I asked Sally Limes, a mum who I’ve met on the networking circuit, to write a brief post to show us how big things can be done even when you’re running a small business or charity. She’s doing amazing things with Ford and Ford, for their part, are being incredibly smart in partnering with Sally and LIME as everyone is talking about their partnership – both online and offline…  I think what I love most, is that other people pay agencies – like us – to get them into partnerships just like this, and she’s doing it all very nicely, all by herself! Brilliant stuff…

Everything we do...

.

I am the Chief Executive of the registered charity ICT4Autism and the Editor in Chief of The LIME Magazine for Parents and Carers of Children with Special Needs. I contacted all the car manufacturers asking for sponsorship, citing the link as being Motorbility. All the car manufacturers told me they weren’t interested. Except Ford.

.

I have been in discussions with Ford’s Marketing Director over the last few months. We finally met in London yesterday. We had a big meeting to discuss working together as a partnership. The Director was a very friendly and approachable guy. The meeting was relaxed and easy and I enjoyed myself. The conference facilities were fabulous and we were treated like royalty.

The upshot of the meeting is that Ford are going to provide the charity with a marked up S-MAX. It is going to have Ford sponsoring ICT4Autism written down the side. The idea of this is that I will take the vehicle to meetings and conferences and special needs schools. This will give maximum exposure to special needs families, who may be in the market to buy a motorbility vehicle. Ford are also going to purchase advertising in The LIME Magazine in order to part fund the venture to allow us to provide for more children’s centres across the UK.

This will also reach families of children with a disability, so Ford are savvy as it is an excellent partnership for them as well as for us. We also have entered into an arrangement where we have brought some new technology to Ford which we will offer exclusivity to them which is top secret and under wraps at the moment.

Suffice it to say that they are very excited by this and we have probably just entered into something very big and very lasting. To link the charity and the magazine with a company which is such a big household name and a family name is smart advertising and we are thrilled to be a part of this.

Please check out our websites www.limemag.co.uk and www.ict4autism.org

Here’s something that will surprise you. I had a review with a coach this morning. I know, I didn’t have myself down for being the type of person who has coaching either, but there I was. Carmen McDougall doesn’t know that I’m writing this blogpost as she knows I was very embarrassed to be working with her at first. But today, I’ve done lots of things with her. Some practical and theoretical stuff and just one ‘kooky emotional thing’ – the combination of all that has done me the power of good.

The fact that she knows very little of the intricacies of my work is irrelevant. In fact, it is probably a good thing. She helped me take a good look at what I’m doing, the offers that are on the table at the moment and make some decisions.

I want to do some new work that’s not going to pay as much as other stuff, but has the potential to be very good for my career. I want to do some other new work  that is going  to pay well, but has an element of risk and won’t be quite so exciting. And I need to continue my old work, as it’s what has got me this far, and don’t want to ditch it. I don’t think that would be the right thing to do. And I want to continue contributing to charities where I can.

I now have a plan in place which will enable me to do all that in 2011. And that makes me feel confident, in control, and that I’m going to be able to get back to enjoying everything rather than feeling dictated to.

So without an financial incentive for me or affiliate link or anything commercially related, I want to wholeheartedly recommend Carmen MacDougall to you, because if she can have the impact on your outlook, performance and profitability that she has on mine over the last few months, then it would be unfair of me to not share her with you.

So on Thank you Thursday, I’d like to thank Carmen MacDougall and encourage you to think about using someone completely un related to you, your field of experience and knowledge to help you grow your business, maybe someone like Carmen? :)

Who do you want to say thank you to today?

THE lunch invite of the year

Want to come to a posh lunch with lots of smart women?

I recently joined the Wellbeing of Women Cambridge fundraising committee. Wellbeing of Women is a charity which is having a huge impact on women’s issues and I’m pleased to have been invited to get involved in their work.

In March 2010 we held a luncheon that was oversubscribed and had to return cheques to some who wanted to come.

On 7 March 2011 we are holding another luncheon and suggest you buy your ticket now to guarantee your place. Numbers are strictly limited and we are confident that this, our second annual lunch will be better than our first!

Date: Monday 7 March
Cost: £30. This will include a 2 course lunch, wine and coffee.
Venue: Robinson College, Cambridge
Times: 11.30am networking, 12.15pm lunch, followed by guest speaker. We will be done by 2.30pm in time for a school run….

Why you should come:

1. Because I’m inviting everyone who is relevant, important and interesting to come and meet each other, network and identify new opportunities.

2. Because it will be filled with the great, good, movers and shakers of Cambridgeshire and beyond…

3. Because it will be a great way to support Wellbeing of Women.

4. Because you will get to see me wearing a dress and heels. Which was last seen at my wedding..

If you are unfamiliar with our work Wellbeing of Women is a charity that raises money to improve women’s health through research, training and education. Wellbeing of Women is proud to support the efforts of Addenbrookes Abroad to improve the outcomes for mothers and babies in El Salvador through training and education, part of the proceeds of this event will go to support their work.

Wellbeing of Women is currently investigating:
A cure for ovarian cancer using virotherapy
What causes hot flushes
How to treat and prevent endometriosis
How to prevent miscarriages
How to prevent premature birth
A new cure for incontinence
And many other topics that will give women and their babies a healthier life.

I hope that you will agree that this is a very worthwhile cause and that you will support our lunch.   Please feel free to look up Wellbeing of Women at www.wellbeingofwomen.org.uk

Hope that you will be able to make it, it’s going to be a great day.
Many thanks

I tell all sorts of people about my dad and I, that if people don’t say thank you when we hold a door open for them, we say it loudly to them, followed by “no, not at all, no problem, have a lovely day…” and other helpful comments. It doesn’t cost us anything to say thank you does it? Professionally or personally.

I was criticised recently in a voluntary role for wanting to say ”thank you” too much, too frequently, to a donor – for wanting to thank then publicly, in print, for a small gift they had given us. In the last 3 years, the donor has given more to that small branch of a charity than any other donor in it’s history. Apparently, my wanting to keep on recognising that, was wrong and actually, taken to be evidence that I might have ulterior motives as I also work with that donor in a professional capacity. It’s interesting isn’t it? I know as a professional fundraiser that we should thank all donors at least 7 times – whether that’s sending a magazine, making a phone call, sending email newsletters or naming a building in their honnour. This sense that you say thank you once and it’s “done with”.. I don’t like it. It’s not what I’m about.

I’d been feeling sensitive about this for some time when last night, out of the blue, I got this email:

“Hi Liz, quick note to say THANK YOU! I did the facebook advertising thingy that you suggested – one campaign had 36 clicks since last night and have already had sales which has more than covered the cost of the advertising. It’s a brilliant way to get brand awareness as well, all paid for in less than one sale….I’ve started another targetted advert and it’s worked already as well which is great.  Now that you’ve converted me to your way of thinking I need to learn more…When can we meet up to do more together?”

How nice is that? I met Amanda Jones who owns Hop N Squeak (www.hopnsqueak.co.uk) on Tuesday, and by Saturday night she’s had a go at doing something I suggested and, it’s worked already. I’m pleased it works for her, as that’s my job, to suggest things that will improve people’s businesses. But more than that, I’m so grateful to her for the email – saying “Thank you”… That’s made my day.

So I’m going to go on looking for ways to thank people for what they do for me and the places I work with. Some do it every day, some regularly, some every so often. Here’s a list to start with, and I’ll do another one shortly. There’s no pecking order here, just people who I’ve asked for help recently… Thank you to each of you!

Hannah Elsom – www.westoncommunications.org.uk
T-J Hughes – www.bras4mums.co.uk
Debi Hogston- www.waterbabies.co.uk
Chris – www.pavilionwebdesign.co.uk
Tami Brown – www.tamibrown.co.uk
Natasha – www.buxpress.co.uk
Tim @ Plumridge’s Printers – 01223 891407
Richard Weston – 01223 501520 – electrician extroadinare, ever patient husband and daddy to our little dudes.