My Business Story

[faithfulguy888]

Hi my names Rob im the manager of an ever so successful security company based in Cardiff, South Wales. The last 2 years I was worker for another security company as a normal worker they never gave me a chance to shine as I knew I had what it took to get to management. But was not given the opportunity to show what I could do.

Now take a look at me my population in the business world is rising and im not a pet for another mans company anymore .... im free!!! and it feels so good to say take a look at me now.

Im sure there are many of you out there that have been in a business for so long and all of a sudden a new guy walks in and becomes a manager in just a few days making you feel angry that you worked for that guy for years and some newbie got the job you really deserve.

my advice to you who work for others is go for your dream if you believe you can achieve it, its yours for the taking. Go for it.

my website on my business http://www.cougarsecurity.org.uk i built myself and created the logo feel free to take a look at what i do and offer.

robert pope
managing director
Cougar Security Organization

[Jayne]

Hi Rob,

Welcome to the forum :D

Jayne

[Pilfo]

Hi Rob and welcome to the Forum.

Congratulations on the development and build of your website.

However, if you don't mind a bit of critique, to make it, your business and yourself appear more professional, you need to sort out the text, as some of it is not exactly grammatically correct.

Pilfo

[MinuWeb]

Hi,
welcome,

Actually alot of your text is not grammatically correct and there is alot of spelling mistakes.

I would suggest using a professional to write the text content for your site, there are a few who frequent these forums that I am sure would be willing to help. I believe that the way some security companies have been labeled in the past (dodgy, unethical etc etc) it is an area where you really need to make your professionalism show to potential clients

[Pilfo]

Thanks vshosting, I didn't want to be too harsh on Rob. Yes, I also noticed many spelling mistakes within the text.

Actually alot of your text is not grammatically correct and there is alot of spelling mistakes.

Whoops! Should read...."Actually A LOT of your text is not grammatically correct and there ARE A LOT of spelling mistakes."

Pilfo

[MinuWeb]

Whoops! Should read...."Actually A LOT of your text is not grammatically correct and there ARE A LOT of spelling mistakes."


Thats why I don't write the content for my sites :D

[directmarketingadvice]

Hi Robert

I don't know the security business, but I'd imagine that your policy of using only ex-police, ex-military and experienced security staff will be a big plus for your potential clients.

Would it be fair to say some firms employ the wrong sort of people in your field and clients are concerned that security staff will overstep the mark?

If so, you should make sure your staffing policy is a major feature of any sales activities you do (I'm guessing you already do this).

It would be worth re-stating this on your "jobs" page, telling people not to apply if they don't meet this criteria. THis way, potential clients will see you're serious about it.

Apart from this, as others have said, you need to re-write the text as there are many errors and it's pretty unwieldy.

However, that aside, the content's good and, once re-written, it will be a good site.

It's only a few pages, so I'd do the re-writing myself for £50 (send me a personal message if you're interested).

Maybe someone will offer to do it for less.

Steve

[faithfulguy888]

Hey thanks all for the info I am working on a new website as i am aiming to rebuild it to become more professional looking. In the new version of my website i will have all mistakes taken care of and its jobs page will have an online application form for people to apply for work.

until then people :D have a drink on me :wink:

[LindseyMHC]

Hi Robert,

I see from your last posting that you are already working on a new website and that spelling and grammar have been looked at. Your website is the shop window to your market and it is extrememly important that you get the impression right.

If you want anyone to look over the copy you have had re-written for suitability and for marketing/pr impact then come back to me.

I'be been in marketing and pr for 15 years have a lot of experience I can pass on to you. Don't be afraid to ask.

Good luck with your company.

Kind regards,

Lindsey.

[Cornish Steve]

Thanks vshosting, I didn't want to be too harsh on Rob. Yes, I also noticed many spelling mistakes within the text.

Actually alot of your text is not grammatically correct and there is alot of spelling mistakes.

Whoops! Should read...."Actually A LOT of your text is not grammatically correct and there ARE A LOT of spelling mistakes."

Pilfo

Oops. You are missing a couple of commas and, in UK English, the full stop comes after the inverted commas. :)

(Sorry. I couldn't resist.)

[faithfulguy888]

god bless you for you like to rub it in. If one man has a disability does he not ever match up to them on top. Did david not defeat goliath who was stronger and out sized him.

well i was brought up a christian and too me if i can not spell or put grammer into things does not mean i can not seal a deal or compete with any of the best of other companies of my type.

people called me thick for many years and now i take an income of 90k a year there laugh just went alot quiet since.

see to me i will not rub it in on people if they make mistakes i will help them for who would i be to judge them of a weakness.

as i see it the lord uses the weak to show how strong he is. it is sad why some people just like to take apart in mockery of anothers weakness
..........

[Cornish Steve]

god bless you for you like to rub it in. If one man has a disability does he not ever match up to them on top. Did david not defeat goliath who was stronger and out sized him.

well i was brought up a christian and too me if i can not spell or put grammer into things does not mean i can not seal a deal or compete with any of the best of other companies of my type.

people called me thick for many years and now i take an income of 90k a year there laugh just went alot quiet since.

see to me i will not rub it in on people if they make mistakes i will help them for who would i be to judge them of a weakness.

as i see it the lord uses the weak to show how strong he is. it is sad why some people just like to take apart in mockery of anothers weakness
..........

I was being light-hearted. If my comment came across as mockery, I apologise.

Earlier this evening, I read the message thread against belittling others at this forum. I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiment. Most certainly, I do not want to be accused of it myself.

Thanks for being candid.

[Pilfo]

Hi goldctrsteve,

"Excellence in communication!"

That being the case, then shouldn't your exclamation mark come after the inverted commas?

Rules for inverted commas:

Use single ones only for quotations within quotations. Thus: “When I say ‘immediately’, I mean some time before April,” said the spokesman.

For the relative placing of quotation marks and punctuation, follow Hart's rules. Thus, if an extract ends with a full stop or question-mark, put the punctuation before the closing inverted commas. His maxim was that “love follows laughter.” In this spirit came his opening gambit: “What's the difference between a buffalo and a bison?”

If a complete sentence in quotes comes at the end of a larger sentence, the final stop should be inside the inverted commas. Thus, The answer was, “You can't wash your hands in a buffalo.” She replied, “Your jokes are execrable.”

If the quotation does not include any punctuation, the closing inverted commas should precede any punctuation marks that the sentence requires. Thus: She had already noticed that the “young man” looked about as young as the New Testament is new. Although he had been described as “fawnlike in his energy and playfulness”, “a stripling with all the vigour and freshness of youth”, and even as “every woman's dream toyboy”, he struck his companion-to-be as the kind of old man warned of by her mother as “not safe in taxis”. Where, now that she needed him, was “Mr Right”?

When a quotation is broken off and resumed after such words as he said, ask yourself whether it would naturally have had any punctuation at the point where it is broken off. If the answer is yes, a comma is placed within the quotation marks to represent this. Thus, “If you'll let me see you home,” he said, “I think I know where we can find a cab.” The comma after home belongs to the quotation and so comes within the inverted commas, as does the final full stop.

But if the words to be quoted are continuous, without punctuation at the point where they are broken, the comma should be outside the inverted commas. Thus, “My bicycle”, she assured him, “awaits me.”


Incidentally, how do you insert, for instance, "Pilfo wrote" in place of "Quote?" (or is it "Quote"? :lol: )

Pilfo

[americatelefon.com]

Hi! Welcome to the forum!

[Cornish Steve]

That being the case, then shouldn't your exclamation mark come after the inverted commas?

Oh dear. One flippant comment, and I have hijacked someone's introduction to the forum.

Pilfo, if you would like to continue the discussion, let's do so elsewhere. I can explain the order of punctuation. To quote a phrase used recently (and correctly) by Silly Jokes, most others probably don't give a ****.

Robert, welcome to the forums, and sorry for distracting readers from your business. Good luck chasing that dream. It's what keeps us all going.

[webit]

Robert. First of all welcome to the forum and I hope you have fun here and get some useful information.

But please.. Chill out. Any grammatical observations are made with the intension of helping your online image, and remember, the people who are offering this advice for free are the ones you’d normally pay for such advice outside the forum.

My grammar is spectacularly bad and if any of my typos were on display to the world on my site I’d want to know about it. It’s unfortunate but your business skills are judged on how you present yourself, and your site is your shop window.

(Written first, as always, in MS Word before posting!)

:)

[Cornish Steve]

It’s unfortunate but your business skills are judged on how you present yourself, and your site is your shop window.

I couldn't agree more. First impressions are lasting impressions. By definition, you only get one chance to make a first impression.

[faithfulguy888]

I am rebuilding my website and now have a grammer checker as well as spell checker. So please do not send anymore about grammer and spelling, as i would like to change the subject into marketing can anyone give me any tips on marketing a security company, so far i have e-mailed different firms that is how im getting work for my staff. I have tried opt-in email and it never seems to take any effect :?

Please feel free to send some hints or tips to anyone who is a master at marketing

thanks guys

:wink:

[Jayne]

Hi,

Try getting out and about and visit companies in person. Not all businesses have web sites, so you may be missing out on potential clients. Also try the old fashioned way, envelope and stamp :D

Best Wishes

Jayne

[LindseyMHC]

Rob,

The biggest tip I can give you is to put yourself in the position of the people you are trying to reach, i.e your market, and think of what they read, do, where they go, etc.

If you need some clarification on this or want to chat further then contact me offline either my phone (T01372 274975) or via e-mail (lindsey@bojangle.co.uk).

Good luck with it all.

Lindsey.

[Ozzy]

I was wondering where this thread was going everywhere. Its a welcome to Robert - so hello Robert! Welcome to the forums and I hope your introduction here doesn't distract from the theme of these forums :)

[Rob Holmes]

Please feel free to send some hints or tips to anyone who is a master at marketing

Hi Robert and welcome to UKBF.

Well I don't claim to be a master at marketing but would it be acceptable to look through the local papers, see where there have been burglaries, breaking etc recently and maybe leaflet drop the specific area?

Rob

[Cornish Steve]

can anyone give me any tips on marketing a security company

Before coming up with a marketing approach, you need to have a strategy in place. What makes you different? Why should a company choose you and not a competitor? The classic business model states that either you are the low-cost leader or you differentiate. If you choose to differentiate, you must deliver something not available from others.

I know nothing about security, but I can guess what things might be important: on-site presence, experienced guards, installed cameras, guard dogs, 24x7 monitoring, ... Sit back and think critically: What makes you different? Build on this until you have a clear and distinct message.

Once you have a strategy defined, you'll be in a better position to put in place a marketing program.

[Jayne]

Hi Rob,

Showing your web site is like a red rag to a bull with this lot :D They are all very nice people really and don't worry, I too could not spell right if my life depended on it. If we all had the same abillities the world would be a boring place. I may not be able to spell, but I can ice hell of a wedding cake. I wouldn't be able to do your job and I bet the other couldn't either :lol: Life is too short to worry too much about full stops :D (unless you are a web designer)

Best Wishes

Jayne

[faithfulguy888]

I already have a strategy in place my strategy is to supply any type of guard at the lowest quote guaranteed.

To the question of strategy I am already trading and earning well. But I know I could do better thats why I asked for help on marketing.

I also differ from other security companies such as door supervisors, many companies charge upto £20 per hour for door supervisors. Whilst I charge much less and supply my doorman with handcuffs making it an easier aspect to restrain a violent customer in a nightclub.

:D you business people have been such a help in my mission to beat all odds against me. Its made this subject in the forum a big attraction people from the other forums on here are even coming to see why this subject is so popular :o . So a big thanks to everyone who is helping out

god bless all :)

[Pilfo]

Hi Rob,

Apologies to you, and all the other forum members, for detracting this thread from its' original topic.

The comments regarding your text, had as far as I was concerned, finished at vshosting's post (Sunday Aug 28, 2005 9:17am).

Pilfo

[Peter Jolley]

Hi Rob,

Welcome to the forum, negative comments can be as useful as possitive ones....


If you require any advice on fire safety, just let me know.

Good luck with your venture.

Pete.

[RSL]

Welcome to the site. You really do have a lot to feel grateful for, your story is a sign to many of us that with hard work and self belief any thing is possible. Life really is what you make of it. Well done for trying it all and succeeding, even if your site isn't up to scratch you created it and are learning from it. I wish you every success in the future.

[top-click]

Hi Robert - welcome along, one thing this forum is good for is getting honest advice from people that know about and have an interest in business.

Rarely (not never!) have I seen comment being made where it has not been well intentioned and in the best interest of everyone concerned.

Hope you enjoy and get loads out of the forum.

I love Cardiff by the way, awesome place!

Rob

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