Start your new lives together at Shendish Manor

So Valentines has just been, and the lucky among you will now have dazzling engagement rings on your fingers. Congratulations! All you have to do now is plan for the big day, and of all the wedding venues in Hertfordshire, we think you’ll like ours the best. Firstly, we’re a sumptuous Victorian Manor situated in 160 acres of landscaped parkland. It’s easy to imagine servants dashing to the Master’s beck and call. Though these days, it is our staff who are only too ready to serve your every need.

We have a fully licensed bar, which opens onto our formal Dutch Gardens. It’s a spectacular view from the terrace, and at the reception itself, you can banquet 350 guests in fine style. Best of all, we know how to make your day really special. Our expert team of wedding co-ordinators are on hand to help with every aspect of planning. They will remember everything, so you can forget it all. The day will run smoothly, and you can concentrate on making memories to cherish for the rest of your lives together.

As for the particulars, we are licensed for civil ceremonies of up to 120 people, and special bedroom rates are available for your guests. The rooms themselves are stately. Picture a spacious and beautifully decorated space, which looks out onto a green vista. It’s perfect for the bride’s makeup session, as well as the honeymoon.

On the day itself, you will be assigned the services of a dedicated manager. How many wedding venues in Hertfordshire can boast all that? There is also coach space for hundreds should you have an army of in-laws, and we have small rooms for more intimate ceremonies. Furthermore, we can provide for every culinary background conceivable. We serve Kosher, Asian, Greek, or Italian and more. Just ask, and you shall receive.

Finally, we would like to wish you the very best of luck in your marriage. You will only do this once. So we promise to make it the best wedding day you can hope for out of all the wedding venues in Hertfordshire. For your one day, you deserve a proper wedding.

Editor’s Note: Shendish Manor (http://www.shendish-manor.com) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

A fast house sale can help an estate with probate issues

As an executor, sorting through a property owners will can be a long and complicated process. If you are also an executor who stands to gain from the sale of property and you need money right now, you might wish for a fast house sale. The good news is that there is way you can get money from the property before receiving a grant of probate. A property investment company can buy the property from you, which will give you the money as fast as the probate is granted, and this can occur even if the estate will only be settled years from now.

There are two features that make this a particularly good financial decision. Money that you have right now can be invested, which makes it more valuable for you to possess today rather than several years in the future. By then, you will have lost the interest payments that you would have received on the cash. Also, you might not occupy the probate property. While property is empty, problems can arise, ranging from vandalism, damp, security issues, to infestations. Clearing these issues will create costs, which mount up over time. Yet a fast house sale now would dodge the issue, and may well be the cost-competitive option. By selling your property to a cash buyer, you will have a simple and hassle free sale with no chain. 

Of course, there is another human factor to all this. You may have lost someone very close to you. At this time, dealing with housing issues on top of your grieving process might prove too much, and a fast house sale will solve part of the problem and relieve you of a burden in having to manage marketing a property, and the sales process too . Take the time to talk to friends about it. They may well want you to take it easy, and not burden yourself with additional worry from dealing with a housing chain. On top of that, there may be beneficiaries who are putting you under pressure to resolve the estate. They may even have good reasons for doing so, such as debts or migration plans.

Sell a house fast in these circumstances and you might also alter the value of the estate just enough to reduce your inheritance tax. In this scenario, you might get more from the estate by not seeking to get the maximum price for the property. Whatever the case, talking to a professional can help you to sort out what is best for you. 

To find out more information on Dream House Buyer, watch the YouTube video here.

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Dream House Buyer (http://www.dreamhousebuyer.co.uk/) is a family owned property company that considers all types of property, and we buy property with sitting tenants too. We will make an instant cash offer for any property in the UK, regardless of the size, location, condition or value.

We will buy any property that you might consider a problem - including property with sitting tenants, flats with short leases, problem tenants, unmortgageable and structurally damaged property.  We also buy ground rents and portfolios. If you think we can help, then please invite us to make you an immediate cash offer for your property.

Contact us on 0800 1577 497 or email us info@dreamhousebuyer.co.uk.

Introducing the most essential equine supplies

A horse isn't merely an animal to be used for transportation or in a competitive environment - it's one that you will regard as a true companion for as long as it lives, showering it with love and affection. Equine supplies therefore aren't an area in which you should be willing to accept any compromise. From horse bedding and feed to health and supplements and grooming products, you might be curious to know what the most essential horse supplies actually are, as well as what you should consider when browsing these various products in a physical or online store.

Certainly, horse feed and the various associated products is an obvious place to start. A good store will offer a good mix of balancers, chaff and grass, mix and nuts, straights and sugar beet, from such major brands as Baileys, Dodson & Horrell, Spillers, Topspec and Allen & Page. But if that range of horse feed and associated products sounds overwhelming enough, the range of health products and supplements for a horse is surely even broader, encompassing not just feed supplements but also first aid, hoof care, fly repellents, shampoo and body care, worming products and treats and licks. A good store's shampoo and body care section alone, for example, is likely to include heel to hoof cream, louse powder, sheath cleanser, sunburn lotion and more.

Another key investment for enthusiasts of equestrianism is certainly the most appropriate horse bedding - and again, the choice here can be vast, popular options including Aubiose Hemp Bedding, which is derived from the hemp plant's soft centre, as well as Easibed's equine bedding, which has long been popular among big show organisers, leisure riders, competition riders and other horse enthusiasts. This latter type of horse bedding is manufactured from carefully selected recycled whitewood fibre, helping to make it as 'green' as it is comfortable and supportive for your horse.

Other horse bedding options include small flake woodshavings and the Gold Shavings, Red Straw & Shavings and Yellow Rapestraw products of the Sundown brand, but you may not have much time to consider those before perusing the full range of vital grooming products, for example, which can include coat care, brushes and curry combs, hoof picks, oil brushes and scissors, sweat scrapers and more. Horse owners also routinely need to shop for tack and associated products, ranging from bridles, girths and saddle covers to spare parts, stirrup leathers and irons, not to mention leather care.

Saddlery, encompassing boots, wraps and bandages, lunging equipment, saddlecloths and more, is another key product category, and the horse owner may also need to spend a decent amount of money on rugs, which in any good store, should include stable rugs and turnout rugs, as well as rug accessories. Such a complete complement of products, from horse bedding to feed, can be vital if you are to truly get the most out of horse ownership.

Editor’s Note: Broadfeed (http://www.broadfeed.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

The things to look for in any good wedding venue in Hertfordshire

Of all of the parts of the UK or indeed the world in which to hold a wedding, why shouldn't yours be in Hertfordshire? After all, as one of the home counties in the south east of England, it is an especially green and pleasant part of the country offering many things to do and see. It certainly offers no shortage of advantageous amenities to those looking to marry in a location that is as practical and grounded as it is romantic and idyllic.

This is certainly something that many loved-up couples quickly discover when they begin their search for a wedding venue in Hertfordshire. However, this does not mean that any choice of venue will do - not for what should be the most special day of both people's lives. The good news is that the extreme competition among wedding venues in the county does allow one to locate a venue that covers all of the bases while still being available on the big day.

Many couples, for example, may give serious thought to the Manor of Groves Hotel, Golf & Country Club. In various ways, Manor of Groves has much in common with many a wedding venue in Hertfordshire. The building itself is the epitome of Georgian elegance, and is surrounded by 150 acres of stunning parkland - all of which will certainly create the right impression in visitors. So many venues of such significant initial promise, however, do not impress so much by the time of the ceremony itself.

The problems that can arise are many and various. The only rooms available may be too small or large for the number of attendees, the former causing disappointment among those unable to be there for the ceremony and ensuing celebrations, and the former not lending itself to the best, most romantic and intimate atmosphere. There may be a lack of advantageous photography opportunities for capturing those moments that will never come again, and the catering may not be up to scratch. Even worse are some of the horror stories about wedding ceremonies that were poorly organised from the beginning, hitches threatening to overshadow the romance.

As an established wedding venue in Hertfordshire, Manor of Groves is more than aware of the issues that can arise, and just how important it is for the big day to feel just right. That's why there has been much hard work invested into its range of rooms, including the contemporary Manor Suite and the utterly elegant Colonnade Suite. It also explains the licensing of two charming outdoor gazebos for civil wedding ceremonies and partnerships, in the fabulous grounds that enable vows to be exchanged al fresco.

Such utmost commitment to making Manor of Groves the finest wedding venue in Hertfordshire also naturally extends to the presence of a dedicated team of wedding co-ordinators, in addition to an experienced manager on the day. Such ingredients are all necessary to ensure that the most special day of someone's life really is special.

Editor’s Note: Manor of Groves (http://www.manorofgroves.com) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

A corporate hotel in Harlow that ticks all of the boxes

If you're paying a visit to Harlow for business purposes, even spending overnight here, you'll naturally want to find a hotel that makes sense for you. That's likely to mean a hotel with extremely well-appointed, comfortable and relaxing rooms, with a standard king size bed and hypo-allergenic pillows and duvets complemented by a multiple channelled LCD television and complimentary wireless broadband. The latter is invaluable if there's work you really must be getting on with from your room.

Such specifications are those of Manor of Groves, a corporate hotel in Harlow that aptly combines the finest in Georgian elegance and contemporary design. Indeed, there are many other aspects of Manor of Groves that make it a winning corporate hotel in Harlow. The distinguished Georgian architecture and stunning surrounding grounds make this quite the setting in which to welcome a client, for example, while the establishment also offers truly exceptional dining facilities, with the La Brasserie restaurant serving an inspirational breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Indeed, business visitors to the hotel also frequently appreciate the members and residents only health club that allows them to both unwind and pay some vital attention to their fitness, amid a packed daily schedule. What could be nicer, ahead of an important conference here, than heading down to the health club to take advantage of such superb facilities as a 20 metre indoor swimming pool, spa, steam room and saunas?

Indeed, we've mentioned that word 'conference', and this is just one more component of a truly distinguished and successful corporate hotel in Harlow. Whether businesses wish to book a corporate room for two delegates or for 500 of them, it is absolutely paramount that such amenities reflect the very highest standards of professionalism, technological sophistication and customer service.

Sure enough, Manor of Groves offers a generous range of wonderful suites - from the Colonnade, Drawing Room and Library of the neoclassical Manor House to the decidedly more contemporary and cutting-edge styling of the Masters, Solheim and Ryder suites in the 5500 sq ft Exchange building. The latter building is also air-conditioned and houses a dedicated boardroom for as many as 16 delegates.

The conference rooms of Manor of Groves are also characterised by cabled and wireless high speed Internet access and plentiful natural daylight. There are even many set day and residential delegate packages that can be tailored to meet more specialised needs. Taken together, such factors help to make Manor of Groves an obvious first port of call for anyone desiring the complete corporate hotel in Harlow.

Editor’s Note: Manor of Groves (http://www.manorofgroves.com) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

A short history of aluminium castings

Today, it's easy to take for granted the integral role that aluminium castings have played in creating the world in which we now live. It is thanks to aluminium castings that such fields as transportation, packaging and construction are quite as advanced as they are, and indeed, there is no more commonly used non-ferrous metal. Tens of millions of tonnes of aluminium are produced worldwide each year, and it is routinely alloyed to increase its mechanical properties and versatility. But what is the wider history of this silvery, soft, ductile metal?

Aluminium salts were popular as dyeing mordants among ancient Greeks and Romans, who also used them as astringents for the dressing of wounds - indeed, alum continues in use as a styptic today. By 1808, the existence of a metal base of alum had been identified by Humphry Davy, but it took until 1825 for the metal to finally be produced in an impure form, by Hans Christian Ørsted, the Danish physicist and chemist. Fast-forward to the later 19th century, and the widespread manufacture of aluminium castings still looked a long way off, due to the considerable difficulty of extracting the metal from its various ores.

The 1880s did change matters, however, with the emergence of commercial electrical generation and the Hall–Héroult process for smelting aluminium. There are reports of aluminium finally being used as a building material before the century was out, as its price gradually came down. Then came World War I, and the attendant rapid expansion of the airplane industry that led major governments to request significant quantities of aluminium for light, strong airframes, the factories and requisite electrical supply systems also often subsidised at this time. As the decades since then have passed, so the applications of aluminium castings become increasingly bewildering in range, encompassing even the apparently unlikeliest of fields.

The seemingly endless range of transportation methods that have benefitted from aluminium castings, for example, include aircraft, automobiles, trucks, bicycles, railway cars and marine vessels. The metal has also found use in packaging such as cans and foil, as well as in construction for doors and windows. Street lighting poles and sailing ship masts are other items to have been made from aluminium, which has also been applied to such common household items as watches, baseball bats and cooking utensils. Even the casing of the MacBook Pro is made out of aluminium.

The list goes on, through the likes of MKM steel and Alnico magnets, electrical transmission lines for power distribution and heat sinks for such electronic appliances as CPUs and transistors. What is clear in an overview of all of these applications is that aluminium castings have been instrumental in realising today's modern world, and are certainly unlikely to decline in importance any time soon. By contacting a renowned metal fabrication specialist like K&S Metals, those in need of expertly-engineered aluminium castings can continue to put the metal to all manner of innovative and effective uses.

Editor’s Note: K&S Metals (http://www.ksmetals.net) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

Croydon goes up in the world with a new luxury development

London has an international property market. Well finally, there is a luxury property development close to London Biggin Hill Airport. It’s called ISLAND. There has been a screaming need for penthouses in croydon, which let you hop between your City job and mainland Europe. From ISLAND, it’s just a 34 minute drive to the nearest airport. After that, Berlin is about two hours away, which means you could be clubbing on the continent within hours of clocking off on a Friday night.

There are five blue chip companies in the area. So you might be personnel from Allianz Global Assistance, or Sigma Aerospace. At any rate, those offices are just a stone’s throw away. What’s more, if there’s the pitter patter of little executives in the house, Trinity School and The Brit School come recommended. Then for dining out, Fish and Grill shows just how very far British cuisine has come in the last few decades. You can live the high life, and all south of the river as well!

You might not have expected to find penthouses in Croydon. That’s because the area has been making a concerted effort to shake off its old image, and ISLAND is part of this bold new redevelopment plan. That makes it a great investment choice. Moreover, being so well connected to the rest of the world, there will always be demand for living in London as long as there are people who want to do business with Britain.

The penthouse has everything you’d be used to in New York. Bedroom one is 17 metres squared, so you can play baseball in there, and at Penthouse 158, your terrace is 97 metres squared. You could have a marquee on it!

However there are few other such high quality penthouses in Croydon, so it’s important to stake your interest early. Demand is booming again in London. That means these gems won’t stay free forever. What’s more, each of the penthouses in individually designed, so you’ll need to visit to make sure you’re buying the place that’s just right for you.

Editor’s Note: ISLAND (http://www.islandcroydon.com) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

What is drug rehab and what services are on offer in Florida?

The term "drug rehab" is used in reference to any type of inpatient or outpatient treatment for addiction to substances such as prescription drugs, alcohol, cocaine and other illegal drugs. However, while these treatment programs can vary greatly, there are common features among the very finest programs for substance abuse treatment in Florida. These include licenses and accreditation, a setting that makes the individual feel welcome and comfortable and the best-qualified and seasoned medical staff and clinicians, together with suitably tailored treatment.

The type of drug rehab that is most suitable for a given person depends greatly on their specific needs, and the right provider of substance abuse treatment in Florida is likely to offer a vast range of customized services. Family Recovery Specialists, for example, provides bio-psycho-social evaluation, an outpatient rehab program, an at-risk program, intervention/placement, concierge crisis and case management, recovery coaching and monitoring and individual and family counseling. The program takes a highly individualized and comprehensive approach to substance abuse treatment in Florida, with the individual being assisted by their family to break free from the damaging effects of addiction.

Whichever drug rehab is ultimately chosen, its basic aims are clear. Its primary goals are to assist an addicted person in their detoxification from drugs and alcohol, in addition to identifying the potential underlying contributory factors to the abuse and developing a therapeutic recovery plan. There can be differences in the exact therapies used in drug rehab, depending on the addicted person's underlying issues. Family Recovery Specialists' outpatient program can include education, group therapy, family therapy, individual counseling and random drug screening, with all of the program's participants also encouraged to become involved in community support meetings (AA, NA).

One common feature of the finest evidence-based treatment programs is a refusal to follow fads. The leading providers of substance abuse treatment in Florida follow the science and evidence, continually analyzing their program's effectiveness and updating it whenever promising findings indicate the success of a given treatment method. Such efforts are all to the end of ensuring the very best chances of success for the client of substance abuse treatment in Florida.

It can be intimidating to make the decision to go to drug rehab, and many people may feel - at least at first - that they can make their own successful efforts to break free from addiction. In truth, such well-intentioned moves can be a mere blip prior to an escalation of their substance abuse problems. With the addiction increasingly controlling their life, it can become much more difficult to truly be there for family and friends. Before long, alcohol and substance abuse can overwhelm all attempts to appear "normal".

Sadly, many addicts are led to believe that these substances are necessary for them to live. The right substance abuse treatment in Florida can show them that this is not the case, helping to free them from drugs and alcohol to live a healthy life.

Editor’s Note: Family Recovery Specialists (http://www.familyrecoveryspecialists.com) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

Why there's no golf club in the UK quite like Shendish Manor

Shendish Manor (http://www.shendish-manor.com)  has certainly attracted many admirers - both in Hertfordshire and much further afield - on account of its spacious and well-appointed rooms, exceptional conference facilities and readiness to host all manner of unforgettable weddings. What can surely never be overlooked, however, is that the establishment is also a country house hotel, and it would barely be worthy of that description if it did not also have its own golf course.

This is especially so when that hotel is in Hertfordshire, a famously green and leafy county that offers no shortage of opportunities to golfers. When many people turn up for an overnight stay at Shendish Manor for the first time, or even just as a delegate paying a visit to one of its conference rooms, they might not even be aware that the hotel has its own distinguished golf club.

Those seeking a leading golf club in the UK are never disappointed by Shendish Manor's extensive facilities, or its formidable 5660 yard, Par 70 course, which has been designed to USPGA specifications. Nor, surely, could there be a more advantageous setting in which to tee off - one of complete tranquillity amid the estate's wider scenic grounds.

Various hazards, through parkland as well as woodland copses, will keep you challenged and stimulated and help you to improve your game. On that subject, if you're getting frustrated trying to do that on your own, there's always the option of turning to our PGA Professional for private one to one or group lessons. Keen golfers can also easily traverse the course with the help of the buggies and trolleys that can be hired from the Coach House, which is located near the 19th hole and also offers all-day breakfasts to satisfy your hunger between games.

For many people who join a golf club in the UK, it's the opportunities for socialising and meeting new people that attract them, almost as much as the golf itself. Sure enough, a packed social calendar awaits those who become golf members at Shendish Manor and who make regular visits to the warm and inviting Clubhouse.

However, there are so many more ways to take advantage of all of the fabulous amenities of this leading golf club in the UK. You may opt for one of our good value but prestigious corporate packages, for example, or be a visiting society. But in whichever capacity you choose to visit the Shendish Manor golf course, and as long as you comply with our stringent dress code, you are sure to find your time here to be among the most memorable spent in our hospitality.

Editor’s Note: Shendish Manor (http://www.shendish-manor.com) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

If only everyone turned to Sherwin Currid's Reading accountants for tax advice

If you’re a freelancer or sole trader, getting Sherwin Currid's Reading accountants to fill out the various tax forms for you is a doddle. We’ll do it well ahead of time... which is more than can be said for some people. HMRC noted a builder who didn’t send his tax return in on time because his goldfish had just died. Then there was the City trader whose wife withheld his mail.

HMRC also notes a woman who said that she was unable to concentrate after seeing a story about a volcano on TV, and one Coventry writer was simply too busy. Apparently he was showing his one man play.

Naturally, our Reading accountants here at Sherwin Currid are above that sort of thing, although not everyone in the profession is. A London accountant claimed that he was so busy sorting out his clients’ tax affairs that he had completely neglected to see to his own.

If you have a yacht, you might have been tempted to try one person’s excuse. A man who went on an around the world voyage simply said that that he only picked up post when he docked into port. Less believable is the farmer who said an angry cow accosted him, and prevented him from doing any work on it. Also, a taxi driver said his bad back prevented him from going upstairs where he’d left the paperwork.

All of the above were handed a £100 fine. It only goes to show that if you’re a busy person, you should get the professionals to help, and Sherwin Currid's Reading accountants would be only too pleased to lend a hand.

If you’re confused by the tax dates, we can also be of assistance. A HMRC source noted that while everyone was partying, 137 people filed tax returns in the hour leading up to midnight on New Year’s Eve. In all, 26,905 people filed returns on December 31^st. Yet for the period up until 30^th April in any year, the correct deadline to file tax returns is midnight January 31^st in the following year.

Clearly, there’s a lot of confusion on the subject, which can be sorted out by talking to one of our helpful Reading accountants.

Editor’s Note: Reading Accountants (http://www.readingaccountant.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

Have a taste of hotel luxury at home

You will have seen hot tubs in plenty of films. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. James Bond: A View to a Kill. They have come to be a sign of luxury and glamour that many people aspire to, but you might ask yourself, “would I really enjoy owning one?” It’s a big commitment to make. Yet you can find out for a fraction of the cost of owning a Jacuzzi, as hot tub hire is just £250 for seven days, and £400 for thirty days.

We’ll supply you with a model that can seat five people. It will have thirteen soothing hydrotherapy jets, and powerful 2KW heating, which keeps you warm well into the evening. So bring some friends over. Then lay on the champagne and see what it would be like to have a Jacuzzi in your life. It’s a very relaxing experience. Their circular design means they’re great for socialising, and as a rarity in suburbia, you’ll make quite the impression on your neighbours. What’s more, the hydrotherapy jets are ideal for washing away the stress of the day. A hard working executive really benefits from a dip in a rejuvenating hot tub.

It’s also a great option for a birthday party. You can make the occasion extra special with a hired hot tub, and treat that special person in your life to a decadent experience. It can also be the centre piece of a pool party. Think of it like hiring a bouncy castle for kids, with the exception that hot tub hire is more for grownup fun.

The ledge around a hot tub makes it ideal for resting party food. Just imagine serving canapés to your guests as they gaze at the clear night sky, and it’s a great way to experience cocktails. A cold pina colada would be quite refreshing as you bathe in the warm water.

All this is well within your reach with very reasonable hire rates. See if the high life is for you with hot tub hire, and sample the good life for a week. We’re sure you’ll notice the difference in yourself.

Editor’s Note: Ruggles Leisure (http://www.rugglesleisure.com/) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

Your corporate video - more like a home video than you might think

People like to tell stories. What’s more, people like to listen to them, and every company has a story to tell. Maybe it’s how your company was founded, or perhaps it’s where your company vision is taking you. At any rate, corporate video is a great medium for storytelling.

That’s because corporate video is a narrative medium which shows the development of people or places over time rather than being just being a snapshot, which a print advert shows. That’s the difference between holiday snaps and home movies. Both evoke important memories, but only your Dad’s camcorder footage from decades ago brings a lump to your throat.

That’s what makes a corporate video shareable as well. It’s no wonder that YouTube, a site for personal video, is teeming with corporate films that are watched by millions. But only those videos with emotional impact get the clicks. That tells you something. If you want to connect with customers you’ve got to engage them emotionally, and well shot corporate video with a good storyline does that best.

Of course, what we're telling you is nothing new. In marketing theory, getting people to develop an emotional link to your product is known as ‘added value’, which is the basis of branding. It’s why people choose one kind of cola over another. And where do people make those choices? When they watch a TV ad. And we bet you remember some cola adverts like they were family videos with their innocent songs and wholesome family scenes. What’s more, thanks to the internet, you can still make that emotional impact by shooting a corporate video without the millions in media spend.

So get some paper and write down what kind of a story you’ve got to tell. How did you get to be where you are? What change does your product make to the world? Whose lives have you altered? You need a beginning, middle and end. Also, make sure the tone of the story isn’t too stiff. Sure, you want to seem professional, but you’re showing the video to other people like you.

If you wouldn’t watch a dry corporate video in your spare time, neither will your customers. So make it gripping, and tell a story.

Editor’s Note: Visual Arena (http://www.visualarena.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

Contractors urged to be wary of misleading websites

Many a sole trader, limited company or contractor in London will have encountered copycat sites portraying themselves as legitimate public services – and now, the government has announced funding for a major crackdown by Trading Standards.

A press release from the Department for Business Innovation & Skills (BIS) stated that a further £120,000 had been committed by the Consumer Minister Jenny Willott to the National Trading Standards Board (NTSB) this financial year, enabling an investigation into such websites.

BIS said that NTSB would also use this money to take on websites that exaggerate the nature of the services that they provide, or those that fail to make clear that official websites can provide the same services less expensively or free of charge.

The conscientious contractor in London should therefore be pleased to read that the additional funding will make easier the NTSB’s identification, investigation and enforcement action against sites that wrongly portray themselves as official government services.

Willott commented: “Misleading websites which dupe people into believing they are using the official government channel need to be stopped in their tracks. The unfortunate reality is that a minority are exploiting those who are perhaps less web-savvy and we need to clamp down on them. These rogues that con people out of their hard earned cash need to know that the full glare of Trading Standards is now on them.”

She was supported by Lord Toby Harris, NTSB Chair, who described such deceptive copycat websites as “a growing problem”. He said that consumers – doubtless including many a contractor in London – had been urged by such sites to pay a fee or additional charge for a service that the official government website already offered, sometimes for free.

Harris added that such sites also posed a data protection risk to those duped, who were often required to volunteer information of a personal nature, in need of being securely stored. He said that it was “most welcome” that further support in tackling the problem had been offered by the government, concluding: “By working together in this way we look forward to reducing consumer detriment and supporting legitimate businesses.”

The government is also continuing its work alongside such organisations as Which?, major search engines like Google and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) to make the average contractor in London more aware of misleading websites and the threat that they pose.

Editor’s Note: SAIL Business Solutions (http://www.sailsolutions.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

How you can achieve the most flavoursome food photography

If you’re in food and drink marketing, you’re selling the sizzle. Your customers aren’t buying 10 beef burgers – they’re purchasing ten juicy, beefy, meaty mouth filling morsels of bovine succulence. Customers want to know it’ll be delicious. And people eat with their eyes, which makes food photography one of the most powerful techniques for getting attention.

A picture says a thousand words. So ask yourself what your current food photography is saying about your products. Is it capturing the glint on a glass of Glenlivet, or the fizz on the first Gin and Tonic of the afternoon? If it’s not, your drink sales might be flat.

Sell them the slurp. Get the photographer to take a crisp, close up of the glass that’ll be just a few inches from their customer’s face, and the brown peaks on the pie that they’ll be breaking a spoon into. If you wouldn’t eat in the dark, make sure the lighting is just right. Every advert you show the customer is a window into a dinner party held by your company. It needs the right ambience, and the food’s got to look fabulous like a host inviting the morsels into their mouths.

In marketing speak, this all part of the ritual of product use. If you can capture the moment on film when someone who is standing a foot away from a buffet says to themselves ‘ooh that looks tasty’, then people will live that feeling vicariously though the food photography. It’s a lot to accomplish on the side of a cardboard box. That's why there’s so much skill to food photography.

Did you know that people avoid blue foods because very little that is naturally blue is edible? Meanwhile, people are more drawn to red, because it’s the colour of antioxidants and juicy, sweet fruits. What’s more, the greater amount of white space around food and drink in an advert, the higher class it seems. Due to the value which we attach to scarcity, people assume pricier foods are tastier, and so setting is paramount.

Of course, Graham Precey understands all this, which is why your food will sizzle under his lens.

Editor’s Note: Precey.com (http://www.precey.com) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

Enjoy a soak in the sunshine or sleet

Hot tubs are wonderfully relaxing, but some people only use them for a small part of the year. Yet the cold weather doesn’t have to stop the fun. 

For starters, you can get a spa umbrella, which is a large cover to shield you from any precipitation. Imagine watching the snow descend while you’re snug in the warm tub. While being attached to the shell by a strong metal mast, it will keep the worst of the wind at bay, and what’s more, there are known health benefits of emerging from a hot tub only to roll in the snow. The Scandinavians swear by it. The change in temperature is thought to be great for the constitution and deeply reinvigorating. 

Of course, you needn’t leave the tub in order to control the settings. The Rio Round hot tub has a digital control panel that you can easily access from inside the pool of bubbling water.

The long term weather forecast for the next thirty days suggests that we will have a typical March. Our weather will start to warm slowly. Yet at nights, there will be occasional frosts and icy patches. However, you can enjoy South America-like temperatures with a Rio Round Hot Tub, which boasts a 2KW heater, and it has very good insulation. That means it stays warm very easily, so you can keep cosy even when the stars come out, and the extra lighting will help you after sunset.

Of course, summer is just a few short months away. Then, the umbrella can keep you shaded in the midst of the noontime heat as you enjoy a blisteringly hot July day. Just think about ending a BBQ in the tub. It can be a great finale to a dinner party too, and Hot tubs are a wonderful way to get a tan in the garden. You can cool off after a day at work, or enjoy the warming effects of three hydrotherapy jets that soothe away the aches of a day at the office.

Our hot tubs are a great way to spend your down time, whatever the weather.

Editor’s Note: Sapphire Leisure (http://www.sapphireleisure.com/) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.