For helpful business advice on topics from how to get your business up and running, to how to use social media to find more customers, these useful articles will help you get ahead of your competition.
With ever-increasing competition, winning a customer is harder than it’s ever been. This is not helped by the fact that many business owners simply have the wrong attitude to marketing and are making mistakes that are costing the business a fortune. In this article let’s investigate three common beliefs about marketing your business, that could […]
Dealing with employees If you’re planning to take on employees, or already have them, it’s important to be aware of the law and your responsibilities. It’s also vital to make sure you hire the right people, and give them the tools and training they need to help your business grow. Here’s our guide to being […]
Every day, new entrepreneurs dream up ideas for great new products and services, and hope to a start a successful business. But running a business is about so much more than a great idea! This guide is an overview of what to think about before you start up. Your qualities It isn’t usually easy to […]
If you want your business to succeed, it’s absolutely essential to manage your finances carefully. Although you might need an accountant to take care of the details, including filing accounts and taxes, it’s still a good idea to understand how your books work and keep an eye on cashflow. Understanding bookkeeping At its very simplest, […]
Customer relationship management (CRM) software and tools organise the way you look after your customers and prospects. They bring together the data you have on each customer, and how you interact with them, in one place – making it easy to give a personalised service. Here are our tips on getting the best from CRM. […]
If your business sells products – either directly to consumers or to other companies – you need to consider logistics in your strategy. Logistics covers the handling, packaging, storage and transport of goods to and from your business premises – both raw materials coming in, and finished products going out. Here’s our overview of transport […]
Just like the quality of your products and your great customer service, your website is an important part of how your business presents itself. A business website, especially for a small business or start-up, doesn’t need to be expensive and full of bells and whistles. You just need the basics, done well. The absolute basics […]
A franchise can be a great way to set up a business without all the usual risks. You use a business formula which has been proven to work in the past – with support from the franchisor to help you get going. This guide gives an overview of buying a franchise operation. Types of franchise […]
Whenever I consult with a client or present my marketing master classes, I ask the questions: How are you competing in your current market? What is your competitive advantage? I’m met with a variety of responses which can range from “I’ve no idea” to “I am the cheapest.” A very popular response is “my business […]
Although the main activity of many businesses is to sell to consumers – known as business-to-consumer or B2C trading – all businesses will also take part in some kind of business-to-business (B2B) activity. You’ll need to use suppliers, to provide you with raw materials for making products, services (eg accounting or market research) and/or professional […]