🚀 I recently wrote a piece on the power of #thoughtleadership and making it work for your tech business over on @ForbesBizCncl.

Sharing some nuggets in this thread, but you'll find the link to the full post at the end.

🎯 Identify Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

To stand out, you must know what sets your tech business apart. Understanding what makes you shine as a business and as an individual will help you come up with great thought leadership ideas.

💡 Show Your Expertise

Demonstrate your deep industry knowledge. Write insightful blogs, participate in webinars and podcasts, create reports, and speak at industry events. Be a knowledge source! 🎤📚

And remember, this isn't about selling. It's about helping your audience.

🤝 Engage With Your Audience

Foster relationships by genuinely interacting with your audience. Be active online and IRL. Once you've posted a thought leadership article, make sure you're inviting questions and continuing the conversation.

🔄 Stay Current

Ensure your content is relevant and timely. Keep an eye on industry trends, emerging technologies, and news. This will help you come up with ideas that matter to your audience.

🚀 Track Your Progress

You /can/ measure the impact of your thought leadership! Understand your reach, engagement, and audience growth. Then keep refining your strategy based on what the numbers tell you!

Another article on that here: https://www.jetsocial.co.uk/resources/measure-the-value-of-your-content-marketing

🎯 Strategic Vision

In the journey of thought leadership, strategy is your compass. Align your content with business goals, identify key themes, and plan ahead.

Remember, quality over quantity. Strategic, insightful content can do wonders for your brand image and credibility!

Here's the full @ForbesBizCncl article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2023/07/03/how-to-make-thought-leadership-work-for-your-tech-business/?sh=102db55646bc

#contentmarketing #techbusiness

Harnessing Thought Leadership for Tech Business Success

I was on @BBCNorfolk this morning chatting to @CGoreham about electric vehicles.

The council is proposing installing new chargers here in Norfolk, which is great news but there's the concern that these residential chargers will block pavements for pedestrians.

(Thread incoming)

This is something that concerns me too. Electric vehicles are a great solution for a lot of people, but we shouldn't be prioritizing them over accessibility.

In fact, surely it's better we encourage people to walk -- on uncluttered pavements -- than drive.

The local council has said its plans ensure there's always enough space on the pavement, which is great! But we've seen in other areas that this doesn't always happen in practice.

We also talked about how this affects the practicality of EVs and touched on Rowan Atkinson's recent Guardian article.

I still think EVs are a great solution. They just might not be the only solution. And there's still plenty to be done to make them greener.

What's clear is that councils all over the UK are doing what they can to make charging easier for EV drivers who don't have the luxury of a driveway.

There's never going to be a perfect solution to transport.

Unless, of course, you're willing/able to walk or hop on a bike to get to your destination.

Everything has its pros on cons including ICE, electric, and hydrogen vehicles. We can't expect EVs to be the saviour.


Electric Vehicle Chargers and Pedestrian Accessibility

I’ve been learning German for five years. My listening and reading are pretty solid but I struggle with speaking because I don’t do enough. (And I’m a wimp.)

I’m in Germany for a month and wanted to share some of the stuff I’ve done to help myself improve.

🧵 A thread!

📺 1. Watch TV in your chosen language.

This is obviously much easier when you’re in the country but even when I’m at home, I watch German news and Netflix shows.

Even if it’s on in the background, it’ll help you pick up colloquialisms and those little conversational hedges.

For example, I’m a big active listener so I’m always affirming I’m listening in English. It’s so hard in a foreign language but watching TV has made me better at things like:

Sounds good
Yeah, sure
I agree
Really?
That’s cool
I get it
Tell me more!

🎤 2. Listen to podcasts

This is related to the above. In German, there are a ton of great podcasts. My fave is perhaps @newsslowgerman.

I have these on while I walk/gym/do admin.

💬 3. Communication is the only goal.

I know enough German to feel when I’m getting stuff wrong.

A big adjustment has been focusing on getting my point across and communicating effectively rather than going for perfection.

⭐️ 4. Get out of your comfort zone.

Ordering food and drink is where I have the most experience. So I have to push myself to try new things.

Even if that’s just asking new food-related questions like:

Can you recommend a local wine?
Do you have anything vegan?

💃 5. Do things in the language.

This is related to pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and is easier if you’re in a place where they speak the language.

Go to the cinema
Book a tour
Visit a book store
Hire a car

Honestly, booking the casino tour was huge for me. It was a real showcase of how far I’ve come.

The nice thing about tours in typically touristy places is that they will keep the local language slow and simple. At least that was the case here in Baden Baden.

🌎 6. Live like a local.

This is obviously easier if you can spend a decent amount of time in a place. But try to do the things you’d do at home:

Get a manicure
Got to the spa
Order pizza
Do a wine tasting
Hang out with friends

I visited my German tutor over the winter and he asked if we wanted to do a wine tour in the hills around Stuttgart.

It was difficult but we had lots of mulled wine, chatted in German, learned lots, and acted like a local!

🕰️ 7. Understand it takes time!

I get frustrated when I’m not immediately good at things. I know conversational German and beyond will take me time.

But immersion and pushing myself out of my comfort zone has really helped!

Finally, it’s helped having someone who isn’t a scaredy-cat (eine Angsthase) with me. @benjhastings is brave af where I’m not. We make a good team.

In case it’s helpful, the three things that have felt like big milestones these last two weeks are:

Hiring bikes, getting them delivered, asking questions, organising pick up.

Casino tour.

Going for a manicure and answering questions about the shape, colour, payment, etc.

Tips for Improving Your Foreign Language Skills

Let's talk about how much it costs to charge a car right now.

I did a thread on this a while back but things have changed.

The long and short of it is that public charging is getting to be as expensive as refuelling an ICE vehicle.

I just chatted to @CGoreham about this on @BBCNorfolk this morning following some new figures from @therac_uk. Here's that full story, I'll share some of the important figures in this thread.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63029226

According to the RAC, it now costs an average of 63.29p per kWh to charge at a public charger. That means it costs around 18p per mile to drive the average EV.

Just 1p less than refuelling a petrol car (based on 40mpg).

BUT...

Some EVs are more efficient than others. My Zoe, for example, costs about 15p per mile based on that average charging price.

And my old petrol car (1.4L Abarth 500) would have cost 20p per mile at today's prices.

While the all-electric 95kW Audi etron would cost 27p per mile.

Not all vehicles are made equal. Not all EVs offer cost savings. Not all petrol cars can get 40 mpg.

Plus, the price of public chargers varies MASSIVELY.

@OspreyCharging recently put its prices up to £1 per kWh, which would make the Audi cost £95 to charge from 0% to 100%. 😶

But no one uses those chargers like that. They're ultra rapids where you add about 10 mins of juice. Sure, it's expensive but it serves a specific purpose.

Rapid chargers (usually 50kW+) are, typically, more expensive than fast chargers. But location matters too.

Supermarkets are often the cheapest place to charge. A Lidl rapid in Norwich is 40p per kWh, for example.

You can also charge for free in some places. Car parks, for example. Again, in Norwich, the chargers in Rose Lane car park are free to plug in and will automatically start charging (no need for an app!), you just pay to park as normal.

Now, for some figures. May I refer you back to this thread: https://twitter.com/jetlbomb/status/1522221953251110912

It gives some context and some of my workings.

Let's compare a VW ID.3 with a VW Golf (monthly costs based on 10k miles per year).

To charge an ID.3 at only public chargers (based on 63p average from the RAC) would cost £160 per month.

To fuel a Golf (based on Norfolk prices) it'd be £188 per month.

Charging costs drop to £101 per month if you only charge on the cheaper chargers (such as at Lidl).

You can bring this down more if you get in some 'free' charges by plugging in when you go into town and are lucky enough to find an available charger.

Equally, you can bring your fuel costs down by finding the cheapest per-litre price in your local area -- Asda in Norwich was always my go-to for cheap(er) fuel.

But let's talk about charging at home.

The same ID.3 would cost £86 per month based on the new price cap of 34p per kWh.

If you have an overnight fixed tariff, that could be as low as £19 per month. (Thanks @OctopusEnergy.)

The odds are very much in the favour of those with a driveway who are able to charge at home.

I'm not sure what the solution is here but there are ways to make an EV more affordable and very few people will head to an expensive rapid charger every day.

Check out the previous thread for tips on how apps like @joinbonnet and Monta can make charging cheaper for you.

Thanks to @CGoreham for the chat, it was a pleasure as always!

Updated electric vs petrol prices

I know a lot of people are worrying about their energy bills right now. 

Honestly, it's pretty shit to know that the cost of living is going to up even more so I wanted to share a few tips on keeping bills down.

1. First off, the energy price cap looks scarier than it actually is. 

While some homes might hit the per-year cap, once you look into how it's calculated, you'll be able to see more accurately how your bills might change.

The price cap is actually calculated on kWh price, which a lot of sources then turn into a per-year price based on the 'typical' home.

The current electricity cap is 28p per kWh. Predictions (and they are just that right now) suggest this could go up to 39p per kWh.

That's a huge jump but if your electricity bill is £50 per month right now, you aren't going to be paying £4000 a year as certain newspapers would have you believe.

Based on predictions, your bill would go up to £72 per month (£964 per year) from £50. 

Caveat: The figures are a little more complicated than I've outlined above because there's a standing charge you pay too. But, the rough numbers above are a good starting point.

Here are the full figures from @ofgem https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/check-if-energy-price-cap-affects-you 

2. Make sure you're on the right tariff

Bills are going up but you can ease the strain by making sure you're on a tariff that suits your usage. 

For example, because I have an electric car, I have a cheaper overnight electricity rate and choose to only charge my car at night.

3. Send regular meter readings

A lot of people are reluctant to do this because they think they'll end up spending more than they should, that's often not the case. Sending meter readings means you only pay for the energy you use and not for the energy your supplier estimates.

If you have a three-bed house but prefer to use a hot water bottle instead of putting the heating on, you'll use less energy than someone with a three-bed that cranks the radiator up. Your energy supplier doesn't know this. Without meter readings, they'll assume you're 'typical'.

4. Don't let suppliers talk you into upping your direct debit if you don't need it.

If you pay a set £X per month and are getting into credit, you probably don't need to up your direct debit. Keep an eye on your usage and only up it if necessary once winter hits.

5. There are loads of cool apps that can help you track energy usage too. We use @loophomes and @equiwattuk here.

Visibility into usage can help you make energy-saving decisions.

6. Your appliances might not be as efficient as you think.

I'm not saying to replace all your appliances because that doesn't always make economic sense, but it's worth being aware of how appliance ratings work.

An old A-rated washing machine might now be rated F. This is because the tech has improved so much that all appliances are now so much more efficient.

So just because everything was A-rated when you bought it, doesn't mean it's the most efficient now.

If something needs replacing, of course, replace it. But just being aware of inefficient appliances can help you change how you use them. For example, using a washing machine or dryer at a cheaper overnight rate only.

7. What to do if you can't pay your bills

I know things look scary now and fuel poverty is a real problem in the UK. If you can't afford to pay your bills, take a look at this article to see what your options are. 

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/energy-advice-households/getting-help-if-you-cant-afford-your-energy-bills

Understanding the energy cap and tips for saving  energy bills

Three apps to help you supercharge your freelance life (from anywhere!).

🚀 Motion
🎥  Video Leap
🖼 Canva

Read on for more info and my top tips.

#digitalnomadday

🚀 Motion

This is a scheduling tool and smart to-do list that tells you when to do tasks based on your workload, priorities, and deadlines.

It's been super helpful to me as my #ADHD brain can't cope when there's lots to do!

usemotion.com

(Free trial)

🎥  Video Leap

Without a doubt the best mobile video editing software out there. I use this for my Tiktok and Instagram. Super easy at the basic level, but it's really powerful once you learn its ins and outs too.

@VideoleapApp 

(Paid)

🖼 Canva

I use this for all my @racingmentor graphics but also use it for Instagram stories, too. It's a design tool with lots of built-in templates and drag-and-drop elements. 

@canva 

(Free with paid options)

Being able to create content on the go is a must for me. Even though I usually have my laptop with me when I travel, being able to quickly edit a Tiktok or create a graphic on my phone is so helpful!

What are your favourite tools and apps? 👇 

Three tools for freelance content creators

So here's an article (link towards the end of the thread) that makes some great points, but I just want to lay out the numbers a little more clearly for you.

Yes, EVs are more expensive if you can't charge at home, but, often, still cheaper than the equivalent ICE vehicle.

I'm going to compare a Volkswagen ID.3 and the equivalent spec VW Golf (1.5L petrol and 2.0L diesel versions). All this assumes 10k miles per year (833 per month). 

Let's start with monthly EV electricity costs when charging at home (based on @octopusenergy Go tariff): 

- Off-peak only: £14.35 p/m
- Peak only: £66.99 p/m

(Numbers are slightly different from the article as I've assumed you're not always going to get the ID.3's WLTP range.)

When charging out and about:

- 50p/kWh rapid chargers: £95.70 p/m
- 28p/kWh fast chargers: £53.59 p/m

Prices vary wildly. Some chargers are free. Others can cost as much as 72p, but those tend to be ultra rapids and the cost is sometimes worth it for the quick charge.

The prices above assume only ever charging out and about, so I'm taking into account people without a driveway or home charger. 

It's rare you'll only ever charge at rapids, though, so the monthly cost would likely be between those two figures.

If you don't have a driveway, these aren't your only options. There are lots of charger-sharing schemes you can use. 

Just find someone in your area who has a home charger listed on something like @co_charger, @zap_map's Zap Home, or the Monta App.

Prices vary for these charger sharing schemes but expect prices similar to the on-peak home charging figures above.

You also have another option to make charging costs more predictable when away from home. @joinbonnet, for example, is an app that works across charging networks and equalizes the price to 35p/kWh.

That's £66.90 per month (based on all the same parameters as above calculations).

Bonnet also has subscription prices, too. If you're charging a lot out and about, you can pay a subscription price instead. To do the number of miles we've based all our calculations on, you'd be best off with the £50 p/m price (200kWh included).

Details: https://www.joinbonnet.com/pricing

There's more! Charge point providers such as @bppulseuk also offer subscriptions to bring their per-kWh price down.

For a BP 50kW rapid, this means you'd pay: 
- 55p/kWh with contactless (£105 p/m)
- 50p/kWh with the app (£95 p/m)
- 40p/kWh with the subscription (84 p/m*)

* Includes monthly subscription price of £7.85.

Ok, so I know this is already a long thread but let me offer some ICE fuel prices for comparison:

Diesel Golf: £106.80 p/m
Petrol Golf (1.5L): £128.77 p/m

(Again, all based on 10k miles per year, taking into account tank size, mpg, and average fuel costs in the UK.)

Here's a link to the original article in case you'd like to compare their figures: https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/article-10781867/Annual-electric-car-running-costs-1-000-higher-charge-home.html

I've added more cost considerations below (tax etc.)

And, because I know people will ask. Yes, an ID.3 is £35k while a mid-range (equivalent) Golf is around £28k.

Lease prices are around £380 per month for an ID.3 and £314 for the Golf according to @sc_leasing.

While I'm here, road tax (VED) prices:

ID.3: £0
1.5L petrol Golf: £190 first year, £165 after that
2.0L diesel Golf: £230 first year, £165 after that

And maintenance on the EV is likely to be less over its lifespan (please see previous Tweets about parts costs/battery life 😏).

I'm not saying what's best for anyone here. For me, an EV is a no-brainer in terms of costs, but you have all the info now.

I hope this helps and that it shows there are lots of charging options and ways to save money when you can't get a cheap overnight rate on a home charger.

You can read the unrolled version of this thread (blog post style!) here: https://typefully.com/jetlbomb/Jr8N1La

Here's another EV cost thread about parts: https://twitter.com/jetlbomb/status/1515004332642643975


How much does it cost to charge an electric car?

This headline really should read: Man ignores signs and gets a parking fine.

I get that the store was shut and the car park empty but supermarkets provide chargers for customers. They also set limits on all vehicles (not just EVs) to stop non-customers clogging up the car park.

I do concede that signage could be better, but we all have to use our common sense here. If I'm using a charger in the car park of a supermarket, hotel, or retail park, I'll double-check the signage just to be sure how long I can park for and if there are any additional costs.

Also, it's a Renault Zoe, it didn't need two hours of charge. Even if it was only using 22kW AC power, it would have to be completely flat to take that long.

In fact, judging by the price paid, it was a charge of around 36kWh (equivalent to approx 28% to 100%).

This isn't an EV problem, this is a signage problem and a lack of common sense.

Once again, articles like this are perpetuating the myth that EV ownership is hard and expensive. Sure, it can be, and the charging infrastructure isn't perfect.

But let's not label someone's mistake as a challenge of EV ownership. 

A mistake is not a challenge of EV ownership

I was on @BBCNorfolk this morning chatting to @CGoreham about the rising cost of living and how we use our cars. We chatted about saving money on fuel and driving more efficiently, but I wanted to do a thread with a few more tips.

1. Keep an eye on how you drive. Go easy on your inputs (acceleration and braking) and use smooth movements. 

Make sure you're changing gear at the right time and not letting the revs climb too high.

2. Keep your tyres properly inflated. An under-inflated tyre will negatively affect your mpg and make you use more fuel.

3. Shop around for insurance. Don't just let it renew, as you'll likely get a higher premium. Either call up and haggle or look elsewhere to see if you can get a better deal.

4. If you're able, consider other methods of transportation. Cycle over to a friend's house, walk to the shop, or maybe even hop on the bus. You'll save fuel but you could also save on things like parking, too.

5. Do you even need a car? Bear with me here, I know I'm mostly talking to petrolheads, but for anyone else who sees this, think about it. If you live in a city, do you need a car? It's not just fuel costs that add up but tax, insurance, parking, and so on.

With car sharing and micro-mobility schemes available in most cities, it's actually really easy to get around without your own vehicle. 

This isn't a solution for everyone but it's something to consider if you don't use your car often.

6. Shop around for fuel. The closest petrol station might not have the best prices. There are apps out there that will show you the prices in your area so you can make an informed decision on where to fill up. (Supermarkets are usually the cheapest.)

7. Going back to tyres, they're not all created equal. Budget tyres might seem like a sensible choice but they could mean you're using more fuel. 

Look for tyres made for fuel-efficiency. Goodyear, for example, has an Efficient Grip tyre.

8. Source car parts yourself. Often, buying the part then taking it to a local, independent mechanic will save you money on main dealer prices. When I had my Abarth, I had a wonderful local mechanic who would let me do this.

(Not having him as my mechanic is my biggest regret in getting rid of the Abarth for an EV that has zero maintenance requirements. 😢) 

9. If you have a vehicle on a lease or PCP, keep track of your mileage and don't go over the limit. Excess mileage prices are extortionate. 

If you do need to go over consider speaking to your leasing/finance company to work out a deal or look for other options for travel.

10. Remove all that junk from your car. New wheels still sitting in your boot? Carrying around that old gearbox? Got clothes and books in there ready for the charity shop? Put it somewhere else! 

The more weight you're hauling, the more fuel you'll use.

11. If your MPG is a lot lower than it should be, there could be a problem with your car. Keep an eye on the amount of fuel you're using as this will help you drive more efficiently but will help you spot fixable problems too.

12. Wash your own car. I can make this suggestion because I've only ever had small cars... Seriously, though, car washes and mobile valets all add up!

13. Where possible, don't pay monthly. When it comes to tax (vehicle excise duty) and insurance, paying yearly is going to be cheaper overall than paying monthly. I know this isn't possible for everyone but, if you can, go for the yearly option.

14. Look for other areas to save money. If you still want your beloved thirsty performance car but are feeling the pinch, don't get rid of it.

Look for other areas to save money. Just because cars are expensive, it doesn't mean they should be the first thing to go.

That's all from me (for now!). If you think this thread might help someone, feel free to share it. I'm aware some of this advice is super obvious, but I know not everyone thinks this way!

Please also add your own tips.

Tips for saving money on your car

We've seen loads of news stories about people struggling to charge their electric vehicle. Those articles lack balance. It's always 'woe is me, a charger was occupied'.

I want to provide some insight into what a normal long-distance trip looks like in an EV.

Last Friday, I hopped in my Renault Zoe (ZE50) ready to head on over to Wales. From Norfolk, that's about 250 miles.

For context, my Zoe will do 238 miles on a full charge. However, at motorway speeds and in the cold (it was low-mid single digits), we're looking at around 180.

Just to be safe, I decided we should stop at Rugby Moto services (130 miles away). I drove VERY sensibly and we arrived with about 20% remaining. 

The first charger we tried didn't work as the contactless wasn't working. We moved to the next one and started the charge.

A KFC, a walk, and some snack shopping took around an hour and, by this time, we were back to 97%. We moved on at this point to let the single car queuing in for its charge.

The plan had been to do a quick charge just before we got into Wales but with the day (and the Zoe's batteries) warming up, plus the slower roads, I realised we wouldn't have to.

This is the thing, you get to know your car - calculating driving/charging becomes second nature.

We got to Builth Wells in Wales, hung around with our team at the Rallynuts Rally then decided it was time to put our feet up at our Airbnb.

When booking, I'd asked the host if there was an outdoor plug. Apparently, there was so I was excited to give the granny cable an outing.

When we arrived, I found out the plug was just that little bit far from the car park to allow me to charge. The host very kindly offered an extension lead but that's a BIG no-no.

After a quick check of Zap-Map, I saw there was a BP Pulse rapid in the next town over. 

There was a surprising amount of choice for chargers, actually, but there were a couple of reasons I chose this rapid. 

Firstly, I could see from the BP Pulse app that it was currently available. Second, because it had a 7kW next to it that I could use if I had to. 

Third, because it was at a hotel and, typically, they tend to be quieter than those at service stations.

A five-minute drive and we were charging. We explored the lovely little town, its park, and its creepy buildings for 40 mins. Despite being tired, it was a delight!

We were at 100% going into the next day. Rally day! We met the team at the service area and worked out we'd be driving around 120 miles between stages. We might need to charge as it was COLD.

We climbed the hills to get to the first stage, about 30 miles away. Welsh roads are 😍

Despite the precarious parking situation (five-point turn on a narrow road with a sheer drop on one side), we had a blast at the rally. 

We'd planned to go back to the service area during the break but decided against it because there wasn't much for us to do and we didn't want to waste the miles. Instead, we headed on over to the second part of the stage with a quick pitstop for ice cream and a walk.

The next part of the rally was pure joy. The sun was out, the cars were tearing up the gravel, and I got the chance to exercise my under-utilised camera skills.

By the end of the day, we'd used about 70% battery as I'd definitely been making the most of those Welsh roads. We popped back into town to charge, using the time to grab food for dinner. We charged up to about 70% because I already had a plan for travelling the next day.

On Sunday we started to travel home via the more scenic route. First, we decided to go to Stratford Upon Avon to charge and explore. I picked another hotel rapid but it was, sadly, occupied. There was a 7kW charger there too so I just plugged into that.

We were only on about 80% by the time we left but that was enough to get us to our next stop to feed some deer, do some shopping, and have another ice cream. 

Next stop, Rugby. Things were a little trickier in the middle of a Sunday with a queue already forming. I slid into a charging bay but soon realised it was the same I'd had problems with on the way to Wales on the Friday.

Instead of waiting around for another to become available, I called Gridserve. They activated the charger for me and we were away. 

Top tip: If something isn't working, always call the helpline. Gridserve were brilliant.

We ate, got to about 80% charge again then decided to head off. It was a little warmer so I didn't think I'd need 100% to do the 130 miles back home.

I didn't drive economically...

My lack of economical driving meant that 40 miles from home, I had about 50 miles of range. The Zoe doesn't estimate its mileage well on big roads so I slowed down and roughly calculated that I wouldn't need a near-home charge.

I got home with 5% battery. Range anxiety barely makes an appearance when you know your car. That being said, this is the lowest I've run it down.

At least I still get a mileage estimate, unlike when I ran the Abarth down to fumes 😆 

I hope that gives you a little more insight into a long journey in an EV. 

I want to point a couple of things out:

1. It's not plain sailing when it comes to charging but the benefits of an EV totally outweigh this (it costs me £3 to charge to full at home, for example).

2. Planning is key.

3. Things get easier the more you do this and the more you learn your car.

4. This would've been even easier if the Zoe could charge quicker than 50kW.

5. This is a very long tweet thread, even for me.

You can read the unrolled version of this thread here: https://typefully.com/jetlbomb/p1DOasV