Koogar Blog

Koogar is putting on a Social Media workshop for people who want to know “How Social Media can benefit your Business“. But before we start putting the workshop together, we thought it would be best to talk to you, the people who would want to come onto it and ask you want would you like to know?

There is nothing worse than turning up to a workshop, sitting there for a few hours and then not knowing what you should be doing when you leave. We at Koogar want you to tell us what you want to know, so we can tailor the workshop for you and so you get the most out the it.

We will be talking about Twitter, Facebook, Ecademy and LinkedIn.

Please make comments below and let us know how we can help you!

We look forward to hearing from you and seeing you on the workshop.

MyWirralHub is sponsoring another event on the Wirral!

Location: Neston

Type: Networking

Price: £5.00 per person - all proceeds are going to “Claire House” charity!

Date: Monday 29th June 2009

Venue: Neston Community and Youth Centre, Burton Road, Neston. CH64 9RE

Time: 6pm - 9pm

Places available: 50

Speaker: Carrie Spacey from About my Area
http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/Cheshire/Neston/CH64

It’s a community based website providing a central point of reference for local residents and businesses.

Speaker: Lesley Roberts from LR Consultancy

http://www.lrconsultancy.com/

Top tips in Sales - Lesley will be giving a little training to all businesses who attend in Sales and how to do it more effectively!

To book fully, you need to book your ticket use the button below and you will then need to send a cheque made payable to: “Claire House” as all proceeds are going to Claire’s House charity!

Please forward your cheque to Lucy Brooks at: 20 Henley Road, Neston, Cheshire, CH64 0SG. Please make sure you add in the envelope a business card so we know who the cheque is from.

Please book your ticket as there are only 50 places available! and please feel free to pass onto your friends..

On Friday afternoon of last week I attended a book launch of a friend of mine Marie Claire Carlyle.

“How to be a money magnet” - book launch

MC has recently become an author and has had her book published. Its called “How to be a money magnet” and it goes through exercises in helping you to attract money or an abundance of things to your life.

Everyone who attended the launch party which was held at Barefoot showrooms in Macclesfield was given a copy of the book, which was also signed by MC herself.

Dawn Gibbins of Barefoot did a talk at the beginning of the event telling us about how to become and how she became successful with her old business “Flowcrete” and how Feng Shui helped.

Barefoot showrooms was a beautiful and inspiring building which is based around the basics of Feng Shui. Along with the floors that can be created for your in your home or workplace and the art on the walls, I would recommend going and taking a look.

Being in a profession that anyone can say they are a web designer, I’m constantly asked why people should pay for my services when they can get them cheaper down the road from someone else.

“Why are your websites so much more expensive then so-and-so.?”

“Why should I get you to do my website when they can do the same thing for a lot cheaper?”

I have had two of these emails last week which is why I’m blogging about it.

What I say to potential customers who question my skills and service is that, “I have been a professional web designer for 10 years. I know what I’m doing and have done so for a long time.

I have created and worked on websites for companies like Argos, HSBC, Churchill, Devitts and I can go on. I have also work with SME’s and one-man-bands, so my experience is with the full spectrum of businesses.

I started out as a graphic designer who then moved into the web as it was getting started in 1999. Design is my life and keeps me going everyday.”

An analogy I give is: People buy what they want, no matter what the cost and they also buy from people they like, trust and get on with, price doesn’t come into it.

For example; If you see a car on a forecourt and you like it and then you see the price tag and its a little more than you want to spend, 9 times out of 10 people will buy it because they like it, not because of the price. If the decision is to do with price then that’s not the Garages correct client. This goes for business too.

In terms of business, people buy from people. So it doesn’t matter that your websites are more expensive, people buy from me because they know the project I deliver to them will:

• be on time
• be of the highest standard
• they are able to work with someone who they get on with and respect

I have had a few customers buy a small package including a website that is more than double they had quotes for, because they believed I would do a good job for them and I can help them progress the website in the future.

The simple fact is if you don’t like the person you wont buy from them. Think about how you do things…

Let me know your feelings and if this has happened to you before in your business.

Here are some of the photographs we took down on New Brighton Beach on the Wirral.

Mad Panda are a Liverpool based company and I would highly recommend using them for your company of family portraits.

Koogar is more than pleased with my photographs and would highly recommend this company!

Maddy and Dave made me feel relaxed and sometimes you even forget they are there.

Great job has been done and its exactly what I wanted.

I would like to “thank” everyone for commenting on our blog about the package names.

Thanks for all input. Negative as well as positive. It’s been a valued lesson and insight into how others think.

I will be asking you more questions, just to keep you and myself on our toes! To see all the comments please visit: http://www.koogar.co.uk/blog/2009/05/17/survey-on-koogar-package-names/

The final decision has been made for the following names, in order of smallest package first:

- Match Box - start the online fire burning

- Show Box - marketing on a shoe string

- Tool Box - giving you the tools

- Soap Box - shout about it

- Outside the Box - growing rapidly

- Black Box - completely bespoke and designed for very specific requirement’s

Thanks again for your comments! They are really appreciated.

We are currently re-structuring the business and have come up with 5 package names that are available for new businesses who want to work with Koogar.

But we need help with a few things! The theme is “boxes” and I need to know:

1: are the names the right?

2: what do you think about them?

3: are they in the right order?

The names we have come up with so far in order of smallest package first and largest package last:

- Lunch Box

- Shoe Box

- Tool Box

- Think out-side the Box (little bit long but…)

- Soap Box

We have been questioned on the last two and if they shoulf be the other way round or if one of them is too long.

If you can help us with this survey and comment on this blog post that would be really helpful. Maybe you might come up with a new name! Who knows…

REMEMBER: The theme is boxes.

This will be run for the next three days. Thanks in advance!

Do you know what Google Reader is and how much of an amazing tool it is?

I use google reader to collate all the blogs I read into one place.

I currently read over 20 blogs regularly and instead of having to go to all the individual websites to find out what the latest thing is happening in technology, in design, with another business or events that are going on, I open my Google Reader account and read the latest posts from all the blogs I’m subscribed to.

I cannot tell you how much time it saves me, which is why I’m blogging about it!

Instead of trawling through lots of websites to find out whats going on, I can pick and choose which blog posts I want to read each day. They are all kept in archives so I can always go back in the past and re-read something I read a few months ago.

Why not set up your own Google Reader account and “Add a Subscription” to the Koogar Blog?

I had a great day today. I got up very early to attend the BNI Network meeting over in Liverpool and then went onto the gym for some exercise. When sitting at your computer all day you get stiff and need some light walking or rowing to put you into a productive mood.

I got home after picking up some posters for my Tuesday night event (Business Coaching and Mentoring) and went round my local shops asking if they would like to attend and if I could put a poster up in their window.

For the event I’m using a local brasserie called the Green Dolphin (New Brighton) for the venue and a few nibbles.

I then went to my local green grocers to pick up a cauliflower as I have a new recipe I want to try out. (Cauliflower mash, which is healthier than just potato mash). While there I told the green grocer about the new networking events I’m putting on on the Wirral and the first on is in New Brighton at Bliss VIP Hair and Beauty Salon.

So you see using the people around you instead of going further afield to find new clients is sometimes beneficial. I suggest taking a walk around your local high street and go and say Hello to some of your local business men and women. You never know they may just need your services!

KOOGAR’s on the case

Is there SOMETHING MISSING in your business life?

Believe it or not, all business owners become unstuck and unsure of the decisions they need to make at some time.

Koogar believes that to find the business you want but haven’t yet found, you need to be doing something different.

By getting together with experienced, like-minded people, and focusing on the issues you are having that week, month or year, we can talk together, find solutions together and tap into a whole new world of ideas, creativity and success!

Our monthly workshops are friendly and informal, and you can talk in total confidence, discovering the positives and eliminating the negatives in your business lives.

Become all that you want to be in 2009… and beyond

* Have you got goals you want to achieve?
* Clients to attract?
* Do you want your business to be successful and create a work/life balance for yourself?

Then why not come along to Coached by Koogar’s new Business Coaching Workshop, and learn how you can “become all you can be”.

“Being coached by Koogar will empower you and unlock your amazing unlimited potential! Effectively, your goals will be achieved with our support”

Topics to be covered throughout the year include:
* Attracting new clients
* Dealing with difficult people
* Motivate staff
* Stuck in a rut?
* Best technology
* Websites
* Branding
* SEO – Search Engine Optimisation
* Email marketing
* Marketing
* Advertising
… with special topics:

- 10 ways to make your business AMAZING
- Your value / mission statement
- Money Games
- Reinventing yourself in business

£10 introductory offer

Come along to our first group workshop on Tuesday 10th March and you can save money straight away with our special introductory price for Workshop 1.

The workshop starts at 6:00pm - 8:00pm.

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You also have the chance to WIN a business coaching session with Coached by Koogar’s Amanda Daniels.

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Monthly workshops throughout the year.

Usual workshop price is £15. But if you bring along two friends, you can get one month free!

To book yourself on this web workshop, please contact Amanda at amanda.daniels@koogar.co.uk. You can also book using:http://www.business-scene.com/event_detail.php?e=7032.

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

Professional website developer and business coach Amanda Daniels is known for her open, friendly approach to her clients, and for her commitment to finding genuine solutions and helping others move forward in business.

“Coached by Koogar sessions are not for the faint-hearted!” warns Amanda. “They are for people who truly want to move ahead in their business lives.”

“We’re all here to help one another, so you’ll only ever receive open, honest and constructive advice.”

“Working together can bring new ideas and a great dynamic into your business. Our coaching sessions make a great networking opportunity, too!”

WHERE TO GO

Your Coached by Koogar workshop will be held at Green Dolphin Brasserie & Bar, close to the Floral Pavilion in New Brighton.

Known locally as “The ideal neighbourhood restaurant”, the Green Dolphin offers a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere in Regency style surroundings.

Green Dolphin Brasserie & Bar, 70 Victoria Parade, New Brighton, Wirral CH45 2PH

Have you been Coached by Koogar?