Issue #19 - Wake up! ⏰

The spooky SME that's guaranteed to get you screaming | How to boost business this Halloween | How to wake up when the clocks go back | Words | Tunes | Podcasts | More

Oct 21, 2021

Mixed messages 😕

This energy crisis just won’t go away, will it? This is why we want to reiterate that sticking with your current business energy supplier might not be in your best interests if you’re about to be rolled onto more expensive out of contract rates.

Although the “don’t switch” message might be a good one for households whose rates are protected by the energy price cap, businesses don’t have the same protection in place.

We took a closer look at rising energy costs and the advice around switching in the last two issues, but if the result of our Twitter poll is anything to go by, it seems there’s still a lot of uncertainty out there.

If your current business energy contract is coming up for renewal, it’s still worth getting in touch with the team at Bionic to see if they can get you a better deal. We’re still fully open and have energy deals we can switch you to.

Away from energy issues, Halloween and the end of daylight saving time are both almost upon us, let’s talk more about those in Issue #19 of The Backbone…

🗣 S H O U T O U T

#BionicBusinessStory - AtmosFEAR 🧟‍♀️

Bionic got spooky during this creepy chat with Bex Williams, who makes it her business to scare horror fans up and down the country.

Bionic: What’s your favourite part about working for AtmosFEAR?

Bex Williams: “The best part of the job for me is seeing the 3D models we’ve made brought to life when we start making and painting the sets. But also, when the park is open, and you see people out there enjoying it.”

B: When did AtmosFEAR start?

BW: “AtmosFEAR was originally set up by the founders Jason and Paul. They went over to America during the Halloween season and saw what a big deal it was over there and how advanced their ‘haunts’ were. They saw potential to bring the same experience over here and trial it to see how the UK responded.”

B: What’s the inspiration behind the mazes?

BW: “We’re inspired by horror movies of course, we usually take into account whatever the biggest movie of the year has been, so when IT came out, we did a clown-themed maze. We plan really far in advance, usually we sit down and have a big brainstorming session early on in the year where we come up with all these crazy ideas and then think logistically if we’d actually be able to do them.”

B: What has been your highlight of working at AtmosFEAR?

BW: “The highlight this year was the cast from Ru Paul’s Drag Race coming to opening night. It was amazing, we were all wondering how this woman would possibly navigate the mazes in these huge heels she was wearing, but she did, it was very impressive, that was the highlight for me this year.”

Check out the AtmosFEAR website to find out more about how and where they’ll be scaring people next. Or click on the creepy librarian below to read more from this #BionicBusinessStory

📩 J O I N

We want to hear about you and your business 🗣

💡 How did you end up running your own business?

😟 As a business owner, what keeps you awake at night?

🤩 What’s your proudest achievement as a business owner?

🤔 What advice would you give to someone starting their own business?

Leave a comment to get involved 👇

🤝🏻 T I P S

How to boost business this Halloween 🎃

The spookiest time of the year is officially upon us, so we’ve come up with some grim and gruesome tips and tricks to help boost your business. Even if you’re not too sold on the season of the witch, we've got a few ideas that could help to fill your coffers without the need for coffins and cobwebs.

Check out these top ideas to get your SME ready for October 31.

A lot of businesses take advantage of global holidays like Halloween and Christmas to reel in new customers and offer deals or savings to promote themselves.

With this in mind, you could have a go at something that gives the customer a reason to shop with you, whether that’s a unique saving or a product they can’t get elsewhere.

You could offer a seasonal loyalty card scheme that rewards customers with a free Halloween treat if they buy a certain number of products in-store during October. You could have a Halloween sale and slash the cost of items on October 31, introduce a buy-one-get-one-free offer in-store, or offer incentives to customers who recommend you to their friends. Every little idea can help boost your business and help get your business noticed.

Competitions are another way to get the attention of customers during the spooky season. If you run a food shop or a florist that sells pumpkins, why not encourage customers to carve their own at home and tag you in their creations? You can then pick a shortlist of the best ones and offers prizes for their efforts. Getting creative and encouraging customers to do things with your stock can really increase your popularity online and in the real world.

Another idea is to set up some ghoulish games like ‘guess the name of the ghost’ ‘guess how many spooky sweets in a jar’ or apple bobbing at the counter to win a prize. It can be as extravagant or as low key as you choose.

An inexpensive idea like the ones above can really ramp up interest in your business and get people talking.

Another creepily good idea is to wicked up your website, it takes little effort but can have a massive impact on your customer count. Why not add some attention-grabbing spooky banners, pop-ups or buttons to your website during October? Then when customers visit your site, they are met with a little Halloween creep factor and some simple but fun content.

You could get really creative and add a spooky filter to your logo on social media or send out a Halloween email to your customers letting them know about any promotions, offers or ways they can get involved in your Halloween campaign.

For more wicked tips and tricks, check out 7 ways to get your SME ready for the spooky season!

📊 B U S I N E S S

Get your business costs sorted 💷

Our tech-enabled team will answer all your questions in simple terms, and help you find the best deal on business energy, insurance, phone, broadband, or finance. No jargon. No-fuss. #BeABionicBusiness 🦾

Get business utilities sorted

Check out more ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Trustpilot reviews

👐 S H A R E

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🙏 W E L L N E S S

How to wake up when the clocks go back 🥱

In just over a week, daylight saving time (DST) will come to an end for another year as the clocks go back an hour at 2am on Sunday, October 31.

The shorter, darker days can play havoc with circadian rhythms - the natural body clock in all of us that reacts to light and dark to help regulate our sleeping patterns.

If you struggle to get out of bed during the darker months, here are some tips to help you wake up when the clocks go back.

Get enough sleep

It might sound obvious, but most adults will have difficulty getting up in the morning if they don’t have between seven and nine hours sleep under their belts.

If your mornings are a rush, it might also be worth getting everything ready for the next day before you go to bed. Just knowing everything is already sorted can make for a more peaceful, stress-free sleep, and you can even have that extra five minutes in bed without stressing too much.

Get quality sleep

A good night’s sleep isn’t just about quantity, quality is also important. To help make sure you’re getting the right amount of quality sleep each night, try to avoid alcohol and caffeine in the evening (it might be worth avoiding caffeine from about midday onwards).

And never use your smartphone or tablet immediately before bed. The blue light emitted by your cell phone screen restrains the production of melatonin, the hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycle. If you’re looking for the perfect way to wind down, try a good book and some soothing music before bed. A bit of pre-bedtime yoga can also be a great way to relax.

Get a wake-up light

The longer nights mean most of us have to get up before daybreak during the winter, and this extra darkness can cause real problems when it comes to waking up. Investing in a wake-up light, that gradually fills your room with light to mimic the natural light of summer mornings can help to slowly rouse you from your slumber.

🗞 R E A D

Small Business Saturday is putting wheels in motion for a new nationwide roadshow to support small businesses across the UK. Setting off from the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, ‘The Tour’ will visit 20 British towns and cities to support, inspire and spotlight the 6 million small businesses across the UK, as part of the countdown to Small Business Saturday.

Small Business Saturday UK Tour hits the road

The UK’s small businesses are responsible for nearly a third of the country’s greenhouse gases, yet are falling behind their larger counterparts in efforts to slash emissions. Just 3% of smaller businesses said that they have measured their carbon footprint at any point in the last five years and set an emissions reduction target.

UK small businesses responsible for third of greenhouse gases

🎧 L I S T E N

Playlist

Autumn en Violette is a playlist curated by the cult, independent record label based in Liverpool, Manchester and Paris. Its 20 songs meander from Simon and Garfunkel, through The Clientele, and to Julie London, via The Byrds, The Strands, and more. The perfect soundtrack to curling up on the couch or kicking up some fallen leaves.

Podcast

SmartLess is a podcast that connects and unites people from all walks of life (but mostly really famous ones). Hosted by Jason Bateman (Michael Bluth on Arrested Development and him off Ozark), Sean Hayes (Jack McFarland from Will & Grace), and Will Arnett (Gob Bluth off Arrested Development and the actual Lego Batman), guests include Paul McCartney, Megan Rapnioe, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Kamala Harris, and loads more.

🔥 H A S H T A G

If you want to hear more from us, check out our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn feeds.

Get involved by using the hashtags #BeABionicBusiness and #BionicBusinessStory.

🏡 H O U S E K E E P I N G

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🚫 S T O P

Mulțumesc*

Thanks for making it to the end of another Bionic bulletin 🤝🏻

Please leave a comment and let us know if there’s anything else we should be featuring.

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