Ok, I’m not one to blow my own trumpet but…..“flawless,”  “amazingly inspiring,” “excellent can’t wait for the next one!”  is some of the feedback we received after the first ever Sage World last year. And we’re not just picking the best quotes, the stats back it up too, 93% of Sage World attendees loved it.

Still not convinced? Check out the guest blog The Best Business Event? from one of last year’s attendees Wildfire Digital Media. They loved it too and we didn’t even pay them to say so.

[End of trumpet blowing.]

What is Sage World?

Well, if you went last year you’ll know Sage World was a different kind of event, an immersive two day experience for the UK’s small businesses. Inspirational keynotes, practical hands on seminars and that priceless one to one time with our technical experts brought everything a small business needed to one place.

We’re in the process of finalising the programme for this year’s Sage World but we guarantee it’s going to be good and even better than last year.

When and where is it?

You’ll only have to wait a little longer for the next one as Sage World is back for another year, taking place at a fantastic new venue EventCity in Manchester on the 12^th and 13^th of October.

The best part?

It’s completely free and we’ll even throw in some lunch (not literally, that could get a bit messy).

How do I get a free ticket?

So, to make sure you don’t miss out, book your free place now at www.sageworld2011.co.uk

Nicole Matues, Sage World Team

We’re at Business Startup show this week – Earls Court 2 Tuesday and Wednesday – and there will be more Sage people there than ever. That’s not because we all feel like escaping the snow in the North East or a few days on our feet – it’s because we seem to be in demand.

We go to lots of events, from local niche market to national large scale; and they’re all different in their own ways. Something always remains the same though. And that’s the reception we get from the people that come and see us.

That sounds really corny doesn’t it?! I’m not sure how to make it not sound corny or explain what I mean, but I’ll have a go…

Talking about business

I suppose the starting point is that all of us Sage people genuinely (again trying not to be corny) enjoy talking to businesses. Whatever size, market, type etc. it doesn’t really matter. Every business is unique so you never get bored hearing about their stories, challenges and ambitions.

And from our point of view it’s about understanding how those businesses work and seeing if there’s something we can do to help them to improve or make simpler.

We can also share a lot of knowledge about business in general so whether it’s VAT or business legislation we up for having a conversation about almost anything.

And most importantly we’re honest in what we do – if we can’t help we don’t pretend we can, but we do always try to learn about what businesses actually need to make things better… so we can improve ourselves.

Things tend to go from there.

Come and say “hi”

So instead of just saying ‘come along and find out about how to manage your finance, people, customers, payments etc…’,  I wanted to find a non-corny way of saying come and have a chat to our great people. Because they really are great.

Oh and for those that do want to hear about everything else we’re doing then here’s a list that just so happens to be the perfect size to fit in a tweet:

Free software coffees finance/payroll/hr/customer/payment advice balloons filming research camper van seminars workshops brightly coloured t-shirts

So come along and see us… that’s if you don’t get caught in a tube strike or snow deluge!

Geoff Phillips, Small Business Team

#bstartup

Every year hundreds of business events are promoted. And let’s face it, some are better than others. Nothing beats a recommendation; so if you’ve been to an event which you think shouldn’t be missed, then let us know and add a comment.

Why take time out of  your business to attend an event?

Guest blogger Sarah Hopcroft from Wildfire Digital Media recently attended Sage World, our free event for small businesses. Here she talks about her recent business challenges and how a business event can both inspire you and help you focus on the future.

Over to Sarah….

WildFire Digital Media

As a recently established business, we at WildFire Digital Media were looking for any help and advice we could get to help us to make our business stand out from the crowd. WildFire was formed in July as a web design agency whose USP is to help get young businesses off the ground and get online, we also touch on the importance of social media and include this as one of our packages. Of course, we also do a lot of work with more seasoned businesses too.

Hard times
Starting a business in the current economic downturn has its challenges. We started off in a competitive market with virtually no money behind us and were relying solely on marketing, word of mouth and the power of online media. But we still needed support and inspiration to keep those wheels turning! We were very glad to find out about Sage World and, with no further ado, booked our tickets for the 2 day conference in Telford.

Sage World
We were not disappointed! Upon our arrival the mood was friendly and energetic, the main area was a hive of activity. The Sage technical support team were present to offer free advice on how to get the best from their software. The Sage staff helped us to make sense of our Spotme devices that were provided for the event. These turned out to be the perfect tool for networking and provided up to the minute information throughout the day;

Sage World

gently reminding us when a session was due to begin. It was also a way to electronically exchange business cards with like minded individuals, details of which were sent to us after the event and we were able to generate a couple of leads in this way.

The talent
There were some incredible speakers, and I would be here all day if I were to outline all the benefits of listening to these passionate and knowledgeable individuals talk about what they love the most. Notable speakers for us included Will King of King of Shaves, Karren Brady,  Geoff Ramm and Andy Lopata, each for very different reasons – of course Sage excelled at ensuring there was plenty of variety and something for everyone.

• Will King showed us that any business has its highs and lows and inspired us to believe in ourselves and that you can make something of nothing if you have the drive to succeed. A little inspiration goes a long way in what can seem to be a ‘dog eat dog’ world of business.
• Karren Brady, a woman in a business dominated by men, was fascinating to listen to. We are in a similar situation in our own business and some of the stories she regaled about the prejudice she came across and how she overcame it were very entertaining!
• Geoff Ramm, a marketing expert, offered us some amazing tips and advice on how to stick out like a sore thumb. He even took time out to talk to some businesses individually and of course we were the first in line. He recommended that rather than paying for advertising, save money and do something noteworthy to get you into the press – ergo free advertising! An important point he made, for any business, was that when times are tough the first thing people tend to do is cut down on their marketing, whereas it is actually the time to increase it.
• Andy Lopata provided advice on networking and getting yourself known through word of mouth. This is something we needed to do as a new business and we listened intently! He told us to get referrals rather than recommendations, to ensure that the potential client is expecting the call. He told the group not to be afraid of asking friends and family for referrals and we have since received 2 referrals for our own business in this way, one of which has already generated new business – thank you Andy!

The future
I hope I have managed to provide a small insight into the experience that was Sage World. The knowledge taken away from the event was invaluable, and everyone there learnt something new. This event changed how we looked at our business, we were able to step outside of it and look back in. We left the event inspired, with a lot of new contacts and a head full of ideas for the future. We will continue to gain referrals from our contacts and we have plans for a competition as, in the words of Geoff Ramm, give something away and it will come back.

Roll on next year!

We’re getting closer to our free small business event, Sage World 2010. So, we’ve asked another of our top speakers, Rory MccGwire– to tell us why he’s taking part.

I was delighted to be invited to speak at the forthcoming Sage World event as I believe it will provide a great platform for start-ups to gain practical insight, contacts and advice to help them set up and run successful small businesses.

Rory MccGwire

I’m also pleased to see that Sage World is trying to do something different from the usual business event with their ‘interactive delegate technology’. The fact the event is technology driven (and yes, Sage can provide that technology) means there will be lots of demonstrations of the software tools you can use to get your business idea off the ground.

If you’ve already established your business, then you’ll find plenty of ideas to help you build on that foundation and meet the technical challenges that small firms face in the modern business climate. So it’s not about the technology for its own sake. It’s about what the technology can do for you, and the event will be looking at finance, HR, marketing – many of the most important aspects of running a business well.

Which is where I come in. As founder of the Donut small business advice websites , I’m well-versed in what small businesses really need to know. In my presentation, I’ll be encouraging you to take a realistic look at your business and its potential and I’ll be sharing my thoughts on how you can hone and reach your objectives. Sage World also offers a tremendous opportunity for you to build useful contacts. If I were a start-up owner at the event, however, I would be looking to take home more than a fistful of business cards, some leaflets and vague recollections of having spoken to someone from somewhere about something. Networking is about meeting the right people, making the right connections and tracking them during and after an event. So I’m dying to try out Sage’s Spotme electronic networking device. I’m sure this could really help me find and talk to the people that matter to me.

I’m sure it’ll help you, too. So please do track me on Spotme, come and say hello and make the time to hear my presentation.

Rory MccGwire.

Register free for Sage World at www.sageworld2010.co.uk

The Pitch 2010: North England heat

What is the Pitch?

The Pitch 2010, for which Sage is one of the sponsors, is in its third year and is Britain’s largest pitching competition.  It is similar in style to Dragon’s Den and instead of pitching for an investment they are pitching for a chance to win a prize of business services worth £50,000.

It’s a tough competition with five finalists selected from regional heats and one people’s champion selected from an online public vote.  The winner will be announced in November at The Business Factory event.

As a judge my goal was to understand and evaluate the business concepts, identify the opportunities and the threats as well as the business and presentation skills of the people pitching, searching for the best of the best.

The North Region Finalists

• Gaist – Utilises Microsoft Bing Maps and overlays this with information about transport infrastructure such as road works etc to enable organisations such as local councils and the fire service to collaborate real time.
• MyMall – A virtual shopping mall which enables you to experience all elements of online shopping in one place.
• Meltwater – A chocolate fondue which uses hot water allowing you to enjoy chocolate in a healthy way with the minimum of fuss.
• Acadreamia – An innovative service that enables university students to rent textbooks easily and affordably.
• Philip Porter Guitars – Hand built electric guitars to Phillip’s specifications which he believes will eliminate amplification feedback.

The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in the North

Throughout the event I was really impressed with the entrepreneurial spirit of the North Region; the presenters were passionate about their business and where they saw it would fit in the market.  They talked us through their idea, where their business was now and where they saw the future.

The ultimate winner of the North Region was Gaist who impressed us all with their business acumen, an impressive track record and some existing and potential contracts which have been borne out of their past success.

With all of the businesses they had real areas of strength as well as areas where we could help with advice on other options to consider.

Advice to start-up businesses

1) Don’t restrict your market

If possible open your business to as many options as possible. For example with MeltWater initially their business concept was a healthier way to enjoy chocolate which may limit its appeal to people who want to be healthy.   The product itself is also completely transportable so could also be marketed as a way to enjoy fondue on the move as part of a romantic picnic or whilst camping.  By opening up the concept you widen the markets you can operate in.

2) Don’t underestimate the logistics of your venture

Whilst starting out and having a small client base it might be feasible to manage the operation yourself but once the business grows will that infrastructure still be appropriate?  When you only have a few customers you may be able to purchase package and ship yourself, however when you have 100’s of customers you may need premises and staff all of which need to be built into your business plans.

3) Understand your customers

Who is your customer and what are they looking? Don’t only consider what product or service they need, but what sort of customer experience are they looking for? Customers will have a preference in how they interact and how they purchase. For example many will research on the internet but for certain products they will choose to buy in the store as they want the experience that brings.  By understanding this and making it easy for customers to move seamlessly through channels you will widen your appeal.

4) You don’t need to be overwhelmed

Starting your own business and then running it successfully can feel like you are having to become an expert in a variety of fields from marketing to service, sales to finance and it can feel like you are on your own.

It doesn’t have to be like that. Take advantage of free advice and software on starting up and running your business. We have a range of free business white papers covering  topics from starting your business to understanding your market. There’s also plenty of free software out there to help you get off the ground, such as:

• Sage Planning for business – free software that will help you plan and launch your new business
• Sage Invoicing – free invoicing software

Good luck!

I wish all you budding entrepreneurs out there the best of luck and would recommend you take up all the advice available. And of course, best of luck to all of the The Pitch’s finalists.

Kim Eyre, Sage’s Small Business Division

Business opportunities and challenges

At previous shows, we’ve heard a lot about the opportunities and challenges that businesses face. Business planning and cash flow are always top of mind with young business.

We’ll be talking about these and other business challenges at the show. And we’ve got loads going on to help you get your business off the ground.

Free CRM and business planning workshops

We’re doing something slightly different this time around. First off, we’re running some dedicated workshops at the show – Business Planning and CRM – so you can come along and take part in an interactive session with some of our experts. And after all that walking around we’ll make sure you get a comfy seat!

Small business research

Secondly, if the thought of a seat appeals for half an hour or so then you can also take part in our small business research that we’re running whilst at the show. Register your interest in our small business research if you’d like to help shape the future of our software and services for small businesses – there’s even a free coffee and a little incentive on offer! It would be great to hear your views.

Business software for start-ups

We’ll also be there with a couple of traditional stands… but I promise you won’t get heckled from the aisles! If you want some more ideas about what you can find out then here’s a few:

• Sage Planning for Business – Free business planning software that helps you evaluate, plan and launch your new business
• Sage Invoicing – Free invoicing software that gets you up and running using software to manage your incoming revenue
• Sage Pay – looking to trade online? Find out how our online payments services can help
• New Sage Outsource Payroll services – find out whether in-house payroll software or outsourcing your payroll is your best option
• New Sage Mobile HR Advice – it can be difficult to stay on top of HR issues so see how our mobile HR advice tool can help you
• ACT! by Sage – get a demo of the world’s favourite contact management software and learn why CRM is vital for your business

Free business seminars

And if this isn’t enough, some of our experts will be taking part in free business seminars, such as:

Getting on the e-commerce bandwagon

Overcome mediocrity through exceptional customer service

Are you planning for success?

Watch out for more updates from the show in coming days. I’ll be there both days so please come and say hello.

Geoff Phillips – one of the men in the orange t-shirts! (there will be few!)

Team Sage at the Business Start-up Show

If you’re thinking about starting your own business or already trading and want business advice and inspiration, then this is the place to be. It’s free to get in so if you can make it along to Olympia today then come along and see on the stand. It’s number 304 but you can’t miss us – especially not with that orange!

There’s been great interest in our free business planning software and free invoicing software and lot’s of people are really benefitting from one-to-one demonstrations – particularly those that have no experience of business software and what it can do to help save you time and money. It’s also really interesting to here about businesses online plans – our Sage Pay experts are here to give advice on trading online and how that links with your business software.

Looking forward to another busy (but foot tiring) day!

Geoff Philips – Head Honcho of Team Sage

We’ll have people there to talk about anything to do with running your business – from planning and finances to people and customers. You can also find out more about our free business start-up software, our invoicing software and business planning software, as well as get demonstrations of a number of our other products.

Our main stand is 304 but you will also find us at 104 where we’ll be doing a bit of filming to find out what you think about business – our 30 second business manager videos are also a great way to promote your business as the best ones will feature on www.startuptube.co.uk and www.sagehello.co.uk

Well, it was an exciting start to the week yesterday for a few of us from Sage in Newcastle, as we took a trip to London to attend The Pitch Grand Final 2009. Organised by Sift Media and the brain child of Dan Martin, it’s been a search to find the UK’s most exciting and innovative small companies.

So, who are the most exciting small companies?

The final of The Pitch

Businesses that were successful in 6 regional heats were given the opportunity to ‘Pitch’ their business to a well known panel including Apprentice winner Tim Campbell and self made millionaire Charlie Mullins of Pimlico Plumbers. After an excellent pitch, the overall winner and congratulations went to Anthony Lau of Cyclehoop who walked away with a prize of £50,000 worth of business goods and services. His Cyclehoop is a simple but highly effective invention that has opened up a potentially huge market in the UK alone.

The wider effect

Although the day was ultimately to find a winner, I was just as impressed by everyone that attended and the fact that great events like this are around for us all to support the start up community who will ultimately shape the future of UK businesses. We were demonstrating our free Sage Planning for Business and our simple accountancy software Sage Invoicing but in all honesty we got as much out of just hearing about what people were doing and planning – an inspiration to us all and great customer interaction!

Inspiration for us all

So on a day full of inspiring stories all round it was fantastic to see such enthusiasm out there from businesses ready and willing to start off on a new business journey… especially given the current effects of a recession. Ultimately it’s people, enthusiasm and support like this that will help to move us out of recession.

 So, who do you think are the UK’s most exciting small companies?

Written by Geoff Phillips, Marketing Manager