Eat. Drink. Shop Local

Support local and support your

WHEN you support anything local you are investing in your own welfare, and this is also true when you support local business. e money you spend stays within the local community. Your money goes towards paying salaries which should be re spent within the local economy.

Local business pay rates which goes towards paying for your street lighting, street cleaning and street scapes along with the upkeep of playgrounds, parks, walkways, libraries, community centers etc. and the list goes on.

Local business are owned or managed by local people who have invested their lives in their shop, salon, o ce, café, restaurant, bar, workshop, factory, services or facilities. ey support and sponsor local charities, clubs, neighborhoods and schools. ey are involved in the community, they know you, and you know them. Your choice is important in maintaining a strong local economy and community, when you buy ‘on line’ you are losing that personal touch, you are now dealing with a faceless person and the rules and conditions have changed, you will struggle to receive feedback if there is an issue. You lose out on the chance that a quick re visit to a local business will solve any problem, this versus the long telephone wait obeying some machine’s instructions while you waste hours waiting to talk to somebody who in the end does not have the authority to help you. It is so true that local business customer service is better because it has to be, they depend on you and will go that extra mile to ensure they have a happy customer because they want to see you again and again. Local business create local jobs, they provide the training, skilling and up skilling, and education of their sta to go further to provide a service, goods or product that will provide value for you. Be it a new business or long established they all need one thing and that is your support and they in turn will support you in making sure you are a happy and longtime customer. e experience of shopping, using a service, or spending time in a café ,bar or restaurant should be a rewarding one .You should not only admire a locally manufactured product, piece of art and craft, or food stu but you should also be proud of your close proximity to its creation. A sense of pride that you are purchasing the very best that is available in your locality. Local business will interact with you to provide the service you require. You can discuss your requirements, negotiate a deal, make a plan, work together outside the normal parameters, be more exact or more exible, you can work together to best suit both of your needs.

You can build a relationship with a business owner or manager so that they know how best to serve you. ey can get to know your likes, taste, style, what pleases you and they can inform you of new arrivals, trends, products. ey can order stock with you in mind, they can look out for you.

Local businesses create growth in your local economy, community and neighborhood, eir success encourages others to set up new business, expand existing business, develop stronger and more sustainable communities and encourages more investment from local and national government agencies. Success builds on success, community builds on strong community e orts. When people see good they want to be part of that good, when people see great they want to be associated with creating that great. A thriving local economy encourages more people to explore the

community business world setting up new enterprises which in turn serve your needs better. A strong local economy can provide additional opportunities in the expansion of people’s social interaction, education and health and gives people more options in the living of their lives.

Local business is working hard but needs your support, in return you get to live within a thriving community with a promising future for our young (and not so young). A community we can all enjoy and be proud of.

Millinery open for business at Kells Mill Craft Centre, Mullins Mill Kells Co. Kilkenny

GWEN Walsh Milliner has been running her business at Mullins Mill Kells Co. Kilkenny for the past ten years. Although covid has a ected the business for the last 18 months Breathnach Designs has used the time to design new and exciting new headwear and is delighted to be working in conjunction with Kilkenny’s newest boutique Catwalk Kilkenny Rose Inn Street. One of her key achievements was designing a piece for Sabrina Higgins. Winner of Kilkenny Business award in 2017. To book a consultation please phone Gwen on 083 4544484

Affordable Cabins Ireland

Supplied and Fitted nationwide

WHO WE ARE

A ordable cabins Ireland have over 17 years experience of designing, supplying and tting log cabins in Ireland. is is a family owned business that was set up by Ian Phelan, who pride themselves on both the quality of the product and the high end customer service they deliver. You can select a house that would be perfect in your garden, a beautiful summer house for cozy living, a natural log cabin for leisure activities, or even a shed for practical use. People have always loved wood construction for its natural internal warmth.

WHAT WE DO

Our houses are constructed with high-quality, slowly grown northern European spruce which is dried in kiln-drying machines and carefully sorted. You can choose from our full service which includes design, supply and installation of the log cabin at your site. We also include a full de-clean at the end of the project to leave your new cabin in ‘show room’ condition. For the DIY enthusiast, you can choose to have the cabin delivered for you to erect in your own time. We o er staged payments for these a ordable homes. A ordable Cabins Ireland are the only company in Ireland to o er a round log construction (44, 68, 88, 134mm). We also supply ‘twin-log’ construction (44 & 68mm). As roof options, we o er metal, shingle and slate. We are a member of the national guide of master craftsmen, so you can be assured of the quality of our work.

www.a ordablecabins.ie

8 ways to keep your marketing plates spinning

BY CHRISTINE TOBIN

IT’S easy to push marketing to one side when you’re busy with the day-to-day running of your business – whether you sell products or o er services.

It can feel hectic having to keep all the plates spinning, from family life to business. Marketing is often the rst casualty when it all gets too much.

But taking the decision to not market your business each day is like drawing down the shutters, closing the door and putting the closed sign up.

You might not feel the impact of it straight away, but if you lose sales momentum, it will be di cult to get it back.

Having a conversation with customers and prospective customers should be part of your everyday business. Marketing requires investment – both nancial and the resource of time.

So, here are some marketing tips for your business to ensure you keep the foot on the pedal and keep those shutters up.

1: YOUR DIGITAL FRONT DESK

Remember that your social media is your digital front desk. You wouldn’t leave your actual front desk unattended, so the same rules apply online.

Establish and grow your social media platforms and be available to answer questions, provide customer service, engage and showcase what you do and who you are.

2: YOUR WEBSITE IS YOUR DIGITAL SALESPERSON

When people have a problem, they turn to Google so ensure that you’re online to be part of their solution. Your website should be your best salesperson as it’s working for you while you sleep. Make sure it’s up to date, has engaging content, is mobile optimised and functions well so that customers can enjoy their shopping experience and return again and again. Contact the Kilkenny Local Enterprise O ce and ask about trading online vouchers to subsidise the cost of your website development.

3: FISH FOR FOOD EACH DAY

Whether you reel in customers one at a time or cast out a huge PR net and connect with lots of new customers, be sure to be working on your marketing each day. What feeds you today, won’t feed you tomorrow so keep those plates spinning. You’ll nd that 20% of your marketing work is bringing in 80% of your business. Axe what doesn’t work or amend it and then focus on what does work.

4: CONNECT YOUR MARKETING ACTIVITIES

Strategy will win over tactics every time. Connect your website, social media and PR e orts with a digital strategy.

Operating in marketing silos will cause consumer confusion, could result in mixed messaging and can downright sti e your e orts, wasting your time and money.

5: TREAT YOUR ONLINE FOLLOWERS AS A COMMUNITY, NOT CONSUMERS

Whether you manage your platforms yourself, or contract it out, ensure it is inspiring, educational, informative and engaging.

Your followers are people, with lives. Always think about them as the end user of your content and consider their relationship with your product and service. ere is often a culture attached to your service or product which you can chat with them about. While growing your followers is great, don’t forget to retain the ones you’ve already won.

6: BE HUMAN BUT NOT TOO HUMAN

e best social media managers are immersed in the business and create content from inside. But whatever you do, have boundaries. Don’t bring your personal life online. It’s ok to share pictures of your pets but be professional and never air your dirty laundry on social media.

7: BE AUTHENTIC

So many businesses just dump a post or product photo on their social media and then disappear. If someone did that in a bricks and mortar shop or business, how would it feel to the customer? Approach social media as you approach customer service in store or in your o ce/ business. Know your audience. Be conversational. Be authentic and earn their trust.

8: NEVER SACRIFICE YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE

Never ignore good customer service because you spend too much time online looking to boost vanity metrics. e best sales come from referrals from existing clients and customers, so give your quality time and let your social media have what’s left.

Christine Tobin is a Marketing and PR Consultant and Coach, based in Kilkenny and working with businesses across Ireland. Check out more tips on www.solasmediasolutions. com. She is also presenting a Network Kilkenny webinar called ‘Ten Tips For Getting Positive Publicity For Your Business’ on Tuesday, 9 November. Register at networkireland.ie.

Norton Bespoke complete range of interior services

Norton Bespoke supply a comprehensive range of design services, backed up with an extensive range of hand selected nishes and products.

All manner of projects and styles are catered for, domestic, hospitality, commercial. We can also o er design and build or install services. e studio has been up and running for over seven years on Kieran St and it is full of unique décor pieces, the upstairs o ers a range of wallpapers and fabrics to suit every style.

We also o er a fast turnaround window dress service. Made to measure Curtains taking an average of three weeks.

If you are seeking a unique decorative piece to nish a room, you might just nd what you are looking for amongst our hand selected selection on display over the two shop oors. Lamps, clocks, pictures, tables, objet d’art and sculptures, all on display and available to take away. Convenient and local, and delivery can be easily arranged.

For the month of November, we are o ering a free one hour consultation to all new build and renovation clients to discuss the right look and budget appropriate nishes to create a personalised, timeless and tasteful interior.

To book your slot please email elaine@ nortonbespokeinteriors.ie Bookings for Home visits and new Commercial Work are now being taken for 2022. Drop into the Kieran street Studio for a quick introduction and experience what we have to o er!