Coaching
How much should I plan in my business? And What should I do 1st? Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Business Coaching, kindly written by a real expert in his field...
Coaching
5 ways for getting more CUSTOMERS, REVENUE AND PROFITS! Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Business Coaching, kindly written by a real expert in his field – Ron...
Coaching
Business Coaching for Improved Performance Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Business Coaching, kindly written by a real expert in his field – Ron Maycock from...
Copywriting
Which type of copywriter do you need? Here are 7 kinds: 1. The Creative Cracker (Creative Copywriter) Creative copywriters have the magical gift of being able to communicate memorable ideas with memorable, effective phrases. From consumer ad-land, where they’re paid...
Copywriting
The best formats for storytelling to get your message across No matter the industry, everyone is in the business of storytelling. Whether you’re a marketer, company director or small business owner, your ability to tell engaging and captivating stories is key to...
Copywriting
Copywriting for engineering companies As an engineer, you know that precision and attention to detail are essential. The same is true for copywriting. Whether you’re writing website copy, brochures, or email campaigns, your goal is to engage and inspire your...
Marketing
10 things to look for in a fulfilment service provider You may know what a fulfilment service provider does or how they work. However, do you know what to look for when choosing the perfect fulfilment service provider for your business? Regardless of the size of your...
Marketing
How Do Fulfilment Centres Work? Fulfilment centres are third-party logistics providers (3PL) that handle, process and ship products. Fulfilment centres deal with the logistics required to fulfil a customer’s order. This eliminates the need for in-house...
Growing a business, Marketing
What is a Fulfilment Company? What is a Fulfilment Company? …An order has just come through, what happens next? Fulfilment… but what does this actually mean? In the broadest sense, order fulfilment is everything that happens between a customer placing and receiving an...
Copywriting, Marketing, traditional-marketing
Improving your website copy Effective promotion of your business on the web Copy is important to the success of your business. It can drive customers and increase profits through convincing text that promotes actions, meaningfully engaging with audiences on their...
Finance Articles
Managing financial risk: What every growing SME needs to know In the wake of the global pandemic, and with continued market turbulence across many industries, business risk is quite understandably one of the biggest challenges that SME business owners report they’re...
Finance Articles
Financial Control – How to get paid on time – 10 top tips for SMEs Getting paid, on time, by your customers should be the norm but yet for many SMEs, it can be one of their biggest challenges and one of their greatest financial stresses. “But I don’t want to...
Finance Articles
Gaining Financial Control: Start streamlining with simple accounting automations Implementing simple automations within your accounting systems can have many potential business benefits for SMEs, including significant improvements in efficiencies, reduced inaccuracies...
Coaching
Business Planning and Meetings Management – Lessons from the zoo! Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Business Coaching and improving communication, kindly...
Copywriting, Marketing, traditional-marketing
Pick a channel you can execute well and run with it: Digital Marketing for SMEs When it comes to marketing, the days of getting away with only offline strategies are long gone. A company needs a digital presence in order for their customers and potential clients...
Copywriting, Marketing, traditional-marketing
The Qualities of A Good Copywriter When it comes to marketing, not everyone can write a strong headline or motivate their readers with the content of an article. That’s where copywriting comes in – this type of writing drives growth for businesses....
Copywriting, Marketing, traditional-marketing
Conversion copywriting: Is it the missing ingredient in your business? Welcome to the most important piece of content you will ever read. It’s not hype and you won’t regret spending five minutes learning about the magic this type of writing can bring to your business....
Coaching
Communication and GYMA (Getting Your Message Across!) Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Business Coaching and improving communication, kindly written by a real...
Copywriting, Marketing, traditional-marketing
How professional copywriting powers business growth You can’t put exceptional copywriting into words. Identify your brand’s voice and use it like never before. Your customers will be left speechless if you strongly nail your copy. Crafty word usage actually reduces...
Copywriting, Marketing, traditional-marketing
Creating a voice for website copy If you want to establish a voice for your brand, it’s important that the tone is consistent. The written word governs what we say and how we say things – it’s crucial in all forms of communication from text messages on mobile...
Copywriting, Marketing, traditional-marketing
The research a Freelance Copywriter does Thorough research is a vital part of writing good copy. The research skills, knowledge and experience of a great freelance copywriter help to really improve selling success. When this is coupled with an understanding of your...
financial planning, Planning
Relevant Life Insurance – Why pay for life cover yourself when your business can? One of the valuable benefits that many employees enjoy is a death in service benefit. A comprehensive employment benefits package may also include earnings replacement and pension...
financial planning, Planning
Is Pension part of your business strategy? As a keen climber and mountaineer, I often compare retirement planning to climbing a mountain. On this journey, safely coming down is as important as getting to the top in the first place. In the past, more people had secure...
financial planning, Planning
Is Your Personal Financial Plan in check? Stepping into the world of business can be both exciting and overwhelming. On the one hand, the decision to build your own business can allow you to realise your aspirations, free you to choose your path in life and bring...
Finance Articles, why-do-i-need-an-accountant
Profit vs Cash Flow – Why you should care and how to improve both! Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on SME Accountancy and Management Accounts, kindly written by a...
Planning, writing-a-business-plan
What you Need to Know About Protecting your IP Intellectual property (IP) is often overlooked as to its value, scope and importance within business … particularly with small businesses. There is a lot of specific and complex legislation around protecting your IP and...
home-or-premises
The Importance of Office Cleaning Not only does a freshly cleaned office create a healthy working environment for your staff, it tells your visitors a lot about your organisation. Providing and maintaining a clean and tidy office environment serves as a constant...
employing sub contracting
Returning To Work After Restrictions Are Lifted The time has come for organisations to think about asking their people to return to work as the work from home guidance will be removed as restrictions are lifted and in general the public are being advised to make their...
Management Skills
Developing the Management Training & Skills needed to improve our national productivity Throughout the 20th century, national productivity, measured by output per hour worked, rose consistently. From this we were able to pay ourselves higher wages and generally...
Coaching
Oh No! My sales funnel is leaking!!! Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Business Coaching, kindly written by a real expert in his field – Ron Maycock from Business...
Coaching
Blue Pill or Red Pill – It’s your choice! Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Business Coaching, kindly written by a real expert in his field – Ron Maycock from...
What Does a Mentor Do
Getting Business Support The quality of ‘business support’ provided to SME’s ranges from ‘appallingly bad’ to ‘truly excellent’, and from completely free to very, very expensive. There is not even necessarily a connection between the cost and the quality of business...
The Role of a Virtual Assistant
How to find a virtual assistant who can help you run your business Virtual assistants are pretty commonplace these days with plenty to choose from but how to find the right one for you? Every business is different, with different things that can be outsourced....
communicating-your-message, Marketing
Website Strategy With more and more businesses struggling, it is essential to have an effective website strategy. Gone are the days when you could just put up some content without an effective design or user experience. Today’s consumers are more digitally savvy...
communicating-your-message, Marketing
Traditional Marketing In the rush to ‘go digital’ in today’s world, some areas of traditional marketing have been left behind, but then so have some markets and customers. Sometimes, the ‘old ways’ are still the best for communicating and gaining attention. Younger...
communicating-your-message, Marketing
Digital Marketing There are many forms a business can communicate its message … BUT, with the average person being subject to over 1,000 different messages how do you cut through all the noise. That’s where digital marketing plays a pivotal role for all businesses....
Guides
Marketing – an introduction Quick Links: There are literally hundreds of business advice articles within the Yorkshire Powerhouse website for marketing related content – for some of the main sections please simply click on: Writing your marketing plan Branding your...
exhibitions-events, Marketing
Making the most out of exhibitions and trade shows It is essential to have a good “system” when you are attending exhibitions and trade shows, especially ensuring an efficient follow-ups system. It just takes a little pre-thought and planning as you would...
Marketing, selling skills
Sales Closing Techniques Sales closing techniques are used (normally) at the end of a sales conversation or following a sales process. At this point in the discussion, there’s really no point being timid or being frightened of using a closing technique as you’ve...
Marketing, selling skills
Selling Skills: Using questioning techniques to ask great questions – and listen! What kind of salesperson are you? Are you the order taker waiting for someone to ask if they can buy something, the product pusher who talks about nothing more than the product, the...
Marketing, selling skills
Creating & Building Rapport… The Fundamental Element of Sales Success It’s fair to say that creating and building rapport has become somewhat of a buzzphrase thrown around in advice articles of late, but that doesn’t make it any less of a fundamental element of...
Marketing, selling skills
Stand out from the crowd with “old fashioned” selling techniques There seems to have been a surge in digital marketing workshops this last few years, teaching us how to ‘use’ social media to grow our business. Digital marketing is important – but it’s just one...
Marketing, selling skills
From prospect to buying customer: how to work your sales funnel Conventional theory is that selling is only for people known as “salespeople”. But the truth is that all business owners are salespeople. We are in the business of selling. If we can’t sell our product or...
brochures-leaflets-signage, Marketing
Business Stationery & the Perfect Business Card The printed image should still be an integral part of any company’s marketing strategy, whether that is a leaflet, a booklet or a business card. Over the past few years computers and the Internet have largely negated...
brochures-leaflets-signage, Marketing
Printing Materials for Your Business Print in Marketing How many time has someone in your office said: “Hey, look at this!” when you receive an unusual or nicely printed piece of printed material? Certainly every now and then I would estimate. How many times has...
brochures-leaflets-signage, Marketing
How to Ruin Your Company Image So you turn up at your networking meeting and head for the members information table. And there it is! Along with all those professionally produced leaflets, business cards, tiny roller banners and professional displays sits the...
email-marketing, Marketing
When is spam not spam? Clearly we’re not talking tinned meat here! Spam emails are a pain in the neck – they fill up inboxes, waste time, overrun servers and irritate the recipients. No one wants to receive spam emails and none of us admit to opening them. But what if...
Marketing, professional-photography
Why amazing photos are essential for startups “Start as you mean to go on” can be applied to most things whether you are starting a business, building a relationship or doing pretty much anything else in life. Creating that first impression with professional...
Marketing, professional-photography
I hate having my photo taken, I’m not photogenic These two phrases are the most common things that a professional photographer hears from people, not just those running businesses but in fact nearly everyone. The secret to enjoying having your photo taken is to trust...
Marketing, professional-photography
What’s the difference between a headshot and personal branding photography? A headshot is a photo that looks like you as you are now, making you look friendly and approachable with just a hint of your personality showing. If you think about what you can actually...
Marketing, professional-photography
Why a single photo shoot can produce multiple outputs It’s all in the planning. If you know exactly what you need to shoot, why you’re shooting, what type of photos you need, what you need them for, what style you want, who your ideal client is, then you’ll achieve so...
Marketing, professional-photography
What makes a great business portrait? A business portrait photograph must be clear, simple, have a suitable background and be consistent with the other portraits of staff or colleagues in the company. How do you achieve this? The most important consideration for...
Marketing, professional-photography
What makes a great corporate LinkedIn photo? A LinkedIn headshot is there to showcase you and your business, so you need it to speak to your customers before you even meet them. The first thing to make sure is that you have your image there, there are still so many...
Marketing, professional-photography
What’s the difference between DIY Photography and Professional? Have you ever eaten an amazing meal at your favourite restaurant and thought, how hard can it be? Yet no matter how closely you follow the recipe, and how many celebrity chef videos you watch, it just...
Marketing, website-strategy
What are landing pages and how to make them work Websites have followed a general rule of thumb for the last 25 years – make them like a brochure, explain in detail about your business, your products/service, explain why people should choose you and provide visitors...
Marketing, website-strategy
Hosting Your Website and Emails For almost any business their emails and their website are the lifeblood of their organisation and the cornerstone of their marketing. So it should be obvious that a lot of thought would go into choosing the right hosting provider for...
Marketing, website-strategy
Picking and Buying Your Domain Name Choosing a domain name can be an agonising task. There are myriad domain names to pick from ranging from extremely specific to more generic; that is if you can find one that is available still! In the recent past it was important...
Marketing, website-strategy
Your Mobile Strategy – Why start-ups will live or die by it Over the last four years, ownership of smartphones in the UK has leapt from 52 per cent to 83 per cent of the population. It’s a trend replicated across the globe and figures rise even further for younger...
Marketing, website-strategy
E-commerce Implications You’ve got a product you want to sell and everyone’s doing this online now so it must be easy, right? In fact, most people who are in this position seem to think that in order to sell their product all they need is an e-commerce website to sell...
Marketing, website-strategy
What Kind of Website Your business has to have a website, right? It’s become an assumption in the modern world that if you’re in business and you’re serious, you’ll have a website. So, most businesses accept they need a website … but what kind of website? Elsewhere on...
Marketing, website-strategy
DIY or Professional Website? You can’t watch a video on YouTube without seeing other adverts for various suppliers of DIY websites (such as Wix, SquareSpace, 123-Reg, MailChimp and many more) and they make it look so easy. So, is building a website yourself a good...
Marketing, website-strategy
Writing Content for Your Website Great content is the key to a great website. We always recommend getting an experienced copywriter to do this for you because they know how to write well, know what is needed from a website and give a viewpoint from outside of your...
Marketing, website-strategy
Lead Magnet Websites – What should you give away for free on your website? Selling is hard. It takes time. A first time visitor to your website is unlikely to want to buy your product or service. And if they leave your website, they are unlikely to return. So, what...
Marketing, website-strategy
How to Write a Great Blog If you’re reading this, chances are you’re considering starting a blog. Congratulations! Blogging is a fantastic way to build an audience, share your expertise, and establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry. But...
communicating-your-message, Marketing
Marketing Your Website Marketing your website can be a daunting task. There are many different methods you could use, such as social media and pay-per-click advertising to name just two of the most common ones out there. PPC campaigns have been proven time after time...
Marketing, search-engine-optimisation
Writing your content for SEO optimisation and authority Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Search Engine Optimisation, kindly written by a real expert in his field...
Marketing, search-engine-optimisation
SEO Trends following the Covid-19 Lockdown Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Search Engine Optimisation, kindly written by a real expert in his field – Manpreet...
Marketing, search-engine-optimisation
Making Your Site SEO Mobile Friendly Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Search Engine Optimisation, kindly written by a real expert in his field – Manpreet Singh...
Marketing, search-engine-optimisation
8 tips to improve your local SEO rankings Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Search Engine Optimisation, kindly written by a real expert in his field – Manpreet...
Marketing, search-engine-optimisation
SEO techniques to avoid Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Search Engine Optimisation, kindly written by a real expert in his field – Manpreet Singh from Bobble...
Marketing, search-engine-optimisation
SEO techniques that deliver results Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Search Engine Optimisation, kindly written by a real expert in his field – Manpreet Singh...
Marketing, search-engine-optimisation
How to measure online search volumes using the Google Keyword Tool Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Search Engine Optimisation, kindly written by a real expert in...
linkedin-success, Marketing
Building an incredible LinkedIn Profile Here, we present a step-by-step article on how to write a LinkedIn Profile that will get you noticed, reward you with new connections and will build your credibility. Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer...
linkedin-success, Marketing
Playing the LinkedIn “Long Game” In this article, we explain some ideas on how Playing the LinkedIn “Long Game” can result in massive benefits to your business, nurturing and pulling prospects to you and your business when the time is right for...
linkedin-success, Marketing
How to make LinkedIn work as an amazing lead-generating tool! Many of us are frustrated that we don’t know how to make LinkedIn work and add value to our business. In this article, we explain a simple-to-follow process that drives connections and sales messages...
digital-marketing, Marketing
How video can help you and your business These days, people are watching more video and film content than ever before. The world has changed massively over the past few years and content marketing is on the rise, with video right out in front. It’s almost certainly...
digital-marketing, Marketing
How to run a really successful online advertising campaign If you’re considering advertising your business on a host website (such as the Yorkshire Powerhouse website) then you need to take every effort to maximise the results you achieve. This article focuses on...
digital-marketing, Marketing
Using Social Media to market your business There is one simple fact facing SMEs today – your business needs a social media presence. No matter what sort of business you are, social media has to be an essential tactic of your marketing strategy. It’s a cost-effective,...
digital-marketing, Marketing
Pay-Per-Click Marketing Campaigns or Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Pay-Per-Click Marketing, kindly written by a real expert in...
digital-marketing, Marketing
3 Pillars of Search Engine Optimisation – an overview Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Search Engine Optimisation, kindly written by a real expert in his field –...
digital-marketing, Marketing
Email Marketing We constantly hear this: “I get loads of spam every day, I just delete it without reading it.” When you consider all the ‘spam’ that appears in your inbox every day, it’s easy to think there’s no chance that any email your company sends out will get...
digital-marketing, Marketing
Understanding customers & gaining feedback with digital marketing In a previous article, we have stressed the importance of getting to know your customers which, of course, sounds like stating the obvious. But we are constantly amazed at how many companies fail to...
digital-marketing, Marketing
Digital Strategy – an ongoing battle A digital strategy is an ongoing battle! Whether it’s Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, email, pay-per-click, SEO … the one thing that all digital channels have in common is that they are all regularly updating with latest...
digital-marketing, Marketing
Digital Marketing is hard work! The last few years has seen the ‘Business as usual’ standard raised for an organisation’s digital marketing plan. The game has moved on. The time has gone where a company can assume that its brand and customer loyalty will be enough in...
digital-marketing, Marketing
How to get a digital marketing strategy badly wrong Digital Marketing is the new medium in which users communicate and consume content, therefore making it incredibly valuable for businesses wanting to get a message or products across to their consumers. However, to...
digital-marketing, Marketing
FREE Tools to improve your own Content The problem with Content Creation! In the digitally connected world, creating content for your marketing is a never-ending task that hangs over many of us as a perpetual task. The demand for continually posting social updates,...
Marketing, pay-per-click-marketing
A Glossary of Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Buzzwords Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Pay-Per-Click Marketing, kindly written by a real expert in his field – Manpreet...
Marketing, pay-per-click-marketing
What is ‘Quality Score’ on a pay-per-click campaign and why is it important? What is quality score? It is a numeric score measured out of ‘10’ awarded by Google based on the relevance and connection between your keywords, advert text and landing pages. Essentially, it...
Marketing, pay-per-click-marketing
The Future of PPC Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Pay-Per-Click Marketing, kindly written by a real expert in his field – Manpreet Singh from Bobble Digital....
Marketing, pay-per-click-marketing
PPC and the Pandemic – finding a ‘New Normal’ Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Pay-Per-Click Marketing, kindly written by a real expert in his field – Manpreet...
Marketing, pay-per-click-marketing
Top Tips for Optimising Google Ads Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Pay-Per-Click Marketing, kindly written by a real expert in his field – Manpreet Singh from...
Marketing, pay-per-click-marketing
Google PPC Text Ads and Ad Extensions Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Pay-Per-Click Marketing, kindly written by a real expert in his field – Manpreet Singh from...
Marketing, pay-per-click-marketing
Google Shopping Ads: An Introduction Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Pay-Per-Click Marketing, kindly written by a real expert in his field – Manpreet Singh from...
Marketing, pay-per-click-marketing
How to do Keyword Research and Planning for Google Ads Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Pay-Per-Click Marketing, kindly written by a real expert in his field –...
Marketing, using-video
5 ways to keep costs down when creating a professional video for business We are living in challenging times. Which means it’s all the more important to keep a check on business running costs. We also know the importance of staying competitive in business and that...
Marketing, using-video
How to ‘give life’ to a big lump of stone I recently took a gruelling, ten-hour drive to the very north of Scotland, near John O’Groats, as part of a project to promote a particular type of stone. Doesn’t sound very exciting, does it? Stone, in itself, is much like...
Marketing, using-video
Video options – which kind of video is right for my business? There are so many ways that video can help promote and grow your business. What’s right for you depends entirely on the business you have. So, here’s a simple guide to your video options 1. If you want to...
Marketing, using-video
How do I create a video to differentiate myself from my competitors? Before even thinking about video, ask yourself a few questions. Start by getting under the skin of your brand. Ask yourself, “What do I do?” “Who do I do it for?” and “What makes me and my business...
Marketing, Your Brand
Advertising & Graphic Design – the AIDA principles Advertising; the FOUR main principles you need to consider … OK, it’s that time where you need to create adverts for your business, either a press advert or even digital adverts to run online across your social...
Marketing, Your Brand
Designing Your Brand … the look and feel of it all When designing your brand, consider the following elements to achieve the right look and feel … 1: Choice of Typefaces (or fonts): There are 2 main types to choose from: Serif (like TIMES NEW ROMAN, quite old...
Marketing, traditional-marketing
The power of a hand written note Sometimes, it’s the personal touch that builds confidence, trust and respect. By taking the time and effort to make a short hand written note, you are genuinely displaying a commitment to them that you care and value them. In the ‘old...
Marketing, traditional-marketing
Telephone Marketing / Selling The thought of getting on the ‘phone and generating leads or making sales is an onerous one to most. However, telephone marketing is generally worth doing and when done well can be very successful. As with all things in business, if you...
Copywriting, Marketing, traditional-marketing
The Benefits of Using a (Super) Freelance Copywriter for your Copywriting needs The benefits of using a freelance copywriter are monumental. The value of your business will be increased by the work that they produce. Your customer retention rates will soar, and you’ll...
Marketing, traditional-marketing
PR / Public Relations Public Relations is the way you can communicate to your target audience via media, whether that is through printed or digital media. It is the activity you do to create and maintain goodwill and a positive image of your brand. It is an effective...
Marketing, traditional-marketing
Exhibitions & Events Exhibiting your business at exhibitions or events is often an excellent route to meeting new prospects and growing your pipeline of enquiries. However, attending a show is often a serious investment in both time and expense so you need to...
Marketing, traditional-marketing
Networking & Word of Mouth It is the norm for most businesses to cite client referrals, networking and ‘word-of-mouth’ as an important factor in winning new business. However, it is very rare for a business to have a strategy and framework to influence these...
Marketing, traditional-marketing
Direct Mail More than 60% of UK adults think that physical mail is serious, valued and a professional means of communication (compared to less than 20% thinking the same of email!). In the modern world, direct mail seems to have been forgotten at the expense...
Marketing, traditional-marketing
Brochures / Leaflets / Signage In the modern world, the internet is changing the way businesses market themselves. However, you should remember that ‘old school’ marketing channels still work, are still often essential and should still be considered – depending on...
Marketing, traditional-marketing
Advertising & Directories Being found when someone’s looking for your product or service is a great achievement … ensuring your adverts and directory listings catch the eye is essential. In the modern world, the internet is changing the way businesses are sought...
Marketing
Product Development & Service Improvement If you want to start a business it is likely that you have a product or service in mind that you want to sell. You’ve done your market research, you’ve identified your customer and you know how to market it. Things change...
Marketing
Communicating Your Message This first task is to define your core customer message. This should resonate and ‘speak’ to your customers and should pull them to you. As part of your core business planning, your message should be reflected within your ethos and...
Marketing
Understanding the process of selling when in business Commonly taught techniques such as “features and benefits” or “relationship” selling are outclassed by trusted advisors who employ consultative and strategic methods. Even when our competition offers the same...
Marketing
Why is it so important to have Professional Photography? First impressions count! What do your customers think when they see your website? Do they see a business brand that is proud of their products, driven by quality and trustworthy? What do the photographs in your...
Marketing
Getting to the Heart of Your Brand In my experience having a ‘brand’ is often confused with having a ‘logo’ – even though there’s a world of difference between the two! Your brand will consist of elements like typefaces, colours, a graphic or an illustration all of...
advertising-directories, Marketing
Radio advertising – the original social media Without advertising, a terrible thing happens… NOTHING! If you’ve something to say, say it using the original Social Media; RADIO! Radio Advertising is all about ‘what you say’ X ‘how many times you say it’. Local radio...
advertising-directories, Marketing
Why does advertising work? Advertising is a marketing activity that has been with us for a long time. But with modern, digital platforms (including Yorkshire Powerhouse!) now offering an ever-increasing number of places and ways to advertise, and with some traditional...
Marketing, social-media
Facebook Likes vs Facebook Follows For this guide, we will be talking about pages rather than personal profiles. Just in case you aren’t sure what these are, the main differences are that a personal profile represents a person on Facebook and can send, receive and...
Marketing, social-media
How Do I Make The Most of Social Media Marketing? If you’ve done some research and created a plan, chosen your platform, and started posting some quality, engaging and consistent content, then you’re already on the right track. Like anything, it takes time to start...
Marketing, social-media
What Makes Good Social Media Content? Social media is by nature a visual medium and most platforms have been created on the basis of sharing images and video. They’re packaged in handy mobile apps that we carry everywhere with us on our mobiles and tablets, and we can...
Marketing, social-media
Which Social Media Platform? The Best of the rest of other Social Platforms The other main platforms to consider are Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. Each has its own pros and cons, and advantages and disadvantages which you need to consider. For example,...
Marketing, social-media
Which Social Media Platform? The Top Three Each social media platform is different, with a different feel and different users, and so whilst many companies are on lots of platforms, it’s a good idea to start by picking the one that suits you and your company most and...
Marketing, social-media
Social Growth Planning – a strategy to grow your business If you want growth, you need social Today, innovation isn’t optional, its expected, by customers, employees, shareholders and new markets you are trying to enter. If you want customer engagement, you need...
Marketing, social-media
Getting Started with Social Media You have to start with an objective – what do you want to get out of it, leads, sales, more traffic. Once you know what you want to get out of social media you can draw up a strategic plan for how you are going to achieve the...
Marketing, networking-word-of-mouth-events
Top Networking tips to help you get the most from networking meetings This article is for both new and experienced networkers alike. We all need an occasional reminder of how to succeed at a networking event because it’s genuinely hard to do right! These networking...
Marketing, networking-word-of-mouth-events
How to conquer your nerves when pitching your business to a networking group Face to face business networking works, it always has. The more you do it the better you’ll become. Your personal network of business connections will grow, you’ll meet new people and you’ve...
Marketing, networking-word-of-mouth-events
How to make your first Zoom call a success If you’re new to Zoom then you’re probably uncomfortable about the combination of ‘complicated technology’ and the ability to make a mess of things whilst being seen by others! BUT – using Zoom can be an eye-opener to many...
compliance-considerations, Planning
Businesses Requiring Licences Licences and registrations are applicable to many types of business and you need to know what is required to undertake your business activity. A simple example might be the requirement of gaining a food hygiene certificate before you can...
compliance-considerations, Planning
Business Insurance -an overview Why is business insurance important? Business and commercial insurance is critical for all business to help them manage and control risks of external factors having a financial impact on the organisation. This could be unforeseen risks...
compliance-considerations, Planning
Business Law Whatever your view on business rules and regulations, they are there and, as such, non compliance is not an option. Although this is not the most exciting part of planning a business, the simple fact is that if there are regulatory or legislative factors...
compliance-considerations, Planning
Health and Safety & Environmental Health and Safety is a highly regulated area of business law that impacts on virtually every aspect of the business environment. You have a legal responsibility to ensure the Health and Safety of employees and visitors to your...
compliance-considerations, Planning
Registering with HMRC If you register with HMRC as a self-employed person (i.e. sole trader or partnership) you will pay tax on any profits your business makes at the end of your trading year. This is not just on any personal earnings but the bottom line on your year...
compliance-considerations, Planning
Financial compliance, VAT & record keeping One thing that is always a prime consideration when running a business is your obligations to compliance, financial regulation and legislation in relation to tax and national insurance (N.I.). It has to be said that,...
home-or-premises, Planning
Appointing a Good Solicitor The timing of choosing a solicitor can be really tricky and not conducive to a well thought through strategy. It’s often because a legal issue has arisen out of the blue, or there is a planned transaction such as a building purchase or...
home-or-premises, Planning
Planning Permission In another article we talked about working from home and the considerations that need to be taken before deciding if it is the right place for your business. If you have decided or are seriously considering working from home it is worth noting...
home-or-premises, Planning
Telecoms for a new business Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Telecoms for SME’s, kindly written by a real expert in his field – Matthew Cranney from Flex...
home-or-premises, Planning
Business Premises Commitment to take on business premises (bought or rented) is a very big decision for a business but especially a start-up. The considerations required if you decide that business premises are needed are some which should involve thorough research to...
home-or-premises, Planning
Working From Home Working from home might seem like the dream. No traffic to battle through, no set hours in the office, no structure of when to take your break and for how long. But it isn’t always the dream it is made out to be. It requires serious consideration...
Planning, seeking support
Coaching for new businesses Why use a coach when you are starting up your own business? Finding a business coach can viewed as finding your critical friend who isn’t there to tell you what to do. A business coach is there to support you achieve the goals you have set...
Guides
Planning – an introduction to this section Quick Links: There are literally hundreds of business advice articles within the Yorkshire Powerhouse website for planning related content – for some of the main sections please simply click on: Pre-planning your business...
Planning, starting-a-business
Why new business owners should consider Private Health Insurance One of the greatest challenges many people starting up in business fail to realise, is the tremendous value of their greatest asset … themselves! Most people setting up a business wouldn’t dream of not...
Planning, starting-a-business
How to successfully launch your new business Launching a business is like going on a journey to a new destination. Like any journey the key is to know where you are starting from and where you want to get to and your preferred method of travel which is likely to be...
are-you-an-entrepreneur, Planning
Understanding limiting beliefs Here is a process you can go through to get your entrepreneurial mindset right so you can become the best entrepreneur and the best version of ‘you’ possible. It all starts with your limiting beliefs What is a limiting belief and how do...
are-you-an-entrepreneur, Planning
What is the entrepreneurial mindset? Entrepreneurs seem to have a specific mindset and approach to their businesses … missing these particular traits can really hinder the person’s progress to true entrepreneurialism. This may be why in Yorkshire 25,000 businesses...
are-you-an-entrepreneur, Planning
What the heck is NLP? Now – there’s a question … and if you were to ask 50 different NLP experts the very same question you would get 50 different answers. NLP is such a big subject with so many amazing applications, backed by science and serious study, that to try to...
disaster-recovery-planning-worst, Planning
Cyber Security advice for small businesses Clearly the subject of cyber security is a massive one and this article is not meant to be a definitive guide … but in typical Yorkshire Powerhouse style, it’s proportionate, thoughtful and straight to the point and suggests...
Planning, pre-planning-business-idea
Starting a business – the Yorkshire Powerhouse guide to a successful launch This article is essentially a checklist of areas to consider when starting a business, with links to various articles within this website – bookmark this page, return regularly, get in touch...
Planning, pre-planning-business-idea
Market Analysis & Research Having a skill or being knowledgeable or experienced in an area that you feel can be turned into a business is no guarantee of success. No matter which way you look at it, there has to be demand; it’s straight forward – without a...
Planning, pre-planning-business-idea
Seeking support for your business idea Small business support When starting a business it is unwise to be totally self-reliant. Sure, the idea, the execution and the rewards will be down to you but there is a vast amount of support available to make the easy decisions...
Planning, pre-planning-business-idea
Are You an Entrepreneur? BIG decision!! Before you start planning a business venture you need to consider a number of things. Not least is a critical analysis of your personal attributes, experience, knowledge and skills that will make your business successful....
Planning, pre-planning-business-idea
Developing Your Business Idea Many sources can be the basis for you to generate a good business idea. It’s fair to say that most are influenced by existing skills, your previous experience or the knowledge that you already have … often coming from your existing work...
Planning, pre-planning-business-idea
What is an NDA and when should I use one? The reality is that most businesses (start-ups, struggling businesses, expanding organisations, new product releases, new service offerings, mergers, business sales, etc) need and benefit from external help and support. This...
Planning, writing-a-business-plan
Disaster recovery and protecting your business from the worst that can happen Disasters can occur to you (personally), your staff, your suppliers, your customers, your local area … even your Country (depending on your point of view, think Brexit for instance!). In...
Planning, writing-a-business-plan
SWOT Analysis / PEST Analysis Completing a SWOT / PEST analysis is a fundamental part of planning a business – remember to download our FREE planning resources which will include layouts for these documents. Just click on this link for FREE downloads! SWOT...
Planning, writing-a-business-plan
Compliance Considerations It is so important for an entrepreneur to concentrate on growing and building their business. However, to do this with no distractions, the foundations of good compliance must be in place. Food handling, food retailers or restaurants must...
Planning, writing-a-business-plan
Home or Premises The numbers of people starting business from a bedroom at home are increasing as every year goes by, facilitated by home communication and developed IT products. In Yorkshire, this tradition goes back to the Industrial Revolution where the wool...
Planning, writing-a-business-plan
Suppliers & Partners When planning your business idea, it is worth taking the time to consider who your suppliers and partners will be. This is a little more complicated than just doing a search on Google. When your business margins are tight and you aim to make a...
Planning, writing-a-business-plan
Competitor Analysis Completing ‘competitor analysis’ is a fundamental part of planning a business – remember to download our FREE planning resources which will include layouts for these documents. Just click on this link for FREE downloads! It is...
Planning, writing-a-business-plan
Pricing Your Product or Service Setting your prices at the right level requires an in-depth knowledge of your market and who you are looking to sell to. Your research on potential customers and competitors is key to getting this right. Whether it’s ‘expensive and...
Planning, writing-a-business-plan
Goal Setting There is a well used acronym to help define goals (not just business but it can also be personal or any other walk of life) known as SMART. When you are writing your business plan, you should absolutely define goals and ambitions to help you measure your...
Planning, writing-a-business-plan
Business Type & Structure You will need to elect a business type or structure for your business and getting this right is essential – making the wrong choice can change how much tax you pay and how you account for your business. Once you have completed your...
Planning, writing-a-business-plan
Naming Your Business Thinking of a good business name can be an enjoyable task. It is something you can have fun with but there is a serious consideration to be taken into account. This will be your projected image to the world and one of your primary marketing tools....
Planning, writing-a-business-plan
The One Page Business Plan Concept Condensing your full business plan into a one page plan is a great idea – remember to download our FREE planning resources which will include example layouts for these documents. Just click on this link for FREE downloads!...
business-idea, Planning
Disruption and Disruptive Business Models Harvard started lecturing on the concept of ‘disruptive innovation’ in 1995 – so this whole subject is not a new thing. In researching this article, I’ve read articles, books, papers and blogs, I’ve watched webinars and...
business-idea, Planning
I want to run a strong business but I don’t know where to begin? Here at the Yorkshire Powerhouse, we hear this comment frequently. The unfortunate truth is also disturbingly brutal … 18,000 businesses per year fail in just the Yorkshire region alone and that’s simply...
business-idea, Planning
The Core Principles for a Strong Business Model Strong businesses are resilient and based on an ethic that protects them from harm. Yorkshire Powerhouse was privately set up to encourage strong and profitable businesses … this is good for everyone as a strong business...
business-type-structure, Planning
Limited Company Business Type / Structure Setting up a limited company involves more complexity, (although not overly difficult in real terms), but can be a much better option if certain requirements need to be met (both personal and commercial). Incorporation...
business-type-structure, Planning
Sole Trader Business Type / Structure A sole trader business does involve some financial risk as you are totally responsible for any debts the business incurs and should the business fail. You are personally liable for all debts in regard to the business and from your...
business-type-structure, Planning
Strategic Business Models One trap many new start businesses fall into is to simply start competing in an existing market in the same way that all the other competitors already do! Sure, they might be cheaper or have a slight difference with their delivery but many...
Planning, your vision and goals
How WHY POWER helps you achieve your goals The real purpose of setting goals is to give direction so that each moment of your day you live ‘on purpose’. Too many people either have no goals (and therefore wonder why they are not growing in the areas we wish to...
Planning, your vision and goals
The Wheel of Life Exercise Completing the Wheel of Life exercise is a way to review and balance 8 important areas in life, each of which elude to a ‘successful life’. In the pursuit of goals, it is mentally important to ensure that all areas of life within this wheel...
Planning, your vision and goals
Be a goal getter not a goal dreamer SMART goal setting is a globally renowned way to set goals but that really is just the tip of the iceberg. The true purpose of goal setting is to motivate a person into Goal Direct Activity. That activity repeated in the right...
Planning, your vision and goals
How your business values can help you succeed When you are setting up your business you want it to reflect what you believe as it grows – and you also want it to stand out from the crowd. Values help with both these which is why they are the foundations of a strong...
Planning
9 Key Measures for Data Protection and IT Security Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on IT Security and Data Protection, kindly written by a real expert in his field...
Planning
Planning your marketing and writing a marketing plan Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Marketing Planning and Marketing Strategy, kindly written by a real expert...
Planning
Planning Your Business Finances and Requirements Good financial planning is a vital requirement of starting a business and has complex aspects, particularly in the cash flow projections. Tax, VAT, payment terms, debt collection, projections and credit ratings amongst...
Planning
Why your new business should be customer focused When you are starting a new business, you have a lot to plan and do. You may have a new product or service which you are certain will take the market by storm, and so you focus on how to promote it. Your focus though,...
Planning
Writing a Business Plan The business plan is a means to an end. It forms a platform for the management or owner which forces them to think through all element of their business. Whilst a good business plan alone can’t guarantee success, we can confidently endorse the...
Planning
Pre-Planning Your Business Idea If you’re thinking of setting up a business, you should do enough pre-planning, but not too much! The real key to pre-planning is to do enough to ensure that the idea is sound, be clear on what you are going to do, how you are going to...
business-insurance, Planning
BREXIT and your Insurance The UKs exit from the EU and your Insurance As the BREXIT transition period ends, there will be a point where the UK leaves the EU, likely to be the 1st January 2021 depending on what agreements, if any, are made. Whilst we can deal with...
business-insurance, Planning
Cyber insurance – an overview Cyber insurance is now becoming something that most businesses are considering as the reliance on digital assets, methods of communication and flexible working practices become the norm for UK SMEs. GDPR and Covid related lockdowns have...
business-insurance, Planning
Controlling your insurance costs whilst remaining protected During a period of economic uncertainty, it’s imperative that you control your business costs. All of the textbooks and mentors tell you to cut costs and help maintain that gap between a potentially declining...
Planning, writing-a-marketing-plan
Following up on prospects Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Marketing Planning and Marketing Strategy, kindly written by a real expert in her field – Margaret...
Planning, writing-a-marketing-plan
Making Your First Sale Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Marketing Planning and Marketing Strategy, kindly written by a real expert in her field – Margaret...
Planning, writing-a-marketing-plan
Communicating Your USP Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Marketing Planning and Marketing Strategy, kindly written by a real expert in her field – Margaret...
Planning, writing-a-marketing-plan
Defining Your Unique Selling Point Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Marketing Planning and Marketing Strategy, kindly written by a real expert in her field –...
Planning, writing-a-marketing-plan
Understanding Your Customer Profile Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Marketing Planning and Marketing Strategy, kindly written by a real expert in her field –...
Planning, writing-a-marketing-plan
Marketing Metrics – The Importance of Measurement Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Marketing Planning and Marketing Strategy, kindly written by a real expert in...
Planning, writing-a-marketing-plan
Understanding the Marketing Mix Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Marketing Planning and Marketing Strategy, kindly written by a real expert in her field –...
appointing-a-good-solicitor, Planning
The Importance Of Terms & Conditions Whilst understandably not the sexiest part of setting up a new business, having robust terms in place is absolutely essential when a new business begins trading and should therefore be a priority for business owners. Terms...
appointing-a-good-solicitor, Planning
An Overview Of Business Litigation Litigation in business is something that will always exist. When business contracts are entered into, a relationship is formed between parties that like another relationship, can have its ups and downs. Businesses often find...
appointing-a-good-solicitor, Planning
A Guide to GDPR GDPR objectives The General Data Protection Regulations give individuals control over personal data. The legislation was introduced to show businesses how to think seriously about personal data, how it is managed, stored and therefore ultimately used....
appointing-a-good-solicitor, Planning
The Importance of Wills for Business Owners The precarious nature of the CoronaVirus pandemic has given business owners plenty to evaluate as markets and the business landscape changes. In amongst having to make various decisions about planning and strategy, the...
appointing-a-good-solicitor, Planning
Factors to consider when running a family business A family business can be a roaring success, but it’s important that they are managed constructively to keep the business healthy. The last thing a business needs is the owners to be in disagreement over a dispute....
appointing-a-good-solicitor, Planning
The 5 most common Business Compliance Issues When starting a new business, it is vital that you comply with all the appropriate regulating bodies and authorities. Whilst regulation depends upon the type of business you own, here are the 5 most common issues you need...
appointing-a-good-solicitor, Planning
The Importance Of Business Contracts Most business transactions should be easy, after all, they are a simple transaction between two willing parties. Alas, there are often disputes, even in the simplest of deals, and in the 21st-century business climate, it is not...
appointing-a-good-solicitor, Planning
How Ownership Agreements Can Help Protect Your Business Whatever the size or shape of your business, it is a legal entity and needs to be treated as such. Any business needs a structured approach that outlines the division of shares, responsibilities, the legal...
appointing-a-good-solicitor, Planning
Is It Worth Investing In A Distressed Business? In an already difficult economy, many businesses were facing a challenging 2020 even before the COVID-19 pandemic struck. This means that even if they have navigated the furlough scheme and have managed to re-open their...
financial planning, Planning
Sources of Finance You need to work out how you are going to finance your business and raise the funds to make a start. Unless you have plenty of spare cash (in the experience of Yorkshire Powerhouse this is highly unlikely!) the odds are you will be looking to use a...
financial planning, Planning
Start-up Costs Keeping start up costs to a minimum is a natural instinct. However, taking this approach can sometimes contradict activity that the business would ideally like to do in order to get the best possible start. The main thing is that you spend money on what...
financial planning, Planning
Personal Survival Budget It is always important that you establish what you want from your business in regard to your personal financial reward. As part of your initial planning for your business, you should establish what your Personal Survival Budget figure is. Do...
financial planning, Planning
Understanding Cash Flow Inside your Business and Out – Part 1: Your Business Every business needs to be effective in managing the money coming in and going out. Effectively managing cash flow forms the life blood of any business and needs to be one of the key priority...
financial planning, Planning
Do you really want to put more money into your business? Ever since the uncertainty of Brexit raised its’ head, there has been a growing trend amongst SMEs to fund requirements from cash reserves. When these are exhausted, the personal support of the owners has often...
customer-focused-new-business, Planning
Mapping Customer Journeys You have probably heard or read about the need to create a sales funnel – a series of touchpoints for potential customers to become aware of your business and eventually buy from you. However, if you just create a sales funnel you have only...
customer-focused-new-business, Planning
Customer feedback – why it matters and how to get it Someone once said that no business should have to pay for advice. When asked why they thought that, they replied “Surely business is simple, you just need to understand what your customer wants, how much they are...
customer-focused-new-business, Planning
Understanding your target market One of the hardest things for someone to do when starting a new business is to clearly define their target market. We hear “well, anyone really” or “SMEs”. That isn’t defining a target market – there are 2 parts to doing this. 1....
customer-focused-new-business, Planning
Customer Engagement – why is it important? In the Internet Age Customer Engagement is King Don’t dismiss it as just another buzzword; ‘customer engagement’ is your number one weapon when it comes to selling online. One of the biggest challenges when marketing your...
customer-focused-new-business, Planning
The 3 key elements to building employee engagement I work with many businesses who want to be customer focused. Many of them are confused when I recommend starting with their employees – until I explain why. You need to think of your employees as customers and...
it security, Planning
Working from Home? Here’s How to Keep Your Computer Healthy Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on IT Security and Data Protection, kindly written by a real expert in...
it security, Planning
Why Your Business Needs Cloud Back-Up Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on IT Security and Data Protection, kindly written by a real expert in his field – James...
it security, Planning
Why you absolutely need Multi Factor Authorisation! Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on IT Security and Data Protection, kindly written by a real expert in his field...
it security, Planning
Laptop Security – How Secure is Your Data? Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on IT Security and Data Protection, kindly written by a real expert in his field – James...
it security, Planning
Are You Really Still Using Windows 7? Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on IT Security and Data Protection, kindly written by a real expert in his field – James...
collecting payment, Finance Articles
Taking card payments, negotiating the minefield There is no doubt that the movement from cash to card payments continues to move forward rapidly, it is anyone’s guess when the world will become cashless, but almost all businesses will require the ability to take...
bookkeeping, Finance Articles
Invoicing First rule is to get the invoice itself right as this document is your route to cash. Invoices – what they must include You must clearly display the word ‘invoice’ on the document. An invoice must include: A unique identification number / invoice number Your...
bookkeeping, Finance Articles
Bookkeeping Best Practice To run a successful enterprise and be compliant to the legal aspects of running a business, you must keep clear and accurate records of all the income and expenditure associated with your activity. In this article, we will talk about...
Guides
Finance articles – an introduction Quick Links: There are literally hundreds of business advice articles within the Yorkshire Powerhouse website for finance-related content – for some of the main sections please simply click on: Raising finance Why do I need an...
Finance Articles, tax
Personal Liabilities and Personal Taxation In the UK, everybody who earns over the Personal Allowance (£12,570 for 2022/2023, but you can check rates on HMRC) must pay income tax. You also get a tax-free allowance for income relating to savings interest and dividends...
Finance Articles, tax
Corporation Tax Welcome to this introduction to corporation tax, which hopefully you will find useful. At its simplest, corporation tax is only paid by companies who are registered in the UK. If you’re operating as a sole trader or partnership you don’t need to worry...
Finance Articles, tax
VAT – an overview VAT came to the UK in 1973 when we joined the EU – even though we have now left the EU, sadly we have not left VAT…. For an idea of importance to the treasury, in 2019 – 2020 VAT accounted for £148 billion from VAT, for a comparison...
Finance Articles, types of finance
Crowdfunding: Getting other people to fund your new product development When you are launching a new product or a new company the hardest thing is to find out if people will actually buy it. Your friends will often tell it is a great idea but that is not the same as...
Finance Articles, Raising Finance
Types of Finance The biggest issue most people face when starting a business is knowing how much money is needed to successfully start and sustain the venture and how to raise the funds. How much do you need before starting? How much do you need to launch? How much do...
Finance Articles
How to Avoid Insolvency and Manage Cashflow Success in business and avoiding insolvency is all about managing your business risks. This can be achieved by focusing on 4 key areas Ensure that you have sufficient working capital at all times to maintain the business...
Finance Articles
Debt Collection & Recovery – The D Word! There are very many cloud-based accounting packages available these days such as Xero, QuickBooks, and Sage. If used to their full potential, they can cover the full credit control escalation process and chasing cycle, all...
Finance Articles
Business Tax – an overview At Yorkshire Powerhouse, we provide advice to startups, and small and medium-sized businesses to support them and help them grow. An element of that is to be as tax efficient as possible. This is not only about reducing the overall tax...
Finance Articles
Foreign Exchange – We don’t give an FX about anything else If you’re a Yorkshire business thinking about exporting, or are already exporting, the chances are you’ll have to consider foreign exchange at some point. Now, let’s make no bones about it; foreign exchange...
Finance Articles
Collecting Payment It is unfortunately common for really profitable businesses to go bust because they have a poor cash flow model or because they don’t collect the debts due to them. This is not just a case of ‘not collecting payment’ though. A good business...
Finance Articles
Bookkeeping Keeping accurate bookkeeping records is absolutely essential to comply with the law and to keep peace of mind – but knowing your numbers and recording your numbers accurately is a business discipline that strong businesses practice constantly. There are...
Finance Articles
Choosing the Right Accountant The vast majority of small businesses use an external accountant. Complying with HMRC and all the legal filing regulations is a complex and ever changing task. It is perfectly legal (and possible) to do it yourself, but very few...
Finance Articles
Why do I need an accountant? Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on SME Accountancy, kindly written by a real expert in her field – Victoria Wainwright, Managing...
Finance Articles
Raising Finance Raising Finance is generally the most difficult task for start-ups and SMEs (“small medium enterprises”) capable of scale-up and significant growth. This is despite the fact that successive governments, the major banks and other lending institutions...
business grants, Finance Articles
Where to start with a grant application At this point you should have completed your research, understood what grant(s) is available, and be ready to start the application process. The first thing to always do before starting an application is to check eligibility....
business grants, Finance Articles
Understanding what grant providers are looking for Grant funding programmes tend to have a theme, and sometimes these themes can overlap. Themes might include manufacturing, export, growth, start-up, skills, digital, construction, energy efficiency or access to...
business grants, Finance Articles
The Most Popular Regional Business Grants Important Note: This article is written primarily with SMEs based in Leeds City Region in mind. Each Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) / Growth Hub offers a range of different grant/business support programmes. If you have...
business grants, Finance Articles
Is it worthwhile applying for grants? Before rushing into a grant application you really need to ask yourself the question ‘will it be worth my time and effort?’ If you are desperate for cash you might be willing to spend any amount of time on your application but...
business grants, Finance Articles
Grants & Funding FAQ’s If you are interested in seeking grants or financial support for your business then also read our full advice article on grants and funding. To help you with the basics, here are some commonly asked Grants & Funding FAQ’s: I heard grant...
choosing-the-right-accountant, Finance Articles
A Guide to Self Employed Expenses FACT: Self Employed Expenses can be confusing “Can I claim for the computer I just purchased?” “I travel to my customers – how do I reclaim for fuel? “I took a customer out for lunch – is it tax deductible?” These are just some of the...
choosing-the-right-accountant, Finance Articles
How to use bookkeeping technology to input your receipts and save time Be honest … how many of you store your receipts in the bottom of your handbag, or in your wallet? Do you find you often lose receipts and invoices, which can mean paying too much tax? Book-keeping...
choosing-the-right-accountant, Finance Articles
Cloud accounting and Making Tax Digital for VAT registered businesses We’ve provided an advice article about the options for cloud accounting software and provided a look at automating and speeding up your bookkeeping and record keeping systems. Today, we’re looking...
choosing-the-right-accountant, Finance Articles
An overview of the options for Cloud Accounting To make your business work, you know that you have to record the in’s and out’s, but how do you know what software is best for that? It can take lots of your time drudging through the many cloud accounting packages, so...
Finance Articles, why-do-i-need-an-accountant
5 reasons why management accounts can help you to grow your business Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on SME Accountancy and Management Accounts, kindly written by a...
Finance Articles, foreign-exchange-we-dont-give-an-fx-about-anything-else
When looking at FX / Forex, size matters! Forex / FX / Foreign Exchange is an “over-the-counter” (OTC) global marketplace. Over the counter means that there isn’t one single centralised system or one single price. Participants agree deals and exchange rates between...
Finance Articles, foreign-exchange-we-dont-give-an-fx-about-anything-else
What the FX does it all mean? We know that business owners are busy running their businesses. They’re not meant to be foreign exchange experts. FX, when done right, can save you £££’s on your bottom line. But for many small exporters, the fear of losing their money,...
Finance Articles, Insolvency
Members Voluntary Liquidation – an overview Can I wind up my company even if it is not insolvent? Yes, a solvent winding up or Members Voluntary Liquidation (“MVL”) is often a legal requirement if directors/shareholders wish to retire and the shareholders wish to...
Finance Articles, Insolvency
Steps to maximise your cashflow Working Capital When starting a business it is crucial to secure adequate working capital from sources such as personal funds, grants, loans or possibly outside investors to ensure there is always sufficient cash resource to support the...
Finance Articles, Insolvency
Dealing with Creditor Action How company directors can minimise the costs of dealing with creditor claims and ensure the survival of their company when threatened with creditor action. If you are the director or adviser of a company dealing with a large business...
Finance Articles, Insolvency
What is a licenced Insolvency Practitioner? A licenced insolvency practitioner is a qualified professional individual holding the necessary licences and other relevant qualifications in order to act as the office holder in various Insolvency processes. This can relate...
Finance Articles, Insolvency
Personal Bankruptcy: The basics Personal Bankruptcy is a formal mechanism within English Law which allows the assets and liabilities of an insolvent individual to be dealt with. A trustee will be appointed to administer the bankruptcy estate and will realise the...
Finance Articles, good debt collection practice
How to Choose the right Debt Collection Agency When it comes to collecting payments from difficult customers, the assistance and advice from a debt collection agency can be a great help. But choosing the right one to support your business and get the desired results...
Finance Articles, good debt collection practice
The Importance of Terms & Conditions The importance of correctly formed Terms & Conditions that specifies the nature of the relationship between a supplier and their customer can be the difference in getting paid for an order or not. Many businesses do not...
Finance Articles, good debt collection practice
Issuing Court Proceedings & Enforcement Once any pre-legal debt collection activity has run its course and payment has not been received then it may be necessary to issue legal action through the courts to recover the amount owed. You need to be aware that issuing...
Finance Articles, good debt collection practice
The Importance of Establishing Effective Credit Control Policies in a Business There are a number of credible sources that will all support the statement that one of the top reasons for a business failing is poor cash flow. In a world that revolves around credit there...
Finance Articles, good debt collection practice
Credit Management Procedures & Keys Facts Whilst debt recovery is something most business owners recognise and often require, few recognise that debt recovery and credit control are intrinsically linked. Credit Management includes them both, but more often than...
Finance Articles, good debt collection practice
Credit Control – A Checklist of the 9 Pillars of a Credit Policy If you have ever asked the question ‘what is credit control and why is it important’, this article should help you answer that and the fundamental basics which you must start to implement in your...
Guides
Growing a Business – An overview of the challenge ahead Quick Links: There are literally hundreds of business advice articles within the Yorkshire Powerhouse website that are aimed at a growing business – for the main sections please simply click on: Business growth...
design your business for growth
Growth Strategy: Love your Customer When people want to increase sales they tend to focus on the usual promotional techniques of giving away margin. However, we’d like to open your mind to a new approach and ask you to consider thinking first about your best friends...
design your business for growth
Growth strategy: Identify Your Cause to Grow Your Business Making money while doing good; surely that’s what all entrepreneurs dream of? Simply turning a profit is no longer enough for most of us. Instead, we want to feel we are actively contributing to society. And...
design your business for growth
Growth strategy: Disruptive business models The successful businesses of the future will fall into two groups. The first will be huge global corporations, capable of moving entire economies and changing sectors in pursuit of growth. The second will be small,...
design your business for growth
What’s your strategy for successful expansion? Following on from our recent article on what business growth actually is, we felt it might be wise to look in more detail at the issue of how your business actually works. And, of course, how to devise and adopt a...
design your business for growth
Graceful growth requires a Point of Difference Statements of the very, very obvious! It is easy to sell products or services when the offer is: 1) Wanted and needed by the customers.2) Wanted and needed by the customers at the time of the sale or...
employment law
Employment Legislation – A Detailed Overview This guide to Employment Legislation provides a brief overview of some of the most commonly encountered aspects of legislation applicable to employment. It is not designed to be a comprehensive guide and further advice...
Management Skills
Management Qualifications – an overview In a previous Yorkshire Powerhouse guide, we outlined the perilous state of management training and development in Britain today and the direct disastrous effect that has had on our national productivity, economic growth and...
Finance Articles, Raising Finance
Business grants, grant funding & business support Let’s start with some horrible truths: Truth 1: A business that depends longterm on grants is not a strong business! It becomes inherently weak and inefficient because it is constantly chasing handouts instead of...
employing sub contracting
Managing Employees Employing people brings a whole new dimension to running a business. There are things that you need to consider which are both informal and pretty much common sense (managing people) and formal (legal requirement). Managing your employees can be...
employing sub contracting
Training & Developing Staff In a small business or start-up environment, developing staff (the training of staff) can be an extremely difficult area. It is important as you design the ‘shape’ of your new start-up, or your growing business, that you consciously...
employing sub contracting
Employee Handbook The employee handbook is an addition to the contract of employment and is often referred to in the contract of employment. The Employee Handbook is intended to cover areas that apply to all employees equally and refers to policies that should be...
employing sub contracting
Contract of Employment All employees have a contract of employment with their employer. A contract is an agreement that sets out an employee’s: Employment conditions Rights Responsibilities Duties These are called the ‘terms’ of the contract. There are hundreds of...
employing sub contracting
Employee Benefits Designing a reward system for your company is best done at the outset or at least before you have too many employees. The different types of employee benefits and rewards are numerous and some companies offer a mix and match approach, leaving...
employing sub contracting
Paying Employees There are seven key things a company must do before employing a member of staff: Decide how much to pay someone – you must pay your employees at least the National Minimum Wage. Check if someone has the legal right to work in the UK. You may have to...
employing sub contracting
Apprenticeships There’s a view that apprenticeships are expensive and don’t fit into small business models. These are major misconceptions. We’ve entered a new age of apprenticeships, and there’s no better time to get an apprentice on board. Whilst common wisdom would...
employing sub contracting
Employment Law Regardless of the size of your business or the sector that you operate within, it is essential that you are aware of employment law rules and regulations. A failure to follow or adhere to rules, policies and procedures could see you facing costly...
employing sub contracting
What is the Cost of HR support? When a business starts up you generally find that the owner has to take on all roles in the business including HR. As the business grows and more employees are taken on, quite often the HR function is delegated to another employee...
employing sub contracting
Recruiting Your New Team One of the most challenging stages of setting up your own business (or buying an existing business) is finding and recruiting the talent to take your business forward and help you grow. The success of many businesses is dependent on a strong...
The Role of a Virtual Assistant
Being Productive and not a fool Did you check out the earlier article on this subject – Time Management: Busy vs Productive? How many of those busy fool traits did you have and made you really think about how you could do things differently? Let me show you the...
The Role of a Virtual Assistant
Time Management: Busy vs Productive Time Management seems to be a common problem for many business owners. We all have the same amount of time, so it comes down to how you choose to spend that time. Remember, it is a choice! Another factor with managing your time is...
The Role of a Virtual Assistant
Keeping in contact with everyone – 2 ways to get started This is always a difficult one – you’ll notice in your personal life how you can go days or weeks and sometimes months (just me then) without speaking to a certain person or group. Life takes over and we get...
The Role of a Virtual Assistant
How to make your administrative procedures run like a Swiss clock Are you setting out how you do things in your business? If you’re on your own and think it’s all in your head and there’s only me to do it so why spend time documenting it? Then I have news for you –...
The Role of a Virtual Assistant
3 Ways to improve your business administration to speed things up Don’t we all love a bit of automation? Things happening without our intervention – once set up of course. Analysing what areas of your business would benefit from some automation as well as it being...
The Role of a Virtual Assistant
How to get the most benefit from a virtual assistant for your business Benefits vs features – always an area of discussion and a VA partnership is no different. Ensuring your VA is doing what you need doing within your business is essential. If, however, you don’t...exit planning
Preparing your business exit plan As a business owner, whether or not you are thinking about exiting your business, we encourage you to start planning for an exit as early in your business Life Cycle as possible – preferably during the startup phase, but if not then,...
exit planning
Growing your business value for exit Strategic business exit planning In our previous article on business exit planning we encouraged you to begin planning your transition from the business as early as possible in your business lifecycle. Too many business owners wait...
exit planning
7+ reasons why Small Business Owners commonly over-estimate their business value The key to exit planning is to have an accurate idea of what your business is worth – its business value. Clarity on this will lead to better decisions. Not thinking about this leads to a...
exit planning
7 things to consider when deferring to a management team There are only four ways to exit your business, so if you are considering retaining an income from your business. What do you need to consider? See our other article: 4 Ways to exit from your business Exiting...
exit planning
What does a typical exit process look like? Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on exiting your business, kindly written by a real expert in his field – Richard Forde...
exit planning
5 ways you can improve your profitability as part of your Exit Strategy Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on exiting your business, kindly written by a real expert in...
e-learning
The Rise of the Remote Worker As life starts to take on a sense of normality – albeit tentatively – our thoughts turn to getting our businesses back on track. Many employers now find themselves having to choose between bringing employees back into the work environment...
e-learning
Learning to Survive and Thrive throughout the Lockdown – Wellbeing and Covid 19 Undoubtedly the biggest threat to UK businesses for a very, very long time, is how they cope with the Covid 19 lockdown and whether it will enable them to thrive or if they will. Do your...
e-learning
Innovate or Go Bust! ‘Innovate or Go Bust’ was a phrase coined by the world-renowned economist Joseph Schumpeter when taking about his Theory of Dynamic Economic Growth. Never has this statement been more pertinent than now. The aftermath of the Covid 19 epidemic is...
Understanding ISO Certification
You really shouldn’t care about being ISO Certified Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on being ISO Certified, kindly written by a real expert in his field – Roger...
Growing a business
Imports & Exports If you are looking to grow a business then the World is your oyster – literally. The general concept of importing means there is no limit to the products or services you can access and exporting opens up a genuinely global audience. Clearly in...
Understanding ISO Certification
ISO14001 – the Environmental Standard The Environmental Management Standard ISO14001 was updated in 2015, alongside the international Quality Standard ISO9001 and Health and Safety Standard ISO45001. One of the objectives was to create commonality of terms across the...
Understanding ISO Certification
I haven’t got the time for management systems and ISO certification … or do I? Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on being ISO Certified, kindly written by a real...
Understanding ISO Certification
ISO 9001 is a waste of time and is useless for SME’s, right? Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on being ISO Certified, kindly written by a real expert in his field –...
Growing a business
Employing Your Team? – Your HR essentials Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Employment Law and HR Compliance, kindly written by a real expert in his field – Paul...
Understanding ISO Certification
Great quality management principles for great quality management Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on being ISO Certified, kindly written by a real expert in his...
Growing a business
Grow your business without employing people When we set up in business we realise that it’s hard on our own – there are lots of tasks that need to be done. That ‘stuff’ is not what we do – it’s our responsibility to do the ‘doing’ in our business – but when it comes...
Growing a business
Why would anyone want to develop their management skills and capability by exposing themselves to new knowledge and skills? Imagine that the next time you are sat in an airport departure lounge and a message came over the public-address system that went something like...
Growing a business
Design your Business for Growth There is not a successful Bridge builder in history that started construction before knowing how wide the river is and how big the bridge will be. The height of every sound building is determined by the depth of the foundations. The...
Growing a business
Common Obstacles to Business Growth Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on growing a business, kindly written by a real expert in his field – Richard Charlesworth from...
Growing a business
ISO certification is just a money making exercise for auditors, right? Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on being ISO Certified, kindly written by a real expert in...
Growing a business
The role of a virtual assistant and how to work together to grow YOUR Business Virtual Assistants are pretty common these days – plenty to choose from – we’ll come to that in another blog; but I want to tackle that question of how a VA can support you in your business...
Growing a business
e-Learning – What is all the Fuss About? Ultimately, the aim of any business is to bring their products and services to market profitably. That may sound straightforward enough but in order to sustain and maximise profitability, organisations need to develop and grow....
Coaching
8 Business Strategy Questions to Reset, Re-invent or Relaunch the business of your dreams! Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Business Coaching, kindly written by a...
Coaching
Numbers in business Editors Note: Expert content needs an expert content writer and Yorkshire Powerhouse is pleased to publish this business advice article on Coaching and numbers in business, kindly written by a real expert in his field – Ron Maycock from Business... 
