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.
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.
Finding and selling to customers
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.
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.
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.
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.
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