While traditional marketing focuses on one-off sales, relationship marketing is all about long-term engagement with your customer base. It is about building those loyal customer relationships, which will bring more and more value to your business over time. In this post, we are going to reveal why this is so important.   Putting in the groundwork   Like any good relationship, it flourishes when both parties are committed to one and other. Think of yourself as the one … [Read more...]

From the 1st of April 2019, the Government’s Making Tax Digital Initiative will be rolled out across the UK, meaning all individuals and businesses turning over the VAT threshold will need to submit all financial updates digitally to the HMRC using recognised accounting software. All records must also be stored, maintained, and submitted in digital format as part of the new MTD For VAT rules. Digital records and VAT returns must be submitted using specialist software known as the Application … [Read more...]

For many homeowners and landlords, the question of ‘selling vs. renting’ is a huge one that requires a lot of thought. Selling can leave you with a huge lump sum of disposable cash however renting can provide a steady consistent form of revenue that could help secure your future. There are a huge amount of factors that will impact on your final decision, including your existing financial situation, the condition of the local housing market and your future plans - whether you’re moving in with … [Read more...]

As an efficient business owner or manager, you’ve learned that it’s essential to create a routine in your working day. You know that if you want to get everything done by the time the clock strikes 5, you’ve got to have a game plan. But are you really making the most of the time available to you? It turns out that most people in business are busy - a good thing - but aren’t necessarily doing their work in as productive a manner as possible. Being busy isn’t the same as being … [Read more...]

Direct marketing, love it or hate those emails land in your inbox multiple times a day and whether you follow them up or not they do work. If you run a business and are thinking of upping your marketing game, then taking advantage of direct mail software is a great first step, but before you get involved there are six questions you might want to ask yourself to make sure you’re on the right track. What’s your hook? The first thing your recipient is going to see is the subject line and this is … [Read more...]

With social media possessing the capability to turn unwanted attention or negative feedback into a viral sensation and reviews playing an increasingly significant role in the consumer buying process, reputation has never been more important. Sometimes, it’s not possible to avoid situations that put your brand reputation at risk, but there are steps you can take to protect yourself and your company and minimize the risk of long-term damage. Lead by example If you’re the boss, it’s crucial to … [Read more...]

This is a hard one to master for a lot of you. It’s so easy for a business to become completely dull and lifeless, even from the moment your idea pops into your head and you make moves to try and set it up. But a dull and lifeless business is definitely one that’s going to suffer. It won’t really get off the ground, and even if by some miracle it does, there’s no telling how long it will last for. So what we’re going to try and do for you today, is create a show stopper of a business. One that … [Read more...]

With changing workforce demographics, onboarding tactics have had to change. Companies used to hiring baby-boomers traditionally didn’t both with much of an onboarding process. Showing them where the coffee machine and toilets were was deemed sufficient. But millennials now entering the workforce en masse want more than this, especially the highly talented among them. Data from Forbes suggests that 22 percent of millennials have quit positions in their first 45 days because of poor onboarding … [Read more...]

Setting up and running your very own retail business can be one of the most challenging things you’ll ever do in your life. Sure, setting it up and hiring employees can seem tough, but the real challenge is being able to survive your first few weeks and lose as little money as you can. Every business understands that the first couple of months are the hardest because you’re constantly losing money trying to recuperate your costs, and this process can last for years if your business isn’t … [Read more...]

Running a small business is not without its hardships. At times you may even wonder how you are going to make it through the month, but by anticipating disasters and by preparing for them, you can be sure to avoid this situation as much as possible. Hardware Failure Nothing is quite as disruptive as hardware failure, especially if you operate a small business. It doesn’t matter whether you’re having issues with your central server or whether you are having problems with your motherboard … [Read more...]