Focus Magazine Business Update

Did anyone notice that Lighthouse Beach Plaza (Emerald Downs Shopping Centre) is up for sale? Comprising 5235 m² and car parking for 202 vehicles. The best bit is that Coles have 15 years plus 2 x 10 year options in place. Net income of $1.087 million, which means with a net yield of 7%, the centre is yours for around $15.5 million (good for the super fund if you are a banker). Call Luke Harris at Jones Lang LaSalle on 9220 8499.
Fresh from international waters comes the latest carrier market shares – Qantas declines to 23.1%, followed by Singapore Airlines at 10.1% then Air New Zealand on 9.2% and Emirates fourth at 7.3%, about to be passed by Jet Star on 7.2%. Closer to home, I wonder how much share Virgin have taken from Qantaslink on the Sydney run?
We have been reading and listening to the gathering storm that our Federal Government is soon to impose on the restaurant industry. Basically, the Industrial Relations Commission will bring in a new award unifying State & Federal awards imposing the same pay and conditions applied to hotel employers.
The Restaurant & Caterers’ Association says that employees that once earned standard evening rates will earn new penalty rates. Nothing will change, except they’ll be 20% more expensive. With net margins of around 3%, absorbing the extra costs is out of the question, and price increases might be the only other unpalatable solution. Fellow columnist Lou Perri is right to be upset. If you share his disappointment, write to the Small Business Minister, Craig Emerson at Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 or Rob Oakeshott.
Did you know that nearly 50% of new businesses fail in the first year? Research shows that to succeed, proficiency across three core areas is mandatory: marketing & sales (surprise), product knowledge and finance. The trouble is that no one is an expert across these three skills, and that’s where the Start UP program is assisting emerging businesses graduate from the conception to commercialisation. Generously funded by North Coast TAFE, The NSW Business Chamber and Council, This program matches aspiring owners with mentors who provide free advice based on their years of experience. The scheme is co-ordinated by the mercurial Grant Burtenshaw: call 6584 0910.
In 2008, a comprehensive research study involving a large representative sample of the Australian population was conducted to learn consumer preferences when receiving promotional communications.
Conducted by Open Mind Research Group, the research covers 12 media channels, including television, newspapers, magazines, radio, addressed mail, unaddressed mail, email and online, across 19 industries, including banking, superannuation, telecommunications, travel & leisure, fashion, hardware and more.
The results are something that no marketer can afford to miss, showing that addressed mail was the most preferred channel for the majority of marketing communication tasks. Remember when we all thought that the fax and email would be the demise of the humble snail mail?
It hasn’t happened – largely, I suspect, because we feel mildly important when a personalised letter is received. Interestingly, television has fallen from 44% to 15% as the favourite channel for new product announcements.
An Architect, a Property Developer and a Lawyer were discussing whether it was better to have a spouse or a lover. The Architect said he enjoyed time with his spouse, building a solid foundation for an enduring relationship. The Property Developer said he enjoyed time with his lover because of the passion he found there. The Lawyer said, “I prefer to have both.”
“Both?” Lawyer: “Yeah, if you have both a spouse and a lover, they will each assume you are spending time with the other, and you can go to the office and get some work done.”