September 2011: a double act, jokes and fairy stories – who says members are not inventive!

Perhaps people were exhausted from the business festival in Bury St Edmunds or were taking late holidays but numbers, at 24, were down slightly on our usual high attendance.

On the other hand, the absentees could have been just too busy with business to be able to attend!

Adi Baldry, of Priority Driver Training, reported that his special discount offer to help members drive more economically had been well attended and the winner was Annya Stoddart, of the Pain Clinic, who improved her miles per gallon performance by 30% equating to a fuel cost saving of £500 per year.

Bob and Mark decided to present a double act to publicise DB Property Investments and to remind everyone about their forthcoming free seminar on September 29

at Seckford Hall, when there will be information on the new Gary Player complex being built in St Lucia.

Steve Lee of Concierge Couriers told us his motorbike courier service had now adopted environmental and carbon reduction policies as part of Suffolk County Council’s drive to make Suffolk the greenest county in the UK.

Jonathan Steed, of Gipping Press, did not disappoint with his tale of the little boy and his father, who had never seen a lift before, watching an ample lady getting into a lift – and when the doors re-opened, out came an attractive young woman.  Dad’s response: “Quick boy, go and get your mother”.  There was a point – that Gipping is there when a business needs a lift!

Allan Scott used the tale from Alice in Wonderland, where the Queen and Alice run faster and faster to eventually arrive back at the same place, to illustrate why businesses can get faster results from a regular e-newsletter, without having to run faster and faster with advertising to get no further.

Nigel George’s sad tale of the lack of a contract which forced the Grand Old Duke of York to make his men march up and down hills and leave them up stuck halfway reminded people to get agreements written down.

 
Acts of Kindness and Special Offers

Tina Gibbons, of the Mind Sanctuary, encouraged everyone to make a pledge to perform a Random Act of Kindness on October 10, World Mental Health Day.

Register with www.themindsanctuary.com to make a pledge.

Roy Everitt, of Cinnamon Edge, is celebrating the birth of his and Jackie’s latest grandchild, Harry, with a number of special offers on a special page, Harry’s Offers, on the www.cinnamonedge.co.uk website.

Alison Withers, of multimediareputations.com is offering an hour of her time for free to have a look at members’ websites and make suggestions for improvements to the content. Contact her at alison@multimediareputations.com

Special Guest Jackie Reeve with tips on cash flow management

Jackie, of the Interface Financial Group, had some timely tips on managing cash flow in her five minute presentation. Turnover is vanity, profit is sanity but cash is

king, she said.

1.    Use cash flow management as a tool to help you plan and develop your business so that you are not caught out at the end of the month when the bills or wages are due.
2.    Beware the n

ew client with a big order especially if they are asking for credit.  Have a process in place for checking credit with an application form and do a credit check.  They may have been trading for a while, but they may have come to you because a competitor down the road has put them on stop because they haven’t paid

their bills.
3.    Have a system in place for credit control and stick to it.  Keep good records and check on a defined day that your invoices have been received and that there are no problems that will delay payment at the next BACS or cheque run. Don’t be afraid of chasing payment and if you don’t have time outsource this to someone who does.
4.    Control stock, if applicable, as stock is cash that is doing nothing
5.    Remember to invoice, have a regular date for invoicing each month. It is surprising how many businesses have no system and leave invoicing for months.

All sound advice from Jackie, who can be contacted via
jreeve@interfacefinancial.com

Peter’s Bees

Peter attended the presentation by the Anglia LEP at the Business Festival, Bury St Edmunds, and reported that their role is to act as an advocate for the region.  However, if businesses do not tell them about their issues of concern they will not be able to help.

The volunteering bureau is looking for people who can offer work experience placements to young people aged 19-25, mainly students, so that they can put activities on their CVs.  The bureau is also looking for people willing to be mentors.

He also reminded attendees that the 50% off offer for town membership of Stowmarket and District Chamber at £25 finishes at the end of September.

There are free stands available at a forthcoming Babergh-Mid Suffolk District Council evening at One, Copdock, from 6pm on October 26. Peter has details.

Any comments or offers of help to Peter please

peter.avoca@talktalk.net

Late extra:

There is to be a free event, taking place on October 20th 8am -10am, in Endeavour House, Ipswich, hosted by Suffolk County Council and supported by the Chamber of Commerce, the China Britain Business Council (CBBC) and UK Trade and Investment (UKTI).

The guest speaker is Chris Cotton, Director of the China Britain Business Council (CBBC), who has 20 years of business international experience, especially in China.

Suffolk, Essex and Norfolk County Councils, will also make an announcement about their joint work to attract Chinese investment, boost tourism and help companies export to China.
 
You can register to attend here:
http://chinanewopportunities.eventbrite.com

Dates for your diary – October breakfast at the Rugby Club

October’s breakfast meeting returns to the Rugby Club so make sure you go to the right place!


Next Meeting:

October 21 at the Rugby Club

phone: 01449 770965
e-mail: secretary@stowmarketchamber.org.uk
website:
www.suffolkchamber.co.uk/stowmarket_district_chamber_of_commerce