Tips & Guides Category

10 important cybersecurity tips for your small business

November 15, 2021 by Simon Moorcroft in Tips & Guides | 5 minute read

It's easy for smaller businesses to overlook how secure their data is. It happens to big businesses but surely not my little company? Well, it does, and cyber attackers love how relaxed you are about it.

How to get free business debt advice for your SME

September 27, 2021 by Helen Jackson in Tips & Guides | 4 minute read

Business debt is worrying and if you’re kept up at night because of money worries, these resources can help you find a way through.

How to switch your business bank account

September 21, 2021 by Chloe Webster in Tips & Guides | 5 minute read

Switching your business bank account to a brand new one can mean better interest rates, useful benefits and better customer experience. So why, then, do many businesses put it off? Because it seems like a hassle you just don’t need.

How to stop employees from stealing your clients

August 27, 2021 by Helen Jackson in Tips & Guides | 4 minute read

You’ve worked hard to convert new clients into loyal customers, but what happens if one of your employees leaves taking a valued client or member of staff with them?

Getting through your first year of business: a survival guide for small businesses

July 26, 2021 by Helen Jackson in Tips & Guides | 4 minute read

In this guide, we’re talking you through some common pitfalls, and new business owners give you their best pieces of advice to help you build and sustain your business post-pandemic.

A guide to handling unpaid invoices for small businesses

July 16, 2021 by Helen Jackson in Tips & Guides | 8 minute read

You probably keep reading about how cash flow is the lifeblood of any business - and it’s true, it is. You need working capital to run a business. Late payments kill 50,000 small businesses and cost the UK economy £2.5bn each year.

How to write a business plan

July 08, 2021 by Helen Jackson in Tips & Guides | 5 minute read

According to Barclays, only 47% of small businesses in the UK have a formal business plan in place that is written down or recorded.

How much does it cost to start a business in the UK?

June 28, 2021 by Helen Jackson in Tips & Guides | 6 minute read

You’re considering starting a business, which means doing something you love, the ability to set your working hours (excusing yourself from the dreaded 9-5), and financial freedom.

How to work from home effectively (and juggle everything else)

May 04, 2020 by Helen Jackson in Tips & Guides | 4 minute read

Who’s loving lockdown? Probably not many of you - but it’s necessary to keep the country on track and protect those who are vulnerable. For many of us, we’re entering our seventh week under lockdown restrictions.

What financial support can your SME expect amid coronavirus?

March 19, 2020 by Helen Jackson in Tips & Guides | 5 minute read

Coronavirus presents uncertainty, and as an SME business owner, whether you’ve got an independent high street coffee shop or a consultancy business, your worry has no doubt increased since the announcement made on Monday 16 March 2020

10 ways you can lower your business energy costs

February 17, 2020 by Helen Jackson in Tips & Guides | 5 minute read

Saving money when you’re operating and growing a small business in the UK is the number one priority for many business owners. According to Bionic, the average business electricity bill per year can be as much as £3,146 for a medium-sized business

Should your employees work from home?

February 10, 2020 by Helen Jackson in Tips & Guides | 4 minute read

Since you started recruiting members of staff into your business, you’ve probably been asked the question: ‘can I work from home today?’

Should you crowdfund for your business

February 03, 2020 by Helen Jackson in Tips & Guides | 4 minute read

If you’re trying desperately to get your new business off the ground and you feel like you’ve marketed it and promoted it to within an inch of its life, but you’ve still had no takers - have you tried crowdfunding?

The importance of customer reviews and how to get them

January 20, 2020 by Helen Jackson in Tips & Guides | 5 minute read

According to Testimonial Engine, 72% of customers don’t take action until they have read reviews.

What is a personal guarantee - and do you need one?

January 13, 2020 by Helen Jackson in Tips & Guides | 4 minute read

If you’re a company director in the UK looking for a cash injection to help you grow your business, you’re not alone. According to Finder.com, 27% of SMEs taking part in the British Business Bank survey 2018 reported being financed by loans.

Business credit score: How to check and improve your company credit report

January 03, 2020 by Helen Jackson in Tips & Guides | 3 minute read

Running a business can be draining, both emotionally and financially. And when you’ve got nothing else to give financially, you might start looking into business funding and financing options to help support the growth of your company.

Looking for your first office space? Advice for businesses

December 16, 2019 by Helen Jackson in Tips & Guides | 6 minute read

Alongside attracting new clients and customers, finding an office space that works for your business and its employees (while not costing the earth!) is crucial to run your business effectively.

Simple money-saving tips for your small business

November 26, 2019 by Helen Jackson in Tips & Guides | 5 minute read

Regardless of how well your business is performing, you should always keep an eye on cost-cutting measures for your small business.

How to convert visitors through your website

November 18, 2019 by Helen Jackson in Tips & Guides | 5 minute read

It takes about 50 milliseconds (that’s 0.05 seconds) for users to form an opinion about your website that determines whether they like your site or not, whether they’ll stay or leave.

Shoestring marketing budget? No worries, 9 ideas to trial

November 11, 2019 by Helen Jackson in Tips & Guides | 5 minute read

As a small business, it’s only right that you see fit to spend what little budget you have on business-related expenses. It’s evident that marketing might not fit into the top ten things to spend your money on.

How to recruit the best employees for your small business

November 04, 2019 by Helen Jackson in Tips & Guides | 4 minute read

How can you attract and recruit these job seekers into your small business? And, most importantly, how can you retain them?

How to generate B2B leads on LinkedIn

October 28, 2019 by Helen Jackson in Tips & Guides | 7 minute read

Did you know? The LinkedIn platform has 260 million active users - with 25 million of these based in the UK. So it’s safe to say it’s a pretty good platform for meeting like-minded business professionals.

Juggling childcare when you're self-employed - is it doable?

October 22, 2019 by Helen Jackson in Tips & Guides | 5 minute read

With the ever-increasing cost of childcare looming over the heads of working parents, can becoming self-employed help ease the struggle?

Yearning for self-employment? 10 viable business ideas for 2021

September 27, 2019 by Chloe Webster in Tips & Guides | 3 minute read

Be your own boss. Here are 10 of the very best small business ideas for 2021 that will cost little, or absolutely nothing to start up.

7 easy ways to generate PR for your small business

June 10, 2019 by Chloe Webster in Tips & Guides | 3 minute read

Generating PR for your business is a great way to get your name out there. It can feel quite daunting at first, but once you know where to start, you'll begin to wish you had begun years ago. Check out these easy top tips to help get you started.

7 top tips for scaling up your business

May 14, 2019 by Chloe Webster in Tips & Guides | 3 minute read

So, your business has been pretty steady for a few years now and you're ready to scale up. It can feel like a scary leap to take if you have never done it before but we've compiled a handy list of top tips that will help you along the way.

How to protect your Intellectual Property as a startup or scale up

April 19, 2019 by Chloe Webster in Tips & Guides | 3 minute read

It's so easy to overlook your intellectual property when you're a startup. Even companies who've been in business for a while but are scaling up can easily forget just how important it is to protect yourself and your business

Accountant or Bookkeeper - who is right for my business?

January 24, 2019 by Chloe Webster in Tips & Guides | 3 minute read

Starting a business comes with a lengthy to-do list, not to mention the massively distracting and time-consuming bookkeeping, tax, and accounting. So, which one is best for your business, Accountant or bookkeeper?

5 great ideas to help you cope with running your own business

January 11, 2019 by Chloe Webster in Tips & Guides | 3 minute read

Running a business is rarely smooth sailing, and it's easy to fall down the rabbit hole of stress. So, here's five great ideas to help when you're contemplating if its all really worth it.

5 easy social media hacks for your small business

November 20, 2018 by Chloe Webster in Tips & Guides | 3 minute read

Social media is an invaluable tool for any small business. Here are 5 easy social media hacks that you can start using today!

5 things you need to know about having a merchant account

August 16, 2018 by Chloe Webster in Tips & Guides | 3 minute read

If you’re planning on taking payment via debit or credit cards within your business then there's no doubt about it, you’re definitely going to need a merchant account. So, what exactly is one and why do you need it? Let’s find out.

5 reasons how open banking could help your business

July 14, 2018 by Chloe Webster in Tips & Guides | 3 minute read

So, let's get down to the nitty-gritty, what exactly is open banking? Maybe you've read the term in an article somewhere or heard it on the radio and never gave it much thought.

6 easy ways to save money in your business

June 21, 2018 by Chloe Webster in Tips & Guides | 3 minute read

Running and owning a business isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. It’s a constant merry go round of balancing the books, penny-pinching and trying to keep your running costs low