Small Business Matters

Spring clean your business

After the coldest winter in 31 years, spring is finally on its way and we’re enjoying a hint of warmer weather! The impact of this winter’s snow days has been significant with an estimated £1.2 billion cost to UK businesses. As a result this has put many small business owners in a challenging position as they look towards spring and summer.

 
With the economy set to make a recovery this year, small business owners need to be in a strong position when the upturn comes. With this in mind, it’s a great time to make sure you have solid business plan in place and are ready to take advantage of new opportunities.

Now is the perfect opportunity to get your books in order and make the most of the coming months. By getting organised it will allow your business to run as smoothly as possible while hopefully allowing for that little bit of extra free time to enjoy the sunshine!

Good luck and let us know how you get on – we’re keen to hear about your experiences, tell us what goes well and what doesn’t!

Budget 2010: Small Business Britain needs action, not promises

Watching today’s Budget speech, we were thrilled to see that Alastair Darling responded directly to Small Business Britain’s call for support. Small businesses are the backbone of Britain, employing over 50% of the country’s workforce; but more than that, they are a passionate and significant part of the electorate. In fact, according to our Small Business Britain research, 60% of UK small business owners say that their experience of running their business directly affects how they vote.

Notably, the financial support and creation of UK Finance for Growth will create the right environment for small businesses to succeed. Around 20% of the small business owners who responded to the Small Business Britain survey named increased lending as a crucial element in their success.

But there is still more to do - we need to see Darling’s plans initiated, not just to please the voters, but as a genuine support to Britain’s economic recovery. Small businesses need action, not promises.
What did you think of the measures introduced in today’s Budget? Join the debate at www.smallbusinessbritain.co.uk and let us know what you thought.

Budget 2010: What’s in store for small businesses?

The budget date is set for Wednesday 24th and we’re all wondering what strategies Darling will have in store to reduce the growing £178bn fiscal deficit. Having experienced some of the most turbulent times on record, small business owners will be calling for the Chancellor to restore confidence in the UK economy and asking for the needs of small businesses to be taken into immediate account.

According to research conducted by YouGov and commissioned by Intuit, the driving force behind Small Business Britain, over 45% of British small business owners want banks to offer better rates for their small business customers, 35% want interest cuts to be passed on in full and 40% believe that a reduction in employers’ national insurance contributions are essential.

However, while these are the issues that matter the most to small businesses, many are questioning whether Darling will actually be able to address them with the General Election looming:

“We need a clear plan from government on spending and taxes, but this will only be clear after the election.”  (Julian Lewis, MD of Positive Computing)

This month’s budget looks set to be an interesting day, especially as the nation starts to look beyond the recession.  We’ll definitely be tuning in on budget day and reporting on the issues that concern UK small businesses, so be sure to check out the blog.

If you’re a small business owner with a view on the Budget why not get involved with our discussion at www.smallbusinessbritain.co.uk

Social media shaping the future

As a social media enthusiast, I was excited at the opportunity to attend the Social Media World Forum this week at London’s Olympia. There was a fantastic line up ranging from Trevor Johnson, head of Strategy & planning for Facebook to Jason Baker, head of CRM & Digital Media at Ikea UK. This was a two day event which provided me with the opportunity to immerse myself into a land of technology and social harmony.

Social media is about organically growing your online following and connecting with your prospects and customers with integrity. It’s even more important to meet your online network offline and to continue with the relationships in the real world and well as the virtual one. With that said, I did find some real gems and I wanted to share some of my key insights and what to look out for in 2010/11.

Top 5 Social Musts

1. Social media should not stand alone – it needs to be a part of a more integrated marketing campaign and factored in the over arching strategy to be most effective.
2. Be consistent – social media is not something you can switch on and off. Just like any relationship, you have to make time to nurture and build the relationship and it is a long term commitment.
3. It’s a team effort - The future of brands is employees, you need to empower your staff to use social tools and to have meaningful conversations. A more connected workforce means you are more likely to build a larger, stronger network of influencers. If all employees grow their network from the roots up then the natural reach of the company brand reaches more people in the right way.
4. Transparency is key – openness, communication, and accountability will make you more attractive in the online world. It’s becoming harder for companies to ‘fake it’.
5. You need to build trust – Social platforms are not hard sales channels where you can broadcast your message to your network without offering anything else. It’s about communication and adding value and that is when people will start to like you, and trust you and that is when you will start to see your ROI.

Mumma Mia!

This Sunday is no ordinary Sunday… It’s Mother’s Day! Not only a great time to celebrate your mum, Mother’s Day is a great reminder of the many small businesses run by mums in the UK. According to research by BT Business, nearly 15 per cent of women have already started their own business since having children.

If you’re struggling to find the perfect gift or this day has slipped your mind, don’t fret, it’s not too late! There are plenty of fantastic gifts out there to celebrate mum, while supporting mum-run businesses. This year, rather than looking for the traditional gifts you give her every year, why not opt for a ‘product made by mum’ such as these Lizzie Lou shoes created by Sheena Edwards who decided to set up her mother-daughter flip flop range which she runs from home.

Tell us what you’re planning on buying mum this year!

It’s International Women’s Day

Today is International Women’s Day, a global celebration of the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future.

Currently there are an estimated one million female entrepreneurs in the UK, creating an impressive combined turnover of about £4.4billion. JK Rowling, the multi millionaire owner of Harry Potter, the late Dame Anita Roddick, successful founder of the international chain The Body Shop, Martha Lane Fox founder of Lastminute.com, and Deborah Meaden multi millionaire founder of Stefanel fashion franchise are just a few of the Uk’s very own exceptional female entrepreneurs.

This year’s theme of equal rights, opportunities and progress resonates well with the support that women need to succeed in the entrepreneurial business world. Barriers such as access to finance and childcare support that prevent women from joining the business world need to be removed and start up support,that all enterprises require, should be encouraged.

Small business women are already playing a key role in keeping the British economy running smoothly, creating local employment and growing the UK’s British business landscape. What is needed now is for more women to take the plunge and bring their ideas to life.

So today, let’s recognise and commend our fellow female entrepreneurs and encourage more and more to flex their business muscles in the future.

It would be great to hear peoples thoughts on what Women entrepreneurs would like to see in terms of support in order to be successful. Join the discussion and let us know what you think.

Small Business Britain: On the airwaves!

As part our Small Business Britain campaign, our managing director Pernille Bruun-Jensen, took to the airwaves to discuss the importance of UK small businesses in the run up to the election.

She chatted with more than 20 radio stations around the UK, sharing the findings of our Small Business Britain survey, as well as some of the key tips that came from the research.

Couldn’t get to the radio in time? Click on the podcast below to hear Pernille’s interview with BBC Radio Northampton (104.2-103.6FM).

BBC Northampton

 

Some of the advice that Pernille shared from small business owners around the UK included:

Be heard! Use channels such as Small Business Britain to make sure your voice is heard, and to call on the government, elected bodies, banks and the wider business community to support your success and prosperity.

Make it personal – According to our research, 84% of small businesses believe that their ability to provide a more personal touch with customers is a key advantage. Start-ups and small companies can show a fresher, newer approach and take advantage of their flexibility.

Keep on top of accounts – Awareness of how much is being spent and for what is important. Our research showed that 85% of small businesses felt the best way to manage cash flow was to always keep accounts up-to-date.

Don’t be late – Most small businesses have experienced difficulty with timely customer payments. Put simply, if you don’t get paid, you won’t be in business for long. Our research showed that the number one way to avoid late payments is to set up clear payment terms at an early stage (48%).

If you want to know more about Small Business Britain or have some comments on the Charter, please get involved and post your thoughts on our discussion boards.

Tune in to hear more about Small Business Britain

In honour of our Small Business Britain campaign, tomorrow morning Pernille Bruun-Jensen, Managing Director Global Small Business at Intuit UK, will be featured on local radio stations across the UK to talk about the challenges and opportunities that small businesses face in the run-up to the 2010 General Election. 

Here are the details on when and where you can tune in:

• Colourful Radio, UK (at 8:50)
• Phoenix Radio, Leeds (at 9:25)
• Asian Star, Slough (at 9:35)
• Hayes FM, Hillingdon Ealing and Hounslow (at 10:45)

As well as throughout the morning on:

• Sky News Radio, UK
• Sun FM 103.4, Sunderland
• Waves Radio, Peterhead
• Tay FM, Dundee City
• Wolf 107.7, Wolverhampton
• High Peak Radio, Peak District
• Ashbourne Radio 96.7, Derbyshire
• Radio Perth, Perth
• Your Radio FM 103, Dunbarton
• AFAN FM, Hash Piperdy Wales
• Radio Verulam, St Albans
• Nevis Radio, Fort William
• Drystone Radio 106.9, South Craven North Yorkshire
• Bang Radio, North West London
• Preston FM 103.2, Preston, Lancashire
• Forest FM 92.3, Dorset
• Broradio, Barry
• BRFM, Blaenaugwent

Not around tomorrow morning? Don’t worry, we’ll be uploading a podcast and some top tips later in the week!