Want to get more done in your day? Be more productive? Spend less time on paperwork and admin? Of course you do. Which is why it’s important to put the right tools in place. If you’re still using pen and paper for your accounts it really is worth investing some time in getting to know Excel so you can keep track of money in and money out. If you’re paying an agency to produce brochures for you, you could do it yourself for less cost with customisable templates in Publisher. There’s so much Office 2007 can do to help your business - listen to what other small businesses have to say about how they’re using technology to boost productivity.   

Source: Microsoft Small Business

I’ve just come across a new website – Big Ambition  that’s worth recommending to any 14-19 year-olds you know. It’s been created by e-skills uk, which works on behalf of UK employers to ensure the UK has the technology skills it needs to succeed in a global digital economy. Big Ambition’s aim is, according to its Twitter  bio, is to ‘to attract teenagers towards education and careers within the IT sector’.

Teens can submit technology articles, win work experience, explore digital careers and much more. There’s an ‘Apprenticeships’ section on the site too, which includes those offered by Microsoft Partners so again, if you know of anyone who might be interested – pass it on. Apprentices will be paid £100 pw for the first 10 months, as well as gaining a huge amount of experience and expertise to help them with their future careers.  

There are a few teens I know who I’ll be passing this onto…

Source: Microsoft Small Business

Guest post from Emma Jones, Founder of Enterprise Nation, the home business website and author of ‘Spare Room Start Up – how to start a business from home’.

With many home-based businesses now growing by outsourcing and partnering as opposed to taking on staff, it’s important to have an agreement in place with new partners that allows for a smooth running and profitable partnership. Emma Jones explains how to go about it.

Making the case for a business pre-nup

Do you remember Paul McCartney going to court with estranged wife Heather Mills to battle it out for who got what? Commentators made the point that a pre-nup would have saved lots of time and money. Consider a partnership agreement as your pre-nup in business. At the outset of a relationship, all is good and you’re excited about potential but be safe; have a few things written and agreed so both parties are clear on expectations.

The following should not be taken as concrete legal advice, more of a guideline on how to draw up an agreement. An agreement only need be a single page and cover the basics:

• Scope of agreement – what is your partnership working to achieve, for example, ‘This agreement is made between Company A and Company B. The agreement is related to the generation of online advertising revenues/hosting of an event/development of a new product.’  

• Respective responsibilities – set out the expectations on who does what. For example, Company A will be responsible for promotion and business development and Company B will take on technical development and client care. Also include note of how you’ll keep each other briefed, maybe through the use of an online project management tool such as Basecamp.

• Finances – what will be the split in revenue, and is this before or after costs? And who owns the intellectual property of the product/service/activity? Consider including a clause that states the agreement will be reviewed in six months so both parties can check on progress and have the right to cease the agreement if it hasn’t gone as planned.

• Be fair – agreements where both parties feel they’re receiving their fair share are likely to be longer-lasting than those where one party feels embittered. Talk about this before writing and concluding the agreement.

• Sign it! -  After making effort to produce an agreement, be sure to sign it and then store it so you can access if the need arises.

When writing the clauses in your agreement, think about all the things that could go wrong and safeguard against them. It’s a practical exercise and won’t harm your newly formed business relationship but will get it off on a firm footing. If you’re looking for a template agreement, check out www.clickdocs.co.uk or www.the-legal-shop.co.uk

Wishing you a fruitful and rewarding partnership!

Source: Microsoft Small Business

Whether it’s skiing, with those beautiful, snowy white, crystal mountains or somewhere hot and sunny with golden sandy beaches and turquoise seas – a trip away in February is just sooo… good for the soul. SmallBiz hasn’t aspired to such exotic locations but has nevertheless taken a half-term break with the family whilst still working. I probably shouldn’t advertise but if I say tropical swimming complex with a Dutch background and lots of eco-friendly stuff, that might give it away a bit. Can I also say the Lakes! I can’t believe I’ve left it so long to come back – memories of student trips from Newcastle Uni with the Outdoor Ed students probably shouldn’t be revisited here, but Keswick, Ambleside, Grasmere, Rydal – just fantastic, beautiful scenery. SmallBiz also went youth hostelling here at the tender age of 16; ‘nuff said.  

Anyway, I digress.  The point is, I’ve got Wi-Fi here in the lodge, back-up at HQ (Microsoft, Reading) and a Windows mobile phone – all I need to work remotely. You too can have this, with hosted online services (remote working that is – can’t promise the luxurious surroundings). You don’t need a multi-national corporation behind you, just a smartphone and a Microsoft Partner providing the services you need – nothing more. Take a look and get a free 30-day trial.  

Source: Microsoft Small Business

Business Networking is essential and not just for the extrovert or the sales man or women any more. We all do it in one form or another, whether at exhibitions, breakfast clubs, LinkedIn, Twitter or even on the train in the morning commute. At heart most of us are social creatures and networking is not just a way of gaining or giving prospective business it can also offer informal mentoring and support and job opportunities. And this is where Ecademy steps in, providing a ‘hub’ of knowledge and advice that supports small businesses.

Created in 1998, Ecademy has built up a thriving community of active small businesses who offer support to each other and learn from each other. New to Ecademy this month is Ecademy Assist, a learning support area of their community network offering a rick knowledge base of videos, blogs, articles, RSS feeds and PDFs.

With dedicated areas for IT, sales, marketing, social media, finance and logistics, Ecademy Assist offers a wealth of resources for small businesses and Microsoft is pleased to contribute to these. Take a look at our IT Support and Advice page; offering free downloads, customer videos and our ‘Ask the Expert’ panel.

Penny Power, founder of Ecademy says:

“When we first started Ecademy in 1998, we created a place for members to ‘learn, network and develop their career’. Those three words remain true today, although ‘career’ is now replaced with ‘develop your business’ now we are seeing such an increase in the number of people starting their own businesses. With the launch of Ecademy Assist we are finally giving this vision its fullest respect,” adds Power.

For more information visit Ecademy.

Source: Microsoft Small Business

Keeping existing customers and attracting new ones are core activities for small businesses: there’s an interesting case study on the BBC site today – How to target new customers . In this instance, Ganesh Selvarajah, a Business Link Adviser offers some advice on this to a small retail/mail order/online business selling christening and holy communion dresses.

Amongst other suggestions, Ganesh advises checking out your competitors to see what they’re doing and ensuring your website is slick, neat and professional, so you give the right impress to your prospective customers. Think laterally as well – what other related products and services could you offer? Most faiths have ceremonies where special outfits are required – could this company branch out into other religions perhaps?

You can email your small business question to Ganesh  from the website too, or if you have a technology-related small biz question you could email our Ask the Expert team.    

And for some more great ideas on attracting new customers, take a look at our Building Sales website section .

Source: Microsoft Small Business

The PR bods here at Microsoft are looking for innovative / cost-saving case studies and / or customer quotes on implementing Microsoft solutions – Windows 7, Office 2007 (or 2010 if you’re using the free beta version) or Business Productivity Online Services.

You need to have fewer than 15 employees and come from a non-tech industry and your story must not have been published already.

If this is you or your company and you’d welcome some PR coverage for your small business, please email Ayeshna at  t-ayhir@microsoft.com for more information.

Source: Microsoft Small Business

I signed up with Business Link last week as there was an advert in my local paper for a business start-up pack and have been really impressed what they have to offer. I was contacted by a friendly local member a few days later to see if I needed any additional help and to let me know where and when I could drop in to my local BL contact centre.

Yesterday I got a newsletter with great content, including information on :

• 
  
  Tips for maximising profit from your customers (the 4 R’s: recruitment, retention, related sales and referrals)


• 
  
  Which type of online ad is most effective


• 
  
  Bank loan scheme to help with temporary cashflow

Take a look at the online Business start-up organiser, and if you’re not already a member it really is well worth considering!

Source: Microsoft Small Business

Welcome to some of this morning’s new MicrosoftSB Twitter  followers. It’s always interesting to see who’s following us, so here’s a plug for the new UK small businesses. Below are the companies’ names and websites plus their Twitter ids with their own bios, which I’ve copied word-for-word.

Socks for Happy People  Twitter: Socks4HappyPPL

Unique, comfy and sustainable socks that amaze, uplift, and inspire! WIN our ENTIRE launch collection!

The Road Twitter:  the_road_band

No Twitter bio (ed’s note: put one up guys!) but apparently they’re looking for a drummer…. MySpace bio “The Road” was formed in 2007 by four friends from London - Robbie Wohanka, Freddy Halliday, Leo Holdstock and Matthew Schweich. Having been inspired by the likes of Jim Morrison and The Doors, “The Road” soon began to develop a rock and roll sound reminiscent of the late 1960’s. After a handful of private gigs, they now play live in pubs and clubs around London.”

The Clymo Brief Twitter: Theclymobrief

MSN Tech & Gadgets’ weekly technology columnist

Lilly Blossom on etsy Twitter:  LillyBlossom

Hand-made book bags/paperback covers using beautiful fabrics and beads in my Cheshire Studio.

Oaka Twitter: Oakapcsupport

Friendly local pc support. Both remote & in person, for homes & business. Computer, laptop support, sales & advice. Follow me for FREE pc tips & cheap deals.

The Way Consulting  Twitter: WayConsulting

Team, Personal & Business development specialists in training and coaching. And all round good eggs

Kesida Promotions  Twitter: KesidaUK

Kesida.co.uk is one of the best Promotional Marketing Company in UK offering huge ranges of promotional Gift Items

Source: Microsoft Small Business

Today, 9 February, is Safer Internet Day, and in the UK, the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) is promoting several ways to make the web more secure for children:

·        An animated film, aimed at children around 5-7 years old, shows ways in which children can safety browse and use the Internet. Apparently 8 of 10 children this age are regular web users.  

·        Microsoft and CEOP have teamed up to produce a special ‘flavour’ of Windows Internet Explorer 8, building on the browser’s already advanced safety features. The CEOP version allows users to add specific features, including a ‘Click CEOP’ button, which links to advice for children, teenagers and parents.

As a company, we (Microsoft) put a great deal of faith in our technology, however, we are also aware that the tools we provide have to be used responsibly.  Safety education is one of the most effective means of helping to protect children online.

If you are a parent or have some friends and family that have children active online, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/uk/citizenship/safeandsecure/parentadvice/default.mspx

You can download the CEOP version of Internet Explorer 8 here: http://www.ceop.gov.uk/ie8/

And a story on the BBC website today Government advice: Browse safely with Microsoft is well worth reading too.

Source: Microsoft Small Business