Latest News
Intellectual property 'expensive and complicated' for SMEs
Intellectual Property (IP) is a "difficult area" for SMEs which is often seen as being "quite expensive and complicated" to comprehend, claims a leading industry body.
Internet offers SMEs a 'shop window to the world'
The growth of digital marketing has provided SMEs with a whole new range of marketing opportunities, offering them cheap and cost-effective ways to reach potential customers, a direct marketing expert claims.
Professional help needed for SEO
Small firms hoping to boost their exposure on the web via search engine optimisation (SEO) have been urged to seek professional advice.
SMEs missing out on international trade
Businesses in the UK are missing out on international trade opportunities because they do not fully understand how to operate in foreign markets, according to new government research.
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Lost customers cost £20k
Small businesses are suffering significantly reduced profits due to customer losses, with a lack of responsiveness identified as the biggest cause of poor service, says research from YouGov and T-Mobile.
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Small firms need good PR
Many small businesses are missing out on valuable publicity by not sending out news releases that could gain them significant numbers of new customers and enhance their reputation locally, nationally or even globally.
Sky One wants small businesses
Small firms looking to boost their sales and their profile have the opportunity to do both by taking part in a new TV series on Sky One and getting free advice from a 'sales guru' who claims to guarantee success for businesses struggling to improve sales figures. Could your business be a television star?
SMEs told to reset meters
Small businesses using postage meters are being urged to reset them to gain a discount on business post following the introduction of the new size-based postal pricing system brought in by Royal Mail on 21 August.
Customer service causes strife
English employees are showing a distinct lack of ability when it comes to customer services, according to the National Employer Skills Survey from the Learning and Skills Council.
Easter boosts retail sales
UK retailers benefited from improved levels of trading throughout April, as the late Easter holiday weekend combined with a blast of warm weather to encourage shoppers onto the high street.
Award-winning preparation
Winning industry awards, even just being nominated, can enhance your business in many ways – be it bolstering sales, boosting employee morale or increasing web traffic. But before you start drafting your acceptance speech, a little careful preparation is needed to ensure success.
You can't beat a bit of bull bingo
Although outbursts of David Brent-style jargon are thankfully on the decline in most British businesses, occasional references to ‘touching base’, ‘pushing the envelope’ and ‘thinking outside the box’ can still blight a working day. Thankfully, however, there is now a solution.
Word of mouth boosts sales
Small businesses are overlooking the most cost-effective way of increasing awareness of their product and thereby losing out on a great deal of sales, according to business growth consultancy The Quantum Organization.
Be prepared for post pricing changes
On 21 August 2006, the Royal Mail is changing the way postage is priced to take into account size as well as weight under the new Pricing in Proportion (PiP) system and the campaign to educate businesses is underway.
Create the perfect business card
Egotistical, gimmicky and grim. That is the description of millions of business cards creating a bad impression to prospective clients according to research from Lancaster University and print group The Entwistle Group. What does your card say about you and your business?