Category

Running a Business

This section takes you through every important aspect of how to run a successful business. It offers expert guides and advice articles on the key elements of business management such as employing staff, finding customers, marketing and sales, pricing, people management, office and home working, business technology and everything else an entrepreneur must tackle in order to succeed.

Businesses ‘need to watch out for age discrimination laws’

Awareness of the age discrimination regulation is 'comparatively low' within small firms, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Legal advice

Marketing

Radio advertising as a small business marketing strategy is dead

It's official, radio advertising as a small business marketing strategy is dead. At least that's the opinion of SmallBusiness.co.uk readers in our recent poll.

Finding and selling to customers

How to stand out from the crowd

As a small business owner in a competitive market, you need to differentiate your business from your competitors. It is what makes you different, your unique selling point or USP, that motivates people to choose you over anyone else. This guide from SmallBusiness.co.uk should give you some useful tips.

Marketing

Direct marketing ‘still the best way to reach customers’

Marketing experts still cite direct marketing as the most efficient way to reach both customers and other businesses, according to Precision Marketing.

Business management

Charlie Mullins: Who wants to be a self-made millionaire?

SmallBusiness.co.uk asks self-made millionaire Charlie Mullins, who built his company, Pimlico Plumbers, into a multi-million pound business, to give us his top tips.

Finding and selling to customers

How to find your clients

Reader's question: I am very new at this and have just started my own bookkeeping business working from home. I am finding it very hard to find clients. Do you have any advice?

Employing & managing staff

Paying staff for bank holidays

I am opening a new business, with regards to bank holidays, do I have to pay my staff holiday pay for them?

Business management

The franchise safety net

If you don't have the necessary experience starting a business alone, your best bet could be to take advantage of the support that a franchise network offers. To find out what it takes, SmallBusiness.co.uk spoke to a franchisee and asked why he chose to go down that route.

Employing & managing staff

Paying staff for bank holidays

I am opening a new business, with regards to bank holidays, do I have to pay my staff holiday pay for them?

Business management

The franchise safety net

If you don't have the necessary experience starting a business alone, your best bet could be to take advantage of the support that a franchise network offers. To find out what it takes, SmallBusiness.co.uk spoke to a franchisee and asked why he chose to go down that route.

Finding and selling to customers

From summer fête to supermarket: how to get your product on the shelves.

Getting your product onto the shelves of a major retailer is no mean feat. SmallBusiness.co.uk speaks to Maria Hellyer, co-founder of The British Curry Company, about how she managed to turn a few jars of curry sauce at a summer fête into Bombay Authentics, a brand that is now sold throughout the UK and exported to 12 countries throughout North America, the Middle East and Europe.

Business management

Rachel Elnaugh, former Dragons’ Den investor – Lessons learned

The well-publicised crash of her company Red Letter Days meant that Rachel Elnaugh's days as an investor on the Dragons' Den were over. SmallBusiness.co.uk caught up with her to ask what she has learned along the way.

Employing & managing staff

A guide to interviews

If you've never conducted an interview before, it can be a daunting task.

Business management

Podcast: Who’s afraid of the female entrepreneur?

At SmallBusiness.co.uk we are always eager to point you in the direction of useful resources that can help your business. SmallBizPod is the UK's first small business podcast and includes interviews and practical advice for start-ups and businesses of all sizes.

Business Technology

Future-proof your business communications set-up

Landlines as we know them will be scrapped in 2027 – along with a raft of upcoming business changes. Here's how to ensure your communications set-up is fit for whatever the future brings

Business Loans

A guide to getting a small business loan

Everything you need to know on what small business loans are and what types of loan are available for your business.

Business Technology

Friendly guide – top tips for small businesses switching to VoIP

With the landline shutdown coming fast, there’s never been a better time to switch to VoIP. Don’t let your small business be left behind!

Export & Import

Avoid delays with exports and imports

Many factors can affect products’ journeys from A to B. Here are some tips for best practice for successful shipping in the modern world