culled from:plrplr.com
Setting up a business is relatively easy, regardless of your business idea, so long as you have researched your idea thoroughly, looked into how to finance a business, and explored possible marketing strategies, there is no reason why it shouldn’t be a success. This article will provide a guide to setting up your own business.
First steps
Register as self-employed If you are earning any extra income, you will need to register as self-employed with the HMRC, even if you are starting up your business. whilst working on a full-time basis. Research funding options There is a variety of funding sources for small businesses in the UK, and local enterprise teams or business link will be able to tell you where and how to apply for such funding. There are also several charities which offer funding for business start-up. If you are not entitled for any funding, there are new business loans or career development loans available. Further information about these loans is available on the Direct.gov website. Set up a website
Searching online will provide a great deal of information about how to start your own website, or online incorporation if your products and services are based offline, such as a builder, or gardening service.You can set up a website relatively cheaply. All you need is to choose a domain name and a web host, and some web hosts offer to build your website for you or, if you prefer, you can choose a site which has an in-built website builder. Once your website is up and running, it is essential to look at search engine optimisation, by using specific key words in the content of your website to increase its ranking on search engines. Ensure that your website is linked to social networking websites, and includes a way in which customers can pay for products or services.
Marketing
The final stage is to market your product or service. Marketing however, is not just something that business owners have to worry about once a year, it is an ongoing process and marketing strategies have to be altered on a regular basis. Updating content regularly on websites, looking for new products and or services to add to your site, improving the descriptions, and placing your website on online directories are all effective ways of marketing. In the local area, distribute some leaflets to places where people are likely to read information such as libraries, on noticeboards, or undertake a leaflet drop of your local town or village.
