< Previous East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk BUSINESS TRAVEL Making the most of business abroad We’ve lived in an era of calls and video conferences, but face-to-face meetings matter and travel for business is an important skill many of us need to learn once more. O ver time video conferencing, webinars and other online tools have resulted in business travel abroad or further afield in the UK to lessen, but there are always some instances when a face-to-face meeting is best. Many companies prefer to initially meet new clients or partners in person before signing a contract or sealing that deal, or when collaborating within your own company and the other staff is overseas, meeting them in person helps team building. Whichever situation it is, it can be difficult and stressful if the meeting is further afield in the UK or especially if it’s in a foreign country with very different customs and etiquette to the UK - but there are strategies that can help business travellers succeed. Firstly, become as culturally aware as possible with business meeting protocols and hierarchy, gender differences, how to build a relationship and social etiquette as knowledge about these helps to avoid a potentially costly faux pas, and of course, wherever a business meeting takes place, first impressions always count. Initially, research the internet, books or online apps about new or international etiquette, read articles in magazines or online, and where possible ask questions of colleagues, 32 Á 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 06/02/2023 12:45 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link BUSINESS TRAVEL © stock.adobe.com/engel.ac 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 06/02/2023 12:45 Page 2 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk BUSINESS TRAVEL or of anyone else who may have visited the place or country for work purpose. Also, when you arrive at the destination where the meeting or conference is occurring make the most of asking taxi drivers, waiters and especially a hotel concierge for further help if required, locals are generally proud and happy give you the best advice about how to behave and fit in, in their home country or area, and further help a person to avoid the inexperienced or ignorant ‘tourist on tour’ vibe. Specific training, usually from experts who have lived and worked in a country or area/regional office, can also be sourced for staff needing specific or a more in-depth understanding of a new culture for a meeting that needs to be handled extra delicately. This training will cover cultural awareness as well as focusing on any gender specific challenges abroad and of course gives attendees a chance to ask additional, more complicated questions relevant to the challenges that maybe encountered. There are often definitive expectations when attending business meetings away such as how a business traveller should dress, with possible additional restrictions for women in certain cultures. A few general rules for all are to dress smartly and conservatively, avoiding 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 06/02/2023 12:45 Page 3www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link BUSINESS TRAVEL whacky shirts, ties, socks, accessories and footwear, unless that is expected, for example in the fashion world. The weather is also something to be considered as sweat marks from overheating is not a good look and will cause discomfort, as can being too cold. Always match the fabric to the weather, for instance in a humid country or hot climate natural fabrics like cotton are better to wear and more comfortable. Where possible, pack lightly as many regular business travellers never check luggage in if flying, only taking a carry-on bag, avoiding the risk of the airline losing essential bags, equipment and business wear. Carry only an appropriately clean, smart briefcase or bag to hold paperwork, electronics and files into the meeting itself, being aware if it’s appropriate to put the bag on the table or better to place it on your lap or, if necessary, on the floor. Always be punctual to any meetings or dinners. When you arrive at your destination look at travel times and routes, and allow time for delays, such as in India where cows have a right of way and hold up traffic as many gods and goddesses are associated with the cow, or in Germany where autobahn drivers are free to go as fast as they want in de- restricted sections but in many areas 80 mph per hour is the speed and of course road works and diversions can crop up anywhere. Some travel dates are unavoidable so research if the country you are visiting, or area in the UK, is celebrating a specific religious or national occasion, such as Ramadan – this is where Muslims don’t drink or eat between dawn and sunset – therefore a business lunch would be out of the question and inviting someone who is honouring Ramadan to a lunch would be deemed rude and ignorant. So, learning about local dining customs and etiquette is essential as dining out often forms an important part of business culture. Adjusting expectations relating to a different country’s culture is also helpful, for instance, in China it can take time to build a relationship with the often more reserved Chinese people, so be patient, in France it goes a long way to learn a few words of French, if not apologise for the lack of fluency and in Germany, during meetings, communication is serious and direct, so avoid jokes. Overall, working abroad, or further afield in the UK, can be interesting and a lot of fun but it’s vital to be aware that people differ from other countries, cultures and regions and often have different expectations and expect an effort is made to meet these, as it would be hoped any visitor to the UK would do the same. Taking time to research the area, wear the correct clothes, prepare ahead for the meeting and learn the correct etiquette for a meal could mean the world of difference and affect the outcome of a business deal turning it from negative to positive. © stock.adobe.com/Day Of Victory Stu. 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 06/02/2023 12:45 Page 4 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk MEET THE EXPERTS E xpertise is something that is difficult to quantify. Do we call someone an expert for the length of time they have worked in an industry, or for the success stories they have from it? Or better yet, is an expert little more than an individual with a collection of qualifications and letters after their name? The answer is never quite simple. In a sense, an expert could be said to be a combination of all three, but at the same time every single person is – or ought to be – an expert in their own craft. Someone who runs a packaging company is bound to be an expert in packaging, the same for food manufacturing or recruitment agencies. The challenge is in finding someone who is an expert in their chosen field, but who can also become an expert in yours as well. There are many people who are experts in a given craft – be it law, financial services or consulting – but for the best service possible to be achieved, they need also to be an expert in your company. This is where so many people find issue with experts; they hire someone who prescribes themselves expert, and they may well be, but find the advice given to be either incompatible with their company or not tailored to it. That’s to be expected of course, as an expert hired from outside the company isn’t going to know your firm as well as you do, but that doesn’t change the fact that they must be used. How does one find the right kind of expert then? The answer is to delve deeper into what it means to be an expert. A solicitor or accountant is an expert in law or accounting, yes, but there are many who choose to go deeper, either investing in further qualifications in a specific field of business, or just working in that more commonly and generating a reputation for being particularly specialised in a given field or sector – think divorce lawyer vs contract lawyer, or tax specialist vs wealth management. Many companies now work with teams dedicated toward certain sectors, but many still do not, and while the internet and Google are convenient for finding people, they come with the downside of small and ill- equipped companies being able to appear on the front page just as often as more specialised and reputable ones. Just as it may be easier for independent companies to compete with multinationals online, so too is it easier for fresh-faced and inexperienced experts to catch your eye with their lower prices, too-good-to-be-true deals or flashy websites. It used to be that you could trust anyone and everyone that you called on because for them to be recognisable, they had to be marketing themselves – and you cannot market yourself without money, ergo they must be successful businesses. Nowadays, the internet and social media has made that much harder. Anyone can create a website, often for a low cost, and the number of so-called experts has risen so high that we now have entire industries that have sprung up around misinformation and fraudulent experts peddling miracle cures and political agendas. While social media and referrals from other companies are a good way to source better companies, ironically it might be the age-old methods that are best. While it’s true that anyone can promote themselves on the internet, it is also true that other methods of advertising are more expensive. Therefore, companies advertising in magazines, newspapers or on the radio are more likely to have larger budgets – and larger budgets are usually connected with more revenue, higher levels of business success and a greater reputation. That’s not to say it’s fool proof – little is – but companies that feature in traditional media are often doing something to earn that, and they should be the first stopping point for an in- person visit. Visiting a supplier in person is, after all, the only true and proper way to get a handle on how good an expert is. The best will listen as much as they talk, because while they are undoubtedly more informed than you on matters of their chosen craft, they will understand that you are more informed than they on matters of your own business. Finding the right solution to any problem will be a matter of combining their expertise with the limitations, opportunities and various other factors surrounding any given business, and what will work for one client certainly won’t be a catch-all solution for any other. An expert that does not ask questions and take the time to get to know you, your problems and your business, may still be an expert, but they are perhaps not the right expert for you. Specialist knowledge So-called “experts” can be found everywhere – especially online nowadays. Choosing the right expert for your needs is the hard part. 34-35.qxp_Layout 1 06/02/2023 12:46 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link MEET THE EXPERTS Company profile Frontier Software is a global provider of HR and Payroll software solutions with 40 years of experience. Delivering services and support from offices across the UK and beyond to a diverse user base that includes clients in manufacturing, retail, not for profit and the public sector. Product profile Frontier Software develops solutions that support HR and Payroll teams and their processes. A comprehensive range of cloud-based software modules deliver an integrated, functionally rich, and highly configurable approach to managing the employee lifecycle. As payroll is an essential part of that lifecyle, Frontier Software also offers outsourcing options that can save you time and money. Service users benefit from the accessibility, flexibility and control of running payroll in-house, without having to allocate their time and resources to ensuring employees are paid correctly and on time. Furthermore, solutions can be tailored to match your individual requirements. www.frontiersoftware.com sales@frontiersoftware.com 01276 456902 HR AND PAYROLL SOFTWARE/SERVICES Company profile Independently recognised for outstanding results and service, Sills & Betteridge LLP is a full-service law firm with 15 offices in Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, Nottingham and Northampton. It has one of the region’s leading corporate and commercial departments with a portfolio of domestic and international clients drawn from a wide range of industry sectors, including agriculture, engineering, renewables, real estate and construction, insurance, and retail. Areas of practice include corporate transactions and tax, banking and finance, property and land law, commercial litigation, employment law, contracts, partnerships, regulation, insolvency and business recovery. Stephen Britton Profile Stephen Britton is a Partner and Head of the firm’s Employment Law practice. He is a long-standing member of the Employment Lawyers’ Association and primarily advises large national employers on all aspects of employment law, contentious and non-contentious. Although Stephen has substantial experience of employment litigation, having appeared in the Employment Appeal Tribunal and the Regional Offices of the Employment Tribunals throughout England and Wales, and Scotland, he also has a particular interest in complex non-contentious matters. Stephen has been a fee paid Employment Judge since 2003 and has also acted as an Independent Adjudicator of Appeals on behalf of the Department of Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs in connection with Gangmasters’ Licensing Appeals. He is recognised by the prestigious Legal 500 Directory as a ‘UK Recommended Lawyer’. 4 George Street, Hockley, Nottingham, NG1 3BE Tel: 0800 542 4245 • Web: www.sillslegal.co.uk Email: info@sillslegal.co.uk FULL-SERVICE LAW Company profile Sterling Commercial Finance is a commercial finance brokerage with over 20 years of experience in supporting businesses and property professionals to find the right funding solution. Product profile From Business Loans to Property Finance, we have access to an extensive panel of lenders from across the commercial finance market which allows us to source the best solution to meet your funding needs. Sterling Commercial Finance is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and is a member of NACFB so you can be sure you are dealing with trusted and fully regulated advisers. Unit 5, Wheatcroft Business Park, Nottingham, NG12 4DG Tel: 0115 984 9800 Web: https://sterlingcommercialfinance.co.uk Email: info@sterlingcommercialfinance.co.uk COMMERCIAL FINANCE © stock.adobe.com/Seventyfour 34-35.qxp_Layout 1 06/02/2023 12:46 Page 2 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk PUBLIC RELATIONS Roses are red Violets are green Trust me on this If you haven’t seen The effect of ammonia On this lovely flower But note how my plot twist Delivers the power To grab your attention And read more not less Now apply that same rule When you’re pitching the press You’ve got to remember They get hundreds a week So do make the effort Or hire a word geek. GS. expect I have the inside track and I can speak ‘journalese’. Well, yes but the main thing is, I know how NOT to sound like I’m making a pitch when I’m BLATANTLY making a pitch. You need to remember, PR is public RELATIONS and the bit when you have to communicate with a dreaded journo is Media RELATIONS. So, what you need to start to build (and then maintain) is a RELATIONSHIP. That means give and take. It means being helpful, being useful, being thoughtful. It also involves being attractive BUT that doesn’t mean we need to be sending carefully airbrushed selfies. It means finding what works for them, what floats their boats. Imagine it like internet dating. You need to start by knowing who you are trying to attract (do they influence your market). What are they interested in (what do they write about)? Does that match with you (honestly! If you’re NOT Greg Simpson, founder of Press for Attention PR, helps you find your media match. I sn’t it funny, or perhaps even tragic, that the way we tend to communicate in our marketing is so, deadly dull!? We play very, VERY safe, lest we upset the delicate balance of “will they like me/loathe me.” The problem is we actually end up saying very little at all and doing NOTHING to separate ourselves from the hundreds of other emails and missives flying around. Now, you don’t have to be HILARIOUS and off-the-wall, indeed for many businesses, it would be in pretty poor taste to suddenly lift out the dusty old ‘Bantersaurus’ from the library shelves or to attempt to resurrect the ghost of Spike Milligan in your next tender submission. However, there is always room for improvement and for differentiation. Especially when it comes to pitching the media. As you probably know by now, I used to be a business journalist so you’d 36-37.qxp_Layout 1 06/02/2023 12:47 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link PUBLIC RELATIONS what you claim to be in real life, don’t fib)? How might a ‘date’ with you (useful content) actually help them? This is the research side of the media dating landscape. I’d highly recommend Twitter for this. Let’s pretend that you’ve found your perfect match or indeed, matches. Hey, nobody said anything about exclusives yet right?! How will you pitch them? You need to stand out and you need to consider what they are looking for. Let’s go old skool here and back to the Lonely Hearts Club ads of yesteryear. We need to be adding VALUE so we need to be responding to their needs, not making our marketing moves on them! Here’s what some might be thinking: Finance reporter with freelance roles across several national titles seeks reliable expert to explain what the rise in house prices means for mortgage holders. Must be prompt, not pitchy and able to respond within 48 hours’ notice to request for a ‘date’, typically after the Halifax pipes up with latest results. Or… Lifestyle reporter on daily tabloid seeks top tips to help you get into shape for summer. Brevity preferred. Gifts and trials of equipment and training programmes most welcome. Or… Interiors feature writer on national broadsheet supplement seeks inspiring case studies and trends tips for 2023. Must have visual appeal, no grainy phone snaps taken years ago that no longer look like you say they do. Do you see how they think? All you have to do now is to perfect your pitch to them based on what THEY want. Imagine having the power that Mel Gibson snaffles in ‘What Women Want’. He is speaking the language that resonates, but most importantly of all he is LISTENING. The good news is you don’t need a bolt of lightning, you just need to do some groundwork. I suggest your dating site of choice to start attracting your dream journo is Twitter. 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. 36-37.qxp_Layout 1 06/02/2023 12:47 Page 2 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk PRINTING AND PACKAGING © stock.adobe.com/Alfazet Chronicles Cost-efficient packaging Cost-efficient packaging 38-41.qxp_Layout 1 06/02/2023 12:49 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link PRINTING AND PACKAGING P rinting and packaging are two essential aspects of a company’s business that require continuous improvement. Upgrading these functions can help a company to stay ahead of the competition and meet the ever-changing needs of its customers. However, it is easy to bury one’s head in the sand – the outlay is too high, there are no skilled designers in the business, the list goes on. In this respect, it can be useful to reassess one’s point of view. Updating branding assets should be seen as a corporate refresher rather than an instant sales maker – it improves consumer confidence and reinvigorates interest in a brand. Furthermore, there are many ways to achieve this refresh, ranging from the straightforward to the more complex and costly. The first, and in many ways easiest, method is to invest in design technology. Investing in the latest printing and packaging technology is one of the most important steps in upgrading the company’s printing and packaging functions. This includes purchasing high- end printing machines, digital printing systems, automatic packaging machines, and software for Business costs are increasing, especially in the manufacturing sector, and a lot of this is tied up in the packaging processes used by companies. Putting time into assessing and streamlining these can lead to savings. 40 Á 38-41.qxp_Layout 1 06/02/2023 12:49 Page 2Next >