Networking Now

Okay...here goes...I will plug at then end because you invited me to write.

Business Names Act 1985 (this will give you an overview, but you must seek advice):

a trading entity must disclose who they are.
1. Ltd means Company Name, Reg, Place of Registration
2. Partnership Names of Partners and primary place of business (there are two people - place is important)
3. Sole Trader - name of principal (proprietor/owner) must be stated if different to trading name AJ Baker and Son

Trading Names, you may use a trading name (AKA trading style) that is not the same as your business name, but you must disclose who you are. *At this level it has little to do with copyright or trademarks, although related.

For example
First Layer - Trading Entities
1. HSL Business Solutions, if you are sole trader, the you must disclose who you are. "Helen Stothard trading as HSL Business Solutions", but it's okay here because you are HSL - these are your initials. You must/should have your premises on too. That determines your liabiltiy...I believe.

2. HSL Business Solutions, if you are partnership, the you must disclose who the partners are. "HSL Business Solutions" Patners: 1/2/3 - this is because the partners are liable.

3. HSL Business Solutions, if you are Company, then you must disclose who the company details. Regulations brought down from companies house, meaning there it is enforced by them, therefore disclose Company Reg details.

Next Layer - Regulation
Some businesses are regulated. (1) Solicitors, (2) Mortgage Brokers, (3) IFA's...these are all required under regulated bodies to have a regulation statement. Usually this is put on the "legal" disclaimer for email. This is where there is a legal requirement to have a statement.

Next Layer - For fun...legal disclaimer.
Interesting...is there is no requirement to have a disclaimer unless a regularitory bodies says so. Everything else unless I am mistaken is myth and legend. Employers do however use it to limit liability from staff who are sending out opinions from the company.

Application: The above applies to both "electronic" and "paper" correspondence.


PLUG: About Digital Stationery...
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Stationery Design (Email, Letterhead and Invoice) is really important to get these bits right legally. I like startup customers to be able to get what they need on budget. All the above and more packaged to get people going (Email & Invoice, Email & Letters).

AS at: 09/11/09
Digital Letterheads - £ 59.00, requires design, we can design if you don't have.
http://www.digital-stationery.co.uk/msw ... ricing.php

Email Letterheads - £ 69.00, requires logo
http://www.digital-stationery.co.uk/ema ... rheads.php

Invoices, Fax Headers plus other docs. I promise you two things
(1) Digital Stationery is very good value
(2) Digital Stationery is jobs are all done on fixed price, fixed turnaround

Digital Stationery only does branded communications. This means you we will do your work only once you have (minimum) a logo for us to work from. We don't do branding, just layout and design and follow the rules.

Hope this is what you wanted. Last word, proof out next day. Order not accepted until proof signed-off.

Now, that my friend is what I call info, will read more into it like you say, but think its high time I sorted mine, added something last night, but will make sure I up it a tad due to that info!

Cheers Skeeter

Now you know why I end up doing consultancy?

Do you a deal, sort me out "my twitter presentation" and I'll "sort you out your stationery". It's a very quick job for me. Honestly...it would be a good swap.

What d'you say?

I consider that a virtual handshake buddy, same time and place for a call tomorrow?

Okay...done deal.

I'll sort out your designs...I need a full presentation pack for the Twitter Backgrounds, something like this:
http://www.digital-stationery.co.uk/ema ... amples.php

I'll also top you up...
Small Doc's Pack + Email £ 250.00 worth.

But I need those 10 thumbnails. I leave this note here for you.

I feel like I have just been listening in on your call reading all of this.

Excellent detailed guidance on Business Stationary "DigitalStationery"

In regards to your services DigitalStationery:
At the current moment I tend to create a word template and mass mail (targeted accordingly) this which is received as it should by around 80-90% of my recipients as they all mostly use Outlook 2003 / 2007.

Are you able to create something that could work with mass mailing using word or do you have a stand alone software you would recommend?

I have seen Handy Mailer but can not find any major reviews other than through their website

I am able to create the HTML / XHTML layout as desired but I do not have the software / service provider to send through with out paying extortionate “per email” fee’s.

The configuring of the IIS Server system i used to use is not compatable with Vista.

Any recomendations / suggestions?

Yes.

There are three options for mass mailing.
(1) Do it from an Email Client on your desktop
(2) Do it using a commercial provider online (Database + Mail Merge like facility)
(3) Try and internalise on a mail server...people don't do this...it's daft.

Option 1 is not great. There are limitations as you will find very quickly...it is not scalable and costs more time than it's worth.
Option 2 is better. For this we have a commercial platform where you can upload data, we can prepare the design and build the template, install it for you, then let you get on with the periodical sending.

MS Word as an editor will create MSHTML (Microsoft HTML) - this is why we hand code everything to perfection. MSHTML is not very readable outside full version of Outlook/ This is done for Option 1 and Option 2.

GET GOING...your options
Some people do option 1, get a few sales, the they have a budget to do option 2. Option 2 is best. It's reliable, it's scalable and managable. This is the big boy stuff. It is cost effective based on how well targetted your campaign is. Often a single order covers all email marketing costs. We plan over the long term.

EMAIL LETTERHEAD...scope
Email Letterheads are just a short template for day-to-day correspondence...people do use for mass mailings however. Talk to me if you need something. There's no point struggling. I can get you set-up on the commercial side with a secure database facility and get your templates design, coded so you can take over and drive things forward.

MASS MARKETING...data protection
The last thing you want to do is run an email marketing campaign where you break data protection guidelines...we cover all that. Everything is secure UK based server. So it's fan-dabby-dosey.

GENERATE RETURN..put them back in to a process
PS - A customer today asked for "an Email Letterhead for outlook for doing outbound marketing"...it's a struggle, you get no reporting, so you're blind. Again, talk to me.` There are easy, simple methods that generate returns.

SKIMP...then invest in something that works
Don't skimp on this, it's not worth it. Skimp to get going, then put the right systems in. We've got the systems. See http://www.dsmailer.co.uk for the daddy of email marketing.

LEGAL COMPLIANCE
Legally you are required to do certain things when doing email marketing. This is how a "letterhead" is different to a mass mailer. Unsubscribe options? Are you doing this? Again, the legalities of it are different depending on data source. So we start at the begininng and make sure you're legal.

EMAIL MARKETING...for different reasons.
Remeber, it is a tool. Best used when people have asked to receive. No point door knocking, unless you are happy with a lot of negaitves. As I said, we start at the begining and base it around your case. Some customers, just have a "stocking-up" feed that goes when they buy exciting stock. Others use it for different things.

This should be the answer you need.