To help counter the slump in productivity, SmallBizPod asked Paul Flinn, founder of Flexioffices, for his top tips on how to create the most productive working environment in your office:

1. Tidy up time, de-clutter your office

Hoarders always have good excuses to keep hold of stuff, valuable documents and unnecessary gadgets on their desks, but a clean desk policy can work wonders mentally as well as visually.

Introduce a “De-clutter day” twice or three times a year as a fun team exercise. You could even have an office competition about the tidiest or prettiest looking desk.

2. Use new technology sensibly not just for the sake of it

Make use of telephone or video conferencing software to save travel time and costs. If you are on a limited budget, then Skype or Google+ Hangouts are a free alternative.

Collaborative documents also streamline time, for example, creating your files in Google Drive allows multiple people to edit documents simultaneously.

3. Consider using serviced office space

The main benefit of using serviced office space is that you can keep fairly flexible especially if you are planning of expanding your business quickly. There is often no minimum contract with a serviced office and you can take serviced office space for as little as a day or even just a meeting. You don’t have to worry about utility bills, buying furniture, broadband or even receptionist, which can save you a huge amount of time.

Flexioffices database of office space includes thousands of properties which and can be searched online by postcode, street, town, stations, airports, and countries. Here is a selection of office spaces in Mayfair, London.

4. Keep a straight posture when sitting on a desk

Staff member suffering with bad backs and repetitive strain injuries aren’t going to be productive – and definitely won’t be happy. In some cases they might take time off sick to treat their condition or in the worst case scenario they might even take you to court.

Take an audit of how your employees sit at their desks. This should be part of your health and safety procedures when hiring new staff. Thighs should be parallel to the floor and upper arms perpendicular to the floor, while wrists should be almost straight. For people that frequently need to type notes while on calls, invest in headsets so they’re not straining their necks and arms.

5. Allow flexible working arrangements

Many studies have proven that flexible working arrangements such as flexible office time and working from home improve job satisfaction and productivity. A survey conducted by YouGov on behalf of Skype found that 23% think they would be able to get more done in their own home than they would in the workplace.

6. Rearrange your office, make it light and green

Open plan offices may look contemporary, but often “sound privacy” can be an issue in open spaces. Also, does chit-chat in the office stop people from working? Does your work involve confidential conversations with clients? For those who would prefer it, make sure you have flexible facilities, private areas, conference and meeting rooms available.

Natural light also increases productivity, energy and creativity. Studies have found that having a desk plant is one of the quickest and easiest ways of increasing productivity and cognitive attention.

7. Encourage well-being in the workspace

Having a weekly fruit delivery – like the convenient service offered by Fruitdrop! – is a brilliant way to promote healthier diet choices. Dark chocolate is also said to be good as it has less sugar.

If you have products to sell there is an even bigger opportunity because the buyer to seller ratio is more favourable than on the high street. Over 70% of Brits shop online, while only 14% of small businesses sell their goods online. Who wouldn’t like to be operating in a less competitive market?

And then there is the social web. The rise and rise of social media has changed the online dynamic in ways that no-one could have predicted even as little as a decade ago. More than 60% of adults now use social media, so if you can find them you can start talking to them and turn them into your customers.

To secure your online presence and start making the Internet work for you here are my seven top tips:

1. A shortcut to securing your name: KnowEm lets you search for a name on over 600 social networks, 150 domain registrars, and the entire US trademark database. It’s completely free with links to register on each website. If you are thinking life is too short to register on that name websites KnowEm will do the leg work for you, for a price.

2. Don’t skimp on your Internet land-grab: You’ll probably only use a couple of the social platforms seriously but registering your name everywhere will prevent other people from taking the identity over and confusing the brand message online. Even if you never plan on posting anything to that platform just grab the ID anyway, especially if it is popular.

3. Clearly signpost vacant pages: A visitor to one of your pages is an opportunity to win a new customer even if you never post on that site. People find their way to webpages in very peculiar ways so make sure you include a link to your active pages on every social siute you occupy.

4. Simplify your image with an online business card: As you register your presence your business card could start to look quite messy, so simplify things with About.Me. This site provides an online ‘landing page’ to house all of your virtual properties on one, simple address – for example About.Me/WorkingTheCloud. If you don’t have your own website this is a lot easier to print on a business card than loads of individual URLs.

5. Social media wasn’t made for you: Always remember that your customers didn’t join social media platforms to make it easier for you to sell to them. You need to provide a service first and foremost. If they like you they will invite you into their own closed network, where you can start talking to them about your business and what it has to offer.

6. Profit from the inner circle: Encourage ‘sharing’ and ‘liking’ on social pages with extra bonuses and promotions for those who share. This will see your reputation blossom inside your follower’s network and any interaction will keep you higher up the ladder of their preferences in the eyes (and algorithms) of most leading platforms.

7. Know who your friends are: Twitter is fantastic for getting your message out far and fast. Use a relationship management tool like Commun.it to know exactly who is most engaged with your tweets and how great their influence is. Highly engaged followers with a decent amount of influence make ideal people to send review and sample products to, as they are most likely to spread the word about your company online.

‘Working the Cloud’ and companion website http://workingthecloud.biz is the ultimate collection of online tips, tricks and resources for small businesses, start-ups and entrepreneurs who want to get ahead online. You can buy it from Amazon here: http://bit.ly/orderworkingthecloud

And yet, for many businesses, the office can become a dull and uninspiring place which dampens the spirit and sends out the wrong message about the company. This is particularly true at a time when an uncertain economy results in firms struggling to stay afloat, and forced to focus their budgets on other priorities.

However, it is still possible to liven up your place of work without breaking the bank – here are some simple tips to spruce up a drab looking workspace and create an office space that fosters productivity, creativity and a happier workforce all round.

1. Go green. Having plants in the office helps in two ways: as well as being attractive and bringing some much-needed colour, they filter and purify the air. The presence of plants is also proven to reduce stress and improve concentration and productivity.

2. Give your décor a makeover. All you need here are a few simple paintings or fine art prints; or how about a cluster of black and white photographs of your team? Some simple additions to a white wall can make all the difference.

3. A splash of colour. Daring use of the right bold colours can make your office unique and memorable, as well as having a positive impact on how your staff feel and behave – how about green to prosper, orange to stimulate or blue to calm?

4. Music. Although music taste varies, giving staff the option to have non-distracting music in the background can be a good way to keep up morale. But remember, you may need to purchase various licenses in order to play music in the workplace.

5. De-clutter. Mess and clutter can build up over time and make a once manageable space intolerable – so, why not set aside a day for spring cleaning? You’ll be surprised by the amount of space and how much better the office will look and feel afterwards.

6. A place to relax. It doesn’t need to be elaborate or expensive – all you need is a rug, some colourful bean bags and maybe a small coffee table. It’s a great way to improve staff interaction and provides the perfect area for informal meetings.

7. Individuality. Finally, be brave! One of the most important things about your business is the people within it – wear that as a badge of honour and allow the staff a little freedom when it comes to decorating.

Geraint Evans, Sales & Marketing Director at Avanta Managed Offices Ltd. Avanta provides a wide range of serviced offices and meeting room throughout the UK, with 18 serviced offices in London.

1) If you look after people, they look after you – This is true for both staff and customers.  Happy, motivated staff is the biggest asset in any company and especially one that is growing rapidly. If your staff are passionate and care about what they do, then your customers will be looked after properly and stay loyal to your services.

2) Delegation is key – Rapidly growing businesses need constant direction to keep on track and to make sure that the original ethos and values you set out with don’t get lost in the chaos.  Delegate tasks that can be managed by others so that you free up your time to stand at the helm and direct.

3) Be more selective with clients – Learn to turn away business that is false economy.  If a client takes up too much of your time without spending much or always pays late after much time-consuming chasing, you would be better to use the time to service a more valued client.  Although do make sure you’re not rude, just be honest!

4) Increase your prices – If you have a very fast growing client bank then play the Supply and Demand game.  Just be careful not to upset your longstanding and reliable clients, but do make sure that you don’t undersell your efforts.

5) Outsource some services – If some of your offerings could be done cheaper, but as efficiently elsewhere, then outsource.  This will free up more time for you to manage other areas and hone other skills, but do make sure you do your research so that you maintain the same level of service.

6) Watch your cash flow – Poor cash flow management is the main reason many new businesses (and established ones) fail. It seems obvious, but if you are offering better credit terms to your clients than you get with your suppliers, your cash will dry up leaving you with no contingency should a client fail to pay or you need to increase an order with a supplier.

7) Bang a big drum – Shout to all about your success. Let everyone know, competitors and customers alike how well things are going.  Customers like to know that they are dealing with stable and successful companies.  And making your competitors nervous can never be a bad thing!

Having a healthy cash flow is vital for all companies, but the consequences of not managing it well can quickly have a massive impact for start-ups. A small business can only survive for a limited period with a negative cash flow, and ultimately the business will end up insolvent. Entrepreneurs must set up processes which help them keep a close reign on their cash flow from the moment they are in business.

For small businesses wanting to improve their company’s cash flow, here are my seven top tips:

1) Understand where your company’s money is – It is surprising how many small businesses fail because their owner doesn’t know how the company’s finances stack up. Learn what funds are coming in and out of the business each month. It is critical that small businesses remain aware of how much money they are owed and when payments are due, so late payments do not occur in the first instance.

2) Learn about your customer’s habits – Every business has a set date each month that they will pay their invoices, make a note of when these are for your customers. This will allow you to plan when your firm should pay suppliers.

3) Plan and forecast for the future – By developing accurate forecasts for the year ahead, managers will be able to best plan for the future, in terms of expanding the business and identifying any potential future challenges, such as staff resources.

4) Be transparent with your company’s cash flow – Make sure that all your employees are kept informed about the state of the firms cash flow. This will prevent any employees from making any large purchases at the end of the month, or when your firm is waiting for a particular customer to pay their invoices.

5) Negotiate longer credit terms with suppliers – Check to see whether suppliers offer a discount for early settlements, if they do make sure you take advantage of this opportunity. To make your money go further, arrange monthly payments for annual costs such as utilities.

6) Make sure you are up to-date with your invoices – Invoice all your customers promptly and keep track on when they pay. If you are working on a longer contract, agree monthly stage payments or make sure you receive an up-front deposit to pay for materials, etc.

7) Stay clear of bulk ordering – Having excess stock ties up vital cash flow. Try to work on a sale or return arrangement, so that you have as little stock as possible which can be turned over quickly.

1. Compare quotes from different sources.

Online comparison websites could save you money on insurance, but don’t forget to get quotes from other sourcesas well. Call an insurance company directly or ask a high street broker for a quote.

2. Only buy the cover you need.
When you are unsure about the cover you need, it can seem better to add extra cover to your policy just to make sure you cover all your bases. This means that customers can all too easily end up paying a higher premium for cover your business doesn’t need. Always double check whether you really need those additional covers.

3. Sticking with the same insurer for years isn’t always cheaper
While it is easier to stick with the same insurer year after year, it could end up being more expensive. When your renewal is due, always check the quote from your insurer against quotes from other companies. You can do this quickly and easily online and it could save you money.

4. Tell your insurer how long you’ve been in business
Some insurers offer lower prices relative to the length of time you have been in business. A longer period with no claims could also save you money on your premium.

5. Make sure you adhere to health and safety regulations.
If you ensure that your business is in line with the relevant health and safety processes, claims are less likely to occur. Insurers recognise this and will take this into account on your premium.  If you are unsure about the regulations that apply to your business, try contacting a company such as CRL (Calculated Risks Limited) who will help you find and understand the relevant information.

6. Seasonal changes.
If your business activity fluctuates depending on the season it could be a way to save money on your insurance. Check with the insurer whether seasonal increases and decreases are available in the policy. For example: a retailer could save on stock cover during low season and pay more over Christmas. This means you would only pay a higher level during the times you need the extra cover.

7. Conduct regular risk management.
Doing risk management on your business regularly as well as putting in place contingency plans could help reduce your premium. This is because it not only reduces the chance of making a claim but also reduces the affect of a claim.

The good news is that there are a range of free and cost-effective tools and tactics that allow you to measure, track and capture interest and covert this into orders.

Here are some simple tips that could help to turn your site into a goldmine and build up a trusting and lasting relationship with your customers.

1. Establish Your Goals

Decide what you want from your site and what you want your customers to do. For example, do you want them to phone you, complete a form or buy online? If you want your site to be an e-commerce platform, the bare minimum it should do is inform, provide contact details and give an option to buy.

To attract paying customers, your site should be built around keywords that they might use to search your goods and services. Making visitors feel confident about placing an order is also vital so incorporate a reliable shopping cart mechanism, simple order form and safe and secure payment system such as PayPal or Sage Pay.

The bottom line is setting specific goals will help you with all aspects of your website – its design, colours, text, images and navigation – which could appeal to the consumer.

2. Relevant Content

Post content on your site that reflects your aims. Video appeals to potential customers but there is no point uploading film onto your site if it distracts from the sales conversion goal you have set. The video needs to be relevant to the final aim of securing an order.

Blogging regularly to offer the latest information and recommendations in a friendly, informative tone also helps to nurture a positive relationship with consumers. Dialogue is key and you can build confidence by encouraging feedback and highlighting positive customer case studies and testimonials. Another useful device is a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section that deals with any concerns or curiosities the consumer may have.

3. Demand Generation

Create a journey for your visitor. Every page on your site needs to guide the potential customer to the next step. For example, offer a simple call to action on each page such as “Get In Touch” prompt where visitors can register their orders, contact details and queries. It’s also important to offer special deals or discounts to give the consumer a reason for visiting the site and for returning in the future.

Email is a good tool to drive sales so develop opt-in, permission-based mailing lists of potential customers to target with your latest deals. Also, stage free promotions, competitions, introductory offers and discounts that allow the visitor to trial your service for free or at special rates. These sales initiatives demonstrate clearly that shopping on your site offers choice, convenience and cost savings.

4. Measurement Tools

Sign up to a good web traffic analysis tool that allows you to measure and analyse the effectiveness of your website and your marketing campaign. Tools such as Google Analytics give you rich insights into your traffic, telling you which content on your site is working, which pages customers are visiting and which keywords they are responding to. This means you are more prepared to write better-targeted ads, strengthen your marketing initiatives and create a higher converting website.

Pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns can also be excellent value. Google AdWords, for example, allow you to set campaign objectives, track on-site conversion to sales and change your goals instantly to meet changing demand.

5. Capture Relationships

Develop a good Customer Relationship Management (CRM) strategy that allows you to manage a “lead” and track it to a sale, especially if it is an offline one.

CRM gives you instant access to sales and marketing data, generates new leads and maintains your contact database – all in one convenient place. This means you can service your customers better by responding immediately to the constantly changing needs of your marketplace.

Such tools can link mobile phones and email, for example, by converting voice messages from customers or suppliers to text or tracking and recording email marketing campaigns. This means you can make the most of every opportunity, even if you are out of contact or in meetings. CRM solutions help you to take control – by giving you the relevant information and insight and can also be on-demand so you can use them when and where you want without the need for expensive IT infrastructure.

6. Inspire confidence and trust in your website

Include a clear refund policy that spells out what will happen if customers are unhappy with goods or services they have ordered. Some consumers are still wary of buying online in case they can’t get their money back if things go wrong so it is imperative to state clearly and confidently what the position is. Also incorporate a reliable shopping cart mechanism, simple order form and safe and secure payment system such as PayPal or Sage Pay. These help visitors feel confident about placing an order. Finally, stage free promotions, competitions, introductory offers and discounts that allow the visitor to trial your service for free or at special rates. These sales initiatives demonstrate clearly that shopping on your site offers choice, convenience and cost savings.

7. Make contingencies in case things go wrong

Make provision for faults on your site. For example, if a web page is unavailable for any reason, integrate an automated personal message such as: “Sorry. You’ve stumbled on a broken link or a page that no longer exists. But don’t worry. You can navigate back to relevant sections using the navigation bars at the top of the page. If you can’t find the information you want then please get in touch through our Contact Us section.” Include a full postal address, current email and landline phone number so that users know you have firm roots.

The evidence clearly suggests while businesses are struggling in the economic downturn they are working hard to keep money in their business longer, alas taking longer to settle their invoices.

Listed below is a list of seven tips to help you get your invoices paid quicker. This isn’t a hard and fast process you should adopt with all customers as you will find some tactics work better with some debtors than others.
1 – Credit check customers
By credit checking your customers you will be able to determine how credit worthy they are. Although this doesn’t tell you how quickly they settle their invoices you can pick up on whether they are poor at settling their debts. You should look out for their credit score and whether they have had any CCJs or winding up petitions.

2 – Set Shorter Payment Times
Setting a shorter payment term, of say 14 days, will prompt your customers to acknowledge they need to settle the invoice in a shorter time frame than their normal invoices. Even if the customer doesn’t set your invoices as a higher priority, they will become overdue quicker so you should receive your money quicker.

3 – Chase customers a week before payment is due
One of the most common reasons an invoice is paid late is because it falls outside of a cheque run, i.e. a time when the customers settles a bulk of their outstanding invoices. By chasing a customer a week before payment is due it forces them to think about when they are likely to send you payment.

4 – Allow customers to settle their invoices by both BACS/CHAPS and cheques
Offering a number of payment options could help you receive payment quicker as some customers prefer to pay by methods other than cheque, such as BACS. By offering alternative payment methods and making it easier for customers to settle their invoice you should see some customers paying quicker.

5 – Call customers the day payment is due
Don’t be scared to contact a customer the day an invoice is due to be paid and position the call as a friendly reminder. You would be amazed how quickly businesses settle invoices when they know they are going to be called and ‘nagged’ about it.

6 – Offer an incentive to settle invoices promptly
Another solution could be to offer customers and incentive for settling their invoices early, such as a percentage off the invoice total or preferential rates.

7 – Don’t be shy to call and ask for payment!
Don’t be shy about calling customers and asking when they’re sending payment. If they tell you the cheque is in the post agree a day you’ll call back if you don’t receive it, this could be enough to get them to put a cheque in the post that evening.

Learn some magic stage tricks which anyone can pick up – once they know how. My top tips for sales teams and those individuals who struggle to present themselves are:

Learn to breathe. Sounds obvious but most people just don’t do themselves justice. Breathing controls the voice. Find your centre and the energy will flow.

Watch your body language and eye contact. Open body language (for instance avoiding folded arms which act as a barrier) is welcoming to the audience. Eye contact is crucial – but don’t stare at an individual as this can be as off-putting as no eye contact at all.

Tonality and picking your words for emphasis. Tonality is a measure of attitude. It’s not just what you say but the way that you say it. The sound indicates the emotion behind your words. The words themselves matter too – so pick them carefully. Avoid jargon your audience may not understand. Consider every word, every phrase and the tonality you say them.

A positive attitude is essential. Believe in what you are saying and believe in yourself to build confidence.

Practice. There is no substitute. On average practice for one hour for every five minutes you have to speak.

Slow down. Make sure the audience can hear you (this will also help you plan ahead and breathe correctly).

Visualise and know your audience. Make sure you know who you will be presenting to and get in the habit of not only visualising your audience or your visual aids but you should also visualise yourself. Try to imagine how you will be seen: your facial expressions and body language; will you be standing or seated; when and how will you control your slide presentation or other presentation aids. Consider these aspects and you will appear much more polished. If necessary, practice in front of a mirror or video yourself.

1. Try Google Merchant – Also known as Google Base, this free service from Google allows businesses to list products or services on its first page results. In most cases these will appear just below the paid results and will include an image, title, price and direct link to the product or service. It’s free and takes couple of minutes to set up so you might as well try.

2. Try Selling on Amazon / eBay – Both have high levels of quality traffic and nowadays listing products is easier and quicker than ever. One of your goal for 2010 should be to reach as many potential clients as you possibly can. To achieve this goal you must consider selling on eBay / Amazon to reach as much of your target market as possible. Start with one and see if it works for you.

3. Optimise Your Site For Search – The most cost effective online marketing channel is the natural traffic channel also known as organic traffic. By optimising your site in accordance with the search engine guidelines you will notice that with time organic traffic will find its way to your site. If you’re new to search engine optimisation, Google has a fantastic guide which is a good start.

4. Turn Customers Into Your Sales Agents – A happy customer is a good customer. Now you can take this idea a step forward and help your customers help you. Social recommendations, the kind that a friend or family member will tell another will likely result in a sale or lead. To get on the right track, consider placing a social sharing button across your pages such as addthis.com so customers will find it easy to share a page with others.

5. Work on Your Content – One of the most important factors for online marketing success is your site’s level, quality and freshness of its content. Great content can open doors to traffic channels you’ve not considered and can help persuade users to make a purchase. In my experience, how-to guides are a great way to offer quality content which is both relevant and easy to put together.

6. Start a Newsletter Campaign – Newsletters are a fantastic cost effective marketing channel to communicate new offers and promotions. You don’t have to send many, just make sure you’re communicating relevant information and keep it timely i.e. twice a month is fine, but twice a week might be too much.

7. Open an Affiliate Program – Affiliate Marketing is an Internet-based marketing practice in which a business rewards one or more affiliates for each sale or lead. Using affiliates to promote your products or services is a cost effective marketing channel strategy because if you set it right, you only pay for success.

What are your online marketing tips for 2010?

2. The key to managing cash shortfalls is to become aware of the problem as early and as accurately as possible. Financial services providers are wary of borrowers who have to have money today. They’d much prefer lending to you before you need it, preferably months before.

3. Cashflow problems can often be self-inflicted. Companies which send out incorrect invoices often find that their customers end up returning an invoice and requesting a new one. Make sure all your invoices are correct before they’re sent out to ensure your customers have no excuse for not paying.

4. You may be able to raise cash by selling and leasing back assets such as machinery, equipment and even office furniture. However, you could lose your assets if you miss lease payments.

5. Make sure you have a robust process for chasing up your invoices.

6. Know your customers! Some of your customers will pay on time every time – others will be perennial late payers. The more information you have, the easier your payment collection process will be.

7. Consider using an invoice finance provider. These are financial services businesses that can pay you today for invoices you may not otherwise be able to collect on for weeks or months.

1. Set aside some time.  You can’t do any planning effectively if you have given yourself half an hour between a sales appointment and a teleconference with a feisty supplier.  Clear the diary, hold your calls and promise not to check your email for at least two hours because you need to give your brain some breathing space.

2. Spot your core customer.  Analyse your customer base to find out who is spending the most with you, how often they are coming back and what they are buying.  You should be able to identify a core customer and they are the ones you should be targeting for the best chance of success

3.  Know where your profit is coming from.  It might be that most of your profit comes from one or two big deals or it might come from lots of the smaller transactions.  If you have limited resources for PR and marketing in terms of time and money you should spend it on the part of the business which will bring you the maximum return

4. Focus on what you want to say.  Really hone in on the one or two most important things about your business which could be your key services or the things you do better or differently.  Don’t try and tell everyone everything or no one will understand what you are trying to say

5. Understand your competitors.  Look at what they say about themselves, how they position their business, where they are investing their marketing money.  You can then be clear about your niche and how you differ from everyone else in the market

6. Be realistic. By now you will have narrowed down what you want to say, who you want to say it to and why you are telling them.  This will make drawing up the activity plan much simpler but choose activities which are achievable within the time and budget you have available.  Your PR and marketing plan should be an integral part of your business not a nuisance so give yourself a plan you can do.

7. Let ‘little and often’ be your mantra.  Your marketing messages will be better understood if you are consistent with what you say and you say it regularly.  Committing to a small amount of time each week on what appear to be low key activities will bring you much more success than one big event with a brass band and dancing girls followed by nothing for the rest of the year.

Know your best customers. It’s tempting to think that all customers are great customers – but this isn’t always so. Your BEST customers are the ones who love what you do, who don’t mind paying a little more, who come back again and again, who tell their friends and contacts and who want you to look after them forever and a day. You want more customers like this and less of those who don’t fit the bill.

No plan means no action. A plan of action is the single most important tool in your quest for success. There is only one way to produce an effective plan and that is to write it down. As long as it exists only in your head it is no more than a lose collection of ideas. Written out it becomes a visible, measurable, manageable and powerful commitment.

Carry people with you. To be completely effective your plan should be shared with those who will be involved in delivering it. Those around you will pull your wagon more willingly if they understand your rationale and are fully involved and inspired by the journey ahead.

Communicate clearly. A message in your mind can sometimes be a very different thing to the message you want to send to your customers. Try to stick with single-minded pointers, which are more effective than the complex multi-layered variety. Make sure that your marketing message is relevant to your customers – their stuff must always come before your stuff. Test everything before publishing anything.

Select media with care. Whatever else you do, don’t automatically assume that you need a truckload of brochures, an impressive website, a hip blog or any other habitually bought-in promotional asset. All these techniques will communicate but your goal should be to select THE route or routes that will connect most effectively (and deliberately) with your targets. Don’t count the people you reach, reach the people who count!

Measure, measure, measure. A famous advertiser once complained that only half his advertising efforts were effective. His big concern however was that he didn’t know which half! If you didn’t know whether your marketing efforts are working then you can’t adjust them or establish a value for your outlay. If you don’t measure properly, you can’t manage properly.

Business success is not a secret available only to a privileged few. It is available to anyone who takes the time and trouble to think through the necessary steps.

Look carefully at your competitors. Who are they? Where are they? What are they doing, saying, selling, charging? How are they weaker or stronger than you? Study what the enemy do particularly well, then look for ways that you can do better still. Being better than your competitors – even in a small way – will give you a point of difference.

Create a point of difference. Being different from your competitors is an advantage because it helps you stand out – and if you stand out you become easier to notice and easier to remember. Being different also means you don’t need to compete head-on with an identical offering so you’ll spend less time, effort and money on marketing – it’s win-win!

Map your market. How crowded is it? Who else is there? What might change? Eighty percent of the products we use today did not exist 25 years ago. That’s a huge amount of changes and somewhere along the way those changes created winners as well as losers. The trick is to look ahead and see change coming. Once you know that, you should aim to be a part of it rather than a victim of it.

Know your own business. No enterprise can prepare for an offensive without first taking stock of its situation. Be realistic. What shape are you in? Are you well resourced, running smoothly and in profit? Or are you desperate, poorly funded and weak? The answer to these questions should influence whatever is contained in your plan of action.

Be honest about your skills. Nobody can be good at everything. Nobody can be everywhere at once. Nobody can really be effective if they work 24/7. Realise where your time is most productively spent then task others to do everything else. If you are aware of weaknesses in your personal skills repertoire which might create weaknesses in the business, then seek professional advice or coaching to help you plug the gaps.

Don’t overlook your personality. Frequently the magic ingredient that sets one company apart is not WHAT it does, which is very seldom unique, but the WAY it does things – which almost certainly IS unique. Identify the values and traits that make your business special, then celebrate and amplify them.

We live in exciting times. Rather than hope to succeed why not seize the day and plan to succeed. Don’t miss the next seven pointers.

If the domain name is not available in any of the suffixes, you could try and contact the current registrant to see if they would be willing to sell the name to you. If the domain name includes your registered trademark you may consider using Nominet’s Dispute Resolution Service to try and obtain the domain name.

2. Choose a name that suits your business
You should choose your domain name so that it best represents your company’s interests. Think about domain names that solve a problem or names that describe the products or services your company provides. For example, adventuretravel.co.uk, distinguishes your company from other travel companies, by showing that you specialise in a certain type of holiday.

3. Think about branding and keywords
Short memorable brand names are effective, especially if relevant to the personality of a business brand. If you keep the name short and snappy it is also less likely that people will misspell it and more likely that they will remember it and pass it on via word of mouth. For the same reasons it’s a good idea to keep the number of words in a domain name to two or three at most.

There is some debate about whether it’s better to choose a domain name that contains keywords, that will increase your search engine optimisation, or to focus on a name that is more generic or related to your brand.

If your target audience are unable to find your web site, they are likely to turn elsewhere.

With this in mind, if you are particularly interested in attracting customers via search engines it is advisable to choose a name that is a keyword. Choose keywords that are the names of the products or services you will be offering on your web site.

4. Decide which Top Level Domain (TLD) to use
Companies based in the UK usually register a domain name ending in .co.uk. Recent research carried out earlier this year by Ciao Surveys, suggests that British Internet users are 77% more likely to choose a .uk rather than a .com address when looking for information via an Internet search engine.

There are however a number of other alternatives including .com or other Second Level Domains such as .org.uk (for non-commercial organisations), .me.uk (for individuals), .ltd.uk and .plc.uk (for Ltd and Plc companies) and .com, .info and others for generic usage.

5. Register your domain name in other suffixes
It’s a good idea to register several variations of your domain name, so someone does not come in at a later stage and capitalise on your brand name using another major domain name type.

The more variations you register, the more chance you have of capturing traffic to your web site and preventing people registering similar domain names to trade off your brand’s reputation.

6. Take account of hyphens
If your ideal choice of domain name is not available, you might consider using a hyphenated version. One advantage of using them is that hyphens are said to identify keywords to search engines more clearly. The disadvantages of using hyphens are it makes your domain name harder to remember and more difficult to tell to a customer (e.g. on the telephone). So, consider using both the hyphenated and unhyphenated form.

7. Keep your domain name up to date
If you fail to renew a domain name before it expires, there is a real chance of it being lost to online hijackers. You could end up spending a lot of time and resources trying to get it back, or having to rebrand.

Pay attention to domain name maintenance. Protect your online brand against infringement by ensuring you keep your domain name registrations up to date. Registrations of .uk domains are made for a period of 2 years. Always remember to check that your contact details are correct in the WHOIS and that you know when it is due for renewal.

There is a quick and easy way to check when and how you need to renew your domain name – just visit http://www.keepyour.co.uk/.

1. Website: Don’t skimp on this. It’s your business’s front door and shop window. However, great-looking five-page websites can be bought for under £200. Remember you can always upgrade later when the business takes off.

2. FFF (Family, Friends and Fools): These are the best sources to raise seed capital but also get work done. I had my father’s accountant do the accounts for us as a favour on the understanding that if we took off, they would have us for life. We did and they have.

3. Outsource: There are plenty of companies both in the UK or overseas who will do your invoicing, handle calls, provide PA services etc. Much cheaper than hiring full-time employees.

4. Work from home or in the car: I lived in a shared house at the time I started my business so my car was the only guaranteed quiet space I had. I could pretend to clients I was in my “City office”.

5. Use a forwarding address: I had perceived W1 office space for only £30 per month by using a virtual office company. This will give your firm the “big company” feel.

6. Non-geographic numbers: 0800 or 0844 can give you national coverage and a “big business” look for a very small outlay. These numbers can also be forwarded to your mobile to hide the fact you don’t have an office.

7. Think big: In my experience, perception is nine tenths of reality. Don’t apologise for being small; every business had to start somewhere. Be big with your suppliers for good discounts. You may not have much business to give them now, but they’ll be glad to have you in a few years. Don’t be shy of asking for volume discounts.

1. Put in place a flexible working policy

Clearly set out your company’s general policy on smart commuting and flexible working to ensure existing employees – and new recruits – know what to expect

2. Ask employees for their input

Take a collaborative approach to any flexible working policy and ask for feedback and input from your employees. They may well have additional, viable ideas that will benefit your business

3. Be as flexible as possible

Putting in place a policy or strategy is important, but make sure there is sufficient flexibility built in to accommodate a variety of scenarios as every employee’s situation is different

4. Adopt technology that aids flexible or remote working

If you’re willing to allow your employees to be smarter about their commute, change their location or work from home, it’s vital you offer the tools that will allow them to continue to work productively

5. Hold online meetings rather than travelling

How many of your face-to-face meetings could just as effectively be held in person? The reduction in travel time could give you valuable minutes in the office (or at home!).

6. Run trials

While employees may be crying out for flexi-time, you need to make sure it’s a viable approach for your business. Before jumping in, try testing out a few different options with one or two staff to see which is the best ‘fit’ for your business

7. Use your ‘smart commuting’ policy as a recruitment vehicle

At a time when recruiting the best talent is critical for many businesses, an attractive and flexible working policy could really put you ahead of the competition, so make sure you shout about it!

1.  Know the name of the journalist.

Each newspaper will allocate a specific area for a particular journalist to cover.  Addressing your news to the right person means it is less likely to get lost.  It also gives you the chance to build up a relationship with the journalist over time as you send out more news.

2.  Know your deadlines

Newspapers are divided into key sections: features, news, sports.  Find out which days of the week they do the main news pages so you can send them your information on the right day.  Crucially, make sure you know the day they go to press and never call or send them details on that day as the journalists will be really busy finishing the paper and will not respond.

3.  Make sure you are in the catchment area

Newspapers will only cover news from businesses which are within their circulation area, even if the goods or services you provide can be enjoyed by their readers (they have to draw the line somewhere).  So make sure you know every publication which covers the town in which you are based and don’t waste your time sending details to any others.

4.  Include a photograph with a person in it

Always include a photo if you can as you will increase the chances of your story being picked for publication – as long as it is a good photo of course.  Include people but make sure the shot is tight in eg it is just of the subject’s head and shoulders.  If there is a product to be photographed get them to pick it up or crouch down alongside it.  It might feel contrived but the photo will look better.

5.  Get the important details down straight away

Make sure the first paragraph  includes the crucial details so the journalist (who will have about 20 releases a day to read) can understand what the press release is about straight away.  Include where, so they know it is within their area, names, dates and a brief outline of what the story is about.  Leave the quotes and the superlatives for the remaining ten paragraphs.

6.  Don’t forget the contact details

It is unlikely that the journalist will use your press release verbatim and they may need to contact you to clarify details so make sure at the end of the release you include a name, telephone number and email address.  Don’t just ask them to refer to a website.

7.  Buy It

Having been a journalist myself, there is nothing more infuriating than being chased by someone wanting to know if their release went into the paper.  If you have sent a release for consideration, checked that the journalist has received it, then go and buy the paper yourself to see if it has been included.  If it isn’t in, then there is nothing wrong with checking with the journalist to see if it might go in next week.

4. New year, new books – Adapting to the new rate can be a very cumbersome task for some business owners. There can also be additional confusion where transactions span the VAT change date. Regardless of whether a business uses standard or cash accounting, it is the tax point that determines the rate of standard VAT to be applied. For cash accounting, this means that 15% VAT will be due on supplies and purchases made before 1st January 2010, even if payment was received or made after 1st January 2010.

5. Boost sales – On the positive side, the VAT rate change can be used as an incentive for customers to do their shopping before the end of 2009. This can be positioned as an early January sale and communicated with the appropriate marketing tools such as Direct Mail and flyers.

6. Get to work – Businesses that find the festive season slower than other periods of the year can also take advantage of the VAT rate change by suggesting that their customers and prospects commence projects in 2009. If you start a job before 1 January 2010 but finish afterwards, you may account for the work done up to 31 December at 15%, and the remainder at 17.5%.

7. Ignorance isn’t bliss – Don’t leave it too late and find yourself in a mad rush to make the change in January. Your customers won’t appreciate the sudden hike in prices, and it may have a negative affect on your reputation. This is a mandatory change and everyone is in the same boat.

2. Use Your Web Site – Your corporate site is your primary recruitment tool. Candidates in today’s recruitment market expect to engage with an interesting and interactive website. They want to see what the workplace is like, what employees have to say about their company, information about live vacancies, training initiatives and career development opportunities. Make sure the website has a full page dedicated to career opportunities and keep this up to date. You could make use of recruitment ‘blogs’ from employees about working for the company or describing their typical day.

3. Network With Professionals and Candidates – A professional association will help you tap industry peers for their recommendations. Pay for employees to participate in and network in industry groups, conferences and trade shows. Use career fairs to get to know potential candidates and gather business cards from other companies in your sector. Virtual career fairs are a great way of meeting potential candidates without leaving the office.

4. Make Use of Job Boards – Job boards can reach a wide audience quickly and some have a database of candidates that you can search. They are much cheaper than advertising in a newspaper and you can find the same candidates that agencies have for no fee. The top UK job boards are Totaljobs, Monster, Reed and Jobsite

5. Make the Most of Social Media – The last eighteen months has seen a massive increase in people using social media – social networks, blogs and forums. LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook all offer rich pools of qualified active and passive candidates. You should join industry specific blogs or user groups and devote time each week to expanding your network. Create a group for your company on Facebook and list your latest jobs. My Company’s Hiring (http://apps.facebook.com/job_listings/) is a Facebook application where you can enter current jobs in your company and they will be displayed on your company page.

6. Managed Online Recruitment – Up to 70% less expensive then a recruitment agency, managed online recruitment is a highly cost effective option reducing the cost per hire, it is almost resource free leaving your staff time to concentrate on their core daily tasks and results in receiving a number of highly relevant candidate CV’s from which to interview and hire from. Online managed recruitment uses a combination of web advertising, email marketing, CV searching and candidate screening. Try www.onlineresourcing.co.uk or www.Easywebrecruitment.com

7. Build Your Recruitment Brand – An effective recruitment brand can help you reduce recruitment costs as candidates will look for you rather than the other way round and can improve the quality of hire as success stories attract the best candidates. An effective recruitment brand should communicate your company’s mission, culture, and spirit. You can better position yourself by holding focus groups with employees and prospective employees to understand their perceptions. Build brand awareness by sponsoring a local community event and creating a buzz from it or holding open days at your offices and inviting high profile speakers.

What are your tips for cost effective ways to recruit great staff?

In fact all forms of commercial lending are down apart from invoice finance, which has been the saving grace for some businesses. Invoice finance has grown 20% compared to 2008, showing lenders still have an appetite for this form of finance.

Raising finance for a business can be tough in today’s economy, but that doesn’t stop the need for funding in order to start, grow or even sustain business activity.

With all this doom and gloom around us the question still remains the same – how do you raise money in today’s economy? To help answer this question we’ve put together a few options you could explore to raise £100,000.

Option 1 – Family and friends
Borrowing money from family and friends is typically the cheapest and most flexible way of raising money for a business. People who borrow money by these means typically accrue less debt and are more prudent as they only borrow what they need.

However, there are potential pitfalls in borrowing money from friends and family. What happens if the business doesn’t go well, you fall behind on repayments or the person lending you the money wants to get involved in the day to day running of the company? The last thing you want to do is fall out with friends and family.

Option 2 – Enterprise finance guarantee (EFG)
The EFG is a scheme setup by the government to support businesses requiring finance but do not have the collateral necessary to secure funding. To combat this problem the government will back 75% of the loan.

You can borrow between £10k-£100k, with repayment terms of between 3-10 years.

The scheme is also suitable for both startup and well established businesses, you just need to ensure you have a solid business plan and budget to demonstrate you can repay the loan.

To find out more you should contact your local bank who will be able to talk you through the scheme and advise you on whether you qualify.

Option 3 – Release funds from unpaid invoices
Over 1m businesses in the UK are now affected by the late payment of invoices. With a lack of cash flow you could find business growth is being hindered and at worst threatening the future of the company.

Using invoice finance you could release up to 90% of the cash tied up in your sales ledger, with the cash typically made available to you within 24 hours of raising invoices.

There are over 20 lenders in the market so you are sure to be able to find one who could provide you with the finance to help get your business back on track and help fuel the growth of the business.

You could be eligible to use invoice finance if you raise invoices to other businesses and your projected turnover for the next twelve months is over £50,000.

Option 4 – Refinance property
Although commercial mortgage lending in the UK has been way down compared to 2008, there are signs the market is picking back up. There could be an opportunity for you to release cash which is tied up in the value of your property.

A quick phone call to your local independent mortgage broker will give you an indication on how much cash you could raise against your property value.

Option 5 – Asset based lending
Using asset based lending you could release cash tied up in your business assets. This could include cash tied up in equipment, property and your sales ledger, i.e. your debtor book.

Asset based lending is one of the few forms of commercial finance which has shown any growth during the recession. This is due to the lenders opting to lend money secured against assets which have a resale value, providing lenders with the necessary collateral.

Option 6 – Bank overdraft
One of the most common forms of finance for a new and growing business is a bank overdraft. Funding a business in this manor though has a few disadvantages:

1. You could be given an insufficient overdraft which doesn’t allow you to operate
2. Can be recalled at any time
3. Can be an inflexible way to borrow money.

Option 7 – Angel Investor
An Angel Investor is a person who invests in start-ups in exchange for equity in the company. In addition to providing finance the investor could also provide ongoing advice and support, for example introducing you to their contacts to help fuel business growth.

Angel Investors act as both individuals and also in investor groups, each pooling their cash, resource and contacts. The British Business Angels Association would be a good place to start if you would like to explore this as an option.

To secure finance from an Angel Investor you should have a solid business plan, knowledge of your target market and a good pitch. We’ve all seen what happens in the BBC’s Dragons Den when these requirements are neglected.

For those businesses that are considering how to integrate flexible working technologies and practices into their organisations, here are a few key considerations.

• What’s the plan – flexible working has many benefits but it’s important to know how it will best suit your individual business. Before any purchase or implementation, work out who in the business needs access to flexible working and what specific tools they need to be able to deliver the benefits it can provide. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution so base your purchasing decisions on your organisation’s individual requirements, budgets and growth plans.
• Spell it out – all new systems come with initial teething problems. Try to minimise any confusion or miscommunication by setting out a usage policy with details such as who has the option to work flexibly, what reporting structures they will need to adhere to, what resources they will have access to, how they can be reached while out and what office-based team members will or won’t need to do in their absence.
• Keep them in the loop – remote or flexible workers, who spend a lot of time out of the office, can quite often start to feel disconnected from their team members or the wider organisation. Keep them in the loop of all communication and involve them in team or company-wide discussions wherever possible – even if they have to login remotely – so they still feel part of the whole.
• Don’t be Big Brother – one of the key advantages of flexible working is increased productivity through the reduction of downtime so it’s important to give flexible workers the autonomy to make the best use of the extra time they gain from working remotely. Establish a reporting process that allows them this flexibility and freedom, but still gives team leaders visibility of ongoing actions and progress.
• Stay connected – whether by telephone, email or video conferencing there are a multitude of options for keeping in touch without necessarily being in the office. Make sure flexible workers have the resources to stay connected when they’re out – working remotely shouldn’t mean missed calls.
• Get help – while technology is a great enabler for business, it’s important to remember that it’s about more than just hardware and software in isolation. When you commit to a flexible working plan, make sure you have the IT support that can handle the demands of employees working away from the office.
• Keep an eye on it – change is usually the only constant in business. Monitor the ongoing progress of your flexible working system to make sure it stays relevant to your business needs as the organisation grows and evolves.

However, the overlay of family dynamics on a business can present unique problems because these dynamics are often out of sync. With nearly 40% of American family businesses due to pass the reins to the next generation over the next five years how can family businesses meet these challenges?

1. Selecting and preparing successors

In family businesses it is often taken for granted that a family member will take over the reins, but this may not be good for the business nor actually what the heir apparent wants. A coach will ask the business owner what the plan is on their retirement – who will run the business if it is to be passed on to a family member? Does this family member want it? Have they the right experience or skills? The coach can help the family explore the best succession plans, such as the heir working outside the family business for some time to gain experience, he or she working through the various roles or departments and/or setting up a complementary ‘lab’ within the main company as a testing ground and to help bring their skills and vision into the main company.

2. Creating productive roles for family members

Sometimes jobs are created for family members without interview or necessary skills, which can cause conflict with non-family members in the business especially if they are put into management positions. A coach would ask: Do family members abide by the same rules for timekeeping, holidays, expense claims, for example, as non-family members? Does the family member have the necessary experience and skills for the job they are doing? If in a managerial role, what training is in place and/or planned to help them grow and learn?

3. Attracting and retaining non-family managers and employees

Retaining them is the key thing here. Are employees able to progress their career a coach may ask, for example, if they are unrelated to the ruling family? If the line manager is related to the boss, how does a non-family employee voice their concerns? Will it be held as a black mark? How does the company deal with ‘sharing information’ between family members about their employees? How are complaints dealt with? How are the roles and responsibilities defined between two or more related company directors? An employee may get conflicting messages or end up feeling torn between equal but different ‘bosses’.

4. Fostering open and respectful communication

What may be acceptable communication within a family unit may not be appropriate in a work environment. It is too easy for family members to forget what is or is not appropriate at work – couples should be reminded that shouting, bickering and nagging are not easy for other employees to see or hear, and neither is canoodling or love talk. A coach can help the family see the importance of being as courteous to family members as to anyone else, and may also be able to help resolve conflict where it occurs.

5. Developing mutually agreed visions for the business

In my experience this is often not seen as essential in family businesses and they miss out on the guiding light that a clear vision gives an organization. Coaching can help the family focus not just on WHAT their vision is, but also help them come together to discuss it and have it agreed by all the family members as a unit. A coach will also remind them that a vision is only worthwhile if it is stuck to and reviewed regularly by all concerned.

6. Compensations strategies for family members

Pay is often low with no annual review, and they are often expected to work above and beyond the call of duty without much, if any, compensation or recognition. In some family-owned businesses it can be seen as heresy if they don’t want to join or want to leave, and redundancy may be a moot subject if they are laid off. This can cause massive morale problems and bad feeling. So what employment contracts are in place for your family employees? How often is it reviewed with family members? Do their pay and responsibilities match non-family working at the same level? Is there an ‘exit clause’ ?

7. Defining job roles and responsibilities

It can be a bit like Fawlty Towers where everyone does everything – or is expected to – and the different roles can too easily become blurred between family and business. A coach would ask: Does each person have a job description? Is this reviewed regularly and reflect the true situation? Where do the lines of command and responsibility run within the company? Are they written down and adhered to? Does this blur between family and business? For example, does the Brother who is the boss of the company also act like he is the boss of the family, for example? Remember that just because you are the parent or the boss within one area, this does not mean you can automatically take that role in the other area.

When a family business has a clear vision and focus on the actual business, including having clear policies that treat everyone equally, letting managers make day to day decisions, having policies in place for succession and looking to maximize business opportunities, then this, counter intuitive as it may seem is actually better not just for the business but for the family as well.

1. Ditch the cheque. The new Faster Payments service is easy and it works. Even BACS payments only take three days. Ask your clients to pay you electronically – offer them support if they’ve not done it before. Electronic payments are cheaper and faster for all concerned. If your bank don’t help you switch away from the cheque ditch them too – they don’t deserve your custom.

2. Talk to a courier firm. Couriers are more expensive than first class it’s true, but what is your product worth to your customer? Why not give them the choice of a guaranteed delivery for a little more cash. If shipping lots of low value items is your bread and butter this isn’t likely to be an option, but people know that the supply chain is disrupted and will respect you for offering alternatives.

3. Compensate your customers for a disrupted service. It’s all about taking control. Some subscription magazines have opened up free access to their online content to compensate print subscribers for delayed delivery. Think of low value solutions that could mean a lot to your customers. If word gets out it could be great publicity and will put you ahead of the competition.

4. Send documents electronically. PDF is a great format for securely exchanging documents with people, and it doesn’t need to cost a thing. There are free PDF tools available to download which will create PDF files from any application (see www.cutepdf.com). If a document needs to be signed will the recipient accept a scanned copy? Scanners are cheap and will output in a variety of file formats (including PDF) ready for you to email.

5. If you’re sending out marketing material by post consider changing to an online/email campaign. The web is awash with ideas about using social networking and web 2 applications for marketing and it doesn’t need to be costly and time consuming.  Ask a designer to help you develop a simple HTML email campaign or blog and twitter about your services. If you’re smart the results can be instant and powerful.

6. Study your supply chain. If you send products locally can you deliver in person or invite customers to collect from you direct? Again everyone knows there’s a strike on and people will respect you for giving them options. It could be a great way of building stronger relationships with your clients. If you ship a lot of “stuff” long distances have you considered a distributor? With great economies of scale they can secure better prices with carriers other than Royal Mail and it might free up your precious time to work on new business.

7. Relax! In this “just in time” world everyone wants everything now. However if you have a good relationship with your customers and are honest with them, you might find them to be more compassionate and forgiving than you would expect.

2. Be clear about your timescales. Why are you selling?  If it is down to ill health or perhaps a financial decision you may want to sell at the earliest opportunity, however if it is pending retirement or a change of direction you may be prepared to wait for the very best offer. Your timescale will have a bearing on the next issue, which is . . . . .

3. Be realistic about your expectations on price. Everyone wants as much as possible – normally for as little as possible. A good agent will try to get the best out of the market, but please try to put yourself in the buyers shoes. Ask yourself if you would pay what you are asking for your business.

4. Gather together all the relevant information that a buyer will ask for. Your agent can help you here. Get copies of the last three years accounts, details of fixtures and fittings, plant and machinery etc. A copy of your lease if applicable. Your agent will not release any information without discussing the matter with you. If you want a confidential sale be sure to tell your agent.

5. Do your research and appoint a proactive agent. Remember you get nothing for nothing. Your agent should demonstrate the following qualities.

A) Regular, national press advertising in quality media accepted as the reference points for those looking for businesses to buy. such media should currently include Dalton’s Weekly for instance.

B) The agent should have a high profile website, which is user friendly. Some of the best allow the user to download business details. Some others contain videos of businesses for sale.

C). How long has your agent been operating? A business that has been in business many years will always prove to  be successful in their chosen trade.

D). Is your agent a franchise or are you dealing with a large, well structured business. A franchised business agent can appear to be a large operation, however you could find that the person who visits you to put your business on the market is the same person who writes your deatils up and prepares your property description, he is also the same person who does your marketing, answers the phone, arranges and follows up viewings, negotiates the offers and completes the initial convceyancing. A lot of work for one or two people operating from thier front room ! Also, this same person may well have been a truck driver or a warehouseman the week before.

It is nearly always better to trust your largest asset to a business that has a history of selling businesses and has a good structure.

6. Contact your agent regularly for progress reports and updates.  Dont forget  that your agent is not a clairvoyant. Inform them of any significant changes and review your marketing regularly.

7. Lastly, remember that selling a business is in fact a partnership between you and your agent. Respond to all requests for information or viewings quickly and efficiently.

Selling your business is probably the biggest financial consideration you will make in your lifetime   –    use an agent who understands your needs and is able to provide you with the tailor made service that you require.

Follow your passion – Consider the things that you are truly passionate about. Whether it is a passion for a particular sector of the market that you feel is being ignored or a strong belief that something already in existence could be done better, your passion could lead to a profitable venture.

Business angels love passionate entrepreneurs and some of the most successful businesses were born from a simple passion, which means that nurturing yours might allow it to grow into something truly amazing.

Get intimate with your market – Okay, well maybe not that kind of intimate, but you should certainly know everything there is to know about your niche market.

If you followed step 1, the chances are you already know a thing or two about your target audience, but no matter how well you think you know your niche, conducting extensive research will probably uncover some very helpful titbits and will show business angels how serious you are and that you really know your stuff.

Speak their language – Obtaining an intrinsic understanding of your market will surely reveal the best means of communicating with your audience. Whether you are marketing to snowboarders or bankers, speaking at their level and in their language is an important part of any effective marketing strategy.

Expand your niche – While niches are, by definition, limited and specific, they can still be developed and expanded while staying true to your core market.

By treading lightly and testing the market to better understand the natural boundaries of your particular niche, you can expand your market without devastating your loyal customers or worrying business angels who may grow wary if you stray too far from your fundamental ethos.

Be the go-to guy (or gal) – Venture promotion is all about expensive advertising budgets, isn’t it? Simply put, no. Public relations is a particularly effective marketing tool for niche ventures and is an excellent way to convince business angels and customers alike that you are an expert in your field.

Offer your unique wisdom to magazines, websites, newspapers, television programmes and radio shows – any medium your audience is likely to partake in – and become a sought-after expert in your niche. The promotional rewards could be immense.

Stay true to your niche – As mentioned in step 4, those loyal consumers that fell in love with you right from the start may not like it if you begin to stray too far from your niche core. While growing and expanding is all well and good, never lose sight of what drew your customers to you in the first place and be wary of over-expansion.

To maintain that central place in their hearts – and more importantly, their wallets – be careful not to deviate too far and unintentionally knock yourself out of the position you and your business angels fought so hard to reach in your niche.

Grow your business – The fact that you have a niche business does not mandate that it has to stay small. It is entirely possible to stay true to your niche market while carefully choosing opportunities for expansion and growth.

Widen your market, broaden your reach and find business angels who are passionate about your area of expertise to invest in your venture and blast it to exciting new heights. Many successful international conglomerates started on a shoestring and a lot of dedication to an idea that captured the imagination of a generation.

Follow this basic how-to guide, tend to your passion with regular care and feeding, and never forget the reason you started your niche venture.

This is what will get you out of bed in the morning, push you to strive for success, and bring business angels knocking at your door eager to invest in your endeavour and assist you in bringing your business dreams to fruition.

If you set up the company yourself it can appear to be the cheapest option in the short term and you can do this directly with Companies House.  However it can be difficult to work out which forms to fill in and can take longer to process.  Plus you will need to supply your own memorandum and articles of association which can be time consuming and expensive to obtain. Using an online formation agent is much easier as they will have an online application that you have to fill in which they then use to form your limited company.   If you find the right formation agent they can incorporate your company for around £25.

2. Company Name

Picking a name is an important part of setting up a new company, but don’t let the excitement distract you from doing some research.  Check that your name is available before applying so that your application isn’t rejected.  Also make sure that the URL you will want after forming your company is available and that someone else doesn’t have a trademark on the use of the name.   Otherwise you may have to change it later on.  Finally check your name against the sensitive words list on the Companies House website.  If you use a sensitive word, you may have to provide supporting documentation or obtain approval from a Government department to use it.

3. Business Plan

Make sure you don’t start your company without putting in place a business plan.  Without one you do not have a “road map” helping you with what direction you are going.  In addition you may well have to provide a plan to your bank when looking for funding.

4. Company Secretary

Carefully consider whether you should appoint a company secretary.  Just because it is no longer compulsory does not necessarily mean that you should not appoint one.  Their tasks include Companies House filing and maintaining the Company Register which are important legal requirements.  Having an experienced person who can focus on these compliance matters takes some of the burden away from  the directors, allowing them to focus on managing the company and growing revenue..  Alternatively you may wish to use a professional firm to act as your company secretary if you are worried about this.

5. Registered Office

Using your home address can result in privacy issues as it is made publicly available.  Always consider using a different registered office address, even that of your accountant or solicitors.  Please note that from 1^st October 2009 directors can disclose a service address as opposed to their residential address so their privacy can be maintained

6. “Off the shelf” Companies

It is usually not beneficial to buy an off the shelf company. By using one you are buying a limited company that has already been registered at Companies House, and in theory has never traded.  However you do not personally know the initial shareholders and officers and therefore it is always advisable to incorporate a company yourself.

7. Limited Company vs. Sole Trader

You should make sure you seriously consider whether your business should trade via a limited company or via you as an individual and sole trader.  There are good reasons to trade through a private limited company, but they are not always beneficial for everyone.   It is worth talking this through with a Chartered Accountant before making the decision if you are unsure.

It’s no surprise that the CDW IT Monitor survey of IT spending in July 09 showed that just 21% of small businesses expect to grow their IT budgets in the next year.

Faced with stagnant revenues and tight credit, business owners are leaping at opportunities to cut their costs, by deferring software and hardware purchases and upgrades where possible.

The trick, of course, is not cutting so deeply that the business itself starts to suffer as a result.  The good news is, there is a way to avoid this squeeze, by using IT that is low-cost, needs minimal upfront investment or manpower-sapping management yet delivers business-enhancing applications.

Software as a Service (SaaS) or cloud applications can deliver these benefits.  Not merely for the potential cost savings, but also for the fact that they let organisations deploy enterprise-class applications quickly and easily.

Let’s take a closer look at the possible benefits.

Lower up-front costs

Instead of buying hardware and software and paying external parties to set up and run the applications, businesses simply rent the software they need on a per-user, per-month basis. This means costs are predictable, without a large bill before the application is even up and running.

Faster set up

SaaS gives businesses the ability to deploy and scale their applications up or down in hours, without having to reprogram, buy blocks of licenses, upgrade servers or end-user PCs.  It simply takes away the burdensome administration that usually goes hand-in-hand with new software roll-outs.

Reduced financial risk

Instead of having to swallow the cost of new software in one gulp, the investment is spread monthly with no deposit and no balloon payment at the end.  This cuts the financial risk out of IT planning because, if the business isn’t benefiting from a particular software module, it can simply stop using it, with zero penalty.

Lower capital expenditure

Because SaaS uses commodity hardware in large-scale data centres, businesses don’t have to invest in new servers or upgrades to existing machines themselves to benefit from cloud apps. The minimal hardware costs of using the application are factored into the overall monthly cost as part of the ‘utility pricing’ model.

Lower operating expenses

SaaS also frees IT administrators from much of the tedious manual provisioning and management of new applications, and handling upgrades to PCs to cope with those new apps. In addition, there should be no extra software support needed, as the SaaS vendor provides support for its apps.

Decreased downtime

SaaS means that new applications can be rolled out quickly without having to take hardware offline:  users typically point their web browsers at the cloud app and can get up and running. This means less disruption.  Also, cloud services are typically more robust, with less downtime than server-based software.  There’s also the added benefit that the apps can be accessed from anywhere – the office, from home, from a mobile device or web kiosk.  This is particularly important for smaller businesses, where flexible access is a boon.

Greener computing

SaaS is also a greener IT solution, helping companies using it to reduce their carbon footprint. If a firm is able to run just one less PC or server, it would typically save 145 kWh of electricity per year, equivalent to 105kg CO2** – as well as the costs of buying and running the computer.

So there are 7 good reasons why SaaS could help recession-proof your IT, and give your computing a boost.  Even though times are turbulent right now, businesses could be forgiven for having their heads in the cloud.

If you’ve got large blue chip customers who don’t pay for 60 to 90 days and expensive staff who need a pay cheque every month, you’re going to have a bigger challenge managing working cap than say a restaurant where cash is in the till before you have to pay for food and wages – nice!

Here are seven tips to maximise your working capital assuming the business is trading normally and not in some kind of crisis or recovery situation.

1. Minimise your payment due date on your invoices

On your invoices clearly state “Payment due within X days”. Then ask yourself why this can’t be “Payment due on presentation of the invoice”. The answer may be due to industry standards for your line of business. Just remember if you say 30 days, you won’t get paid until Day 45 or later so you might as well put the earliest date possible.

2. Stay on top of collections

Cash is the lifeblood of your business. Those invoices you’re sending out need monitoring and collecting on. It is a fact of business life these will not get paid on time and you have to proactively manage the debtor’s ledger. Make this part of the job of your finance manager and/or admin support in the office, if one is available.

3. Margin – look for the 80:20

Make sure you know which products or services you provide generate the most gross margin. Often times 80% of your margin will come from 20% of your product or service. Unless there is some strategic reason why you need to, don’t waste time and effort on chasing in cash and paying suppliers for product that add nothing to the bottom line or worse, lose you money.

4. Stockholding – the cardinal sin

Related to margin, don’t keep cash tied up in stock. Knowing your sales volumes will help you keep track of how much stock you should be holding.

5. Keep a rolling weekly cash flow

Forecast your cash requirements on at least a rolling 12-month. Know when cash is tight which is usually around month end for salaries and quarter end for VAT and rent payments. If you don’t know where you are with cash it will bite you hard and possibly give you a fatal wound.

6. Communicate a payment policy

Let your suppliers know that you do one payment run a month and it’s on X date. Let them know that payment dates are in the month following receipt of invoice. Depending on the size of your suppliers, some will accept and some will dictate to you. Having one a month will also free up your finance manager’s time for collections.

7. Treat your preferred suppliers different to other suppliers

If you have key partners such as licensors, business advisers, treat them like employees and pay on time unless cash flow dictates otherwise. Do not let poor payment become a demotivator or bone of contention with people critical to your success.

Keep it Simple
May people think that to start a business requires an original idea.  In his book, ‘How to Get Rich’, millionaire publisher Felix Dennis calls this the fallacy of the great idea.  In reality great ideas are few and far between.  For every Google there are a thousand similar companies which had what their founders thought were great ideas but have unfortunately been consigned to the dustbin of internet business history.  To be successful does not require a novel idea, just a good idea expertly executed.

Learn Search Engine Optimisation
Attracting search traffic from Google is undoubtedly the most cost effective way of marketing a business.  Time spent learning how to optimise a website to maximise traffic from Google is time very well spent.  Fundamentally, there are two optimisation factors, the content of the website and the quality and quantity of incoming links.  Whilst getting onto page one for competitive phrases is very difficult creating quality content and being on the look out for linking opportunities can make a significant difference to website traffic.  Remember that each visitor to a website is a potential customer.

Economise
As a start up, money will be tight and it really goes without saying that economies should be made wherever possible, especially in the current climate.  I saved thousands of pounds by choosing really cheap office space and outsourcing work to the far east.  Instead of employing someone in the UK, I have a full time employee in Thailand who I found through eLance.  This works out at around quarter of the cost of a UK employee.

Write letters
Sending letters the old fashioned way via snail mail is a highly effective way of getting a point across.  Unlike emails, paper letters cannot be deleted at the touch of a button; they sit around and demand action.  When writing a letter I advise going straight to the top and writing straight to the CEO.  Be polite but firm and remember that a letter of complaint does not have to be a great work of literature. In the last year I have been refunded £5000 though writing letters of complaint.
Be Assertive
When working with contractors it is important to have a good idea of the quality of the work which you want to delivered.  Do not to settle for second best.  It is in human nature to cut corners and so go though all deliverables with a tooth comb to ensure that they are up to scratch.  With web sites, for example, do not assume that the site has been properly tested, it almost certainly has not!

Watch Your Time and Get Organised
Entrepreneurs have multiple demands on their time and often there will be no one to delegate to.  It is possible to waste a huge amount of time though pointless meeting and phone calls.  Being disorganised is also the thief of time as it is much more time consuming to correct mistakes than get it right first time.  However, by learning time management techniques it is be possible to make a huge impact on personal productivity.  The two books I recommend are ‘Getting Things Done’ by David Allen and The 4 Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss (read Tim Ferris for his ideas about efficiency and in my view, avoid his ideas about business)

Make sure your FD is someone with a genuine passion for fast growth. The classic trap is to assume someone with an outstanding large blue chip record is what you need. Watch animation vs. lethargy during the interview process.

2. Bags of Energy

Make sure your FD still has a fire burning in their belly, just like you. It’s no good paying for advice from a 30-year veteran with lots of experience if there’s no longer the appetite to roll up their sleeves and get stuff done.

3. Genuine Experience

Make sure your FD can hit the ground running on day one bringing to bear years of experience in supporting your finance and back office needs. Don’t let your baby be the proving ground for an FD looking for a career change, unless the chemistry is outstanding. Drill hard during the interview process on specific examples of supporting entrepreneurs, ideally in your sector.

4. No Shrinking Violets please

If you just need someone to process transactions, that’s called a bookkeeper. The right FD will stand shoulder to shoulder with you in executing the vision but be a voice of reason for you. Ultimately the decision will be yours but s/he won’t let you make it without a reality check on proposals and projects based on analysis of the numbers.

5. Give them HR, IT, and Admin – it comes with the turf

Choose an FD who can look after HR, IT, and Facilities for you. A good FD typically picks up these back office functions allowing you to focus on sales, marketing and biz dev. Of course, if it takes up more time so you will need to pay but think what it’s costing the business in your time lost on sales and biz dev.

6. Agree the cost. No surprises

Your FD is not your financial advisor or your accountant. Your FD is someone who works inside the business with you working part time initially perhaps charging a reduced day rate based on your size. As you grow, the FD will no doubt need to increase the time involved and may look to charge what the business can afford. They are investing time and money (via discounted rates) in your business, which is a clear signal they are motivated to help you be successful.

7. Sense of humour

Yes, FD’s do have them, well the right ones do. You’ll be spending a lot of time with them. You both need to feel good about the interaction. Make sure you get that ‘warm and fuzzy’ feeling in the first five minutes of the interview.

Due diligence is key before pitching for new business. Ensure you understand exactly what the company’s objectives are, and how your services can specifically help them achieve those goals. In addition, if the business has a particularly strong credit position despite a challenging market, mentioning this demonstrates that you make it a priority to research and understand your customers.

2. Promote stability

Big business may have concerns that SMEs are less financially stable and therefore less able to provide a guaranteed level and duration of service. It is vital to quash any uncertainties by actively promoting your business’ financial health and long term plans to prospective clients. Be prepared to lucidly discuss your business plan and structure, noting milestones and targets, making it clear that you are able to partner your clients for the long term.

3. Price sensibly

Prices should be based on your operational costs and must be sustainable from the outset. Companies that win business simply by undercutting the market have a tendency to be unstable and often go bust. Be competitive, but price sensibly to maintain a stable position and demonstrate to prospective customers the your service represents value for money.

4. Prioritise customer service

A good technique is to ensure that your core team are trained to understand as many different areas of your business and the general business landscape as possible, so that when speaking to a customer they can address any question or request directly. A knowledgeable account manager is vital for corporates that demand a quick, responsive service.

5. Innovate

Having a good understanding of your customer base is key to providing a service that is relevant and useful. Ask your customers what additional business requirements they have. By doing this, Opus was able to identify a need in the corporate market for an online flexible energy purchasing platform. This was then developed in house and launched as Opus Evolution in September 2007. This service has since become one of Opus Energy’s leading products, boosting turnover in the past 12 months by 25%. In a competitive market, smaller players need to use their flexibility to innovate and quickly respond to customer needs in order to stay at the forefront of the market.

6. Network

Existing contacts and referrals are likely to make up the majority of good business leads, particularly for SMEs with smaller marketing budgets. Ensure that you are involved in industry business associations. Attending industry events with a demonstrable product is also a good way to encourage interaction with potential customers. Case studies also help potential customers to identify with similar problems that your service has provided the solution for. Corporates are much more likely to consider you as a contender having seen glowing reviews from their peers.

7. Retain customers

Customer retention should be a priority. Face-to-face contact is essential to build and maintain working relationships with corporate customers, as it shows a commitment to their business. It is amazing how few businesses do this as standard. Opus Energy’s high customer retention rate has been achieved by ensuring that account managers travel to their client’s sites for regular after sale meetings and account reviews. The effort should not stop once the sale has been closed, instead it should increase, with each customer being valued as a long term investment.

I was never one for school. I found it just didn’t interest me. So from a young age, somewhere around 8 years old, I immersed myself in work. I began helping out a local plumber and soon found I was hooked. He took pride in doing a good job and was the only person I knew who had a car, and from that moment I decided I wanted one too.

From that point on I have been setting myself goals – and achieving them or getting pretty damn close! If I wanted something, I worked hard for it and I have always known that I didn’t just want success, I wanted to be the best.

I believe having a clear vision for the future and most importantly, never losing sight of it, is a key part of being a successful entrepreneur. That’s not to say goal posts can’t move or change, but as an entrepreneur the key is to always have an objective. And don’t be afraid to challenge yourself – aim high and see where you reach.

2. Know Your Strengths and Weaknesses

If you’re going to succeed you need to play to your strengths, but also be aware of your weaknesses. No matter who you are, you will have weaknesses or areas in which you are less able. The secret is to acknowledge these areas and to work on them, or delegate and use the skills of others. A successful entrepreneur will admit when they have a weakness and take steps to improve or learn, not just when they are starting out, but throughout their career.

3. Spot Every Opportunity

Successful entrepreneurs spot the opportunities – and maximise them. This is really more of an instinct than a skill that can be learnt. It is a mindset of thinking ‘is there an opportunity here?’ ‘how can I use this moment to my own advantage?’ You won’t however spot anything hidden away in an office. You need to get out there – talk to people, network, read, go to events, make calls, see and be seen and you’ll soon find the opportunities. When you spot a gap, weigh it up and make an informed decision on what you could or should do about it. But have the confidence to pursue opportunities. Most entrepreneurs will be risk takers, who haven’t got where they are today without taking a risk.

4. Know Your Business, Your Market and Your Competition

You must know your business inside out to succeed. That includes learning everything you can about your competition, and understanding how your own business measures up against competitors. It also includes knowing exactly where your business stands in the context of the financial goals you have established.

5. Don’t Let Your Finances Get Out of Control

Successful people effectively manage their finances. I have always believed in upholding traditional business values and at Pimlico Plumbers that’s meant I have always strictly refused to ever incur credit debts throughout its 30 year history. Finances can be the downfall of many a business, so you need to know exactly how much money you have, where it is, where it’s going and when it’s coming in. Limit your waste and streamline your business to make it efficient. Restraint is a trait of a successful entrepreneur. For a long time you will no doubt need to plough any and all money you make back in to the business and give up those luxuries, such as holidays, new house or car, until you’re firmly established.

6. Never Settle for Second Best

A successful entrepreneur will want to be the best. They will strive for excellence and professionalism in the service they provide – everything from how they conduct themselves to the standards they set for others. They will also surround themselves with the best. For example, at Pimlico we make sure we get the right people on board and that they stay with us for the long haul. The reason we have such exacting standards for recruitment is that our people are the face of Pimlico and one of the most important things beside qualifications and experience, is whether the customer will feel comfortable with them in their home. Pimlico has built its reputation on positive word of mouth and indeed up to 80% of our trade can be repeat business, as customers will not go anywhere else if you give them the quality they require.

7. Hard Graft

Prepare to graft. Successful people are willing to work long hours, weekends, nights, whatever it takes, because they know it is necessary to move the business forward. This is especially true in the first few years of launching a new business, but has continued for me throughout my business life. You will not be successful if you are afraid of putting in some hard graft.

Above all else, you must feel passionate about what you are doing. It is your self-drive and ambition which will see you become a success or end as just another statistic. And if you’re putting in 60 hour weeks, investing everything you have and own in an idea, then you must be passionate about it. Take satisfaction in the knowledge that you are building a business that is yours, and building a future for you and your family.

As a small business looking for office space, serviced offices can offer a flexible solution. Contracts are available for rooms from 2 people up to as many as 200 and term length will normally start at 3 months so you can choose how long you want to commit for. Operators will often offer discounts based on term length – the longer you commit for, the better the price. Office space is provided fully furnished and the centres will be manned with reception staff.

You can go direct to the large operators such as www.regus.com, www.avanta.com and www.mwbex.com or there are some smaller, independent centres which are less well known but can often be hidden gems.

A good way to find the small operators and to assess your options is to use a serviced office broker. These are essentially online agents who will provide you with a list of every operator in your requested location. You choose the centres you are interested in and the operators will then contact you to arrange tours. If you ultimately take space then the broker will receive a fee from the operator. There is no cost to you.

Serviced office operators will typically charge per person per month and prices in London will vary from £350-£1000 + VAT. The smallest office that most operators will offer will be for 2 people. When choosing a centre make sure you take a look at potential “hidden costs”. Operators will nearly always charge for internet connectivity, telephone line rental, telephone call charges and sometimes, handset rental.

The best brokers are www.instantoffices.com, www.easyoffices.com and www.searchofficespace.com.

2. Homeworking/Virtual Working

For many, office space will be surplus to requirements and home working from your living room/spare bedroom will suffice. Should this be the case, why not consider a telephone answering and mailing address service which could help give you a more professional image.

Telephone answering services such as www.kendlebell.co.uk and www.moneypenny.com will answer your calls when you are out of the office or on another call. They will then forward you any messages via text or email, depending on your choice. At the end of the day, you will receive a summary of all your messages. Prices are normally set within monthly packages that will include a certain number of “answered calls” per month. These packages can vary enormously but £50-£100 per month for a user is not uncommon.

Mailing addresses can be hired for those companies looking to give off the image of having a city office. The companies that provide this service will receive your mail and then keep it for collection or forward it depending on your requirement. Prices will start at approximately £25 per month. Don’t forget these kinds of service are also available in all major cities overseas which would make it easy to set up virtual bases in a number of different locations.

All serviced office operators will offer this service but you can also consider www.mailboxesetc.com.

3. Meeting Venues

Most homeworkers are more than happy to work from home but they will not meet people at home. For these people there are a couple of options available. The first is to join a members club (see below) and the second is to hire meeting rooms on an ad hoc basis. All the serviced office operators (listed above) will offer meeting rooms for hire but will normally price out small businesses who need a room for a couple of people for a couple of hours.

However, there are some options which cater specifically for small businesses: www.hubworking.net, based by Liverpool St and Monument in the city of London, offers meeting rooms at £8 per person per hour and is thus very popular with coaches and consultants. www.e-office.net offer a similar service for companies looking for space in Soho.

4. Members Clubs

Many small businesses owners are joining members clubs in central London as they provide a good place to meet clients/partners/suppliers etc.

Clubs such as www.adamstreet.co.uk, www.iod.com and www.thehospitalclub.com offer open plan rooms where business people can meet and work. Subscriptions are normally charged annually and will cost from £300 upwards.

5. Convential Leasehold Office Space

For small businesses conventional leasehold space will normally be too big a commitment. Landlords will usually be looking for a 5 year minimum term and a fairly hefty deposit depending on your financial covenant.

When taking on a leasehold you will become responsible for business rates, service charges, building insurance, facility management, security etc and therefore the “hassle factor” is high. The leasehold is not a realistic option for startups and is best left for businesses that have grown to 30+ employees.

Nevertheless, some conventional commercial property firms are www.struttandparker.com, www.cbre.com and www.joneslanglasalle.com

6. Managed Office Space

Managed office space is a basic form of serviced office space. Rooms will be provided fully furnished and prices will be charged monthly on an inclusive basis. However, IT will be organised by the tenant and there will be no reception staff to meet and greet guests or to answer telephone calls. Try www.hubworking.net for managed office space by Monument station.

7. Office Sharing

A low cost option for startups looking to keep their costs low is to share an office with a company which has spare office space.

The best way to find these opportunities is to look on www.gumtree.com or www.deskspacegenie.co.uk

Costs will vary but can be as low as £300 per desk per month.

Every four months (rather than once a quarter – apols for changing the goalposts slightly!) we’ll be giving the #1 contributor to SmallBizPod Sevens an iPod Touch and £100 to a charity of their choice.

The winning set of tips is based purely on the number of times the article has been read and voted on according to the analytics on our site.

And so, for the period 15 January to 15 May 2009, here are the top 7.

They’re all good to read, with some great practical advice, so do check them out, if you get a chance. Also I hope they might inspire you to offer up your own advice for start-ups and fellow entrepreneurs

1. 7 practical tips on marketing your small business website

2. 7 things you need to know about ebid

3. 7 tips on business advertising on Facebook

4. 7 quick business networking tips

5. 7 tips for implementing effective health and safety

6. 7 things to consider before starting a business

7. 7 tips for a successful franchise

So there we are. Joe White wins an iPod Touch and £100 to donate to a charity of his choice.

If you’d like to contribute, do check out all the details on how to upload your business tips here.

2. In personal selling situations good rapport is vital. First impressions take just seconds to form and can be irreversible. Remember too that first impressions are not reliant upon words but can include intangibles such as demeanour, manner, dress sense and even humour.

3. Understanding why people buy is key in both marketing and selling. Ultimately, most purchases are made for one of the following three reasons: NECESSITY – My car is totally unreliable so I need a new one; OPPORTUNITY – There’s a special offer on my dream car – I must buy now while stocks last. DESIRE – Wow! The body styling of the new turbo model is so-ooo cool… I have to have it!

4. Different buyers will have different priorities so you should be prepared to adapt your selling pitch according to the circumstances. For example a corporate purchaser will most likely be focused on price, reliability and quality – logical decision drivers. On the other hand, an individual or small group will be more able to focus on lifestyle or fashion preferences, personal taste or ego – emotional drivers. The closer that your pitch fits with their mindset the closer you will be to a successful sale.

5. There are surprisingly few barriers that will consistently prevent buyers from committing – just four in fact. Here they are: What you are selling is simply not relevant to them (“Whadya mean you don’t need a pink zeppelin?”); What you are selling is in some way defective; There is something wrong with your sales pitch; There is something wrong with you (time to check-in with an image consultant maybe).

6. Alternatively, there are several things you can do to sway the buyer. These winning moves include: having an offering that is relevant, different and good quality; presenting it at the right time and at the right price; being convenient and easy to deal with; being likeable and easy to get along with; being persuasive and using a convincing, benefit-led sales pitch. If all else fails, you can try to present your offering as the only one of its kind in town.

7. Lastly, the golden rule. Never buy the sale. By all means give a little ground here and there if it helps negotiations. And by all means add extra value – such as free delivery or a few accessories – but do avoid the temptation of reducing your selling price to rock bottom or beyond just to win a sale. Price slashing is not a sustainable, long-term strategy. Remember that neither you or your business can survive for long without making a realistic profit.

So here are 7 ways you can make money and make your business more productive.

1. Money Money Money: Retrieve any outstanding debt – after all it’s your money, and it isn’t doing you any good in their bank account.  Chase up non-payers, get a payment date, send reminders, and bank those cheques.  Review all your outgoings each month. Are those phone bills too high? What about your stationery supplies? Could you email rather than post your invoices? Every cost you can minimise means more money in your pocket.

2. Affiliate schemes: Join relevant affiliate schemes to sell products online and earn passive income. Examples include Amazon, Tradedoubler, and Doubleclick. From experience, some schemes are better than others at paying out – do your research.

3. Increase Prices: This is an obvious one – charge more and earn more. If you are worried about raising prices, perform competitive analysis and see what your rivals charge and where you can offer extra value.   Spend some time being a “mystery shopper” and evaluating what their customer process is like.

4. Revisit old clients: It’s 10 times cheaper and 16 times easier to sell to an existing client than to recruit a new one. Get your old contacts out and send them an email, pick up the phone or send them a special offer. This also has a simplistic title: “Sell more often”.   After someone buys something from you what happens? Do they get directed to another page of your website recommending other products they might like? Do you send them a reminder to buy another 30 days supply from you? How about an email a month on to ask them how they like the product and remind them of your business? I was really impressed the other day to get a phone call from a supplier to check how I was finding the product about a week after buying it – fantastic customer service, and I just told all of you about it!

5. PR: Have a great story or a unique angle on something? We had an excellent ½ page article in the Daily Record (which has over half a million readers) on “21st Century Office Angels” – the equivalent advert would have cost of minimum of £7,000 – for FREE. Come up with an interesting angle – a competition, a survey you have done, a great headline, a cute picture. It’s impossible to buy the kind of credibility that good PR gives your business – well worth some investigation.

6. Network: If you can get 5 people to tell 5 of their friends about your business, and they tell just 5 of their friends, then that’s 125 people all talking about your business! It’s a long process getting business out of networking but it’s great for gauging opinion, getting honest feedback from other business owners/potential clients and getting those people doing your marketing for you.

7. Stop Being Active: Be productive instead. Think – is it really worth your time to sit doing the books (which you hate) rather than going out there and getting more clients? Your time is your most valuable asset – make sure it counts!

So how do you make sure that you don’t stray, that you remain true to your moral code and can sleep easy at night? A good mental defence comes from understanding the nature of mortal sin, and to help you along this dark and dangerous journey we have gone to questionable lengths to research the following list…good luck!

1. Lust
An unquenchable appetite for something. As a small business entrepreneur you will often be faced with this common and potentially treacherous vice. Then again…surely a little passion is essential to business success, isn’t it?

To strive to capture a greater market share, to go all out to win that big contract or to desire the finer things in life that success can give you cannot be a bad thing, can it? Maybe we could all do with a little lust in our lives to push us forward from being small business entrepreneurs to become big business entrepreneurs!

2. Gluttony
Over-indulgence to the point of waste. Now surely there is no excuse for this. Why would you want to have the opportunity to eat what you want, where you want and how you want?

To order the most expensive meals in the finest restaurants anywhere in the world, to take business meetings over lunch at Nobu, nights out with loved ones at Claridge’s or breakfast at The Savoy would surely be excessive in the extreme. No, I say, small businesses entrepreneurs should not strive to be gluttonous…although I hear that the food at Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant is to die for!!

3. Greed
To strive towards the acquisition of wealth…is bad? Oh come now, how can that be sinful for a small business entrepreneur? I can’t even attempt to find an argument against this, so I’ll leave it to one far more eloquent than I am.

In the words of Gordon Gekko, “…greed – for lack of a better word – is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms – greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge – has marked the upward surge of mankind.”

4. Sloth
The sin of laziness. Ah, now here’s one that I can sink my teeth into! No small business entrepreneur can survive if they are lazy. Running a small business takes time and effort in equal proportions. Evenings and weekends are filled with work, days are busier than you’ll ever know them in a salaried job, and those around you must understand that for a while at least they will have to sacrifice some of their quality time with you because your focus is on building your business.

Then again, one man’s sloth is another’s efficiency drive. When machines were introduced into manufacturing, TV remotes into the family home and computers onto work desks, those with a desire to simplify tasks were accused of laziness. Working smarter, not harder, is not being lazy: it’s just a prelude to increased productivity.

5. Wrath
Uncontrollable anger. To lose control of your emotions can damage your business reputation. Building long-term relationships with suppliers, staff and customers is essential to entrepreneurial success in a fickle world.

To be irritable, upset or vengeful will not help you towards your business goals, but anger implies passion and therefore it has its positive aspects as well. When you’re having a bad week, are you the kind of small business entrepreneur who loses faith or do you allow your emotions to fuel your efforts to bring your performance back on track?

6. Envy
Desiring what someone else has. To be consumed by such an infectious craving can be at least distracting and at worst devastating. As a small business entrepreneur, you’ll be driven by the need to plough your own furrow, to walk your own path, to go where no one has gone before (I canna give her any more, captain!), so surely wanting what others have is beneath you?

Well, not really. We all started out on our entrepreneurial journey being inspired by someone else. Whether it was Richard Branson, William Gates, Sir Alan Sugar or Alan Shearer, we wanted what they had – their skills, their money, their allure. If you want something badly enough, envy can push you on to achieving your goals.

7. Pride
Often referred to as the “original sin”, pride is all about self-image and glory. Original sin? Who created this list? By definition, small business entrepreneurs need self-belief, confidence and a determination to achieve power, position and wealth.

Pride in your work ensures that quality is never sacrificed for profit, pride in your achievements allows you some back-patting for all the effort you have put into your business, and pride in yourself is an important end product of success.

Deadly sins may have kept the Church busy for a millennium or so, but as far as small businesses are concerned the true evil to be sent packing, the true deadly sin of entrepreneurial achievement is to lose faith in your venture. Never give up, never lose heart: know that you can achieve great things.

This may be particularly true for tradesman and those entering the service industry, but I’m living proof that no matter what your service or business offering, an active and creative marketing strategy can prove invaluable.

A plumbing firm may be the last place you might expect to find a comprehensive marketing strategy in action, but it’s played a key role in the ongoing success of Pimlico Plumbers.

Research is a key part of the marketing process so you are only as good as your research. Spend time finding out the facts about your potential customers and also about your competitors as that is the best way to always stay ahead of the game.

Communication is key – mix it up
Marketing is a way to engage new customers, which is so important when, in the current climate, financial pressures may cause your current customer base to shrink, that said, it also encourages existing customers to stay with you. There are now more channels of communication than ever before, and if you get a good mix across the board then you could soon reap the benefits.

Established business?– get back to basics
When you have been in business a while, especially as a small-medium sized business, or when time pressures are tight, there is a tendency to focus only on what has worked in the past. If a certain channel of communication has proven successful, then it can be tempting to just keeping doing it. Whilst it’s fair to say that ’if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’, it is also important to be aware that there are now more communications channels than ever before, so it important to be aware of new opportunities to have a look at any areas which you may have let slip. Get back to basics, refresh the activity you are doing and make sure you are covering all the angles.

Equally, when business is booming it can be easy to place marketing on the back-burner. But when your busy spell inevitably starts to slow you may find yourself behind and even back to square one. You have always got to stay one step ahead of your competition!

Communicate – don’t forget the power of public relations
PR is an essential part of the marketing mix. It can take many shapes and forms, but ultimately helps communicate your business messages to those key audiences you wish to reach. If PR is not something you are familiar with, then don’t be afraid to seek professional support from experts. One skill for any entrepreneur to learn is knowing when to delegate. I know what I’m good at and I know when to use the outside services. Currently Pimlico use the services of two PR agencies, who work closely with our internal PR Manager to maximise, devise and manage the opportunities for Pimlico to be seen and heard.

Get online – take advantage of the web
Having a clear, user friendly website has never been so important. Now, more than ever before, consumers are accessing the internet and using it as a research tool, to help them make an informed decision on future expenditure, and to choose their supplier. Investing in your website and making sure it is up to date with the latest prices, contact details and business developments is vital to ensure you are not missing out. Your website is the electronic face of your business. It communicates your brand, your services and your values, so make sure it is saying what you want it to say and keep it up-to-date

Are you twittering? – social networking could help your business
The internet is now a daily part of many people’s lives and millions of individuals are now members of social networking sites and other new media. Businesses are increasingly seeing the benefits of social networking sites as a way to engage with customers on a further level. Along with newspapers, magazines, campaign groups, industry figures and politicians, anyone keen to communicate is now getting involved. See if a presence on a social site could benefit you.

If times are tough – consider carefully before making cuts
When times are tough and budgets are tight the first casualty can often be marketing spend. But I would advise anyone thinking of cutting back to consider their decision carefully. When competition for work grows, you need to ensure you are visible, available and providing the best service you can.

But for many, it’s also something of a leap of faith.  They will be concerned about exactly how they go about uploading their business data to cloud applications.  About how they get best use of the cloud software, and if the data will be secure when it’s up there.

Then there are issues such as application performance, availability and uptime – all of which are legitimate concerns.  So how can you be sure that you will reap the full benefits and rewards that cloud computing promises?  And how can you ensure that the cloud vendor you choose will help you realise those benefits quickly, with minimum fuss?

Here are seven tips to help you get the best from your vendor.

1.         Does the application actually do everything you need it to?  Can the vendor offer you a free, no-obligation trial period so you can explore the software or service before committing?

2.         How easy is it to upload your existing business data to the cloud application?  Here, you need to ask the vendor what data and file formats are supported.  The cloud application should support formats from a wide range of popular applications, to make exporting and uploading as seamless and easy as possible.

3.         Does the cloud vendor offer resources such as online tutorials on uploading and sorting data, and comprehensive context-sensitive help?

4.         If online help resources aren’t enough, does the vendor have a helpdesk to guide you through the migration and upload process, as well as through initial use of the cloud applications?  If not, why not?  The point of cloud computing is to help remove IT support and management headaches.

5.         Ask the vendor specifically about the terms and conditions of using the cloud applications.  Is the deal truly flexible?  Can you add and subtract users and application modules as you need, on a month-by-month basis?

6.         What quality-of-service commitments and service-level agreements the vendor can offer.  Can they tell you who hosts your business data?  Are guaranteed levels of application availability and uptime offered?  A key advantage of cloud apps is, they are far less prone to server or power failures, as the software and data is hosted in enterprise-class, secure data centres where it is constantly backed up.  But it’s good to know where your data resides, and the levels of performance and access that the cloud hosting offers you.

7.         Finally, what security does the vendor offer for your business data?  When you connect to the cloud application, is the connection secured to prevent ‘eavesdropping’ of data?  In the cloud, are the data and applications secured behind firewalls to nullify hacking attempts and malware?

Realistically, a cloud application offers higher security than many corporates apply to data stored on their own servers, in their own offices.  There’s certainly less risk of data loss or theft by insiders or disgruntled employees, and lower risk of trojan infections which could intercept data.  So your data is likely to be safer in the cloud – but ensure the vendor can reassure you of this with an overview of their session and storage security measures.

In conclusion, you need to know what the cloud service you plan to use is made of, before you commit to moving your data across to it.  By asking what your vendor can do for you, you’ll be in the best position to know exactly what you can ask of the cloud.