Good to know from Chairman Mike Nightingale of Green Park Insurance Services that my blogs are read and appreciated and helping people’s ratings in cyberspace. Ideal clients for him are ones who want to insure their private jets, stamp collections and steam yachts with one policy. Owning a yacht has been variously described as “tearing up five pound notes while standing under the shower” or as J P Morgan famously said, “If you have to ask how much they cost, you can’t afford one!”
Maurice Press of Disability Resource Team opens the 60 seconds with rhyme, presumably prompted by a potential client asking “What’s the point?” of putting everything into braille etc. Maurice also wants the tune Rule the world in MP3 form – I have an iTunes account if that will help, but doubt if I am the only one – cost 79p a track! Interestingly, both he and Alexis of The Happiness Centre want intros to Local Authorities – the latter after a successful direct mail campaign. She is happy to share her experience here with anyone considering direct mail. Marketing like this Mike Segall points out, is often the first thing to be cut when in a recession – just the wrong time to cut back.
Fiona Gale of Only Connect Solutions tells of a real case where where CR paid off with a builder who now offers apprenticeships funded by the Government. This was after he started talking to schools and has a healthier bottom line as a result. BTW If you are ever stuck for content for your 60 seconds, a real life story is far more interesting than saying the same stuff each week “we do whatever etc”.
Hiten of Revolution Creative is still working with Kiss FM while Gavin M-H of JDPM wants intros to HR directors to talk about incentive schemes. Laura Firestone of HSBC mentions how popular banks are at present and reassuringly mentions the relative stability of their share price. Customers there can be thankful that the old Midland Bank (remember that anybody?) is now part of their group, one of the world’s largest in terms of market capitalisation. Laura also brings along Aynur Cikci of Nanoboron distributors of a petrol additive which can increase engine performance by up to 15 per cent and have the independent data to prove it. Justin Beavis is involved with a new TV channel – more info please, as I had a meeting yesterday with some people doing the same thing…..
Louise Hassett of Delfont Mackintosh Theatres reminds us of the seven shows they are running: Avenue Q, Les Miserables (aka The Glums) Ivanov, Mama Mia, Jersey Boys (which some of us at BRX will be seeing 16th October) Eurobeat and 6 Characters in search of an author. Starting 3rd December will be the RSC Winter season: Hamlet (sold out) Mid-summer Night’s Dream and Taming of the Shrew.
Karelia’s business is now called Manse & Garret and with new business cards, means I can spell it correctly! Recent clients include tenants willing to pay £15,000 a week. Roy Duncan’s sub is Rodrigo Macos of Secforce a computer security company that (with your permission) will hack into your server to see how safe you are. In the same vein at the end of the meeting, Fiona Gale mentions a competition for one of her clients where if you can break the computer encryption, the prize is US$ 1 million.
Zoe Antin of Opus Telecom wants referrals for companies that are moving as that could be a good time to ditch an ancient bit of telephone equipment which might not survive the move anyway. Mike Chan is back explaining that his business is now split into two – Shadow Finance who we saw last week doing the mortgage side of things, while he looks after the ancilliary side with products like EquityShield where you can insure your home against a fall in value.
Yours truly mentions the phone calls that in2 Consulting is getting from clients who are worried about the credit crunch. Good news one day like the American US$700 Billion bank rescue provokes the biggest ever one day market rises with a similar fall when some people question its viability. People still want someone to talk to, in spite of (or maybe because of) the avalanche of news and information out there.
One notable absentee is Christian Ingerslev of Danesoft. I had referred a lady to him who helps companies pitching for big tenders, and caught him as he was catching a plane at Heathrow. Christian is member of a Danish ex-pats poker dice club who delight in playing this game in whacky places. As I write, he casting his die in the DMZ between North & South Korea, having been guided into this spot by a Swiss Army general but sadly, is unable to take any pictures or send any naughty holiday postcards from this ultimate “off the beaten track” location. We all look foward to seeing him in one piece next week.
Caroline Hampstead has worked with Orange, BMW & lastminute.com (you might remember the latter’s “Brazilian or Hollywood” poster in the Underground last year which was her concept) and would like contacts in the music industry, where her advertising agency background would be useful.
Sherrards bring up reinforcements as it is their turn for the 10 minute slot. Paul Marmor distributes details of Debt Collection seminars they are holding, giving me an excuse to talk to my business owner clients and then intoduces Emily Dunnicks of their Private Client department. It is good to have someone else talk about the cheerful stuff: making wills, divorce, civil partnerships and Inheritance Tax. Cherry on the cake is the thought of losing your marbles, with Enduring Powers of Attorney (a riveting read at 26 pages) replacing the Lasting Powers of Attorney (a measley 4 pages) These uplifting documents are occasionally referred to as Living Wills (my words – not hers) and take 6 weeks to register. As Emily said, just the stuff to cheer you up at 8 am on a Friday morning!
If the foregoing is too much and you need a tipple to help you get though the next few days, Gavin Hirst of PhotoWonder is obliging with drinks next Friday 3rd October at The Larrik in Fulham from 4 pm onwards http://www.capitalpubcompany.com/larrik/index.html before jetting back to Oz. Let’s give him a good send off, as the group will miss him.
Off home now with the lovely chocolates from Kirsty’s Perfectly Tempered which I must keep carefully till next Saturday 4th October for the Neptune Lodge Dining night, I emailed you all about 2 weeks ago.
George Emsden
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