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.
Jennifer Irvine launched The Pure Package in 2004 as a home-delivery meals service tailored to meet clients' individual dietary requirements and preferences. In its first year, Pure Package delivered 70,000 meals and achieved a turnover of £200,000. The company has since grown into a multi-million pound operation. We asked her for her top tips.
Business management
Finding and selling to customers
SmallBusiness.co.uk spoke to Grant Leboff, self-titled ‘most pessimistic salesperson in Britain’ and author of Sales Therapy: Effective Selling for the Small Business Owner, for some tips on generating sales.
Small Business Insurance
Small businesses are more at risk from flooding than fire - and the effects can be 30 times as costly as burglary - yet many businesses still do not have any measures in place to protect their property or staff from flooding, says , the Environment Agency.
Business management
As small business owners competing against larger players, one of the biggest challenges you will face is how to protect your ideas or inventions from theft and imitation.
Legal advice
Awareness of the age discrimination regulation is 'comparatively low' within small firms, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
Marketing
It's official, radio advertising as a small business marketing strategy is dead. At least that's the opinion of SmallBusiness.co.uk readers in our recent poll.
Finding and selling to customers
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.
Marketing
Marketing experts still cite direct marketing as the most efficient way to reach both customers and other businesses, according to Precision Marketing.
Finding and selling to customers
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.
Marketing
Marketing experts still cite direct marketing as the most efficient way to reach both customers and other businesses, according to Precision Marketing.
Business management
SmallBusiness.co.uk asks self-made millionaire Charlie Mullins, who built his company, Pimlico Plumbers, into a multi-million pound business, to give us his top tips.
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?
Employing & managing staff
I am opening a new business, with regards to bank holidays, do I have to pay my staff holiday pay for them?
Business management
If you don't have the necessary experience starting a business alone, your best bet could be to take advantage of the support that a franchise network offers. To find out what it takes, SmallBusiness.co.uk spoke to a franchisee and asked why he chose to go down that route.
Business Loans
Everything you need to know on what small business loans are and what types of loan are available for your business.
Business Technology
To run an optimal business, you must have optimal tech. We explain why you must upgrade your business technology on a regular basis
Investing in a franchise
Starting a new business is an exciting venture. But – especially in well-established industry sectors – a key question is whether it would be better to buy a franchise or go solo.