How do you determine the price or fee for your product or service? Pricing can be looked at on two fronts. Firstly, what is the least you can afford to charge, called ‘cost plus’ pricing and secondly, what is the most your customers will pay called ‘market’ pricing. Between these ‘floor’ and ‘ceiling prices you have a wide range of choice.

Click ‘more’ to see how to get it right.

Read the rest of this entry »

Principal contacts at Chamber member companies have already begun enjoying a little more of the best that Liverpool has to offer thanks to LiveOne20.

But we’d like all of our members to take advantage of a great package of discounts at some of the city’s top names in leisure, entertainment, travel, food and retail.

So, if you register your combined LiveOne20 and Chamber membership card before Monday April 16, you stand a chance of winning an invitation for two people to the glittering LiveOne20 launch later this month.

The party will be a red carpet curtain-raiser for the scheme, which brings you an exclusive package of deals created by the Chamber in conjunction with Livesmart.

Even if you’re not lucky enough to win a launch party ticket, LiveOne20 is your VIP ticket to Liverpool, offering about £200 worth of savings every quarter at some of the city’s premier hotels, restaurants and bars, tourist attractions and health clubs.

The full scheme launch is May 1 but it’s not too early to reserve some of the cards as a reward or as an incentive for your staff by purchasing cards at minimal cost.

To find out more information or to purchase cards, contact Jenny Stewart, Head of Membership by email at liveone20@liverpoolchamber.org.uk or by telephone on 0151 227 1234 or Livesmart’s account manager Daniel White by phone on 0870 055 3472 or by e-mail at liveone20@livesmart.biz

Find out more on the LiveOne20 website. 

Joe Curran, Pub Watch manager from Liverpool Chamber’s Business Crime Direct team, was on Radio Merseyside last week.

Amongst the topics he talked about were the upcoming celebrations for Liverpool’s 800th Birthday and also the new business improvement district (BID) planned for the outside of the city centre. He explained what a BID is, how the first one in the city generated improvements, what may happen if it isn’t successful and what people can do to get involved or find out more.

Listen to the interview here. [MP3, 5MB]

The Chamber Awards 2007 are now open for entries to all Accredited Chamber Members, and businesses once again have the opportunity to compete for the grand prize of £25,000.

This year’s Awards will be better than ever with new categories designed to recognise the achievements of British Business. To download an entry pack visit the Chamber Awards website.

Enter now!
The closing date for the Awards is Monday June 25th 2007 so if you would like the chance to win £25,000 - don’t delay and download your entry pack today.

All entries received by 31 May will be entered into a free prize draw to win £150 worth of Marks and Spencer vouchers.

This Year’s Categories

Impact of Technology on Your Business > 50 employees -NEW for 2007
Recognising companies that harness technology

Award for Performance Through People - NEW for 2007
Recognising business with an employee development focus

Achievement in International Business - NEW for 2007
Recognising the strength of British Business overseas

The Green Award - NEW for 2007
For environmentally friendly businesses

Most Promising New Business
Recognising the growth of new business

Entrepreneur of the Year
Recognising the success of British entrepreneurs

Business of the Year
Recognising the strength of UK Business

Dates for your diary

Early Bird Prize Draw - 31 May 2007
Entry deadline - 25 June 2007
Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony - 29 November 2007

Liverpool Chamber hopes lots of its members decide to go for the awards this year, and we wish you all the best of luck!

Get more information about the awards here [PDF]

by Dr Paul Redmond, University of Liverpool

If business is the new rock ‘n’ roll, entrepreneurs are the rock stars - the new breed of media-friendly business leaders whose profile continues to grow. But what does it really take to build your own business and how can learning the skills of self-employment help keep graduates in Merseyside?

Entrepreneurs: we can’t get enough of them. Whether it’s Sir Richard Branson’s ‘blink-and-you’ll-miss-it’ cameo in the latest James Bond film or Sir Alan Sugar’s weekly appearances on ‘The Apprentice’, everywhere you look it seems entrepreneurs are elbowing aside pop stars and footballers to become the nation’s most aspired-to role models.

Even the Beatles have succumbed to their charms.

Earlier this month, Sir Paul McCartney announced that he would be signing for ‘Hear Music’- the new record label from Starbucks creator, Howard Shultz.

From a business perspective, the implications of this are staggering. Once, brands fought to be associated with pop groups. Not any more. Today, the Cuban heeled boot is on the other foot, and it’s not Macca that drives business, but Mocha.

So what’s the appeal?

A big part of the appeal of the entrepreneur is independence - personal, financial, and organisational.

For many people - particularly those in ‘Generation Y’, the generation born between 1982 and 2000, independence is THE primary motivator when it comes to choosing careers.

And fortunately for them, governments are only too keen to offer support. This year, the European Union is making funds available to encourage students in higher education to develop entrepreneurial skills. The EU recognises that in today’s knowledge economy, entrepreneurs are essential.

In Merseyside, we have a head start.

Life’s a pitch: the Dragons’ Den comes to Liverpool

This spring, the University of Liverpool is planning to put 150 of its most enterprising students through a specially designed entrepreneurial programme aimed at equipping them with the skills, knowledge, networks and expertise to run their own businesses.

Based on the model of the BBC TV programme, ‘The Dragons’ Den’, the course will offer students a priceless opportunity to learn how to ‘pitch’ business ideas directly to local ‘dragons’ - business leaders from some of Merseyside’s leading firms.

Led by the University’s Careers and Employability Service, the programme will be one of the first in the UK to focus on graduate entrepreneurialism.

If you would like more information about the programme, or would like to volunteer your services as a business “dragon”, please contact Dr Paul Redmond at the University (0151 794 8234; or email: paul.redmond@liverpool.ac.uk)