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These are just some of the old wives tales we must endure in our industry! How many more do you know? Check out our list and answers on our blog. Made me laugh!

http://firstaidcoursesuk.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/the-maddest-advice-weve-ever-heard.html

Monday morning, and just had a right chancer get past my gate keeper!

DL Magazine Marketing called, chasing an outstanding invoice for an article in the NHS magazine. I handle all accounts myself, so my GK passed the call to me - apparently we owe them £360 - and this Cretin got pretty shirty with me, saying someone else must have authorised the ad!

Long and the short of it, they demanded payment (I also authorise marketing... shucks, It's only me that has a cheque book anymore here!). 

Told them where to stick it, but, I can well imagine someone new in business, or a bit jumpy just forking out to shut them up.

Their number with-held, and cant find anything about them online. It's January, and it's started already! Let the games commence!

It can take quite some time to get to number 1, 2, 3 in google - this is where you need to be to benefit from people finding your website, just through a search engine. 

There's a tonne of stuff that needs to be done to get there too - the good news it, the help is all right here to make it happen!

Make sure you are in all the directories like Yell, Thompson etc - the free listings that is.

To get found close to the top in the mean time, you may consider a paid listing with Yell, but be careful about price.

I'd personally consider having a freephone number (Check out Telecoms World PLC), and a geographic number for people to call by a mobile. You can get several virtual numbers with the local codes, all redirecting to your one real number - this is great for getting the local feel, even if you're several hundred miles away.

I also believe your business would benefit from leaflet drops - but, make sure the leaflets look awesome. Better still, include a fridge magnet / sticker with your contact details on - so when someone's appliance breaks down, they'll know who to call.

Market yourself by making how to videos, and posts. Be Geeky, talk about saving people money, and before you know it, you'll have a following.

As with all things, the more you engage with it, the more of a result you will get.

I expect around 20% results from any marketing endeavour. This is often too high of an expectation granted, but, it's a ball park to tweak with.

I've done many many many different things to market, and many many many things have failed.

The best thing is to figure out why it hasn't worked, change it, and re-try the new edition.

Love the picture Steve... a throw back to the Empire I think, and I totally love the way certain aspects of India carry this forwards even to this day. Check out youtube, and type in "Wagah Border ceremony". Although it's hilarious (Quoting Michael Palin, and HM the Queen), for anyone who's ex forces, you can really see the influence on both the Indian and Pakistani sides of the border. 

With haggling, again, if I were to replace the word negotiating with it, there certainly is a lot of success - and come to think of it now, Mobile Phones, IP phones, Net, Car Insurance, Business Insurance, Rent, and supplies have all been haggled (Negotiated) to a price in the ball park I wanted.

I will, as of next week try to lower the price of fuel in the forecourt.... Ill let you know how I get on... (Don't hold your breath!)

I never ever Haggle, and I never ever allow myself to be Haggled... (In Europe)

I do negotiate though. 

I think there's a huge difference. Haggling in my opinion is the market stall guy in Egypt who says to you "You buy?  good price my friend" (Que Egyptian accent)... Yes, a good price for him maybe. Product + Profit + Tourist Tax + 50 bucks

It's a game, he says 10 sheckles, you say 2, he says, 9, you say 3 and so on.

British business has never worked like this - which is why Brits are so pants at haggling when overseas, and spend $100 on a plaster of paris sphinx, made in china, sold in Egypt, value 50 cents, usually turns to dust on the flight home. 

Our prices in the uk are our prices, and we expect to go into a shop, and be shown the price for the product.

Now, negotiation is different. If I'm tendering for a contract, and I need to meet a budget, or beat a competitor, Ill shift so long as there's profit in the job still. 

When I buy a car, I check out the value of the vehicle, and Ill expect a shift on price if it's too much - being savvy on the margins of the seller.

I could never go into Tescos and haggled down the price of beans though - and likewise, outside of a meeting table for a large contract, the price printed is the price paid.

The First Aid Company though does have a price guarantee - if someone can find the same service, for less, we'll beat the price by 10%. (No one offers the same accredited service below our price, unless they are suffering because of us - and dropping prices to get business).

In dealing with sales to people not of British origin, in Britain, often, they have presented me with a situation where they are haggling for the business (B2C). This really makes me uncomfortable, and has caused me, in my earlier days, to just go in at my bottom price, with nowhere to move, and failing to get a sale.

There's nothing wrong with this - it's just different, and alien to the UK. If you go into the centre of communities which predominantly have ethnic minorities in them from outside of the EU, (Most cities have them) then this is commonplace. Go to, for example, St Davids in West Wales, and try and haggle, and you won't get too far!

So, my friend, you buy from me? Special Price my friend...

NB- this stereotypical image is based on my life experiences and in no way is meant to belittle a well established sales system as found in the Middle East.

Ah... Soaplands...!

I've actually used the Emmerdale Plane crash as a prelim to a mass exercise once.... complete with Cockpit and pig entrails... 

As far as First Aid is concerned, you're spot on. Unless the casualty is in danger, you keep them where they are, supporting the head, preventing any movement. As the car is upside down, well, we have a bit of a problem if the passengers are still in their seats (usually they flop out). I'd be tempted to support the weight of the casualty, and lower them slowly, whilst trying to support the head etc.

Cars tend not to explode into flames, and simply knocking off the ignition (if you can find it) or disconnecting the battery leads for major crashes. (Modern cars tend to unlock the doors and kill all power after airbag deployment).

This winter, (as in any winter) the chances of coming across someone parked up against a tree on a country lane is much higher than in summer.

Simply, Call for help (999), Keep the casualty warm (With a blanket), Keep their head in a nice central position with your hands either side of their head, Talk to them, reassure them, and wait.

If there is bleeding, then treat this. Is there isn't breathing, then treat this. 

As always, good First Aid training is critical. It not only informs, and educates, but it prepares. Just as your memory serves you well, this training can last a lifetime - but it's so important to be refreshed and up to date.

Our training covers realistic incidents, where others may not, with accredited qualifications, and tutors with a wealth of experience.... Oh... this is so becoming a pitch for us...

;-)

gMbH suggests it's a German registered company (And therefore can be checked and verified, incl viewing some trading history I think). Kanst du Deutsche sprechen oder? / Do you speak German? It would help to be able to speak / read it to check up on them.

Alternatively, Larger German companies will always have English as a business language to some degree. 

It just goes to show they aint that clever them folks over there...

I think it's more to do with business naivety, or perhaps trying to holistically cover all business angles. Either way, a suggestion for a webmaster to personalise their own results by adding ignore points surely would be a good thing! 

Absolutely... which is why we must take care of ourselves! (I so need to start!)

Chasing the dollar can result in Mr Death chasing us... and that's the truth for sure (Which is why everyone should be FIRST AID TRAINED! LOL)

In our communal kitchen at work, I stuck a sign up warning about keeping stuff clean (Cups, cutlery etc). When we moved in, I sanitised the place, and binned loads of stuff.

Every time I go in there, I do a quick scan, and if anything is dirty (Needing a wash) - in the bin it goes! 

The sign explains how I can't afford to be ill. I can't take time off from work. However much of that is really true - or just in my nature, I don't know. But one thing is for sure, getting injured as a member of staff can have a knock on affect in business, so when a business owner is out the picture, the whole empire can crumble.

Some simple basic advice has just been posted on our blogthingie, prompted by me sliding to my car this morning, scraping the snow off the window with a credit card, and then de-icing all the vehicles at work. I am ashamed to say, my winter preps were not yet loaded in the car.... they are now!

Link to Blog post: http://firstaidcoursesuk.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/first-aid-winter-tips.html