Well, I thought I had finally won a great triumph and actually got backup working on my PC. A KB fix was to have been issued with Microsoft’s monthly updates so everyone could benefit from my perseverance. After Saransh had been working remotely on the problem from New Delhi for a couple of hours, we got to the stage when backup clearly was copying files to my external drive but, sadly, the program failed right at the end because it couldn’t create zip files. Now, when I try, I’m back to the original error!
The Steel’s Roofing website is now being found by search engines (Google and Yahoo, anyway) if not by customers, as yet! You can also now find us in a number of trade directories, although I’m keeping to just those that provide free listings, for now. There are quite a few sites that charge for leads, and some of the propositions seem more than reasonable. However, in most cases, when you research a little further, you find many complaints, and claims that the vendors failed to live up to their promise – and that includes one of the biggest (and most expensive) – a household name.
We are continuing to get work through Lorne’s previous contacts, and I’m glad to know that we’re delivering good value, and invited back. Tomorrow (Monday) Lorne is starting on his third job for a local property owner.
I’m using Microsoft Office Live for Small Businesses for the website as well as file storage and document sharing, which are all pretty straight-forward to set-up.
We’ve got some signage for the van, now, ‘though I’m not all that happy with it and would like to get a proper paint job done. Lorne pointed-out to me that signage had to be removable because, if we are sub-contracting, the main contractor is unlikely to want us advertising ourselves at his expense. However, I reckon our approach should be to cover-up painted signage with blank magnetic decals, when necessary.
Sunday, 31 January 2010
Friday, 22 January 2010
On Tenterhooks
I've decided to start blogging again. The new Richard's Blog will be more generalised and ad hoc than the old, but the trials and tribulations in setting-up a roofing company with my nephew, Lorne, will be a key theme.
We decided to set-up a limited company with me, initially, as the only shareholder! Registering the company, buying and insuring a van, and sorting-out a website, e-mail, FAX and 'phone were the easy bits. We've opened a business account, designed a logo and ordered business cards and signage for the van.
I've spent a helluva lot of time, this week, in setting-up (hopefully) appropriate keyword metatags for the website and registering with search engines and trade directories. (Google was first to find us.)The main result, so far, is that the calls from businesses wanting to sell us their marketing services have started to flood-in! Please click on our site to help raise its profile.
On Tuesday, Lorne and I attended a Business Links "Foundations for Success" workshop, which was very good, and we've booked three follow-up workshops over two weekends in February.
As a result of advice received at the workshop, I've made an appointment at a local Chartered Accountancy firm to discuss accounts, payroll and VAT registration, 'though I hope to deal with most of this myself once I've had some initial advice.
______________________________________________________________________
On Wednesday morning I was in town for a Socitm Commercial Board. It was the first for Karl Grundy, our new Head of Business Development. His is the last of the key roles we set-out to establish when we embarked-upon the turnaround of Socitm, and he soon demonstrated just why we need it by disabusing me of misconceptions about the environment for a proposed new service.
From there, I went for a reunion, and a long and boozy lunch at Smith's of Smithfield, with former colleagues from the North-East London Teleregion.
______________________________________________________________________
During the week, Lorne started on a flat-roofing job that he picked-up by word of mouth, and we are waiting to be able to start work on another job he quoted successfully for. A friend of mine also asked us to quote for reroofing his house after I e-mailed details of our venture to a number of my friends and contacts.
All-in-all, 'though, I'm feeling very nervous!
We decided to set-up a limited company with me, initially, as the only shareholder! Registering the company, buying and insuring a van, and sorting-out a website, e-mail, FAX and 'phone were the easy bits. We've opened a business account, designed a logo and ordered business cards and signage for the van.
I've spent a helluva lot of time, this week, in setting-up (hopefully) appropriate keyword metatags for the website and registering with search engines and trade directories. (Google was first to find us.)The main result, so far, is that the calls from businesses wanting to sell us their marketing services have started to flood-in! Please click on our site to help raise its profile.
On Tuesday, Lorne and I attended a Business Links "Foundations for Success" workshop, which was very good, and we've booked three follow-up workshops over two weekends in February.
As a result of advice received at the workshop, I've made an appointment at a local Chartered Accountancy firm to discuss accounts, payroll and VAT registration, 'though I hope to deal with most of this myself once I've had some initial advice.
______________________________________________________________________
On Wednesday morning I was in town for a Socitm Commercial Board. It was the first for Karl Grundy, our new Head of Business Development. His is the last of the key roles we set-out to establish when we embarked-upon the turnaround of Socitm, and he soon demonstrated just why we need it by disabusing me of misconceptions about the environment for a proposed new service.
From there, I went for a reunion, and a long and boozy lunch at Smith's of Smithfield, with former colleagues from the North-East London Teleregion.
______________________________________________________________________
During the week, Lorne started on a flat-roofing job that he picked-up by word of mouth, and we are waiting to be able to start work on another job he quoted successfully for. A friend of mine also asked us to quote for reroofing his house after I e-mailed details of our venture to a number of my friends and contacts.
All-in-all, 'though, I'm feeling very nervous!
Friday, 15 January 2010
Helping my nephew...
Hello. Since I still have this site, in case anyone happens-by, I thought I'd just mention that my New Year's project for 2010 is to help my nephew, Lorne, set-up his roofing business!
If you live in SE England and your roof has been damaged by that strange white stuff that's been around lately, or for any other roofing works, try Steel's Roofing Limited.
In case you were wondering, I'm still with Socitm, and pleased that it continues to steadily build its resource and capabilities.
TTFN
Richard
If you live in SE England and your roof has been damaged by that strange white stuff that's been around lately, or for any other roofing works, try Steel's Roofing Limited.
In case you were wondering, I'm still with Socitm, and pleased that it continues to steadily build its resource and capabilities.
TTFN
Richard
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