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5 Sep 2025

The average cycle trip in England lasted 24 minutes in 2024, remaining consistent with the previous year, new figures from the National Travel Survey have revealed.

4 Sep 2025

A panel event hosted by ACT Director Jonathan Harrison will focus on retailer experiences and how they are adapting to a number of challenges within the sector at this year’s inaugural...

3 Sep 2025

Cycling just two miles to work can improve heart health by up to 30 per cent compared with driving, new research has shown.

3 Sep 2025

The UK is far behind most European countries in e-bike sales, according to new research from ACT member Paul's Cycles.

2 Sep 2025

A barber's shop in Northern Ireland has proved that it's a cut above the rest by picking up the inaugural Love Your High Street Award 2025, following a public vote that attracted over 2,230...

29 Aug 2025

Pre-registration has now opened for the very first Cycling Industry News Live (CIN Live) show, taking place on Sunday 14 and Monday 15 September 2025 at NAEC Stoneleigh, Warwickshire.

20 Aug 2025

ACT parent company Bira has expressed serious concern following today's announcement that UK inflation rose to 3.8% in July, higher than the expected 3.7% and marking the tenth consecutive month...

20 Aug 2025

Cycling and active living charity Sustrans has claimed there is strong evidence that a lack of infrastructure is the biggest barrier to getting more people on bikes in Northern Ireland.

14 Aug 2025

The global bike industry remains under pressure as Shimano, Giant and Canyon all report weaker profits and subdued outlooks for 2025.

13 Aug 2025

The ACT is set to be in attendance at the inaugural Cycling Industry News Live (CIN Live) trade show, which is set to bring together industry-wide education, market insight and product showcases...

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Social media tips from indie businesses who have successfully diversified their proposition

Posted on in Business News , Cycles News

very week Maybe* bring you social media tactics and top tips to drive your social media strategy forwards.

They introduce you to real life businesses like The Find in Cheltenham and Bourton-on-the-Water photographer, Alistair Currill. Both these businesses are independents which are growing using social media. Here we give you their social media tips so you can learn from and replicate their success using new techniques. 

 

Communicate, communicate, communicate

The Find Coffee House and Artisan Kitchen in Cheltenham is run by David Orme and his team. Offering a haven from the outside world, The Find takes its inspiration from the coffee houses of 17th and 18th century England. Lockdown gave The Find an opportunity to take stock, literally, of everything from their menu and staffing through to social media and the cafe is now using Instagram and Facebook to ‘welcome back' the people of Cheltenham as well as to keep them informed.

"Using social media for continuous updates and information has been key and will continue to be as we re-open. People cannot be expected to keep up with all of the changes and the rules and therefore we created a linktree link on our Instagram account with a list of the rules, menus and other key information so that they can always find what they are looking for easily." says David at The Find.

Top tip: communication. Never assume customers know as much as we do about restrictions. Share all of your reopening safety information in a linktree or highlights. Customers shared the pain of the lockdown with us, let them know, what you're doing, stay on top and they will embrace what you do. Comms is key.

 

How lockdown has helped businesses find new audiences

Alastair Currill is a Bourton-on-the-Water based professional photographer and has been running his company Alastair Currill Photography for around six years in the Cotswolds.

Alastair has long been active on social media to promote his photography work and also his teaching. But lockdown has forced him out in front of the camera as he has taken to Facebook Live to bring to life his top photography tips.

During Lockdown 1 all of the weddings Alastair had booked were cancelled and, due to restrictions, he struggled to do the majority of the work he had planned for the rest of 2020. Rather than resting on his laurels he set up Cotswold Jigsaw Puzzles as a new arm to his business - turning beautiful photography of landscape and animals from around the area into jigsaws for customers locally and even internationally. This helped to keep the main business afloat until lockdown ended.

Alastair believes that even if you were forced to develop a new element to your business out of necessity during lockdown, you can capitalise on this and through social media create a whole new audience.

Using social media Alastair promotes his beautiful puzzles and photography through Facebook communities. Using hashtags on Instagram, tagging in local places - his business has done well.

Top tip: If you created a new service or product in lockdown, don't ditch it upon reopening, look at how you can capitalise on a whole new audience you have created on Instagram or Facebook using the Maybe* platform.

 

With the Maybe* platform, you don't have to be a social media pro to increase traffic and sales. 

Sign up to Maybe* and join the conversation, it's free to get started.

 

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