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I have recently opened a small art gallery and design studio on the south coast. Although we were run off our feet in the summer months, come winter it's been a different story. I'm trying to inspire the local community to become more involved with us through painting competitions and wine tasting evenings, but I seem to have hit a brick wall. It's also really difficult to motivate my team with the gallery so quiet. Have you got any ideas for how we could raise our profile?

Seaside towns can get quite depressing in the winter, so it's a great opportunity to create a happening and for your gallery to be at the heart of it. You have done the obvious, like the wine tastings, but not everyone is available during the evenings and on cold winter nights lots of people want to stay in. A little bit more daytime activity such as coffee and tea tastings or new food product launches would work well in your space. People tend to forget the daytime and assume that everyone is at work but in these seaside towns a lot of the work is seasonal so people are free during the day in winter. Coffee and cake mornings with good products would go down very well. Try to get some support from suppliers and speak to the local media. Tell them you are the first to have the brand-new range of whatever it might be. Create a story around it for the local media to pick up on. Treat the space as an installation with revolving exhibitions and tastings. You'll get more press interest and excitement if you keep things fresh with different events. The other thing is that often seaside towns are cold and damp in the winter - is there an area in your gallery that could be smartly presented and warmly lit? Add comfortable seating and people could just pop in.

After accepting an offer to relocate to Shanghai for my company, I have found out that I will be given very little support with the move. I have not lived abroad before, and although I'm excited about the challenges to come, I expected more from my current bosses. They have only given very brief details of where I will be working and are not even looking into accommodation options for me. I'm not suggesting I need a nanny service, but some guidance wouldn't go amiss. Should I mention this or stumble on?

I think that you are perfectly entitled to expect some pointers from your company. Presumably you are good at your job and quite senior otherwise you wouldn't have been asked to move. Maybe your capable nature is the reason you have been left to your own devices to get on and do it? You should tell your employers that yes, you are perfectly able to do this, but remind them that they have people on the ground and you'd appreciate some help. If they say that there's no structure, just ask for the names of people who are already working in Shanghai. At least then you can make a call introducing yourself, start making contacts and get some information on local essentials before you move. The expat society is very friendly and helpful in my experience, so don't be afraid to ask for guidance. Apart from anything else, your company should want you to get settled as quickly as possible so that you can get on and do your job. This is probably the best way to approach your employers. Tell them you want to hit the ground running instead of worrying about where to live, etc, and to do this you might need a pointer in the right direction. That way, it benefits the company too.

Deborah Meaden is author of Common Sense Rules (Random House, £7.99). Read more advice from Deborah Meaden.

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