Monthly Archive for April, 2009

Maths business adds up for teachers

Most parents of primary school-age children know the uneasy feeling of trying – but failing – to help them with their homework.

Maths is a particular problem as the way the subject is taught now is very different to when most parents were at school.

Wiltshire teachers Jan Heppenstall and Rosie Mayes realised there was a viable business in producing a novel, easy-to-use method of allowing embarrassed parents to brush up on their adding, subtracting, multiplying and division in a way that would also help their children.

Jan, a former primary school teacher, said: “We were always getting parents asking us questions about how we were teaching maths. They were struggling at home because it is now taught very differently to the way they remember when they were at school.”

They came up with 24 colour-coded cards aimed at parents of children aged between 7 and 11 year olds working on maths at Key Stage 2 level.

After nearly two years of working on the design they took the plunge last October and launched Hycah – which stands for Help Your Child At Home – with the help of Business Link.

Like many teachers, Jan and Rosie loved their jobs but were tiring of the endless paperwork and other admin tasks.  “We had started thinking about a way out – something that would draw on our teaching experience,” said Jan, who has been teaching for around 20 years.

“I think it was Rosie who came up with the idea of cards. We worked at it for quite a while, looking at various options and got a designer involved. That was in January last year and we spent quite a bit of time looking at various designs and also getting a simple website up and running.”

Jan and Rosie, both of whom live near Marlborough, expected to pick up sales over the internet but almost all have come from local schools.

“We’ve contacted a lot of schools directly,” said Jan, who is now a part-time swimming teacher.
“We’ve both been teaching long enough to know the schools around here. Most have been really supportive and can see the benefits of offering parents the cards.”

The lack of online sales surprised Jan and Rosie, a former headteacher who has 30 year’s classroom experience, and they are now hoping to update their website to increase its showing on search engines.

The cards have been sold to a school in London where Rosie had a contact and they are now targeting schools in nearby Berkshire and contacting parent-teacher associations. They are also working with a designer on a new flyer.

The cards, which sell for £14.99 a pack, are also being used by adults with learning difficulties and some teachers are using them as classroom aides.

“It’s still early days and we both have other jobs but we’re pleased it’s going well,” said Jan.
“We’ve been asked whether we can produce cards for Key Stage One maths and for reading, so there are other things we can look at.”

Jan is delighted with the help they received from Business Link before they even started up Hycah. She attended a three-day course ahead of launching the business.  “Our adviser Christopher Pearson has been a real boost,” she said. “We’re teachers, not business people so we’ve really appreciated the help he’s given us.  “It’s good to talk to someone on the same wavelength to us. It’s been a real boost.”

Christopher Pearson said: “Jan and Rosie have been really focused on getting this interesting business off the ground and I’m sure they’ll be successful.”

Hone your sales technique with a few simple steps.

To secure sales, you must find businesses that will benefit from your products or services and target key decision-makers who have the power to buy.  Sales leads can be sourced through the Internet, trade publications, newspapers, attending network and conference events or referrals from an existing client.

When you spot a potential lead, log where the company is based and the name of a key contact, e.g. the owner or purchasing manager. Visit the company website to find out who their customers are and how your product or service could help with their particular business needs.

Pick up the phone
Cold calling brings many out in a cold sweat, but a phone call is a personal way to make that first contact. Being prepared will boost your confidence. Consider your company’s unique selling point and prepare a crib sheet so you can quickly communicate benefits relevant to a potential client’s business. Try to establish a date and time for a meeting so you can further discuss what you can do for their business.

Put it in writing
If you have a name and contact address for a key decision-maker, you may prefer to send a letter or email. Keep written communications short and include a client testimonial to show your credentials. Follow-up your letter or email with a phone call to establish a time to meet.  Always check whether companies have registered with the telephone or mail preference services as they may prefer not to receive marketing communications.

Successful sales appointments
Set out your objectives prior to a meeting and thoroughly research the client’s business and customers. Your research is likely to raise some questions, so prepare a ‘need to find’ list to expose gaps or issues your business could solve. Focus your presentation on:
• Introducing your business and its products and services
• Outlining key benefits relevant to the client
• Addressing any potential objectives you think the client might have.

Close the deal
Be enthusiastic about forming a relationship with the client, but not so excited as to appear desperate. Testimonials will help convince a client they are in safe hands as well as the way you handle objections in an informed and professional manner. A client may want to negotiate on price, but don’t be tempted to undersell your products or services as this could result in unacceptable profit margins and an expectancy you will lower the price further.

Further information:

Read our guide planning to sell

Use our interactive tool identify potential sales channels

Be inspired by our tips on how to develop and test your business idea.

An economic downturn can make would-be entrepreneurs apprehensive about starting a new business, but a killer idea will give your venture lift-off.  Dragons’ Den regular Deborah Meaden says recessionary times can present good circumstances to start a new business as entrepreneurs must come up with watertight and well-researched ideas if they are to secure funding from cautious lenders.  Here are a few pointers on how to turn the dream into reality.

Come up with an idea
If you’re still waiting for inspiration to strike, there are considerations which can help hurry it on its way. Do you have any skills that could form the basis of a new business? Is there a gap in the market in the industry you currently work in? Can you identify a social trend that other businesses are yet to capitalise on? Do you have a hobby that could be turned into a business? Has there been a time when you needed a product or service that nobody else provides?

Does your idea pass the test?
The inklings of an idea are emerging, but they’ll need research and refinement to ensure they translate into a viable business. Market research is crucial to proving that your idea fills the all-important gap in the market. Canvass friends or colleagues or put your best foot forward and survey the public.

Research your competitors to see what has and hasn’t worked in your industry and pitch your ideas or prototype to a focus group. Feedback is vital, but protect your intellectual property by securing a patent for inventions or a trademark for your proposed brand or logo. Keep testing your idea throughout the development stage and you’ll have a greater understanding of your potential customers, the marketplace and how your product fits.

Further information:

Read our guide research and develop your business idea

Read our guide protecting intellectual property

Use our interactive tool the start up organiser