Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs
This section takes you through every important aspect of how to run a successful business. It offers expert guides and advice articles on the key elements of business management such as employing staff, finding customers, marketing and sales, pricing, people management, office and home working, business technology and everything else an entrepreneur must tackle in order to succeed.
Doing business with foreign companies could make you more vulnerable to late payments, buyer insolvency or fraud. Sean Haywood of Graydon UK explains how knowing your market and taking the right precautions could save you a lot of disappointment down the line.
Export & Import
Export & Import
Ten years ago violin maker Geraldine Grandidier came upon an idea to make and sell children's bookcases - and now her company Tidy Books turns over £500,000. She talks about the challenge of exporting, which accounts for 20 per cent of sales.
Business management
Here, we look at the range of good value and flexible storage options that can be provided for small businesses.
Business management
Here, we take a look at four of the UK's most wealthy businessmen.
Marketing
Conrad Ford discusses how to get the most out of the social media platform for professional networking Linkedin.
Employing & managing staff
Tradeshift CEO Christian Lanng explains why age is just a number when it comes to employing staff.
Finding and selling to customers
Price cuts are not the only way to get ahead, and, as leading sales expert Andy Preston explains, if you win a customer on price, you are likely to lose a customer on price.
Export & Import
In this article in association with UPS, Giles Margerison considers how effective fleet management technology can help SMEs gain a competitive advantage by improving their service delivery.
Finding and selling to customers
Price cuts are not the only way to get ahead, and, as leading sales expert Andy Preston explains, if you win a customer on price, you are likely to lose a customer on price.
Export & Import
In this article in association with UPS, Giles Margerison considers how effective fleet management technology can help SMEs gain a competitive advantage by improving their service delivery.
Office & home working
With potential for more significant summer heatwaves, 'thermal comfort' in the work environment may become a big issue for many employers, says Stephen Thomas, safety technical consultant for Croner.
Marketing
Chris Rowson, managing director of e-card company eCO2 Greetings, saw his search ranking plummet after a Google algorithm update. Here, he reveals how he bounced back from the setback.
Employing & managing staff
The practice of asking for a reference is dying out but, as Robert McHenry notes, there are methods of learning about the value of potential hires.
Employing & managing staff
A proper disciplinary hearing should be about improving employee performance, as Neil Atkinson discusses.
Partner content
In case you were in any doubt, here are five key benefits of switching your business bank account – and how to make the switch.
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?