Director's Blog

Your high street online - a scammers paradise?

2010-04-26T14:40:00.003+01:00

Once upon a time one of the more common risks of losing money might have been a pick pocket in a crowded street. With our attention diverted, maybe in a rush and tired after a long day, the thief would bump innocently against you, ask the time or pretend they are lost.

Nowadays we are at risk of an online variation of the pick pocket. We know them as scammers. Some use 'email only' techniques as a hook, whilst others use phishing websites to win our confidence and divert our attention whilst they sneak into our online wallets or handbags and help themselves.

The ease by which websites can be created and put online in as little as five minutes offers the crook a perfect opportunity to set up shop, take some money and disappear - without trace. The scammer will more likely use a free website service to avoid the need for contact with any other person in the pursuit of their goal.

Being aware of the potential dangers is one thing, but exercising some basic checks before parting with any money, before inviting anyone to your home is sensible protocol. Of course this is not to brand every business online as a virtual crook. When we walk down any high street just about everybody will be good citizens going about their daily business. The same is the case online. But in both cases we should exercise care.

Here are a few suggestions on checking out a website's validity;

• Type the company name into a search engine and see what comes up in the results
• Is the company listed in online directories, such as Yell, Google, Touch Local
• If it is a local business, can it be found on local directories?
• Do they appear in any previous scams?
• Has the company been rated for the service or the product they provide?

There are a number of government links which offer broad advise on cross checking potential scammers;

DirectGov
Broad information with links to other government information
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/ManagingMoney/KeepingYourMoneySecure/DG_10035798

HM Revenues and Customs
The Inland revenue offer examples of some phishing scams which might be offering you a timely tax rebate.
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/security/examples.htm

The virtual high street is here to stay. Shop safely!

Wake up and smell the coffee

2010-01-15T13:35:00.000Z

On a recent visit by Tony, our much loved accountant, he queried some expenses I had raised. He thought that the Inland revenue may possibly ask questions...

In particular, he noted a receipt for green tea and coffee purchased from Whittards. I think he wondered if this had been for home, and maybe not for the office. I spun round in my chair and pulled a packet of green tea from the provisions cupboard. Along side this was a jar of Whittards Columbian coffee. I can understand most people thinking that green tea was not usual fare in the office, but in this case no. I have been drinking it for 20 years or more and it is a staple fluid for me, at home and at work.

As for the coffee, maybe Tony had been a little 'blocked up', although only instant, the smell of freshly poured coffee had been evident in the room when he arrived. But people being people, Tony doesn't drink tea, or coffee for that matter, so maybe we can forgive his mistaken impression that both were out of the ordinary. Happily reassured, Tony sipped his water, and bade farewell.

Ironically, soon after his visit, Whittards in Putney, closed down as a result of the economic downturn and supplies have been hard to come by. Luckily, there are still branches open and with a little research, we have been able to restock our supplies.

Going green with a little envy

2009-12-15T13:34:00.000Z

The Go Green celebration organised by South London.biz and Merton Chamber of Commerce at Wimbledon Park Golf Club this morning was an opportunity to spread the word about how Invisible Ink has made strides to improve it’s carbon footprint.

I found it impossible not to be enthused by stories from the various speakers and in particular from local businesses who have achieved considerable financial savings at the same time as reducing their carbon footprints.

And on listening to their stories, I would admit to experiencing a little bit of envy, despite that fact that we too have also thought about our own business carbon footprint. Changes we have made include turning off computers and printers when not in use. We work with the ‘lights off’ during the summer and Autumn months. We also take advantage of working from home on a regular basis.

However, based in serviced offices, we do not see any benefit in lower electricity bills, changes in lighting etc. We have no control over the suppliers of these services, and on a month to month basis, if we have helped reduce the bills received by our landlord, then we see no change in the cost to our business. We have raised the issues of recycling, of energy efficiency and the like, and if they have any plans to improve things in these areas then they have made it a well kept secret. Not that this has stopped us from going green anyway. In fact we were the very first company to undertake the Go Green assessment back in April 2007.

But rather than shrug our shoulders and think, why should we bother, it has posed the question, if every business in our office block also engaged in a ‘greening process’ then would there be an effect on the costs of running the building and therefore ultimately to us? At the very least we would be contributing to an improvement in the wider environment.

With this in mind, our encouragement to fellow south west London businesses, is a 10% discount off our design services to any company who engages in the Go Green assessment, or a compatible scheme. Rather than offering a ‘discount’ just for the sake of it, we are offering it only to businesses who have demonstrated a degree of commitment to the environment.

A business of our size can only make a small difference, and on it’s own, you may think, so what? However, if 40 businesses also did this, then suddenly it begins to make sense. Imagine then, if it were 400 businesses?

Further information on our scheme can be found here.

One world - many faces

2009-11-15T13:33:00.000Z

The start of a new year always provides a moment for reflection and for a little crystal ball gazing.

A crystal ball is not usually a tool employed by businesses but given what has happened to the economy in the past year, both in the UK and around the globe it should come as no surprise if crystal ball salesmen are having field day.

At Invisible Ink, we were thinking ahead to 2009 long before the turn of the new year. And given that the economic downturn is affecting just about everyone everywhere, we decided on a theme of 'One World" for our website, calendar and other marketing. Using portraits of people of all ages, from many different countries and of many different cultures, we celebrate the differences throughout the world.

And with a dose of reflection, we also remember that at heart we have the same needs, the same wants and often the same desires. We also remember that everyone everywhere has the ability to smile.

People around the world define themselves by how they look, by their language and by their culture. A business that thinks about how it looks, how it speaks and how it presents itself to the world will stand out from the crowd. After all, no two businesses are the same.

If you would like to grow, to build, to prosper in 2009 and would like help in how you present your business to the world, give us a call. At the very least, we'd like you to start the new year with a smile on your face.

Happy new year!

Do you love your website as much as you love your car?

2009-10-15T13:32:00.000+01:00

How many people own a car, but leave it parked on the driveway from week to week, month to month, all year long, doing very little?

A larger number than you might first think I would guess. An unused car is not free either, with the cost of insurance and tax mandatory each year.

Websites can be a bit like this too. Many business owners will say they have a website. A large proportion of these will however, just have their site 'parked on the drive' doing nothing, from year to year. The content is often out dated and no longer relevant. More importantly, it's not promoting the business effectively, bringing new enquiries, or generating any income.

At the very least a car needs its engine turned over and taken out for a spin. The benefits are not only for the car, but for the car owner too. Getting behind the wheel can be empowering, fun and exhilarating.

Likewise, many people will be surprised at how a fresh look at a website will help you keep on top of your online presence. If you haven't looked at the content of your site for 3 months or more, then take it for a spin. Put your site through all the gears. Check all the pages, one at a time. Is the home page inviting? Will a visitor want to know more about your business? Are the contact details up to date? Do you know even how many people have looked at your site? So if your website is due an MOT, here is a simple check list to help pass the test;

Does the site display your company logo?
Does the home page convey the principal message of your business?
Does your website have metatags?
Have you added any new services which are not listed on your site?
Does any date or price sensitive copy need updating?
Do you have a quick link from your home page to your contact information?

Of course there is much much more you can do, but this is a start. A car parked on the drive will of course avoid any traffic which might not be a bad thing. Indeed there can be better ways to get about these days. But if on the other hand, you want to increase traffic to your website, then at the very least make sure it is up to date!

Will the first one in, turn the lights off please?

2009-09-15T12:09:00.004+01:00

In April 2007 Invisible Ink led the way as the very first company to complete the southlondon.biz Go green assessment, designed to help businesses reduce their carbon foot print.

In truth, the changes we made were minimal. Located at serviced offices in Putney, the utility supplies we use are determined by our landlord and out of our control. We can’t even replace the lighting with energy efficient bulbs as the lighting for the building is recessed into a false ceiling and serviced from a common point for all businesses on each floor.

One alternative to changing the lighting, is to have none at all. We quickly realised that in our office, sunlight provided ample daylight for us to work and throughout the summer months we left the lights turned off every day for the whole day.

Of course, this is not possible during the short days of autumn and winter. Indeed you might wonder why bother if we don’t benefit financially from any energy saving? Changes in attitudes have to start somewhere. Not that we can claim to be starting a trend, but by joining one, we hope more businesses will follow suit. If you consider that the office block we inhabit provides space for around 40 businesses, imagine the reduction in energy had every business worked with the lights turned off over the summer?

As an encouragement to fellow south west London businesses, Invisible Ink offers a 10% discount off our design services to any company who engage in the Go Green assessment.

As a result of our involvement, we drew up a plan of action and have since instigated the following action;

Energy Consumption / Efficiency

Invisible Ink encourages the efficient use of energy
We replaced a fax machine, printer, photocopier and scanner equipment with an energy efficient all-in-one model
We ensure that all computers, printers and lighting is turned off when not in use
We leave office lights turned off throughout the summer months, ably relying on natural light to work

Transport

We have reduced the of dependence of carbon fuelled transport, thus minimising the imprint of the business
We encourage use of the public transport network wherever possible for deliveries, to attend meetings or to travel to and from work
We encourage flexible working, thus further reducing the transport impact of our employees. This is demonstrated by all staff enjoying complete workstation setups at home

Waste Minimisation / Recycling

We ensure minimum use of office printers as standard practice, with the reuse of paper where practicable for double sided printing.
We have a recycling paper box where all redundant paper is gathered before collection

Marketing / Publicity

We use energy efficient methods to interact and communicate with clients and suppliers. Including electronic marketing and publicity as the standard communication tool, thus reducing the use of printed matter and transportation of work files

Public Participation

We continue to involve Invisible Ink with public drives to reduce the environmental impact of the wider business community. For example, our recent involvement with the local Chamber of Commerce Greening initiative

Sustainable Purchasing

To only purchase from suppliers who can demonstrate that their goods are supplied using sustainable sources. This is particularly relevant to the printing supplies purchased by our business

..in the end you will reap what you sow

2009-08-15T13:34:00.000+01:00

A couple of weeks ago I planted some potatoes with my two children, aged three and six. Each had three potatoes in their smaller vegetable patches, whilst I planted 12 in my larger area.

Of course you can guess what has happened. Green shoots are appearing on the kids plots and nothing is showing on mine! Perhaps my children are better gardeners than me, or maybe it’s the luck of better soil over by their small squares.

After sending out some e-mailers last week, the exercise felt a little similar. Prospecting is not an exact science and responses are expected to be low. But like the potatoes growing at the end of our garden, the results can be a little surprising. Of the two mailings I sent, the smaller list of 53 names resulted in two responses. The larger mailing to 531 names netting no responses as yet.

So, would I get better responses if I got my children to compose the copy of the e-mailers? Probably not. Maybe though, I might employ them to press the send button, once everything is ready to go. But just to prove the point that my own farming methods are hopefully sound, today I found potato shoots breaking through the barren earth on my own plot. I remain confident that we will get replies to our email campaign. We have in the past and I expect us to again. It does make me realise though that prospecting for clients is a little like farming, and if you keep at it, you will in the end, reap what you sow.

Its an open and shut case running a business these days

2009-07-15T13:34:00.000+01:00

I was staring at a Joan Miro scupture at the Tate Modern last Sunday when my mobile went off. It was a call from Rome. Our client needed extra artwork sent over as soon as possible.

Not a problem, but I did want to finish my tour of the gallery first. With two children in tow, one a three year old and the other a six year old, we wouldn't be too long, given their shorter attention span at that young age.

So, it was Sunday, and Invisible Ink was open for business, even though the office was closed. Modern communications have allowed such intercourse to become an every day occurance in the working world today. No need to drive home via the office either. With a work set up at home equal to my desk at Putney, I was able to complete the artwork, slippers on and Itunes to accompany me.

It was Sunday after all. And so, within three hours of receiving the call, I emailed the necessary designs across Europe where they were safely and gratefully received. Job done. And the following day, being a Monday, we were open for business again.

...suddenly the heat is on

2009-06-15T13:35:00.000+01:00

Boy it's hot!
Four new enquiries in the space of a few hours. One from an existing client, and three from new ones. And all this when the temperature is up in the high eighties.

We are lucky in one respect. We have a well oiled machine and can respond to enquiries quickly and effectively. We also have an air conditioning unit and three small fans blowing air around the office.

Now, do these enquiries suggest evidence of green shoots of recovery? Is the hot weather a sign that summer has arrived, or that climate change is taking a grip? A longer term view is probably needed to determine the truth. Green shoots may be appearing. Alternatively, this may be evidence of a good marketing effort, and happy customers recommending us to others. Definitely the later, maybe both.