Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs
This section provides helpful guides and tips on how to find and sell to customers as a small business. Find expert advice on a variety of strategies to attract customers plus ideas on client retention and selling techniques. If you are looking to acquire new business or expand your existing customer base, these pages provide invaluable information to help you on your way. Want to know how to get more clients? Read on…!
As a small business owner in a competitive market, you need to differentiate your business from your competitors. It is what makes you different, your unique selling point or USP, that motivates people to choose you over anyone else. This guide from SmallBusiness.co.uk should give you some useful tips.
Finding and selling to customers
Finding and selling to customers
Reader's question: I am very new at this and have just started my own bookkeeping business working from home. I am finding it very hard to find clients. Do you have any advice?
Finding and selling to customers
Getting your product onto the shelves of a major retailer is no mean feat. SmallBusiness.co.uk speaks to Maria Hellyer, co-founder of The British Curry Company, about how she managed to turn a few jars of curry sauce at a summer fête into Bombay Authentics, a brand that is now sold throughout the UK and exported to 12 countries throughout North America, the Middle East and Europe.
Finding and selling to customers
Having a strong, easily recognisable brand can make all the difference in raising your profile and setting you apart from your competitors. SmallBusiness.co.uk offers some answers to commonly asked questions on effective branding.
Finding and selling to customers
SmallBusiness.co.uk caught up with Tim Slatter, co-founder of speciality cake-maker www.thecakestore.co.uk, a company that took on the larger stores and, in the face of strong competition, has now achieved sales of around £1.5 million.
Finding and selling to customers
Writing clear marketing text or 'copy' helps to attract more customers, so it's worth honing your skills in this area. This article from SmallBusiness.co.uk and Nigel Temple, author of How to Get Clients to Come to You, will help.
Finding and selling to customers
Many of us are nervous about asking for business but the truth is that if we don't ask then it will go to someone else. It is often the reputation that pushy sales people have that puts the whole process in a bad light. These tips from SmallBusiness.co.uk should help to point you in the right direction.
Finding and selling to customers
Sales form the backbone of any business, whether you provide a service or sell products in a retail outlet, you can't survive without customers. Enticing those customers in can be a challenge.
Finding and selling to customers
Many of us are nervous about asking for business but the truth is that if we don't ask then it will go to someone else. It is often the reputation that pushy sales people have that puts the whole process in a bad light. These tips from SmallBusiness.co.uk should help to point you in the right direction.
Finding and selling to customers
Sales form the backbone of any business, whether you provide a service or sell products in a retail outlet, you can't survive without customers. Enticing those customers in can be a challenge.
Finding and selling to customers
Just thinking about giving a presentation can make you feel nervous but for a small business owner, presentations are an excellent marketing tool that tell potential customers what you do and why they should use your business. Here are some tips from SmallBusiness.co.uk and procedure and training specialist Sarah Dobson to help you prepare.
Finding and selling to customers
PR is often considered untouchable by small businesses and best left to the experts and bigger players. But getting good media coverage needn’t be scary or complex.
Finding and selling to customers
Nobody likes disappointed customers, but if your business handles complaints well you could find an angry one becomes a loyal advocate of your business. Alex Tomlin explains how.
Finding and selling to customers
Targeting the right person in a company is critical, but not always easy.
Business Loans
Everything you need to know on what small business loans are and what types of loan are available for your business.
Partner content
Hospitality businesses have faced a number of challenges in the last couple of years. Find out what funding and support is available.
Employing & managing staff
In Aviva’s latest SME research*, 57 per cent of employers surveyed agreed that nowadays employees expect benefits to protect against loss of income or earnings. What do you offer your people?
Partner content
Business broadband offers a host of advantages over standard domestic connections, here’s why you should be considering an upgrade