freelancers

Is the temp manager here to stay?

2009-05-19T18:50:00.008+01:00

Finding a temp to fill a temporary execs post is not easy, but as the credit crunch gives rise to the spending freeze, many business' are looking for highly motivated, proven professionals who are organised and able to deliver results under pressure.

These well seasoned heavy hitters can help turnaround a situation, oversee a merger, help a start-up or help business transition or diversification.

Many temps find work through contacts, business networks or because they have an enviable reputation for getting the job done!

Engaging a temp manager could have an immediate impact on your business; injecting energy and focus to seriously increase the amount of business you do.

Bank injects extra £50bn into ailing economy

2009-05-13T10:39:00.000+01:00

The Bank of England has announced it will pump an extra £50 billion into the economy as part of its quantitative easing programme.

First introduced in March, the scheme effectively involves the Bank printing money to buy Government and corporate bonds. It is hoped the additional cash will kick-start the UK’s economic recovery.

Confirming its decision, the Bank said: ‘The world economy remains in deep recession. Output has continued to contract and international trade has fallen precipitously.

‘The global banking and financial system remains fragile despite further significant intervention by the authorities.’

The latest cash injection means the Bank is on course to print £125bn under the scheme, which will now run for a further three months.

It came as the Monetary Policy Committee kept interest rates on hold at 0.5%, despite a rates reduction by the European Central Bank.

2009 Budget: The business reaction

2009-04-27T10:33:00.000+01:00

Business leaders have given mixed reactions to the announcements made by Chancellor Alistair Darling in his 2009 Budget.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) said that the Chancellor had largely ignored the small businesses that are 'at the heart of job creation and economic recovery'.

The organisation gave a cautious welcome to the focus on jobs, but expressed disappointment that the Budget did not offer support for those small firms which are trying to hold on to valued employees during difficult times.

The FSB also welcomed the announcement of a trade credit insurance scheme, together with the doubling of the main capital allowances rate to 40%, but called for further action to tackle late payments to small firms, and expressed disappointment that the Government did not introduce automatic rate relief, and that fuel duty will rise by 2% from September.

Miles Templeman of the Institute of Directors (IoD) warned that Britain needs to face up some 'very difficult choices' in relation to spending and taxation.

'Whilst today's Budget does reduce the rate of growth of public spending the scale of the fiscal deterioration in the UK means that extraordinary measures are required', he said.

David Frost, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) broadly welcomed the announcements, commenting that 'the Government appears to have understood that it will be business driving the economy out of recession, and there are some good measures that reflect this'.

However, both the BCC and the Confederation of British Industry warned that the Chancellor's growth forecasts look overly optimistic.

Winning new business in tough times

2009-04-20T20:12:00.011+01:00

Survival of the smartest as our clients look for smarter ways to keep winning new business in the current economic climate.

With funding in short supply small businesses are searching desperately for cost efficient sales and marketing ideas to ride out the recession as banks aren't lending.

Many SME's have no experience of trading through an economic downturn. Any change in market conditions is as much an opportunity at it is a threat. So to win profitable new business in these tough economic times, you need to know your market and play to your strengths.

To give your business the greatest chance of success our business marketing consultancy will work with your in-house team to help you to:

Identify opportunities and find new business
Win contracts
Ensure your prices are competitive
Implement a winning strategy

A fantastic opportunity!
Do not miss this fantastic opportunity to make an immediate impact on your business. Simply call us today on 0870.0205.805 and save time & money.

Business groups criticise redundancy pay plans

2009-03-30T13:35:00.002+01:00

Plans to increase redundancy pay may risk the survival of many small firms during the recession, business groups have warned.

The Forum of Private Business (FPB) claims the Statutory Redundancy Payment (Amendment) Bill, which had its second reading in the Commons last week, could force more small businesses to close as they struggle to cope in the economic downturn.

The Bill proposes increasing the maximum week’s pay used for calculating statutory redundancy pay from £350 to £500.

‘The proposal, apparently to protect workers, is misguided because it would increase unemployment by forcing many businesses to close that might have survived had statutory redundancy pay been left alone,’ said the FPB's Chief Executive, Phil Orford.

‘Inevitably, this would also increase the burden of social security on the taxpayer and become a downward spiral of further unemployment and economic deterioration.’

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has also voiced concerns over the plans. The organisation is now urging the Government to seek alternative ways of assisting employers in difficult times.

‘Instead of threatening firms with extra financial burdens, politicians should be concentrating on helping employers retain their staff,’ said David Frost, Director General of the BCC.

‘Reducing regulatory burdens, reintroducing the Temporary Short Time Working Compensation Scheme and freezing the national minimum wage will all help hard-pressed companies.’

Situations Wanted - freelance jobs in sales, marketing, business development

2009-02-15T12:49:00.007Z

No freelance career
Has resulted, this year
From the CVs and grovelling letters.
Now these high achievers despairs
Since nobody cares
That we'll end up in nick with the debtors.
Help! Positions sought.

Whether your business is looking for a freelance project manager, freelance marketing consultant or a freelance business development consultant, our team is ready to work with you. We'll show you how we can help meet your business objectives with a turnkey service.

However will you MANAGE?

2009-01-16T09:00:00.011Z

Business' that can quickly adapt could not only survive but thrive in a recession!

In the current financial crisis, managers and business consultants can't bury their heads; they need to remain positive, resilient and take the initiative. Take a clear and dispassionate look at your business and revise your business strategy to get more bang for your buck!

With depressing economic headlines everywhere you look, managers and consultants like ourselves face a massive challenge.

"In the struggle for survival, the fittest win out at the expense of their rivals because they succeed in adapting themselves best to their environment."－ Charles Darwin (12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882)

Therefore in the struggle to survive, business' need to adapt, clarify it's aims, rally support for change and manage expectations.

When small actions lead to BIG consequences!

2009-01-03T23:40:00.018Z

"For Want of a Nail" is a figure of speech that illustrates the butterfly effect; comparing small actions with big consequences.

For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

This proverb dating back the 14th century, is as true today as it was then.
See 'planning to fail' blog post- 04/2008

Is your salesforce delivering 100% for you?

2008-10-25T18:22:00.006+01:00

Treat em mean, keep em keen is certainly one way to galvanise your firm and banish complacency.

Click here to find another way...

Working for the public sector

2008-10-05T10:52:00.007+01:00

The great thing about working for the public sector is that once you've got the work, you've got it. Public sector contracts are good, solid foundation for business. Check out BOBEX; an electronic tendering service that helps companies to buy or sell their business products and services.

So what makes a successful tender?

Find out about contracts relevant to your business that you might apply for
Learn about the process of applying for public sector contracts from your local Business Link
Make sure you pre-qualify for any contract, or you may be wasting your time
Put a lot of time and effort into making an application
Do not be afraid to speak to those assessing your application. They are often there to help

Need help increasing customer footfall?

2008-09-17T09:34:00.024+01:00

Footfall is an important KPI of a companies sales & marketing success. Many business' struggle to convert high footfall into sales. Contact us to find out how we can generate new leads and increase footfall for your business; from research to negotiated close.
With the credit crunch hitting many businesses hard, it's never been more important to find a consultant that understands the pressures of your business and works hard to improve your bottom line. Simply call Steve Elson on 0870-0205-805 or post your project requirements here and our 'lets outsource' team will be in touch.

It's nothing personal, just business!

2008-08-15T17:09:00.013+01:00

Are you looking to increase sales, raise awareness or target new business?
By engaging our services you could seriously increase the amount of business you do.

As freelance consultants we can work from anywhere and enjoy the benefits of working as part of a virtual team. We can show you new ways to increase sales leads generated and improve your lead conversion.

Our dynamic team of professionals have a successful track record of achievement in business-to-business sales, real-estate marketing, sales promotion, telesales, online marketing and off-line marketing techniques.

A fantastic opportunity!
Do not miss this fantastic opportunity to make an immediate impact on your business. Simply post your project below and a consultant will be in touch.

Yours sincerely,
LetsOutSource

Steve, Cut the crap...

2008-06-15T09:20:00.012+01:00

By now you probably know that there is only one valid definition of business purpose -
'to create and retain a customer'. The key ingredient to meeting this KPI is an effective sales force. As the credit crunch gives rise to the spending squeeze, it's now more important than ever to review your sales and marketing techniques. So ask yourself...

Are my sales force passionate about my products and services?
Are they people friendly?
Do they have any sales training?
Can they create and build relationships?
Do they know how to close a sale?

Unless you can deliver measurable returns you will not make it as a consultant in this business.

Let me show you how I turned a £200K deficit into profit inside 6 months whilst raising standards of customer care for a London print company
Let me show you how I increased turnover by 21% and smashed sales targets inside 9 months for a London design agency
Let me show you how I selected, profiled and targeted Blue Chip clients for a small Mechanical Engineering firm in Surrey

Let's face it, it's impossible to succeed without effective sales and marketing techniques - they bring the money through the door!

So If you want to increase sales, raise awareness or target new business post your freelance project here and measure the difference.

View Steve Elson's profile

Quick-hits, website makeovers, marketing tips...

2008-05-23T19:25:00.013+01:00

Impatient with search engines?
We understand you want immediate results, but search engine optimisation takes time and ongoing management. The effort we put in at the beginning will provide a platform to build on. In the short term, there are other tactics that we can employ to complement the work we are doing. Here are a few additional solutions worth thinking about:

Looking for a website makeover?
We offer an advanced web design service; designing highly effective websites that take your online presence to a new and exciting level. If you'd like to find out more about our Advanced Web Design and search engine optimisation coding services, please contact a Digital Web Marketing Consultant on 01622 744 659.

So you want quick-hits, huh?
If you haven't considered our pay per click Google AdWords programme, this could be a great addition to your search engine optimisation strategy. If you'd like to find out more, simply 'post your project' below.

PPC search results with Google AdWords

2008-05-21T17:44:00.005+01:00

Get targeted traffic to your website within hours!

We have the experience to work with you to ensure your Google AdWords campaign is correctly targeted to reach people who are looking for your product or service on the Internet in a cost effective manner. We will set up your campaign and manage it for you, this allows you the time to run your business and fulfill your sales orders. We monitor your account on a regular basis ensuring that you are getting the highest benefit for the lowest possible cost to you.

Our rates are highly competitive and our results are outstanding.

Complete campaign management including:

Campaign Set-up
We will set up a new account (or use your existing account) and set up everything necessary for your Google AdWords campaign.
Keyword research
We will research the most relevant keyword phrases for your business and target these in your Google AdWords campaign.
Advert writing and optimisation
We will write your initial adverts and rewrite them as appropriate, ensuring that they are performing at their very best throughout your campaign.
Landing Pages
Appropriate Landing Pages will be developed for your site if and when they are required.
Monthly budget
You tell us how much you would like to spend each month keeping you in full control of your advertising costs.
Page 1 of Google
Most of your adverts will appear on the first page of Google.
Target markets
We can target your adverts to people in particular cities, post codes, regions or countries if you wish.
Statistics
You can log into your account at any time and see how your campaign is progressing.
Campaign monitoring
We monitor your AdWords campaigns to ensure optimum performance for minimum costs.
Flexibility
You are not committed to any minimum spend on your campaign. You’re only commitment is your minimum monthly management fee.

So If you want to increase sales, raise awareness or target new business post your freelance project here and measure the difference.

A proficient internet user is needed to answer customer support tickets from home

2008-05-19T00:20:00.011+01:00

Position Filled

Job summary: A proficient Internet user is needed to answer customer support tickets from home. This will be using pre-written replies.

Description of project: A proficient Internet user is needed to answer customer support tickets from home. This will be using pre-written replies. Any ones outside of project scope will be forwarded to other staff. Seeking CVs and quotes from interested candidates.

Skill requirements: Typing, friendly nature, customer support skills

Apply For This Project : Email freelancer@letsoutsource.co.uk quoting job ref 'sig-hd'

NO AGENCIES PLEASE

Consultants who put their reputations on the line

2008-05-10T09:46:00.014+01:00

Everyone's got an opinion. What's yours worth?
With a track record of success we are enthusiastic about every project, whatever the budget!

In my case, I take on the risk rather than the client as I'm confident in my ability to deliver a measurable return on investment.

As a consultant You owe it to your clients to have some measurable KPI's if that helps them understand the value of what you're offering.

It's unwise to pay too much...

2008-05-01T12:38:00.010+01:00

"It's unwise to pay too much, but it's unwise to pay too little. When you pay too much you lose a little money, that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing you bought it to do.

The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot. It can't be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it's as well to add something for the risk you run.

And if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better"
John Ruskin (1819-1900)

We appreciate the fact that, in consulting us, you are bringing in our expertise in order to leave you free to get along with the real tasks of operating and growing your own business. You want REAL solutions to REAL issues which, wherever possible, will work in harmony with your existing systems and practices.

Need to Outsource Work?

2008-04-28T16:48:00.004+01:00

www.letsoutsource.co.uk - Post your project to a database of specialist advisors, covering a vast range of services and get free quotes today.

Even an outstanding business idea won't win funding if it isn't presented in the right way and you normally only get one chance. As freelance marketing consultants, we work closely with many companies on a diverse range of projects.

We're a dynamic collective of professionals from advertising, marketing, sales, business development and project management backgrounds. With a track record of success. We specialise in working with clients on a personal level.

As consultants - we're accustomed to ‘juggling’ a varied workload, working to deadline.

Project Manager - Web Marketing Consultant - Digital Web Marketing Consultant

2008-04-26T19:10:00.017+01:00

Steve Elson is a Project Manager with Web Agency experience. Working with corporate Web builds; heavily involved with information architecture and delivering high quality and creative Web projects.

Managing multiple accounts, researching client briefs, working with the freelance creative and developers in the UK, India and the US.

Steve is able to walk through the full project process. From requirements gathering and design through implementation & testing to deployment, client training and support.

In this strategic role, Steve will manage client expectations from brief to completion through the project process; working hard to articulate the full potential of very project. Steve believes creative work should have an energy and freshness of approach that makes the client and audience excited and engaged. Therefore Steve's naturally proactive in all aspects of the marketing mix.

If your a Digital Marketing Agency looking for a Web Build Project Manager to deliver high profile corporate sites Skype Steve Elson, email elsonuk@gmail.com print Steve Elson's CV or call 0870.0205.805 to discuss your project requirements.

Marketing consultants get results

2008-04-18T12:37:00.004+01:00

In an age of 'fast-sell, quick-fix' solution providers, I take pride in the provision of a professional Consultancy Service culminating in recommendations for sound, appropriate, tailored business solutions specific to the needs of each of my client's.

Project orientated marketing gives you the opportunity to offload non core activities to specialists on an adhoc basis. This leads to significant cost savings; maximising return on investment.

Signature operates as a ‘virtual company’ - our consultants can work from anywhere.
My team enjoy the freedom of working as part of a virtual team.

We provide professional expertise based upon many years of practical experience 'at the sharp end'.

What sets us apart from our competitors is that we make our recommendations to you, be they verbal or written, in 'plain English' as we are great believers in the principles of the 'Campaign for Plain English'. We specialise in working with businesses on a personal level, and know the last thing our client's want is to be 'blinded by science'.

We make our recommendations to you, be they verbal or written,
in 'plain English'.

We appreciate the fact that, in consulting us, you are bringing in our expertise in order to leave you free to get along with the real tasks of operating and growing your own business. You want REAL solutions to REAL issues which, wherever possible, will work in harmony with your existing systems and practices.

This is exactly what we aim to deliver!

We do this by initially having an exploratory meeting. This involves spending some time with you, typically a half or full day as required, to identify your aims, needs, aspirations and the current business issues and challenges being faced. For this we charge a flat fee which is then offset against subsequent invoicing for further work commissioned.

Subsequent charging rates would be negotiated once the scope of the work to be completed has been determined, but typically we charge a minimum of £360.00 per day plus expenses for each consultant.

We offer a personalized consultancy service at realistic and affordable rates, which are negotiated according to the individual needs of each client. We look to establish a long-term relationship with each of our clients from the outset, to whom we provide professional expertise based upon many years of practical experience 'at the sharp end'.

We look to establish a long-term relationship with each of our clients
from the outset.

Project oriented marketing

2008-04-14T19:56:00.007+01:00

Fail to plan = Plan to fail!

Project oriented marketing involves an emphasis on trackable, measurable results (known as "response" in the industry) regardless of marketing channel.

We use Key Performance Indicators (KPI) to quantify objectives to reflect strategic performance. The KPIs differ depending on the nature of each clients organisation and their strategy. They enable our clients to measure progress towards their goals, such as market penetration and awareness.

A KPI is a key part of a measurable objective, which is made up of a direction, KPI, benchmark, target and time frame. For example: "Increase investor leads by X% by EOY 2009". In this case, 'Average number of responses' is the KPI.

KPIs should not be confused with a Critical Success Factor. For the example above, a critical success factor would be something that needs to be in place to achieve that objective; for example, a road show.

If you are spending lots of money on an advertising campaign, then tracking advertising performance is essential.

If you are spending lots of money on an advertising campaign, then tracking advertising performance is essential. We analyse the performance of each element of the marketing process; from research and approach through to negotiated close and follow-up. Enabling us to focus your marketing resources on campaigns and initiatives that deliver a better return on investment.

Frequently Asked Questions About our Freelance Consultants

2008-04-06T22:11:00.005+01:00

Why Choose Us?

Experience along with a team of professionals are what seperate us from the journeymen. Our experience allows us to think on our feet and run projects in a timeline friendly manner.

Whether your business is looking for a freelance project manager, freelance marketing consultant or a freelance business development consultant, our team is ready to work with you. We'll show you how we can help meet your business objectives with a turnkey service.

Click here to post your project and receive a free estimate

Our team consists of professionals in each area which allows us to provide our clients a broad consultancy service. We provide consulting services for estate agents, online retailers, professional practices, charities and start up businesses.