< Previous East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk PUBLIC RELATIONS I f there’s one person I’ve met who knows about making a splash when it comes to the media, it is Sir Richard Branson. He was at it again with the launch of ‘Virgin Voyages’, his new Australia-based cruise liner last month (December) where he danced around with his colleagues after briefing the assembled media on the new venture and demonstrated the snazzy new champagne app (shake it and champers will arrive). Of course, being Branson (or should that be Brand-son) he couldn’t resist a bit of cheekiness and duly pushed one of his dancing buddies into the pool and then, as the cameras flashed on cue, in he there were already 60 in the room and rising. No surprise. Branson is a dream for journalists and an absolute PR natural. What was a surprise was that he didn’t have a PR officer attending to conduct the press conference itself. There was no apparent solution until it began to dawn on me that I should conduct it. After all, I had been a business journalist myself and already had over a decade of PR experience. So, in words Branson himself uses I stepped up: “Screw it, let’s do it.” I introduced myself to his PA and waited on the stage for Richard to arrive. He duly did to a thunderous round of applause, full of smiles, reclining in his chair. Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR, reflects on the PR prowess of Sir Richard Branson. went after him. Textbook stuff. He won’t get in trouble (unless someone really is being a jobsworth!) because he’s joined in the mirth and got a thorough soaking, and by pushing the fella first the cameras were already running and trained on the pool. It would have been way too clunky if he had just dived in and there was always a risk the cameras would not catch it. Timing is everything and Branson knows it. In fact, it is a lesson that I gladly took from him just over 10 years ago - how time flies! I’d just finished registering the press ahead of a Richard Branson keynote speech at a major business show and www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link PUBLIC RELATIONS How does one introduce one of the most famous business figures of all time? “You might recognise this chap” is not the classic I had expected to tumble out of my mouth, but it worked. The room relaxed and we went on to discuss everything from global business to negotiating with the Rolling Stones. His latest PR stunt on the cruise liner reminded me of a section of his book, the classic autobiography ‘Losing My Virginity’. It is peppered with anecdotes about his relationship with the press, good and bad, but what he makes look effortless is also a carefully considered strategy. Here’s an excerpt: “Most companies don’t acknowledge the press and have a tiny press office tucked away out of sight. If an inaccurate story appears…and is allowed to run…it becomes fact. Then, every time your product is mentioned, this same story will be repeated.” The lesson here, yes, Branson is a natural at PR, a maverick even, but he still ensures he has safeguards in place. So, in 2024, I’d urge you to be more Branson. Be creative and proactive with your PR (PLEASE) but also ensure you have the ability to react. Most of all in 2024, if you have been holding back, waiting for someone else to make their move, stop it now. With systems in place then you can just dive right in. A former business journalist, Greg Simpson is the author of The Small Business Guide to PR and has been recognised as one of the UK’s top 5 PR consultants, having set up Press for Attention PR in 2008. He has worked for FTSE 100 firms, charities and start-ups and conducted press conferences with Sir Richard Branson and James Caan. His background ensures a deep understanding of every facet of a successful PR campaign – from a journalist’s, client’s, and consultant’s perspective. East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk LOGISTICS AND TRANSPORT The constant struggle Our region needs more warehouses and more logistics companies, and yet no one can take advantage of this gap in the market due to a lack of workers. www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link LOGISTICS AND TRANSPORT © stock.adobe.com/Irina Sharnina F reight logistics in the UK is poised for a transformative journey driven by the potential of freeports. With major hubs across the Midlands taking centre stage. At the core of this transformation lies the understanding that freeports are zones where conventional tax and customs regulations no longer apply. Whether maritime or airport facilities, these designated zones offer simplified customs procedures and tariff exemptions. Businesses lucky enough to be operating close to these ports will find themselves empowered to export free from otherwise extensive procedure. However, a certain balance of responsibility must be maintained, as goods exiting freeports bound for other parts of the country need to adhere to the complete import process, including tariff payments. Freeports are different from free zones or ‘enterprise zones’, in that they are designed to incentivise businesses engaged in importing, processing, and re-exporting goods, unlike broader initiatives with a focus on general business support or regeneration objectives. This refined economic strategy positions freeports as engines for trade specialisation, their unique advantages ripe to be harnessed for sustained economic growth. Amid the promise of freeports, challenges persist for all UK ports. The aftermath of Brexit introduced complexities in trade regulations, customs procedures, and border checks, which have collectively led to a prolonged adjustment period to our new norm. Ports grapple with the need to adapt, raising concerns about 44 Á East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk LOGISTICS AND TRANSPORT vulnerabilities in port connectivity, and the long-term efficiency of trade flows. Regardless of the additional system and administrative requirements introduced by Brexit however, ports have benefitted from increased scrutiny of routing choices by shipping stakeholders. There has been a noticeable uptick in services to various areas as individuals explore different routes for moving goods to and from the EU. A more immediate problem is that of staffing, however, with many transport firms across the East Midlands struggling to find workers – be those drivers, warehouse staff or anything else. Logistics is a sector with huge potential for growth, constantly increasing demand, but too few people to address it. Normally when this happens businesses grow or crop up to take their share of the profits, but that isn’t possible when new companies cannot hire enough staff to man their fleets. The skills shortage we have talked about many times continues to rear its head, and this time there are quantitative figures behind it. The simple fact is that the sector is a lucrative and successful one that – despite soaring fuel costs – has incredible potential to grow, but all the potential in the world is meaningless without employees. Brexit has closed off the ability to bring in foreign workers, and the logistics industry is one with the least uptake among younger people, who see it as uninteresting labour with minimal pay. The latter is not true in many cases, but the truth matters little if the perception is otherwise, and this only goes to show that the industry is not doing enough to reach out and change the minds of young people. While logistics firms are doing their best to lobby to younger audiences to try and get more people interested in the industry, it’s hard to know how effective this has been. Shocking new research published nationally suggested that 25% of young people feel they are not prepared to enter the workforce, up to and including having no idea what they want to be. While it’s naïve to say that is 25% of young people the logistics industry can be targeting, they can at least aim for a portion of that number. © stock.adobe.com/Chlorophyllewww.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link NEW YEAR, NEW SUPPLIERS L oyalty is its own reward, or so the saying goes, but 2023 has been a difficult year with the state of the economy and the geopolitical strife, and businesses are having to cut costs wherever they can. Quite often, it’s the suppliers who take the brunt of that – and it may be with good reason. It’s difficult to make drastic changes without adding more work, whereas switching one supplier out for another can be much easier, assuming the new supplier is good enough that they don’t run into instant problems. Furthermore, new suppliers are often prepared to offer better deals to secure a new client. Loyalty may be its own reward, but it often feels like existing suppliers grow complacent with your business and don’t reward your loyalty to them with much else, and we all know the value of switching up our car insurance every year. Sadly, loyalty often doesn’t offer any rewards at all. For the most part, it’s all about stability. The years past have been choppy to say the least and it’s easy to see why businesses might appreciate a less complicated relationship with suppliers. For many, there are also good relations with suppliers to consider, perhaps friendships or times where their directors have wined and dined you. Keep in mind that this is intentional, however. Most businesses do it. Key customers are worth taking the time to ingratiate yourself with, and it’s ultimately nothing more than a means of building loyalty. A business owner or manager should never feel beholden or indebted to a supplier because their service has already been repaid. However, there is risk in bringing in a The best supplier How effective are your suppliers? Are they pulling their weight? With rising economic strife across the country, it may be worth spending the first few months of 2024 checking if yours are supporting you as much as they should be. 46 Á © stock.adobe.com/VERTEX SPACE East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk NEW YEAR, NEW SUPPLIERS new and untested supplier, which is why it’s so important to do your research and ensure they will be a good fit for a company. While there’s less risk of intentional fraud and scams with big national companies, accidental hiccups early in a new relationship can be just as devastating, and there are so many big names in the industry. Picking out the right business for the job can be tricky. And there’s always the question of whether a supplier being replaced would really make the job any cheaper. Sometimes big-name companies aren’t the best choice, as they have more customers to work with and more staff who might be put in front of you. You’re less important to them, and that can lead to less effort being put into your problems. Smaller companies can’t afford to upset clients and will often work harder to keep new ones, and family businesses especially tend to consider the long-term value of their reputation, since the business may be left with their own children. That’s why before replacing them at all it’s a good idea to quantify their performance, and the first few months of the year are the best time to take a look at this. Ask your managers who deal directly with the suppliers what their experiences have been, how helpful the suppliers have been and whether there were any issues. It can sometimes be a surprise to discover just how difficult www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link NEW YEAR, NEW SUPPLIERS © stock.adobe.com/joyfotoliakid things have been; or that staff have had numerous problems with suppliers but have simply dealt with it on their own and not felt the need to inform upper management. To them, it may feel like it is their job to work around the issues, when in reality this could be taking valuable employee time away from more profitable work. It’s universally considered a good thing when operational managers can show this kind of initiative, but it can also disguise problems that could be dealt with, so open channels of communication and make sure everyone is aware they can, and should, raise issues. It may well be that a business already has the best suppliers it can have, that nothing is discovered and that the suppliers have been both attentive and capable. Discovering such is not a waste of time or effort, however. Efficiency in any aspect of business can only be attained if manufacturing lines are quantified, if employee retention is monitored, and if sales teams work to targets. In business, everything should be quantified and measured at all times. How else will managers know what can be improved? Don’t take the attitude that the same does not apply to suppliers. They are a key part of your business focus, and their performance must be measured. If they’re not good enough, it may well be time to look for new service providers. East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk RENEWABLES O ur collective commitments to decarbonisation in the UK have been sparking such surges in renewable energy capacity, that businesses need only choose how they’re going to back the cause. Funding promises and incentives for private investment all support a national effort to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, an agreement that will have been five years in the undertaking by June of this year. Wind power leads the charge in the UK’s renewables drive, dominating the industry. Among the many sources of natural energy generation, the applications of wind have received substantial funding, with £19 billion in investments just between 2016 and 2021. Offshore wind, in particular, benefits from the East of England’s large offshore capacity, thanks to shallow waters and high wind speeds in the North Sea. All this behind-the-scenes investment in broadening horizons for readily available sources such as these, means that switching to renewable energy suppliers has become a quick, effective way for businesses to reduce energy costs and enhance their green image. But before diving into renewable energy technology, care should be taken to ensure that all legal and compliance matters are arranged in advance. You and your business should consider factors such as planning permissions, connection requirements, and regulatory obligations. A thorough business Making renewable energy pay By getting to grips with the UK’s growing renewables sector, businesses can cut costs, boost their green credentials, and contribute to a sustainable and profitable future. 50 Á Making renewable energy pay www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link RENEWABLES © stock.adobe.com/SerhiiNext >