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Not sure if this is new yet, or whether it is just a setting that has been changed in my toolbar, I will have a look around on some forums soon to see if it is being discussed anywhere.

Source: StatCounter Global Stats – Browser Version Market Share

The residential lettings and buy-to-let specialist ranked 6th in the publication’s “Service Provider” category, featuring alongside some of the region’s biggest and best companies from a range of different industries.
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Nick Diggle, Director, and one of 3 local brothers and landlords that own and run Martin & Co in Cambridge, said: “It’s a testament to the hard work of the Cambridge lettings team that we have received this coveted accolade. Giving excellent customer service is just one of the ways in which we try to differentiate ourselves from the competition.”

“Our focus is on going the extra mile, being proactive, and ensuring that our landlords, tenants and buy-to-let investors get value for money and a property lettings service that’s second to none!”

Cambridge is often described as one of the UK’s most promising property investment hotspots, and there is little doubt that this year the local property market will continue to outperform the majority of other regions. As a result it could provide some of the greater opportunities for savvy investors in terms of the potential returns.

Nick comments: “In Cambridge, tenant demand from a highly-transient professional and academic population helps to underpin the city’s strong rental yields, while factors such as the city’s positive economic outlook, many large employers, proximity to London and a range of international transport routes, its small size and massive popularity – all combine to suggest healthy prospects for long-term capital gains.”.

“2010 will be another exiting year for property lettings in Cambridge and the UK rental market as a whole. We have already seen a lot more buy-to-let investment activity since the start of January, and we expect that to continue in earnest as tenant demand increases this year.”

Martin & Co Cambridge is a specialist letting agent owned and run by local brothers and landlords, Charlie, Julian and Nick Diggle. They set up the agency with a mission to combine best practice lettings and local market knowledge, with top quality customer service and a refreshingly different proactive approach. Contact: 01223 275 150. www.cambridge-martinco.co.uk

About Martin & Co Cambridge
The Cambridge branch of Martin & Co is a licensed member of the National Approved Letting Scheme (NALS), a government-backed organisation set up to maintain proper standards of professionalism, best practice and compliance in the UK lettings industry. The Cambridge office is also registered with The Property Ombudsman and uses the government-appointed Deposit Protection Service (DPS) for all tenant deposits. The Martin & Co Cambridge office has its accounts audited for best practice every 6 months and holds all client monies in a ring-fenced client account, with full client money protection in place at all times. Martin & Co UK Ltd holds Investor in People status, and runs a year-long internal training academy, with both internal and external consultants and trainers from ARLA and the NAEA.
Attribution: Martin & co Lettings, Cambridge, UK.
Web: www.cambridge-martinco.co.uk
Email: cambridge@martinco.com
Tel: 01223 275 150

Acne Treatments Clay

Skin care products such as masks and toners that contain clay are a complimentary treatment of acne. Clay is scientifically proven to improve acne by removing dirt, cleansing pores and removing dead skin cells. Clay contains beneficial nutrients such as zinc, absorbs excess oil which can block pores and draws the impurities and toxins from the skin.

There are many clay products on the market but the best products are the ones which contain volcanic clay. I recommend you use a clay face mask once a week to help your acne using it anymore frequently can dry out the skin. The best time to use the clay mask remedy is at night as your skin absorbs much better. When applying the mask make sure you apply the clay evenly over your face and leave and wait for 10-15 minutes.

You can also mix the clay with other acne fighting ingredients such as lemon juice my personal favourite, honey, tea tree (but only a few drops), even apple cider etc

I also found a beautiful toner with clay which works excellently to remove all my makeup , clean my skin, absorb access oil and remove dead skin cells.

How fantastic the benefits of clay are – you can find out for yourself!

If you want to find out more why don’t you buy the acne Ebook, this is an in depth guide to acne treatments and remedies to help you keep your skin spot free.

Come to Guide-for-life.co.uk for more information and advice on acne,health, business and so much more.

Attribution: www.Guide-for-life.co.uk

So please tell me what’s going to happen to banks?  In my experience of banking with banks, both personal and business accounts – and in working with banks in partnership arrangements – there seems to be a common challenge.   And that challenge is, they’re too slow!

As typical with any enormous organisation – there are just too many hoops to jump through – too many processes, too many lines of management and therefore, everything takes too long.

For example – I recently made a complaint to my bank (I have to say, I can’t remember the last time I’ve had any reason to complain to them).  I made my complaint via email (which was never allowed to happen in the past – ooh progress).  24 hours later I received an email from the relevant team (it was looking promising) advising that my complaint was being looked into – attached was a lengthy PDF – and I was referred to the customer complaint process, informed to read said lengthy PDF, and advised that I’d receive a written response, together with a hard copy of the lengthy complaints process brochure within 14 days.  (It couldn’t be emailed in case someone intercepted the email).

I then queried why it was going to take 14 days to respond – to be advised that it was procedure and if I read page 14 of the Customer Complaint Process brochure, it was clearly documented – blah, blah, blah.

Now as a small business – highly responsive to clients, I can’t for one minute imagine asking a client to wait 14 days for anything – let alone to address a service recovery procedure.  It just a) wouldn’t  and b) couldn’t happen.

As a small business, we don’t have a Customer Response Team (probably a team of a minimum of 20 perhaps, even 80+?).  Instead, we have a small team that does everything they can to deliver services and service to our clients.   And let me tell you, there’s no ‘we’ll get back to you in 14 days’ amongst our vocabulary.

So in an age where everyone expects high levels of responsiveness and service (after all technology has enabled it – right! and so we do out best to keep up) we just sit back and accept the prehistoric practices of banks.

It must be hugely frustrating to work in a bank and want to make a difference – red tape, bureaucracy, 5000 meetings and procedures to work through, 150 different types of line management decision makers – yet no real empowerment to actually DO anything.  By the time a decision is made, the opportunity is probably lost.

I wrote a blog post a few weeks ago about ‘keeping things simple’ and for those businesses that do so – they’ll have cracked it.

What I’m hoping for is a bank to perform as if it was a nimble and responsive small business.  Quick decisions, minimising red tape, form filling and bureaucracy.  I saw on the tube the other day, an advertisement for www.wonga.com – ok the maximum lending is £400 – but everything is done online – and they’ve even made a mobile app for it, so you can order from your phone.

The large high street banks certainly have considerable budgets to create the right vehicle – so why don’t they take a look at offering a truly online, responsive, non bureaucratic, decision making off-shoot – small, nimble, responsive, immediate decisions – online, convenient. (A small business within a big business without all the red tape).  Instead of ploughing their money into ‘candid’ and expensive advertising campaigns that push dated information and ideas down out throats.

I’m sure there are nimble divisions such as I desire within banking groups – but are they truly independent – or still dogged by the shadow of the ‘brand’ – and all the stifling controls that come with it.

There have been some success stories – First Direct service was the first to really look at servicing clients in a different way.  And more recently, I notice that Santander are really pushing responsiveness – opening business accounts via the telephone within hours and online loan applications – immediate decisions and money in your account within 4 days!

In my opinion banks should get real and close to what is really important to the majority of their customers (and let’s face it, we’re not all big commercial companies hindered by the same prehistoric processes) – look at the true business demographics.

“What’s important to busy people and small businesses” are simple questions that banks may spend fortunes on market research to understand but certainly don’t gear themselves up to servicing very well.  To put it simply, we’re looking for services that help rather than hinder.

I’m waiting for a new solution to banking – a solution such as the one I saw on the tube – but with a broader range of services, a banking solution that really does understand what’s important to people and small businesses in this day and age. Wake up – its 2010 not 1910.

Times have changed – and all businesses have to appreciate that and get on board with the what’s happening right now in order to succeed in this digital future.  I’ve said it before – small businesses, well leveraged and savvy are agile and responsive to change.  Large lumbering dinosaurs – just can’t get there as quickly.

Hope I won’t be disappointed and that a nimble and savvy online banking solution will appear in the not too distant future – and of course, the main focus – to keep things simple!

For more marketing news, views, advice and tips (oh and rants too) – why not subscribe to my blog http://www.carvillcreative.co.uk/blog .  And follow me on Twitter too.

Attribution: Michelle Carvill
http://www.carvillcreative.co.uk/blog
http:www.carvillcreative.co.uk
Twitter http://www.twitter.com/michellecarvill

Billions of tonnes of recycled card, and finished greetings cards, are produced in Eastern countries, and is shipped in containers across the seas to the UK, belching out C02 into the atmosphere as the boats that are used burn fossil fuel. The majority of these vessels are decades old, and were not built in a time of environmental conscience, so they are not efficient and run on the planet’s dwindling fossil fuels.

The greetings cards and recycled paper pulp to make greetings cards arrive in the UK in containers and are then offloaded onto diesel lorries. The greetings cards are driven the length and the breadth of the UK to distribution depots, which unpack the containers, and reload onto vans and lorries to distribute to high street shops and supermarkets.

In the UK we send on average 55 cards per person per year. That’s a lot of cards. The most popular annual occasions being Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Fathers Day, when these dates pass, the cards are taken off the shelves. Many stores are on a sale or return agreement, so back to the East they go, packed back into containers, and returned to the recycling plant, and the cycle starts all over again.

Consider the benefits of buying FSC accredited card, from sustainable sources, where trees are planted and replaced as the felling takes place. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is founded on inclusive and shared responsibility for setting high social, environmental and economic standards for forest management. This type of card arrives in the UK in huge sheets on pallets and is stored when it arrives at a printing company. There is no need for further distribution by road and rail.

The sister company of Funky Pigeon, www.brunel-promotions.co.uk, is FSC accredited; all of the paper, card and packaging that is used is sustainably sourced. The Company is the B2B side of the business, producing and printing hundreds of thousands of personalised calendars and corporate greetings cards every year for companies in the UK.

As websites and technology continually improve, many greetings card orders are taken online. Consumers take advantage of software that enables consumers to personalise a card, as opposed to a mass-produced card on a rack in a store with the same stock design. Personalisation has reached new levels, with photo upload, and image manipulation allowing any text to appear in thousands of designs on file. In this way the consumer has the freedom to create a keepsake card which is unique to them.

When the order is placed, the design is sent to the printers that print to order. Sheets are printed, cut and folded, and best of all, no waste is produced. The card is then sent direct to the recipient using the UK’s most efficient postal service, the Royal Mail.

So, the next time you are browsing a greetings card in a high street shop, take a moment to consider whether you would benefit from using an online personalised greetings card company like www.funkypigeon.com. This website has a print on demand ordering system producing personalised cards, posters and calendars which are environmentally friendly and also offer the consumer total control when designing a card online.

Attribution: Author: Nina Greaves
http://www.funkypigeon.com

I grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon and spent a lot of my childhood either playing down by the river or up on the Welcombe Hills, so thought I would take my children to see where I used to play.

Looking back, it must have been 30 years since I wast last there, but I could see straight away why I used to like it so much, and the reaction of my kids backed that up, they both absolutely loved it.

We started of by driving up to the top of Maidenhead Road and the only bit that was slightly different was there was a new housing estate to the left of “the tunnel” (as we used to call the 1oo yrd entrance that was enclosed on both sides by hedging). Once through the tunnel thoufg we were in to open unspoilt countryside.

Up across another couple of fields, and there it was, the sight of The Monument,

Once the kids saw it the pace picked up and it almost became a race of who could get there first, grandad along the top route, granny, me and the kids taking the more direct (but up and down) route.

We met up at virtually the same time on the final style and L was first in, closely followed by T. Up they ran, and bothe stood in awe of just how big it was.

We soon caught them up and stated our picnic on the old rustic benches now set up there, finger rolls, chicken drumsticks, cocktail sausages and crisps, almost exactly the same as my mum always made them when we were kids.

The memories of our famouse 5 style adventures came flooding back, especially as my daughter started climbing those exact same trees we used to climb (they’re even bigger now), and even more, so when she went of in search for that secret tunnel from the Monument to the Welcombe Hotel which we never found despite numerous searches for it.

Sandwiches, snacks and drinks finished, we headed back taking a shortcut through the woods where we often played soldiers in and alongside the old burn we used to go dirt-biking in (on our old Grifters and Choppers)

We got back to the car, with both kids exhaused, they slept well las night (as did I)

Next week we hope to get to Warwick castle where hopefully there will be a falconry display amongst all the other goings on, I’ve promised L she could hold a bird of prey since we saw a big barn owl on the last walk we went on.

 

East Gate at Warwick Castle

After enjoying last weeks trip up to see the monument on the Welcombe Hills near Stratford-upon-Avon so much, I decided this week to take the kids to Warwick Castle.

We set off at 9:30 picking up granny in Stratford on the way and got to Warwick at about 10:15 and parked up in the Stables car park right at the entrance to the castle.

Having already brought the tickets (at a discount price) from Stratford Information Centre, we quickly made our way to the East Gate just in time to hear a little history and see a demonstration of the lowering and raising of the portcullis.

Once inside we had a quick look at the itinery then had a walk around the interior to see the wax work reconstruction of a weekend party hosted in 1898 which included the then Prince of Wales, later to become Edward VII.

The rooms, decor, furnishings etc. of the Royal Weekend Party are the orginals and are positioned as they were over the weekend thanks to photographs taken at the time.

After the walk around the interior we made our way to the central courtyard for a good bit of entertainment where 2 ladies in the crowd were pulled out to pledge their allegiance to the house of york and the house of Lancaster.

Warwick Castle Trebuchet

We then made our way down to River Island to see a demonstration firing of an old mediaeval Trebuchet one of the biggest and most deadly siege machines of its time.

A trebuchet is effectively a massive catapult which was used to fire huge missiles to breach castle walls. The majority of time large rocks and stones were fired, but apparantly they would also fire manure, rotting meat and dead animals over the walls of the castle in the hope of spreading disease. 

With the trebuchet demonstration over we had a walk past the birds of prey to watch a falconry display then visited some of the side stalls giving fighting and archery lessons and stopped off for an ice cream.

Ice creams all finished, we set off on the walk along the castle walls and up the towers. 530 steps it said at the entrance and our legs knew about them by the time we got to the other end. From the top tower we could see all across the Warwickshire countryside. The kids loved being on the top of the tower and showed no fear of heights. (maybe that happens as we get older, I don’t like them anymore)

With our feet back on solid ground we headed back down to the riverside to see a jousting display and sat on the bank of the river eating chips and sweet pancakes.

After the jousting we had a our first bit of real queing of the day, a 30 minute wait to get inside the Princess Tower. A new attraction aimed really at 4 to 8 year old girls, but we all enjoyed it especially when the kids could dress up as knights and Princesses ( L being the typical tomboy that she is, decided she wanted a helmet shield and sword though rather than a princesses outfit)

We finished the day of with a quick walk around the main hall and then in to the kids adventure playground where they both went mad for half an hour.

On the way out we picked up a few typical gifts, including a knight in shinining armour fridge magnet for J and a fantastic knights outfit for T.

All in all it was a great day, the staff were all nice and friendly and there was loads to do, even when the main events were not on there was always something happening, including members of staff (dressed in character) sitting down telling the kids stories as we were queing for anything.

Next week it’s Broadway Tower

Email marketing is one of the most cost effective forms of the entire marcomms mix – it is cheap, direct and effective. However, in order to make the most from your campaigns, there are a number of key considerations in the design and construction of an email.

1. It needs to be attractive and interactive. This captures initial attention and enourages user interaction by way of links to relevant info on your website.

2. Key messages need to be visible in the top 3rd of the email in order to appear in preview panes

3. All style attributes in the HTML should be in-line CSS in order to appear correctly in web-based email clients such as Hotmail, Gmail etc.

With these key points in mind, it is best to get your email templates professionally designed. www.digitalmarcomms.co.uk will design your email templates in-line with your brand and existing communications. You can choose to have templates which allow you to make content changes as and when you require, or we can design campaign specific emails for you.

Visit us to find out more. The return you get from using good quality email templates is well worth it.

Attribution: By James Roberts
http://www.digitalmarcomms.co.uk
Email template design