MENTA MAGAZINE PROVIDING BUSINESS SUPPORT TO START UP, EMERGING AND EXISTING BUSINESSES
WE LISTEN ADVISE PROVIDE TRAIN AND ENCOURAGE. YOU SUCCEED.
Welcome to the first issue of the Menta Magazine Starting up and growing your business can be one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences you will have. It can also be tough and challenging.
Table of Contents 1
Introduction and Contents
2
Market Research
3
Business Type
4
Business Planning
Menta has helped thousands of new businesses start-up, grow and thrive. We offer expert, one-to-one business advice; we have a programme of really costeffective training seminars and hold vibrant networking events throughout the year. We also provide flexible office space and meeting rooms, as well as holding an annual trade fair, enabling hundreds of companies to connect with each other and do business.
6
Working from Home vs Premises
8
Case Studies
10
Legal Requirements Check List
12
How Much Cash Will I Need?
14
Business Advice
The magazine complements our work, covering a wide range of important business topics: from finance to business support and business planning to networking, signposting readers to additional sources of valuable information.
15
Marketing Strategy
16
Marketing Plan
19
Case Studies
We also help you tap into other sources of advice and information, whether it be booking a session with one of our business advisers or downloading information from Scavenger, which can provide you with over 500 fact sheets, guides and reports.
20
Social Media
22
Sales
24
Employing People
So, it’s time to get down to business – and do get in touch if we can support you in any way.
26
Networking & Business Exhibitions
28
Case Studies
29
Menta Masterclasses and Seminars
30
Directory of Support
That’s why our team at Menta, the Suffolk Enterprise Agency, has developed the Menta Magazine. A practical, informative, hands-on guide that will help bring into sharp focus some of the important things you need to be thinking about as you establish your company and set it on the right course for success.
Alex Till Alex Till Chief Executive Menta T: 0800 085 5090 E: info@menta.org.uk W: www.menta.org.uk Produced and designed by aboutmedia 17a Market Hill, Framlingham, Suffolk IP17 9AN T: 01728 723138 E: info@aboutmedia.co.uk
Many thanks to Marianne Whitfield from COBRA/COBWEB for the business information included in this magazine. www.cobweb.com
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this magazine is correct at the time of going to press.
2 MARKET RESEARCH
IS THERE A MARKET FOR MY PRODUCT OR SERVICE?
Market Research is one of the most important things you will ever need to do.
• What does the market look like in the next three to five years?
It will help you find out whether there will be enough demand for your product or service, who your customers should be, how to reach them and how you should make a distinction between yourself and your competitors.
Your Customers
Get it right and you could be on the road to success. Get it wrong and you’ll be storing yourself up for serious problems further down the line. Whether you’re looking to start up a business, or want to develop a new product or service for your existing company - it’s all about research. This research will also form a major part of your business and marketing plan. Give yourself plenty of time – and crack on. You’ll need to think about your market, your customers and your competitors. So, here are some starting points for you to research and think through.
Your Market • What’s the size of your market? • How much of this do you need to capture to make a profit? • Is there enough demand for your product or service? • What are the trends? • Is there a gap in the market; perhaps something unique that no-one else is offering, that you could offer customers?
• Who are they? What is their age, gender, social and ethnic background, economic status and their interests? • Where are they based? • How do they find out about products or services? For example, from local newspapers, magazines or do they look online? • Where do they buy? For example, traditional shops, market stalls or online stores. • Why will they buy from you?
Your Competitors • • • • • • •
Who are they? Where are they? What products or services do they sell? How much do they sell for? Who are their customers? What are their strengths and their weaknesses? What makes your products and services different from theirs?
This is just a starting point and there may be a lot more research you need to do, so make sure you write it down.
HOT TIPS “Get it right and you could be on the road to success” “Give yourself plenty of time – and crack on” “Something unique that no-one else is offering”
Read market reports, trade journals, newspapers and online information Talk to potential customers Keep ahead of the competition by updating your research regularly
For further information please see our Directory of Support on pages 30 – 32
BUSINESS TYPE
3
WHAT SORT OF BUSINESS SHOULD I BE? You’re thinking of starting a business. This means that you’ll have some level of legal responsibility. All businesses have legal structures and you need to think about the issues, liability for any future business debts and tax. Let’s take a look at some of the options. These are: • Sole Trader • Partnership • Private Limited Company • Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) • Community Interest Company (CIC)
Sole trader Sole traders are self-employed and are able to keep all their business profits after tax. But if you’re a sole trader you are personally liable for the debts of the business. That means that your home, and other assets you own may be at risk if your business runs into debts which need paying.
Partnership Partnerships are usually owned by two or more sole traders. Each business partner is liable for the debts of the business and each can be held responsible for transactions or contracts agreed by any of the others. So, ensure you have a partnership agreement at the outset for dealing with legalities and any future problems between partners.
Private Limited Company A Private Limited Company is different. It has a separate legal identity to the owners. The owners have limited liability, which is their investment into the company. The company, incorporated at Companies House and registered with the HM Revenue and Customs, will have shares, shareholders and a Director responsible for managing the company – which may well be you. In practice, for most small companies, the Shareholder and Director is the business owner.
Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) A LLP is a legal structure for two or more sole traders. It limits their personal liability and is separate to a Private Limited Company in that it has a separate legal identity to the partners. That means the partners’ personal assets cannot be seized to settle the partnerships debts.
Community Interest Company (CIC) CICs are limited companies that trade commercially but have social objectives, such as providing employment opportunities for people with disabilities. CICs must be registered with, and are regulated by, the Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies and must pass a test to ensure that activities undertaken by a CIC provide benefits to the community.
HOT TIPS “You’ll have some level of legal responsibility” “ . . . and a Director, responsible for managing the company – which may well be you” “Assets cannot be seized to settle the debts”
Have a chat with a Menta business adviser regarding the best legal structure for your business Order information on business structures from Scavenger. For details go to page 30, Business Legal Structures Solicitors and accountants can advise on the best legal structures for you
For further information please see our Directory of Support on pages 30 – 32
4 BUSINESS PLANNING Write a business plan when starting up a new business. It sets down your ideas, helps you create targets and plan for the future of your business. It will also help you decide whether your business is workable.
Business description and purpose
Your business plan is essential to secure funding to get you up and running. It should be a dynamic document, reviewed regularly to help you measure the performance of your business.
Legal Structure and Licences
It should also be easy to read, concise, honest and credible, addressing difficult issues head on. The plan also needs to show investors that the business will be able to support its owners and any borrowing requirements they may have – at least in the medium term This is what should be included in the plan: • Table of contents • Executive summary – a one to two paragraph summary of the rest of the plan • Aims, objectives and vision • Business description and purpose • Legal structure and licences • Management processes • Marketing strategy and plan
What will the business do? How will the products or services differ from competitors and why would customers want to use them? Be specific. Be clear.
What legal structure will your business have? (See page 3 ‘What sort of business should I be?’) Will you be a sole trader, part of a partnership, a private limited company, or a community interest company (CIC) trading as a social enterprise? Also, what licences, if any, do you need? Businesses in food, childcare and pet care will need to obtain licences.
Management processes Being organised from the start will make your business more efficient. Even where there is only one person involved, it is still worth looking at key skills, responsibilities and management processes at this stage. The plan will need to consider the following management functions. You may want to out-source book-keeping, accountancy, HR and telemarketing services, for example. The processes will include: • Marketing and sales • Finance • Recruitment and staffing
• Sales targets • Current financial requirements and forecasts • Operational requirements
• Product development or product sourcing • Legal compliance • Administration
• Training needs • Business risks • Appendices
Aims, objectives and vision Highlight the reasons why you are starting the business and what you want out of it. Are you looking to create it as an investment to sell, replace your main source of income, or develop it to employ family?
“It is a dynamic document which should be reviewed regularly” “Highlight the reasons why you are starting the business” “What will need to be done if the worst happens?”
For further information please see our Directory of Support on pages 30 – 32
5 Marketing strategy and plan Business success requires a thorough understanding of the target market, including its size and the market share that can be achieved. This should form the basis of the marketing strategy. (See page 15 ‘Marketing Strategy’). How will marketing be carried out? Once there is a clear marketing strategy, there needs to be clarity about how it will be brought into effect and who will make this happen. (See page 16 & 18 ‘Marketing Planning’).
Sales targets and objectives The marketing plan, when implemented, needs to be converted into perhaps the most important business goal of all: the sales revenue targets. (See page 22 ‘Sales’)
Current financial requirements and financial forecasts How much money do you need now and for what purpose? A business plan should include a breakdown of financial requirements, the sources of finance that are available and any additional finance that may be needed going forward. (See pages 12 & 13 ‘How much cash will I need?’)
• Licensing and permits • Insurance - a statement of what insurance cover is required regulations • Licensing and permits • Insurance - a statement of what insurance cover is required
Training needs The business plan should include details of any relevant training courses that those who will be running the business have attended and any training that will need to be completed in the future.
Business risks What could go wrong, and what will need to be done if the worst happens? The plan should include an honest assessment of the risks involved in the business, as well as how these will be minimised.
Appendices Appendices should include all the documents that support the plan, for example your CV and the CV’s of key employees, market research data, financial forecasts and copies of your premises lease.
Operational requirements How will the plan be turned into action? In other words, what are the operational requirements of the business? This should cover the following aspects of the business and include an estimate of their costs: • Premises - details of the premises and a sketch plan of the layout • Equipment - a list of necessary equipment and the price of each item • Staff - details of what roles need to be filled, including job descriptions • Suppliers - details of various suppliers and the credit terms they will offer • Compliance - details of regulations regarding health and safety at work and any other regulations
HOT TIPS Software packages are available to help with writing a business plan Discuss your business plan with a Menta business adviser or accountant Order your Guide to Writing a Business Plan from Scavenger. Go to Page 4, Business Planning
For further information please see our Directory of Support on pages 30 – 32
6 WORKING FROM HOME VS PREMISES There are a range of different types of businesses that are run from home and many others operate from premises. You need to work out how much space you need and how you’re going to use it. You may want to set up your business from home to cut your overheads, or you may be thinking about renting premises for the space that you need to operate. There are some common, practical issues flagged up here, but you need to check out the detail. These include costs, security, insurance and legal Issues.
Costs Although tax deductions are often available when operating from home, check whether this is the case with your business through your accountant or HM Revenue and Customs. If a small part of your home is used for your business you may not be liable for business rates. Talk to your local Valuation Office and accountant. When considering renting or leasing premises you’ll also need to look at the service charges, if they apply. Will you need phones, internet and computer facilities installed? Are furniture and fittings included? What are your solicitors’ legal fees to check your tenancy or lease agreement? There’s lots to think about.
Security If you’re trading from home will you need more security such as a burglar alarm and window locks? Do you need a small safe if you deal with cash? If operating out of premises be sure your landlord has the right security for your needs, so that equipment and stock is as secure as it can be.
Insurance You do need to check out business insurance, whether you’re working from home or premises. At home, make sure that you’re covered for business activities, or that there can be an extension on your home insurance policy or a separate policy in place.
Legal Issues If you’re thinking of trading from home, tell your mortgage company or landlord to make sure you are allowed to do this as part of your agreement. Do have it checked by the professionals to avoid expensive disputes later on. Always take legal advice when taking on a lease or tenancy.
HOT TIPS Get expert advice, talk to a solicitor Speak with an accountant Check out the real costs involved
When working from premises the buildings insurance premium is usually paid by the landlord and recharged to you. But check this too. For further information please see our Directory of Support on pages 30 – 32
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8 DON’T TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT Spider’s recruitment on the web The internet was once a recruitment tool that only larger businesses could afford. But now, if you’re looking for a cost-effective, online recruitment service, which is affordable for even the smallest businesses, Spider Recruitment Services can deliver. With employers finding it hard to fill vacancies in the Eastern Region, the company provides firms with knowledgeable advice and bespoke services that assist them in recruiting quality staff. Michelle Pollard, founder of Spider Recruitment said, “We’re focused on helping companies of all sizes recruit new employees. I spent many years working for a UK Global online recruitment company, advising major business clients on how to use the internet as effectively as possible to hire employees; now I’m really keen to help local companies recruit online and keep the costs down.” Michelle has had the opportunity to meet small companies through a range of networking events organised by MENTA and has recently become a Patron of MENTA sharing her knowledge and expertise with MENTA’s clients. “We’re delighted to be a MENTA Patron. It means that the team at Spider can provide even more help to businesses who may be thinking about taking on staff for the first time, or making that leap from employing part time, to full time staff.” To find out more about Spider Recruitment Services visit www.spiderrecruit.co.uk
Hire and retain great people for business Helping companies to hire and retain great people is central to the work of the company MAD-HR, which stands for ‘Make a Difference’ HR. It has a philosophy focussed on making life easier for clients, helping businesses flourish and keeping them fully in step with UK employment law. For example, companies are required by law to provide employees with contracts. Failing to put agreements in writing could result in a breach of contract claim, with an employer being fined up to £50,000 if taken to the High Court. MAD-HR supplies flexible HR support and guidance to businesses of all sizes through their Online HR Toolkit, On-site HR Support, Training & Coaching and Strategic HR Consultancy. They help businesses to: • minimise HR-related risk • keep HR costs under control • support growth with a solid HR framework • access 1000+ up-to-date HR templates Managing Director, Carole Burman, delivers Menta’s HR training sessions for companies. “HR is all about helping owners understand how to recruit and retain talented people. MENTA has given our company great advice and helped improve my knowledge through their training courses. I realised that we share an ethos, helping companies grow, and that we could support MENTA’s aims, so in 2016 we proudly became a MENTA Patron, enabling us to work even more closely providing support to companies.” Give them a call for a friendly chat about your needs on 01473 360160, or visit their website at www.MAD-HR.co.uk
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10 LEGAL REQUIREMENTS CHECK LIST Whether you are a Private Company limited by guarantee, a Partnership or Social Enterprise, there are some important legal requirements you need to be aware of. Get professional advice from a solicitor or lawyer when thinking about the legal requirements of your business. This could save you time, money and grief if there are problems further down the line. We’re going to take a look at some common legal requirements which have been highlighted by the Law Society, the professional independent body for solicitors. These are: • Your company structure • Business premises • Financing and taxes • Goods and services • Protecting your ideas • Employment • Disagreements and problems • Selling your business
Your company structure The structure of your business is vital to your success as you start up and expand. (See page 3 ‘What sort of business should I be?’) If you are going into business with other people, you might need a shareholders’ or partnership agreement to make sure you get a fair return for your financial or non-financial investment.
“It is important to know your legal duties” “Save time, money and grief” “Make provision for the future”
Business premises When choosing premises for your business, it is important that you get to grips with the terms of the lease. (See page 6 ‘Working from home v premises’). Can the landlord increase the rent? If so, by how much? Will you find yourself paying everincreasing service charges? Will you need planning permission for a change of use? If you choose to run your business from home, what are the restrictions?
Financing and taxes You may also want to find out what sources of finance are available. Should you mortgage the family home? Are lenders insisting on unfair terms? Could you be getting a better deal with your bank? Check out these issues including the tax implications of different business models and the best time to start your financial year.
Goods and services When buying or selling goods and services, it is important to know your legal responsibilities. What could contract terms mean for your business? What about product liability? What can you legally say in adverts and promotional materials?
For further information please see our Directory of Support on pages 30 – 32
11 Disagreements and problems Let’s face it; anything can happen. What if you fall out with a partner or fellow shareholder? Can you be forced out? How can you use a mediator to resolve disputes? How do you make sure that responsibilities and profits are divided fairly? What will happen to your business if you become ill or die? Will your assets be protected? You need to think carefully about these areas and make provision for the future.
Selling your business If you decide to sell your business you may need confidentiality agreements to make sure all the information you are sharing about your business, for example: prices, profits, customer lists, is not shared with other businesses or people.
Protecting your ideas Intellectual Property (IP) is the ideas you create and legally own. Examples of IP include inventions, literary and artistic works, designs, symbols, names and images. A solicitor or IP specialist can help you protect your designs from competitors who may want to steal your ideas, whether it’s copying your trading name and logo or the products themselves. By owning your designs, you can make money from them by allowing other people or companies to use them. At a later date you could even sell them to someone else. If you’re using other people or agencies to create anything for your business, make sure the contract states that you own the IP of anything they create (or you have the legal right to use it as you wish).
Employment Employment law is complicated and it’s constantly changing. (See pages 24 and 25 ‘Employing People’). Most employment disagreements are caused by badly-drafted employee contracts or dismissal procedures that don’t meet legal requirements. Get advice on contracts and procedures to prevent these kinds of disagreements and help protect you from legal action from your employees.
When you sell the business you must ensure there are no outstanding legal issues you need to deal with in the future. They can make sure your buyer is responsible for paying all contractors and suppliers after you sell your business. Due diligence is complex, it’s lengthy and is usually undertaken by professionals, where the business is investigated for a range of things. This could include fraud and outstanding legal disputes.
HOT TIPS Seek professional advice on legal issues to prevent expensive problems in the future The structure of your business is vital to help you expand Protect your ideas
For further information please see our Directory of Support on pages 30 – 32
12 HOW MUCH CASH WILL I NEED? Many new firms fail. This is often because the owners do not have enough cash to last them through the critical first few months of trading when their sales are only just starting to build up. You need to have a clear financial plan for the future of your business. Without it, you can come unstuck very quickly. Here, we’re going to look at your business budget and your personal budget, to work out what your essential income should be, and how you can find the finance to start up your company. A business budget sets out: • Where your cash will come from • What your business will spend money on – the expenditure • What your cash income and expenditure may be in the future It’s also a great tool to work out how well your business is doing, where you need to cut back on spending and where you need to bring in more income.
Prepare your business budget A 12 month forecast is a good starting point. It’s a bit tougher preparing a budget for a start-up business, as there’s no trading history to base it on. So, you will need to do some sensible guess-work around how your business will develop. You need to think about:
“It’s a great tool to work out how your business is doing” “You need to understand what you spend” “Shop around”
• ‘Sales Income’ - as it says, this is your income from sales • ‘Variable or production costs’ - the cost of you buying in a product for re-sale, or you producing it • ‘Fixed or overhead costs’ - such as rent, rates, hire purchase and salaries • ‘Capital costs’ - the purchase of equipment such as computers Now you’ll need to think about a cash flow budget. Many businesses don’t receive payment from their customers until the month following invoice, or even the month after that. Others may purchase raw materials or stock, but don’t pay for them immediately. Your cash flow budget will use the information from your income and expenditure budgets, but take account of when you expect to get paid by your customers and when you expect to pay your suppliers. A cash flow budget will help you to identify the amount of cash that you will need to set up and run your business during the first year and whether you can fund this yourself, or if you need to source additional funds.
Prepare your personal budget Take the 12 month budget view and look at your bank account/s and bills to work out your expenditure. You need to understand what you spend. This means everything; from mortgage/rent, insurance, food, entertainment, through to presents and even what you spend on DIY and the garden each year. It sounds difficult, but it shouldn’t take too long. Now look at any income you might have from other sources, such as family, your partner, investments or allowances. This will give you a good overview of what your income is, what you spend each year, what is essential and what you might be able to cut back on. So, this gives you an idea of the minimum income you need from your business to survive.
For further information please see our Directory of Support on pages 30 – 32
13 Financing your start-up There are various sources of finance available, but for start-ups, the most likely options will include: • Personal savings and informal loans from family or friends • Grants • Bank loans and overdrafts • Start-up loans • Credit cards
Personal savings and informal loans from family or friends These are the most common forms of finance for start-ups. It may be an interest-free loan or you may need to pay interest on the loan. If interest needs to be paid, there will be tax implications for you and your lender. Check what this might be with your accountant or HM Revenue and Customs. Relatives or friends may consider investing money in your business in return for a share of ownership.
Credit cards Some business start-ups fund their short-term spending through the use of credit cards. With introductory interest-free offers on credit cards, it could make good business sense in the short-term, as you won’t be paying any interest on the cash you borrow. But it doesn’t make sense in the long-term, as credit card interest rates can be high if they’re not paid off each month.
Grants Grants, unlike a loan, don’t have to be paid back. They can provide finance to allow a business to fund a project that, without financial support, wouldn’t be able to go ahead. This might involve the initial start-up of the business, developing a new product or buying equipment.
Bank loans and overdrafts Banks offer a range of finance options and services to business start-ups, so shop around. If you need small amounts of extra cash at certain times, an overdraft facility could work for you as firms only pay interest on the amount they are overdrawn. Business loans are available, usually at a lower interest rate than an overdraft facility.
HOT TIPS Contact Menta on info@menta.org.uk or 0800 085 5090 to arrange a free meeting to find out what loans or grants may be available to you Look at the impact on your budget if your sales income is 10% or 25% below what you are aiming for All finance providers will need to be convinced about the viability of your business. You will need to produce a robust business plan (see pages 4 & 5 Business Planning) that shows how the business will operate and why the finance is required
For a business start-up, it is likely that the loan will need to be secured against a personal asset such as the business owner’s house or other property.
For further information please see our Directory of Support on pages 30 – 32
14 BUSINESS ADVICE There is a huge amount of business advice available for start-ups and growing businesses and a lot of it is free. The business advice we’re going to cover includes:
for emerging and existing businesses as well as those considering self-employment. Website: www.menta.org.uk/small-business-advice or call Menta 0800 085 5090
• One-to-one business advice
Training Seminars
• Advice through training seminars
Whether you want to learn about business planning, how to improve your marketing, reducing energy costs or how to kick-start your social media, there are a wide range of training seminars available which are either free, or provided at a reasonable cost. Check what’s on through the websites of Menta or your local Chambers of Commerce, the Institute of Directors, the LEPs and training organisations. Find out more about Menta’s training courses. Website: www.menta.org.uk/businesstraining-courses
• Mentoring advice As entrepreneurs and business owners themselves, Menta has a team of business advisers with first-hand knowledge of the issues you face when setting up or, when running an established business. Meetings are held at various locations across Suffolk and can be arranged by calling 0800 085 5090. Details can be found at www.menta.org.uk/small-business-advice. Let’s take a look at the signposting services in Suffolk (and Norfolk), which can point you in the right business advice direction. As there are quite a few web links here, we’ll give them as we go through, to make life easier The New Anglia and Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) provide information and signposting services to businesses in Suffolk, Norfolk and the Greater Cambridge and Greater Peterborough (GCGP) area. Signpost 2 Grow is an online service provided by the GCGP LEP, which gives local businesses access to a wide range of support, advice, grants and events and includes the West Suffolk and King’s Lynn Areas. Website: signpost2grow.co.uk The New Anglia Growth Hub, which is part of New Anglia LEP, has an online directory of business support organisations for companies in Suffolk and Norfolk. Website: www.newangliagrowthhub.co.uk/ partners-directory It also has a team of Business Growth Hub Advisers, who can meet with you free of charge, and signpost you to information and support. Website: www.newangliagrowthhub.co.uk
One-to-one business advice If you’re looking for impartial, confidential oneto-one business advice, Menta provides support
Business Support for Ambitious Businesses If you’re ambitious to grow your business then you may benefit from support and guidance from another, experienced business owner. If you would like to speak to someone about strategic or management issues who has a wealth of business knowledge, Expert connections could help you. It’s a joint venture between Menta and the Suffolk Institute of Directors, aimed at growing companies that have been in business for three or more years and its free. Find out more at www.menta.org.uk/ business-advice/expert-connections
“A huge amount of business advice is available” “Either free, or provided at a reasonable cost” “A wealth of business knowledge”
For further information please see our Directory of Support on pages 30 – 32
MARKETING STRATEGY
15 17
Marketing is essential to help you find customers and ensure they return time and time again. Most small companies don’t have a marketing strategy, but should. It can provide a real opportunity to set you apart from your competitors and demonstrate how special your business really is. What is a marketing strategy? It provides realistic, measurable marketing goals that can be achieved. However, it is not a marketing plan. A marketing plan will include the tactics and actions to achieve the strategy and a timetable to work to. It provides the detail, which we’ll cover on page 16. Here are some important questions and principles to help define your customers, set out your strategy and provide a razor-sharp focus: • Who are your ideal customers and where are they located? • What do your target customers want and need? • Why do they need it? • How do they need it? • When do they need it? • Is there a niche in your market you can exploit? • What is the Unique Selling Point (USP), that you can offer to meet the customers’ needs and sets you apart from your competitors? • Test your USP with your target customers
Business Goals Whether the aim is to double turnover in twelve months, or maximise the value of your business in three years in order to sell it, following a wellplanned marketing strategy will improve the chances of achieving these goals.
The Future What is unique today is standard tomorrow and your customers will be demanding so you need to keep your eye on the marketing ball. Your marketing strategy needs to be dynamic, to help you identify new and better ways of giving value to your customers. Keep your offer unique, and keep your USP new and fresh.
HOT TIPS
“A real opportunity to demonstrate how special your business is”
Your target customers must be those most likely to buy your product or service
“Provide a razor-sharp focus”
Look at Menta’s list of marketing masterclasses at www.menta.org.uk
“What is unique today is standard tomorrow”
Keep up to date with trends in your customers, their buying patterns and technology which relates to your business
For further information please see our Directory of Support on pages 30 – 32
16 MARKETING PLAN A marketing plan follows on from your marketing strategy (see page 15) delivering detail and actions. This is how you encourage your current customers to buy more, inactive customers to come back, secure new customers and keep ahead of the competition. The key is that it should be simple, short and clear. We’ll look at the elements of your marketing plan: • Understanding your customers • Defining your niche • Developing your marketing messages
product offers and persuade people to buy from you.
• How you reach your customers
There are generally two types of marketing message.
• Targets • Budget and timetable • Reviewing progress Let’s get started!
Understanding your customers You need to get under the skin of your potential customers so think about: How do they normally buy similar products? What age, ethnicity, gender are they? Who influences the purchasing? It may not be the buyer. It could be their partner, company director or PA. Where do your customers get the information; for example, social media, television, newspapers or specialist magazines?
Defining your niche
The first type is short. When someone asks you ‘What you do?’ you have 20 or 30 seconds to describe clearly and succinctly what you offer. The second type is the full message which needs to be compelling and persuasive and should be used across a range of communication channels such as your website, leaflets, at talks, in PR and advertising. They can include the following elements: • An explanation of your target customers’ problem. • How your product or service solves this problem • An explanation of the benefits people will get by using your solution. • Examples and testimonials of satisfied customers who have used your service. • An explanation of prices and payment terms, where appropriate
You need to stand out so offer them something unique to carve out your niche. By narrowing your market focus, you will usually find that your product or service becomes more desirable and you will almost certainly face less competition.
Developing your marketing messages Now you will need to focus on developing your marketing messages. They should explain what your
“Simple, short and clear” “Who influences the purchasing? It may not be the buyer” “Introduce new tactics as you progress”
For further information please see our Directory of Support on pages 30 – 32
Call 01473 893966 www.elseyadcock.co.uk
It’s [so] nice to meet you! We’re a pretty smart bunch working with small and expanding businesses to achieve the best digital experiences for their customers. We are passionate about helping brands and businesses to grow. We’ll work closely with you, taking the time to understand the brief for your project; what you want and what you need, delivering a solution that is engaging and purposeful. • Websites • E-Commerce • Mobile Apps • Business Support • Software Solutions • Branding & Stationery • Marketing Material Give us a call to find out about our free 90 minute consultation (with copious amounts of tea and cake) on 01473 569570 or visit www.smartalecmedia.co.uk
18 MARKETING PLAN How you reach your customers
Budget and timetable
This is a crucial part of your marketing plan and should identify exactly how you will sell your product or service. It is the communication channel that you will use to deliver your marketing message. The best channels will be the ones that reach the most people in your niche at the lowest cost. Here is a small selection of different types of communication channels you can use to get your message out:
Your plan should include a realistic budget to allow you to undertake all your marketing activities and a timetable for getting it done.
• Online advertising in directories and search engines • Website
If you have been trading for a year or more, you should be able to work out how much it costs you to acquire one customer or what it costs to sell one product, by dividing your previous years’ sales and marketing costs, by the number of customers you’ve secured or units sold. Then work out what you will need to spend in the year ahead to achieve your sales goals.
• Business exhibitions and trade shows
Now onto your timetable. It will identify the actions you will take, the timescale for each activity, milestones and when you need to bring in specialists such as designers or telemarketers.
• Press articles
Monitoring and reviewing progress
• Social media • Seminars and talks
• Telemarketing • Flyers and brochures • E-mail • Word of mouth The communication channel, or combination of channels you select will be based on the customers you want to reach and how they prefer to receive their information.
Once your marketing plan is underway, you will need to monitor and review its progress. You should do this each month and remember, your marketing plan is not set in stone. If one of the activities is hugely successful and another is failing, change tactics to capitalise on what is working well and introduce new tactics as you progress.
Targets Your targets should be realistic and specific. If you haven’t written down your goals and targets in your marketing plan you are simply wishing for success, instead of aiming for it. These goals should include volume of sales, monthly and annual revenues, profit targets and sales per salesperson.
HOT TIPS Your marketing plan is important. Make sure you set aside some uninterrupted time to develop it Make the effort to research which communication channels will reach your audience Menta’s business advisers are happy to talk through your marketing plan with you
For further information please see our Directory of Support on pages 30 – 32
DON’T TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT A business on the move Entrepreneur, John Mayhew set up Fiscale, a specialist tax advisory service, in 2014 along with business partner Stephen Bunting, the technical expert behind the venture. Initially operating from Menta’s business premises in Haverhill, the company has recently moved to larger offices as the business continues to expand. Many companies don’t realise that they may be able to benefit from valuable tax relief for Research and Development (R & D) activities. Fiscale identify these opportunities and helps businesses through the process of making a claim - to date they have secured £4 million of Corporation Tax “MENTA really has been a great support. Being able to operate out of their offices at the start provided a cost-effective and flexible base for our business, and we have exhibited at their trade fair, which created important leads and new clients. I’ve also attended MENTA networking events and a funding seminar, which resulted in securing a significant grant that has helped our business grow.” To find out more about Fiscale and whether your business might qualify for tax credits, visit www.fiscalerdtaxcredits.co.uk
The journey that turned into an Odyssey It was whilst Caroline and Chris Woollam were travelling in New Zealand that the idea for Odyssey, a snow and surf wear clothing store in Bury St Edmunds, was born. “New Zealand has such a fantastic range of outdoor lifestyle outlets, and we realised that there was a great opportunity to bring this concept home to Suffolk.” They spent a year undertaking market research and planning, and sought guidance from Menta,
and after opening in 2006 the store quickly built up a loyal clientele. Now, having just celebrated their 10th birthday, Chris and Caroline are re-focussing the business and doing some further training with Menta. “MENTA’s straight-talking business advice was important in helping us create the name and brand. Their advanced marketing course was really inspiring and we’re looking to spend more time networking at their events. It has been quite a journey - from New Zealand to where we are now and the future looks exciting.” Pop into Odyssey at 14-15 St Johns St, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 3SQ, visit their Facebook page www.facebook.com/odyssey.surfsnowstyle
Developing a heritage of care Heritage Care at Home is a small, independent, award-winning care company, which provides personalised and professional services to people in their homes in East Suffolk. Select teams of staff provide bespoke, practical care for each client, providing continuity and support, which is so important for each person. “We only employ people with care running through their veins,” said Pat Smith, who co-founded the organisation in 2011. “We treat clients with the dignity and respect they deserve, in the comfort of their own home.” “MENTA has provided us with the support Heritage Care has needed to flourish. We’ve really improved our marketing and business strategy through MENTA’s training courses, and widened our connections with a range of different companies, by attending their networking events, and will continue to use MENTA’s fantastic services to help us grow our business.” www.heritagecareathome.co.uk
19 21
20 SOCIAL MEDIA Social media is important for many businesses to help build a business brand, get messages out and secure new business. Social media platforms for business include Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube, and there are also huge quantities of niche social media sites. We’re going to look at some key things you need to do to get your social media up and running. From your marketing plan (pages 16 & 18) you will have defined your target customers and got under their skin, to understand how and where they receive information. Your time is valuable so if they don’t use social media this is simply not the route to go. If they do, then read on. We’re going to look at: • Research • Goals • Content
to your competitors? Or is it likely to be more direct promotion, perhaps supported by special discounts or competitions?
• Tools • Evaluation
Research Firstly, understand which social media platforms your potential customers use. Business customers are most likely to be found on Linkedin, whereas consumers are generally Facebook users. Twitter is fast moving. Instagram is a great visual tool but not a great platform to respond to queries. Do your research and find out where your customers are going and also how they’re responding on the social media sites. Are they posting up content, such as images and videos, are they reviewing products or services, or are they recommending to others? You need to tap into what they’re doing.
Goals
You’ve got to be responsive. If you want to engage with your customers you must respond quickly, so you have to think about how you’re going to make sure you’ve got the resources to do this.
Content You need to create interesting, quality content for your social media platforms and aim to become an influential person in these areas.
“Find out where your customers are going” “You’re busy and you need to be selective”
What are your goals and what do you want to achieve through social media? Is it as simple as engaging with your customers and raising your brand awareness? Do you want to listen to what your customers are saying? Do you want to listen
“Social media is dynamic and evolving all the time”
For further information please see our Directory of Support on pages 30 – 32
21 Tweetdeck, for example, is an app which enables you to draft tweets and schedule them to be sent out at any given time, and provides a dashboard to display your tweets, favourites, lists and trends.
Evaluation It’s important to track your engagement and measure success. Social media platforms generally have tools to help you analyse this. On Twitter, take a look at how many followers you have, the numbers who have re-tweeted, the number of mentions of your twitter handle – which is the ‘@xxxxx’, and tweet impressions. On Facebook, track your page likes, impressions, engagements, post reach and unlikes. On Linkedin, how many people are reading your profile, your activities, are inviting you to connect and commenting on any of your posts? There are special interest groups, blog platforms where you can write online articles, hashtags where content is curated into themes and opportunities to comment, ‘like’ and ‘love’ other people’s content. But, you’re busy and you need to be selective about the social media sites you use. Spread yourself too thinly and you will lose impact and focus. Managing social media can be really time consuming and, depending on your audience, you may be able to encourage them create content which showcases your product or service. This is known as ‘user-generated content’. For example, you could invite them to post images or videos, to comment or rate your product or services. This creates fresh content and enables you to focus on providing content which is authoritative. Remember, you must have your eye on the ball to respond to your audience, when needs be.
Tools A really effective way of managing your time on social media is to look at social media management tools. There are plenty around. This makes it easy to share content across a range of different platforms, track the mention of your company, product or service and get detailed reports.
This kind of evaluation will help you decide which social media platforms are working best for you, your product or service and what changes you need to make to maximise your goals. So, evaluate, re-evaluate and experiment, as social media is dynamic and evolving all the time
HOT TIPS Post relevant, powerful images on social media to catch the interest of your audience Focus on one or two channels which are used by your potential customers. Don’t spread yourself thinly There are plenty of master classes available, whatever your level of skill. Take a look at what’s available through Menta
For further information please see our Directory of Support on pages 30 – 32
22 SALES Here, we’re going to give you some tips on sales. If you follow some simple principles, you will be on the route to success.
Present your credentials
These are the main selling stages:
• Case studies of happy customers
• Get attention
• Prestigious people or companies you have done business with
• Identify the problem • Provide the solution and present the benefits • Present your credentials • Show the benefits
Now list your credentials, for example:
• The length of time you’ve been in your field of expertise
Prove it Give an example of a satisfied customer or customers and how their life has improved as a result of your product or service.
• Prove it • Make your offer • Call to action You can take these principles and adapt them to suit a sales email or leaflet, as well as face-to-face selling.
Get attention Tell your potential customer you can show them ‘how to’ achieve something. This will get their attention. “I can tell you how to free up some of your time, so that you have more time doing things you enjoy.”
Identify the problem Tell them the problem. They should think ‘that’s exactly how I feel’ when they hear you.
Make your offer The best offers are usually an attractive combination of price and terms and always try and raise the value by adding on products or services, rather than lowering the price. The cleaning company might offer an additional ironing service.
Call to action Don’t expect your potential customer to know what to do next. There needs to be a call to action, for you or the customer. For the cleaning company customer it may be: “Here’s my card. I’ll give you a call in a couple of days to see how we can help you.”
“Each week people spend four hours, on average, cleaning the house. That’s four hours that you could spend on more interesting activities.”
Provide the solution and present the benefits You are now going to explain how you can solve the person’s problem and will have identified all the possible hidden benefits of your product or service. ‘We provide a professional, cost-effective cleaning service, which can free-up your time.’ List the specifics. For the cleaning company customer it might be so they can enjoy more time with the family, go to the gym, go out with friends, or take up a hobby.
HOT TIPS Menta regularly holds sales training for businesses Be succinct. Be clear in what you say or write The call to action is really important in helping to secure the sale
For further information please see our Directory of Support on pages 30 – 32
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24 EMPLOYING PEOPLE Your business is growing. Hiring a new member of staff can help you run and build your business, but it also brings important responsibilities. You need to understand the legalities and how to select the best person for the job.
grounds, known as ‘protected characteristics’:
We’re going to touch on:
• Being married or in a civil partnership
• The recruitment process
• Being pregnant or having a child
• Your checks before hiring an employee
• Disability
• What you do when your employee starts work
• Religion or lack of religion
• Your responsibilities as an employer
• Transsexuality
However, it’s important that you thoroughly research all your legal responsibilities and employee rights. Because there is a lot of reference information here, we’re going to include it in the information below, as well as on page 30.
• Sexual orientation
Recruitment An employee is someone who works for you full or part-time under a contract of employment. First of all you need to work out their job role. Should it be part-time or full-time? What will you pay them bearing in mind you must pay the national minimum wage?
• Gender • Race (colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin) • Age
In general, you must not ask applicants questions about protected characteristics during the recruitment process. For more information about employers’ responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010, go to www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=3017. When handling information about job applicants, you must follow data protection regulations. Read up about the data protection rules for employers. For details, go to www.ico.org.uk/for_organisations/ data_protection/topic_guides/employment.
Write a clear job description and a person specification, which describes the ideal person for the role, in order to attract the right candidates.
Your checks before hiring an employee
You can advertise the job through a variety of channels, including:
Before hiring someone you must check that they have a right to work in the UK or you could face a £20,000 fine. For more information, go to www.gov. uk/check-job-applicant-right-to-work.
• Recruitment websites • Employment agencies • Social media • Newspapers
“It brings important responsibilities”
• Jobcentres You will need to draw up a shortlist of candidates that you would like to interview and plan carefully for the interview, taking notes that you can refer back to. Under the Equality Act 2010, you must not discriminate against anyone on any of the following
“You have a legal duty” “You must observe employee’s rights”
For further information please see our Directory of Support on pages 30 – 32
25 For some jobs, such as working with children or in healthcare, you must carry out a criminal records check before your new employee can begin work. In England and Wales, these are known as ‘DBS’ checks and are processed by the Disclosure and Barring Service www.gov.uk/government/ organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service).
Your responsibilities as an employer
You must have employers’ liability insurance in place as soon as you become an employer. Please check with an insurance broker regarding the minimum amount of cover you need to meet statutory requirements.
• Provide the statutory minimum length of rest breaks
Employment particulars Employees who will be working for you for more than one month must receive a ‘written statement of employment particulars’ within two months of starting work and ideally on their first day. This is a legally-binding document which must include information about the employee’s terms and conditions of employment.
Register as an employer With some exceptions, you must register as a new employer with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) so that you can report and pay tax and National Insurance contributions on behalf of your employee via HMRC’s PAYE Online system. HMRC provides an online tool www.gov.uk/register-employer to help you work out if you need to register. You need to establish a payroll system to take care of your employee’s salary. You can buy payroll software to organise this task, or you may choose to hire a payroll service to do it all for you. When your employee starts work, you will need to ask them to give you their P45, or to complete the information you need using HMRC’s New Starter Checklist. For more information, go to www.hmrc. gov.uk/forms/starterchecklist.pdf.
Health and safety training You have a legal duty to provide your new employee with adequate health and safety training to ensure that they can carry out their work safely. A Guide to the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
You must observe employee rights. These include: • Pay the National Minimum Wage or above • Provide the statutory minimum level of paid holiday
• Do not require an employee to work more than 48 hours on average per week unless they choose to opt out of this right • Do not treat an employee less favourably if they work part-time • Provide statutory sick pay • Respect minimum notice periods - usually one week per year of service up to a maximum of 12 weeks • Do not dismiss an employee without good reason or without following proper disciplinary procedures • Allow time off for emergencies • Provide statutory redundancy pay Most of these rights start from the first day that your employee starts work.
HOT TIPS A good recruitment agency will help you write a clear job description You can buy a few hours of time with a small HR company to help you set up good procedures Menta has employment training sessions and seminars to help
For further information please see our Directory of Support on pages 30 – 32
26 NETWORKING AND BUSINESS EXHIBITIONS So, it’s time to get out there. Networking and attending business exhibitions provide a great opportunity to exchange ideas and information with other business owners. They also enable you to meet potential clients, suppliers and business partners and showcase your products or services.
Networking When deciding which networking events to attend, think about what you want to get out of them. For example, sit-down dinners are good for indepth conversations with people, so may be worth attending if you’re looking to find new business partners or affiliates.
important to set a budget and establish exactly what is included in the price for the exhibition space, checking for hidden charges such as electricity or internet access. On the day of the exhibition, it is important to capture the contact details of visitors to your stand so they can be contacted after the exhibition, enabling you to convert the enquiries into sales. During the exhibition, visit other stands to network with other exhibitors. Find out what they are doing and what they are offering to customers. This will help you to build partnerships and find customers and suppliers. Remember to follow up all leads with a telephone call, email or letter - promptly.
A business club meeting might feature an inspiring guest speaker and also allow sufficient time for members to network. To start building a network in in your local area, arrange to see a Menta business adviser who will help you find local business events and networking opportunities to suit your business needs. You can also search for local business networking clubs and groups via www.networkingclubs.co.uk, a free online directory. Online networks could help you to find the contacts and services you need. One of the most powerful online networks is LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com) enabling members to build their own online network of business contacts or become members of specialist groups.
HOT TIPS Check the numbers of businesses who usually attend a business networking event Menta holds monthly networking events, regular seminars and an annual trade fair Fulfil your promises. Always follow up after an event, when you say you will
Social networking platforms such as Twitter (www.twitter.com) and Facebook (www.facebook. com) can also be used for online business networking.
Business Exhibitions Business exhibitions provide opportunities for business owners to showcase their products and expertise, network with potential customers and suppliers, and keep up to date with industry developments.
“Think about what you want to get out of it” “Exhibiting needs careful planning” “Remember to follow up all leads”
Exhibiting needs careful planning and co-ordination. Before booking space at an exhibition, it is
For further information please see our Directory of Support on pages 30 – 32
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28 DON’T TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT The perfect image for your business Ranson and West Photography was founded by Cristina Ranson and Nicky West; two professional women specialising in business photography. Their work includes photographic work for online profiles, corporate events and personalised stock library pictures. A professional mobile studio means they can come to you, providing a convenient solution to updating employee profiles. Photographing your corporate events is an effective way to promote your business & using these images on social media, PR & in your marketing, will build your brand and reputation.
Creating ripples in company culture Embedding a coaching culture in your organisation, to develop the skills in your workforce and grow your business, is the ambition of Blue Pebble Coaching. Director, Izzy Ixer is a qualified coach and mentor who has worked with companies, Local Government, BT and the Health Service. Experienced in business strategy, she has coached individuals and teams through complex business change programmes. “We deliver really important services to teams and individuals. You might need help in getting your workforce engaged, or understand why a newly appointed manager isn’t delivering for you. It might be that team members are looking to you for guidance all the time, or perhaps you’ve lost sight of your own goals and need time to reflect and develop your own leadership skills. If so, you’ll find that investing in coaching can help to unlock some answers and enable you to plan your next steps.” When the company first started Izzy turned to MENTA for support, knowing that their experienced tutors would be able to provide her with valuable information and advice. “I’ve attended excellent courses, including those on book-keeping and marketing, and made a wide range of contacts through their networking events, such as Coffee Means Business. MENTA has really helped set my company on the right course.” www.bluepebblecoaching.co.uk
Ranson & West have been networking at MENTA for the past year, benefitting from meeting great businesses and inspirational professionals, who have offered valuable advice. Through MENTA Ranson and West are collaborating with two businesses, offering an exciting new service, launching soon. Ranson & West are looking forward to exhibiting at MENTA Business Exhibition in October. Please visit their website for more information www.ransonandwest.co.uk
MENTA MASTERCLASSES AND SEMINARS Menta’s aim is to help all businesses have the opportunity to learn new business knowledge and skills, whether you are a start-up, emerging or existing company. Menta holds training courses and seminars at venues across Suffolk, with trainers who are approachable, friendly and experts in their field. The half or full day courses are cost-effective and Menta can even provide you with bespoke training, tailored to suit your needs. They include courses for: • Start-ups • Accountancy and Bookkeeping • Marketing
Business Networking From time to time we hold a training course on the subject of ‘Business Networking Made Easy’ to help you improve your networking techniques to ensure you get the results you want. We also hold monthly networking events – Coffee Means Business - where you can hone your skills. They’re informal and friendly and a great way of making new contacts.
Social Media To grow a business and be successful, it is necessary to use social media to be really effective. Menta provides courses which cover all the main social media platforms.
Online Training
• Sales • Business Networking • Social Media • Online Training • Employment and Workplace • Clarity 4D Personality Profiling
Start-up training Starting a business can be daunting, so this is a great course which will give you an overview, to help give you a good chance of success.
Accountancy and Bookkeeping There are courses for new and emerging businesses, which explain what information you must record and why, to more advanced training to help you plan your business growth.
Menta also provides over 600 online training courses, which are available for you to purchase for use at a time to suite you from the comfort of your own chair.
Employment and Workplace Menta’s training course will help you look at what you must take into consideration and the processes you need to follow when employing people.
Clarity 4D Personality Profiling If you’re considering recruiting staff or want to improve teamwork and leadership, Clarity4D provides a simple, but highly effective personality profiling process. It will give you an insight into the personality and styles of communication of a potential employee, or your team.
Marketing Menta’s marketing courses are designed to cover many aspects of marketing for businesses at all stages. There are also courses which focus on PR, email marketing, strategy and planning.
“Approachable, friendly, experts in their field” “Menta will give you insight”
Sales Our fun and informative sales courses are for people who want to improve their knowledge and selling skills and thereby make more sales for their company.
“To help you plan your business growth”
For further information please see our Directory of Support on pages 30 – 32
29
30 DIRECTORY
USEFUL ORGANISATIONS
Business Advice
Business Planning
Menta, the Suffolk Enterprise Agency, provides support and advice for start-ups and growing businesses. www.menta.org.uk/small-business-advice Tel: 01284 760206 or 0800 085 5090
Menta’s Business Advisers can give expert advice on putting together a business plan. Call 0800 085 5090 to arrange. www.menta.org.uk/small-business-advice
Menta provides training courses to help inform businesses. www.menta.org.uk/business-training-courses
Scavenger can provide you with information on writing a business plan. menta.scavenger.net/business-plan
Menta has a support programme, Expert Connections, ideal for ambitious companies created in partnership with the Suffolk Institute of Directors. www.menta.org.uk/business-advice/expertconnections The New Anglia Growth Hub, which is part of New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), has an online directory of business support organisations for companies in Suffolk and Norfolk. www.newangliagrowthhub.co.uk/partners-directory Tel: 0300 333 6536 NWES is the Enterprise agency which offers impartial, professional advice, access to personal skills and business training courses. www.nwes.org.uk/advice-and-training Tel: 08456 099991 Signpost 2 Grow is an online service provided by the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough LEP, which gives access to a wide range of business support, advice, grants and events. www.signpost2grow.co.uk Tel: 01480 277180
Business Legal Structures Menta can provide advice and information on the structure of your business. www.menta.org.uk/business-advice/starting-abusiness Scavenger can provide you with information on the legal structure of businesses. menta.scavenger.net/starting-abusiness#LegalStructure Companies House provides registration and filing services for companies and partnerships, as well as useful leaflets and information. www.gov.uk/government/ organisations/companies-house Tel: 0303 123 4500 HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is the government department responsible for the collection of tax. www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenuecustoms
Employing People Menta can provide you with a personality profiling tool, Clarity4D to help you to identify the personality traits of employees and potential employees and how they might fit with your team. www.menta.org.uk/training/clarity4d Scavenger can provide you with information on employing people. menta.scavenger.net/employment ACAS provides information on recruitment and induction. www.acas.org.uk/media/pdf/8/d/Recruitment-andinduction-advisory-booklet.pdf ACAS ‘A Guide for New Employers’ www.acas.org.uk/media/pdf/q/m/A-guide-for-newemployers.pdf ACAS information on employers’ responsibilities. www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=3017 The Information Commissioner’s Office guide to data protection www.ico.org.uk/for_organisations/data_protection/ topic_guides/employment The government’s checklist on an employees right to work www.gov.uk/check-job-applicant-right-to-work. Information on the Disclosure and Barring Service www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosureand-barring-service Employer registration information www.gov.uk/register-employer The New Starter Checklist provided by HM Revenue and Customs. www.hmrc.gov.uk/forms/starterchecklist.pdf The Guide to Health and Safety at work A Guide to the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
DIRECTORY 31
USEFUL ORGANISATIONS How much cash will I need?
Marketing Strategy & Marketing Plan
Menta can provide information on business funding sources, start-up loans and potential grants. www.menta.org.uk/business-advice/businessfunding
Menta provides cost-effective, marketing training courses for start-up and established businesses. www.menta.org.uk/training/marketing-courses
Scavenger can provide you with information on raising and managing finance. menta.scavenger.net/raising-managing-finance The Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) is responsible for enterprise and business support in the UK. www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ department-for-business-innovation-skills Tel: 020 7215 5000 ‘The Financial Times Essential Guide to Budgeting and Forecasting’, Nigel Wyatt, 2012, FT Publishing International. Governments’ website information on the on grants for your business. www.gov.uk/business-finance-support-finder/search
Legal Requirements Check List Scavenger can provide you with information on the legal structure of businesses. menta.scavenger.net/starting-abusiness#legalstructure The Law Society is the independent professional body for solicitors and can guide you to information and support. www.lawsociety.org.uk
Market Research Menta provides cost-effective, marketing training courses for start-up and established businesses. www.menta.org.uk/training/marketing-courses Scavenger can provide you with a checklist for market research. menta.scavenger.net/market-research ‘The UK Small Business Marketing Bible’ David Frey 2007 Cobweb Information Ltd. The Market Research Society (MRS) publishes the Research Buyer’s Guide and guidelines for carrying out market research. www.mrs.org.uk Tel: 020 7490 4911
Scavenger can provide you with further information on creating a marketing strategy: menta.scavenger.net/marketing-strategy and a marketing plan: menta.scavenger.net/marketing-plan ‘The UK Small Business Marketing Bible’ David Frey, 2007, Cobweb Information Ltd. The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) is a membership association for marketing professionals. It publishes information and guidance on a wide range of marketing issues. www.cim.co.uk Tel: (01628) 427120
Networking and Exhibiting Menta hold a wide range of business networking events and a major business trade fair. www.menta.org.uk/events Scavenger can provide you with information on networking. menta.scavenger.net/networking Networkingclubs.co.uk is an online directory of business networking clubs and groups. www.networkingclubs.co.uk ‘Exhibit!: The SME’s Guide to Using Exhibitions to Grow Your Business’ Fiona Humberstone, 2010, Flourish Publishing. Exhibitions.co.uk provides an online directory of suppliers, events and venues. www.exhibitions.co.uk
Sales Menta holds interesting, informative sales training sessions for start-up and established businesses. www.menta.org.uk/training/sales-training-courses Scavenger can provide you with information on how to write a sales letter. menta.scavenger.net/sales-letters For practical start up and small business tips, ideas, know-how and news, go to www.enterprisequest.com
32 DIRECTORY
USEFUL ORGANISATIONS
Social Media Menta provides cost-effective social media training courses for beginners and those who have some experience in social media. www.menta.org.uk/training/social-media-trainingcourses Mozilla Social Media For online information about social media visit Moz. moz.com/beginners-guide-to-social-media Business News Daily provides information on social media. www.businessnewsdaily.com/7832-social-media-forbusiness.html 60 tips for using social media from Econsultancy. www.econsultancy.com/blog/66706-60-quick-socialmedia-tips-for-beginners/
Training, Seminars and Conferences Menta holds training courses, seminars and conferences at venues across Suffolk, with speakers who are approachable, friendly and experts in
their field. Find out more about Menta’s events. www.menta.org.uk/events Tel: 01284 760206 or 0800 085 5090
Working from Home v Premises Menta can provide affordable, serviced offices and business units on easy in, easy out terms in Bury St Edmunds and Haverhill. A virtual office service is also available. www.menta.org.uk/office-space-suffolk/premises Tel: 0800 085 5090 Scavenger can provide you with a checklist for working from home. menta.scavenger.net/running-business-home The Home Business Alliance (HBA) is a membership organisation for anyone who runs or is thinking of starting their own home-based business. The organisation provides business advice and specialist support to members. www.homebusiness.org.uk Tel: 0871 284 5100
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