Newsletter #121 - Turn your website into a deadly selling tool, Successful networking, Entrepreneur's toolkit - an A to Z Guide, How to hire employees when you don't have any cash...

In this week's Business121 Newsletter:

1. Some amusing business statistics
2. Turn your website into a deadly selling tool
3. Successful networking and new business survival
4. Entrepreneur's toolkit - an A to Z Guide
5. How to hire employees when you don't have any cash

Small Business News

6. Business rate changes could adversely affect small businesses
7. Bournemouth tops list of new startup locations
8. Small companies get access to public sector contract opportunities
9. Northern entrepreneurs more successful than Southerners

Some interesting business statistics

In the past week two different research projects have unearthed, what I think are, some pretty interesting statistics.

Firstly, we have a report "Is there a North-South Divide in Self-employment in England?", which was published by the journal, Regional Studies. The study revealed that the degree of self-employment in the South of the country was significantly greater than it is in the North.

However, the self-employed in the North created more jobs than their Southern counterparts. It can therefore be argued that Northern entrepreneurs are more successful than those in the South.

The second piece of research released this week was produced by accountants UHY Hacker Young and examined the most popular locations for new business startups.

Their study revealed that Bournemouth tops the league table for the biggest growth in the number of new businesses, with 13 business startups per 10,000 residents. Just behind Bournemouth were London, Milton Keynes and Northampton. So, the 4 leading towns and cities, when it comes to starting new businesses are all in the South of the country, where entrepreneurs are less successful!

Surely all we have to do to create an entrepreneurial economic boom is to ship all the Southern entrepreneurs up North!?

You can read more about the two studies in Small Business News below.

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Turn your website into a deadly selling tool
Every business needs a website. And not just for the sake of having one. With a little investment of time and energy you can turn your website into a deadly selling tool, no matter what kind of business you have. Here are some suggestions to help you think differently about your website, and a checklist of five things your website must have.

Successful networking and new business survival
Like anything worthwhile, networking takes time and application. Take the time to develop relationships and create a network. Don't expect to walk into a room of strangers and come away with business – it just doesn't work like that! Here's how to implement an effective strategy to ensure you network successfully.

Entrepreneur's toolkit - an A to Z Guide
Starting a new business is a very exciting time – however, it is also very challenging. Luckily there is plenty of help at hand if you know where to look. Here's an A to Z guide of resources, services and gizmos that any entrepreneur will find useful.

How to hire employees when you don't have any cash
The easiest and most risk free way to start a business is to base it at home and do all the work yourself. But for some businesses starting up it's virtually impossible to get going or grow without employees of some kind. So what do you do when you need people but don't have any money to employ them yet? It's not an ideal situation, but here are the options open to you.

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SMALL BUSINESS NEWS

Business rate changes could adversely affect small businesses
Tax experts are predicting that business rate changes on empty properties could severely affect small companies. The changes, which came into effect at the beginning of April, effectively abolish financial relief paid to owners of empty commercial and industrial premises.

Bournemouth tops list of new startup locations
Bournemouth tops the league of the UK’s 50 largest towns and cities for the biggest growth in the number of new businesses in the last year. In joint second place are Milton Keynes, Northampton and London

Small companies get access to public sector contract opportunities
A free trial has started to provide small companies with access to thousands of public sector contract opportunities. New registrants can gain free access to public sector contracts valued under £100,000.

Northern entrepreneurs more successful than Southerners
Although there are fewer entrepreneurs in the North of England, new research suggests that they are more successful than their Southern counterparts.

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

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