Guest Blog: Breathing Exercises...

This edition of the Stevenage Local Business Blog is by one of our Featured listings: Gary Webb...

Breathe for a Longer healthier Life

We all take breathing for granted; it is obviously something that we must do to sustain life. It is as natural to us as life and death itself; or is it?

Take time out

How many of us actually take time out to think about how we breathe and what correct breathing can actually do for us. Breathing exercises are a very effective way to encourage correct breathing naturally.

When we breathe correctly the whole diaphragm is fully engaged which will help us to fully use all our lungs. Learning to breathe correctly is a must for us all, if we want to be fit and healthy.

Most western people tend to breathe too shallow; this starves the body of essential oxygen needed for vital cell rejuvenation. Often we only use a small section of our lungs which over time will gradually deplete our body of essential energy. 

Breathe for life

Correct abdominal breathing will help us in times of anger or in stressful situations, even when we are struggling to get a good night’s sleep. Without the body being able to relax fully the central nervous system will become overloaded and the stress fight flight response will take prominence. This then encourages the body to release stress hormones, which over time tends to deplete our central nervous system. Because of this, tension is lodged in our body, potentially causing long term illness and disease.

Another common problem is that when we are placed in a highly stressful or fearful environment, we tend to hold our breath and breathe even shallower than is normal, even for us; causing our bodies to become even more lethargic. The tension is held most commonly in our stomach, shoulders and jaws.

Simple breathing exercise 1

When you are next time working at the computer or whilst doing your daily work, spend a short while, placing your minds attention to your lower belly area.

Be aware of your breath, but let it happen naturally. Please do not force it. In the beginning you may find that that your breathing may stop for a while and that you are breathing very shallow; breathing mainly into the upper part of your chest. But with some practice your breathing will deepen and your lower belly will start to engage and expand more. This is an extremely effective way to breathe.

Simple breathing exercise 2

5-10 minutes daily breathing practice

Sitting in an upright chair with your back up straight and chin tucked in. Holding your head up straight, with your crown pulled upwards. Sitting forward slightly, placing your legs and feet on the ground shoulder width apart. Please ensure that your posture is nice and even and that your shoulders are relaxed.

Cup your right palm over your left and place your palms onto your lower belly area. Ensure that your armpits are open and your arms are held in a rounded position. If you are a lady place the left palm over the right.

Put your attention onto your lower belly area. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Do not hold your breath, just let it happen. Count one and breathe in, then count one and breathe out.

Continue until you reach the count of ten and return to one again. If you lose count or focus, please return to one again and continue. You can keep your eyes open or closed for this exercise. After some practice your whole body will become much more relaxed and your breathing will deepen into your lower belly area.

What does breathing correctly do for me?

·         It gently massages your internal organs – liver, spleen, kidneys and heart.

·         Fully oxygenates your whole body.

·         Relaxes your body to prevent the stress fight flight response.

·         Encourages your body internal organ fluids – helping to prevent disease.

·         Encourages the diaphragm to become fully engaged, which helps the air in and out of your lungs.

·         Strengthens your chi.

·         Helps oxygen enter all your cells.

·         Helps your body to rest and recover from it’s over exertions more rapidly.

·         Helps to keep you healthy and disease free.

·         Discourages the stress fight flight response.

The next time that you are sitting at a computer or are placed in a stressful situation, consider your breathing and what influence it has on the whole of your body. Correct Tai chi breathing exercises can become part of your daily life, to fully invigorate your mind and body.

Gary Webb MChS (Podiatrist)

if you are interested to find out more about Gary's work please look at his website: http://garywebbpodiatrist.co.uk  


Until next time, have a very happy Christmas and successful 2012!


Malcolm

www.stevenagelocalbusiness.com

Taking Care of Business recap...

Over the last few weeks I have been giving you Tips about succeeding during a recession; so now it is time to recap and check how you are doing! These are the main points I have made, so tick the ones you have done and look at the areas still to do and re-schedule:


Tip Completed √ Re-scheduled date
Website: updated
Networking: Been/ hosted events
Referrals / Word of mouth: received referral
Flyers / Postcards: Updated & sent
Advertising / Marketing: advert placed / new marketing
Advertising: Negotiated good deal
PR: Got articles ready / published
Competing: Not reduced price
Message: Developed new message
Your customers buying patterns: Contact / monitored
New technology: Written Blog & /or joined Network site(s) other
Involve & invest: Consulted workforce
Complacency: Action orientated



If you have completed some or all of these, well done you are on the way!
If you have made little or no progress remember, time will not stand still, and there is no time like the present to make a difference!

Until next time,

Malcolm

Taking Care of Business ii

In my last Blog I spoke about surviving in these difficult times and how it was important to plan ahead for recovery whilst Taking Care of Business in the present! So here are some more tips to try…


• Your customers buying patterns
• New technology
• Involve & invest
• Complacency


Customer buying patterns: Recent research suggests that customers are taking longer to make decisions and are testing the Market more than usual. If they are looking at more of your competitors make sure they know everything your Business offers, especially the "added value". If you understand this pattern you are more likely to be ahead in the game!

New technology: Don't be scared to try new ways of attracting business - Social networking, Blogs etc. are ways you might not naturally embrace but offer an alternative route to potential customers and, in these days of stringent accounting, they are cost effective alternatives that are worth trying!

Involve & Invest: Involve the whole Team, everyone is a marketer and publicist and no one has the prerogative on good ideas, so ask them!
Invest in Training, there are many grants available and lots of good offers at the moment, just as with advertising, so look around for what you want and go for it.

Complacency: Remember, no action is not an option! Challenge everything you do, and have always done, to see what needs to change! Complacency, and its twin procrastination, is the basis for trouble; there are many examples, remember Woolworths!


I wish you every success, more on this next time.

Malcolm

Taking care of Business...

In these difficult times it is important to plan ahead for recovery whilst Taking Care of Business in the present! Now is the time to let people know what you do and how you will continue to offer good service. So here are some tips to try…

• Advertising
• PR
• Competing
• Message.


Advertising: Currently most traditional media are struggling and therefore there is an opportunity to look for a good Return on investment (ROI) and buy cheap! Make sure you have some different sized adverts ready to meet your needs so you can take advantage of any last minute deals. There are great deals around and less advertisers, so now is the time to advertise, but do shop around too!

PR: Publications are always looking for stories and, as long as your business provides good service and support, why not let people know about it? You can also offer tips and information to your Trade publications as good PR will underpin your advertising and build greater credibility.

Competing: Are you competing on value or price? You should be competing on value because, if you reduce prices, you may find it hard to increase them when things improve and, any short term gain, will be nullified. You should understand what problems you are trying to solve, the added value you bring and then the client will understand What's in it for me? (WIIFM? ). Make sure your website offers solutions to problems so that new customers will have their appetite whetted too.

Message: Dare to be different with your message, try and get away from your normal safe option and be bold; after all difficult times require bold strategies! So make sure you stand out from the crowd and attract attention.


I wish you every success, more on this next time.

Malcolm

This edition is a guest posting by one of our listed Companies ARCH and as you will see they continue to win awards!

Local Company on the way to Green Glory

One of the Businesses on StevenageLocalBusiness, ARCH based in Gosmore and Stevenage has won a Green Apple Environment Award in the national campaign to find Britain’s greenest companies for their In Bloom competition for Stevenage, Hitchin and Letchworth.

They competed against more than 500 other nominations and will be presented with their Green Apple Award at a glittering presentation ceremony in the House of Commons on November 14^th.

As a result of this success they have been invited to have their winning paper published in The Green Book, the leading international work reference on environmental best practice, so that others around the world can follow their example and learn from their experience.

They will also be considered to represent their country in the European Business Awards for the environment.

The Green Apple Awards began in 1994 and has become established as the country’s major recognition for environmental endeavour among companies, councils, communities and countries.

Judges for the Green Apple Awards are drawn from the Environment Agency, the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, the Chartered Institution for Wastes Management and other independent bodies.

If you would like to find out more about the work that ARCH are doing please contact Steve on 01462 420 598 or check out the website at www.arch.uk.com and on www.stevenagelocalbusiness.com

Don’t forget if you would like to contribute to our Blog please let me know!
 

Until next time,

Malcolm

Answers!

I promised in my last Blog to give you some answers to the questions in the Health Check:


When you started the company you had some aims and objectives. Have you achieved them? If not, why not, are they still relevant?
Do you put your suppliers in competition? Yes, at least annually.
Do you have an overdraft? Yes, there if needed.
Do you push this limit frequently? Not a good sign!
Do you negotiate your overdraft? Yes, at lease annually.
Do you check your accountant's work? Yes, each quarter.
Do you ask for help or advice regarding your business Yes, from successful peers.
Are you owed by your debtors? Yes, but none more than agreed limit.
Do you have any debts outstanding more than 60 days old? No!
Do you have management accounts? Yes.
Do you predict your cash needs for the business? Yes, quarterly.
Do you have a Business Plan? Yes.
Have you ever investigated the possibility of Grants for the company? Yes.
Do you monitor your competitors' performance? Yes.
Are you increasing sales at the same levels as your competitors? Yes (if not what are they doing that your not?)
Do you have a Sales Plan Yes.
Do you have a Marketing Plan? Yes.
Do you ever undertake advertising? Yes and check ROI.
Do you monitor projects? Yes weekly / monthly.
Are your projects and services Fixed price? No.
Do you have premises? Yes, if so what are the costs against profit?

These can only be a rough indicator of the health of the Business and each one can be investigated further as necessary.

I hope you have found this useful; in future editions I will be looking at some of these in more detail as well as current trends and practices. 

However, next time I will have the first of our Guest Bloggers!

Don't miss it!

Regards,

Malcolm

Success Checklist!

Last time I looked at ways to secure the future of your Business, now we need to do a "Check" to see where you are at the moment!
The questions, where are you now, where do you want to be and how are you going to get there, are the high level; we are going to look in some detail at the first question, "Where are you?"

The following questions should be treated as a checklist of your current "Health".

Question
When you started the company you had some aims and objectives. Have you achieved them?
Do you put your suppliers in competition?
Do you have an overdraft?
Do you push this limit frequently?
Do you negotiate your overdraft?
Do you check your accountant's work?
Do you ask for help or advice regarding your business
Are you owed by your debtors?
Do you have any debts outstanding more than 60 days old?
Do you have management accounts?
Do you predict your cash needs for the business?
Do you have a Business Plan?
Have you ever investigated the possibility of Grants for the company?
Do you monitor your competitors' performance?
Are you increasing sales at the same levels as your competitors?
Do you have a Sales Plan
Do you have a Marketing Plan?
Do you ever undertake advertising?
Do you monitor projects?
Are your projects and services Fixed price?


Next time I will look at the answers and what it means for your Business

Malcolm

Email: Malcolm@StevenageLocalBusiness.com

Web: http://www.stevenagelocalbusiness.com/

10 steps to success!

Having taken the step of joining the Local Success Network, it is now time to look at things to avoid if you want to be successful!

These steps are a starting point for to help ensure the future of your business:

1. Mind your cash flow
Understand exactly what your finances are telling you. Issue invoices promptly and chase up debtors; don't buy more stock than you need; negotiate longer credit terms with suppliers; shorter ones for customers; fill up gaps in your order book; and keep in touch with your bank!

2. Cut your costs
Look for savings in every part of your business. Do you turn equipment off at night? Is every business journey necessary? Are you taking full advantage of your tax allowances?

3. Credit check new customers
It may take only one major customer to go bust to jeopardise your business. Protect yourself by conducting credit checks on new customers and agreeing clear credit terms up front.

4. Focus on retaining customers
When finances are uncertain, consumers cut their discretionary spending, and so do all you can to keep your customers. Loyalty schemes, small discounts and regular communications are important ways of letting your customers know you value them.

5. Provide outstanding customer service
Consumers appreciate businesses that give them more for their money. Efficient service, fast delivery, flexible payment terms, and so on, can persuade people to spend with you rather than a competitor.

6. Increase your marketing
When competing for a smaller pot of money, it becomes more important than ever to tell people why they should come to you. The website, flyers, postcards and calls remind people of what your Business has to offer.

7. Concentrate on products and services that sell
Don't put your efforts into trying to sell things that are untried or that few people will buy; stick to profitable favourites. Don't be tempted to slash prices either as you will be giving away your profits.

8. Train your staff
Your staff are one of your greatest assets and could be the key to retaining customers and keeping your business running. Training is important to their personal development and the productivity of your business.

9. Sell on-line
An on-line sales or marketing channel will expose you to a larger marketplace for minimal cost. Plan and resource on-line selling properly by including providing payment security, meeting orders swiftly to attract visitors.

10. Recession survival by Streamline your operation
Consider moving to smaller premises, or subletting your existing space. Sell off excess equipment and look at staffing - are your people concentrated in the right areas? Will flexible working be more cost efficient and finally, if considering redundancies, remember that it's bad for morale and replacements may be hard to find when business picks up, but if it's necessary, do it right.


The next stage is a health check, taking stock of where your business is and what needs to be done to move ahead.
To your continued  success,

Malcolm

Email: Malcolm@StevenageLocalBusiness.com

Web: http://www.stevenagelocalbusiness.com/