After cutting operating costs to the bare minimum, many smaller firms are hiring sales staff, improving their websites and boosting marketing activities in an effort to tackle tough trading conditions.

Research carried out by the Forum for Private Business also found that business owners expect their efforts will pay off. More than half (56%) of those surveyed expect to increase their turnover in 2010 and 44% believe their business will grow.

The findings are the...

Rob

People, whether it be your customers or staff tend to believe what they see. So if our tendency is to appear less than confident, there's a good chance others will question our competence - an important commodity in today's competitive business environment.

Here are some suggestions to help ensure that the image you project is a true reflection of your abilities as an entrepreneur.

Eliminate Communication Patterns That Suggest Self-Doubt

Avoid disclaimers...

Rob

Figures released by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) show that nearly two thirds of adults who leave a tip (61%) don’t know where their money goes, with 95% expecting it to go to staff and not business owners.

The research also shows that:

• nearly four in five consumers (79%) tend to tip, with the figure rising to 91% in cafes and restaurants;

• only a fifth of adults ask what happens to their tip (21%), with just under two...

Rob

If you're based in South Wales, UK, and you're struggling to build a relationship with your bank, then come along to the Swansea Business Show on 12th March.

I'll be opening the show with a 30 minute seminar on how to build a relationship with your bank ... is this possible??

Find out how you can attend (admission is free) at http://www.swanseabusinessshow.co.uk

See you there!

Rob

I recently attended a seminar which focused on the development of the UK online insurance comparison website, confused.com. It was an interesting session which took us through the challenges the start up faced. Despite being a spin off of a larger insurance company (Admiral) it was interesting to see how the company still made classic mistakes but ultimately came out the other end stronger and more focused.

Whilst listening to the presentation it reminded me of a team creation model,...

Rob