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Start up business ideas

For a successful business, you need a viable business idea, the skills to make it work and the funding. Discover whether your idea has what it takes.

Set up a business

Forming your business correctly is essential to ensure you are protected and you comply with the rules. Learn how to set up your business.

Skills and wellbeing

Advice on protecting your wellbeing, self-confidence and mental health from the pressures of starting and running a business.

Business planning

Learn why business planning is an essential exercise if your business is to start and grow successfully, attract funding or target new markets.

Start up funding

It is likely you will need funding to start your business unless you have your own money. Discover some of the main sources of start up funding.

Tax and National Insurance

Businesses and individuals must account for and pay various taxes. Understand your tax obligations and how to file, account and pay any taxes you owe.

Business law

Businesses are required to comply with a wide range of business laws. We introduce the main rules and regulations you must comply with.

Sales and marketing

Marketing matters. It drives sales and helps promote your brand and products. Discover how to market your business and reach your target customers.

Business premises

Some businesses need a high street location whilst others can be run from home. Understand the key factors from cost to location, size to security.

Employees

Your employees can your biggest asset. They can also be your biggest challenge. We explain how to recruitment and manage staff successfully.

Business IT

It is likely your business could not function without some form of IT. Learn how to specify, buy, maintain and secure your business IT.

Grow your business

Few businesses manage the leap from start up to high-growth business. Learn what it takes to scale up and take your business to the next level.

Sales and marketing

Marketing matters. It drives sales and helps promote your brand and products. Discover how to market your business and reach your target customers.

Resource topics

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How I publicise my business

Janie Thomson applied for a match-funding grant through her local council and this helped with initial marketing costs. Here are her publicity tips.

Spotting gaps in your market

Every business needs to stay fresh to be competitive. This may mean regularly refreshing your products or coming up with an entirely new offer.

Essential guide to marketing your new business

How to market your new business, including doing a SWOT analysis, developing a marketing strategy, creating a marketing plan and hitting sales targets

Essential guide to direct mail and email marketing

An essential guide to customer databases, direct mail and email marketing for small businesses.

Create effective mailshots and emails - checklist

Writing to customers and prospects, via email, leaflets or direct mail, can be an effective way to promote your business. Here's how to get results.

Essential guide to effective PR

Public relations (PR) builds brand awareness, enhances your reputation, creates publicity and brings in new customers.

Planning your PR - checklist

PR activities can help spread the word about your business for little money. This checklist explains how to promote your business through the press.

How to write a press release - checklist

Use this checklist to help you write an effective press release, including how to structure it, what you need to include and what format to use.

Essential guide to advertising

How to use advertising to grow your business, including online advertising such as Pay Per Click, as well as print ads, radio, TV and cinema advertising

Essential checklist for exhibitors

Exhibitions can be a great place to meet potential customers face to face. Here are the key steps to exhibition success.

Using social media to promote your business

Social media has transformed the way businesses talk to customers online. We explain here how social media can help your business.

Q&A: PR for start-ups

Jane Lee of IT PR specialist Dexterity explains how start-ups can harness the power of effective public relations for the good of your business.

14 ways to gain free publicity

Some ideas are so powerful they generate publicity year after year after year. These 14 tips might encourage journalists to cover your business.

The 10 golden rules of writing press releases

If you want to secure positive coverage about your business, you have to present the media with a good story. We explain the golden rules.

Essential guide to selling your products or services

How to sell your products or services to other businesses, including how to pitch for contracts, selling the benefits and how to close a deal.