Have you heard of the 8 second test?

Have you heard of the 8 second test?

I came across this concept quite a few years ago, although along the way its been referred to as the 5 second test, instant recognition test, amongst others. No matter what it’s called research over the years has shown that you have around 8 seconds (possibly a few seconds longer) to grab the interest of others. This could be those visiting your website – after all, they don’t call it surfing the web for nothing. The same rule applies to those you meet and talk to you at networking events, if they’re not interested in you they will switch off and go on to the next person.

How do you avoid this?

On a website make the first page short, snappy and relevant. It should be clear to the visitor who you are and what you do. Why should those visiting choose to support you, buy from you or connect with you? Tell them what makes you unique!

Recently at an event there were a number of people selling products, some similar, what would make each one different? The person behind the business. As individuals we’re different and so once we realise that, we realise that our businesses and the stories behind those businesses will be too! Have confidence in yourself, be yourself and others will see that you are unique and they’ll be interested.

The ‘8 second test’ also applies to charities who are also businesses. A number of charities helping animals, those with cancer, helping children, etc are all different. They may be helping the same need but the way they achieve their goals and the teams behind the scenes are different.

Your website home page needs a clear layout with just a few pages, a headline that grabs attention that gives the visitor a reason to stay and look at more. Try adding good quality images, video, music, etc

When networking or meeting people be clear about you do and why, give examples of success or if a new starter say something successful about yourself. Conversations between interesting people interested in one another are much better and more productive.

Have you heard of the 8 second test? If you don’t grab attention, then those visiting your website will hit your site, stay for a few seconds… and then they’ll be gone. Usually forever! When you meet people grab their attention by knowing your business and be able to answer any questions. Remember in an ever competitive world you have a small amount of time to gain interest in what you do and why.

Alison Cross-Jones

Business & Charity Consultant

PR – What’s it all about to you?

PR – What’s it all about to you?

Is PR paid advertising? Is PR social media e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Instragram, etc? Is PR being in the press, on the TV and/or radio? Is PR marketing? Is PR your website? Is PR about images or photos?

The truth is PR is ALL of the above and much more!

Think of PR as your personal business/charity book because its your story and each of the above are parts of that book like chapters. Good PR is about providing interesting stories, building interest in you, your brand and what makes you unique. Just as each person is different so is each business and charity, even those doing similar things.

Do you need to pay for good PR? That’s a question I often get asked as a consultant. My response is that some of your PR you can do yourself at no cost but for some having professional PR support is vital. So if you need advice and support go to an expert in that field. However, remember that excellence in one field does not equate to excellence in all fields of PR. Do your research, ask for recommendations and listen, value the support being provided.

I always suggest an annual PR review with an expert. This is a one off session where you and a PR expert can plan for the coming year, where the expert can provide tips for the PR you plan on doing yourself and to plan the PR the expert will do. This gives a complete balance to what you’re doing.

PR – What’s it all about to you? Its about a lot of different aspects all working together for success.

Alison Cross-Jones

Get your ducks in a row before trouble strikes!

Get your ducks in a row before trouble strikes!

Too many people start a great charitable endeavour. A good, much needed idea, however, they move forward before they “get all their ducks in a row.” Too many people start a charity and think its not a business. All charities are businesses and until you realise that, real success will elude you.

What does getting all your ducks in a row really mean?

It’s about making sure that you have a firm foundation to build on, firstly it’s about making sure your idea is needed and it’s about building a core team to help you achieve your goal. Choose those with ability as well as those who share your passion, so other people in business, teachers, solicitors and barristers, those in financial services, etc

Once your team is in place, things like policies and procedures follow. Some examples are: financial, safeguarding (and not just for children), volunteer, health and safety, to name to few and that’s just for starters because the job is much bigger than you’ll think.

Don’t forget risk assessments because every area of what you carries a risk, staff, volunteers, money, activities/projects are just examples the list is endless. Your risk assessments will show possible supporters, grant givers and supporters that you understand all possible risks and how you aim to mitigate these.

N.B: All of your policies, procedures, risk assessments will need to be reviewed to be regularly, at least annually. Consultants can help you complete an organisational audit and while this costs, its worth putting this into your annual budget.

Then you’ll need insurances for example: public liability, employee liability (even if you have volunteers), trustee/director liability to name a few.

Once you’ve got all these in place you’ll need a robust business plan. However, you can’t write this until you’ve sat down with an accountant and worked out annual costs, planned your income and fundraising strategy as well as your PR for the coming year. When all of the above has been completed then you can put together your business plan in the knowledge that you’re ready to face all possible challenges. I always recommend a rolling business plan because this means an annual review and an opportunity to make any changes that are necessary. It also keeps the team focused on the goals and work.

Finally, everything completed your ready to roll out your work to the public.

Many start without building a foundation, they try and do these vital pieces of work after making their work public. To those individuals and those supporting I’d say beware you have failed to get your ducks in a row and trouble will likely strike without expert help.

Alison Cross-Jones
Consultant

Dickens in the modern age!

Dickens in the modern age!

Its the 21st century! Surely in this day and age poverty and destitution are things of the past, the things consigned to Dickens great works? If only!

The reality today is that while man has moved on with technology and education, where health is better with vaccines and great strides in medicine (we’re living longer), the number of those living in poverty is rising.

Those in poverty are divided into those out of work and those who are in work where income doesn’t cover what’s needed to get by.

Those who are in work poverty have ‘hobson’s choice‘ because if they give up their work, there is no money for 26 weeks because the system says in leaving your job you are making yourself intentionally jobless. There is no account taken of the fact that affording to actually get to work and paying the bills is becoming too much. In that 26 weeks there is no help with housing costs. This means housing providers taking back properties and then homelessness follows. Once homeless no one has responsibility to support you and a life on the street is your only prospect. So the life of in work poverty continues.

This is the reality for many people and the numbers in this situation is growing.

For those in work poverty help is limited, after all they are the unseen. From the outside they’re working often longer hours, they smile each day and give a cheery hello but beneath the facade, the biggest struggle happens every day. Sometimes, it feels that life is too hard and hope is lost no matter how hard you try.

While Christmas is a time of celebration, take time to think about those not only visible and insight that need support but those hidden from obvious view, those in work poverty. We are all just one or two steps away from hitting rock bottom.

Lets hope for some miracles this Christmas because this is Dickens in the modern age!

Something needs to change so that all hope is not lost.

The world of the homeless!

The world of the homeless!

Homelessness hits anyone! We are all just a step or two away from being homeless and being homeless is a life of despair. “Oh don’t give them money they’ll only spend it on drink and/or drugs” I’ve heard people say. My question to those is:

“How would you cope living the life that they do, is it any wonder these are the things they turn to? Whatever happened to being one community, where has caring about one another gone?”

Recently, I’ve been inspired by the work of the Charities and Community Organisations who go out and support those who face the greatest challenges and the greatest stigma. As a society, we’ve moved on with technology, ideas, housing, employment but in many areas life moves more slowly and for the homeless its almost Dickensian!

Albert Einstein said: “The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.”

How many of us can truly say that when we spot a homeless person, we stop, talk, give help or smile? These things mean so much to those who live their life on the streets. It’s the small things each one of us takes for granted that means so much. My children always say that a trip out with me takes longer because they know that I’ll stop and talk to every homeless person I meet. Every story makes me feel sad. Sad that they have no-one, sad that their life seems hopeless to them. What makes me the saddest is my fellow citizens walking past, no words, no kindness, as if they are diseased!

We need to make a change. A change for the homeless, a change for ourselves. A change to the way society views those who are homeless. An understanding that those who are homeless will probably turn in desperation to alcohol and drugs because their lives are in utter despair.

We need to get the policy makers to change the way they can be housed. If councils can house the homeless in the cold weather, why can’t they house them all year round? What’s the barriers?

To those out there supporting and helping the homeless in whatever way they can, I commend you. I hope that everyone will at the very least support you and donate to you, even if they feel they cannot do anything themselves.

“We make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give” WINSTON CHURCHILL

All the wonderful people looking after the homeless are making a real difference to lives. A homeless person is part of a family, our community.

In the words of a song: “Reach out and touch somebody’s hand, make this world a better place, if you can.”

We may never end homelessness but we can all do our bit no matter how big or small. After all a smile or hello or conversation costs you nothing but a small amount of your time!

The world of the homeless!

When passion alone just isn’t enough!

When passion alone just isn’t enough!

Whether it be a business idea, a charity idea or a great community initiative or project, it all starts with your passion. If you don’t have a passion for what you do or want to do then there is no point. Is passion alone enough?

I recently saw a sign which said “When you have passion, success will follow”. Is this true?

Recently I’ve seen people embarking on things they are passionate about. They ooze enthusiasm, they want their work to be successful. They hold on tight to what they do and try and find others that share their idea or passion. However, for some this is a fruitless task because instead of finding the right people for the task, they find people who want to support them.

We all need people to support what we’re trying to achieve but we also need people who can do the job. For example we might want to set up an organisation/business to help ex fishermen but you wouldn’t only involve ex fishermen because they might not all have the right skills.

Those starting a new venture or widening an initiative might seek advice. On the surface they’ll say, “I want advice” but when its given the response is “I have no time to change things” or “We’ve always done it this way”.

What they fail to realise is that no one person can know it all. I’ve learnt this over the years. What they need is to take advice from those who have expertise. If they want success then they’ll make time! If they want success they’ll think about change and act on it!

You ask about an action or business plan! – Then you find out that there isn’t one! They believe that they can run something successful without one? Really? They also believe that they will get funding, donations and build working relationships without one? Really? The reality is they aren’t! No one is going to give money to someone with passion but no plan. I’ve even heard someone say “I can get someone to write a business plan overnight”. Seriously? Anyone with experience will see it and not support it!

Everything good in life starts with passion but without taking the appropriate advice from those who know, without the right team behind you and in the absence of a well thought out plan in advance, passion alone just isn’t enough!

The myth about fundraising!

The myth about fundraising!

Charities and good causes rely on fundraising, especially today when grants that were available are no longer there and what is available is being sought after by a much bigger audience!

So what’s this myth? What’s it all about?

You’ve decided to fund-raise for a cause you care about. The obvious choice is a raffle! Most people will go out and collect prizes ranging from big items to smaller items. They’ll advertise the prizes they have, sell tickets on the day or if they have a licence sell them over a longer period. People will win and the money raised will be counted. The announcement will be money raised for charity. All this is great, so what’s the myth?

Whenever you fund-raise especially with raffles, auctions, etc you should always consider the value of the donations you have. We think that because something has been given at no cost that it has no value. Why? Have we become an easy come easy go society? Of course we thank the person/business/organisation donating because that’s the right thing to do. However, if we place no value on their donation, then we’re not valuing their contribution!

So if someone gives you a voucher for a meal for two worth £25 the value is £25. If you get a holiday worth £400 the value is £400 and so on.

An example, Mrs Smith and her friends want to raise money for a local children’s charity and as part of their efforts they hold a raffle. The prizes donated add up to a value of £1500. After their event they find the raffle has raised £500. Has it raised £500 or has it lost £1000? An accountant would tell you the latter is true! Of course the good cause has an extra £500 it wouldn’t have had without their efforts but how much more could be done if Mrs Smith and her friends had broken even with their fundraising, i.e. raised £1500? If they had placed a value on their donations they could have!

The myth about fundraising is a lack of understanding and a lack of placing a value on the donations given.

Could your raffle or game of chance be breaking the law?

Could your raffle or game of chance be breaking the law?

Many of us want to raise money for a good cause or charity. As human beings we want to help others. What seems like the easiest way is holding a raffle, choosing a square or other game of chance. We will often see these advertised on social media or friends will tell us. Do you know the laws surrounding this?

The law is simple. The only way you can lawfully do this kind of fundraising is by doing it in the following ways:

1. An incidental lottery – these must be held at an event (either commercial or noncommercial).Participants buy tickets or pay to take part on the day of the event examples include; a charity dinner, exhibition, festival, fete.

2. Private lottery – there are three types:
(a) Private society lottery where only members of the society or club and those on the society premises can take part.
(b) Work lottery – where only people who work together on the same premises can take part.
(c) Residents’ lottery – where only people who live at the same premises can take part.

Anything else that does not fit in with the two points above where chance plays a part in what you win will mean you getting a Gambling Licence from the Gambling Commission or from the Local Authority.

Going outside the law doesn’t just mean breaking the law but it can leave the person doing the raffle open to others making unfounded accusations.

Of course we all want to raise vital money for a cause but let’s do it within the law! If in doubt check with your Local Authority.

Could your raffle or game of chance be breaking the law?

What kind of society are we becoming? Which Scrooge are you?

What kind of society are we becoming? Which Scrooge are you?

Through my work I’m helping and supporting so many people each facing challenges that the rest of us could never imagine. There are those having their benefits reduced because of a DWP mistakes years ago (sometimes more than four years ago). Should anyone be without money because of a mistake beyond their control?

There are those without any money for up to twenty six weeks, those with disabilities that have never been recognised trying to navigate the road that is life made even more difficult because of their disability.
The homeless ex-serviceman, discharged on medical grounds, the parents of a child with a learning disability that no one seems to be listening to! The list goes on and on!

Should anyone today have to live like this today? Have we really learnt nothing? The truth is as a society we’re spoon fed the media version of life and like fools this is what people believe. The reality is lost! Are we immune to really caring? What kind of society are we becoming? Do we only care when we can be publicly seen to care? What’s happened to our sense of being responsibility for one another?

“Look after our own first,” is the cry I often hear! Who do the people saying this think should be doing this? Are they in fact doing it themselves or are these words for others to do it instead? The truth is we should all look out for one another!

“Charity begins at home!” Is this a justification of not to give or do we mean we should look after our neighbours and fellow citizens because they are the nearest?

Through my charity work I’ve out a number of public appeals, which for the most part have been successful however, they’ve also been seen by some as an opportunity to offload junk rather than really help! It’s the reality! For every person publicly helped, there’s ten who aren’t!

This weekend I’ve read about a charity that’s closing due to lack of support and the business support dwindling. We live in difficult times but kindness costs nothing, having a heart costs nothing. We can give our money but we can also give our time too!

One of my favourite Christmas stories is A Christmas Carol where the main character Scrooge changes the person he is in time for Christmas. Do we resemble Scrooge before the change? Are we just self, self, self?

In the words of ‘Scrooge’ in the modern film ‘Scrooged'(based on ‘A Christmas Carol’):

“Christmas Eve is the one night of the year where we act a little nicer, we smile a little easier, we cheer a little more. For a couple of hours out of the year we are the people that we always hoped we’d be. It’s a miracle …..”

“You have to do something, you have to take a chance, you do have to get involved. There are people having trouble making their miracle happen. There are people who don’t have enough to eat, there are people who are cold. You could go out and say hello to these people, you could take them a blanket, make them a sandwich and say oh by the way, here.”

“I get it now and if you give then it can happen, then the miracle can happen to you. It’s not just the poor and hungry its everybody, who’s got to have this miracle and it can happen tonight for all of you, if you believe, then this miracle will happen and you’ll want it to happen everyday ………”

“You’ve just got to want that feeling and if you like it and you want it, you’ll get greedy for it and you’ll want it every day for the rest of your life ….”

What kind of society are we becoming? Which Scrooge are you? Only you the reader can answer this question and only you are responsible for the choices and decisions you make! Christmas is around the corner, use this time to start afresh; be the Scrooge who found a heart and the true meaning of Christmas.

https://www.gofundme.com/healsxmaswinappeal

http://www.healsmalmesbury.com

Can anyone really be isolated? It’s the 21st Century!

Can anyone really be isolated? It’s the 21st Century! According to the dictionary to be isolated is to be: far away from places, buildings or people or minimal contact.

The simple answer is yes! Think of the people you passed on the street, those you stood behind in a queue at the shops, banks or at the bus stop, you’ll probably find at least one feels isolated. It could be the older lady or man living alone, the single parent, those who’ve suffered a crime or Domestic Violence, the families at work struggling to make ends meet or just cover the cost of things, the people who’ve lost a loved one and who are struggling with their grief, those who care for loved ones, those in poverty, those who have no place to call their own, those with disabilities or Autism or who are vulnerable and the servicemen and women who feel lost having left the services due to ill health or having suffered injury serving our country.

These are the people we meet on the street everyday. These are the people we walk past every day, the people we don’t notice, thus reinforcing their feelings of isolation or even worse these are the people who we allow to be bullied, intimidated or treated badly because after all ‘its not our problem’ its their life!

What you probably don’t realise or may have never thought about is one day without warning you could be isolated just like them. Its easy to get a warm fuzzy feeling about putting a tin, packet of pasta or box of breakfast cereal or bottle in a basket. And its easy to feel good that you’ve put your loose change in a charity box. Of course both of these go a long way to help people and because of they do, we should continue to do them because every small thing we do today will help someone tomorrow.

Christmas is fast approaching its the season of goodwill to all. For many it will be a season of happiness, presents, time shared with loved ones, great expense and over indulgence. For others it is yet another reminder of what they don’t have and why they feel isolated.

When you live in a rural community where the cost of living is higher, where public transport does not run regularly, the feeling of isolation is worse! There are reminders of things you want to be involved in but are isolated from. I see this every day and whilst the numbers in comparison to the population might be low, their need is great. Think about them, especially this Christmas. What would you do if you were them? Our lives can change in an instance without warning!

The reality of the modern age is, we can’t help everyone. If can do one small but extra thing this Christmas to make a significant thing you’ll have done something that will help another. If you’re not in a position to help then please support those who are helping by donating, supporting an event, visiting someone you think may be in need or volunteering.

Can anyone really be isolated? It’s the 21st Century! Yes they can but by being the difference you’ll make a difference.

https://www.gofundme.com/healsxmaswinappeal