Dragons Den lastnight.....

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E

eddieriby

  • #1
    Did anyone catch this and see Ling Valentine........i didnt think much at first but she grew on me....just been looking at her website and she certainly has a different approach to business but it seems to work!!.....Def worth a look....www.lingscars.com

    ...This is just a clip I've copied from her site...



    small.gif
    "Dear Ling,

    I write to say a big thank you for all the effort you put into getting my Nissan X-Trail delivered to me.

    For all prospective new customers out there, let me tell you that when I ordered my car from Ling Valentine, my mother was taken into hospital in the UK and I was taken ill in Spain! Against these odds, Ling was marvellous, she contacted me on my mobile and fax in Spain, keeping me informed of every detail, arranging my finance, delivery etc.

    Because of my predicament of having to have an operation on my return to the UK, my car delivery had to be cancelled for one month. Thanks to Ling, she sorted everything out and my car duly arrived.

    So, if you are thinking of leasing a car, I have no hesitation in recommending LINGsCARS.com and Ling Valentine.

    As for the three Nissan dealers that I contacted for competitive quotes (to check against LINGsCARS), it took anything from one to six weeks just to get a quote - and guess what - Ling's price was a lot cheaper. Once again, Ling, many thanks!"

    Mike Milton
    34 Tivoli Crescent
    Brighton
    BN1 5ND

    car-lease.jpg
    Editor Note: Mike, of course I look after you when you go into hospital, I am so glad you did not die! I woud have lost car sale!!! :) You are right about the Nissan dealers, most are very slow (I think they are the ones who are dying) - and for some reason, car dealers in general are terrible with emails. It takes them AGES to reply. Salesmen too busy stuffing cocaine up their noses. You are so kind to send me a lovely gift voucher which I will use to treat myself! Thanks - Ling


     
    P

    poppycat

  • #2
    wow I've certainly never seen a website like that before... less is obviously not more for dear Ling! I missed most of her pitch, just came in at the end, to see her get rejected. What did she want the cash for?
     
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    E

    eddieriby

  • #4
    ...I think it was for some form of marketing to take the business to the next level but to be fair she turned over £10.8 million last year and is on track to do £25million this year so i'd say she went on for her 15 mins of fame and some excellent national TV coverage for her business.....she certainly got that!!

    ................I could spend hours on her site....its fantastic!!!!
     
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    J

    JamieM

    Free Member
    Mar 22, 2006
    2,318
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  • #9
    Reakt said:
    That website is absolutely awful.
    Click to expand...

    That was my initial thought but I am happy to say that I have changed my mind. The content is fantastic!

    I wonder if submitting a testimonial letter comes with a warning. I am sure there will be a few that may take offence at some of Ling's comments. :D

    I sincerely hope that Ling is checking her web stats and finds this thread. Pop in and say hello. You have inspired me to sharpen up on my customer communications.

    Good luck with the cars!
     
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    H

    Hayles

  • #14
    I think her site is great. She gets her personality over just a little doesn't she!?! Good for her, as she says on there most people stay an hour and there's lots to keep you amused.

    Very different, honest and fun (even for someone who doesn't like cars!)

    H
     
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    Stephen Berry

    Stephen Berry

    Free Member
    Jan 3, 2007
    1,758
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    Surrey, UK.
  • #15
    Terrible web site - noisier than Twickenham when England are beating Scotland.
    However 10/10 for getting the exposure on national TV.
    Of course she didn't want or need the investment - but the airtime was priceless.
    Richard Branson allegedly devotes 20% of his time to 'media based' activity - i.e. getting on TV with his latest stunt. After the 2006 Steve Fossett ballon flight around the world (take off in US, landing in UK, both to co-incide with good news coverage times) I asked a New York based media customer how much that publicity was worth - the reply ...
    "Stephen, I don't think I have enough zeros to calculate the figue" (i.e. a lot!).
    and ..... I drive a Merc - but pay a lot more than she is offering for better cars ..... must bookmark that site for my 2008 car renewal!
     
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    C

    ChrisMono

  • #17
    JamieM said:
    What do you mean? Because it's a bit cluttered? I agree it could be a bit more user friendly but it is good fun and she has plenty of happy customers.
    Click to expand...

    yeh its pretty fun.. I say its like themilliondollarhomepage cos its full of crazy randomness! Everything you click is a link.. and it hasnt really got much order.

    I hate to say it.. buts its actually pretty well designed if you look closely!
     
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  • #19
    Free Lunch page:

    very day, 10 Visitors who fill in details below will get free lunch in post. I judge based on quality of comments. Depends how much thought you put into comments! I send you special flavour fast noodles, pudding, AND chopsticks! New!!! ...marshmallow cone or dried plum (delicious but may cause big ****). Special Sichuan brand! Not stupid Cantonese spelling! Noodle now in date! (Following unreasonable complaint by Trading Standards, I now supply in date product for poor soft English customer who cannot defend body against 6 month old noodle!)
    Click to expand...

    :D:D
     
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    M

    multilingual

  • #21
    Reakt said:
    That website is absolutely awful.
    Click to expand...

    That's a typical Asian website, they love that sort of effect in China.

    Whenever we are asked to build a Chinese web site I always cringe because the whole aesthetic approach is just so horrible, but anything subtle just doesn't work down there.

    The busier and flashier it is the better.

    JB
     
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    SillyJokes

    SillyJokes

    Free Member
    Jul 26, 2004
    4,585
    596
  • #22
    Her website is priceless - I particularly liked the free lunch which is offered to those who send in nice comments and can include a dried plum (which might cause big sh!t) and in-date noodles following complaints by food standards authority because poor weak English stomachs cannot fend off 6 month old noodles.
     
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    C

    ChrisMono

  • #23
    her humour and webdesign give the site a very personal effect, which may look unprofessional, but can have a very good positive impact on business.

    for example, I only buy hosting from one host because even though its not the best, i know that when i get a spam attack, the admin will contact me and sort it out.
     
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    da8iwr

    da8iwr

    Free Member
    Oct 16, 2006
    1,129
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    Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, UK
  • #27
    I come from darlington, where the nuclear truck was parked and saw it almost every day, and never visited the website. As soon as she walked on, i saw the truck and my lady and I both jumped and shouts "its the daft truck."

    Ive never visited that site before, so i tried to visit whilst dragons den was on, but it had crashed, to many visitors I'm sure.

    I thought she was great, very professional, and she did a great job. The dragons were being cheeky bas**ards offering that kind of deal, and that cheeky baldy one was laughing as if they were being kind to her, no way in this world would she give away 40% (or what ever it was) for a company making and doing that much, i mean would you?

    If she could back them figures up with accounts, which considering she won entrepreneur of the year (according to her site), so I believe she can, it was a perfect investment. The company was a small gold mine for any investor. Just a nice silent partner, who helps her financially with money for advertising and sit back. You don't even need to give her advice, i mean you could maybe give her some pointers, but she seams to be doing dam fine on her own. Ive invested in much more risky ideas before, I would jump at somebody like that.

    A year or so ago, there was studentaccomadation.com on there. I think the dragons offered him money, but as ling did he knocked it back. The next day on his forum, he had hundreds of offers of investment. Nearly all where tripping over each other to try and be a better deal.

    She will have had the same thing I'm 100% sure of it, also she has had 14 Min's of pure advertising to an extremely busy audience, probably better than any real paid advert would be.

    I mean look - we are talking about her on here, imagine how many other sites are doing this.

    Ian
     
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    C

    clickprofits

  • #28
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    LINGsCARS

    LINGsCARS

    Free Member
    Feb 16, 2007
    1,761
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    Gateshead, UK
  • #31
    Well, hello everyone!

    Glad most people liked my Dragons' Den appearance, I really did my best.

    They cut out me telling Theo that my business is not a Ltd Company, but is a partnership therefore I did not have Audited accounts or pay Corporation tax. But then they want a good TV programme, and they certainly managed that, so I forgive them :) But just shows that Theo did not know this eh?

    Thanks for the website comments. I live inside my website :)

    If you don't like it, fine... but the reason I like it because of the content. So many websites to me are boring, flat, static and out of date. Sorry if you get migraine from mine. Taking drugs helps, hehehe.

    FYI, unique visitors yesterday were in excess of 10,000 and I have done well to avoid the website going down. I have been restarting apache regularly, maybe destroying some sessions but keeping it alive. My host is going mad due to my bandwidth :). Highest concurrent visitors were 550.

    I am so busy, but will come back this evening. Look forward to chatting!

    In the meantime, I got a few more TV/Radio stuff from it, this is the name of the game, eh?

    You can see them on the press and publicity page of my website.

    Apologies if I should not post that, I have not had time to read forum rules.

    Talk soon, eh???

    - Ling
     
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    E

    eddieriby

  • #32
    LINGsCARS said:
    Well, hello everyone!

    Glad most people liked my Dragons' Den appearance, I really did my best.

    They cut out me telling Theo that my business is not a Ltd Company, but is a partnership therefore I did not have Audited accounts or pay Corporation tax. But then they want a good TV programme, and they certainly managed that, so I forgive them :) But just shows that Theo did not know this eh?

    Thanks for the website comments. I live inside my website :)

    If you don't like it, fine... but the reason I like it because of the content. So many websites to me are boring, flat, static and out of date. Sorry if you get migraine from mine. Taking drugs helps, hehehe.

    FYI, unique visitors yesterday were in excess of 10,000 and I have done well to avoid the website going down. I have been restarting apache regularly, maybe destroying some sessions but keeping it alive. My host is going mad due to my bandwidth :). Highest concurrent visitors were 550.

    I am so busy, but will come back this evening. Look forward to chatting!

    In the meantime, I got a few more TV/Radio stuff from it, this is the name of the game, eh?

    You can see them on the press and publicity page of my website.

    Apologies if I should not post that, I have not had time to read forum rules.

    Talk soon, eh???

    - Ling
    Click to expand...

    Ling, congratulations with the success......im a young entrepreneur and you have really inspired me!! Keep it up and I'll def be giving you a call when my cars due for renewal!!
     
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    directmarketingadvice

    directmarketingadvice

    Free Member
    Aug 2, 2005
    10,887
    3,530
  • #38
    Good for Ling I love it when someone dares to be different.
    Click to expand...

    Her personality is a big asset for her business and she uses it well.

    Someone on UKBF brought up her website last year, because I remember checking it out and it had that missile on the home page.

    So, when she appeared on DD, I instantly knew who it was.

    In a competitive, price driven market, she's found a way to stand out and get talked about.

    Her take-me-or-leave me attitude will turn a lot of people off, but it'll also create a lot of loyal fans/customers who like her style. And I'm sure there are enough of those that it pays off.

    Plus, I bet it's a lot more fun to be this brash. :)

    Steve
     
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    P

    poppycat

  • #39
    Hi Ling your site is wonderful in a crazy kind of way and has many layers to it which makes it very different and interesting. It certainly stands out from the crowd. Your confidence is also inspiring - I look forward to hearing more about your future successes! bravo for braving the dragon's den. Interested to find out which dragon were you most impressed with?
     
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