Guide to Business Direction Submissions

Upcoming themes and deadlines

From food and drink, manufacturing, awards and more, each edition of Business Direction has a new theme to help you raise your business profile in the two counties.

Upcoming editions:

March/April 2020 Edition

Theme: The Rising Cost of Business

Articles could cover: Red tape and regulations, energy costs, business taxes, the cost of business rates, cyber crime, access to finance.

Copy deadline: 29 January 2020

May/June 2020 Edition

Theme: Managing Business Through Uncertain Times

Articles could cover: Remote working, diversifying your services, business continuity planning, skills & future workforce, importance of improved marketing in uncertainty, reducing the cost of your business.

Copy deadline: 25 March 2020

July/August 2020 Edition

Theme: Restart, Recovery & Resilience

Articles could cover: Business planning for a new era, technologies driving success, managing change, the new business environment.
The costs and process of importing, expanding export in current markets, exporting to a new market, accessing strategic International Trade advice, guidance and training, starting to export.

Copy deadline: 27 May 2020

September/October 2020 Edition

Theme: Sustainability in the Spotlight

Articles could cover: Reducing your carbon footprint, identifying more sustainable materials such as packaging, re-using waste products, the difficulties associated with the shift to a low carbon economy.

Copy deadline: 24 July 2020

November/December 2020 Edition

Theme: Technology and Innovation for Business Growth

Articles could cover: Implementing new technologies, implementing innovation, implementing digitalisation, implementing automation, links to research institutions.

Copy deadline: 30 September 2020

January/February 2021 Edition

Theme: Infrastructure – The Foundations for Success

Articles could cover: Access to broadband, mobile network coverage for calls and data, the decisions for businesses to keep a premises or move to fully remote teams, new software infrastructure needed for a remote workplace, transport links via the road network, rail networks.

Copy deadline: TBC

Guidelines for submitting articles (magazine)

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Articles for the Business News, Charity News or Skills pages must be a maximum of 150 words. Articles for the Movers & Shakers pages should be no more than 80 words. Please ensure your submission is in a Word Document format.

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Articles for Business News should reflect something newsworthy and should NOT be an advert for the business. Examples may include receiving an award, celebrating an anniversary, forming a new partnership or any other success story.

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Images must be high resolution and should be a minimum of 1MB (and 300 dpi). They must be relevant to the article, and you do have the option of including a caption which you can insert into your written article.

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All articles must have a headline and can include your website address at the end of the article.

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Submissions must be clear to read and be written in the third person.

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The theme of each edition runs through the Big Interview and the Cover Feature(s). Businesses are welcome to use the theme, but do not have to do this for regular articles.

Guidelines for submitting articles (online)

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Stories submitted online will automatically be considered for the Business Direction magazine and/or outgoing newsletters, and shared on social media.

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There is no word limit for stories and press releases submitted online, however if your article is picked up for the magazine please be aware it may be edited to 150-words for clarity.

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Images must be high resolution and should be large enough for web (72 dpi). Please ensure your image is saved with the same title as your story to ensure the correct photograph is chosen when edited by a member of the Chamber team.

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Stories submitted online will be approved within 48 hours by someone from the Chamber of Commerce providing they follow the guidelines.

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Whilst we cannot guarantee inclusion in the printed Business Direction magazine, all online submissions will be included if the guidelines are followed.

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There is no deadline for online submissions, however if you are looking for your article to also appear in the printed publication, we encourage you to refer to the deadlines above.

For more information, please contact the Marketing department on marketing@hwchamber.co.uk

Advertising with Business Direction

Get in front of thousands of decision makers with Business Direction, the leading business resource for Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Business Direction offers excellent advertising opportunities at highly competitive rate and Chamber Members receive a 20% discount. You can choose from a quarter page ad to the inside front or back cover to ensure your business gets noticed.

To find out more about the current Advertising Media Pack and to discuss options, please contact Helen Flintoff at Distinctive Publishing

Tel: 0845 884 2333
Email: angie.smith@distinctivepublishing.co.uk

Become a Member

starting from £20 / month*

* for 1-5 employees

Join Now

Or Contact our Membership Team
goodbusiness@hwchamber.co.uk 01905 673611

Terms and Conditions

Upon application to the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, members are bound by the Articles of Association. The following sections pertaining to application, renewal, resignation and payments are highlighted as follows:

Persons eligible for membership are noted in section 5.1 and 5.2 of the Articles of Association.

The annual subscriptions payable by members shall be such sums as may, from time to time be determined by the Board, and shall become due and payable in each year on the last day of the month in which application was made or on such other date or dates as may be determined by the Board, from time to time (Articles of Association section 9).

No member whose subscription is in arrears shall be entitled to exercise the rights of membership and unless the Board otherwise determines, any member whose subscription shall be more than 3 months in arrears shall ipso facto cease to be a member and his name shall be struck off the register of members (Articles of Association section 12).

Resignation of members. Section 13 of the Articles of Association notes that any member wishing to resign from Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce must give written notice to that effect to the Secretary at least one month before the date upon which the subscription for the following year shall become due. If no such notice is received, the member shall be liable for the ensuing years annual membership sum, and the debt will be legally recoverable by Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce.

Once resigned from membership of Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, all stationery displaying the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce logo must be destroyed.

Application Declaration

I, the undersigned, have completed this form to the best of my knowledge and ability and confirm the information supplied is accurate at the date of completion.

I hereby make an application for Membership of the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce. I agree to be bound by the Articles of Association and the Terms and Conditions as stated overleaf.

I have completed the ‘payment details’ form and understand that payment is due for an annual period, commencing on the first day of the month of application. Payments are non-refundable upon cancellation within a membership year. I understand that if I pay by Direct Debit, my account will be debited on or around the 24th of the month of application and subsequent months as applicable.

I understand that I am not eligible for Membership benefits until my payment has been received by Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce.

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce take part in surveys which inform local, regional and national policy. I understand that from time to time, I may be asked for my contribution in completion of these surveys.

DATA PROTECTION NOTICE

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce [the Chamber] is registered under the Data Protection Act 1998 and takes the processing of your personal data very seriously. Please take your time to read this notice so that you are fully aware of what you are consenting to. Please contact us if you are unsure about any part of this notice by telephone 01905 673611 or e-mail enquiries@hwchamber.co.uk. The Chamber’s Data Protection Officer can be contacted at the registered address at the foot of this form. The Chamber’s privacy policy can be viewed on the Chamber website at www.hwchamber.co.uk.

The Chamber is responsible for the protection of all personal data supplied on this form. I understand and consent that the data here supplied will be held on the Chamber’s database. The details provided on this form will be used by the Chamber to inform me of associated Membership services and will be included in both local and regional directories and shown on Chamber event delegate lists as appropriate.

The Chamber operates in a broad business network and can offer its members beneficial connections with additional partners and fellow members. The list of Chamber partner organisations can be viewed on the Chamber website at www.hwchamber.co.uk.