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Brick No66: The small business world's best-kept secret
By Matt Weston, Tuesday 18 May 2004 Boiled eggs and soldiers I know, I know, I'm a big kid at heart . . . but I like nothing better than to start my weekend with boiled eggs and soldiers for breakfast. And as I was dipping the toast in the yolk on Saturday, it hit me. Nothing goes together like boiled eggs and soldiers. What else goes with soldiers? To borrow from Amazon, they're "perfect partners" - just like Cobra ("the less gassy bottled beer") and the nation's favourite dish (the curry). Both benefit when they come together. When you buy a book at Amazon, it always suggests a "perfect partner". "Buy both now and you save £4.83." It's full of clever suggestions, Amazon. Fix on this idea of "perfect partners". It's an important one, especially for small business owners, start-ups, freelancers - you know, people like you and me. What makes a "perfect partner"? I dropped by to one of the business bricks meet-ups last Tuesday, and spent the best part of a beer talking to Alex Valy, a very talented graphic designer. Alex is doing pretty well for work . . . but like many small business owners cum freelancers, she's no white-hot salesperson. She'd prefer to concentrate on what's she's great at (designing off-line and on-line) than what she's not. I suggested that instead of targeting end customers, she focuses on finding her "perfect partners", i.e. established companies that don't see her as competitive, but serve the same market. Small businesses target niches. For every one company that's directly competitive with yours, there are usually another five that serve the same market with an uncompetitive product or service. For Alex, the best example is web developers. Web development companies tend to be small. Many don't have enough work to justify employing an in-house graphic designer 24/7. But when they get a job that requires a specialist . . . They could call Alex. And just 5 partnerships with web developers might bring in as much business as 50 with end customers. It's often easier to target "perfect partners" like web developers than end customers. (Just take a flick through the Yellow Pages, contact the appropriate Trade Association etc). So Alex gets a shortcut route-to-market (see brick #43) And the web developers are able to fulfil an order they might otherwise not have been able to. Everyone's a winner (brick #30) Speaking of which . . . The small business world's best-kept secret I've found you the "perfect partner" for business bricks. I've known Andrew James and Sophie Chalmers for some time. For over 10 years, from an idyllic setting in rural Wales, they've been publishing "Better Business" . . . a subscription-only magazine I regard as the small business world's best-kept secret. I'm a loyal reader. In fact I even follow the advice on the inside front cover and circle the many ideas that are immediately applicable to my business. In many ways, business bricks and Better Business are the same (for a start we share the same initials). Both offer"actionable advice" not just "news and information". And both are written by small business owners, not just journalists doing their day-jobs. But whereas some people would view the other BB as competitive to business bricks, I view it as perfectly complimentary. Better Business is kind of the "yolk" you dip your business bricks "soldiers" in (or something like that). So, with that in mind, around Easter I travelled down across the New Severn Bridge to see Andrew and Sophie, and to set-up a deal that would make us "perfect partners". And give you a chance to try Better Business for yourself. Here's the deal -- Usually the subscription to Better Business is £72/ year for 10 issues. And at that rate it's well worth your investment (compare the advice you get to say the money you spend on say a website, a brochure or your business cards) -- But at the £48 first-year rate we've agreed between us, you get Better Business at a steal -- You enjoy a "Full No-Quibble Money-Back-Guarantee". If, after receiving your first two issues, you decide the magazine is not for you, just tell them and they'll refund your money To subscribe either: -- Visit this special page and buy online -- Call the subscriptions hotline 0845 458 9485 Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. You'll need to quote "brick66" to qualify for your special £48 rate Remember to sign up: back to top |
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