Newsletter #163 - Taxing times, The dangers of overtrading, Small business banking, Choosing great keywords for pay-per-click campaigns, Exporting tips...
In this week's Business121:
1. Taxing times
2. The dangers of overtrading
3. Small business banking - getting the basics right
4. Choosing great keywords for your pay-per-click campaign
5. Online business collaboration tools - what about security?
6. Ten tips for exporting during the economic downturn
Small Business News
7. Think tank says small businesses will be 'drivers of the recovery'
8. Small companies embracing Twitter at staggering rate
9. Late payments to small businesses soar as recession bites
10. Governments should provide more support for small companies
11. Budget 2009 must support small businesses
Taxing times
The pub chain, Wetherspoons, published some illuminating figures with their results last week.
Over the past six months Wetherspoons made a profit after tax of £17.3 million. But the £17.3 million profit pales into insignificance when compared to the other figures the pub chain revealed.
During the same period, the taxes generated by Wetherspoons came to a staggering £190 million, comprising: VAT (£79 million); Excise Duty (£53 million); PAYE and National Insurance (£30 million); property taxes (£18 million) and corporation tax (£10 million).
On an annual basis this means that, on average, each of Wetherspoons 700 pubs makes a profit of around £50,000 a year, while generating tax for the government of about £530,000 per pub.
It's no wonder that pubs are closing at a record rate, while a bloated government keeps on splurging the cash.
Wetherspoons' Chairman, Tim Martin's spoke for many a local pub landlord and business owner when he said, "In order for the pub industry, and business in general, to prosper, taxes and social legislation imposed on businesses need to be reduced or to stay at current levels for a considerable number of years."
"Costs of taxes and regulations have gone too far and Britain has now become a highly taxed economy, with high and increasing employment costs, which will have predictable and inevitable effects on employment levels and tax income in the near and medium term."
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The dangers of overtrading
Did you know it's possible to get your business into serious financial trouble by selling too much? The situation is called overtrading and it can strike healthy businesses that sell too much too quickly, and grow too rapidly. Even though the business is profitable it runs out of cash. Here are five signs that your business is growing too fast and you need to put plans in place to ensure you don't become a victim of your own success.
Small business banking - getting the basics right
Whether you are just starting out, or have been trading for years, every business needs good business banking. This article looks at some of the key things you should look out for when choosing a business bank account.
Choosing great keywords for your pay-per-click campaign
Along with good advert text, keyword selection is the cornerstone of any successful pay per click advertising campaign. The first step is to review your website content and draw up a list of words and phrases which best describe your business, including products, services and any brand names you supply. Read the full article to find out the next steps you need to take to make sure you choose the best keywords for your pay per click campaign.
Online business collaboration tools - what about security?
With changes in working practices and the development of the internet there are now a plethora of online collaboration tools available to businesses. Online collaboration tools can help businesses of all size to save time and money - tasks can be completed more quickly, remote colleagues can share knowledge and travel expenses can be reduced. But what can businesses do to ensure their communications remain secure when using these online tools?
Ten tips for exporting during the economic downturn
A weak pound traditionally opens the door to export opportunities as foreign markets find British goods cheaper. With the UK economy in very poor health, the plunging pound can bring new sales avenues for some businesses. But selling to overseas markets brings its own unique set of issues and exporting efforts can quickly turn sour if you don't know the market. Here are ten tips to help you export your goods effectively.
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SMALL BUSINESS NEWS
Think tank says small businesses will be 'drivers of the recovery'
A think tank has urged a radical rethink of the Government's financial strategy. Among their recommendations are; a call to break up the banks and increased support for small companies who provide the majority private sector jobs in the UK.
Small companies embracing Twitter at staggering rate
You may think it's the best thing since sliced bread, or just another dreadful 'social networking' phase. Either way, a recent survey suggests a staggering 6,000 small businesses each day are falling into the arms of 'Twitter'.
Late payments to small businesses soar as recession bites
Ongoing research by Bacs shows that the UK's small companies are now owed nearly £26 billion in late payments, a rise of nearly 40% from the same time in 2008. The average sum of overdue invoices hit £38,000 last year, up by £7,000 on the previous year.
Governments should provide more support for small companies
Governments need to invest as much effort in supporting small businesses as they have in supporting the large listed companies according to a leading accountancy body.
Budget 2009 must support small businesses
The Forum of Private Businesses has submitted its Budget 2009 proposals, focusing on boosting business confidence and lifting the UK economy out of recession.
** For the latest Small Business News, visit http://www.Bytestart.co.uk **
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(c) Business121.co.uk 2009
Posted March 18, 2009
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