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Newsletter Newsletter December December 2012 2012 Issue: 9 Telephone: Telephone: (01978) 292092 (01978) 292092 Email: Email: [email protected] [email protected] Website: Website: www.wrexham.gov.uk/businessline www.wrexham.gov.uk/businessline Adverts and articles contained within this publication do not imply or Adverts and articles contained within this publication do not imply or infer in any way an endorsement by Wrexham County Borough Council infer in any way an endorsement by Wrexham County Borough Council Please contact Businessline should you be interested in advertising Please contact Businessline should you be interested in advertising within future newsletters. within future newsletters. Page 1: Business News Page 1: Business News Page 2: Businessline Feature Page 2: Businessline Feature Page 3: Why your business should have its own web presence Page 3: Why your business should have its own web presence Page 4: It’s not the place for a hard sell Page 4: It’s not the place for a hard sell | Free Intellectual Property audits offer Free Intellectual Property audits offer Page 5: HM Revenue and Customs: Key December updates Page 5: HM Revenue and Customs: Key December updates

Issue 9 - Businessline December 2012 Newsletter

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Are you interested in: keeping up-to-date with the launch of new grants, changes in business regulations, discovering seminars and workshops in the Wrexham area or networking with other enterprises to form contacts and share information? If so, please feel free to join our mailing list via the following link: http://www.wrexham.gov.uk/english/business/businessline/network.cfm

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Page 1: Issue 9 - Businessline December 2012 Newsletter

News le t te rNews le t te r DecemberDecember 20122012

Issue: 9

Telephone: Telephone: (01978) 292092(01978) 292092

Email: Email: [email protected]@wrexham.gov.uk

Website: Website: www.wrexham.gov.uk/businesslinewww.wrexham.gov.uk/businessline

Adverts and articles contained within this publication do not imply or Adverts and articles contained within this publication do not imply or

infer in any way an endorsement by Wrexham County Borough Councilinfer in any way an endorsement by Wrexham County Borough Council

Please contact Businessline should you be interested in advertising Please contact Businessline should you be interested in advertising

within future newsletters.within future newsletters.

Page 1: Business NewsPage 1: Business News

Page 2: Businessl ine FeaturePage 2: Businessl ine Feature

Page 3: Why your business should have i ts own web presence Page 3: Why your business should have i ts own web presence

Page 4: I t ’s not the place for a hard sel lPage 4: I t ’s not the place for a hard sel l || Free Intel lectual Property audits offerFree Intel lectual Property audits offer

Page 5: HM Revenue and Customs: Key December updatesPage 5: HM Revenue and Customs: Key December updates

Page 2: Issue 9 - Businessline December 2012 Newsletter

Business News

• You can watch the speakers from Entrepreneurs Wales 2012: http://ow.ly/fLvXV

• An overlooked marketing strategy: http://ow.ly/fLv6O

• Ingenious Britain is a campaign designed for small businesses: http://ow.ly/fLuz6

• The Post Office launch a new "Drop & Go" service, designed for small businesses and high volume mail customers: http://ow.ly/fLu16

• Enter the FSB Streamline UK Business Awards and be in with a chance of winning £10,000. Closing date 31

st December 2012: http://ow.ly/fDQMI

• If you are planning to expand or improve your business, a Business Cash Advance may be a good option: http://ow.ly/fDQtZ

• Small business accountancy advice clinic: http://ow.ly/fDPdn

• Insurance policies; you and your business need: http://ow.ly/fDOP8

• Business Innovation: Access specialist advice and funding: http://ow.ly/fDOdv

• 10 tips to network your business to the next level: http://ow.ly/fDN8K

• What the pop charts can teach your business? http://ow.ly/fw5FV

• Mobile card payment devices. which one should you go for? http://ow.ly/fmqUP

• Five top tips on selling online at Christmas: http://ow.ly/fw5qM

• Energy and Environment support from the Welsh Government for SMEs: http://ow.ly/fuMrl

• Business minister announces £40m boost for small businesses: http://ow.ly/fnDwp

• HMRC re-launches business record check programme: http://ow.ly/fnDhn

• Get a free iZettle mobile payment card reader for your business here: http://ow.ly/fnCF5

• New look for the Business Wales website for easier navigation: http://ow.ly/fnDHR

• ProfileTree advertise your skills and services for free: http://ow.ly/f9lqp

• The Enterprise Awards now open to current students / recent university graduates: http://ow.ly/f9jE1

A Great Business Opportunity in the Health

and Wellness Industry

Got The Strategy – Just Need To Deliver It?

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challenged every day.

Does your business have a great opportunity to grow,

but you need to organise your resources very quickly to benefit? Do you need to

completely transform, just in order to survive? Or do you need to raise new finance

and show your investors or the bank that you have the plan to deliver a return?

Is it budget time again and here you are looking at that 'impossible' set of targets

from HQ? Or do you want to provide a real boost and energy to your business

planning process and have all of your key people fully involved, aligned and

accountable?

BusinessPlanningExpert can bring the best experience and the most effective tools, to

help you plan, deploy and deliver your strategy. With no flowery language or

consultancy speak. Just powerful, proven tools that will help you navigate. Visit

www.businessplanningexpert.co.uk and sign up for more details, updates and free

materials.

Page 3: Issue 9 - Businessline December 2012 Newsletter

Businessline Feature

The importance of checking the credit worthiness of companies you’re working with

During the current economic climate a large proportion of businesses will understandably be experiencing

tough times financially, with the levels of debt spiralling in some circumstances. Should you be trading with

other companies, it is now arguably more advisable than ever that you keep a close eye on credit worthiness

ratings, thoroughly assessing them in terms of risk and safeguarding any investments.

Credit reports provide access to all the critical information needed for making well informed financial decisions

about whom you do business with and at what price. Financial stability can’t be taken for granted, should a

company not have the means to pay for goods or services you provide for example, this will have a direct

consequence on your business and could ultimately prove the difference between profit and lossN success or

failure.

Credit reports are available for any limited company and will provide you with a wealth of highly valuable and

detailed information, such as:

- General company information - Directors details

- Mortgage details and shareholder details - A credit score / rating

- Details of any CCJ’s

- A full breakdown and comparison of accounts (year on year)

From this information you will be able to ascertain whether a company is reputable or in a state of decline.

Monetary circumstances can fluctuate significantly year on year or even month on month. Although a company

may be performing well with a good credit score at one point in time, this should be viewed as a none-constant.

Continuing to analyse credit ratings may well prove to be in your best interest.

Together with researching companies you may be selling to, reports can also be used to identify the financial

viability of your suppliers and in so doing you could prevent entering into business with a company on the brink

of bankruptcy. Likewise if you are planning on forming a partnership with a limited company, it may well prove

beneficial to investigate and assess their financial status and trustworthiness before signing the contract and

entering into a working relationship. Please feel free to contact Businessline to request a free credit check on

any limited company trading in the UK: [email protected] or 01978 292092

Free to attend “How to do your own PR” event

Businessline would like to invite you to attend a free seminar hosted by award-winning

journalist Mary Murtagh who will be sharing her expertise as a media insider during a 'How

to do your own PR' taster session. Mary travels all over the UK sharing her knowledge

about how businesses can grow by using the media. She trains entrepreneurs, start ups

and social enterprises on how to write brilliant press releases, what journalists want and

how to fast forward their business by featuring in newspapers, radio ... and television.

During this hour-long seminar Mary will give her ten top tips for killer press releases, share

real life examples of past delegates' media coverage, the positive impact it had on their business and answer

any questions you’ve always wanted to ask a journalist but never dared ask. If you would like to attend either of

the two sessions in Wrexham Library (4:15pm - 5:15pm or 5:45pm - 6:45pm) to be held on Thursday 24th

January 2013, please book your place by clicking on the following link: http://bit.ly/how-to-do-your-own-PR

Page 4: Issue 9 - Businessline December 2012 Newsletter

If you’re thinking of starting a new business or you already running your own enterprise, but don't have

a web presence as yet, then how does it look to potential customers when you hand them your

business card and your email address belongs to one of the free email providers such as “Hotmail” or

“btconnect” etc. . ?

You need to make your customers feel like they are dealing with someone who is professional and

serious about their business. It is both easy and inexpensive to buy and set up your own Domain

Name, which can then be used for E-mail addresses and eventually a Web Site.

Firstly you need to register a domain name which will be in the form of www.yourcompanyname.co.uk,

this then becomes the property of the business and cannot be taken by any other company. This

typically costs only £2.50 per year to register.

Secondly you need to host your new domain, which will then give you E-mail facilities. Typically you

can get 5 or more E-mail names to use and these will normally be:- [email protected],

[email protected], [email protected], etc. Again this is not expensive and typically

costs about £4.00 per month

Eventually you may want to have your own web site. Now that you have your domain name, the web

site is straight forward and can be easily achieved for a very small investment.

When you have your own E-mail address and also a web site, you will certainly be viewed as a more

professional and serious business, which your marketing materials, such as letterheads, business

cards and invoices will confirm, potentially resulting in increased custom.

Article submitted by: Your WEB co www.yourwebco.co.uk 01978 787623

http://bit.ly/business-discounts-Wrexham

Business-to-Business Discounts:

New discount offers:

Discounts are now available via Businessline from the following Wrexham based businesses, please see the web-page listed above for further information:

Why your business should have its own web presence:

Page 5: Issue 9 - Businessline December 2012 Newsletter

It’s not the place for a hard sell!

There are umpteen reasons why small businesses get social media wrong, mainly through being in a

rush to join the social media party and not thinking about the right approach. It’s difficult to understand

and grasp the environment of social media quickly – particularly given the urgency with which small

businesses need to get to grips with the changing landscape without falling foul of some serious faux

pas.

One of the biggest mistakes that small businesses make when they start out promoting their services or

goods on the likes of Facebook is thinking that the medium is the place for hard sell. It certainly isn’t.

This is a hard lesson for business owners to understand. Facebook is about building relationships and

this means posts should be about providing information that is useful to the customer, answering their

questions and being a reliable resource. Only roughly 10% of your social media activity should be

focused on direct marketing or self promotion.

Social media isn’t about self promotion, which is another mistake. Try to engage with everyone who

posts on your wall (within reason). Share great content from others in the industry. Ask questions and

encourage participation. And, most importantly, recognize that sometimes it’s better to talk less and

listen more.

Free Intellectual Property Audits Offer:

To mark the opening of the new office in Telford, along with another in Wrexham, Successful

Intellectual Property law firm, Wynne-Jones IP are offering free Intellectual Property Audits to

companies in Shropshire and North/Mid Wales, as well as providing free advice sessions on how to

make the best use of the Patent Box tax saving opportunities.

“Any business involved in manufacturing or design, in any sector from mechanical engineering to

software, could miss out on significant commercial advantages by not registering Intellectual Property

rights to protect their ideas and products,” commented Ithel Jones, a partner with the firm at the

opening of Wynne-Jones IP Telford office. “With the Government’s ‘Patent Box’ corporation tax

reduction scheme coming into force early next year, these companies should put their IP assets higher

than ever on their agenda to make the most of the benefits available.”

Any company wishing to take advantage of the free IP Audits offer is invited to contact Ithel Jones by

email on [email protected] or 01952 930123

Article submitted by: Social Network Management Company

www.snmcompany.co.uk 01824 780909

Advertise your business in our monthly newsletter

For more information: http://bit.ly/UJlFeZ

Page 6: Issue 9 - Businessline December 2012 Newsletter

HM Revenue and Customs: Key December Updates

Chancellor’s Autumn Statement on 5 December 2012.

The Autumn Statement 2012 will be made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, on

Wednesday 5 December at 12.30pm.

Full details of the announcements affecting HMRC and its customers following the Chancellor's

statement to Parliament will be available via this link: http://bit.ly/UftVjp

Real Time Information (RTI): Timing of real time PAYE Returns.

In April 2013 employers will start sending PAYE information in real time to HMRC, and this information

must be sent 'on or before' the date that a payment is made to an employee.

However, in a small number of situations this timescale might be difficult or impossible for employers to

comply with. To help employers in these situations, we have published information setting out the

circumstances where extra time will be allowed: http://bit.ly/XxjR9X

VAT: changes to VAT online services.

On 31 October 2012 a new way to register a business for VAT was added to HMRC’s online tax

registration service, which already included Self Assessment, PAYE and Corporation Tax. At the same

time, we also introduced a new variations service which enables VAT registered businesses to do more

online: http://bit.ly/TwcX1R

Guidance about enrolling for online VAT services is available her: http://bit.ly/cy5vJi

Where's my reply? How to track your enquiry.

Are you an employee, or do you pay tax on a company pension through PAYE? Would you like to find

out when you can expect to get a response to your enquiry or request? http://bit.ly/QhZrxf

HMRC have introduced a handy tracker ( http://bit.ly/Q6SPOx ) to enable you to check how long it will

take us to:

• pay your Income Tax refund

• reply to your general Income Tax enquiry

• provide a copy of individual information, such as your tax code or pay and tax details

• send you HMRC forms or stationery

If your query is not included in this list, you will not be able to use this handy tool and you will need to

Contact HMRC ( http://bit.ly/GApVkX ). However, we will be adding more subjects to the tracker in due

course.

Machine Games Duty (MGD): online registration service.

Are machine games played on your premises? Find out more

now about your responsibility to apply for registration before 1

January 2013: http://bit.ly/VFjp49