Newsletter #104 - Recession-proof your business, Writing winning proposals, Recruitment laws, How to find your perfect business premises...

In this week's Business121:

1. Businesses expecting a tough 2008
2. Top 10 Tips to 'recession-proof' your business
3. Recruitment laws that could catch you out
4. How to turn your eBay business into a serious business
5. Guide to writing a winning business proposal
6. How to find your perfect business premises

Small Business News

7. Capital Allowance breaks could be good news for small businesses
8. Free email crash course for new businesses
9. New Year - a popular time to set up a new business
10. National Insurance Rates for 2008/9
11. Self Assessment online - video help available

Businesses expecting a tough 2008

According to the results of a survey released this week, 80% of small business owners expect the costs of running their business to increase in 2008.

In a separate poll, the British Chambers of Commerce has found that the business outlook for 2008 is depressed and that confidence in the Government's ability to successfully manage the economy has collapsed.

75% of businesses questioned believe that both the UK and World economies will be weaker in 2008 than 2007. Three-quarters of respondents also feel that prices are going to rise and that inflation will be a problem in 2008.

So it seems pretty clear that many business owners expect a pretty tough year in 2008. In this context, you won't be surprised to find that the first article we bring you this year is, 'How to recession-proof your business'!

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Top 10 Tips to 'recession-proof' your business
As the 'credit crunch' continues to take hold, and with the possibility of a downturn in the UK economy in 2008 here are 10 top tips to protect your business from a possible recession.

Recruitment laws that could catch you out
There are a number of recruitment laws that could catch you if you’re not careful. And they’re not just the most obvious ones you might think of. Use this handy Bytestart guide to find out which laws you need to bear in mind at every stage of the recruitment process.

How to turn your eBay business into a serious business
How to run a serious eBay business - market research, good supply, pricing and marketing are all essential. To succeed online, you should treat your eBay business the same as if you were running any other type of small business.

Guide to writing a winning business proposal
A well-written and attractively presented business proposal is a crucial sales tool. It can be the difference between winning new business and missing out on the deal. Here are some useful tips and a handy checklist to help you to write winning proposals

How to find your perfect business premises
When you're looking for new business premises, before you do anything else, you should work out exactly what your business needs, in terms of size, location and budget. Once you know these, the rest will follow. Here's how to find your perfect business premises.

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SMALL BUSINESS NEWS

Capital Allowance breaks could be good news for small businesses
Smaller businesses can make substantial savings as a result of sweeping changes to the tax relief system for investment in assets such as plant and machinery.

Free email crash course for new businesses
A free email crash course for small business startups has been launched by Business Link London. The StartQuest tool sends a series of emails over a seven-week period to help entrepreneurs to start up and stay in business.

New Year - a popular time to set up a new business
More people decide to start their own business in January than any other month, according to new research. The sheer dread of returning to an unrewarding office job after the Christmas period, combined with fresh resolutions to take action and fulfil long held ambitions, is the spur many people need to become their own boss.

National Insurance Rates for 2008/9
National Insurance rates for the 2008/9 tax year. Current NI rates are also available here.

Self Assessment online - video help available
As the self assessment deadline looms once again, HMRC have come up with an innovative way to help us poor souls complete our tax returns. For people thinking of completing their self assessment forms online, a new video has been uploaded to make the task a little easier.

** For the latest Small Business News, visit http://www.Bytestart.co.uk **

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