Guest Blog by Val Buckingham

Just when businesses are beginning to get their heads around what is cool and necessary to reach a target audience, the goal posts move. Move aside Millennials, it’s Generation Z’s turn. Contrary to popular belief, Generation Z (numbers of which will reach 2.6 billion by 2020) aren’t kids. While the youngest of them are 14, the eldest are 23 and are just beginning to enter the workforce.

Unlike baby boomers, Millennials or Generation Y, this new demographic grew up in the internet-era. Immersed in social media and tech from a young age, they have no concept of the world before: coin pay phones, dial-up internet, cassette tapes – the list goes on. For them, life for them plays out on a screen. It always has done. They’re savvy, digital natives who all own at least one device. They’re setting trends and staging a mass-walkout on Facebook, perhaps leaving older people wondering why it’s no longer cool.

To this end, relying on practiced, tried-and-true methods of reaching your target audience could well fall on deaf ears with this group. You need to speak to them in a language they’ll understand.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Generation Z are much more likely to take notice of digital targeting than their older counterparts and are more likely (29 per cent in fact) to be converted into a customer or fan. It’s also worth noting that they spend most of their time across social media looking for brand new content, rather than actually networking and engaging with their peers. Almost a quarter of them try out seven or more apps per month – that’s huge, but this figure gives a nod to their hungry, digitally-savvy nature. Many of us may remember watching TV as children and trying to convince our parents to buy us the newest toy – that’s where we were targeted because that’s where we saw our advertising.

With Netflix and Amazon Video taking on traditional TV, there’s just not much point focusing efforts there for Generation Z. It’s imperative that brands begin to branch out when it comes to reaching their audience.

Using platforms with a niche content specification makes a real difference. For example, Twitch is a platform for gamers to stream what they’re playing, or watch another play. It’s easier for someone interested in gaming to use Twitch than using YouTube, a much more general platform. In addition, apps like Snapchat and musical.ly are used heavily by Gen Z because they’re newer, video-based and most of the content is about them — young, real people creating organic content.

Putting them at the centre of the story works well – making a campaign that really talks to them and relates to their lives, so that they can think, ‘Hey, I do that / know about that / think that,’ which allows them to invest and join the wider conversation. Importantly, honesty is also key. No longer fazed by big brand names, Gen Z is increasingly choosing sellers that value extreme transparency and offer a strong narrative and that clearly solve a problem, even if that means paying more for something.

Influencer involvement  is now a proven marketing strategy, delivering real results for brands. While traditional celebrities once had the monopoly on influence, ‘regular’ people such as Zoella, Iskra Lawrence and various Love Island personalities have huge online followings, based on their unique voices, opinions, and perspectives.It also helps that these influencers feel much more ‘accessible’ to fans: they can leave a comment or send a message that the person they look up to may see and potentially respond to.

Businesses must also be visible, and that means that just one campaign on one platform will not be enough. Generation Z use multiple social networks and platforms, consuming thousands of pieces of content every day, so brands need to run multiple campaigns, honed for each platform in order to see the benefits of their work. Essentially, to gain ground with this age group, you need to make your offerings relevant, personal and matter for them to make an impact. If you fail in these aspects, you’ll soon lose them from your radar as they simply ignore you, even if you’ve targeted the right platforms.

Don’t forget: with the older end of Gen Z joining the workforce, it won’t be long before they’re taking the baton themselves and showing us how it’s done.

With thanks to Doone Roisin.

From a young age Natalie knew she wanted to be an animator. She loved art and drawing.

In 2005 Natalie studied for a degree in animation. After graduating she was out of work for a long time, lost her passion for art and animation and her mental health suffered. Around 2011 she joined a local Art Centre called The Ark and slowly started to relight her passion for animation and digital illustration which lead her to enrol for a Masters in animation in 2015. That’s where she began to get a serious interest in pursuing a career in animation.

2 years later in 2017 her university told her about the Inspiring Enterprise project so Natalie got in touch with Inspiring Enterprise Specialist Susan Reviere.

Susan and Natalie worked together regularly to help Natalie set up her business as a freelance animator.

Susan said: “Natalie is a very talented illustrator, so it was great being able to provide her with the mentoring and marketing strategy support to establish her animation business.”

In 2017 Natalie graduated with a masters in animation and Radiant Chameleon was officially born.

Radiant Chameleon focuses on 2D animation and illustration and Natalie even started holding animation workshops at  Camfest in 2018.

Natalie produces family friendly, bright, colourful animation that tells a story and has appealing character design.  Natalie uses animation to raise awareness of neuro diversity and mental health. Natalie is on the autism spectrum herself so it is important to her to raise awareness.

Since working with Inspiring Enterprise Natalie’s work has been screened at several film festivals and she has recently won an award at the Oxford International Film Festival for Best Children’s Film.

She is starting to work with clients on animation commissions and has made greeting cards which are sold online.

Susan commented: “Natalie’s vibrant animation style is very engaging whilst clearly communicating key messages, with all her hard work the business is steadily developing.”

Her client base is growing and she is getting more and more local interest in her work.

You can find out more about what Natalie does by looking at her website or facebook page

www.radiantchameleon.com

www.facebook/radiantchameleon

The University of Winchester is running a special Start Up Course for students this summer to boost their chances of employment after they have graduated.

Part of the Inspiring Enterprise project, the University will be running a range of workshops, advice sessions, mentoring and networking events throughout the summer for those wishing to develop their ideas. Students will be paired up with mentors, meet with industry specialists, build connections and offered access to a huge pool of shared resources.

When? The course will be open to all students and unemployed graduates who live along, or are prepared to travel to the M3 corridor. The course will run every Thursday evening from 6.30pm until 8.30pm in central Winchester.  

Lindsey Birtwhistle, Inspiring Enterprise project-coordinator for the University of Winchester says: “People who are graduating now are going into a very uncertain job market and the transferable skill set that they can pick up by completing this course, as well as developing a network that they gain from running a business, puts them in a completely unique position when entering the job market.”

“Having the skills and the knowledge of running your own business stands you in good stead for the future. And even if you decide that self-employment is not for you now, these skills are going to be useful in all walks of life. Self-employment also gives you the opportunity to base yourself where you want to be; rather than moving after jobs.“

What next? If you or somebody you know would like to join the course this summer, please contact Lindsey Birtwhistle at lindsey.birtwhistle@winchester.ac.uk or visit their website www.inspiringenterprisewinchester.co.uk  

Inspiring Enterprise is active in Hampshire and Surrey and funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and the European Social Fund. All support provided is free of charge.  

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We are delighted to share that the Inspiring Enterprise project has been awarded an additional £1.4 million from the National Lottery Community Fund and European Social Fund to continue its life-changing work in the Hampshire and Surrey area.
The WSX Enterprise –led project, Inspiring Enterprise, helps unemployed people and people ‘not in work’, such as students and carers, to start their own business or social enterprise, find a job or enrol on a training course in order to find employment. To date the project has helped over 600 people.
The project works closely with job centres, charities and community groups to make people aware of the benefits of becoming self-employed. It provides 1 to 1 business advice and mentoring, training courses, networking activities and workshops to help participants get their business off the ground.
Inspiring Enterprise is delivered by 5 partners: WSX Enterprise, University of Winchester, Action Hampshire, Surrey Community Action and the Fredericks Foundation.
Project Manager Henriette Reinders comments: “Our project aims to help people build a better future. Hearing the hope in people’s voices when you explain the support we can give them is humbling and our teams are delighted to continue supporting people over the next couple of years.”
Our team of expert advisers is keen to work with anybody who is interested in becoming self-employed, set up a business or set up a social enterprise. ”
If you think that self-employment might be for you, please visit our click here or phone us on 0800 140 4537.

We often get asked questions about getting a mortgage if you are self employed. In this blog Inspiring Enterprise partner Val Buckingham from Fredricks Foundation explains the options.

One of the misconceptions about the mortgage market is that it is now very difficult for self-employed people to get a self-employed mortgage loan in order to buy a home. It’s certainly true that one type of mortgage used by the self-employed in the past (self certification mortgage) is no longer available – but for many self-employed people, their chances of being able to borrow are still just as good as anyone else’s.

In any case, the products in question – known as self-certification mortgages – have been outlawed because lenders and borrowers alike were abusing them. The loans, which enable people to borrow without having to prove their income, were originally aimed at a tiny minority of self-employed people with special circumstances, but ended up being sold much more widely.

Options for self-employed mortgage borrowers

In theory, self-employed borrowers have access to exactly the same range of mortgage products as everyone else. The key is that you will have to be able to prove you have the income necessary to make the repayments on the loan for which you are applying.

Typically, that will require you to have at least two years’ worth of company accounts, SA302s or tax returns – to show to lenders (though a few may request three years’ worth). If you are self-employed as a Contractor you may also have to provide evidence of work you have already lined up for the future, in order to show that your current levels of income can be maintained.

However, even if you don’t have two years’ worth of records, you may still be able to get a mortgage.  Self-employed workers who have a regular track record of contract work may be able to use this to their advantage. Also, if you already have a home loan, but wish to remortgage – to move home or simply to get a better deal – your existing lender may be more sympathetic, especially if you have a good history of making repayments on time.

Which mortgage will I get?

There are a handful of specialist lenders who offer products designed specifically with the self-employed in mind. But mainstream mortgage lenders routinely lend to the self-employed too and you may not need to use a specialist.

You should have full access to the choice between fixed and variable rate mortgages including tracker mortgages, so there’s no reason to worry about this.  If one lender’s request is overly onerous, consider looking elsewhere. And always shop around for the best rate, since some lenders feel more comfortable about self-employed borrowers than others.

Help for the self-employed borrower

There are certain traps that self-employed mortgage borrowers need to watch. For example, your accountant will see it as part of his job to minimise your tax bill using legitimate methods to reduce your taxable income – but this could count against you when applying for a mortgage. Also, many self-employed people also earn money through the PAYE system, which can make their business income seem lower.

For these reasons – and given the other challenges they may face when applying for a mortgage – it’s really useful for self-employed workers to take impartial and expert advice on getting the best possible mortgage deal.

With thanks to Which? for information.