Useful web sites for small businesses

Here is a selection of websites which we feel are useful for small businesses. If you know of any others, let us know and we'll add them to the list.

Enterprise Nation Jam-packed with stuff for people who run their business from home. Link to Enterprise Nation

Just Start Ups Practical advice covering all aspects of business from start up stage onwards. Link to Just Start Ups

Women at work

You’d have to be a hermit not to be aware of the amount of funding available today specifically for women’s enterprise. Check out your local business support groups, especially the changing face of “Business Link”, for a whole range of free or low cost services, networking opportunities, workshops and courses. And here are links to two leading UK organisations to which I belong.

Everywoman An online community of some 29,000 business women with a busy schedule of “offline” events and a free online mentoring, coaching and specialist advice service – Jane is one of the programme’s marketing mentors. Link to Everywoman

Women in Rural Enterprise (WiRE) The friendliest and most vibrant group we’ve ever come across. WiRE members are diverse in terms of geographical location, age, type of business and business aspirations. And they say it doesn’t matter where you live, because“rural” is a state of mind not a postcode! They now have 70 local network groups across the UK and Jane is the volunteer network leader for the Cotswolds area - see what they are up to in the Local Networks section on the WiRE web site.  Link to WIRE

Direct marketing and the law

out-law.com Free legal news and guidance from law firm Pinsent Masons, focusing on IT and compliance, including electronic communications – using email and the telephone as marketing tools, data protection, and the like, as well as lots of general business .legislation. Link to out-law.com

Direct Marketing Association The web site of the Direct Marketing Association – a wealth of information about all aspects of direct marketing, including a range of best practice guides, including door-to-door, email, and telephone marketing. Link to dma.co.uk

marketingfile.com A commercial list buying provider with guidance on cleaning lists and ensuring you comply with the law. You can check individual telephone numbers against the Telephone Preference Service lists (business and consumer numbers) for free and you can clean bulk lists for a very modest fee (1p per check) (compared to the fine you are risking). Link to marketingfile.com

Talking Heads

Having seen too many poor, uninspiring business videos, Michael, Ron and I have developed the Talking Heads programme - a structured video production programme that includes help with script writing, performance coaching to enable you to perform your script effectively in front of camera, video filming and publishing.  The result? A professional and compelling 2-minute promotional video. And you will have picked up valuable copywriting, speaking, and performance skills to boot! Link to Talking Heads