Jon Norris | Getting a Job,News
It would seem the continuing economic malaise is starting to get better of the UK’s freelancers, contractors and small business owners. A survey by Aviva of 500 small and micro-business owners in December has found that a full 25% of entrepreneurs are considering putting their business out to pasture and re-entering the general workforce as an employee of a larger entity.
From April 2012 the qualification period for taking a case for unfair dismissal to an Employment Tribunal will be increased from one to two years – however the Government confirmed in the week of 16th January that this change will not be retrospective
With the ongoing shift towards employers using freelancers / contractors instead of employing PAYE workers and employees in the current uncertain climate, we look at how small business owners can get the best out of their relationship with freelancers, for the benefit of both parties.
Was one of your New Year resolutions to be more productive and grow your business? Digital Dragonfly believes you need good IT systems in place to do both. If you spend all day working on your computer read on for 7 ways to develop healthy tech habits in 2012.
Although Google+ has been getting a lot of buzz in the tech press and recently announced it has amassed 90 million users, it is still seen by many as a social media also-ran, having been unable to break into the public psyche in the same way Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn have.
Accordingly to the quarterly yardstick of freelancer, contractor and small business confidence, the Federation of Small Business’ ‘Voice of Small Business’ index, the mood of the UK’s small firms crashed in the latter part of 2011 due to a combination of high inflation, rising utilities bills and reduced consumer spending power.
HMRC has taken a lot of stick for its late filing penalties recently – and rightly so. The fines, which can easily run into the thousands of pounds for small businesses (even if they do not owe any tax) are completely out of step with those levied at companies orders of magnitude larger.
Pinterest was launched in March 2010, and has really blown up in popularity over the past few months. Pinterest is an online pin board / social network – and despite what you may have heard is not just for fashion and food bloggers!
HMRC is not having a good start to 2012. The Independent has published a piece highlighting HMRC’s late filing penalties, which were deemed illegal by Geraint Jones, QC in a Tax Tribunal last September.
Freelancers and small businesses looking to take advantage of the Olympic Games this summer should watch out for a new book entitled ‘Olympics: a snapshot history of the Olympic Games’, which illustrates the effect the Olympics is already having on small businesses in London’s East End.
Be thankful if you’re a freelancer, contractor or small business owner in the South of England today. A recent study from RMS Tenon, one of the UK’s largest accountancy firms, has showed that more than 21,000 companies became insolvent in 2011, but more importantly saw a widening of the divide between the North and South of the country
HMRC yesterday launched a pilot of an Alternative Dispute Resolution service for SMEs, which aims to reduce to need for tribunals during HMRC’s compliance checks. The scheme, which was trialled last year and saw 60% of disputes either fully or partially resolved, involves independent facilitators who work with both HMRC and business owners to ensure a quick and fair outcomes for both parties.
Rachel Soothill | News,Technology
Good news for all you retailing freelancers out there plying your trade through Etsy or your own online store – recent research has shown that online shoppers choose to buy from smaller retailers with personality rather than larger online stores.
HMRC has been taken to task today by Conservative MPs and business leaders for their preferential treatment of large corporates, while attacking small and micro businesses through their Business Record Checks. The scheme will result in fines of up to £3,000 for freelancers, contractors and small businesses who cannot provide paperwork to back up the claims made in their tax returns.
Pensions auto-enrolment – some good news for small Businesses! From October 2012 most workers will have to be auto-enrolled into a pension plan by their Employer (under the Pensions Bill that also abolished the Default Retirement Age during 2011). At the end of November 2011 however the Government announced the welcome news that business with less than 50 workers will not have to auto-enrol their staff into such a pension scheme until May 2015.
Last week Chancellor and plasticine man-child George Osborne delivered his Autumn Statement to Parliament, laying out how the Government would be tweaking their budget for the coming months in order to drag the UK out of the economic doldrums and back to healthy growth.
Research carried out by business solutions firm, Pitney Bowes, has revealed that almost 50% of small firms are cancelling Christmas parties this year in order to save money. Five hundred small businesses participated in the survey which found that 63% of respondents admitted to scaling back on seasonal festivities.
The Forum of Private Business (FPB) are urging small businesses to plan ahead and get prepared for a harsh winter as weather forecasters predict that temperatures will plummet soon. According to forecasters, there is likely to be widespread frost across the UK for the coming weeks, with the chance of sleet or snow in the north – terrifying stuff.
New research conducted by Simply Business has found that a surprising 27% of small businesses are planning to increase their staffing in the next twelve months.
Today Chancellor George Osborne announced, as part of his autumn statement, that the Government would be underwriting £20 billion in loans to small- and medium-sized businesses in an effort to get the UK’s private sector moving again through easier access to finances.
As you have probably heard, mass public sector strikes are occurring today in protest of the Government’s pension reforms. Around three million public sector employees are walking out (many of them protesting in London) in an attempt to throw out reforms that would see their pension contributions rise dramatically, as well as push back their retirement age.
Jon Norris | Getting a Job,Technology
Every so often a new invention or technology pops up that fundamentally changes the way people interact. Whether it be the Gutenberg press or Facebook, both have had a profound impact on the way information is shared and how easy it is to access. Along with any new technology also comes a healthy dose of new business opportunities and hype – and the hype comes no bigger than that surrounding social media.
We’ve covered coworking plenty on Freelance Advisor. Be it at dedicated coworking spaces or weekly Jelly meetings, we think coworking is a fantastic way for freelancers and contractors to get out there, enjoy the company of like-minded individuals, get some work done, and do some no-pressure networking. It would seem out enthusiasm is shared by many coworkers, as evidenced by the results of a survey by Deskmag.
According to research carried out by energy supplier E.ON, just one in five small businesses in the UK are using energy-efficient equipment in the workplace. These new figures are based on a survey of 1,167 small businesses across the UK.
Rachel Soothill | News,Technology
According a new US study, it has been revealed that consumers who follow brands on the popular social network Twitter are much more likely to purchase from that brand or recommend their products to others. The social media marketing study which was carried out by Constant Contact and research firm Chadwick Martin Bailey, analysed the behaviour of 1,491 consumers aged 18 and older.
We recently highlighted how red tape is putting off small businesses taking on staff. Another area of huge concern and confusion is what paperwork you need to give your staff to ensure your working relationship is clear and unambiguous. We give you the low-down here!
The Bank of England (BoE) governor Sir Mervyn King has stated that banks should be offered financial incentives to encourage more lending to struggling small businesses. Speaking at the Treasury Select Committee about the BoE’s decision to inject £75 billion back into the economy, Sir Mervyn King urged MPs to address the lack of lending to small businesses in the UK.
Recent research has claimed that a full third of small- and medium-sized business that have to close down due to data loss can be chalked up to human error. The problem has been highlighted by an IT specialist, who also found that almost two thirds (64%) of employees had received no IT security training
As we reported a few months ago, payments to small businesses are taking longer than ever. Research by payment infrastructure behemoth BACS found that the average payment period was a rather lengthy 52 days.
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has just launched a new service which allows small businesses to check their patent applications online for free. The Online Patent Information and Documentation Inspection Service (Ipsum) has been set up to allow users to keep track of the progress of their patent application and its status.
National Freelancers Day is drawing near. We’re preparing by baking cakes in the shapes of our favourite freelancers, recording mixtapes of the best songs to freelance to and ritualistically burning effigies of our least favourite clients.
A recent report that explores the pressures on workers during the current deteriorating market conditions has revealed that worries about job loss have contributed to stress becoming the most common cause of long-term absence in the UK for the first time in 12 years.
You are not alone if you are confused about cloud computing – recent research has shown that nearly half of those not using cloud computing don’t know what it means. Whether you are worried about security or how you would access your data without internet access read on and see my answers to the common questions which people ask me about cloud computing.
TimothyTim | Guides,Technology
OK, that’s it. I’ve had it with sloppy internet stupidity and moronic marketing strategies from site owners. Here are my top ten (alright, eight) moronic things you’re doing to your website that dramatically hinders your ability to sell stuff.
Rachel Soothill | Working From Home
The new edition of the Collins English Dictionary has been released and leading the new additions is the word Mumpreneur, the definition of which is: “a woman who combines running a business with looking after her children.”
A recent survey carried out on 500 office workers has revealed that nearly two thirds of employees would rather sacrifice part of their pay rather than see a colleague lose their job. The poll highlighted just how strong team camaraderie can be within the workplace with 62% of respondents declaring that they would take a pay cut in order to keep their colleagues in employment.
It has been revealed by David Cameron that one of his Government’s schemes to help the UK climb out of the economic ditch it has driven into, “National Insurance Holidays”, has had a significantly smaller uptake by small businesses than predicted.
New research has found that more than a third of small businesses would consider relocating in order to help cut costs. The study was carried out by Make It Cheaper, a price comparison site for businesses, and the Centre for Economic and Business Research who identified the cheapest and costliest regions in the UK to run a business.
Although the general mood of the UK’s small businesses has been cautiously optimistic in the past few months, the continued fallout from the Eurozone crisis looks to be having a negative impact on the nation’s recovery.
While the UK’s largest banks remain largely unaccountable for current financial quagmire they’ve dumped us all in, consumers are at least given one stick to beat them with – complaints figures from the Financial Services Authority.
Jen Stakes Roberts | Resources
Risk management. Sounds terrifying. It also sounds like something that only big business does, or maybe people who plan really big events, like the Olympics, wars or taking a class of 9-year-olds on a school trip. Surely it’s not something that freelancers need to worry about, is it?
As freelancers we often get caught in ruts, get distracted or lose focus on our goals. So for this post, I have unearthed 35 inspirational quotes that will hopefully help get you motivated and have you feeling geared up to kick ass and take the freelancing world by storm! Alternatively, it might just help bring a smile to your day!
In January 2011 there were a reported 153,205,413 identified blogs on the internet and this number was growing by approximately 47,719 per day. These figures reflect just how popular blogging has become but also highlight the difficulties of getting your blog to stand out from the crowd.
With more than 21,000 regulations currently active in the UK, earlier this year the government made a welcome pledge to reduce this amount and so reducing the overall burden regulation places on businesses and employers. The Better Regulation Executive (BRE) has played a major part in helping the coalition government’s strategy to reduce regulations.
The Agency Workers Regulations came into force on October 1st (this past Saturday). All temps, agency workers, and some umbrella company contractors now have the same rights as full-time employees after twelve weeks of service.
While there may be mixed messages surrounding the profitability of commercial activity on Facebook, the social network’s primary source of income – targeted advertising – is still a sound option for those looking to purchase banner ads to promote their business. Facebook is now planning to give away free adverts to small businesses in the US.
Start up business owners could be in with a chance of winning a one-to-one session with successful entrepreneur and star of The Apprentice, Karren Brady. The Business Makeover competition has been launched by Nectar to help offer start-ups an opportunity for a business boost from the experts.
The saga of IR35 is full of twists, turns, loop-the-loops and groin-kicks, and doesn’t show any sign of letting up soon, following George Osborne’s decision to take the path of least resistance in his 2011 Budget. Following a freedom of information request from the PCG, HMRC has divulged some interesting figures which shed some light on HMRC’s tremendous mis-management of IR35.
A virtual assistant carries out the same role as a traditional administration assistant; however the person fulfilling the role no longer has to be physically present in the office (or home, if you’re a working from home type).
Europe’s largest credit management organisation, the Institute of Credit Management (ICM), has launched a petition in conjunction with the commercial credit referencing agency Graydon UK, to prompt a Government rethink on plans to exempt micro-businesses from having to file accounts at Companies House.
There are any number of reasons a fledgling business can fail – and the sad truth is that the majority do within the first year. Be it financial mismanagement, lacklustre marketing or just poor products, the reasons for failure are almost as numerous as the failed businesses themselves. Now a study from the Startup Genome, a research group assembled to investigate what makes a successful business, has revealed that the top killer of startups is in fact premature scaling.
Picture the scene – there’s a big important meeting, many miles away, you’re tired and it’s snowing. Do you get out of your nice warm bed four hours early and travel to the site, or simply stroll downstairs, log onto your PC and send in your virtual self via robot?
If you are thinking about joining the world of freelancers or perhaps you have recently started your own freelance business – good for you!
The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has vowed to take forward the recruitment industry’s concerns over current regulatory burdens in upcoming meetings with the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS).
There has been a lot of back-and-forth about the effectiveness of social media for generating genuine business leads in the last few weeks. A study by Forrester found that commerce activity on Facebook was still lacklustre compared to other marketing avenues – a claim swiftly rebutted by the giant social network.
The Government last week announced the location of 11 new Enterprise Zones, designed to boost local growth and create over 30,000 new jobs by 2015.
New research by electricity supplier E.ON says that small businesses in the UK are wasting over £30 million every day by simply not switching off computers at the end of the work day. The study of over 800 SMEs found that nearly 40% of workers leave their computers on all night and only 20% switch them off properly over the weekend.
A survey carried out by Sedo, a global domain marketplace, has revealed that small businesses are paying 5% more for their domain names than they were this time last year.
Internships and work placements have been getting some bad press lately. Are they an extremely good experience for both Employers and graduates or potentially unethical exploitation?
After an apparently successful trial in Merseyside since February this year, the Government’s New Enterprise Allowance (or NEA) is today rolling out nationally, giving unemployed people around the country a chance to start their own small business.
Back in February, as part of their penance for almost bankrupting us all, the UK’s five biggest banks entered into Project Merlin, a scheme by the Government to allow better access to credit and loan facilities to UK businesses.
Could the real reason for the delay in UK businesses receiving tax payment reminder letters be that HMRC ran out of paper?
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has calculated that the cost of this weeks riots could be as high as £500 million. But what will be the cost to small businesses?
The annual Barclays Take One Small Step awards, which aims to identify and nurture outstanding new business ideas, saw over 5,000 entries this year, each showing innovation, diversity and creative flair.
Rachel Soothill | Lifestyle & Time out,News
A new study by IFF research has revealed that two-thirds of small-business owners had less than two weeks’ holiday in 2010. The research was carried out on 500 firms and showed that 69% of bosses were unable to take more than 14 days out of the office
It has been revealed that business secretary Vince Cable and Green Party leader Caroline Lucas are the latest MPs to sign up to the Business Buddy scheme, along with 102 other MPs.
Rachel Soothill | News,Technology
Hot on the heels of the launch of Google+ Facebook has introduced a Facebook For Business portal in an attempt to encourage businesses to choose their giant social network over the competition.
Research carried out by Aviva has revealed that one in ten small firms are concerned about closing this year unless there are improvements in trading conditions.
Lesley Furber | Legal,Resources
A recent survey by the British Chambers of Commerce of 1,000 sole traders looked into their attitudes to hiring staff. Here we disect the report and see if there are any solutions to encourage sole-traders to take on staff.
A study by the Forum of Private Business has found that small firms are spending more time and money complying with Government legislation than ever before, with a massive 84% of businesses saying they have increased compliance activities since 2009.
HMRC staff are to begin calling new businesses to offer advice on how to correctly take care of their bookkeeping and tax obligations. HMRC is referring to this new practise as “telephone education”, and businesses will be contacted “at key stages in their lifecycles”.
Jon Norris | News,Working From Home
British Gas has been fined £2.5 million by Ofgem for failing to deal with customer complaints – especially those of small businesses – correctly. The utilities company, which supplies around half of UK homes, was deemed to have prematurely closed cases when customers still said they were unresolved.
Rachel Soothill | News,Technology
Research into online marketing has revealed that two thirds of marketing managers still rely on email to deliver their online campaigns. The survey, which was carried out by eCircle, is part of a larger study on European Social Media and Email Marketing.
The decision by the Payments Council to not abolish cheques has been welcomed by small businesses who were concerned that no alternative viable payment system has been proposed.
It has been revealed in a recent survey that some small businesses are so desperate to cut costs they are considering reducing their staff holiday allowances. The survey, which was carried out by insurance company MetLife and involved 400 small businesses, found that 27% of firms felt that holiday allowance was too generous.
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has carried out a news survey that reveals sole traders are being deterred from becoming employers due to the expensive cost of employee pension plans, sick leave and dismissal rules.
Research by professional advice website Unbiased.co.uk has revealed that more than half of sole traders could be missing out on tax savings by not utilising the help of professional accountants for bookkeeping.
The Forum of Private Business (FPB) has set up a new initiative that will assign MPs with voluntary summer internships at small firms. Known as the Business Buddy Scheme, it will give MPs the opportunity to learn about the realities of running a small business.
A new survey by financial group Investec has found that confidence amongst entrepreneurs across the UK is the highest it has been in years, with a mammoth 96% predicting their revenues will increase in the next year.
HM Revenue and Customs have released a new action plan designed – not the same as committed – to significantly opening up the public sector marketplace to small businesses. The actions outlined in the document range from increasing the amount of information available and holding ‘product surgeries’, to piloting new procurement methods and increasing SME access to sub-contracting opportunities.
Antoinette Oglethorpe | Getting a Job,Resources
If you are thinking about going freelance, you’re not alone. Over a quarter of a million people are likely to go it alone and turn self-employed in the UK this year, according to the Federation of Small Businesses.
Rachel Soothill | News,Technology
Research published by PC World Business has revealed that UK small businesses are adopting tablets for use in the workplace, with many more looking to do so in the near future. According to the research nearly 25% of small firms are using tablets such as iPads and Android slates to increase the efficiency of their business.
Last week the UK’s coalition Government came under criticism from the Institute of Directors, a group representing business leaders across the country, for failing to reduce the tax burden faced by small businesses.
Rachel Soothill | Getting a Job,Guides
Whether you have launched a new product, service or just have exciting business news to share, at some point you may need to write a press release in order to promote these developments. Like Marketing, PR is an essential tool in promoting your business and its key messages. However, unlike most Marketing initiatives PR is usually free and will often only require a good news story and a well written press release.
Small firms have been warned by the Forum of Private Business (FPB) to check the copyright of images used on their websites following an increase in copyright infringement complaints. Having received a surge of recent calls regarding this issue, the FPB are aware of numerous small businesses that have been charged for using images that they did not realise were copyrighted.
Going freelance is a big step for anyone. It takes a not insignificant amount of confidence to leave the cosy 9-to-5 world and step out on your own, but landing that first client is a feeling like no other. However, a common problem for first-time freelancers is Invoice Anxiety. When should you invoice? What should you do if your client doesn’t pay straight away?
Rachel Soothill | Legal,Technology
A free online tool has been launched to help small-businesses comply with employment regulations, including recruitment, discipline, grievance procedures and the Working Time Directive. Developed by ACAS, who aim to improve employer-employee relations, the Modern Workplace tool lets employers assess their management techniques and offers practical advice on maintaining good employment relations.
There was good news for micro-businesses last week as the EU decided it was time to unburden them from the heavy weight of small business accounting. Business Minister and aged Wayne Rooney lookalike Ed Davey announced that by reducing the accounting responsibilities of businesses with fewer than ten employees and turnover less than £434,000 the EU could save these small enterprises around £300 million per year.
Rachel Soothill | Getting a Job,News
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has revealed that the number of start-up businesses in the UK has increased by nearly 50,000 from 2009-2010. The government statistics show that there are now 4.5 million private sector firms operating in the UK, despite the difficult economic climate.
Although this does not relate to you, our honest and straight-laced freelance readers, we thought we would just fill you in on the latest HMRC initiative designed to bust the tax dodgers. Following their “amnesty for all” announcement HM Revenue & Customs have now unveiled a new tax evasion unit that offers reduced penalties for those who come clean on undeclared income.
Here’s something you don’t see often – the Government making appreciable, concrete strides towards a more user-friendly, useful web portal. Under the guidance of web brainbox Tom Loosemore, Alpha.gov.uk is a test version of a new Government portal that is supposed to eventually replace Direct.gov.uk.
Mel Dixon | Lifestyle & Time out,News
Television shows like The Apprentice, Dragon’s Den and The Secret Millionaire are persuading more people to consider starting up their own business, according to government research. The ‘Impact of Media on Entrepreneurial Intentions and Actions’ report found that media portrayals of enterprise is having a positive impact on non-entrepreneurial Britons.
Contractor Advisor | Legal,Money
As part of its report on simplifying Tax for small businesses, the Office of Tax Simplification raised two possible short-term solutions. One was to suspend IR35 with immediate effect, and the other was to keep IR35 but improve how it is administered.
A little while ago the UK’s incumbent Franken-government announced the introduction of the New Enterprise Allowance (or NEA for acronym fans), a scheme to provide a £2,000 grant, small business loan and expert guidance to unemployed people looking to start their own businesses.
There have been some interesting developments of late which shed some light on what the future holds for IR35 – the legislation designed to close the loophole which enabled people to work as independent contractors when, actually, in spirit, being more akin to an employee.
Ever since Chancellor George Osbourne announced a review of IR35 in the Emergency Budget, many in the contracting community had their hopes raised for swift action.
With recent research detailing the colossal expense and burden of niggling administrative duties (apparently we spend 37 days each year on opening letters alone!), isn’t it about time we got hold of the red tape and tore it apart with Hulk-like strength?
Freelancers and contractors can help make their lives significantly easier by offloading many of the menial tasks that blight their day. First though, you need to know when’s the best time to outsource.
Late last week the Prime Minister in his human form gave a speech outlining the Government’s grand plans to invest heavily in the East of London in order to create a “world-leading technology city to rival Silicon Valley”.
In a nutshell this is a book about communication and how not to do it. As a particularly blunt and tactless individual I thought this might help me temper my natural desire to be right all the time…. but it has not (apparently). Persuasion is a generally interesting book but it is purely for those people who like the self help genre and does not stray from the core readership market or attempt to engage the business reader.
The UK’s freelancers and contractors will be unsurprised to hear that money is not the key motivational factor for many workers.
According to a study by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), the ability to work flexibly and have the opportunity to develop within a business are more important.
These are two of the key reasons why people tend to go it alone and start up their own business in the first place – so perhaps even more people are on the precipice of joining the freelance revolution!
Freelancers in the North West might be interested to hear about the Wirral and Liverpool Enterprise Freelance Fair. This unique event aims to help agencies, small businesses and freelancers looking for new contracts and solid advice and even promises to get you useful business leads!
Here on FreelanceAdvisor we make numerous references to freelancers, contractors and small businesses – after all that’s who we’re here for!
But what are the defining characters of each? What follows is a no-nonsense guide to who’s who and why. Beware: stereotypes abound.
I’ll be honest, I’d never set up a VoIP phone before. So I decided to try out a Cloud Net telephonic solution which enables you to make calls via a broadband connection. The good news is, it was pretty simple to set up and provides an effective service for small businesses.
There was, however, one small problem which every prospective purchaser of a VoIP needs to keep in mind before they make the leap…
Michael Rose | Lifestyle & Time out
We’re big fans of Jason Fried, creator of Basecamp and co-author of Rework. His Get Real column for Inc.com is a must-read for freelancers interested in freelancing, small business advice, for stories of struggle and success.
His first column for Inc.com, Driven to Distraction, is Fried’s fascinating tale of how he built 37Signals from his solo freelancing business.
I have always been interested in running a project/small business outside of my 9 to 5 full-time job. Something that I can grow in my spare time and that has the potential to grow and then become my main source of income! Talking with friends, I was given a copy of Emma Jone‘s Working 5 to 9 – How to start a successful business in your spare time — Great timing!
It’s good news for UK contractors after the coalition government’s launch of the new Office of Tax Simplification. The body will be tasked with making the tax system in the UK less complex, which will include a review of IR35.
The swift launch suggests that the government is looking to change the tax system sooner rather than later.
Emma Jones | Getting a Job,Working From Home
A recent feature in The Guardian ran with the headline: ‘Graduates warned of record 70 applicants for every job’ The next line went: ‘Class of 2010 told to consider flipping burgers or shelf stacking to build skills’.
Was I the only one thinking flipping burgers and shelf stacking is a flippin’ great way to earn part-time income whilst building a business? For all graduates considering self-employment, here are five tips along with stories of those who’ve been there and done it.
Michael Rose | Getting a Job,News
Despite cuts across the board, overall, UK business is seeing a positive change thanks to the new Government. Tax breaks, including extended relief on the increase in Capital Gains Tax and National Insurance have been introduced and support for SMEs has been very positive.
To mark the importance of SMEs, The Startups Awards 2010 have added a Home Business of the Year category to their annual awards.
Emma Jones believes in starting a business and then finding and focusing on your niche.
But what happens when you feel the niche audience you’ve chosen could be restricting in view of its size? Then it’s time to expand your product range, as opposed to extending your niche.
Emma explains how…
The economic downturn has played a big part in accelerating the importance of social media in the marketing minds of freelancers and small businesses. For that reason, the idea of employing the services of a social media consultant can appear to be a no-brainer. After all, for many small operations, social media has become integral to their online presence.
Failing to utilise social media to its fullest extent could prove costly.
But is formal training really necessary?
What advice can you act on when starting out as a freelancer?
Internet Consultant and Developer Alick Mighall shares his advice on the circumstances, principles and practices you’ll need to help you manage big clients.
Are you wondering how to grow your business and develop it in a way so it’s not wholly reliant on you? Have you considered outsourcing/franchising/productising as a way to achieve that growth? Emma Jones outlines the options with tips for each strategy.
Judy Heminsley | Lifestyle & Time out
Co-working offers freelancers both flexibility of where to work and also the chance to meet with like-minded co-workers and collaborators. Working from home expert Judy Heminsley recommends the Jelly approach.
Emma Jones | Getting a Job,Working From Home
There are over 5 million people doing it and today a book is launched to help many more follow in their footsteps. We’re talking about ‘Working 5 to 9’ which involves holding down a day job and building a business at nights and weekends. The book’s author, Freelance Advisor Emma Jones, offers 8 steps showing how you can do the same.
Andy talks to Web and Social Media Developer John O’Nolan and Darren Fell of Crunch about the power of personal branding. Choosing your brand Using Twitter to create a conversation Facebook, following and fans Social media as customer service Social media strategy and setup Listen to the podcast:
Podcast 24: Personal Branding for Freelancers & Contractors [ 29:46 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
As the saying goes ‘it’s not what you know but who you know’ so how can you widen your network of contacts to create the network that is important to your freelance business?
Business Growth Strategist Janette Whitney shows us how…
Think networking is where people go because they want to sell more stuff?
You’re a little bit right, and a big bit wrong.
Freelance Advisor and copywriter Leif Kendall shares four reasons why getting to know your peers will make you a better, happier freelancer.
One of the biggest sales and marketing problems that small businesses can face is getting people whom seem interested in buying something to actually take the plunge and hand over their money.
Because let’s be honest, it’s actually pretty easy to attract attention to your business and meet prospective customers these days. The internet has made it simple to give your business a marketing presence (your website) and drive people to it (online advertising and search engine optimisation).
The key then to a successful business is not just one which attracts prospects, but one which has fail-safe systems to convert them into revenue.
Emma Jones | Working From Home
Working from Home. If you need to work from home unexpectedly then these online tools and services will help you get the job done. Freelance Advisor Emma Jones shares her tips for staying connected with co-workers and clients.
Whether you are selling knowledge from your head or products crafted by your own hands, there are online platforms to help you reach an audience of customers and make sales. Emma Jones of Enterprise Nation offers a top ten listing.
With the General Election fast approaching, prospective parliamentary candidates will be out and about, doggedly canvassing on the streets in your neighbourhood.
The Professional Contractor’s Group (PCG) has produced a Guide to possible questions you can ask your candidate should they appear on your doorstep, with useful background information on some of the main issues facing freelancers.
With 72% of small businesses stating that new business generation was their top priority in 2010, they are turning to technologies they know will quickly and easily bring them new clients through the door. These technologies are still websites and telephones over newer methods such as social media.
When asked whether social media such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, has been useful in generating new business, 63% answered no, with a staggering 75% not knowing how to use social media effectively for new business generation…
Judy Heminsley | Lifestyle & Time out
When freelancing or starting a small business and looking to keep costs down working from home is the obvious solution.
There’s also a downside, though, and that’s the risk of becoming lonely and isolated, with its knock-on effect on self-confidence and motivation.
Continuing our #WorkingFromHome series Judy Heminsley shares her hard-won tips for overcoming the gloom of isolation and how to get motivated in the mid-afternoon slump…
The PCG’s continued lobbying of Tory top-brass has finally paid off in a firm commitment to a review of IR35 legislation by a future Conservative government.
The Conservative Party made the landmark announcement today that IR35 will be reviewed as part of an overall review of small business taxation should they win the General Election in May.
In a letter today to Chris Bryce, PCG Chairman, the Shadow Business Minister, Mark Prisk MP said that due to PCG’s strong representations to him and to Shadow Treasury Ministers “a Conservative Government would undertake a fundamental review of small business taxation matters, including IR35.”
HMRC Start Up Diaries
The latest installment of HMRC’s [Start Up Diaries][] is now available to view online, offering freelancers, contractors and small business owners a unique insider’s view into setting up and running a new business.
Do you have content you would like to share with an interested audience of existing and potential customers? It’s never been so easy to package your content in a stylish way, and distribute it in a cost-effective way.
Enter the age of home publishing with Emma Jones.
Home based businesses are increasingly outsourcing and partnering, as opposed to taking on staff. As a freelancer and small business owner you may want to collaborate with others to get larger projects complete and, as more people start collaborating, it’s becoming important to have agreements in place with new partners that allows for a smooth running and profitable partnership. Emma Jones explains how to go about it.
It’s the start of a new year and a new decade and like many self-employed people you’ve probably been thinking about how to have a good year despite the sluggish economy.
Read on for the one thing you must do this year for your work to take off…
David Howell | Technology,Working From Home
Having your own home office, or a small rented place to do you work is fantastic. It sets you up for the day, helping you create a distraction-free space and a professional venue to meet your clients.
As your business grows, however, unless you are lucky enough to be able to afford new premises then space may get tight, and, if you like gadgets and gizmos then it won’t be long before you’ve got wires all over the place, dangling from your desk and tying themselves in knots.
There are two simple solutions… go wireless… or, when you need power, hide the wires.
Emma Jones | Lifestyle & Time out,Working From Home
Recent research has show that home workers and freelancers are more productive than their 9-5, desk-bound colleagues.
Freelance Advisor and Home Business expert Emma Jones takes a quick, efficient look at how you can make the most of your time in the home office.
As freelancers we know you have absolute passion and pride in your skill set. We know it takes a lot of confidence to break out on your own. We also know that it takes more than just talent to succeed in this tough and competitive economic climate.
How well you sell, market and manage your product, product YOU, is critical. If the thought of cold calling brings you out in a cold sweat or the thought of creating a business strategy gives you a headache then we’re here to help with soft skills and freelancer focused training and coaching.
Freelancing and contracting is becoming a normal work practice within our society but many people continue to work as a sole trader rather than through a limited company. Freelance Coach Daryl Close takes a look at how a limited company setup can help you
Emma Jones | Getting a Job,News
In best-selling book ‘The Long Tail’ author Chris Anderson says the future of business does not lie in blockbuster hits but in niche products. Home businesses up and down the land are testimony to this. Emma Jones looks at why niche is good and showcases a few shining examples.
Starting out in business can be scary. Not only are there new procedures and systems to get used to but also are rules and regulations that are now your responsibility to understand and observe.
This concise guide gives you an overview of what you need to do to protect you, your business, your employees, your intellectual property and your customers data.
Daryl Close, our small business and entrepreneurial performance coach, discusses the preparation you must undertake from both a strategic and mental perspective to establish a successful freelancing practice.
What do you need to do in order to establish a successful freelancing practice?
Brighton and Hove-based freelancers have the opportunity to attend free events aimed at helping small businesses survive the economic downturn.
The Business Lifebelt events have been developed in partnership with Brighton & Hove Chamber of Commerce and Business Link Sussex to provide relevant advice to businesses operating in the area.
Having a supportive spouse can be the key to a business’ success or failure, new research has found.
The research, by Bibby Financial Services, found that 38 per cent of spouses believed their partner working weekends was acceptable when running a business, and 44 per cent believed working late nights was also acceptable.
Small businesses in the UK are unhappy with the support they are receiving from the government, a poll has revealed.
The poll of 4,000 small traders and freelancers by the Federation of Small Businesses revealed the traders believe the Government’s efforts to stimulate the economy had so far made no impact.
Government unveils plan to help small business’ cash flow problems THE British Government will guarantee up to £20bn in loans to UK small businesses to help them manage cash flow problems in the current economic downturn. Business Secretary Lord Peter Mandelson unveiled his “real help for small to medium businesses” plan this week, saying its [...]
In these two ‘Employers Information’ sections we give you additional information to help you run your small business, as of course employing staff can be complicated! In Section 1 we give you information about Employing different types of staff; Making a Job offer and Employment checks; The Employment Forms you need to use and Personnel records to keep; your Pay and Pension obligations. Updated for 2011.
