Sirius helps raise money in aid of RUH Cancer Research Hospital
In the wake of Sirius’ 7th International Conference held on 21st to 24th May 2017 at The Lake Spa Resort in Portugal, major buying group in the electrical appliance and kitchen retail industry yet again took the opportunity to ‘give back’.
Sirius Buying Group’s Annual Charity auction raised an impressive £10k this year, all thanks to Sirius suppliers bestowing a range of products that were bid for on the night of the Awards Gala Dinner and then won as a prize.
One of the two nominated charities at this year’s conference was RUH Cancer Care, put forward by Zoe Wilkins and Becky Gilks from Appliance Superstore Nailsea Electrical in Bristol.
£5K of the money raised was donated to RUH with Steve Jones, Commercial Director of SBG and Gordon Jones, Chairman of SBG taking great pleasure in presenting the cheque to both ladies from Nailsea Electrical: with Zoe Wilkins a self elected RUH fundraiser!
In aid of this major project, Zoe is trekking across Iceland, approximately 8 hours a day, seeing 4 days across lava fields with river crossings, camping outdoors and plenty of cold early starts and late nights. She is completing this mammoth fundraising event in July 2017 and aims to raise as much money as she can.
The Forever Friends Appeal is the fundraising charity for the Royal United Hospitals that serves a population of 500,000 across Bath, Somerset and Wiltshire. It funds projects that make a real difference to the lives of hundreds of thousands of patients cared for by the Hospital each year, as well as the friends and family who visit them.
The RUH Cancer Care Campaign is a major project, working to raise a minimum of £8.5 million towards the build of a world class new Cancer Centre at the Hospital centred on bettering the patient journey and experience on the basis of long term survival.
Image Shows: Steve Jones, Commercial Director and Gordon Jones, Chairman of SBG hand £5K cheque raised at recent Sirius Awards Dinner 2017 to Zoe Wilkins and Becky Gilks of Nailsea Electrical
RUH fundraisers and donors make all of the above possible. To find out more about the campaign, please visit the website here: www.foreverfriendsappeal.co.uk/ruhcancercentre
Sirius Optimise Digital Route to Market for its network of UK Suppliers & Members
Sirius have created a new online platform to optimise its digital route to market and drive more sales to its network of UK Sirius Suppliers and Members.
With precise business objectives and goals, Sirius Buying Group enlisted the expertise of leading digital agency and one of ‘Google's Leading UK Channel Premier Partners’, Digital NRG, who recognised the emphasis SBG puts on creating new and additional revenues for its network, as well as sustaining existing returns.
As retail footfall becomes relatively inconsistent, it is wise for Sirius Suppliers and Members to be doing all they can to provide easy brand access for the end user and a website is in effect, a virtual shop window: although the purchase may be instore or telephonically, the consumer journey typically starts online.
In fact, independent research carried out by DIGITAL NRG reports that over 70% of all appliance purchases start with extensive online research. Having communicated this information at Sirius’ Annual International Conference, many member websites have already gone live under this new digital programme initiated by Sirius, with 10 more currently under construction and members signing up on a weekly basis. Collectively, these members are seeing over 100,000 unique visitors per month to their websites.
Image shows: Nailsea Electrical – new web page visuals - www.nailseaelectricalonline.co.uk
Proving to be a new referable source of previously untapped enquiries, an established member of Sirius Buying Group, is also seeing the benefits having committed to this exclusive uniformed branding opportunity. Privy to added rich media assets, video libraries, new images, product specifications and real time support, Digital NRG placed a focus on ‘Consumer Communication’ which has been instrumental to the huge uplift of leads to Sirius member websites.
It is a simple, easy to use system that allows each enrolled member to opt in and out of categories, brands and products it wishes to display. Plus, this initiative also has the support of highly successful google shopping promotions, SEO campaigns and layered call and lead racking systems to ensure every single online enquiry, sale and phone call is traceable: members can even listen to calls received by category and page.
Key benefits:
- A ready-loaded online package which offers you a website with all current promotional banners, brands and over 7000+ products at your disposal
- Complete product management so you can avoid the laborious task of managing and updating your product lists
- Automatic updates where your living product lists will be updated monthly removing the worry
- Flixmedia – integrated system transforming your website into a fully interactive product experience: increased product specifications, images and videos
Steve Jones, Commercial Director at Sirius Buying Group comments “If there were 150+ Sirius websites across the country all working towards the same objective – uniformity – then a BIG BRAND can be born. Recognitions, trust indicators about the group and how our members operate can all be used to translate powerful messages to the end user, with unique selling points easily conveyed like ‘Local, Independent, Price-match promises, Local engineers’ to help independents maintain profitable market share.”
Steve continues “As the industry embraces the online digital world more and more, having such positive feedback from those members already signed up to our roadshow web launch lends itself to the majority of members in 2017 participating in the Sirius website project and benefitting.”
Sirius is providing its members with the opportunity to build an online platform that would otherwise cost in excess of £100K, require full time management and incur potential cost for future works and design changes. Not only that, but the latest manufacturer’s offers and promotions are collated and shared amongst Sirius members, enabling dedicated support lines and by the end of 2017, Sirius member sites will have over 350,000 visits a month: an example of Sirius Group Power hard at work!
Sirius member, Budget Appliances, confirm supply of Symphony: New ‘preferred supplier’ to Sirius Buying Group
Sirius continues to galvanise relations and unify operations between manufacturer and retailer by announcing that Symphony, one of the UK’s largest suppliers of fitted kitchen, bedroom and bathroom furniture has become a Sirius preferred supplier.
Sirius has recognised Symphony as a prefered supplier to give its members additional support with developing the kitchen side of their business. The alliance aims to improve and increase UK retail supply by providing a viable route to market, as well as attract more kitchen studios to membership of Sirius.
This partnership provides Symphony with unique access to Sirius retailers already supplying appliances who now want to start offering kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms. Consequently, as a key Sirius preferred supplier, Symphony sees great value in working closely with the group in a bid to enhance promotion of its home furniture collections across the industry.
Symphony is able to reserve and select exclusive product collections, giving its retailers unique access to elite brands. Symphony is also the exclusive manufacturer of the Laura Ashley Kitchen Collection, which is available, by invitation only, to members of the Sirius Buying Group. The company works on strict crieteria to bring new retailers onboard to ensure that this is the right fit for both manufacturer and retailer.
These unique offerings are fundamental in building relationships between Sirius Buying Group, its members and in turn, the industry and its network of retailers. Take for example Budget Appliances, who is currently fitting out its showroom with eight lifestyle displays showcasing Symphony’s collection of kitchen furniture.
Mark Reynolds, Director at Budget Appliances explains “Since first contact, we have been extremely impressed with how Symphony has approached us regarding the potential supply of its products. Furthermore, throughout every stage Sirius has encouraged this move by offering advice, marketing material, guidelines and fundamental training. Not only that, but as Symphony is a preferred Sirius supplier we are privy to certain business drivers such as area exclusivity, individual price points and rebate schemes.”
Image shows: New Cranbrook Platinum Kitchen Furniture By Symphony
As a new avenue for its retailers to develop their business and profit margins, Robert Williamson, Retail National Business Development Manager at Symphony, explains “Relationships in business make all the difference and as a progressive company, we ensure our partners have the same measure of integrity and loyalty. Joining Sirius was a natural fit for Symphony: especially as we want to appoint kitchen retailers to grow our business and develop our brand. Since becoming a Sirius preferred supplier we have achieved a flawless conversion rate with 1:1 meetings resulting in sign-up.”
Steve Jones, Commercial Director at Sirius Buying Group comments “Independents want to remain independent and so enlisting a supplier partner is a great way to expand into new areas of trade, attract new revenue streams and offer a comprehensive product range with less of the risk. Our role as a buying group is to set a high standard of retail, practice, innovation and education and ultimately increase industry profits for our members.”
Olá from Sirius Buying Group Annual Conference, 2017
Sirius Buying Group, one of the industry’s major buying groups of electrical appliance and kitchen retail solutions revel in its 7th International Conference which was held on 21st to 24th May 2017 at The Lake Spa Resort in Vilamoura, Portugal: its fourth time at this southern Algarve 5* hotel.
Providing the ultimate retail networking experience, Sirius Buying Group’s Annual International Conference gives the electrical retail industry the invaluable opportunity to present to a host of leading electrical retail members with similar business interest and goals.
Image shows: Steve Jones, Commercial Director, Sirius Buying Group
Overhwelmingly attendended by market leading electrical appliance and kitchen retail brands who are affiliates of Sirius, the 2017 Annual Conference involved over 50 Member Companies, plus 37 of their Business Partners and 43 Supply delegates ‘preferred suppliers’ such as Whirlpool Group, Smeg, D.A.D., Portway, Samsung, Hoover Candy Group, Gorenje, Symphony and many more.
Taking a unique approach to developing business relations and expanding retail networks, Sirius organised the corporate equivalent of speed dating, ‘Speed Networking’: a highly original and fun way for suppliers to present their services, product portfolios and exclusive promotions to a captive audience of affiliate members.
This highly original structure created a relaxed environment to congregate new and existing customers so they could develop new relationships, as well as build and strenghten existing contacts. Helping to make special memories and forge long-term relationships on a professional and social level, Sirius is pleased to report record levels of business for all attending suppliers.
A few attendees had this to say about their time at Sirius Buying Group Annual Conference, 2017:
Chris Bennett, Channel Director Electrical Retail, Hoover Candy Group: “I just wanted to say how impressed I was with the conference this year. I thought it worked perfectly for members and suppliers alike. Well done and look forward to the Trade Show in September.”
Stuart Benson, Sales Director, Gorenje UK: “This is the most successful conference Gorenje have attended. We had a brilliant response with orders placed. The quality of the hotel, facilities, food was second to none. The other important factor for ourselves was the other Sirius members we had the chance to talk too, who may not do much business currently or in some cases none at all. But we spent some quality time with them, and have some good leads to follow up on over the coming weeks.”
New kitchen preferred supplier of Sirius, Robert Williamson, National Business Development Manager, Symphony: “We were delighted to be invited to attend the Sirius annual conference last month where we were able to present Symphony and be introduced to so many of their members. Kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms from Symphony are a great opportunity for growth and development for all Sirius members, and we look forward to working with them as business partners in the future. Following on from the conference we have had over 30 leads and enquiries, with 10 members already signing up to sell kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms exclusively from Symphony. The support from Sirius board has been exceptional since we started working with them; we would recommend any appliance or kitchen retailer to talk to them at their earliest opportunity to see what Sirius can add to their business. We’re very much looking forward to attending the trade show in September.”
Tom Hayes, Owner & MD, T.C. Hayes: “Wonderful few days in Portugal, I would like to congratulate all all of the Sirius Team and organisers, not sure how you could improve on anything. To be fair you are all stars, congratulations to you all.”
Image shows: Lake Spa Resort, Vilamoura, Portugal: conference location
Steve Jones, Commercial Director at Sirius Buying Group comments “Achieving full capacity at this years conference was our aim and I am pleased to say was realised. Our conference allows us to put an emphasis on networking, building new business relations, as well as authenticate why being part of a respected group is the most viable option to retain individual market independence.”
Gordon Jones, Chairman at Sirius Buying Group says “Providing a simple, effective route to market so that independents can compete is the foundation to our success and I believe this to be the underlying reason why our annual conference has continued to grow: with our biggest just gone.”
He continues “Our conference is also a great way to ‘give back’ and the two nominated charities we chose to support at this years Conference were RUH Cancer Care, put forward by Nailsea Electrical and the Tree of Hope Charity, proposed by Kellyvision. Our Charity auction raised £10k thanks to Sirius suppliers bestowing us with a range of products that were bid on the night of our Awards Gala Dinner and then won as a prize. This year’s charity auction allowed us all to make a difference and donate £5K to each charity.”
“The camaraderie amongst the Sirius Group Suppliers and Members enables us to continue to generously support our Charity Auctions at this level: a proud, unwavering characteristic of our Group.”
If you would like more information about becoming a new member or attending the Sirius Buying Group VIP Annual Trade Show this September 2017, please contact The Sirius Buying Group, Steve Jones, Commercial Director, email steve@siriusbuyinggroup.co.uk, 07590 822 056, www.sirius-buying-group.co.uk
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