Posted by martinparry on March 31, 2010 under Business Planning, Finance, Marketing, Operations, SME News, Social Networking | 
The UKBA group in the Midlands(MGBA) are launching a season of
The Board Room
dinners for business leaders in the region. The events will offer an opportunity for entrepeneurs to get together in relaxed civilised surrounding and thrash out problems and issues that affect them all. The first dinner will take place at Hogarth’s Hotel and Restaurant on 27th April 2010.
Invitations are being sent out over the next few days and MGBA are looking forward to hosting a fascinating evening of debate, discussion and hopefully, some answers to the challenging questions and issues before the business community today.
Any business owners and leaders who would like to join MGBA on the night or would like details of future events email martin.parry@mgba.co.uk
Sc: MGBA, Midlands Group Business Advisors
Free Resources
Marketing-Simply – A Guide to Marketing for SMEs –
Business Plan Template – Cashflow Template – Start Up Guide
Guide To Strategic Planning – Small Business Guide
www.ukba.co.uk
Posted by martinparry on March 29, 2010 under Marketing, Sales, SME News, Social Networking |
After cutting operating costs to the bare minimum, many smaller firms are hiring sales staff, improving their websites and boosting marketing activities in an effort to tackle tough trading conditions. So says a business survey carried out by the FPB. They also found that business owners expect their efforts will pay off. More than half (56%) of those surveyed expect to increase their turnover in 2010 and 44% believe their business will grow.
The findings are the first of the FPB’s new ‘Economy Watch’ panel – a body of more than 350 members who are sharing their experiences as the economy heads away from recession. The panel is designed to provide an accurate and timely reflection of what small businesses are experiencing on the ground. Its findings will be released on a monthly basis.
The results of the first Economy Watch panel paint a generally positive picture, with firms expressing a defiant attitude to the downturn and only 13% concentrating on cutting costs. Perhaps surprisingly, 80% of those surveyed described the cost of borrowing as ‘affordable’. However, business owners expect to see continuing tough times ahead. A significant 60% of those surveyed expect to see the general cost of business to increase this year and an overwhelming 76% are anticipating tax increases.
Additionally, almost half (48%) of those surveyed had been required to provide personal guarantees for loans, while 26% had to secure loans, often on properties, in order to access affordable interest rates. Some members reported interest rates of more than 20% for unsecured borrowing.
Sc: http://www.fpb.org/news/2307/Recession_fighting_firms_focusing_on_sales_and_marketing__survey_finds.htm
Free Resources
Marketing-Simply – A Guide to Marketing for SMEs –
Business Plan Template – Cashflow Template – Start Up Guide
Guide To Strategic Planning – Small Business Guide
www.ukba.co.uk
Posted by martinparry on March 15, 2010 under Business Planning, Operations, SME News |
The final plans for changing the way new electricity generation is connected to the UK’s power grid were published for consultation today by Energy and Climate Change Minister David Kidney.
The plans, called Connect and Manage, will clear the way for renewable energy projects such as wind farms to connect to the grid in time to meet the 2020 renewable energy targets.
David Kidney said: “Access to the electricity grid has been one of the key barriers to the generation of renewable energy in this country. There is currently around 78 gigawatts of prospective new generation capacity – some 160 projects – that are waiting to be connected to the grid, including over 19 gigawatts from renewable sources.
Connect and Manage will enable new generators to connect to the electricity transmission network and start generating as soon as their local connection has been built, without having to wait for wider network reinforcement to be completed.
National Grid then manages the increased constraints on the network as more generation is connected before the completion of wider reinforcement work. Under the proposals, these additional constraint costs are socialised equally across all generators and suppliers in a way that supports new generators.
Sc: DECC
Free Resources
Marketing-Simply – A Guide to Marketing for SMEs –
Business Plan Template – Cashflow Template – Start Up Guide
Guide To Strategic Planning – Small Business Guide
www.ukba.co.uk
Posted by martinparry on March 12, 2010 under Finance, SME News |
I am told that on Tuesday 6th April Location Anchor Commercial Bank 2010 Royal Mail’s new prices will come into effect as follws:
Key changes
- The 1st Class Letter price will increase to 41p for stamp and meter will remain at 36p.
- The 2nd Class Letter price will increase to 32p for stamp and meter will remain at 25p
- Royal Mail Special Delivery® Next Day will increase by 10p to £5.05 for mail up to 100g
Free Resources
Marketing-Simply – A Guide to Marketing for SMEs –
Business Plan Template – Cashflow Template – Start Up Guide
Guide To Strategic Planning – Small Business Guide
www.ukba.co.uk
Posted by admin on March 1, 2010 under Operations |
Green Street is the Envirowise virtual tour designed to help your business become more resource efficient.
Green Street consists of a hotel, restaurant, public house, office and factory. Each building has up to six different rooms relating to the type of services each establishment provides. Within the different rooms there are a variety of hotspots containing tips and advice on how to make that item more resource efficient and where to find more information.
Read more: http://www.envirowise.gov.uk/uk/Our-Services/Tools/Green-Street.html
Free Resources
Marketing-Simply – A Guide to Marketing for SMEs –
Business Plan Template – Cashflow Template – Start Up Guide
Guide To Strategic Planning – Small Business Guide
www.ukba.co.uk
Posted by martinparry on under Finance, Grants, SME News, Training |
The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) has announced a £15 million business support package to help businesses prepare for the economic upturn. The funding will primarily be used for training and will go toward extending the ProAct programme, which helps employers who are facing difficulties during the downturn. The ProAct programme was due to close at the end of March, but applications are now welcome until the end of June. The skills growth initiative will be in operation from 1 April 2010.
For more on this story go to:
http://wales.gov.uk/news/latest/100211twintrack/?lang=en
Free Resources
Marketing-Simply – A Guide to Marketing for SMEs –
Business Plan Template – Cashflow Template – Start Up Guide
Guide To Strategic Planning – Small Business Guide
www.ukba.co.uk
