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.
If you are looking to produce a website have a very clear idea of what it is you want the site to do, as you should be able to justify every part of the costs involved in building, hosting and maintaining the site.
Getting Online
Marketing
UK, small businesses are being urged to be cleverer with their websites to give themselves a competitive edge.
Legal advice
Terms and conditions (also known as terms of trade), whether they apply to sales or services, are essential to your business as they set out the level of responsibilities that apply to you and your customers.
Legal advice
If you have thought of an idea on which to base your business, then it is certainly worth trying to protect it with the law, in case someone tries to copy your idea.
Buying and selling a company
There are three key stages when it comes to buying a business: finding one, valuing it and financing the purchase.
Finding and selling to customers
Many business ideas never get off the ground if that first sale can't be achieved.
Marketing
As soon as you start your business, you should be thinking about the brand you are trying to get across to customers. The aim of your brand is to distinguish your product or service from the competition.
Buying and selling a company
This fortnight Lesley-Anne McKenna asks what loans are available when buying a business.
Marketing
As soon as you start your business, you should be thinking about the brand you are trying to get across to customers. The aim of your brand is to distinguish your product or service from the competition.
Buying and selling a company
This fortnight Lesley-Anne McKenna asks what loans are available when buying a business.
Office & home working
Setting up office at home is a good way to begin to experience what it is like starting a business. It will give you an idea of the costs and equipment required.
Finding and selling to customers
The focus in this article is on winning new business. Tony Wilford of Plan-it UK asked for tips on becoming a preferred supplier.
Business Technology
Small media companies operating websites would have to restrict or abandon cookies, a widely used web advertising and e-commerce tool, if proposed legislation from the European Union is implemented.
Legal advice
A recent employment appeal tribunal ruling on holiday pay for employees on long-term sick leave could have serious implications for small businesses by potentially driving up costs.
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
Partner content
As with any supplier, it’s important to do your research and ask important questions before you select a broadband provider for your business. But what are the must-have things you should take into consideration?
Business Technology
Landlines as we know them will be scrapped in 2027 – along with a raft of upcoming business changes. Here's how to ensure your communications set-up is fit for whatever the future brings