Small company marketing audit Many training, consulting and professional services firms make an assumption that marketing will take care of itself. It won’t! We need to periodically look at what we do and plan our approach.Every now and again it is worth looking at your business, what you do and where you do it.This simple tool will provide you with a basic structure to review your marketing activity and what it is doing for you.Where is your business now? – Current position of your … [Read more...] about Marketing template & plan for small businesses
Why blog? Is it a Marketing tool?
Why should we blog?For some time I have been promoting Twitter as a good thing for people running small businesses to do, but recently I have been asked “why blog” and what is the value to small businesses and freelance consultants and trainers.I guess that because I have been doing this for some time that I overlooked the basics. This article is the first is a short series to show why and how to blog for business.People and business blog for a wide range of reasons including: … [Read more...] about Why blog? Is it a Marketing tool?
50 Tips for Using Twitter in Business
50 Tips for Using Twitter as a Marketing ToolTwitter is the communication tool of the moment. In 2008 if you had asked anyone about Twitter they would have thought that you were a bit of a geek - now many people are using it for social, learning and business purposes.Twitter is a powerful way to hear about the 'hear and now' thoughts on a key topic - not just from people you know or follow you - but from anyone interested in the topic - all in 140 character bite sizes pieces.Twitter can … [Read more...] about 50 Tips for Using Twitter in Business
10 day payment pledge – the UK government support for the credit crunch
Prompt Payment Guidance for Public Sector Organisations Do you work for any UK based government department, local authority, NHS or public funded body? If so this article is for you.Prompt public sector paymentsI have recently completed some work for one of these organisations and they are now late with the payment - and so I am to two of my suppliers. One of them reminded me of the pledge last autumn for all gov departments to pay small business within 10 days - irrespective of the … [Read more...] about 10 day payment pledge – the UK government support for the credit crunch
Free money to expand your small business? Tax refunds
Small businesses often find it difficult to get the cash they need to grow their business. But is there a secret source?Banks are making it more and more difficult. Governments and local authorities seem set on increasing red tape. Year on year this seems to get harder. All we want to do is earn a living, make some money and often to add value to our communities. Free money? Ok, maybe not free, but often unexpected. All too often we as businesses get tax rebates. We get these tax refunds … [Read more...] about Free money to expand your small business? Tax refunds
Can online forums damage my small business
Can Online Forums Damage My Small Business? The fact that word on the Internet travels so quickly can be beneficial to small businesses regarding advertising and word of mouth recommendations. Unfortunately, it can also be detrimental if the wrong thing is said.With all the different social media sites and forums online, any business needs to stay abreast of what is and is not acceptable. Is there a choice? Can any business afford not to be online or on social networks and forums? I … [Read more...] about Can online forums damage my small business
Should I Dial Up VoIP for My Small Business?
Should I Dial Up VoIP for My Small Business? As any small business owner knows, keeping your revenue stream ahead of your expenditures means the difference between a successful business and one that is either just getting by or potentially going under.Should you find yourself looking to trim some costs in your company, and at the same time seeking to enhance productivity for your employees, dialing up Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) may be just the solution.For those business owners not … [Read more...] about Should I Dial Up VoIP for My Small Business?
Thinking of using PayPal for online payments?
Do I need a PayPal account? Can I pay with my credit card instead? Are you a small business and want to take payments for small products online? Well so were we and we went for PayPal as while it is not the cheapest option, it is easy to integrate and people trust it.We have been using PP for some time and have not had any problems, however in the last couple of months we have seen a reduction in sales. Then in the space of 2 weeks we have had several phone calls from potential customers … [Read more...] about Thinking of using PayPal for online payments?
Corporate Social Responsibility – CSR
Corporate and Social Responsibility - CSR for smaller businesses Corporate Social Responsibility for SME’s ‘CSR is it not about philanthropy, but about fundamental business practices’Guy Ryder, General Secretary of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, speaking at the United Nations Global Compact Summit, Shanghi, China, 2006 This page aims to explore CSR - Corporate Social Responsibility from the practical stance of the smaller business. For CSR to be adopted as a principle, … [Read more...] about Corporate Social Responsibility – CSR
