A franking machine is one of the most interesting postage devices we have out there. What makes a franking machine unique is the way it simplifies the mailing process in your business. Furthermore, a franking machine has the option of customising the company logo and business brand on letters. The one thing that makes this machine admirable is the way it reduces the high costs of posting letters.
[continue reading…]
admin
A business needs to increase its customers in order to grow. One of the most obvious ways to do this is through advertising. But advertising comes at a cost and doesn’t always guarantee results. With that risk in mind, is there such a thing as free advertising and can you use it to grow your business?
Growth is one of the key watchwords for any SME. While a state of stasis is preferable to decline and loss, it’s growth that provides the reassurance that you’re making the right decisions. But what do you do if part of your growth strategy includes moving into the markets overseas? How can you give yourself the best possible chance of success?
[continue reading…]
Training is part of growth, so offering your staff training is essential to growing your business. There are a number of benefits that can come from training the workforce. But it can be challenging for small businesses to train their staff. This is mainly because small businesses will have a smaller budget compared to bigger businesses that might have a dedicated budget for staff training. However, it’s a matter of good research and using all available resources to offer training to employees. It is always possible for you to train employees, even on a small budget.
In this article, we look at another type of business structure – the partnership – which enables two or more self-employed people to set up in business together.
[continue reading…]
When small businesses become stable they should consider looking beyond their border to grow their business. Business growth is incredibly important and the lack of it can leave small businesses stagnant leading to failure. One way to grow a business is by taking it international and catering to customers across the world. It may seem daunting leaving the security of what you know, however, it can be a worthwhile challenge. There are multiple ways in which you can appeal to customers all over the world.
[continue reading…]
Small businesses are worryingly unprepared for the possibility of a no deal Brexit, research has found. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) looked into how small businesses were preparing for the possibility, and the findings show a chaotic picture of the post-Brexit UK. Over 1,200 businesses were part of this research that was carried out this month. The whole country is unsure of what is to come with a no deal Brexit, but small businesses need to have a contingency plan in place to avoid chaos.
[continue reading…]
As the possibility of a no-deal Brexit deal increases, what would be the impact on our telecoms if it were to happen? Is it another cause for concern for small businesses or are there some potential benefits?
[continue reading…]
Every business needs to have insurance, although the types of insurance needed will vary from business to business. The type of business insurance that your small business needs will depend on various factors such as; whether you have employees working for you, if you’re in contact with members of the public, what kind of building you are running your business from and what kinds of contents you have. When it comes to business insurance you will need to consider and evaluate what needs to be protected and what is a risk.
Did someone tell you not to open sketchy emails yet? Phishing emails are the most common trick used by hackers to access personal and business accounts secretly. In fact, even the savviest techies still fall for some phishing scams online. The best way to avoid fraudsters is to be extra careful when using your computer in transacting online. Businesses and individuals must always be vigilant to every email they receive.
Seed capital which is also referred to as a seed money is the initial money start-ups use to get started on their business. The name comes from the idea that a seed is the beginning or the start of something. Seed money can come from various sources, therefore seed funding itself is not a form of funding. Although the sources of seed funding vary, the most popular source is investors, also known as Angels.
You might have a fantastic business idea that you think can make you an instant success, however it pays to be a little cautious. You need to invest time in making sure that this new incredible idea you have is actually reasonable. Starting a business can be a risky affair, however, if you take the plunge of starting a business without a reality check, then failure may be inevitable.
In a recent study conducted by FreeAgent, looking at the work habits of micro business owners and freelancers, it was found that they are creating a new phenomenon called workation. A workation is essentially working whilst being on holiday. This is not the ideal situation, checking work emails and doing admin whilst on holiday. The self-employed are workaholics and seriously need to find the balance between work and life. Holidays are a time to get away, switch off and rejuvenate, constantly working achieves the opposite of that.
Accounting responsibilities can take up a lot of time so you might be hesitant to invest more time into finding and getting to grips with accounting software. Dealing with business accounts can be stressful, however accounting software can take away some of that pressure by doing most of the work for you.
With all the difficulties of setting up a business in the first place and with how saturated the market is, you’re certainly busy as a business owner. But you can’t be too busy to think about the future, set up a plan for your business, and figure out how to grow your business this year.
Entrepreneurship is an exciting journey, however, it isn’t a smooth ride. There are challenging speed bumps along the way and you don’t have the luxury of getting a fixed amount of money every month. With all your focus on setting up a successful and profitable business, you might forget about securing your financial future.
[continue reading…]
Merchant Cash Advance (MCA) is a relatively new way of funding small business growth and is rising in popularity. It’s a great alternative to traditional funding such as banks, which are becoming increasingly hard to get funding from. ‘Alternative’ methods of funding have become the only viable options for SME’s as banks are making it increasingly difficult with the rigorous credit scoring system.
Sometimes small businesses start out using e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and eBay to start their business. It seems that Amazon is currently the biggest player in the international market. A study carried out by Website Builder Expert, looked at the power that Amazon has and how it compares to the international competitors such as eBay and Alibaba. Worldwide online expenditure is expected to exceed £3.5 trillion by 2020, making the online market very competitive.
[continue reading…]
According to a recent survey, 49% of all nurseries in England do not make profits. This may come as a surprise to many parents who believe childcare costs are too high. Not only this, but a recent article by the National Day Nursery Association (NDNA) also stated that nurseries are now closing ahead of 30 hours due to low funding and wider business pressures.
Nobody starts a business today without having a proper digital marketing strategy in place. This is because digital marketing now needs to be at the centre of any marketing strategy for all businesses, whatever the size. If you are in the initial stages of starting a business you probably have a tight budget and a small group of employees. You therefore need a proper plan in order for your startup to grow as fast as it should.
