Author Archive Jolyon Edison

Commercial Interior Design for an Innovative Workplace

Commercial interior design needs to be practical as well as pretty. It must be a comfortable environment for both clients and employees; the former should want to come back, and the latter should want to come into work in the morning.

There are several elements that go into commercial interior design. Above all else, the design must create a warm space that is inviting and soothing to visitors and comfortable and practical for employees. Visitors should be able to sit in a comfortable waiting area that is outfitted with appropriate commercial furniture and optimum lighting. The environment should be cheerful, not dour.

However, perhaps the most important detail commercial interior design is that it is arranged in a way that is convenient for employees. Files, office supplies, and other frequently used items should be easily accessible to the appropriate staff. Employees should not have to wade through boxes in an overcrowded utility closet to find the items that they need. Instead, all relevant business documents and supplies should be kept in stylish filing cabinets and cupboards that complement the office’s décor.

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Successfully promoting your independent accountancy business

Trying to promote any small business is a task that needs careful planning as it is important to get good value for money and obtain the best results possible within your budget.

One of the first considerations when promoting your business is which sort of web presence you are going to have, an essential for any twenty-first century business, either in the form of a website or a page on one of the social media platforms. Online is usually the first place potential customers will look for your accountancy business.

If you decide creating a website to promote your business is the most cost effective option you could either use one of the free applications that enable you to use a template to design and create your own website or you can employ the services of a web designer. The latter will probably give you a more professional looking site and can be developed to contain key words that will improve the ranking of your site on search engines. Many web designers will be able to advice you on search engine optimisation a valuable way of bringing clients to your site.

Promoting your accountancy business through social media is a lot cheaper and much simpler. It can be set up within a couple of hours and can be used to attract potential clients.

Can an IT course help you be better at your job?

More and more of us are having to work from home at present and IT is having to come in to play a lot more than we may be used to. It may be the first time you have had to work from home and you might have to do many of your usual tasks online or by using a computer. Lots of people have basic IT skills, especially the younger generation that have been taught it at school, but did you know that IT can really help you further your career and be better at your job.

If you find that tasks on the computer are taking too long then you may consider investing in an IT course. Some employers will happily pay for their employees to go on an IT course if they think it will be beneficial and that it will improve work productivity but even if they don’t you may still wish to attend one for your own reasons. Prices vary drastically depending on what you want to learn, but for a simply online course you may only have to fork out £30-£50.

Many colleges offer evening IT course for students of all ages to give you an overview of what you can do on a computer or on the internet.

Branding and business to business marketing

A brand is the whole identity of a business and not just a logo or your colourways. The more recognised your brand is the more chance to have of securing deals and making sales. Marketing can be a very confusing world to get in to. There are so many different ways in which you can market your business that you may not know where’s best to invest your time and money.

If you are a business that sells to other businesses then you will need to have a different marketing strategy to a business that sells direct to the public. Some parts may overlap but your overall focus will probably be quite different.  The buying cycle is usually longer for business to business sales, the requirements are better defined, more people are involved and the stakes are typically higher.

When dealing with other businesses you need to make it feel like you are a partner of theirs, working together towards a goal rather than a sales person trying to get them to buy your product. When you’re easier to do business with, your customers feel it. It makes their work more efficient and predictable. You may need to spend more time with business customers and expect a slower process than if you were selling to a member of the public but the rewards are often greater.

Keeping on top of your accounts

If you are a small business owner you may find it hard to keep on top of your own accounts. You may find that you are so busy doing work or marketing that you have little time to keep your own accounts up to date. This means that you may get behind with payments or easily lose track of who owes you money. It is important to get processes in place to make your accounts as automated as possible. If you have people that you invoice a set amount to on a regular basis then you may want to set up a direct debit or standing order with them so you do not have to chase the money every month. Many accounting software packages will also let you create recurring invoices that can be done every week, month or year (for example) and then automatically emailed out. This can take a lot of the hassle out of accounting and keep your cash flow in order.  Do your research to find out which accounting software best suits your needs and is the best price as they can range quite drastically and you can end up paying over the odds for software that is more sophisticated than you need.

Using an accountancy firm

If you run your own business then you have the option of using an accountancy firm to manage the financial side or doing it yourself. Depending on how large your business is and how complicated may mean that you will struggle to do all the accounting yourself. You may have employees and therefore also have to manage payroll.

There are a huge number of bookkeepers and accountancy firms out there that will do as much or as little as you want them to do. You may wish to do all the accounting yourself but then have them audit you every few months to check that you are doing it correctly or you may ask them to manage the whole thing, so you literally send all your invoices to them for them to input. They can also manage VAT returns as well as personal tax and P11D’s. Obviously, the more work you ask them to do the more you will be charged, but this can often free you up to allow you to manage and run the business as you need to so can often pay for itself.  Why not get a quote and find out what an accountancy firm can do for you?

Where to get advice as a start up business

Starting up a business can be stressful and you may worry about exactly how you go about it. You will want to know that you have all the legal requirements covered as well as your business strategy and marketing in place.

England has a very supportive environment for startups, with a flourishing wealth of networks, groups and organisations for all types and style of new business. There are many places you can go for help and advice and much of it is free, so before you go forking out a lot of money, see what information you can find yourself.

When it comes to marketing your startup business you need to have a clear plan of action. Unless you have a very large budget it is always worth starting small and then investing more into your marketing as you start to see a return on your investment.

If you think you will need a loan to get your startup business off the ground, then make sure you have a good business plan that you can take with you to apply for the money as this is definitely something they would want to see.

Choosing the best bookkeeping service provider in Northampton

Financial data is an essential element of any business. It is necessary to maintain financial data to enhance the growth of your business. As a business person, it is advisable to hire someone who will do the work for you flawlessly. Look for best bookkeeping Northampton services to let everything flow well with your business. Read More

Are you disciplined enough to run your own business?

Many people say that it is their dream to have their own business and be their own boss but it is not always as easy as it sounds. To be your own boss you need to be able to be focused and to be disciplined to work as much as you need to. This is especially true if you are going to be working from home as you will often find a hundred and one distractions which can easily take you off task. It is a good idea to have a space in your home which is only used for work and which you can go to when your working day starts. You can then give yourself a lunch break and come away from the room and return after. This will mean that you can get all your work done when needed without having to try and work late at night or weekends if you don’t wish to.

You will also have to be responsible for keeping an eye on your finances, your incomings and outgoings and unless you are going to pay a bookkeeper or an accountant, all of your tax paperwork too.

Help with setting up a new business

When setting up a new business there are many things to consider. Firstly you need to decide which type of business you are looking to set up. You should consider points such as how much time can you afford to commit and how much money would you ideally like to earn from the business? It is important that you are honest and realistic as otherwise, you are only fooling yourself. Answering these fundamental questions will help you to decide whether you need to start a full-time, part-time, spare-time or possibly even a seasonal business. If for example, you want to open a business that sells Christmas decorations then you may only run it from August through to February. You also need to consider if you are going to have a physical location for your business or if it is going to be online purely. Next, you need to decide when you are going to launch your business.

You might want to get your business up and running quickly, but if you don’t sort out the main key points prior to starting the business you may end up failing. You need to be realistic you’re your expectations and understand that many businesses take time to start turning a profit.