can make before the end of the year.

Nandos in Wind Street are offering a free bottomless soft drink with every cover you order (worth £1.95 each).

Taybarns are offering a free cover and bottle of wine when you book a party of 10 or more. And they've got a special student deal now at £4.99 without a card.

Zaal Indian Restaurant in Sketty are offering a 10% discount plus free coffee.

If you have a business you'll get a bucket-load of free e-mails you can send for free if you sign up to an account. And there's no monthly subscription, just down-to-earth value-for-money and a great product.

Beach Software, Star in a Jar, Atech Graphics, Valley Accountants, Best of Swansea and many other suppliers are offering discounts or special packages.

Getting a card is free. Sign up on the website now.

And to become a merchant and get some great publicity do the same, it's free for the rest of the year.

Why Social Media?

The Marketing Mix Roadshow at the LC on Oystermouth Road last Tuesday was a well organised event that was really focussed for the tourist industry with good speakers in the seminars and a wide range of exhibitors. The LC is huge and the 40 or so stands weren't lost but were certainly not crammed in. It is well suited for the Swansea Business Show on Friday 12th March and I hope to see you there.

Meanwhile back to basics and on to new media - social media. New for some but old hat for others.

I believe it's so important that we must learn. I've found this audio book that'll give you some ideas that you can listen to in the car, whilst waiting, out and about or wherever.

Don't forget your future is in your hands.
If there is anything I can do to help your promoter your business then call me.

Hope you enjoy this short video. Your comments will be appreciated.

Marketing Mix Roadshow

Watch out for the Marketing Mix Roadshow at The LC, Oystermouth Road, Swansea, SA1 3ST, on Tuesday 29th September 2009 and starting at 10.30am until 3.30pm.

I'll be there answering your questions and giving you tips on how to use no-cost and low-cost marketing ideas that work. Talking about simple ideas that will work in your business and bring in more customers, paying guests or visitors. So come and visit my stand.

Do you spend hundreds if not thousands of pounds on marketing your business? Do you need to be more effective? Come along and join us at the Marketing Mix Roadshow. This ‘Roadshow' will take a closer look at the marketing opportunities that are available to businesses, with a focus on the Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality Industry.

There will be presentations, breakout sessions, and exhibitors from both the public and private sector that offer business support / advice and marketing services. Jonathan Jones, Director of Tourism and Marketing and Roger Pride, Director of Marketing both from Visit Wales will give an overview of tourism marketing from an international perspective.

Other presentations include - the City and County of Swansea tourism marketing team, use of multi-media with South Wales Evening Post and Swansea Bay Business Life, meet our Google Guru from IT Wales and some of the regions most successful businesses - giving you some top tips -‘how did they do it?'

Reasons to join us!!
· Collect ‘Top Tips' for marketing your business
· FREE Breakout sessions with experts at Marketing Wales
· Exhibitors include organisations and businesses from both the public and private sectors that provide business support and services to marketing your business.
· The largest ‘Networking Event' organised for the Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality industry
· Presentations packed with information from some of the regions most successful businesses.
· Admission is ONLY £5 per person and includes lunch, tea and coffee - providing you with an excellent networking opportunity.
· Parking is free if you arrive and register by 10.45am
· FREE - Stay after and enjoy the Water Park and Climbing Wall at The LC - let us know when you book.

BOOKING IS ADVISED FOR THIS ROADSHOW

To book please click here

Think about advert Essentials

Time has just flown since I last wrote.

I will be writing twice a week for the next 3 months starting today.

Expect each posting to contain local information, at least one resource, and at least one handy hint about sales or marketing. If you want me to add anything then send me an e-mail.
Your comments are really appreciated so do write something. If you disagree or want to be constructively critical then I want to hear. It might make the blog more interesting. The more interesting it is, the more people will read it and tell others.

Why don’t you tell others. This is already a great resource but it’s getting better.
So what’s happening?

Rachael Flanagan was proposed for the Young Achiever in the Wave & Swansea Sound Local Heroes and she won the Adult Achiever category. This took place at the Dragon hotel in Swansea. The dinner was excellent and the event star studded. There were heart-break tales and others of hard work within the community. All were inspirational.

If you don’t already know, the Swansea Business Show hits town next week on Friday 15th May. Go look at the website. Come along as a visitor, register on the site for free admission. Register at the Show and it’ll cost a fiver. There will be plenty to see, old friends to meet again, new friends to make. The tagline is “Make business for your business” – so come along and be part. You may win a substantial prize. All attendees, whether visitor or exhibitor will have a chance to win. Prizes to date include a meal for 4 at Zaal’s, either £350 worth of financial software or up to £1000 of accountancy fees, a year’s membership at the Village Hotel Health Club, £500 worth of marketing consultancy, website optimisation, 2 pull-up banners plus a 4ft x 6ft banner and much, much more.

The Local Business Forum is growing and constantly evolving. Click here to go to the website. Now is the chance to join. £250 per annum gives you up to 25 free meetings, a chance to write in the e-magazine and have a free advert, a free profile page on the website, discounts as an exhibitor at the Swansea Business Show and Annual Conference and other events, help and encouragement from other members. We are looking at introducing a premium membership that will give you an ongoing sales and marketing programme. At an around an extra £4.95 a week you’ll get 52 learning modules a year covering everything from business planning, controlling sales meetings, writing quotations, sales closes, Powerpoint presentations, business letters, press releases, management systems, e-mail marketing, relationship selling, newsletters and much, much more. This will be launched at the Swansea Business Show. You are guaranteed a rapid increase in sales, profit and cash-flow.

Join the Local Business Forum and gain much more.

Think about adverts.

Adverts come in a variety of guises. In magazines, on the radio and television, in newspapers, on the internet, bill-boards and many other places.

What adverts stand out? What is essential in a good advert?

Essentially an advert needs to make people think, the need to want, the need to take action. And a way to take action. Either ask a question or make a statement such as “Spending too much money on food?” and follow this up with a satisfactory answer “Then save money on the Aldi food range.” And a call to action “Visit your local store today, compare prices and you’ll fill your shopping trolley”.

If you can add extras such as a guarantee, money off or 3-for-2 offer, then you’ll do better.
Make your adverts stand out by including photos of products. Use testimonials. Try to include a phone number and e-mail address where possible, use a website for buying on line and start a store using Paypal or a similar system for collecting cash.
Make it easy for prospective customers to buy.

If I can help you design some simple adverts that work call me

Regards

Are postcards better than leaflets?

After such bad weather over the last 2 weeks it was really great today to see the sun shining. And it has been warm.

Could this be an early Spring already!

We are bombarded with leaflets promoting everything from concerts to holidays to shopping offers. They seem very popular but are they read? s there an alternative and does that alternative work better?

If you want to put a message across quickly use a postcard. Postcards are cheap and easy to handle.

Postcards are:
· Easy to create· Fast to print· Easy to address· Multi-deliverable· Easy to complete · Cheap to return· A single sheet, complete in itself· No need to open· Visible upon delivery· Visible en-route and wherever left.· Bigger than a business card and can be many times more useful.· Convenient

You can deliver postcards by hand, by 1st class post, 2nd class post, courier or special delivery, door to door, with a product, in a postcard pack, in an envelope with advertising material, in display holders, with brochures, magazines and catalogues, given out at exhibitions and on the street, put behind car windscreens or left in library books, loose in cafes and any public area (but make sure they don’t become litter).

3 Ways to use Postcards

1. SALE PROMOTION instantly· This can promote one product or many.
· They can be used as a one-off for a special event· They can be used in a series because the average number of receipts before action is around 5-7· You can create your idea and often have it designed, printed and delivered within a week· It can be on the counter, handed out or left in a rack· If not delivered to the home they can be put in the pocket easily

2. PRODUCT PROMOTION · This can promote one product or many.· They can be used as a one-off for a special event· They can be used in a series because the average number of receipts before action is around 5-7· You can create your idea and often have it designed, printed and delivered within a week· It can be on the counter, handed out or left in a rack· If not delivered to the home they can be put in the pocket easily

3. GUARANTEE· Send with a product as a guarantee or warranty. When this is returned completed you have another name to add to your data base· There will be space to add additional material such as a special offer or about supplies or replacement parts

Watch out for my low cost e-booklet "37 Ways along the A6" which will be available in about 10 days. 35 pages of simple ways to use postcards to promote your business at around £3.

Ever trying for improvement you'll see my signature is now not in a white box, and is certainly blacker. Always looking to improve.

Have you booked your stand at the Swansea Business Exhibition click here?
Have you joined Local Business Networking? Join and grow your business. Click here.

If I can do anything to help your success do call me.

Yes! Video works wonders

Look at yesterday's post. I told you that just a simple basic video is easy to put ion your website and adds a third dimension.


Take a look at http://www.swansealittletheatre.org.uk/nextproduction.php and see for yourself. Just a simple video about the latest production rehearsal and your imagination is set alight.

Try putting up some video yourself.



The Swansea Business Show is falling into place. See the blog . Just click on the link. http://swanseabusinessshow.blogspot.com/ Want to increase your turnover and profits then book a stand today.

If I can help you be more successful call me.

regards

Dylan Thomas Theatre Around the World in 80 Days

"Opening Nights." "Break a leg." "Green Room." "5 minutes beginners"

Yes It's curtains up at the Dylan Thomas Theatre tomorrow night 27th January until Saturday 31st for the Swansea Little Theatre Company to present "Around the World in 80 Days"

Curtains up at 7.30 and tickets at £8.50/£7.00. It'll be a great event and I would strongly recommend you to book now on 01792 473238. Book any night but if it's Saturday I'll see you there.


The bar will be open for a pre-show drink, during the intermission and afterwards.

I've been planning the Swansea Business Show over the weekend and I believe we'll have space for up to 45 stands. All are the same size and within the budget of the smallest business. We'll be e-mailing around 4000 business people next week as our first salvo. I expect stands to be snatched up rapidly and I already have 9 booked without having definite stand sizes and cost. The cost will be inclusive of table and 2 power points for low-energy usage such as laptops, parking in the nearby public carpark and welcoming coffee/tea and biscuits. We'll have a special package deal for an advertising pack of pop-up banner, business cards and A5 leaflets. We'll be having a goodie-bag and a show-guide/wall-planner.

The aim is to have a busy exhibition that will be worthwhile for exhibitors and visitors. As the FSB Road to Success Show isn't running this year We are offering you a dynamic alternative.

Grab a video and capture some interest about your business.





Quality isn't too important, high resolution isn't either. Think about getting some testimonials, show how to usev a product, capture some video of your staff or yourself talking about the compnay success. Use a free or low cost editor, add in some text and launch on Youtube. Embed on your website or blog and send out e-mails to tell your contacts. Just seen on www.



Good marketing isn't fancy ideas and big budgets. It's about doing the simply and basic things well. Good successful marketing can be free or low cost.



Be active. Try something new. Be lucky.

Swansea Business Show

A busy meeting at Local Business Networking last evening.









We meet twice a month to support each to gain new business, discuss ideas and problems and general help get things moving. We have been meeting since July last year and are growing monthly. We are not a social network or referral network. We are a fully working comprehensive network and are finding that we are all bouyant and upbeat at this difficult time for business in general.



And now we are holding the Swansea Business Show on Friday 15th May at the Dylan Thomas Theatre. This will be a successful event tha will benefit both exhibitors and visitors alike.



Exhibitors will be Local Business Networking members and new members are welcome to join. The overall benefits throughout the year together with the Swansea Business Show will work for any business. So join up and book your stand today. Just £25 deposit will secure your stand so do not hesitate. He who hesitates is lost.



There will be no large shell scheme stands and you will find this really affordable.



This is a really exciting project and members who met last evening have committed themselves to making the effort to make this ziiiing. We are already looking at a major e-mail campaign that will set the ball rolling at the beginning of February and gardually build up that interest so that it becomes the busaness community focal point.



The Federation of Small Businesses will not be holding the "Road to Success Show" this year and, with at least two of us having been involved in that I feel we will be successful with this event.



Watch this space. Click here http://swanseabusinessshow.blogspot.com/

If I can do anything to help your success then call me.

Take action and be successful