Radio Interview!!

Well, that’s definitely a first! I’ve just been interviewed by the lovely Anna Harding (www.twitter.com/anna3987) of 107.6FM Banbury Sound regarding Chilli Promotional Products (www.chillipromotions.co.uk) supplying branded merchandise to the Dinosaurs Unleashed exhibition in London!

What an exciting, if rather daunting experience!! I am aware that I always sound rather young on voicemail messages etc, and unlike Anna I do not have a practiced “radio voice” so am a little nervous to see what I sound like when the interview is broadcast on Wednesday!

It was an amazing opportunity to see inside the studio’s at the station, and I was even able to spend a few minutes in the studio with Lucy Jones (www.twitter.com/juicylucyjones) who presents the daytime show – it’s amazing how professional these ladies are and to see Lucy swapping from chatting to me to doing a live link was great!

Banbury Sound is a fantastic local radio station, broadcasting in “Banburyshire”. It focuses on local people and local news, and combines this with a fantastic mix of music. Find out more at www.banburysound.co.uk.

Press Release – Dinosaurs Unleashed Branded Merchandise

Banbury Business Supplying Merchandise for Leading London Attraction – Dinosaur’s Unleashed

Banbury based Chilli Promotional Products is delighted having being appointed as supplier of branded merchandise for a leading London attraction. The merchandise, which includes Pencils, T Shirts, Hats, Bags, Torches and Mugs will be available for sale in the gift shop for visitors to the exciting new Dinosaurs Unleashed exhibition in London’s Parklife Oxford Street.

Jody Fletcher, who runs Chilli Promotional Products in Banbury says that it is fantastic for local independent businesses to have the opportunity to be involved in such exciting projects. “Opportunities to be a part of such high profile events do not happen every day, and I am thrilled that Chilli Promotional Products has been appointed as supplier of branded merchandise” explains Jody “it was an amazing co-incidence that I previously worked with one of the engineers who is building the animatronic dinosaurs and he put me in touch with the organisers after I bumped into him in the supermarket!”.

Chilli Promotional Products provides a full range of promotional items, corporate gifts, marketing merchandise and branded clothing mainly to businesses within a 50 mile radius of Banbury so working with Dinosaurs Unleashed came as a welcome change, especially as some of the dinosaurs are also made here in Banbury.

UNIQUE ‘DINOSAURS UNLEASHED’ ATTRACTION TO OPEN IN LONDON’S WEST END WITH AWE INSPIRING ELEMENTS NEVER SEEN BEFORE
The largest animatronic dinosaur ever to be seen in the UK will be just one of the many exciting features at Dinosaurs Unleashed at Parklife Oxford Street. Dinosaurs Unleashed opens its doors to the public on January 28, 2010 and promises a unique chance to step inside the world of dinosaurs.

Dinosaurs Unleashed features the biggest collection of animatronic dinosaurs in the UK. With 24 life-size animatronic dinosaurs, the scale and size of this encounter is designed to be educational, informative and lots of fun for all the family. Meet Tyrannosaurus rex, taller than the tallest giraffe; Triceratops, a favourite snack of the T.rex; Diplodocus, longer than three double-decker buses and Stegosaurus, the same weight as 300 7year-old boys! From grazers to predators, they’re all here.

The exhibition offers a unique chance to see dinosaurs in their ‘natural’ habitat. This will be a first for many visitors, who whilst walking around the Jurassic Forest can see a whole host of plants that were around in prehistoric times.

Dinosaurs Unleashed is also home to the world’s first prehistoric aquarium; created using computer technology (CGI) it will bring the underwater world of the marine reptiles to life.
Step further inside for more interactive action and see the UK’s only real time, 3D ‘design a dinosaur’ – a world leading interactive game. Paint-a-Dinosaur allows you to select a camouflage type and colour then draw on a touch screen and watch in amazement as a 4-metre long dinosaur is covered in your design.

On the Dinosaur Trackway, based on dance game technology, you’re challenged to keep up with the dinosaurs’ footprints, a world-first for this type of visitor attraction.

These specially created elements are just some of the many fun-packed experiences to be uncovered at Dinosaurs Unleashed, Parklife Oxford Street. This brand new dinosaur encounter will be open daily until April 30, 2010.

Dinosaurs Unleashed will donate 5p from every ticket sold to 95.8 Capital FM’s ‘Help a London Child’. We hope to raise at least £20,000. For details go to www.dinosaursunleashed.co.uk

What a busy start to 2010!

I can’t believe how much has already happened in 2010 – it’s only the 22nd of January, but already signs are looking really positive for an excellent year!

This leaves me wondering as to what has changed? Is it that the economy is genuinely improving? It certainly seems that way with improved unemployment figures released this week, although the cynic in me can’t help but wonder if there is more than a little political “spin” going on in the run up to the election….. I will wait until after the general election until I truly let myself believe that the recession is over. Luckily though, and perhaps due to the time that I set up Chilli Promotions, I can honestly say that I haven’t noticed the effect of the global economic down turn – if anything, I’d say it has helped me! Strange thing to say I realise, but if I’d been as busy as I am now this time last year, I don’t think I could have coped! In the early part of last year I really kept myself busy, ensuring I was proactively promoting Chilli Promotions (www.chillipromotions.co.uk) at every opportunity – I was developing my brand through networking and now I am delighted that a year or so on, I am really seeing the benefit.

I’ve noticed a marked increase in referrals over the last couple of months and this has helped me tremendously, and I am very thankful to a number of networking contacts I’ve made for the help and support they have given me. Particular thanks would go to Stefan Thomas of No Red Braces (www.noredbraces.co.uk) for his invaluable tips on how to make the most out of networking – both on and offline. I would also like to thank Gail Sampson of Knockbuckle Associates (www.knockbuckle.com) who noticed a lead for me on the 4Networking website (www.4networking.biz) which I was able to turn into an order the same day.

I find that networking, both on and offline really does work for me, and I would urge people who don’t think it’s for them to give it another go… it isn’t an overnight fix, but if you be yourself, be helpful and really get to know people, the effect on your business will be phenomenal in time. 

My advice therefore, (to anyone who is interested!!) is to get networking – it’s fun and IT WILL develop your business!  A few mediums I would recommend include Twitter (follow me www.twitter.com/chillipromotion), 4 Networking (www.4networking.biz),  and local business networking groups such as Business Matters and Banbury Business Breakfast Club, both in Banbury, 729 Club in Chipping Norton.  Get out there and get known!  It will help develop your brand far more quickly than you imagine!

Social Networking for Business

So, it has certainly been a while since I last wrote in the blog – naughty me – but I am pleased to say I have been using the time productively on the social networking front! 

In the last couple of months I feel that I have really got to grips with Twitter and my Twitter Profile  www.twitter.com/chillipromotion (@chillipromotion) is really growing with a follower count of 520.  I have become a real Twitter fan and have been actively encouraging many of my associates to get on Twitter and am pleased to welcome @theballoonlady, @swannfinancial and @banburylawyer.

I’ve also been actively increasing my presence on www.4networking.biz forum http://www.4networking.biz/members/view.htm?UserID=31274 - a great source of information and help from a really top group of people.  I stumbled upon 4N following a referral on Twitter from @dot_design.

Looking forward now to having the changes made on my website so I can really link everything together!

Busy as a bee at the moment, so best get on with quoting!  Quotes for personalised promotional items including branded  tissues and loo rolls, calendars, diaries and mugs to do now.  www.chillipromotions.co.uk.

What a night! Brayan Adams Live in Oxford

Wow, I think I must be the luckiest person alive at the moment!

Quite a while ago, I heard Bryan Adams (www.bryanadams.com) was coming to perform an unplugged gig in Oxford – I was SO excited as having been introduced to his music with the song “Everything I do I do it for you” way back in 1991 and in my influential early teenage years I became a huge fan and I have Bryan Adams songs as a soundtrack to so many memories.  However my excitement was squashed when I realised that having only recently set up Chilli Promotional Products (www.chillipromotions.co.uk) I really couldn’t afford the tickets, and sadly my husband was less keen on me so out came the CD’s – I’d just have to settle for this.

BUT, yesterday I logged into my Twitter account (www.twitter.com/chillipromotion) just after 4pm to see a post from @106jackfm (www.twitter.com/106jackfm) offering a pair of tickets to the first person to message them through their Twitter account – of course I sent them a message immediately, not expecting anything, but still the butterflies in my stomach were working twenty to the dozen as I kept pressing F5 to refresh the screen and then …. to my enormous shock …. I really couldn’t believe it but a message popped up saying “Congratulations, they’re yours”!!

My mind went into overdrive as the show started at 7pm at the New Theatre in Oxford (www.newtheatreoxford.org.uk)  and I need to get to the Jack FM studios in Oxford to collect the tickets on the way!  A couple of quick calls confirmed hubby was unable to make it but my sister was definitely up for it so a mad rush to get ready and off we went. 

Standing in the queue outside we started to wonder what it was going to be like, but then we went in and found our seats… they were fantastic – 5^th row, less than 10m from the stage and almost dead central – WOW!  I cant believe how close we were.

The performance was incredible!  With a guitar (or 2) and Gary Bright, Bryan’s music both old and new was brought to life in the intimate setting of the New Theatre Oxford.  The crowd were very vocal last night and Bryan interacted with so many people helping us all to feel a real part of the show.  I sat quietly with my sister, watching the old and the young dancing along with various senses of rhythm (!!) while Bryan Adams sang those songs that we know so well – Run to You, Heaven, Can’t Stop This Thing We Started, The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me, Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman and soooo many more.  I couldn’t quite believe that just a few hours ago I had a quiet evening and an early night planned!

Shortly after Summer of ’69, Bryan Adams went off stage, to a huge standing ovation, so he came back for an encore, and sang a few more songs. When he’d finished Gary left and we thought it really was the end but a lady in the front row threw some flowers on stage – so Bryan said he thought that deserved another song – what did she want him to sing and off he went again, and then one more after yet another standing ovation!

It really was a fantastic night, Bryan Adams is a true singer songwriter genius and I can’t believe how much better he sounded live J.

Thank you once again to Jack FM for this incredible opportunity.

Hen & Stag Nights

I was recently asked by one of my Banbury based clients whether I would be able to do T Shirts for a Stag night as her brother was best man and needed some help.  I was delighted to say of course I could, while at the same time I was kicking myself for missing an opportunity in the past! 

So many people, when organising a Hen Night or Stag Night, are keen to “brand” the Hen’s and Stag’s with T Shirts showing people’s name’s and perhaps pictures of the Bride or Groom to be, and  what a fun thing for me to be involved in! 

It was great to be able to help out this contact, who was thrilled with his T Shirts – they chose to have a photo and wording printed on the front of all the T Shirts and then on the reverse they were plain except for the groom, but there were cost effective ways of having different wording on the back of each shirt. 

With low minimum order quantities, competitive prices and lots of ideas, there’s lots of reasons to go to Chilli Promotional Products (www.chillipromotions.co.uk) for personalised Stag and Hen weekend T Shirts.

For more info you can call me on 01295 750837 or e-mail me jody@chillipromotions.co.uk or become a fan of our Facebook Page for details of special offers http://tr.im/qv2D.

Inspirational Motivation from Adventurer Sue Stockdale

Well, it’s been a while and a very very busy month which is always good news, but last night I attended a great netwoking event at the Bloxham Mill Business Centre (www.bloxhammill.com).  It is a fantastic venue for such an event and with the doors wide open and a lovely summer breeze drifting through it was hard to imagine the other end of the extreme that was experienced by Sue Stockdale (www.suestockdale.co.uk) when she and 3 others skied across the Greenland Ice Cap.

Sue’s expedition and the way she linked all the challenges to those we all find in our everyday business lives had the audience captivated and there were a great number of questions from people keen to learn more.

The event was sponsored by Lawsense TM – a new and innovative service being launched by Brethertons Solicitors in Banbury – an online service enabling users to produce online legal documents that are checked by trained legal staff. www.lawsense.co.uk.

This week I have also attended the Wealth Club in Oxford www.oxfordwealthclub.co.uk - and WOW was that a breath of fresh air for networking – a fantastically up beat group dedicated to helping each other succeed, and Business Matters in Banbury www.businessmattersbanbury.co.uk where we had an interactive game based on tennis – I love this group as every meeting is different, and I always learn new things about the other members.

Business Matters – Great Morning Networking – Now Open to All!

Business Matters, Banbury’s most dynamic networking group (in my opinion!!)  is evolving!!!! 

Traditionally Business Matters have had two morning meetings a month for members only and then an evening meeting open to any local businesses looking to meet new contacts.  As Joy McCarthy of  Word-Right (www.word-right.co.uk) recently commented the organising committee go to great lengths to ensure these evening meetings are not just good networking, but are also great fun! 

Having listened to comments from many attendees, and in light of the current difficult trading times being experienced by many businesses the committee have therefore decided to open up one of the morning meetings to try and help all local businesses not only survive, but thrive in these difficult times.  So from 25th June, local businesses will be able to attend the 4th Thursday of the month morning meeting of Business Matters (www.businessmattersbanbury.co.uk) in addition to the 3rd Thursday evening.  The meeting held on the 4th Thursday morning will be lively and fun, encouraging attendees to talk to lots of people and find out more about each others businesses – they are sure to be a bug hit!

There is a 3rd meeting each month which is held on the 2nd Thursday of the month, this will remain for members only and the focus here is on strategic alliances between members and passing business to other members through referrals.

To find out more about attending a Business Matters meeting, or about becoming a member please feel free to contact me; Jody Fletcher on 01295 750837, or jody@chillipromotions.co.uk in the first instance.

Long day, Glad it’s been sunny!

I visited Faringdon Business Breakfast Club (http://www.fbbc-networking.co.uk/) today, a great networking group organised by Joy McCarthy of Word-Right (www.word-right.co.uk).  An early start, I have to say, as not knowing how long it would take me to get there I left the house at 6am, but what a great journey – hardly any traffic, sun shining and laughing my head off listening to Jack FM!

I met some really interesting people, and learned a great deal about online networking.  Mary Thomas of Concise Training (www.concisetraining.net) did a fantastic talk on getting the most out of LinkedIn and Twitter, both things which I have been using a little and am now determined to use more!  You can find me at the following; www.linkedin.com/in/jodyfletcher, or www.twitter.com/chillipromotion.

I then went from Faringdon to see a client near Didcot – another glorious drive in the sunshine and I think I turned into one of those annoying Sunday afternoon drivers (even though it was Monday morning!) but such lovely countryside to take in!

Just finished doing some quotes for a new clothing range, really excited as I think it will really take off – watch this space!  Off to make some dinner now

Networking in the Banbury Area

 When I started Chilli Promotional Products in 2008, I made the decision that I wanted to focus on local businesses, and with an active local business networking community I dedicated a large percentage of my marketing budget to “networking”.   What I don’t think I’d realised is just how many variations of basically the same idea there were, and having been a regular attendee of a number of meetings with a number of different formats I have started to wonder what makes them successful?

 

I am a member of Business Matters in Banbury (www.businessmatterbanbury.co.uk), a group that was started by former members of the very structured international networking forum BNI, who had a vision to mix serious business breakfast networking on a member’s and member’s guests only basis, with a more informal and relaxed evening meeting open to all.  This format has worked really well and the evening meetings have proven to be a huge success with many new people attending each month. The committee have recently been wondering how to improve the breakfast meetings and get new visitors which led to a conversation at today’s meeting about what us, as members, would like… this really made me think about what it is that makes some formats more successful than others, and also having sat in a room of business people this morning, how different formats work for different businesses.

 

From my point of view, nearly every company will at some point want to purchase some form of branded merchandise whether it be pens, mugs, umbrella’s, USB flash drives, clothing or a more unusual item. Therefore I think it is important for me to meet lots of people, and build strong relationships, helping people with introductions wherever possible in the hope that people will then think of me when they, or someone they know needs a marketing gift.  For other people, their prospect / client base is far more specific and what therefore would work for them can also be more specific.

 

I really enjoy a mixture of breakfasts, evenings and when time permits lunches.  I like to see a mixture of people I know well and new contacts and I enjoy the mixture of formats of the different groups I attend; some have a speaker, some have activities and some are purely open networking.  Some are formal, some relaxed, but all, in their own way seem to work for me to a degree whether it be in terms of meeting potential clients, obtaining advice and knowledge from others in the same geographical market, enjoying a glass of wine with likeminded people, or on a more personal level meeting people such as hairdressers or a lawyer to facilitate my will writing.   

 

One thing I find really surprising is how differently people react after meeting at a networking event… it amazes me that some people are happy to get up at the crack of dawn, or to give up a valuable evening with their family to go to a networking event and then you never see / hear from them again, on the other hand there are the people who bombard you with impersonal sales e-mails immediately after the event even though they have no idea if what they are selling is of any interest to you and your business.  Why does it appear to be so difficult to find the happy medium?  I hope I have found this middle ground, but who really knows as it really does appear that everyone is different!

 

I’d be really interested to hear your views on what makes networking successful, and to hear about other groups within the local area.

 

Here are details of the groups that I attend and would recommend.

 

Business Matters Banbury www.businessmattersbanbury.co.uk

Brackley Means Business www.brackleymeansbusiness.co.uk

Banbury Business Breakfast Club www.banburybreakfastclub.co.uk

Chipping Norton 729 Club www.729club.co.uk

Banbury Business Women www.banburybusinesswomen.co.uk