Last week Big-4 accountant KPMG announced that they were pulling out of the small business accounting market. This follows their high profile launch and expensive advertising campaign only a couple of years ago. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who listens to and understands the 3Ms of marketing – Market, Message and Media.…
Don’t ignore tried and tested marketing pillars
Last week I held a monthly call with a client who is in the top 5% of business owners in his sector. He has done what all successful business owners do which is to remove himself from day to day operations so that he can work on his business, he has clear goals and develops…
You may have to start digging deeper
Last week I spent two days, with different clients, analysing and reviewing their management information. In the first case we’d be warned by their monthly management accounts that profitability had slipped in December. As is often the case the reason wasn’t clear from the P/L alone (which is often the case) and we needed to…
Don’t let GDPR ruin your plans to raise finance
When seeking investment for your business there are many considerations for a business owner, but from May 2018 you can add GDPR to that list. Whilst all business owners will have without doubt heard the horror stories of GDPR and its potential for unprecedented fines, what is not really being discussed, is the longer-term impact…
Read all about it!
I’ve stopped reading the news and watching news broadcasts during the week. Most of it is negative and depressing. Letting it invade my mind runs the risk of negative, rather than positive, thinking. Anything done repeatedly – good or bad – becomes a habit that is hard to break. Constantly reading or hearing bad news…
Is your business model fit for purpose?
Christmas is over for another year. For many in retail – and the businesses that supply them – it’ll be over for good. HMV has already gone into administration. It won’t be the last retailer to do so. The new year will inevitably bring more gloom to the high street as retailers, whose hopes were…
Have a Caring Christmas
Today, for me, is the start of my Christmas break. I’m taking a few days off. As usual December has been a busy month but, unusually, there isn’t much that hasn’t been done already. As entrepreneurs we always have one more thing to do; there are never-ending projects and there is always work that can…
That’s a bit more than I was expecting
Most business owners have experienced that moment when you reveal the price and your prospect says, “That’s a bit more than I was expecting. Sorry, but it’s beyond my budget.” The question then is, how do you respond? One option, of course, is just to walk away. You may not be prepared to take on…
Have you paid your fee yet?
All organisations, companies and sole traders that process personal data must pay an annual fee to the ICO unless they are exempt. For ‘small’ businesses this is £40 (or £35 if paid by direct debit). Organisations across the business services, construction and finance sectors are among the first to be fined by the ICO for…
Is your website due for an MOT?
Your website should be your best marketing asset. Having an online presence is no longer a ‘nice to have’ for entrepreneurial business owners it’s an essential item to include in your marketing toolbox. And it has one big advantage over most of your other tools in that you own it rather than rent it. Unlike…
