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Beattie launches world’s first voice marketing radio show

Sam Whitear
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Beattie, which has an office in Manchester, the integrated communications agency, has launched the world’s first radio show that focuses exclusively on voice marketing and voice technology.

Hosted by Adam Christie and Daniela Young, the fortnightly Beattie Voice Show highlights how voice technology is changing the way we live, work and play.

The first episode of the show focuses on how voice is revolutionising Google’s search marketing function and how millions of consumers are already using voice to buy goods, order pizza and check our bank balances.

To coincide with the launch of the radio show, Beattie Communications has published a free guide to voice search and voice marketing.

“More than 20% of all information searches on Google are already conducted by voice,” said Adam, digital studio head at Beattie.

“Believe it or not, consumers are streets ahead of most brands when it comes to using voice for buying goods and controlling their heat and lighting on devices such as Alexa and for searches on their mobile phones.

“Brands need to waken up to the voice revolution. Websites that are not optimised for voice will be struck dumb as consumers migrate from typing to voice commands on their mobile phones and lap tops.”

Daniela, head of voice search at Beattie, added: “Convenience is what’s driving millions of consumers to switch to voice.

“It’s quicker to speak than to type. In other words, it saves time and time is one of our most precious resources.

“It will be the brands that immerse themselves in voice marketing and voice technology today that will dominate tomorrow.”

Erin Associates scoop Agency Central social media award

Sam Whitear
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Didsbury recruitment firm Erin Associates have been awarded a trophy proclaiming them the champions of Agency Central’s Social Media Recruiter 100 competition.

The award recognises Erin Associates as 2017’s most influential UK recruiter on social media. Agency Central’s Managing Director Kevin Drinkwater traveled to Didsbury to present the trophy to Sian Nolan – Erin Associates’ Resourcing Manager.

Agency Central began running the Social Media Recruiter 100 competition two years ago with the aim of fostering friendly competition between recruiters. The system measures a recruitment agency’s Klout score and ranks it against that of their competitors.

Competition data shows that UK recruitment agencies have become increasingly social over the last two years. This suggests that agencies are discovering the benefits social media can bring to their business.

Erin Associates’ director Shaun O’Donnell put the firm’s social media success down to having a consistent presence across various platforms, including LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. He had the following advice for other recruiters on social media: “Instead of just posting out jobs, try and get involved in conversations and don’t try to be controversial. It’s all about adding value and giving them a reason to keep following your content.”

Tech Manchester launches new mentoring round for startups

Sam Whitear
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Tech Manchester is inviting startups to another ‘Meet the Mentor’ event next week, after the phenomenal success of the first edition.

The not-for-profit initiative connects digital startups with entrepreneurs in a mentoring scheme and is hosting a matching event for founders in need of support and guidance on Monday 26th February from 2-8pm.

Tech Manchester has a roster of 90 active mentors including the likes of Darren Ratcliffe, Head of Strategy, Business & Platform Services at ATOS; Dr Antonia Terzi, Head of Aerodynamics at Bentley and Iñigo Antolin, Head of Digital at the British Council.

Patricia Keating, Tech Manchester’s project lead, said: “Our first wave of 48 matches are now well underway and we have seen some great progress in the business and personal development of the mentees.

“Following the success of our first mentor match-up event we continue to receive applications from startups for mentors – and from business people interested in training to become mentors.

“It makes perfect sense to host further training for mentors and to introduce them to startups looking for guidance so soon as possible. There is huge demand out there from founders looking for mentoring.”

The first intake of mentees saw the likes of Reece Douglas’ influencer marketing agency, Brand Endorsement and Don’t Let her Down, a gifting platform developed by business partners Laura Stockton and Amy Pandazis. Both businesses have enjoyed significant benefits from the partnership with Tech Manchester to date.

Tech Manchester is backed by UKFast CEO Lawrence Jones MBE, with Monday’s event to be held at the UKFast Campus.

Jones said: “I’m incredibly proud of what the Tech Manchester team has achieved in such a short space of time.

“To see the energy that’s generated and the results when we bring so many amazing people together only inspires me to push this project even further. I’m looking forward to seeing the success of the next batch of mentors and mentees.”

The event gives startups the opportunity to meet up to five prospective mentors with the skills and knowledge they require – and then to choose the mentor that best meets their mission.

Once mentors are selected, they embark on a six-to-12-month journey during which they will identify and explore goals and objectives.

Keating added: “Harnessing the resources of UKFast such as the video, PR and communications teams, we have raised the profile of a number of the startups and the traction they have gained demonstrates how we can harness UKFast’s influence and reach for the good of others.”

 

New Northern Committee Chair announced for British Council of Offices (BCO)

Sam Whitear
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Phil Doyle has been appointed as the new chair of the British Council of Offices (BCO) Northern Committee.

Diversity is high on the agenda for the incoming chair as he strives to attract the next generation of property professionals to join the committee.

A founding director of Manchester-based 5plus Architects, Phil has taken over from the former chair Stephen Frood, a partner at Gardiner Theobald in the city.

A committee member for 10 years, in his new role as chair Phil will lead the BCO Northern Committee as it focuses on the BCO Northern Awards, hosting events at iconic new developments across the North of England, showcasing BCO’s in-depth research and building membership.

The Northern Committee represents the interests of all those who occupy, design, build, own or manage offices in towns and cities in the North of England, including Liverpool, Salford, Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle. Members include architects, lawyers, surveyors, financial institutions and public agencies.

Phil said: “The BCO’s focus is the dissemination of best practice in office design. We have some outstanding buildings in the region that use the latest design techniques and technology to create the very best office spaces.

“The Northern Awards and National Awards programmes are the pillars by which we showcase and celebrate the very best in office design in the region and across the UK.”

Phil has 30 years’ experience providing strategic architectural advice and direction on complex developments. He has worked on the design and delivery of numerous award-winning projects across a variety of sectors, including Airport City in Manchester, Walker House in Liverpool, Vaux masterplan in Sunderland and St. Peter’s Square in Stockport.

As well as promoting best practice in its awards programmes, which recognise the highest quality developments and sets the standard for excellence in the regional and national office sector, the BCO publishes research to share best practice and improve workplaces across the UK.

Phil added: “BCO is at the forefront of developments in the office sector, identifying and predicting the themes that shape and drive the sector – publishing research, organising tours of the outstanding buildings in our region and providing opportunities for members to network.

“During my time as chair I would like to increase diversity, not only across the different disciplines our members come from but also encouraging more women to join, and to increase the membership of NextGen – a platform for the next generation of professionals to share ideas.

“BCO research is funded through membership fees, so it is important for BCO to grow its membership in the UK and throughout the regions to support further research that is vital to improving the industry.”

The BCO Northern Awards are taking place on 3 May at The Principal Hotel in Manchester, where the best workplaces in the region will be announced.

instantprint’s successful Northern business panel 2018 reveals crucial advice on launching a business successfully

Sam Whitear
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UK online printer instantprint, held a Successful Business Panel this January, involving 4 accomplished business owners. The panel was held to inspire entrepreneurs across the country and to celebrate the success of small business owners.

The panel discussion was filled with fantastic nuggets of knowledge and guidance on launching a business in 2018. Such as, how to pick the right office location and creating a successful business plan. Whilst also tapping into why the business owners involved launched their companies and key lessons they’ve learnt along the way.

As many of the aspiring entrepreneurs see the beginning of the year as the ideal month to launch a business, instantprint have comprised the top tips form their interview with successful CEO’s from across the north to offer the best possible advice.

As part of the business panel, instantprint spoke with Matt Russell, Co-founder of Music Vine, an award-winning music licensing platform based in Leeds.

Matt uncovered his top advice on which step to take first before launching: ‘‘We did our research. You need to prepare yourself as much as possible because the next month will be pivotal. Having a solid grasp on the market you’re entering, your USP and a stage by stage plan, will hold you onto your vision whilst also having milestones to achieve.’’

Co-founder of instantprint, James Kinsella, offers his advice for budding entrepreneurs on launching an enterprise in 2018: “No matter the time of year, there will always be an amount of risk when launching a business. However, this can be managed in today’s information world, so the risk is probably lower than say, thirty years ago. Starting a business certainly is not for everyone but by making informed and researched decisions with yourbusiness, you can control more of the risk.”

For busy entrepreneurs who don’t have the time to read the full content, instantprint created ‘Ten Tips on Launching a Business’, taken from the panel discussion.

  1. Trust your instinct.
  2. Build a brand.
  3. Be meticulous over every aspect of your business.
  4. Do not underestimate the investment your business will require in time and money.
  5. Follow the money – be a need to have.
  6. Don’t try to do it all by yourself.
  7. People – surround yourself with the right people to make your business a success.
  8. Prioritise and qualify prospects and make sure they are actually serious and interested in buying otherwise you will be wasting a lot of time.
  9. Plan ahead.
  10. Don’t lose sight of what makes you unique.

Plus, instantprint have assembled the top five pieces of advice to have arisen from their business panel interview. The “Top Five Start-up Tips From Northern Entrepreneurs” are a combination of comments from the five panellists to create the best advice for budding entrepreneurs.

CEO of Top Screen Media, Achille Traore, another accomplished entrepreneur who participated in the panel. Shared his thoughts on how important it is to be a need in today’s oversaturated markets.

‘‘Ask yourself, are you solving a problem? The worst position when starting a business is to be considered as a niche rather than a need to have. Be THAT need to have.’’

BizSpace expands its North West portfolio

Sam Whitear
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Boosting its North West portfolio of 22 sites, BizSpace, the largest provider of flexible workspace with offices and workshops across the UK, has invested more than £2.5million in the acquisition and refurbishment of a new business centre, providing flexible, affordable workspace in Cheadle.

Situated on Stockport Road, Cheadle Place offers a total of 22,036 square feet of business space and will provide a modern business environment, with a first-rate selection of facilities and services for micro and small businesses in the area.

The £2million refurbishment program has transformed Cheadle Place to include a meeting room for hire, suitable for up to 10 people, and a range of office spaces designed specifically to suit the needs of start-ups and small businesses. The first suites are now available to let. Prior to the business centre’s opening, Pink Limited has already signed up to occupy some of the flexible workspace at Cheadle Place.

BizSpace currently owns Europa Business Park on Bird Hall Lane, Cheadle Heath, and will open the Cheadle Place business centre on Wednesday 7th March. The ‘Let’s do Bizness’ networking event will enable potential customers to preview the site and network with other like-minded businesses.

Emma Long, Commercial Director at BizSpace, commented: “We’re hugely excited by the launch of Cheadle Place, bringing much-needed flexible workspace to the area for small to medium enterprises. This is our 15th business centre in the North West, which is testament to our confidence in the region and the growing demand for flexible, high-quality office space.

“Our dedicated on-site business centre manager will ensure that our customers’ day-to-day lives are made as simple as possible, and that BizSpace continues to contribute to the growth of the local working community.”

Catherine Devy, Sales & Marketing Manager at Pink Limited said: “We’re excited to be BizSpace’s first customer at Cheadle Place, having signed to take space before the site’s opening. The most important criteria for us is location and Cheadle Place is ideally situated for both staff and customers, directly off a motorway junction. Following BizSpace’s refurbishment of the property, it looks very impressive and now includes kitchens, breakout areas, meeting rooms, and a warm, welcoming reception area.

“Our visiting customers will appreciate the parking facilities and the prestigious look that we now project. We are feeling very positive about this move.”

The Insights People launch the UK’s first real-time parent research tool

Sam Whitear
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Manchester-based market research and insights agency The Insights People has launched the UK’s most comprehensive and dynamic real time research tool to help brands find out what parents think.

Set up as part of a joint venture with consumer marketing and brand engagement specialists FanFinders, Parents Insights gives companies direct access to flash trends and key data to enhance their knowledge about their target audiences’ attitudes, behaviours and consumption.

Being hailed as the number one tool in the UK for market intelligence about parents, more than 6,000 UK mums and dads will be surveyed each year, with the results compiled into four, insight-led quarterly reports centred on expecting parents, and parents with new-born babies, babies and toddlers.

By subscribing to Parents Insights, brands and agencies are able to access and interrogate real time data via the Parents Insights portal.

Nick Richardson is CEO of The Insight People, which recently announced it has secured a six figure investment to roll out its insight platforms. He said: “Parents Insights is the most comprehensive and dynamic form of market intelligence there is for brands focused on parents and families in the UK.

“With Parents Insights, we’re about talking delivering UK-first capabilities that offer brands untapped access to data that can help shape their marketing, licencing, content and product development investments. Many major global and UK brands are already waking up to the opportunities this offers them, and we’re excited to be collaborating with them.”

FanFinders operates the fastest growing parenting club in the UK, Your Baby Club, and brings to the table access to its two million members.

Between them, FanFinders and The Insight People already work with the likes of Amazon, DC Thomson, Egmont, Finsbury Foods, Penguin Random House, Sainsbury’s, SuperAwesome and Tesco.

Alec Dobbie, FanFinders CEO, added: “There is no doubt that in today’s increasingly competitive marketplace, up to date and tailored insights can be the difference between success and failure.

“At FanFinders our unique method enables clients to generate specific insights, but the development of the Parents Insights tool gives clients access to comprehensive data across the entire parenting spectrum.

“The development of the portal is already anticipated by clients as the missing piece they need, with many excited to try out the clever tool via the free 5-day trial.”

DigitalBridge appoints KBB senior product manager to growing team 

Sam Whitear
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Award-winning Manchester tech business, DigitalBridge, has appointed Lee Spooner as senior product manager, ahead of a period of expansion.

Lee will oversee the company’s development of industry-leading space planning and room visualisation tools for the kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms (KBB) market. These have a specific focus on the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. 

He brings to the role over 18 years’ experience in the industry, spending a decade as a designer before moving on to a position as CAD development specialist at B&Q. Most recently, he was digital lead at Kingfisher – the largest home improvement retailer in Europe – where he headed up the design and development of KBB planning and visualisation tools. Kingfisher counts brands such as B&Q, Screwfix and Castorama in its portfolio.  

The appointment comes as DigitalBridge looks to transition into a period of exciting growth over the next 12 months. The company, which is headquartered at Manchester Science Park, currently counts a team of 25, and is growing fast.

Lee commented: “I got to know the DigitalBridge team over 12 months before joining and was impressed by both their product and their way of doing business. I am particularly excited by the opportunity as it’s a smart company solving real customer problems, rather than a tech outfit looking for problems to solve. I’m really looking forward to be part of such a friendly team.”   

David Levine, CEO of DigitalBridge, said: “Lee’s wealth of relevant experience is going to help kick-start an exciting phase in DigitalBridge’s journey as we continue to disrupt the KBB planning and visualisation space. Lee has had an exceptional career at the forefront of this industry and we’re delighted to have him on board to power us into our next phase of growth.”

Northcoders & ThoughtWorks offer four scholarships to help women learn to code

Sam Whitear
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Manchester headquartered Northcoders – the coding bootcamp for the North – has received funding for four scholarships from global technology consultancy ThoughtWorks  that aims to encourage more women to pursue a career in tech. Each scholarship for the full time 12-week coding course is valued at £6,000 plus an extra £2,000 bursary is available to help with living costs.

According to research by Manchester Digital – the independent trade association for digital business in the North West of England – just 19% of the tech roles in the North West are held by women. These scholarships are a step in addressing the underrepresentation of women in the sector.

Northcoders recently expanded into Federation House. It offers courses that are designed to help satisfy the increasing demand for developers across various industries and sectors in the North of England.

The courses aim to give graduates the opportunity to learn coding to an industry-standard level and to ensure they have skills, initiative and attitude well beyond what is usually expected for an entry-level software developer.

To date, seven cohorts – with a total of 129 students – have graduated. The business employs 19 full-time members of staff. Northcoders offers an industry-led curriculum, which is constantly in review against its hiring partners’ needs. Hiring partners include ThoughtWorks, Barclays, Apadmi and MoneySupermarket.

James Brooke – co-founder of Northcoders – said: “ThoughtWorks probably don’t even know this – but we have an internal standard that should guarantee that any of our graduates who want to work there should be reach their technical standards for entry. There is such a synergy between us, and especially between our values. I am over the moon that four people who otherwise wouldn’t have had such a stellar future ahead do so because of ThoughtWorks’ generosity and belief in us”

Nikki Jones – Graduate Experience Lead at ThoughtWorks – added: “As a business we recognise the huge underrepresentation of women in tech. These scholarships are a clear and practical way of empowering aspiring female technologists from all backgrounds by supporting their learning and development.”

Northern Business Exhibition prepares for Manchester return with Dragon’s Den’s Hillary Devey set to headline

Sam Whitear
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With a brand new home to house the event and a wealth of industry leading speakers including Dragon’s Den star Hillary Devey set to host, the Northern Business Exhibition prepares for its busiest year to date.

Two days packed full of business advice and insights for entrepreneurs, start-ups and SME’s the Northern Business Exhibition is all about supporting new businesses as they grow as well as a great place to network.

Taking place on the 18 & 19 April between 10am – 4pm, this free event will take place in the heart of Manchester at Manchester Central attracting in excess of 7,000 visitors.

Focused on providing quality advice there are over 80 seminars & workshops delivered by some of businesses’ finest speakers including a Q&A with Hillary Devey CBE, author Ben Kench speaking about how to make a success of your business in 2018, Rachel Elnaugh another Dragon’s Den star and co-creator of Source TV, marketer Michael Carlin CEO of Zymplify, Carl Reader the start up coach, best selling author Steve Hackney, Gary Townley from the Intellectual Property Office, CEO and founder of Global Social Media Marketing agency Social Chain Steve Bartlett to name a few.

Visitors can also book in for free 1-2-1 advice and support on all elements of business from sales to marketing, branding to finance with 20-minute appointments with experts in their field.

There are also over 100 exhibitors at the show each offering different business solutions from office space to accountancy, legal advice to social media marketing.

Hilary Devey CBE said: “Often the thing we need help with the most in business is identifying our weaknesses and finding solutions to take us on to the next level, that’s what this event is all about – providing advice, inspiration, motivation and a chance to network. In a thriving start up market, it’ll help you find ways for your business stand out and ultimately increase your bottom line.”

Ceri Rogers, Northern Business Exhibition spokesperson said: “This event is all about helping businesses, start ups and entrepreneurs develop and grow, from great workshops and seminars to one on one support, if you’re looking to take your business to the next level, this event is perfect for you.”

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