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3 ways to improve media transparency

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The Guardian, Sky, Vodafone, and a number of advertising agencies and banks pulled all of their advertising from Google in early 2017. Why? Their adverts were appearing alongside white supremacist hate speech on YouTube. Ultimately, this happened due to a lack of media transparency.

The debate on how to improve media transparency comes as a host of marketers face headaches in ensuring such transparency. Companies are finding a lack of transparency from media agencies they’ve used, with issues such as where adverts are being placed and how much they are costing.

So how exactly can you improve this and protect the money you are investing in media marketing?

 

Use an impartial third party

One way to improve media transparency is to employ an impartial third party. For example, media audit companies such as AuditStar offer a range of services, including media audits, to create this transparency. Independently carried out media audits ensure that media agencies are fulfilling their obligations as a service supplier to advertisers.

They thoroughly assess any media agencies being used, such as through establishing key performance indicators (KPIs) for the agencies. They carry out a media audit in order to identify how and where to improve the performance of the agency. They also set incentive based KPI’s for the agencies in order to implement an efficient working process, such as by clearly defining their scope of work, team roles and responsibilities.

Additionally, they provide media training for employers to deal with the the agencies, this empowers both sides, by helping the business to understand how the agency works and do some of the explanatory work that the agency may struggle with.

 

Move your media spending in house

Another effective way to improve media transparency is hiring an in house marketing person to give you direct access to how you are spending your money. A survey carried out by the WFA (World Federation of Advertisers) discovered that 65% of brands surveyed hired internally for positions such as media directors over the last year. A number of companies have taken this step, such as Tesco employing former Mindshare executive Nick Ashley to oversee media spending and internal controls.

Alternatively, you can even develop current employers if they are likely to have suitable skills for the role. As Alessandra Di Lorenzo, Lastminute.com’s commercial officer for media and partnerships states: “by developing in-house expertise, brands will be better placed to understand how their budgets are being spent and drive greater transparency right up the supply chain.” She points to such positions as operations or trafficking experts that could make a good audience buying manager.

 

Greater communication with the agency

For many companies, employing a third party or moving your media spending in house is just not viable, for financial reasons or otherwise. It is therefore recommended in such cases that you instead find ways to communicate clearly what you want from the agency you are using, and not letting them tell you what you think you want to know.

As Alessandra Di Lorenzo contends: “As advertisers and brands get more savvy about buying media, the whole industry will have to move towards greater transparency…”, such as through “…a more honest dialogue with agencies.” By simply engaging in more honest conversations with media agencies you can go a long way to making sure they are doing what you want them to do.

Media training by third parties, even one offs, can go a long way to provide employers with expertise to deal with agencies and understand the work they do. Importantly, it helps you to understand their value. Ensuring more transparent conversations with media agencies and ultimately getting more out of the relationship will better media transparency across all businesses.

Five tips when picking a condo

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If you’re someone who has ever considered purchasing a condo, then chances are you’ve already considered the many different advantages that this type of property can offer you, such as living closer to town, not having to perform as much maintenance, and, perhaps more important, being more in your overall price range. However, there are certain tips that you should make note of when it comes to selecting the right condo so that when the closing is finalized, you will be completely happy.

Here are five useful tips to consider when it comes to picking a condo.

1. Determine if the Condo Complex is Approved by the FHA

This is perhaps one of the most important things to keep in mind while considering your purchase, as the FHA, which is short for the Federal Housing Administration, enables borrowers to only pay a downpayment of 3.5% thanks to the popular FHA mortgage loan. This means that if you are purchasing a home for the first time and you don’t have a sizable savings account, you will be in luck. If a condo complex is FHA-approved, then someone looking to purchase a condo will not be able to do so without first obtaining an FHA mortgage loan. On the other hand, if a condo complex is NOT FHA-approved, this can affect buyers and sellers equally. You can obtain more information regarding FHA approval for condo complexes and the FHA mortgage loan from the Federal Housing Administration. You can visit their official website here.

2. Make Inquiries About Storage

One of the most common issues with condo complexes typically involves storage, as these types of residences normally aren’t designed for those who have a lot of things that need to be stored. If you think storage may become an issue for you, take the time to figure out what your particular storage options will need to be, as there are some condo complexes that do offer garages and other types of storage areas for you to utilize.

3. Hire a Real Estate Agent Who Has Experience with Selling Condos

This is another important tip to make note of, as this type of real estate agent will be able to assist you with getting through the entire purchase process. Purchasing a condo is much different than purchasing another type of property, such as a single-family home, multi-family home, or even a vacant lot. Furthermore, there are many different contingencies that are put into place that are separate from the more common contingencies that you would normally find in a sale and residential purchase contract. Even the purchase contract for a condo is different, as, in addition to signing a sales contract, you also will generally be required to sign a contract for the condo complex, which basically states that you agree to and understand all of their rules and regulations. This is why it’s so important to hire a real estate agent who knows all of the ins and outs of selling condos.

4. Ask About What the Condo Includes

Before making any kind of a final decision regarding your purchase, take a moment to ask about what all the condo would include. For instance, if you wish to have someone come and visit you, will there be extra parking spaces available for your guests to use? Will you have your own reserved parking area? As previously mentioned, are there options available in the event that you need extra storage space?

5. Do Research Regarding What Your Condo Association Fees Will Include

As important as it is to know how much your condo association fees will be, it’s also equally as important to know exactly what those fees will be getting used for. Typically, the majority of those fees will be put towards covering factors such as maintenance and insurance; However, you should take the time to do some of your own research in order to determine if there are any potential exclusions that may apply. Additionally, your condo association fees may also be put toward covering the following:

*Landscaping

*Maintaining your lawn

*Snow removal

*Regular trash pickup

*Sewer/water services

*Road maintenance

*Electricity

*Heating

Furthermore, if you live in a condo complex that offers amenities such as a swimming pool, clubhouse, etc., these fees may also be used to help keep those up for residents as well, even if you don’t plan to use them yourself.

These are just a select few of the many tips that you should make note of when it comes to picking a condo that is right for you and/or your family. There are so many other interesting ones that are available as well, which can be found simply by doing a little extra research. In the end, you should always make sure that you have all of the details you need before you make your final decision on the condo that you want, as this will help you make a more informed choice.

Ways to Write Off Debt In The UK

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It happens to the best of us: unexpected expenses come up, we put them on credit or take out loans, and suddenly find ourselves in over our heads with debt. It can even happen with recurring payments like a mortgage or regular bills. You may have gone for a period of time without work, or perhaps your salary was reduced, or you fell ill for an extended period. Whatever the circumstances, there are options in place in the UK to help you more quickly pay off your debts.

Debt Relief Order

A debt relief order is meant for those with low income and few or no assets. Once you and your creditor have agreed to a DRO, you stop making payments on the debt for a year. If your income does not increase to a suitable level for making repayments within that year, the debt is completely written off. Typically, creditors will agree to this only if they believe you will never be able to repay your debt anyway.

Individual Voluntary Arrangement

An individual voluntary arrangement freezes your debts, meaning no more interest is added on to them, and then allows you to make payments on them over an agreed upon period of time. If you still owe money after the agreed upon time period, the balance is written off. In order to qualify for an IVA, you need to prove that you have regular income, and that it will last for several years. This method of debt resolution is set up by someone known as an insolvency practitioner. They can help you put together a proposal for an individual voluntary arrangement and bring it to your creditors. Keep in mind that this type of agreement is legally binding, so you cannot back out of it once you and your creditor have agreed to the terms.

Debt Management Plan

If most of your debt is on credit cards, personal loans, store cards, or overdrafts, a debt management plan, or DMP, can help you pay off your debts as you can afford it. A DMP provider helps you to negotiate the terms for your DMP with your creditors, and then takes a monthly payment from you, which they relay to your creditors. A DMP cannot be used for debts accrued on TV license costs, council tax, court fines, utility bills, child support payments, mortgage payments, or rent payments.

Bankruptcy

Many people fear bankruptcy, and there are some very good reasons for it. While your bankruptcy is in progress, you will not be able to apply for credit without disclosing your bankruptcy, and after your bankruptcy, which remains on your credit rating, credit can be hard to obtain or very expensive. It also costs money to apply for bankruptcy, but the fee can be paid in installments if you cannot afford the lump sum. You may lose many or all of your assets during the bankruptcy process. It is best to discuss bankruptcy with a financial advisor before applying for it online.

Take your business to the next level

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There​ ​comes​ ​a​ ​point​ ​when​ ​growth​ ​plateaus ​and you​ ​chug along ​at​ the ​same​​ level. So it’s​ ​time​ ​for​ ​a​ ​new​ ​plan. A​ ​plan​ ​that’ll​ ​drive​ ​your​ ​business​ ​forward​ ​and​ ​take​ ​it​ ​to​ ​the​ next level.

Customer​ ​Focus​ ​and​ ​Talent​ ​Development

In​ ​2015, ​Brand​ ​Learning​​ ​published ​Growth Drivers an​ in​ ​depth​ study​ looking​ ​at some​ of the​ ​key​ ​growth​ ​opportunities​ ​for​ ​businesses​ ​of​ ​all​ ​shapes​ ​and ​sizes. ​The​ ​two biggest​ opportunities ​ identified​ were​ 1) ​customer​ happiness and​ 2) ​​development of​ talent ​within​ an​ ​organisation. ​So​ on​ a​​ ​strategic ​level​ this​ is​​ something​ you can​ ​work​ on ​to​ ​​drive growth.

Put​ ​the focusonyourcustomers

​​How can​ ​you ​deliver ​more ​value? ​Take​ the​ time​ ​to​ ​research​ ​them, ​understand​ ​what​ they’re​​ about. ​Talk​​ to​​ them, ​listen ​​and make ​changes​ that​ enable​ you​ to ​increase their​ satisfaction.

Invest inyour team

Make​​ it​​ ​easier for​ your​ staff ​​to​ ​learn​ ​new​ ​skills, ​​maximise their ​talents​ ​and​ be​​ involved​ with​ the growth​ of​ the​ ​business. ​This​ ​will​ ​help​ ​them be​ ​more​ ​productive​ ​and​ ​motivated, ​creating​ ​fresh​ ​energy​ ​that ​contributes​ ​to ​​your drive-for-growth.

Develop​ ​a​ ​Membership​ ​Strategy

You​ ​can​ ​drive​ ​your​ ​business ​forward by​ offering​ your​ customer ​a​ ​​membership plan​​ that​ delivers​ ​added​ ​value​ ​to​ the​ ​brand​ experience. ​Some​ ​of​ the​​ ​benefits ​​include:

  • Long-term​ ​engagement​. ​Members​ ​stay​ ​loyal​ and​ ​​will​ ​actively​ ​get​ ​involved ​​with your ​ ​
  • Warm​ ​ ​You’ll​ have​ ​a​ ​database​​ ​of people​ who​ ​​already trust​ you. ​So​ you​ can​ ​create​ ​campaigns ​that​​ generate​ ​more​ ​business.
  • ​ ​Members​ ​are​ ​more​ ​likely ​to​​ ​recommend​ ​your​ ​brand.

Team​ ​up​ ​With​ ​a​ ​Membership​ ​Management​ ​Service

Creating​ ​a​ ​truly​ ​meaningful​ ​membership​ ​experience​ ​requires​ ​excellent​ ​planning and ​ implementation.  You​ ​need​ ​to​ ​think​ ​about​ ​printed​ ​welcome​ ​packs, membership ​ cards, ​regular communication​ ​and​ ​other​ ​benefits. This​ ​can​ ​be​ costly and​ ​time​ ​consuming, ​especially​ ​if​ ​you​ ​don’t​ ​have​ ​the ​ ​skills​ ​and​ ​resources​ ​at​ ​your disposal.

However,​ ​you​ ​can​ ​get​ ​around​ ​this​ ​by​ ​using​ ​a​ ​professional​ ​membership management ​ service.​  Because​ they​ specialise ​in​  creating​ and maintaining membership​ ​experiences, ​ ​they’ll​ be able ​ to​​ implement​  ​your​strategy​ ​to a​ ​ very​ high ​ standard​ thereby​ making​ sure​ ​it ​gets​ ​results.​​They​ can​​ take​​ care​​ ​of​ the​ design and​ ​printing​ of​ literature,​ the​creation​ of membership ​cards,​ ​the mailing out​ ​of ​ communications,​ as ​ ​well​ ​as​ ​offering ​​expert ​​insights​ ​that​ ​can​ ​help​ ​you improve ​ your​​ strategy​ and​ ultimately​ ​​drive ​​your​ ​business​ ​forward.

Keep​ ​up​ ​with​ ​technology

The​ ​world​ ​is​ ​changing​ ​rapidly. ​ ​New technologies​ ​emerge​ every​ year and​ ​ they’re​ affecting ​ the​ ​way​ ​we​ ​do​ business,​ the​ way​ ​we​​ deliver​ value​ ​to​ customers ​​and ​​the​ way​ we operate.​ Look​ at​ the ​latest​​ developments;​ how​ can​​ ​you ​exploit them?​ By keeping up​ with ​ the​ ​ latest​ technology,​ you​ can​ ​get​ ahead​ ​and ​win ​​valuable market​​ share​ from your​ key ​competitors​ who​ ​themselves​ ​might​ ​be​ ​slow​ in​ ​keeping​​ ​up​ ​with​ ​the​ ​times.

Digital:​ ​Business​ ​Blogging

Business​ ​Blogging​ ​is​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​key​ ​tactical​ ​areas​ ​of​ ​generating​ ​online​ ​growth. It​ contributes​ ​to​ ​several​ ​strategic ​​objectives:

  1. Brand​ ​awareness​ ​and ​Positions ​you​ in​​ the​​ ​market​ ​as​ ​a​ ​trusted authority. ​ Gives​ ​ people​ ​ a​ ​ ​chance ​​to​ ​engage​ with​​ ​and​ learn​​ ​about​ ​your​ ​brand.
  2. Helps yourank​ ​well​ ​in​​ search​ ​​Producing ​authoritative​ content​ ​on​ ​a​ regular ​basis​ means​ ​ you​ ​ ​have ​​more​ ​pages​ being​  ​indexed by​​ search​ ​engines.​​ ​Not only that,​ but​ other​ high​ ​ authority  ​ publications​ might​ reference​ ​your​ ​material​ ​on their ​websites,​ meaning​ ​you​ ​get ​ high ​quality​  backlinks​​ ​which​ ​boost​ ​your​ ​domain authority.
  3. Helps​ ​you​ ​get​ ​found by​ ​​People​ go​ online​ ​to​ ​seek ​information. ​Having​ ​relevant​ ​material​ ​that​ ​ranks ​ ​well​ in​ ​​search​ ​engines​ ​means​ ​you’re ​​more likely​ ​to​ ​be​ ​discovered​ ​by​ ​potential​ ​customers.
  4. Drives ​ ​social media​ ​Sharing​ high-quality​ content on ​social​​ media​ will help​​ ​drive​ ​traffic​ ​to​ ​your​ ​website​ ​and,​ ​in​ ​the​ ​long ​​run,​ ​improve​ ​conversion rates.

Traditional:​ ​Direct​ ​Mail

While​ ​many​ ​companies​ ​are​ ​reaping​ ​the​ ​benefits​ ​of​ ​digitisation,​ ​there​ ​is​ ​a​ ​significant opportunity ​ in​ ​ traditional​ marketing​ tactics.​  Direct mail​ is​ ​one​​  ​of them. A​ ​clever​ and​creative​ ​direct​ ​mail ​ ​campaign​ ​is​ ​a​ ​great​ ​way ​to​​ ​get​ ​noticed​ because​​ people value​​ tactile experiencesmore thandigitalones.​  ​By reaching​ places​  ​that digital ​ marketing​ can’t,​ it​ can ​ help​ you​ generate​ additional​ sales ​​and​ ​forge​ ​new  ​​customer​ ​relationships.

 

Producing Video in Manchester: What You Need to Know

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Manchester is one of the UK’s most dynamic cities and a great place to produce video, with a variety of interesting locations and numerous professional video production businesses to help you achieve your goals.

Whether you’re shooting commercial video or producing a film, it’s important to be aware of the most common issues associated with video production before you start planning your production project and reaching out to people to become involved.

Below, we’ve listed four things you should know about video production in Manchester to help you enjoy a smoother, smarter and less stressful shooting, editing and production process.

 

Want to shoot on location? Ask for permission first

While shooting video on private property is quick and simple, you’ll need to ask for permission from the Manchester City Council before you attempt to shoot video in a public space, such as one of the city’s parks or other public areas.

Public filming requests for Manchester are handled by Screen Manchester, which liaises with the council to provide location filming permission for filmmakers and businesses interested in producing video using Manchester’s public spaces.

For news-related video filming, you can also directly contact the Manchester City Council Press Office.

 

Never done this before? Hire a film production company

Filming, editing and producing video is a stressful, challenging process, especially for someone new to video production. If you’re producing a video for your company or organisation, you’ll get better results by hiring a company to manage the process than by completing it in-house.

From sound levels to colour correction and other aspects of post-production, producing quality video is far harder than it looks. Hiring an experienced company like Video Production Manchester to manage the process than by completing it in-house.

 

Budget for your production ahead of time

It’s important to have a clear, specific and itemised budget ready for your video production in advance of shooting. Video projects are notorious for costing more than expected — an effect that’s often caused by not preparing a clear, firm budget in advance.

A good budget will specify the amount you can afford to spend on skilled professionals such as camera operators and editing staff, as well as an overall cost for the production. If you’re filming in-house, it should also specify your budget for equipment and studio space rental.

 

Prepare everything before you start filming

Finally, it’s even more important to have a complete plan for your production ready before you begin. From locations to storyboards, you’ll want to have every aspect of your production fully planned out and sorted before you start filming so that you never need to improvise.

Before you even shoot a second of footage, you need to have a finished script. You also need a detailed storyboard for your production, as well as a complete shot list. You need a plan for all of your b-roll footage (believe us — you’ll need plenty of it when it’s time to edit).

Need help preparing for your production? Single Grain has a great guide to pre-production for corporate and promotional videos.

The better your preparation, the better your final production. Forget to plan for your corporate or creative video and you’ll have to scramble to solve problems when it’s time to shoot. Plan it out ahead of time and you’ll enjoy a stress-free shoot and better final results.

How to Open a Company in China

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As the world’s second largest economy and a major manufacturing base, China is an appealing place to open a company and establish a business presence.

Opening a company in China can be a challenging process, particularly for entrepreneurs used to the process of opening and operating a company in the West. However, opening a business in China as a non-citizen is possible, albeit with several major cultural and legal differences.

Unlike the UK or USA, China only provides limited business ownership opportunities for people that are not citizens of the PRC. As a non-citizen, the type of company you can own and run is known as a WFOE, or wholly foreign owned enterprise.

A WFOE is owned entirely by a foreign entrepreneur. Unlike a Chinese company, a WFOE can return many of its profits abroad, allowing it to easily trade with businesses in different countries and distribute its profits to foreign investors.

There are also other company types open to non-Chinese entrepreneurs in China, such as joint ventures and equity joint ventures. However, these companies do not provide full ownership to a foreign entrepreneur.

A WFOE is similar to the Western limited liability company. From a legal perspective, it exists on an independent basis from its owners as a separate legal entity.

There are several ways to open a WFOE in China. As China is a large country, the most suitable way to open a company depends not only on the industry you intend to enter in China, but also the region in which you intend to operate.

For example, the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, which was established in 2013, makes it easier for small and mid-sized businesses to operate in China. Within the FTZ, there is no minimum share capital requirement for company, as well as more stringent incorporation rules.

After you’ve decided on a location for your business, you can begin the process of registering and incorporating the company.

The most effective way to begin opening a company in China is to speak with an experienced, China-based business lawyer. A lawyer or firm that specializes in China business registration will be able to complete most of the application process on your behalf.

It’s particularly important to work with an experienced lawyer throughout the process as China doesn’t always operate like the West. Procedures can be slower than you may be accustomed to, and wildcards can disrupt the process for you as an outsider.

An expert China-based lawyer can also assist you in the process of opening a Chinese bank account, allowing your company to operate effectively within China and abroad. China has a large business banking market that includes well-known companies such as HSBC.

Finally, an experienced lawyer can act as a local liaison, allowing you to find office space for your China-based business, hire local staff and complete a range of important processes that can be difficult for non-citizens and non-Chinese speakers.

Starting a business in China can be a challenging process, but the country’s rapid growth and large economic size make it a prospect worth considering. Just make sure you use the advice about to avoid the most common Chinese business incorporation mistakes.

 

M&A Fee Guide

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It is always difficult to find out how firms all around you approach the issue of investment and banking fees. However, plenty of these answers seem to be present in the second edition of the now annual information guide offered by Firmex and Divestopedia . This M&A fee guide is a comprehensive outlook at the market, compiling data from 471 advisers, bankers, and enthusiasts of the market. The aim of the report is to take a sweeping look at the market and offer reliable information about M&A fees , elaborating on what is being charged across the board and zeroing in on why there are a variations in key areas.

The report delves into the intricacies of M&A, dissecting the fees across towns and cities and then looking at those figures in comparison to the global picture. It provides gems such as transaction values in different places, deal flow in areas where fees are the highest, and fee percentages in comparison to general sizes of deals. In order to examine the validity of the figures laid out and the arguments put forth, heavy lifters from places such as Dentons, IAM group and BDP have been brought on board to take a look at the status quo and serve up their take.

Significant findings

M&A success percentages are not the same in any two areas of the world. A good example is a scenario where in the US Pacific, the success rates come in at between 2 and 4% of deals that rise up to $50 million in value. However, as you move across the North Eastern Part of the US, the percentages seem to deplete, coming in at between 1 and 2%. This raises a very important point; if you are an M&A adviser, you should never rely on general averages when analyzing fees, because if you do, you are going to miss the local perspective. This is not to say that national averages are not important; they are, but they need to take on a lesser significance as compared to what is on the ground. The danger with setting your fees at the level of the national average is that you could end up either putting the client in a jinx or even short-changing yourself in situations where local fees tend to rise higher than what the national average would suggest.

Generally, it seems that the marketplace is slowly coming to the realization that M&A works best when the interests paid to bankers align with what sellers receive. Overall, 45% of those asked said that they feel comfortable in such a situation as opposed to a wild card market scenario where one party runs away with the margins.

An interesting finding is that there seems to be no consensus as to the basis of the calculation of success fees. It also seems like the industry does not consciously align itself at the time success fees are dished out. However, 76% of those who were asked indicated that they do factor earnouts when coming up with a success fee.

The force behind the report, Firmex, is a popular virtual data room provider, and its findings are on the books over 100,000 major companies across the globe.

PDF Report Here

Is the house bubble finally set to burst?

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While the UK economy may have endured a period of decline over the last 18 months, the housing market has continued to perform impressively (with an admittedly restricted rate of growth).

This may be about to change, however, with home-owners fearful that house prices may finally be about to plummet against a backdrop of rising inflation and a potential interest rate hike.

Are these fears justified, however, and should we expect the housing bubble to finally burst in the UK?

What do the numbers say?

According to a recent survey by the Halifax, one-in-five (20%) of British adults said that they expected house prices to fall during the next year. This highlights just how far confidence has fallen in the UK economy, with the latest data revealing the weakest reading for customer expectations since October 2012.

Interestingly, it is home-owners under the age of 25 who are considered to be the least optimistic, as the effects of rising inflation and stagnate real wage growth create a cumulative effect in the minds of consumers. With less disposable income to spend, householders have a negative perception of the economy and many cannot see the property market sustaining growth in the current climate.

This feeling of negativity has been exacerbated by the prospect of the forthcoming Bank of England (BoE) policy meeting, which will take place next week. It is hotly anticipated that the base interest rate of 0.25% will be increased for the first time in a decade at this meeting, sending the cost of borrowing soaring and triggering a further hike in the cost of living.

A perfect storm for home-owners and consumers in the UK

Without doubt, this macroeconomic climate is creating a perfect storm for home-owners and consumers in the UK, with concerns about declining property value and negative equity abound. Not only this, but of the 535 mortgage holders questioned by Halifax, 33% were concerned about their ability to meet repayments in the wake of a proposed interest rate hike.

With these points in mind, it is little wonder that home-owners are growing increasingly concerned about the state of the economy and the trajectory of house prices in the UK. The question that remains is whether the extent of these concerns is justified, as while the rate of growth in the market may have stalled, house prices have yet to experience a sustained decline.

Of course, the concern is that the rising cost of borrowing will impact heavily on demand, causing prices and values to fall incrementally in the months ahead. So even with online agents such as Hatched reducing the cost of actively selling real estate, the increased cost of borrowing will automatically prevent some aspiring buyers from making their move.

The last word

Ultimately, the biggest takeaway here is the declining level of consumer confidence, with households finding their disposable income squeezed and willingness to spend negatively impacted.

This not only reduces the amount of money that is reinvested into the economy, but it also creates a negative mind-set that could last well into 2018 and beyond.

UK Rental Values Continue to Rise

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According to the latest Rental Index data released by landlord insurance provider, HomeLet, rental values in the UK rose by an average of 2.1% last month (September). This rise in rental values follows the trend seen in recent months following a period over the summer in which rental price inflation was fairly low or even negative in some parts of the country.

Rise in rents across the country

The average monthly rental agreed on a new tenancy last month was £927 according to the latest figures, compared to £908 in the same month of last year.

Higher rental values were recorded in almost every region of the UK last month, with only the South East of England recording a negative rate of annual rental price inflation. Northern Ireland on the other hand experienced inflation of 4.3% last month — the highest recorded inflation rate recorded in that period.

Why have rental values risen?

Inflation in rental values before the Summer was higher than we are experiencing now. But after the Brexit vote in June, foreign investors and landlords were temporarily scared of the ramifications. This fear has now subsided and rental values have recovered, showing a steady growth in the past few months.

Landlords have also been hit with a rise in taxes which has prompted them to bump prices up to cover mounting costs. The increase in stamp duty brought in last year as well as other rising costs has made it increasingly difficult for landlords to make a profit. The only way landlords can hit their bottom line is by increasing the rent they charge tenants.

Commenting on the rise in rental values, HomeLet CEO Martin Totty said: “It wouldn’t be surprising if landlords, seeing their own current and anticipated cost increases, seek to pass these costs on to tenants to preserve the returns from capital they have invested in residential property assets.”

He adds: “This may prove to be the start of that upward movement, especially if tenants are left competing for fewer rental properties because some landlords decide the returns from property investment are being eroded by factors beyond their control.”

What does this mean for tenants?

With rental values on the rise, it’s not looking good for tenants. It’s expected that rental values will continue to rise across the country, most notably in the capital where inflation is highest. The average rental value for a property in London now stands at £1,609.

 

Compounded by the fact that millions of young people can’t afford to buy a property, the demand for rental properties will remain high, as will inflation.

The Top Five Ways You Can Successfully Launch Your Product Online

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When a business has found or developed a new product and wants to present it to the public, it has to invest in marketing – and that can be difficult. There’s the budget to consider, and within that budget a solid marketing strategy has to be developed. Every business strives for the greatest return of investment, so it’s normal the issue can be tricky.

Getting your product out there for the target demographic to see and try out for the first time is the ticket to success, but there are some challenges to overcome. No matter how good your product might be, there won’t be a positive reaction if nobody knows about it. Here are the top five ways you can successfully launch your product online.

The Amazon buy box

By putting products in the same category as others and selling them online, you immediately promote your product on the strength of others. Getting the Amazon buy box is a perfect solution to this – and you can win the Amazon buy box with just the right tools at your disposal.

Create a give-away project

Nobody minds receiving a free gift, and with a little marketing research it’s easy to make sure your free gift is given to the right person and becomes a lucrative investment. Free goodies might attract the wrong people, but it’s an excellent way to draw people to your site or social media accounts, and it’s perfect to generate attention.

Teaser campaign

Even before your product gets launched, there is plenty you can do to promote awareness and get people curious about your product – create a teaser campaign on Facebook or other forms of social media, and people are sure to start talking. People love excitement, and with some excitement already built up, you’re sure to bring the launch to a new level.

Crowd-funding platforms

Crowd-funding platforms are usually the go-to for funding, but they’re also an excellent platform for getting the word out. And who knows, your product might indeed get attention from the right people and send your business in a much better direction.

Create inexpensive ads

Social media is the way to go if you want to run an ad campaign; it gives a great ROI.

Here’s one more thing you should definitely be looking into: finding influential people who can market your product. These people need not necessarily be famous; they need only to have certain influence. For example, if your product requires some science to explain it, a well-respected authority figure within that field will make it easier for you to gain respect. Similarly, people with a high following have a wider reach and can spread your message much further in a short time. Get help; find the right people to do it. It’s all about creating awareness and the ability to convince.

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