< Previous40 Business Link www.blmforum.net AUTOLINK As the world emerged from lockdowns and restrictions, fuel prices – which had been at their lowest for many years – surged following a massive increase in demand. T he Ukraine war has exacerbated this, with prices touching £2.00 per litre in places – and they’re still not much below that now in some parts of the UK. In addition, the war has caused electricity prices to soar dramatically, which may be enough to put off potential electric car owners. But even in the middle of these exceptional times, EV recharging is still less expensive than filling up with fossil fuel. Sure, it can work out more costly to recharge your vehicle than refuelling with diesel or petrol when using a super-fast charger at motorway services. But charging at a leisurely AC charger, particularly with a subscription, will cost only a small proportion of what you shell out at the pumps. It is also worth taking into consideration that many electric vehicles are recharged at private charging stations – i.e., at work or home. And this method of electric charging is, by and large, the most economical of all. So, without further ado, here are some of the cheapest cars to run. All of the ones to make our list are electric – and, interestingly, not one is a Tesla. Ford Mustang Mach-E The Mach-E is a good car with a sizeable 379-mile range if you opt for the biggest 88kWh battery. Plus, it’s well- equipped and terrific to drive. But admittedly, the Mustang badge is more of an excuse to justify the price tag as, other than the power of the dual-motor 40-43.qxp_Layout 1 06/01/2023 09:26 Page 1www.blmforum.net Business Link 41 AUTOLINK all-wheel drive version, it isn’t like a traditional Mustang in any comparable way. Kia EV6 A joy to drive with credible sporting prowess and poke, the EV6 is set to become a thorn in the side of performance production cars, with 226 and 321PS versions offered. Built on the same platform as Hyundai’s Ioniq 5, it offers a 328-mile range from its 77.4kWh battery, virtually unrivalled charging speeds and a seven-year warranty. 42 Á Ford Mustang Mach-E Kia EV6 40-43.qxp_Layout 1 06/01/2023 09:26 Page 242 Business Link www.blmforum.net AUTOLINK Vauxhall Mokka-e The newly overhauled Mokka was the first car to be given the new Vauxhall style, complete with a heavily revised front end with the latest design signature panel grille, the Vauxhall Vizor. It comes well equipped with a 45kWh battery and a 209-mile range. It is a justly desirable option for those wanting a small SUV. BMW iX1 BMW’s iX1 is an X1 with the engine replaced by an electric motor. But that means it’s based on a proven recipe: fast, good to drive and well-refined with a pleasing interior. The Bimmer claims a range of 270 miles from its 64.7kWh battery, while dual electric motors have an impressive 317PS. Porsche Taycan If you can make do without one obvious thrill in a Porsche – the engine note – then the Taycan is an excellent option, with lightning acceleration, superb handling, and a high level Vauxhall Mokka-e BMW iX1 40-43.qxp_Layout 1 06/01/2023 09:26 Page 3www.blmforum.net Business Link 43 AUTOLINK of refinement. Options include a 750PS variant with a 0-60mph time of 2.7 seconds with a 93kWh battery while retaining a range of 291 miles. You will need to make do with the tiniest of boots, though. Volvo XC40 Recharge The all-electric Volvo XC40 is an admirable all-rounder, offering outstanding performance, superb practicality for a small SUV, and a choice of 67kWh and 75kWh batteries with a range of around 260 miles. Volvo is a premium brand nowadays – it’s capable of giving the German giants like Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz a run for their money. But sadly, that’s reflected in the price. So, the list of electric cars continues to grow – and it’s clear they are cheaper to run, despite the rising cost of electricity. The main downside is the additional purchase price, but servicing costs should be meagre, too. And if you’re a long-distance driver, you’ll recoup that extra investment quickly. Porsche Taycan Volvo XC40 Recharge 40-43.qxp_Layout 1 06/01/2023 09:26 Page 444 Business Link www.blmforum.net CORPORATE HOSPITALITY C orporate events are an important ingredient in building lasting relationships with clients and employees - vital for a business’s growth. They offer a personal method of strengthening bonds and loyalty while enhancing brand recognition in a way that social media, emails and phone calls cannot replicate. From employee teambuilding days to product launches, celebratory parties, fundraisers, seminars and conferences, all these events require some basic event management to succeed, from research and planning to gathering feedback. Here, Business Link takes you through some useful tips for organising your unforgettable event. To start, those arranging corporate events should nail down the occasion’s purpose; what you wish to accomplish. To provide a meaningful experience, consider why you are hosting an event and set goals and objectives - are you looking to attract new customers, educate, or reward staff for example. From here you will be able to decide the kind of event most suitable for your audience, select what will resonate with them, and this will guide everything from decorations to speakers. Deciding your target audience is also key - will it involve executives, potential or long-term clients, or is it an internal party? When you are able to pinpoint your audience, you can work out the ideal way to reach them, establish how many guests to invite, and arrange an event program that is tailored to them, their interests and needs. At the beginning of the planning process firms must additionally set a budget, which will determine the kind of event you can organise. It is wise to have a cushion for unexpected extra expenses that arise. With a budget in hand, deciding where to allocate funds and what may require more resources to reinforce the event’s purpose is next. One will need to balance money to ensure the budget isn’t blown on a single aspect, perhaps decorations to the detriment of entertainment and refreshments, or not being able to afford a tech crew. With all this considered it’s time to select the event’s theme or topic and format, with an event that is interactive and varied, such as a conference with roundtables, panel discussions and networking, much more likely to be a success. Themed events can help narrow down your choices for other aspects of the event, for instance food, and make it more cohesive, but should also align to your event’s goals, featuring memorable activities. One will then be ready to choose a venue to suit your event, its mission and size. Venue choice can have a major influence on attendance and will set the tone. Providing a location that is unique and exciting can boost numbers, adding to an event by offering an experience that departs from the overdone to make a lasting impression. This will give guests something to talk about too and make them more likely to discuss the event once it’s over. However, where the venue is positioned must be factored in. It’s all well opting for a quirky manor house in the countryside, but in order to achieve the best attendee numbers it is usually advisable to seek somewhere convenient with good accessibility that is close to transport and accommodation if necessary. For those with lower budgets, consider holding events at less popular times and days, such as organising breakfast seminars, and securing the venue plenty of time beforehand to take advantage of any price deals for advance booking. The ‘when’ is of course another important factor - will your guests prefer to set aside time on a weekday, weekend, evening, or afternoon? Any corporate event requires solid planning to triumph. Plan to succeed 44-45.qxp_Layout 1 06/01/2023 09:27 Page 1www.blmforum.net Business Link 45 While looking for a venue remember to enquire about equipment, what will be provided for you and what you will have to source and set up yourself, such as audio-visual elements, stages and lighting. You may further need to make a decision on in house or external catering, with in house tending to work out cheaper and simpler. When picking food ensure to think about dietary requirements, whether you will be offering a set menu or asking attendees to choose beforehand, and how you want the food to be served - on trays with canapés, as a buffet or sit-down meal. In preparation for the day, you will also need to contract any necessary reputable specialists - caterers, audio-visual technicians, photographers et cetera, as well as booking any speakers, presenters and entertainers - and draw up the agenda for the event, sharing this with your team and determining who is responsible for what. When it comes to the agenda, look to form a balance between giving guests freedom and keeping them engaged with a schedule and variety. Use of technology to help your event go off without a hitch should additionally be considered. There are plenty of event management software options to streamline planning but also for creating interactive features during the event like live polls to boost participation. In the lead up to the event, make sure to promote it creatively. For smaller occasions a simple invitation may be enough, however for a larger soirée you might want to do something louder with emails, ads, social media, blogs, promo videos, adding events to industry listings, getting sponsors and media on board, and encouraging the business’s team to promote the event when visiting clients. Ensure to create a website for the event or a new landing page on your own site and in promotion use the same hashtags and branding across platforms and consistent messaging. After the event is over, there are a couple of final checkboxes to tick off to evaluate your success. A debrief with your team and gathering feedback from guests are important and will allow you to uncover whether the event met its original goals and objectives and if it had an impact on attendees. The lessons learned from this will be crucial to refining your next event. © stock.adobe.com/Anton Gvozdikov 44-45.qxp_Layout 1 06/01/2023 09:27 Page 246 Business Link www.blmforum.net events Netwalking Tuesday 10 January Granary Wharf, Leeds This netwalking event will start at Granary Wharf, situated in Leeds city, where the 200 years old Leeds & Liverpool Canal meets the Aire & Calder Navigation. The canal offers a peaceful escape in the heart of the city. From Granary Wharf attendees will follow the start of the 127-mile towpath to Liverpool, taking in the new Whitehall Pocket Park. There will be local wildlife to spot and lock gates to see as you progress up the Canal towards St Ann Ings & Oddy Lock. Delegates will then head back to Granary Warf and on to Fazenda for hot drinks & biscuits to finish off. For more information visit https://wnychamber.force.com/s/ community-event?id=a2v070000008P5PAAU Elevate Your Business with Software Innovation Tuesday 10 January Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield The Applied Software Engineering Research Group (ASERG) has more than 20 years of experience in the ICT industry and offers a range of consultancy services. Through the Digital Innovation for Growth (DIfG) programme, ASERG can provide SMEs with free, informed academic research and knowledge to help enhance their business. During this event, you will: find out more about the DIfG programme and how it can support your business; hear about the expertise and services offered by ASERG and discover how your company can access them; meet and network with other regional organisations from your sector; receive a free 1-2-1 consultation from a member of the ASERG team to map out how they can work with you to elevate your business. For more information visit www.scrgrowthhub.co.uk/event/elevate- your-business-with-software-innovation/ How a Small Business Can Build an Exciting Brand Thursday 19 January E-Factor Business, Grimsby This workshop will show you the process of building a brand identity for your SME. First, it will clarify the term and explain why it is important, and then outline the steps you can take to pin down a brand identity of your own. Completing this 1/2 day, 4- hour workshop will: help you build an authentic brand; help you manage your marketing and brand activity; give you tips to help you raise brand awareness. For more information visit www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-a-small- business-can-build-an-exciting-brand- registration-479124372897 ?aff=ebdsoporgprofile Local Skills Improvement Plan Employer Focus Group - Louth Friday 13 January The Priory Hotel, Louth The Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) is a critical new project being led by Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) to assess and realign skills supply and demand across Greater Lincolnshire & Rutland. The views of employers of all sizes, sectors and locations across Greater Lincolnshire & Rutland will influence the changes the report will recommend to local training provision. If you are an employer within Greater Lincolnshire & Rutland, book your place on this - or any of the other focus group sessions from this series - to help inform the research on this most important issue. For more information visit www.fsb.org.uk/event-calendar/lsip-employer-focus-group-louth-13jan2023.html How to Create Engaging Social Media Content Tuesday 24 & 31 January Online This masterclass is available to businesses, partnerships, sole traders, and registered charities, with a trading address located within Greater Lincolnshire. Delivered by Caroline Wilson, owner of Hot Toddi Social Media Marketing, this two-part, creative, and interactive masterclass will focus on how to help you achieve engagement with your existing and potential customers, leading to opportunities for generating more business, how to raise your company and brand awareness and let the market know about your products or services. For more information visit © stock.adobe.com/ sveta © stock.adobe.com/ Ivelin Radkov 46-47.qxp_Layout 1 06/01/2023 09:29 Page 1www.blmforum.net Business Link 47 www.businesslincolnshire.com/events/event- details/?id=4131&navigatedFromSearch=true The HR Exchange – Dismissals – Getting it Right! Wednesday 25 January Online This instalment of the HR Exchange will look at the fair reasons for dismissing an employee, and what to do and what not to do. Brought to you by niche law firm, Bhayani HR & Employment Law and sister company Bhayani Recruitment, this network offers you the opportunity to gain valuable advice and information from employment and HR professionals in a relaxed format, as Lincolnshire Construction & Property Network January Tuesday 17 January Online This popular Construction & Property Network takes place online via Zoom this month, creating a hybrid approach to this network which is usually in-person. From sole traders to housing associations, construction and property businesses come together to talk all things construction. There will be breakout networking rooms, industry conversations and lots of new connections. For more information visit www.lincs-chamber.co.uk/events/ construction-jan23/ South Yorkshire Sustainability Support Consortium – Procurement and Supply Chain Thursday 19 January Sheffield University Students Union, Sheffield This event is part of the South Yorkshire Sustainability Support Consortium series. A major theme identified by participants at previous events is sustainability through procurement and supply chains. This session will focus on three key topics: Integrating Sustainability for Competitiveness; Challenging Conversations; and Social Value. Knowledgeable speakers will be sharing their experiences, best practice, and illustrating real life case studies. For more information visit www.scrgrowthhub.co.uk/event/south-yorkshire-sustainability-support-consortium- procurement-and-supply-chain/ © stock.adobe.com/ Romolo Tavani well as a chance to share experiences with your peers in various industry sectors. For more information visit www.scrgrowthhub.co.uk/event/the-hr- exchange-dismissals-getting-it-right/ Securing your Business Online Thursday 26 January Online Delivered by Guy Lewis, Managing Director of GLTV, and director of CDI Alliance, this masterclass will focus on the importance of understanding how to protect your business from cyber-attacks and security breaches. There are some very simple steps that can be taken to improve security and processes within the office environment. For more information visit www.businesslincolnshire.com/events/event- details/?id=4133&navigatedFromSearch=true Chamber Curry Club – Rotherham Thursday 26 January Akbar’s, Rotherham This is an informal event for local business people to come and meet like-minded individuals in a relaxed environment with some tasty food. There will be a set menu (selection of starters & main courses) and you can also purchase drinks on the night. For more information visit www.brchamber.co.uk/event/chamber-curry- club-rotherham/ 46-47.qxp_Layout 1 06/01/2023 09:29 Page 2FEATURES Engineering Spotlight Business Travel & Leisure Printing & Packaging Training & Apprenticeships Meet the Experts REGULARS Commercial Property Motoring Corporate Hospitality Watch out too for the latest news from across the region in every sector Next month in February 2023 - Deadline 25th January Visit us at www.blmforum.net where you’ll find the latest news as it breaks – and why not subscribe to our newsletters so you can have the latest news emailed to your inbox, in between printed issues? 48.qxp_Layout 1 06/01/2023 09:29 Page 1MARKETING OPPORTUNITY Business Link Magazine Group is currently seeking a focused driven and enthusiastic individual to join our busy team. This exciting role involves networking with a wide variety of diverse businesses, developing relationships and ensuring the highest possible level of advertisements are generated. You will explore new business opportunities and contact existing clients to promote the company’s portfolio of services. Duties will include: l Acquiring and developing a portfolio of local key accounts l Growing business from existing and new clients l Developing a high level of knowledge of your territory As an account executive you should also have the ability to work to deadline and have good IT skills and proven negotiation skills. In return for your commitment we offer a competitive salary and great career prospects. Please contact Angie Cooper on 01472 310310 WWW.BLMFORUM.NET/CAREERS yorkshire & lincolnsh hire’s leading business ma agazine april 2020 £3.5 50 safety Ensuring e e of factoriesThe futur fices healthyfKeeping of employee V w VOLUME35ISSUE4 .blmgroup.co.ukwww INTERN NATION AL A r ts ews Ingredient spotlight End off line packkaging T M£2.95 Suppor training WWWLINCWWW.LINC OLNSHIRETOOLNSHIRETO ODAYNETODAY.NET GROUP www.blmgroup.co.uk Business Link 49 www.blmforum.net LABELS • Plain / Printed Labels • Lasersheets • Fanfolded Labels • Thermal Transfer Ribbons • Barcode Labels RECRUITMENT WEDDINGSTO LET To receive a copy of the county’s most prestigious, full colour Wedding Guide, send a S.A.E. to: Lincolnshire Today Wedding Guide, Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby, North East Lincs DN31 2QE Alternatively visit www.lincolnshiretoday.net/weddings where you can view the whole guide online If you are getting married then this guide is your must have accessory. It’s full of advice, hints and tips from the county’s top wedding specialists and will provide you with inspiration for your big day. B g T G B WEDDINGS/ S Planning for your special day? Ground floor offices to let - prime location in Grimsby • Superb Location - Close to the ports of Grimsby & Immingham - Great motorway links - Close to the town centre • Secure off street parking • High speed internet availability • A range of affordable office sizes Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby DN31 2QE Tel: (01472) 310301 Email: s.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk To advertise your services on the 01472 310310 49.qxp_Layout 1 06/01/2023 09:30 Page 1Next >