Newsletter #164 - New "Post Bank" proposed, Turn your business into one that doesn't need you, How to write a killer pay per click advert, 21 ways to be positive in your business...
In this week's Business121:
1. New "Post Bank" proposed
2. Turn your business into one that doesn't need you
3. How to write a killer pay per click advert
4. 21 ways to be positive in your business
5. How to make your website more effective
6. Tax tips for home-based businesses
Small Business News
7. 36,000 businesses could fail in 2009, even more in 2010
8. Comedian ridicules Dragons' Den in new videocast
9. BBC unveils new online Dragons' Den show
10. Early Day Motion calls for IR35 to be abolished
11. Out of the recession is emerging a 'new breed of business owner'
New "Post Bank" proposed
Two weeks ago we wrote about how the New Economics Foundation (NEF) was calling on the government to 'break up the banks'. The think-tank believes the UK banks have become so big that they have lost touch with the real needs of their customers and have become, 'unfit for purpose'.
The NEF contends that banks are now so big and remote that they are neglecting the small shops and local enterprises that create most jobs and hold communities together. In a radical move to overcome this flaw, they are proposing that the Post Office should become the home of a new, publicly-owned People's Bank which would deliver stable, accessible and dependable services to the public and businesses.
Since we originally highlighted the potential for such a bank, there have been further developments. Last week, a comprehensive proposal for a new "Post Bank" to be run as part of the Post Office Network was officially launched at a Parliamentary reception attended by several MPs including Vince Cable.
The proposed "Post Bank" would:
- Link the productive economy with finance through a return to the form of relationship banking abandoned by our biggest banks
- Ensure a stable source of finance in the heart of communities, particularly for the three million people still not using banks and the many small businesses looking for alternative sources of finance
- Provide more financial services to people and businesses currently not served by high street lenders
- Strengthen the role of post offices and the Post Office Network making it more viable, creating new job opportunities, and securing its role for the future.
Organisations throwing their weight behind the NEF's idea of a "Post Bank" are about as diverse a group as you could imagine and include; the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), the CWU and Unite trade unions, the National Pensioners Convention and the Public Interest Research Centre (PIRC).
There is no doubt that this idea has merit, and it could well gain momentum in the coming weeks and months. If it succeeds, it could transform banking in the UK and offer a new lease of life to the 11,500 Post Office branches.
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Turn your business into one that doesn't need you
Sometimes it can feel that your business is running you, not you running the business. This is a real threat to small businesses. Yes, the majority go out of business because they run out of cash, but some collapse because the owner has burned out or lost the passion and drive needed to carry on.
Legendary small business guru Michael Gerber teaches you to think differently about your business. That you should consider your business is there to serve YOU, not you there to serve IT. This guide looks at ways you can turn your business into one that doesn't rely on you.
How to write a killer pay per click advert
A killer pay per click (PPC) advert stands out from the crowd and drives the right kind of traffic to your web site. It describes the product or service being offered but leaves the reader wanting more information. It isn't a hard sell but it does make the casual surfer sit up and take notice.
If you can write a killer pay per click advert it can open a whole new channel of profitable sales, so here's how to write a great PPC advert that delivers the results you want.
21 ways to be positive in your business
They don't call running a small business a roller-coaster journey for nothing! And aren't the highs really high, just as the lows are as low as they get? While all business owners enjoy the highs, many find the lows really hard to deal with. At times, running your own business can be difficult and lonely, so here are 21 ways to help you stay positive while running your company.
How to make your website more effective
In the present market, as businesses feel the pinch, your website should be viewed as 'an employee' - it costs you to develop and run it, so make sure you get the most from it. This article offers some good advice on how to make your website more effective.
Tax tips for home-based businesses
Business owners who use their home for business purposes can claim a proportion of the costs as a business expense. HMRC has recently confirmed that businesses can claim for mortgage interest and for business owners that do have a large mortgage, the tax relief can be significant. Other eligible costs include rental, council tax, home insurance, repairs and energy bills.
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SMALL BUSINESS NEWS
36,000 businesses could fail in 2009, even more in 2010
The latest Industry Watch suggests that 36,000, the equivalent of 1 in every 56 businesses could go under in 2009, as the economy contracts at the fastest rate since World War 2. Worryingly, worse is predicted to come in 2010, with a further 39,000 businesses expected to fail, as the recession takes its toll.
Comedian ridicules Dragons' Den in new videocast
BAFTA and Comedy Award winning actor David Mitchell has dedicated the latest episode of his chart topping new videocast, David Mitchell's Soap Box, to his dislike for the rudeness on Dragons Den. In the show, Mitchell goes to great lengths to express his dislike for Dragons' Den, and in particular, its panel of entrepreneurs (and who can blame him!).
BBC unveils new online Dragons' Den show
Two new 'dragons' have been unveiled to oversee a web-only version of BBC Two's popular Dragons' Den show. The two entrepreneurs, Shaf Rasul and Julie Meyer will preside over £50,000 of investment funds which will be handed out to the winner.
Early Day Motion calls for IR35 to be abolished
A recent Early Day Motion calls on the Treasury to remove barriers to enterprise in the UK, including the abolition of the controversial IR35 legislation. The EDM states that freelancers, contractors and other groups caught by the IR35 rules should be able to spend their time generating wealth for the economy rather than struggling through waves of legislation.
Out of the recession is emerging a 'new breed of business owner'
New research has revealed that a new breed of 'super entrepreneurs' is evolving as a result of the downturn. These business owners, who Darwin would have been proud of, are making themselves fit to survive the current downturn and thrive into the future.
** For the latest Small Business News, visit http://www.Bytestart.co.uk **
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Posted March 25, 2009
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