Unique Client Solutions on How to Close a Sale

Nottingham-based customer acquisitions company Unique Client Solutions shares their secrets on how to close a sale.

In the competitive world of customer acquisitions and direct marketing that Unique Client Solutions operates in, closing a sale is the deciding factor. You might have a great pitch, you might build great relationships with your customers, but unless you can close it’s all been a bit pointless.  Here are our top 5 tips to ensure a successful close.

Communicate clearly

Every pitch and every customer is going to be slightly different but you must get all your key details in there every time. Unless the customer can remember all the details you’re not going to have much success. Unique Client Solutions recommends that you practice changing up your pitch as much as possible but make sure that the main features remain the same. Try using a voice recorder to check up on yourself and to make sure that you’re coming across as you hoped.

Make eye contact

Eye contact shows confidence in your product and confidence in yourself. Don’t look down at your feet or stare off into the distance, it makes people think that you’re not telling the truth. At the same time don’t stare, that will definitely put them off!

Use humour

Being relaxed and funny is definitely no bad thing, no matter how serious the product you're selling. People feel better when they’re laughing as it puts them at ease. You’re far more likely to close a sale when you and your customer are happy and relaxed. Unique Client Solutions suggests making your ice-breakers funny or sharing amusing (short!) anecdotes.

Remain positive

No matter how difficult a customer, or how badly you think the sale is going, you must remain positive. Keep the atmosphere light and maintain a can-do attitude at all times. They might simply be testing you. Also Unique Client Solutions is certain that the moment you become negative about the sale and think that it’s not going to go through, is the moment you’ll lose the sale. Negativity always falls to positivity in our experience!

Always ask one more time

At Unique Client Solutions we don’t think it’s rude to persist, we think it shows success and confidence in what we do. Asking for the all important ‘yes’ one more time simply shows the customer that you’re more sold on your view than you are on theirs. Go on, ask one more time, you never know...

Unique Client Solutions' December Film Guide

If you’ve got a few days off over Christmas, chances are that you’ll be looking for something to do when you’re taking a break from eating. At Unique Client Solutions, a Sheffield-based customer acquisitions company, we’re confident that there’s something for everyone at the cinema this December. Here’s a run-down of the best that the big screen has to offer this month.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Part one of Peter Jackson’s trilogy, An Unexpected Journey follows Bilbo Baggins in the 60 years before The Lord of the Rings. It still features all of your favourite characters including Gandalf the Grey, Gollum and all the Goblins and Orcs you could ever want. The first film charts the journey of Bilbo, Gandalf and thirteen dwarfs to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor. Starring Ian McKellen, Martin Freedman, Cate Blanchet and Christopher Lee, An Unexpected Journey is just as visually delightful at The Lord of the Rings films. At Unique Client Solutions we thought the first half hour was a little slow moving but keep at it, it’s worth the wait.

Rise of the Guardians

For younger film fans you can’t do much better than The Rise of the Guardians. Santa, The Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and Jack Frost take on the evil spirit Pitch who’s turning children’s dreams into nightmares and wants to take over the world. From the same studio that created How to Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda and Madagascar this is a real animated crowd-pleaser. Unique Client Solutions is happy to reassure all the parents dreading sitting through a children’s film, it’s a lot of fun for all ages. With the voices of Hugh Jackman, Chris Pine, Isla Fisher, Alec Baldwin and Jude Law see if you can work out who’s who!

The Life of Pi

Released tomorrow The Life of Pi has been getting great reviews from critics already. On our various trips to the cinema this month the team at Unique Client Solutions thought that the trailer looked great and the visuals were stunning. This magical adventure involving a young castaway and a Bengal tiger is based on Yann Martel’s novel which sold over seven million copies and won the Man Booker Prize in 2001. Directed by visionary director Ang Lee, Unique Client Solutions is confident that this tale of survival will be a huge success. If you get to it before we do, send us your reviews!

Unique Client Solutions on Mastering Public Speaking

Unique Client Solutions shares their tips for leaders on how to perfect your public speaking.

As an up-and-coming leader, public speaking is going to be required of you at one time or another. Whether it’s to your team of salespeople or to a large meeting, the basic skills are the same. Unique Client Solutions offers four tips that will help you overcome any nerves.

Rehearse.

At Unique Client Solutions we recommend that you ignore people who say that they can just step on stage and deliver a speech without practice, they’re almost certainly not telling the truth. Practicing is the easiest way to get rid of nerves because the more comfortable you are with what you’ve got to say, the less likely you are to get tripped up by it and the better you’ll deliver it.

Redefine fear

When someone says that their adrenaline is pumping, we view it as a positive thing. When someone says they’re nervous, it’s a negative. Actually the physical effect is much the same. When your heart starts pounding before a speech stop thinking of it as nerves, instead think of it as adrenaline racing around your body to prepare it for the task in hand. It’s not going to hinder you, it’s going to give you an edge. 

Breathing

The way you breathe can have a huge effect on your public speaking. Unique Client Solutions has looked at the advice from experts and they recommend to breath slowly, frequently and deeply by drawing your breath from your stomach. This will immediately relax your body and the nerves will wash away. You need to do this just before you’re about to speak, perhaps when you’re being announced.

Forget about yourself

Public speaking isn't about you, it’s about your audience. At Unique Client Solutions we like to put on a great show and we believe public speaking is about delivering something to others. The separation that comes with changing the focus of your attention from yourself to your audience will give you the detachment that you need to reduce some of your nerves.

Whatever industry you work in, and whatever the reason you’re delivering a speech, these skills will help you to relax and enjoy public speaking. Within our team at Unique Client Solutions we have some fantastic public speakers and we ensure that they share their skills as much as possible. Find someone at your company with experience of public speaking and ask them how they prepare. They’re bound to have some helpful ideas that you can use.

Unique Client Solutions Will Mix Business With Pleasure in Jobs Biopic

Unique Client Solutions are thrilled to mix business with film pleasure in the form of the Steve Jobs biopic which has been confirmed to close the Sundance Film Festival 2013.

As a customer acquisitions company to the entertainment industry the team at Unique Client Solutions have their finger on the button when it comes to film industry news. We're thankful that we've got plenty of fingers because we've got another one firmly in a business development pie as well! It's not very often that we get to mix the two together but when we heard that Joshua Michael Stern was directing a biopic on the Apple founder Steve Jobs, starring Aston Kutcher in the title role, we got pretty excited!

At Unique Client Solutions we've always been admirers of Steve Jobs, for us he is the epitome of an entrepreneur and his unique management style has been commented on over and over in the period following his death. Very little has been released about the film so far, apart from some stills of Kutcher as the Apple mastermind which show an uncanny resemblance between him and the younger Steve Jobs. So what can we expect from the film?

Simon Tomlinson, managing director of Unique Client Solutions, thinks that we are in for a treat. "The fact that it's been chosen to close Sundance is testament to how eagerly anticipated this film is. I read the book on Steve Jobs and it was a fascinating read so I'm exited to see how the film turns out and whether it will shed any new light on this complex man. Jobs was one of the greatest innovators of our time and I think as business leaders we can learn from him. It's such a treat to be able to mix business with pleasure!"

This isn't the only film about Steve Jobs that we can expect to see on the big screen. Aaron Sorkin is also set to release an authorised biography of Jobs, the rights to which are owned by Sony Pictures. He recently revealed that he plans to take an unusual "real-time" approach to the script and said that he intended to write three scenes only for the film, each set backstage immediately before a product launch. No details of cast or release date have been revealed yet. Unique Client Solutions will be interested to compare the two films when they are released.

The Sundance Film Festival 2013 will run from 17-27th January.  At Unique Client Solutions we'll be watching out for the reviews eagerly.

Unique Client Solutions Disappointed at Back-to-Work Scheme Failures

Unique Client Solutions understands that the government's back-to-work scheme has failed to meet its main target.

A year ago Unique Client Solutions expressed their approval at a back-to-work scheme which would see companies and charities paid to help find jobs for the long-term unemployed. The Sheffield-based customer acquisitions company reported on the new scheme, which had an ambitious target of getting 5.5% of the people on the programme into jobs of six months or more.  It now seems that this target has been missed after only 3.53% of people were matched with long-term employment.

The figures were measured from June 2011 to July 2012  and showed that despite the popularity of the scheme, some 878,000 people signed up, only 31,000 had found a job for 6 months or more to date. The scheme has become a political battleground with employment minister Mark Hoban saying, “It’s still early days, but already thousands of lives are being transformed.” However shadow work and pensions secretary Liam Byrne has believes that the scheme has “comprehensively failed to get in place a back-to-work programme that actually works.”

Unique Client Solutions however were surprised to learn that as the scheme has missed its target, it means that as many unemployed people are finding long-term jobs as if the scheme had never been introduced in the first place.

Simon Tomlinson, managing director of Unique Client Solutions believes that more needs to be done to ensure the success of the scheme. “We’ve discussed a lot at Unique Client Solutions the problems faced by people trying to find employment. Consequently, we were initially encouraged by the direction of this scheme. I still believe that a scheme like this can work but there needs to be much stricter controls on the companies taking part, to ensure that they are doing their bit. Underperforming businesses must be removed from the scheme.”

Mr Tomlinson continued, “This scheme is working with some of the most difficult people to employ in the UK and it’s vital that they are offered support that helps them stay in their placements, not just to get them into jobs in the first place. We believe this is where the scheme is failing. It’s easy to get someone into a short-term job, it’s much harder to keep them there long-term.”

Unique Client Solutions is hopeful that this scheme will improve over the coming months. With the economy starting to move in the right direction the customer acquisitions company predicts that the job market will begin to move in the same direction. 

Unique Client Solutions Confident Growth 100 Will Make a Difference

Unique Client Solutions, a customer acquisitions company with offices in Nottingham, is confident that the city’s new Growth 100 plan will be a huge help to new businesses.

The managing director of Unique Client Solutions, Simon Tomlinson, knows only too well how difficult starting a new business can be. Therefore he was delighted when he learnt that Nottingham was leading the way in helping new business owners to develop their skills. The new scheme, called Growth 100, has been set up by the city council to allow experienced business leaders to give management coaching and share practical skills with newcomers.

The council is currently inviting businesses, both new and established, to sign up to the scheme and the programme is set to start in early 2013. Along with local business leaders, academic experts will also be on hand to give out advice.  What does Mr Tomlinson of Unique Client Solutions think of the scheme? “Quite frankly I’m very impressed. This is exactly the sort of thing that helps businesses to survive and grow in an uncertain economic climate. Within our own company we have a strong business development programme and we find that guidance from those with more experience gives newcomers much more confidence and the practical skills to succeed.”

Nick McDonald from Nottingham City Councils Jobs, Skills and Business office has big plans for the scheme. He said, “We believe our Growth Plan has the potential to completely restructure this city’s economy.” The plan for the scheme is to equip business owners and leaders with the skills to help create more jobs in the city and Mr Tomlinson agrees that this must be a priority.

“At Unique Client Solutions we’ve seen the difficulties that people face in finding a job, particularly young graduates or school leavers. New businesses are far more likely to have entry-level positions available so I think that this scheme will help this group particularly.”

Businesses who are interested in applying to the scheme should email businessgrowth@nottinghamcity.gov.uk, or visit www.mynottingham.gov.uk/growth100 the scheme is free and open to businesses of any size.

Unique Client Solutions and Mr Tomlinson in particular, will be following the scheme carefully, “We’re delighted to have such a forward-thinking scheme going on in our city, at Unique Client Solutions we’re confident it’s going to be a success.”

Unique Client Solutions’ Films for November

Customer acquisitions company Unique Client Solutions bring you the latest film news to keep you up-to-date with everything that’s happening on the big screen. Now we’ve got Skyfall out of our system we’re ready to look ahead to the other big films that are in the cinema this month. Unique Client Solutions has a run down of what’s on offer in November.

The World Premier of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2  was last night and Twihards around the UK will be flocking to see the film when it is released this weekend.

Synopsis:  The final instalment in The Twilight Saga, this film will see Bella (Kristen Stewart) successfully transformed into a vampire and creating a life with her incredible daughter Renesmee (Mackenzie Foy) and husband Edward (Robert Pattinson). Will this marital bliss continue? Not if the Volturi coven has anything to do with it. The Cullen family must call on all of their friends from far and wide to help protect them from the impending attack.

What the reviews have to say:

''A perfect and exciting close which will not leave fans disappointed in the slightest,'' - Hypable.

Rust and Bone is led by Oscar winner Marion Cotillard and Unique Client Solutions will be the first to warn you that this is pretty heavy stuff. That said the film is well worth a watch and is beautifully told and the cinematography is incredible.

Synopsis: Homeless Ali (Matthias Schoenaerts) arrives in northern France and finds work as a nightclub bouncer. There he meets Stephanie (Marion Cotillard) and after saving her from a brawl, slips her his telephone number. Stephanie works as trainer of killer whales at the local marine world and after a terrible accident she loses both of her legs. Ali pulls her out of the darkness she sinks into by treating her without any pity.

What the reviews have to say:

It’s an uplifting yet unsentimental story of two damaged people finding love in extraordinary circumstances. - Cineworld Magazine

Rust and Bone is an incredibly well crafted and intensely emotionally absorbing film worthy of serious attention. – Craig Skinner, Huffington Post

At Unique Client Solutions we’re not going for anything too light this month! The Master is another heavyweight with a cast to match. Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams all star in this unusual but gripping film. Is this based on Scientology leader L. Ron Hubbard? Let us know what you think after you’ve seen it.

Synopsis: The film centres around Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phonix) a navy veteran with a drink problem who stumbles onto a ship bound for New York. There he meets Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman) the charismatic leader of a religious cult called The Cause. Dodd provides Freddie with the guidance he is lacking and a powerful relationship develops. This is thrown into disarray when Dodd’s son tells Quell that his father is making up his teachings as he goes along.

What the reviews have to say:

With potent performers and poetic visuals, Anderson has made the boldest American picture of the year. Its strangeness can be hard to process, but this is a shattering study of the impossibility of recovering the past. - Emma Dibdin, Total Film

This is a film that aspires to brilliance and beauty from a most exceptionally talented director, a sometimes breathtaking work of true modern cinema that explores a very peculiar time and place with wit, humour and emotion. – Damon Wise, Empire

Unique Client Solutions on Giving your Campaign a Buzz on a Budget

Unique Client Solutions specialise in customer acquisitions for the entertainment industry and we pride ourselves on exceptional campaigns for our clients. But what if you're a small business trying to do it on a budget? Here are some tips on how to create a buzz around your campaign without spending too much money.

Find your target audience

If you’re looking to attract attention on a shoestring then you need to find your target audience, the most specific group of people who want your product, and tailor your campaign to them. Don’t waste time and money on the wider audience. The people who are going to love your product the most are going to be your best ambassadors.

When do customers use your product?

Recognising when your customers use your product is key to finding the time to target them. One of Unique Client Solutions' biggest clients is a home entertainment provider, so we target our campaigns around when their customers would be using home entertainment most. Have you ever noticed on TV that food companies put their adverts on just before lunch or dinner? They’ve got the idea, that’s when your most likely to be tempted to go out and buy their product or service. Make sure you’re reaching your customers at the right time.

Use social media

Social media has become a huge asset to marketing and direct sales companies. You can pop a little message, for free, in front of your target audience every single day. That said, make sure you don’t get caught up in the chaos. Your campaign should stand out from the crowd, and target the right audience at the right time, just as we’ve discussed above. Unique Client Solutions recommends that you think about which social network would be best for your audience, don’t bother putting it on every platform you have if you think that only Twitter will be effective.

Spread the word, in person

At Unique Client Solutions we specialise in face-to-face customer acquisitions campaigns. The reason for this is because we still think the human aspect pays off. Customers like to deal with a real person and be able to ask questions about the product or service they’re thinking of buying. If you’re there to answer them in real time, where they are, you’ve got the greatest chance of getting their custom. You’re greatest asset is yourself, if you’re excited about your product, service or campaign, that buzz is going to spread and you’ll be in business!

Unique Client Solutions Reviews Skyfall

We’ve been waiting long enough to write it so here it is, Unique Client Solutions’ review of Skyfall!

Normally before the release of big films with a lot of hype we’re a little apprehensive. Will it live up to our expectations? With Skyfall we had no such worry. The reviews were spectacular and a small group from Unique Client Solutions headed to the cinema this weekend with confidence and anticipation. We’re pretty good on our films, coming from a background of customer acquisitions for the entertainment industry, and the news coming out of the industry was that this film was good, very very good.

The opening sequence of Skyfall was as action packed as we’ve come to expect from Bond films, but the dying moments before the opening credits shocked us, and if it hadn’t been for the fact that there was still another 2 hours of film to go, we might have been worried! New bond girl Naomie Harris was slightly less slick and aloof than some of her predecessors but at Unique Client Solutions we warmed to her immediately. Adele’s fantastic new theme song rounded off a blistering opening sequence.

At Unique Client Solutions we’d read the rumours about the villains but nothing could have prepared us for the creepy wickedness of Javier Bardem, he almost stole the show from Mr. Bond himself. The film was beautifully shot  in fantastic locations and flowed well. The only hiccup was the storyline of Berenice Marlohe which at times felt a little incomplete and superfluous. The role that Ralph Fiennes was to play became clearer as the film went on and after the epic final sequence, beautiful in its simplicity, we’d already guessed what future he would have in the Bond franchise.

We said a sad goodbye to one of the best loved actors in the franchise, and welcomed back old friends to the reception desk of MI5, cough cough, we predicted that one! All of us at Unique Client Solutions enjoyed the return of the famous Bond one-liner. This was a special film, to mark the 50^th anniversary, and it felt so. Do we think that we’ll see a return to the Bond of Casino Royale or Quantum of Solace? Perhaps but we loved Casino Royale so much we wouldn’t be disappointed. It’s been a long wait, with the dud of Quantum of Solace in between making the wait seem even longer. Was it worth it? You bet it was, Bond is back, in style. 

Unique Client Solutions Chooses Books for Young Leaders

Unique Client Solutions picks out 4 books that every young leader should read.

At Unique Client Solutions we pride ourselves on being excellent students. We’ve picked out the best books to develop your leadership style and keep you ahead of the game. In our competitive field of direct sales, young leaders are always looking for a way develop their skills and stand out from the crowd. These experts have done the hard work for you. No matter what stage you’re at in your career there’s something to be learnt from these guys.

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Others Don’t

By Jim Collins

The book addresses what it takes to make a good company really great and the skills that young businesspeople need to lead them. Jim Collins reinvented the evaluation of business leadership with this book and his findings changed the face of modern business.

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion

By Robert Cialdini

Persuasion is the heart of the customer acquisitions industry that Unique Client Solutions works in. So this is a book that is a must for anyone in the sales industry. It teaches you how to reach your clients, customers, suppliers and your own team. This book is based on Cialdini’s own experiences and he interviews a whole host of people in the sales industry and beyond.

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

By Stephen R. Covey

At Unique Client Solutions we think everyone should read this, no matter what industry you’re in. This insightful book offers advice on prioritisation and empathy amongst other topics. Easy to read and incredibly practical this is useful for personal and professional development.

True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership

By Bill George

Ever feel that you’re fed up of being told how to lead and simply want to develop your own style? We hear you! Bill George interviews senior leaders who offer their advice on how to understand yourself better and use your strengths to their best possible advantage.

Unique Client Solutions Delighted by Skyfall Reviews

Unique Client Solutions are even more excited by the prospect of the new James Bond film after Skyfall gets rave reviews from critics.

Customer acquisitions company Unique Client Solutions have been preparing for Skyfall to hit the big screen for several months. If early critic reviews are to be trusted we could be in for a treat. The vast majority of judges have given the film 4 or 5 stars with some hailing it the best Bond film ever. Take a look at some of the comments so far...

Neil Smith Total Film

“Skyfall [boasts] all the glamour, excitement and exoticism we have come to expect and then some.”

“The Daniel Craig era comes of age with a ballsy Bond that takes brave chances and bold risks. Guess what? Turns out you can teach an old dog new tricks”

Kim Newman Empire

“Skyfall is pretty much all you could want from a 21^st Century Bond: cool but not camp, respectful of tradition but up to the moment, serious in its thrills and relatively complex in its characters but with the sense of fun that hasn’t always be evident lately. One thing’s certain: James Bond will return…”

Todd McCarthy Hollywood Reporter

“Dramatically gripping while still brandishing a droll undercurrent of humour, this beautifully made film will certainly be embraced as one of the best Bonds by loyal fans worldwide and leaves you wanting the next one to turn up sooner than four years from now.”

Kate Muir The Times

“A return to classic form and a great British bulldog of a movie

Robbie Collin The Telegraph

“Mendes is unafraid to let the quieter dramatic moments breathe…and ace cinematographer Roger Deakins makes the wildly ambitious action sequences the most beautiful in Bond’s 50-year career.”

Unique Client Solutions couldn’t be more excited. Keep an eye out for our review after the film goes on general release. Send us your views and reviews as well, we’ll share our favourite comments on our Facebook page.

Unique Client Solutions Impressed at Nottingham Business School

Unique Client Solutions were delighted to learn that The University of Nottingham Business School is climbing the latest world rankings.

Customer acquisitions company Unique Client Solutions places a heavy interest on business development programmes and consequently they were impressed to learn that an educational institution in their city is providing world-class qualifications to business students. The Economist top 100 includes institutes from around the world and The University of Nottingham’s MBA is ranked 86^th in the world.

The University of Nottingham should be proud of their achievements as the rankings focus on whether programmes are able to offer their students opportunities like personal development, career opportunities and the potential to network. The school has risen up the ranks from last year and will be looking to do the same in the years to come through their forward thinking approach.

Dr John Colley, director of MBA programmes said, “We believe that creativity and entrepreneurial thinking can be taught. Our students benefit from our worldwide reputation for research in this area and our close links with entrepreneurs who contribute extensively to our teaching.”

The director of Unique Client Solutions Nottingham, Simon Tomlinson, thinks that this approach to business education is important. “Since the recession started we’ve seen more and more people starting their own businesses. It’s been an effective way for many people to take their careers into their own hands. We try and foster an entrepreneurial mindset in our team at Unique Client Solutions and we believe that education institutions must do the same.”

Mr. Tomlinson continued, “Nottingham has proven time and time again that it is able to thrive as a city and there are exciting business prospects for entrepreneurs. There is a fantastic support network for businesses as well and with The University of Nottingham providing a world-class business education, at Unique Client Solutions we’re confident of the future of this wonderful city.”

Unique Client Solutions on Networking

Looking to improve your business contacts or find new people to mentor and inspire you? Unique Client Solutions specialises in customer acquisitions and marketing and whether we’re learning from people in our industry, or looking to make new business contacts we love to network! Here are a few tips to become the best networker in the room.

1. Pick your venue

Firstly make sure you’re going to the right events. If you’re looking to get to know people beyond your office or company then pick a larger meeting or networking event. If you're looking for a more intimate setting where you'll get to spend quality time with people then find something more suitable.

2. Dress appropriately

That doesn’t mean necessarily mean dress flashily. You want to come across as smart and professional. You should wear the same thing to networking events that you would wear to an interview.

3. Arrive early and stay late!

Unique Client Solutions recommends that you prepare yourself for a long day. It’s never easy to get chatting during meetings so you’re going to have to allocate time before or after the meeting. Don’t plan your return travel for immediately after the meeting is scheduled to end!

4. Pinpoint who you want to approach

Are you looking to find a support network at your own level, or are you looking to make an impression on someone more senior? Is there someone who you know is having a fantastic year and you want to learn from them? At Unique Client Solutions we like to do our research before we go and have a few specific people in mind that we want to spend time with.

5. Make contact with key figures before events

If at all possible, particularly with more senior people, it’s worth getting in contact with them beforehand. You can mention that you’d love to chat to them for a few minutes to discuss some specific points. That way you put yourself ahead of the crowd before the meeting even starts.

6. Plan what you’re going to say

At networking events time is tight so it’s always a good idea to have an idea of what you want to say. It’s easy to waste the few precious minutes with idle chit-chat and before you know it they’ve moved onto someone else. Unique Client Solutions would suggest that you jot down a few questions you want to ask.

7. Don’t forget your business card!

You’re definitely going to want to keep in touch with people you meet so make life easy for them and you. Have plenty of business cards with you to hand out.

Unique Client Solutions Discusses Business Bank Plans

Unique Client Solutions takes a look at Vince Cable’s plans for a government bank designed to increase lending to businesses. Do they think it will work?

In plans announced by business secretary Vince Cable in the last few days, the government has set out plans to create a bank with a £1bn fund to help to increase the amount of lending to businesses. Unique Client Solutions understands that the £1bn pledged by the government is hoped to be matched by an equal amount of private sector investment. The bank will operate via existing lenders and is expected to start within 18 months.

As a business specialising in customer acquisitions to a wide range of UK based clients, Unique Client Solutions has been well placed to watch the financial difficulties faced by businesses, particularly of small and medium size, over the past few years. A representative for the company agrees that lending to small businesses has slowed to a trickle, “At Unique Client Solutions we have seen many in our business community around Sheffield and Nottingham struggle in the economic downturn. In particular they have been unable to secure the necessary funds from banks to grow."

Mr Cable has promised to “get behind” successful firms looking to grow and Unique Client Solutions hopes that this is a serious attempt by the government to halt the demise of small businesses. Mr Cable believes that this is the first step to help get the UK out of recession. In his address to the Liberal Democrat Conference he said, “We need a new British Business Bank with a clean balance sheet and an ability to expand lending rapidly to the manufacturers, exporters and high-growth companies that power our economy.”

Does Unique Client Solutions believe this to be a viable plan? “Any money that is being directed specifically to the growth of SMEs is a step in the right direction. These are very early days but the plans look positive. Mr Cable is right in believing that the governments can sensibly with the right consultation “intervene and support enterprise.” Banks are averse to risk understandably at the moment, we hope that this will help to get funds to successful companies much more easily to help them grow. Business banks like these have already been used with great success in Germany, South Korea and the USA and we’re confident that the same can happen here.”

Unique Client Solutions Gears Up for Skyfall

At Unique Client Solutions we couldn’t be more excited for the release of the new Bond film Skyfall. As we specialise in direct marketing for the entertainment industry this one has been on our radar for some time now. Our in-house film fanatics having been hunting down the best facts and rumours surrounding the film, make of them what you will...

The Facts:

The film is to be released on 26^th October at cinemas nationwide and the world premier will be on October 23^rd at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

The film will see Bond travel to China, Istanbul and Scotland

There are some serious bad guys in this film, both Javier Bardem and Ralph Fiennes on-board and from the look of the latest trailer, Bardem is at his evil best.

Bernice Marlohe plays bond girl ‘Severine’ and Naomie Harris is playing ‘Eve’

The film is directed by Sam Mendes who joined the project shortly after the Quantum of Solace was released. He has promised that there would be plenty of action despite rumours of huge budget cuts.

The Rumours:

It has been reported for some weeks that Adele will be singing the Skyfall theme song but Sony are keeping quiet at the moment, their spokesperson said, “nothing confirmed, no comment.”

Some have claimed that Skyfall will see the end of Judy Dench’s reign as M. The general consensus at Unique Client Solutions is that we’d be sad to see her go.

Ralph Feinnes character has been a closely guarded secret with rumours circulating that he might be playing iconic bond villain Blofeld or otherwise someone from M’s past. From the look of the trailer we think that the latter seems more likely.

There has been speculation that Miss Moneypenny will return in Skyfall and some have suggested that the character played by Harris could in fact be Moneypenny. Harris seemed to dismiss the rumours by saying that her character Eve was “Not remotely office-bound.”

With just over a month to go Unique Client Solutions have enjoyed discussing the latest rumours with their clients' customers as they carry out their face-to-face marketing campaigns. Do you have any snippets to share with us? Heard anything we’ve missed? We’d love to hear from you on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/uniqueclientsolutions

Unique Client Solutions Looks at the Best Cities in the World to do Business in

With an upcoming expansion to The Netherlands Unique Client Solutions looks at the best cities in the world to do business. Did the big names come out on top?

PriceWaterhouseCooper recently conducted a report to find the top 25 cities for business, life and innovation. Unique Client Solutions, a customer acquisitions company with offices in Sheffield and Nottingham, took a look at the cities that came out on top.

Johannesburg #25

Johannesburg came number one in affordability of business space and #2 in cost of living. They fell down when it came to broadband quality and health system performance. It was the only ranked city in Africa.

Mexico City #20

Bustling Mexico City scored highly in terms of cost of living (#1) and cost of public transport (#2) but your health might come at a cost. It came last in air pollution and second to last in purchasing power.

Madrid #15

Unique Client Solutions have frequently visited Madrid for business meetings and it's a fantastic city to visit and work. According to the report they agree. It’s easy to get to (#3 airport access) and came #2 in financial and business services employment. However it came second to last in ease of hiring and starting a business.

Hong Kong #10

This came top of the pile in a whole host of categories: Inflation, flexibility of visa travel, ease of hiring, crime rates. However it struggles when it comes to the price you pay for it. It is last in cost of business space, and third to last in cost of living. Hong Kong was recently named the freest economy in the world however, a very attractive title to big business.

London #6

Our own capital city came number one for sports and leisure activities, international tourists and financial/business employment. It came #2 in attracting job-creating foreign investment, cultural vibrancy, research from top universities and strength of currency. However as Unique Client Solutions can attest to, it came second to last in commute time, cost of commute as well as cost of owning space for business.

Sydney #5

Sydney was the best for city carbon footprint, ease of starting a business, housing, literacy and purchasing power. The only category they came dead last in was cost of public transportation. With such beautiful weather Unique Client Solutions thinks you might put up with walking or cycling!

Stockholm #4

With less than a million people Stockholm is one of the smallest cities on the list however it ranks best in a huge number of categories including: clean air, digital economy activity, entrepreneurial environment, green space, intellectual property protection, political stability and traffic congestion. High taxes and low work flexibility might put people off as well as a lack of foreign investment.

San Francisco #3

With a relaxed Californian lifestyle you might be mistaken for thinking that business would be slow. Not so. San Fran attracts businesses for the excellent education levels of its population, work flexibility, entrepreneurial environment and life satisfaction. It is known for having progressive social policies like paid sick leave.  

Toronto #2

This was our biggest surprise. It might be cold but it is the most popular destination for business trips and has a great quality of living and fantastic clean air. Less established than many other cities around the world Toronto is making waves in sustainability and innovation which Unique Client Solutions is sure will make it an attractive city of the future.

New York #1

Well the top spot didn’t surprise anyone at Unique ClientSolutions. With such an incredible reputation New York was bound to come top of the pile. The Big Apple came number one for cultural vibrancy, research universities, work flexibility and number two in entrepreneurial environment and international tourists. It’s a work hard play hard city that will always attract businesses.

Where are you favourite cities to visit and work? Let us know via our Facebook page!

Unique Client Solutions’ Top Tips for Taking Your Company International

With their move to The Netherlands just a few months away Unique Client Solutions share their tips on preparing for an international move. We love our home towns of Nottingham and Sheffield but we're excited for our first city abroad!

1. Choose your country wisely.

At Unique Client Solutions we though long and hard about which country would be the best business move for us. Important questions to ask are:

Where is there a gap in the market for our product or service?

What kind of individual are we looking to add to our team? Are we going to be able to find them?

Is the time difference going to be a problem when communicating between teams in two countries?

2. Learn from experience.

Look carefully at companies that have had international success. Study where they have gone, are there any patterns? Do they bring a team from their home country with them or do they find great people once they arrive? Do they offer exactly the same service in each country?

3. Prepare well.

At Unique Client Solutions we have been travelling back and forwards to The Netherlands for some months now to prepare ourselves well for the expansion. We’ve studied Amsterdam and found an area where we would like to be based. We’ve spent plenty of time with new and old clients based there to learn exactly what they want for their direct sales campaigns. We believe that this dedication and preparation will allow us to be on our game from day one.

4. Expect the unexpected

Every day in the business world you have to prepare for the unexpected. Flexibility and adaptability are key skills of great leaders. This skill is going to be put to the test when you start doing business in a new country. No matter how prepared we are at Unique Client Solutions we know that we’re going to come across things that we wouldn’t in the UK. Being mentally prepared for challenges will help you to work with them and around them.

5. Have fun

One of the best things about the modern business world is that international travel and expansion is so much easier. At Unique Client Solutions we believe that it is an incredible opportunity to be able to experience new cities and countries. We approach every day in our industry of customer acquisitions with a positive attitude and try to be great students. We get the best results for our clients but we like to have fun along the way. With this winning mentality we love what we do and are excited for the future of our company!

Unique Client Solutions Approves of Businesses in Schools Plan

The Confederation of British Industry argues that businesses must spend more time in schools. Unique Client Solutions wholeheartedly agrees.

With unemployment figures so high, and school leavers and graduates struggling to enter the job marketing Unique Client Solutions is very aware of the fact that the gap between education and businesses is wide. Ask any business what their biggest problem is with finding people to fill positions and they’ll answer, skills. Customer acquisitions company, Unique Client Solutions looks at new plans being suggested by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and discusses why they think they will help to bridge the gap.

Neil Carberry is director of employment and skills at the CBI, he says “The short-term challenge is the advice and support we give to young people who work hard at school… a lot of young people are deeply impressive. We need to make sure they get the advice and support they need.” Unique Client Solutions has previously reported on the Government Youth Contract, £1 billion being invested to help young unemployed people to get a job, through paid work experience. Employers can get financial support from the Government for taking on such people.

A spokesperson for Unique Client Solutions Nottingham believes that the first step has been taken now businesses must do more. “We totally agree with the CBI that businesses have a duty as part of society to invest time and money into the people who will work for them. However that doesn’t just mean at the highest level, it means right down to the bottom.”

The CBI wants to take this one step further and take businesses into primary schools, Mr Carberry continued, "The first thing is an inspirational strategy, linking up what we do at school with what we do in later life." He says that interest is not lacking, “There is a massive upsurge in businesses prepared to get involved in schools. The challenge is how to make it happen everywhere. The Nottingham area is lucky in that it has  number of very strong private-sector employers.”

Unique Client Solutions believes that businesses can, and will do more. “Businesses around the country and particularly in Nottingham where we are based are very aware that more needs to be done. The problem is linking businesses with schools and universities. Once this is achieved the UK will be able to set itself apart from the rest of the world because of the strength of its innovation thought the strength and education of its people.”