Catering for your PR

Are you on the map? Ever thought of SEO, Search Engine Optimisation that gives you a map reference!

Lawrence Perry — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 20:14:00 GMT

It is not enough to have an attractive web site if no-one is visiting it.

I am asked all day by companies, why aren't their web sites bringing them leads?

The answer is quite simple - they have not had their sites optimised, which leads me to question what is SEO Search Engine Optimisation, and why do businesses spend so much money monthly on it?

SEO is an important part of any Online Marketing campaign. SEO experts submit your keywords to natural search engine listings through a variety of means, which achieving a high rank for your web site, with increased visibility for your brand, product and services. 80% of views of your web site come through natural clicks, and SEO will increase your business, by driving more potential surfers to your site, which you can convert into customers.

A popular package we find that interests our clients is looking at title tags and copywriting, with keyword emphasis and looking at accessibility. Our SEO consultant goes over your code, and advises you if there is a coding error. Looks at your links, and also proof reads your copy.

This is our Quartz package, and will ensure that your web site stays in a commanding position of a higher rank in the search engines, and increases your visibility. This package has the advantage that it is more powerful than PPC Pay Per Click.

Google are in the process of changing the way it read's meta tags, and alt tags - so do not be left out, consider changing your practice too.

Our SEO consultant puts together a detailed seo package, plan and build, and, does a competitive analysis on the marketing practice of two of your clients. She implements anchor texts and xml site maps, and does a marketing strategy on a month by month basis.

Customer relationship is very important to us, and you can opt for a dedicated account manager to speak to anytime, and can also agree conference calls with you and sit down to discuss in detail your requirements.

We also do a latent semantic website search which measures word-word, word-passage and passage-passage relationship to identify areas on Google, which focus on each of your key words, which can be interrupted by the browser to have multiple meanings, and therefore deliver an incorrect search result to a search engine browser.

We further offer to change content regularly on your website, and make more immediate effects.

We have copywriters working for us, who will write 38 articles of 250 words as press releases, and make them into RSS
feeds, as well as three ebooks of 1800 words a month and submit them to search engines. Each month your site is built up by authority, and by building external links.

Why not phone us now and get your business moving forward even better?

Why not contact us for more information, more advice on marketing strategy and blogging strategy.....

Our support team, Catch Friday, are available on Tel. UK +44 (0) 20 8432 6450 USA (+1) 415 992 8021- Email: service@cateringpage.com

Please leave a message with your phone number. All messages are checked regularly.

Warm regards, Lawrence Perry, Managing Director of Catering Page, Serving the Hotelier with Image, Visibility, PR and Website Solutions. . And advising you on Outsourcing to the Philippines and the benefits of Catch Friday.

Design & Programming Experts you can trust

Dolma Interactive specialises in creating affordable high quality solutions for it's clients in branding, corporate identity, database services, design, ecommerce, search engine optimization, and validation.

Catering Page and Dolma Interactive are trading names used by DOLMA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Registered Office: 60 ROBIN HOOD WAY GREENFORD MIDDLESEX UB6 7QN, UK Company No. 05060920

Have you done everything to make your hotel look it's best?

Lawrence Perry — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 20:10:19 GMT

Most hoteliers spend an enormous amount on their physical presence, making sure that there services are spot on, and that guests staying within their hotel are satisfied. They have a business plan in place, and when the holiday season comes along they struggle to fill their rooms, why?

Hotel Owners and General Managers forget the importance of their online image, notably their website, and fail to address it's importance for allowing them to be found on the map by their potential guests. Their poorly designed website that an amateur designed, or was self-made, stands out like a sore thumb, and deters would be surfers looking for a place to stay.

Is that the image that you want to portray?

I am sure that you would like to change it - and if you would like to contact us, we can arrange for a professional photographer to take good pictures of your establishment, that will attract your guests.

Why not fill in our web site enquiry form, and request a call back.

We have the experience to cater for your web design which is echoed in our portfolio.

Why not phone us now and get your business moving forward even better?

Why not contact us for more information, more advice on marketing strategy and blogging strategy.....

Our support team are available on Tel. UK +44 (0) 20 8432 6450 USA (+1) 415 992 8021- Email: service@cateringpage.com

Please leave a message with your phone number. All messages are checked regularly.

Warm regards, Lawrence Perry, Managing Director of Catering Page, Serving the Hotelier with Image, Visibility, PR and Website Solutions. . And advising you on Outsourcing to the Philippines

Design & Programming Experts you can trust

Dolma Interactive specialises in creating affordable high quality solutions for it's clients in branding, corporate identity, database services, design, ecommerce, search engine optimization, and validation.

Catering Page and Dolma Interactive are trading names used by DOLMA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Registered Office: 60 ROBIN HOOD WAY GREENFORD MIDDLESEX UB6 7QN, UK Company No. 05060920

Getting the design right.

Lawrence Perry — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 21:46:30 GMT

Does anyone read 'Start Your Business' - I picked up the June magazine at the Ideal Business Show, and it was full of useful information, including an article by Elizabeth Clark, the Flirt Guru - ever heard of her? I hadn't, but I may remember her, particularly for her Guide to Web Design, and she suggests that before you start you should have a clear idea of the purpose of your project, and she gave an example of what you should look for here.

Whilst we think that iChameleon is a good agency, we can also help you with your design, if you so require.

Elizabeth Clarke makes the point that for a modest site you shouldn't expect any change out of a grand (£1000), and that did not include hosting or domain, and an ecommerce site can cost from £675 on top. Of course there are cheaper designers out there, but will you get the desired effect and optimisation she argues?

I think that you should compare a web site to an advertisement that you put in a newspaper. The paper has a short life, but is seen by a wide audience and some people who do not even look in a computer. You really need to know what audience you want your feature to attract. A web site on the otherhand has a much longer life, can be edited and optimisation can leave it in the public's eyes longer. An advertisement in a newspaper will depend on size, and column inches, and price is a factor. You can obtain a lineage ad for around £30, and depending on the magazine/newspaper larger block adverts can be £500 - £5000 and higher. A website on the otherhand is a cheaper way to advertise and can be more effective.

Optimisation is on keywords and coding and on the Ecademy businesses network, Derek Sorensen rescues small businesses from broken websites. Derek's key area of strength lies in his years of programming and coding expertise. Derek is one of a growing number of experts, and truly your choice should be in the right web design company to attend to your requirements - so always verify how long they will guarantee your work for, and if they have a maintenance package.

Of course your website in the hotel & catering industry might include an online booking programme, a streaming video, and a flash entry - whatever you need, we are ready to offer you the right advice, and point you in the right direction.

Why not phone us now and get your business moving forward even better?

Why not contact us for more information, more advice on marketing strategy and blogging strategy.....

Our support team are available on Tel. UK +44 (0) 20 8432 6450 USA (+1) 415 992 8021- Email: service@cateringpage.com

Please leave a message with your phone number. All messages are checked regularly.

Warm regards, Lawrence Perry, Managing Director of Catering Page, Serving the Hotelier with Image, Visibility, PR and Website Solutions. . And advising you on Outsourcing to the Philippines

Design & Programming Experts you can trust

Dolma Interactive specialises in creating affordable high quality solutions for it's clients in branding, corporate identity, database services, design, ecommerce, search engine optimization, and validation.

Catering Page and Dolma Interactive are trading names used by DOLMA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Registered Office: 60 ROBIN HOOD WAY GREENFORD MIDDLESEX UB6 7QN, UK Company No. 05060920

The Philippines has the answer to Koh Samui in Thailand

Lawrence Perry — Tue, 22 May 2007 05:20:00 GMT

We stayed for three nights at Carles Shangri-la Family Resort in Barangay Barosbos, Carles on the Island of Panay in the Philippines, and with our party of 26 children and adults, paid Php 5000 (a little over £50) for a four-room cottage, beds and a beach hut.

One detail about this resort is, it is not on the Internet and therefore cannot be found.

Unlike Roxas City in Capiz which is surrounded by hotels and beach huts, where prices were quoted to us from Php 5.000 - 10,000 a night, but unfortunately did not have the flexibility to offer accommodation for a party of 26!

Anyone (ie a Westerner) who is married to or visiting a Filipino family, may well know that a trip out for a meal, or to a hotel planned for four people will inevitably find a bus full of people on the trip comprising of family members!

So when we touched into Iloilo airport on the 16th May we were met by this party of people in a red Jeepney, consisting of relatives, brothers, nephews, etcetera.

The brochure of the resort suggests tranquiity, with words like..."Take a walk amidst trees. Take a swim. Take in the fresh air. Relax in an environment that is clean and safe. This is what we offer. Simple pleasures with amenities that will make you smile, we cater for your every whim with our friendly staff and great facilities."

The resort at low tide offers golden sandy beaches, and clear water - ideal for swimming, and collecting shells, starfish, and pieces of coral. However under Filipino law you are not allowed to take them out of the country - but you can photograph them, as we did!

The resort also offers volleyball and video karaoke, popular with all ages.

If you are visiting the Philippines and would like to stay in this resort, which is off the beaten track, their phone number is 00639196219676.

Our family brought along the rice cooker, and seafood was in abundance, as well as San Miguel Beer!

If you on the other hand, would like your resort more visible - you are welcome to contact us.

Hotel Business: Increasing your Customers in a Competitive World

Lawrence Perry — Fri, 04 May 2007 06:27:00 GMT

I recently attended a Trade Show as an exhibitor, and was approached by a hotel owner, who had a problem with visibility, and I was asked if I could do something about it. A number of questions came to mind, which I will focus on and answer here.

How can I sell my hotel / business to my potential customers?

- Image

Is location important to you or is it not?

How do you appear in the market place? Are you for example on the sea front, or near the centre attractions? Location is important especially in the tourist trade, and if you are off the beaten track you maybe able to overcome this problem with skill in presenting a good online image.

Do you have a problem with your reputation?

Are you suffering from poor sales or a small occupancy? Have you analysed why, and come up with a business plan to address this weakness? Is the problem within your organisation, and actually physical or is it because your staff are not happy? You may need to correct any weakness in the running of your business at the point of sale before you go on. Have you redecorated your premises recently? Have you corrected the problem?

How have you in the past increased your occupancy / sales?

Do you customers come to you by recommendation? Or from seeing your hotel in a brochure? If the latter, where can your clients access your advertising media?

How much is your advertising budget? What percentage is it of your sales? Generally we find that the businesses need to reinvest 80% of their income to be successful, but if you haven't done that - hope is not lost because we can offer you good advice and action.

Does advertising work for you? Or has something else worked?

Your solution

Having a good Image is the first to increasing your sales and visibility, and one of our client's decided to invest in an electronic brochure which you can see here. Electronic brochures are a relatively less expensive way of contacting potential customers and spreading the way. Can you imagine an online tourist authority recommending your e-brochure and why not?

Other client's used our services to develop their web sites and increasing their online visibility.

Warm regards, Lawrence Perry, Serving the Hotelier with Image, Visibility, PR and Website Solutions, and the Retail Industry.

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Catering Page and Dolma Interactive are trading names used by DOLMA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED Registered Office: 60 ROBIN HOOD WAY GREENFORD MIDDLESEX UB6 7QN, Tel. UK +44 (0) 20 8432 6450; USA (+1) 415 992 8021- Email: service@cateringpage.com UK Company No. 05060920.

Is Google God?

Lawrence Perry — Wed, 02 May 2007 20:14:00 GMT

How important is your online presence in a changing world?

If you are in the catering / shop front business then having a web site will be very important to you in gaining more visibility, and attracting trade / members of the public - who like your brand or are visiting you for the first time.

Today more and more people are tuning in to the internet and using the Google search engine to look for what they want, whether it is food, literature or information. Google has become known as the place where you can find what you want, and some people refer to Google as God, and whilst I don't agree with this theory, I nevertheless consider the ranking on Google to be very important for my business.

If I were to look up your business what keywords would you want to be identified by? For example if you were a restaurant you might like to be found by the kind of food you serve and the town that you are in. If you were a hotel you might like to be found under place and star, and perhaps if you had a nightclub you may like to be found under dancing, town and party - Can you be found?

What's your ranking on what can you do to get it better?

Google ranking can be seen on Alexa, and Google is ranked 5 and Yahoo 1. The lower your ranking the higher is your visibility. To achieve a higher ranking for your site, you need to draw attention to your business through either Google Ad Words, blogging or web optimization.

Get feedback from your customers and use it to your advantage

Adding a feedback form to your website will allow satisfied clients to write about what you do best, and unsatisfied customers the opportunity to complain. You can edit the complaints, and go back to the customers and try to address their concerns and get it better.

Google can help you increase your business, if you learn how to use it to your advantage, but Google will never become God because it can be controlled by you.

How to improve your PR and get more customers

Lawrence Perry — Wed, 02 May 2007 05:24:00 GMT

All of us want to be successful and there are some basic tips for your hotel /pub / retail business to get better with your design.

Improve your online presence - a web site is an advertisement for your business, and is cheaper overall than local and national advertising. It is your passport to telling your existing clients who you are, and keeping them updated, and focusing on potential clients. It is worth asking a professional agency to do it for you, than doing it yourself. It can seperate the amateurs from the professionals.

Focus on your design as it will pull your customers in. Image is important in the marketplace and first impressions count. Look at other web sites that you like on the web, both from competitors and successful businesses. Think what you would like and reflect on how the other websites work. Ask us or another web developer what you can do, and how much it will cost. Get three quotes.

Think about what you want to say. Your words are very important to your site success, and hiring a good copywriter is important especially since it is the written word that is so successful in bringing in new clients. If your budget doesn't go far enough - at least try and write down with clarity what you want to say, or ask a PR agency like ourselves or another one.

Include a blog on your web site and write everyday or at least once a week on aq product in your business. For more information consult our knowledge base for free information.

Have your site optimized in the search engines for maximum effect, and raise your ranking.

Allow your customers to see your site, by including a feedback card with your website on, where your clients can write their feedback, which you can control.

Warm regards, Lawrence Perry, Serving the Hotelier with Image, Visibility, PR and Website Solutions, and the Retail Industry.

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Catering Page and Dolma Interactive are trading names used by DOLMA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED Registered Office: 60 ROBIN HOOD WAY GREENFORD MIDDLESEX UB6 7QN, UK. Company No. 05060920. Tel. UK +44 (0) 20 8432 6450; USA (+1) 415 992 8021- Email: service@cateringpage.com UK

The Curtains Up

Lawrence Perry — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 19:16:00 GMT

The Curtains Up is a Public House in Vereker Road, West Kensington, that embraces a theatre, and is quite popular in the area.

A casual look in the pub in google revealed a damning reference in March 2007, I quote:

"Terrible, Terrible service. Last Saturday night was nowhere near busy and yet it seemed as though we'd all been sprinkling invisible dust on ourselves. The ladies had no toilet roll. When I asked for some, they reached behind the bar and handed me a roll of Andrex (was I supposed to bring it back, I wondered, when I'd finished?) Sinks in ladies were last repaired sometime in the 1970's.

The only redeemable feature was that the lager was only £2.30 a pint. I suppose the management don't feel like they are able to charge any more...

As someone commented earlier, 6 years ago (when I lived in the area), this place was so different. Shame".

Can you afford as a licensee to be associated with such a comment?

Earlier comments were good and bad, one liked very much the Real Ale sold, and another suggested that poor management had infected the bar.

Fancy a pint has a glowing review, and excellent photograph:

"Good pub with the novelty of having a theatre underneath the pub (rather than above it, as seems to be the norm in pub theatres). Although this is to the theatre's detriment (the sound of footsteps, fruit machines and music can spoil quieter moments of tense plays), the pub itself is well worth visiting. Friendly and efficient staff serve well-kept real ales (Speckled hen, Broadside and Bombardier on our visit) and manage well even when faced with the interval rush of punters. The music's good, the food looks imaginative and there are tables outside. Recommended."

The Curtains Up is also in the All London directory and is descibed as a a theatrical theme pub with the Baron's Court Theatre situated beneath it.

Last year the theatre showed a gay play entitled Shameless Boysz and this May they are showing a Savage expose of human sexuality in turn-of-the-century Vienna.

With such bawdiness - the pub should be packed!

Warm regards, Lawrence Perry, Serving the Hotelier with Image, Visibility, PR and Website Solutions, and the Retail Industry.

One of our key points is that we can improve your PR and drive customers to your doors.

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Hair, Image and Make-Up are the Ingredients of a Designer

Lawrence Perry — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 06:45:41 GMT

These are essential ingredients to anyone presenting themselves at a meeting, and in the Hotel and Retail Trade they are important for leaving a lasting impression on their customers, and getting the right blend is the tricky bit.

Have you noticed how long your wife / partner / PA spends at the hairdressing salon; hours making sure that she looks the perfect lady. Equally she spends hours at the manicurist making sure that her nails reflect the colour of her day. Even her costume is finely made, and she may love intricate lace to reflect her appearance. Then she has that fragrance that invites more than one look.

Colours are important, and choosing the right designer is important to attract the right image in the marketplace, and there is an argument that women may be more skilled than men in getting the design right.

Why? Men don’t dress in the same way as ladies, they are bad dressers for the most part and it can be argued that some men care little about their hairdresser, or the clothes that they wear.

Karen, my designer thinks that colours have meaning and symbolism associated with what your eyes see. For example Black is mysterious and White is pure, and she chooses pink for a baby girl. Purple is royalty and Orange is vibrant. Gold is the colour of riches, and Silver is metal. Blue is water and Green is life. Red is rebellion, blood, anger and passion.

Colour has great meaning in perception, and getting the right colour / blend in your website is important. Not all designers get it right, and some may have no idea of the picture at all.

Karen conceptualised our website and placed all the colours on the web, making the perfect match, and that is why we have grown in size, to be a design company that you should remember.

Think Catering for your PR; think Catering for your design; think Pattern; think simplicity, think Catering Page - we cook the ingredients for your stunning design, which draws customers to your brand.

Why not contact us for more information, more advice on design -

Our support team are available on Tel. UK +44 (0) 20 8432 6450 USA (+1) 415 992 8021- Email: service@cateringpage.com

Please leave a message with your phone number. All messages are checked regularly.

Warm regards, Lawrence Perry, Managing Director of Catering Page, Serving the Hotelier with Image, Visibility, PR and Website Solutions. . And advising you on Outsourcing to the Philippines

Design & Programming Experts you can trust

Dolma Interactive specialises in creating affordable high quality solutions for it's clients in branding, corporate identity, database services, design, ecommerce, search engine optimization, and validation.

Catering Page and Dolma Interactive are trading names used by DOLMA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Registered Office: 60 ROBIN HOOD WAY GREENFORD MIDDLESEX UB6 7QN, UK Company No. 05060920

Has your brand name got a 'broken' image?

Lawrence Perry — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 21:26:00 GMT

Broken brand name images can have sales falling, stock control in confusion, and accounts melting down.

Our tip: AVOID IT!

But how?

We suggest that you have a disaster management plan as a business back up with a PR recovery plan in the wings.

PR is very important for brands and so you need to ensure that your brand stays focused, and that you are still thinking about your business and its various processes if anything untoward should happen.

Do you have a website and blog supporting and driving your brand?

In that context: -
Do you control your emotions whilst posting?
Do you control the way you blog?
Do you ensure that your blogs are not out off key?

At CateringPage we explore the ways that your business communicates, and the effectiveness of your written dialogue (especially the CEO's!) with a view to improvement and optimisation.

Case Study: -
A business was focused on selling plasma TVs in the high street, and derived its sales mainly from Trade Shows and Web referrals, but their web site was just not pulling in any leads.

They asked us to look at their image and pull, and we carried out the necessary audit.

We also looked at their visibility, and suggested a marketing plan.

One of our business associates visited them and carried out a free business review, which they were interested in implementing. They decided to contract with our representative, and we later updated their website, and improved their visibility.

Are you not receiving the leads you need?
Is your image as good as it could be?
Is your reach and stickiness as good as you want it to be?

If not - why not call us? Our lines are open:

Why not contact us for more information, advice on marketing and blogging strategy? NOW!

Our support team are available on Tel. UK +44 (0) 20 8432 6450 USA (+1) 415 992 8021- Email: service@cateringpage.com

Please leave a message with your phone number. All messages are checked regularly.

Warm regards, Lawrence Perry, Managing Director of Catering Page.
Serving the Hotelier with Image, Visibility, PR and Website Solutions, advising you on Outsourcing to the Philippines and the Design & Programming Experts you can trust

Dolma Interactive specialises in creating affordable high quality solutions for it's clients in branding, corporate identity, database services, design, Ecommerce, search engine optimization, and validation.

Catering Page and Dolma Interactive are trading names used by DOLMA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED Registered Office: 60 ROBIN HOOD WAY GREENFORD MIDDLESEX UB6 7QN, UK Company No. 05060920

Is your image important to you?

Lawrence Perry — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 21:48:34 GMT

Most businesses consider that the way that their clients view them is very important. To those in the retail trade image is often a very important issue and is, of course, central to their businesses.

For hotels, restaurants, catering establishments, high street shops and hairdressers among others,image is essential to improved sales. Image is not just about brand names, either for the business or for the products and services sold, it's also essential to trade, goodwill, return on investment and ultimately survival..

We know a number of shops including a hairdressing salon, which want to have more customers.

Now, hairdressers help their clients to look attractive, i.e. men want to look handsome, and ladies want to look beautiful and, since hair grows, there should be easy repeat business and loyalty and image are vital. They have their regular customers, and, in the salon, the mirrors generally reflect , the customers' needs.

Have you noticed those shops, perched close to major junctions, which at times appear to be starved of trade. In a few cases this may be that they are prone to accidents from HGVs, We know one salon at least which lost several customers after van took out their shop window.

Not their fault of course but It has affected their name ever since, because local people still remember what happened. There may be physical things that they can do to restore confidence (bollards or barriers for example will not necessarily stop a runaway lorry but they look as though they will!) and perhaps a PR offensive showing how rare accidents really are at this location (eg. "1st Van in 200 years to hit our shop! - Special offers on haircuts to celebrate our reopening and shop face lift!") with a bit of selling on the back of it may help restore confidence.

At a more strategic level if one was thinking of moving to a better location anyway it would be a good time.

Warning! Sales bit! Of course you may well not be facing any such problems at present but you might want to improve your image and sales anyway.

A PR campaign, a revitalised web site, better searchability for your website, some telephone canvassing - all are possible!

STOP PRESS** We now offer professional photo-shoots, should your business require higher visibility or should you want to show the world your new shop front!.

We can always offer a fully functional website, hosting, maintenance and support throughout the year. A blog integrated in the site, search engine optimisation, e-brochures and telesales.

Why not phone us now and get your business moving forward even better?

Why not contact us for more information, more advice on marketing strategy and blogging strategy.....

Our support team are available on Tel. UK +44 (0) 20 8432 6450 USA (+1) 415 992 8021- Email: service@cateringpage.com

Please leave a message with your phone number. All messages are checked regularly.

Warm regards, Lawrence Perry, Managing Director of Catering Page, Serving the Hotelier with Image, Visibility, PR and Website Solutions. . And advising you on Outsourcing to the Philippines

Design & Programming Experts you can trust

Dolma Interactive specialises in creating affordable high quality solutions for it's clients in branding, corporate identity, database services, design, ecommerce, search engine optimization, and validation.

Catering Page and Dolma Interactive are trading names used by DOLMA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Registered Office: 60 ROBIN HOOD WAY GREENFORD MIDDLESEX UB6 7QN, UK Company No. 05060920

Preventing trouble in your business

Lawrence Perry — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 07:09:04 GMT

Ahmed and Fatima opened a shop dealing in Persian fine art and antiques at a prime spot in the West End. They had noticed that there were a cluster of Persian restaurants on the same street, and although the area was not in a central shopping area, it was accessible to prime locations.

When they opened were visited by quite a number of people from the local area searching for objects of value, however that did not generate the sales that they hoped for, and their turnover was low. They increased their hours of opening, and leafleted the local area. They posted offers in the window, and even tried to spread the range that they were offering. The business rates went up, and reluctantly they were forced to put up a 'Closing Down Sale' sign.

We were too late to save their business, because they did not contact us in time. We did however suggest another way of selling stock through a shop on eBay, and the provision of an e-commerce site, which they will later explore.

This highlights the importance of obtaining information early, before you loose control.

There is a lot of free information out there to help you when you are starting out, and Microsoft have produced a guide Starting up in Retail suggesting that there is a lot of money out there (up to £23billion), and small businesses could attain a slice of the cash! There are about 311,000 shops in the UK, and according to the British Chamber of Commerce (2007) the vast majority of these are independents, and around 184,000 people are currently running their own shops – and while many will be happy to stay small, others are more ambitious. The guide produced by the British Chamber of Commerce is well-worth reading and downloadable here in PDF.

Ahmed and Fatima may have failed in their business in part, because they did not embrace new technologies, and they preferred to do things that they knew about. They did not advertise online, and did not have a web site.

How important is new technology to you? Should businesses embrace change, or stay stagnant in the marketplace?

We advise shopkeepers to have a web site, and work closely with them to define their product list. We help them with the design and content of their online presence, and setting up their e-commerce site, which improves their sales revenue.

We have businesses enquires through phone and email asking us to improve their image. We take a good look at their web site in detail, and do a complete audit to see why it is not generating leads. We either overhaul their web site, or add pages and submit buttons. It's not just about coding. Then we suggest ways to our clients to add on lines to create income, and improve their visibility.

Why not ring us today for a free business review, where one of our consultants will arrange to talk to you about your business, and offer you some good advice. Our consultant will either meet you on site, or speak to you by phone. Our consultant will also offer you paid services that you may avail, but you are not under any obligation to accept.

We also offer a free web site review, and in the case that you do not have a web site, a realistic price for one, with add-ons to increase your visibility.

Please phone our support staff who will take your details, and feed them through to our representatives.

Our support team are available on Tel. UK 020 8432 6450 USA 415 992 8021
Email: service@cateringpage.com

Please leave a message with your phone number. All messages are checked regularly.

Warm regards, Lawrence Perry, Managing Director of Catering Page, Serving the Hotelier with Image, Visibility, PR and Website Solutions. . And advising you on Outsourcing to the Philippines

Catering Page and Dolma Interactive are trading names used by DOLMA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Registered Office: 60 ROBIN HOOD WAY GREENFORD MIDDLESEX UB6 7QN, UK Company No. 05060920

Catering for your PR: The Magic of Crisps

Lawrence Perry — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 21:40:27 GMT

What do you do when you feel peckish in the pub?

Do you ask for a ploughman's and have you ever been told that it is not on the menu? The pub doesn't serve food. You know the usual jargon, and what like...But actually loads of pubs sell food these days, including those that have Ham and English Mustard, but are those days numbered?

At the Publican Live 07 last week there were at least two exhibitors peddling crisps, and I remember one of them, because they gave me three sample packets of crisps, notably Roast Ox Flavour, Sea Salt and Ham & English Mustard Flavour. The Ham & English Mustard flavour surely will go down with a pint, and be popular with the lads! After all these crisps are branded "Real Crisps" and God knows what kind of crisps I've been eating all these years... but these are the real McCoy! Made in Wales by Sirhowy Valley Foods and every bit as tasteful as the real thing. The range covers eight different flavours and their website is full of testimonies from ordinary people saying how much they loved to eat their crisps. The Roast Ox flavour is, apparently, suitable for vegetarians because it contains no meat product, just vegetable proteins. Salted Real Crisps are suitable for Vegans, since they contain no animal products or by-products. Just where do they get the flavours from then?

A look at their website shows that they have spent a lot of time on their marketing campaign. A press release states that
the Welsh Rugby Union and Millennium Stadium have just signed a five-figure deal with Welsh crisps manufacturer Real Crisps, who have become the official crisp supplier to the Wales' national stadium and the Welsh Rugby Union.

I knew there was some tackle behind the brand when I heard about the rugby.

Real crisps are the only crisps made in Wales, which must have given them a push in their marketing campaign, and they can also be bought in Tesco. Sainsbury and Asda Supermarkets. In January 2007 they releases a new product Chip 'n Dip with a Salsa dip.

Why not contact us for more information, more advice on marketing and blogging strategy.....

Our support team are available on Tel. UK +44 (0) 20 8432 6450 USA (+1) 415 992 8021- Email: service@cateringpage.com

Please leave a message with your phone number. All messages are checked regularly.

Warm regards, Lawrence Perry, Managing Director of Catering Page, Serving the Hotelier with Image, Visibility, PR and Website Solutions. . And advising you on Outsourcing to the Philippines

Catering Page and Dolma Interactive are trading names used by DOLMA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Registered Office: 60 ROBIN HOOD WAY GREENFORD MIDDLESEX UB6 7QN, UK Company No. 05060920

Can driving hits to your website give you more customers?

Lawrence Perry — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 07:11:30 GMT

I bought a domain name and created a website that I designed myself in 2002. I approached one of the many promotional companies and paid a sum of money, and then they submitted my website to a 100 search engines, and soon after I started getting spam - I quickly learned that this was not the way to generate customers.

I started networking and joined Ryze by personal invitation, and spent a year on the network, but was not able to get any leads from it. I joined more networks, and things did not get any better, until I realised that to get clients you have to put more information into your website, into your blogs and build a reputation. These days my strategy through networking works well.

In the hotel and catering industry we know what that's all about, don't we!

Can you remember when you picked up the keys to your first business and the rush of adrenaline you felt, before the bureaucracy hit you, and you realised there was so much red tape involved that you had to comply with, before the first customer came though the door.

I have some friends, Alan and Sue, who recently bought a hotel, which was described as a thriving business, and they redecorated the premises, only to find that it was harder than they thought to drive customers through the door.

They discovered that the previous owners did not have such a reputation, and they had to start building their business all over again. All the hotels were crying out for guests and they realised that they needed a unique selling point. They created a website and decided to call their hotel the non-smoking hotel, and through that they started to get some guests - you would be surprised at how many people are looking forward to smoke-free pubs on July 1st in the UK!

They asked us what they could do to get more profile hits, and we carried out an audit on their website, and identified a number of problems to their site that demonstrated that their site was not compliant with certain web site rules which are important to the search engines for indexing, and customers for visibility.

Unscrupulous web designers will sell any kind of website to make the extra bob, whilst not informing their client's of these cues. Their goal is to maximise their business rather than yours.

We put the interests of our clients first, and not our's. We will go to great lengths to make sure that you are well -informed about what you are buying, and aware of how you can gain maximum visibility on the web, which will help you target your customers.

Alan and Sue's website failed the W3C Markup Validation Service that checks Web documents in formats like HTML and XHTML for conformance. It had, however, three broken links, and that meant two hyperlink's were not working for them. Their source code Meta tags were lacking, and this had an impact on their web ranking and visibility.

We corrected the coding problems and adjusted the Meta tags, and optimised their site. It moved onto the first page of Google in the search engine under hotel and Bournemouth.

We added a blog to their site and daily Alan blogs about what is good about the hotel - each time he blogs, it's another press release for the hotel that now can be viewed in all the local paper's.

They were interested in the advice we gave, but did not sign up to our package - they simply did not have a budget left for it.

Currently their rank on Alexa is 8 million, which does not indicate a lot of hits. They did ask us to optimise their site and it is now in a better standing in the search engines. The position in the search engines does not reflect on Alexa, which itself is an advertiser.

I think that one of the problems that we find, is that hotel and catering managers / owners do not necessarily understand the impact that their website can have on the web, and they still rely on spending more on newspaper and magazine ads.

Your website correctly coded, properly made, search engine optimized can generate a lot of leads for your business.

Why not contact us for more information, more advice on marketing strategy and blogging strategy.....

Our support team are available on Tel. UK +44 (0) 20 8432 6450 USA (+1) 415 992 8021- Email: service@cateringpage.com

Please leave a message with your phone number. All messages are checked regularly.

Warm regards, Lawrence Perry, Managing Director of Catering Page, Serving the Hotelier with Image, Visibility, PR and Website Solutions. We also advise on Outsourcing.

Catering Page and Dolma Interactive are trading names used by DOLMA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Registered Office: 60 ROBIN HOOD WAY GREENFORD MIDDLESEX UB6 7QN, UK Company No. 05060920

Smokeless Pubs, Theology on Tap, what next? Reporting from the Publican Live 07!

Lawrence Perry — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 16:20:59 GMT

Yesterday I attended the Publican Trade Show at Olympia, where there was a good array of exhibits serving the Pub Trade, and I tasted a glass of Godfather's Ale is made by the Itchen Valley Brewery in Hampshire. The Society of Independent Brewers, SIBA had sponsored the Cask Ale Festival at this Publican Live Event and there were 16 ales in total, and had I not been there on business, I quite possibly would have drunk them all!

Among the exhibitors I met James Griffith, Chairman and CEO of Wordsmith Media Inc. of Vista, California, who are behind the launch of the Pub and Ale Magazine, which is about to hit every publican in the UK.

One of the articles featured in the magazine is on Smokeless Pubs - Do We All Agree? Andrew Burnyeat (2007) suggests that Tony Blair has placed so much legislation on the thousands of publicans to obey, before they even pull a pint, that Tony Blair hates pubs, and some publicans actually believe that that is true. The article goes on to suggest that pubs have the opportunity to offer an extended service to those drinking in the pub garden, where, presumably the fags (cigarette smokers) are going, and Karl Czinege of Marston's Pubs is cited as saying, that bar staff will actually come outside to take orders from the punters, similar to the service in Europe.

Another article focuses on Theology On Tap by Mark Dane. According to Dane (2007) the Roman Catholic Church in the US are holding a discussion on faith on the nature of God in a pub - this is a breaking story in the United States, but it may be hard pressed to get a story in Europe. However didn't Jesus even drink with sinners? If beer is sin?

Are our pubs about to start to run out of custom, as drinkers stay at home to smoke? Or are Publicans about to go to church to find more drinkers? It could be argued that James Griffith is taking his theology one step too far, but of course he does come from a marketing background, doesn't he?

In the same way I noticed a number of exhibitors selling website design and promotion, and the bystanders could argue that low prices fuel the market. Anyone these days can buy a website, but can they be found? Obscure companies are jumping on the bandwagon, but their websites appear at times to have coding problems and do not necessarily validate as our's does, comply with the Companies Act 2006, and allow accessibility to disabled users.

It's all very well to have a pretty website, but if your clients can't see the menu, and can't find you - it is arguable, like having a needle in a haystack.

We aren't cheap, but we are competitive, we make websites that comply with regulations, that can be seen, and most of all with each website we make, we give away a blog, to empower and enable our client's to keep a weblog and sing about their service, their ale and pub entertainment!

We are concerned about your image, your visibilty and your PR. We put our customers first!

Why not contact us for more information, more advice on marketing strategy and blogging strategy.....

Our support team are available on Tel. UK +44 (0) 20 8432 6450 USA (+1) 415 992 8021- Email: service@cateringpage.com

Please leave a message with your phone number.

Although our staff on Easter break, messages are checked regularly.

We also wish you a Happy Easter, a happy holiday!

Warm regards, Lawrence Perry, Managing Director of Catering Page, Serving the Hotelier with Image, Visibility, PR and Website Solutions. . And advising you on Outsourcing to the Philippines

Catering Page and Dolma Interactive are trading names used by DOLMA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Registered Office: 60 ROBIN HOOD WAY GREENFORD MIDDLESEX UB6 7QN, UK Company No. 05060920

Is Blogging an Effective Form of Business Communication?

Lawrence Perry — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 18:42:12 GMT

Business Blogs and blogging offer a strategy for increasing your brand, opening a new marketing channel for new products and services, creating a dynamic means for providing customer service and support, and making attractive company press releases.

Debbie Weil (2006) suggests that blogging enables companies to influence opinion, tap into their expertise with ideas and clear thinking of their key areas.

She describes a blog as "a Web Log, an easy to publish Web site, which is written in an informal, conversational style by many social bloggers, who use an edgy voice and dish out uncensored opinion and spread information that is not necessarily accurate"

Blogging for me started on the Ecademy platform in April 2005. Ecademy is a successful business and social network, which is largely UK based though international. Through Ecademy I have gained friends, collaborators and contacts. Ecademy enables real conversation both in person, by phone and online. Ecademy has also gained me business.

I too started off as a dumb blogger with an edgy voice, effectively failing to express myself in the broadest sense of the word. I have been misunderstood in my communication, partly because, for me, as for many entrepreneurs and business people, there is a hesitancy to accept that online blogging is anything than a bit of fun, whereas in reality it is an important marketing communications channel, a must for any business be it corporate, SME or small.

In my business I collaborate with Maurice Watts, the marketer. He is a marketing consultant who works with companies on a range of strategies including communications and blogging. Whilst I liken him for the UK to what BL Ochman is to New York City, and Toby Bloomberg to Atlanta, Georgia, Maurice doesn't see himself as anywhere near so grand and will probably be very embarrassed by the comparisons.

However, I was confronted with a damaged reputation from a series of blogs I posted, where I had meant to make various helpful points and suggestions but was, in the event, misunderstood because bloggers can get dyslexia.

Equally I was pursuing a blogging strategy that I believed followed "Guru Guidelines" but which turned out to be extremely annoying to many members of the blogging community concerned. My reputation was suffering and I was facing dire consequences.

Being faced with a major problem, I knew I had to get a really good marketer, who understands the blogspace, to work with me to get me, and my blogging, back to stickiness and attractiveness.

Money was not the decider. Maurice Watts came with a glowing reputation from Warren Cass, the man who created Business Scene, and Karen Purves, the Managing Director and Business Coach at Answers Forte, who mentioned how she had worked together with Maurice to develop a marketing communications strategy for a national charity in very tight timescales. Not only that Thomas Power said, "Get Maurice......"

Maurice has been advising me on: - how to put blogs together, how to find and refine content, how to add value for the readers, effective timing and frequency, and how to ask the right questions from my audience and potential customers. (He keeps reminding me that a network is not really a marketplace but is more like a source of reputation, recommendations and referrals - equally important in business but requiring a radically different communications and strategic approach)

Bloomberg cited in Scoble & Israel (2006) attributes blogging to a key marketing tactic, where a customer can get closer to a brand than talking with the CEO. She goes on to say, that companies who do not include blogging as part of their integrated marketing plan will miss out on significant opportunities because blogging creates stronger customer relationships.

Holtz & Demopoulos (2006) described other benefits from a business blogging strategy as:

Opening a new marketing channel for products and services
Reinforcing the company's brand
Creating a dynamic means for providing customer service and support
Making company announcements to which people will pay attention

Toby Bloomberg has worked a lot with the Gourmet Station blog, which has turned the brand into a success, this is of particular relevance to those in the hotel and catering sector.

Our blog questions at CateringPage are:

Do you like good food?

Do you want more customers in your restaurant?

Do you want more clientele in your hotel?

How would you like to be recommended by others through word of mouth referrals?

Why not contact us for more information, more advice on marketing strategy and blogging strategy.....

Our support team are available on Tel. UK +44 (0) 20 8432 6450 USA (+1) 415 992 8021- Email: service@cateringpage.com

Please leave a message with your phone number. All messages are checked regularly.

Warm regards, Lawrence Perry, Managing Director of Catering Page, Serving the Hotelier with Image, Visibility, PR and Website Solutions. . And advising you on Outsourcing to the Philippines

Catering Page and Dolma Interactive are trading names used by DOLMA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Registered Office: 60 ROBIN HOOD WAY GREENFORD MIDDLESEX UB6 7QN, UK Company No. 05060920

Are complaints bringing your business down?

Lawrence Perry — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 22:11:02 GMT

Are complaints bringing your business down?

How do you cope with the persistent complainer - the person who has an axe to grind? Who not only contacts the relevant public bodies, but blogs, blogs and blogs harmful comments about your business? What can you do to stop this happening?

Most hotel and catering businesses have a written policy on how to deal with complaints (however old and possibly out of date), but smaller establishments may not.

But back to the "Complainer". You could try to contact that person and try to sort something out, which certainly may have some value, but what if your efforts fail? There is still ongoing damage to your business reputation.

A potential customer checks you out, by looking up your hotel on Google and typing complaint, and comes across the offending blog. They may well decide on a different hotel to stay in without finding out about your side of the story.

Have you thought out the strategy and tactics to minimise the damage yet?

If not, and if you are suffering from negative criticism, falling sales, and bad publicity - why not call us?

Our support team are available on Tel. +44 (0)20 8432 6450 - Email: service@cateringpage.com

Please leave a message with your phone number. All messages are checked regularly.

Warm regards, Lawrence Perry, Managing Director of Catering Page 'Serving the Hotelier with Website Solutions, Image, Visibility, PR. . and advising you on Outsourcing to the Philippines'.

Catering Page and Dolma Interactive are trading names used by DOLMA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Registered Office: 60 ROBIN HOOD WAY GREENFORD MIDDLESEX UB6 7QN, UK Company No. 05060920

Beware the person in your organisation who wants you to fail

Lawrence Perry — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 06:23:53 GMT

Some businesses, SMEs and even corporates have those who are discontented on their premises, and in their staff - they may be close to you, and you don't even realise, as the CEO, their malice against you and the directors.

That person indeed may be upset that they didn't get your job, or that they didn't get that pay rise or promotion. They are mumbling under their breath about the hotel, they are the one behind the unexpected visit of the environmental health officer, the complaint in the newspaper, and the fall in clientele.

Have you been confused about what's going on, why you just get through one complaint, when another one surfaces, and why every time there is a problem in the kitchen, an inspector arrives?

Do you have a strategy in place to deal with such a situation - fast?

No? Why don't you contact us for an informal chat? We give advice, and one of our associate business consultants is always on hand to give advice and guidance.

Above all, look at your business to make sure that all the systems in your organisation are working properly - or perhaps let us do it for you!

As it is, we get called throughout the UK and internationally to come up with unbiased advice that will improves businesses - you could call us too!

Our support team are available on Tel. +44 (0) 20 8432 6450 - Email: service@cateringpage.com

Please leave a message with your phone number. All messages are checked regularly.

Warm regards, Lawrence Perry, Managing Director of Catering Page are a trade name of Dolma International Ltd, Serving the Hotelier with Practical Solutions to save you money, to increase your visibility, improve your image. . and advise you on Outsourcing to the Philippines

Catering Page and Dolma Interactive are trading names used by DOLMA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Registered Office: 60 ROBIN HOOD WAY GREENFORD MIDDLESEX UB6 7QN, UK Company No. 05060920

Disaster Recovery Plans work with the correct PR Agency

Lawrence Perry — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 09:20:39 GMT

How did Thailand respond to the tsunami incident in the Andaman Tourism Recovery Plan?

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) carried out a survey that revealed that the tourism industry was very much alive in most popular beach resorts, and assessed the availability of accommodation.

TAT deveoped clear strategic direction and policy guidelines for the Andaman Coast Tourism Recovery Plan.

Tremendous PR mileage was gained from the positive feedback offered by victims and survivors of the tragic incident with personal accounts of how legendary Thai hospitality prevailed even in the darkest hours of the disaster. Countless acts of compassion and kindness, thoughtfulness, concern for the welfare and well-being of others in times of crisis were highlighted in global media coverage.

TAT implemented the INTERNATIONAL TOURISM MARKETING CAMPAIGN

TAT launched a pro-active and sustained public relations campaign, locally and internationally, offering regular post-tsunami situation updates and progress reports on the Andaman Coast Tourism Recovery Plan.

TAT promoted and reinforced the positive aspects of Thailand under the “Happiness on Earth” tourism promotion campaign theme.

Thailand received the go Asia Award in the ‘Best Travel Destination’ category while Thai Airways International, the national carrier, was ranked third best airline, behind Singapore Airlines and Emirates. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) ranked third in the ‘Best Tourism Board for Asia’ Award 2007.

Thailand succeeded by having invested in good PR which kicked in early.

If a disaster struck your business tomorrow would you survive? Would your goodwill stand or would you loose it all?

Having a relationship with a good PR agency is the key to solving any situation that might arise, and resolving the flames early.

If you are looking for advice.......why not call us or send us an email?

Our support team are available on Tel. +44 (0)20 8432 6450 - Email: service@cateringpage.com

Please leave a message with your phone number. All messages are checked regularly.

Warm regards, Lawrence Perry, Managing Director of Catering Page are a trade name of Dolma International Ltd, Serving the Hotelier with Website Solutions. . and advising you on Outsourcing to the Philippines

Catering Page and Dolma Interactive are trading names used by DOLMA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Registered Office: 60 ROBIN HOOD WAY GREENFORD MIDDLESEX UB6 7QN, UK Company No. 05060920

Murder in Jamaica threatens Tourist Industry as Security Concerns are raised.

Lawrence Perry — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 06:13:42 GMT

I read the London Times newspaper yesterday where it was suggested that a hotel towel may have been used to strangle the Pakistani cricket coach.

The chambermaid discovered Woolmer’s body. “The chambermaid has been traumatised and she’s going to need a lot of support,” said Mark Shields, Jamaica’s Deputy Commissioner of Police.

General manager of the hotel, Eldon Bremner, said security was beefed up for Cricket World Cup, as this was even a requirement.

The backlash from this event is liable to effect the whole Jamaican tourist industry, and already the rumours are spreading about concerns about security in the island. The knock on effect could hurt many more businesses and the country as a whole.

Maurice Watts of Melville Marketing suggests that the reputation that Hotels and Catering businesses have built up can be destroyed in minutes, and certainly his comment has clarity here.

Few businesses have a disaster recovery plan and for those that do, it's mainly about physical facilities and IT reprovisioning.

Do you have a PR plan to handle customer and shareholder perceptions of the business in the event of a disaster?

We have the solution to Jamaica's problem of bad public relations, and to anyone else in the hotel and catering industry facing a fall off from sales from bad press - Call the experts - call us!

We specialize in PR, Visibility and Image, and we can change the way that your potential customers perceive you.

Our support team are available on Tel. +44 (0)20 8432 6450 - Email: service@cateringpage.com

Please do leave a message, as we check all the calls everyday.

We believe in service with a smile.

Warm regards, Lawrence Perry, Managing Director of Catering Page are a trade name of Dolma International Ltd, Serving the Hotelier with Website Solutions, PR.. . and advising you on Outsourcing to the Philippines

Catering Page and Dolma Interactive are trading names used by DOLMA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Registered Office: 60 ROBIN HOOD WAY GREENFORD MIDDLESEX UB6 7QN, UK Company No. 05060920