It is becoming more important to ensure that your business acts responsibly and you fully understand the impact it has on society, the environment and the economy.   Whilst you may already be doing something there are opportunities to allow you to stand out from your competition and work... Read Full Article

All of a sudden it’s 2023 is just around the corner! Where did this year go? Read Full Article

Look through the articles in our blog section here and you’ll see that there is a common theme to a lot of them: “Put a plan together, and then monitor progress against it regularly. If progress isn’t in line with the plan, you get early warning and time to solve the problem... Read Full Article

So, you’ve finally decided you need to recruit someone. You might be a one man band looking to hire your first employee, or you might already have staff but need to increase the size of the team because the business has outgrown its current staff resources. So, how do you go about it? Read Full Article

Getting your financial planning right is essential to achieve your business plans and here's how.... Read Full Article

Smart Support was involved with the Covid19 Response Task Force with the Kent and Medway Growth Hub right from the beginning. Our role was to help businesses through those exceptional times. Here is the story of one of the businesses we supported. Read Full Article

All of a sudden it’s 2022! Where did last year go? Read Full Article

Our journey supporting businesses with the Kent and Medway Growth Hub through the Covid 19 pandemic Read Full Article

We are all too aware that 2020 was a very tough year for many business owners and that, although the vaccine is giving some light at the end of the tunnel, things are far from over. Read Full Article

There is no doubt that Covid-19 has changed our world both today and for the foreseeable future. On so many levels we are facing situations and events we have never prepared for. The lockdown of large parts of society means we now have to look at how we conduct our lives in new ways. More tha... Read Full Article

With the current Coronavirus crisis we want to offer practical help to our fellow local businesses.  Having supported our own clients, we realise there are a great number of businesses who may feel isolated and don’t know where to get advice and support. We want to help and have produ... Read Full Article

I was talking to a business owner recently who was telling me how he had recently increased his marketing and as a result his  turnover had increased dramatically. As a result he was extremely busy. When I asked him if he had any plans to bring some new staff into the business in order that he ... Read Full Article

How is it that some businesses manage to flourish and become financially successful, and yet many do not? How do they accomplish what seems to be magical success? It is a matter of viewing cash flow management with a bit of a different viewpoint, learning that the old tools, while useful f... Read Full Article

A Step-by-Step Guide to Effective Delegation Do you want more time in your day to do the things only you can do? Do you want some time to do the work that you know (if only you had the time!) would get you some great results? You know the type of thing – talking to clients, planning, build... Read Full Article

So many of we business owners really hate the idea of the summer, because of the holiday season. Staff want to take holidays, which reduces the workforce across the company. Lack of staff disrupts production and puts more pressure on the remaining staff to get the work done. You as the busin... Read Full Article

Process improvement is all about making things work better, whether this is because a process is deemed to be broken or because we know it could be better. When you use your business’ information to create Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that help you to drive the right kinds of improvement... Read Full Article

In my time I get to talk to a lot of business owners, and it isn’t unusual for them to say that they can’t tell whether their business is doing well or not, and they don’t know what they have to do to improve it. Quite often, my first question is to ask what KPIs they have in place? What number... Read Full Article

The Secret of Selling Anything is not about clichés, empty slogans, the “right” answers, positive thinking, or other ridiculous ideas that coerce the reader into a cookie-cutter mold you must fit into in order to be a better salesman. The author debunks all of those fallacies and describes th... Read Full Article

“He’s a born salesman; he could sell ice to an eskimo”  “I’ve never been able to sell; I’m not aggressive enough…..” “This product is brilliant - if only I knew how to sell I could be a millionaire” There is no doubt that there are natural salespeople, those who don’t have to think too... Read Full Article

Let’s face it, none of us like paying tax. It seems unfair sometimes, doesn’t it, that a Government who is put in place to govern the country and sometimes imposes upon us policies, rules and restrictions, is allowed to force us to pay for those policies which we don‘t personally agree with ... Read Full Article

Effective planning of your tax affairs to help your business save money Every profitable business in the UK has to pay tax, but some small businesses pay more tax than is necessary. This book examines the tax liabilities that the owners or managers of small businesses need to bear in mind and e... Read Full Article

We are all leaders whether we like it or not. But here’s a question: Are leaders born or made?  Is leadership a function of nature, or nurture? Can leadership be learned? Read Full Article

Leadership isn’t complicated – keep it simple and make it count. This new edition of Steve Radcliffe’s uniquely powerful, successful and practical framework will show you how to develop faster as a more confident and capable leader.   This compact, instantly-applicable guide to developi... Read Full Article

The choices we make, the words we say, and the actions we take not only impact our lives, but also the lives of those around us. When you aim to improve yourself, remember that your changes will inevitably inspire others to improve. Read Full Article

“I need to make more money from my business! I need more customers! If I double my marketing spend everything will be great.” But will it? With grand financial gestures comes greater financial risk; If we spend a great deal on marketing there is no guarantee it will bring in more business an... Read Full Article

It’s that time of year again, the one we always look forward to; the summer holidays. Kids have finished school, the bags are packed, tickets, passports, sun cream………plus for a lot of business owners, mobile phone, laptop or tablet. “Just so that I can keep an eye on the business while we’re... Read Full Article

How management can effectively rid themselves of ‘monkeys’ – other people’s responsibilities that cling to them and prevent them managing efficiently. This book explains in simple-minded if abstract terms how to achieve a balance between supervision and delegation for reduced tension and i... Read Full Article

The 50 Secrets of Trade Show Success: Everything you need to know to succeed at your next trade show, from maximizing lead generation, through choosing the best giveaways to measuring accurate ROI Read Full Article

The Business Growth Service and Smart Marketing Support are excited to offer this free seminar workshop Read Full Article

So, you have the appointment to see a prospect. All you have to do now is to close the deal, yes? So why is it that you walk away empty-handed? Do you find selling really, really difficult? If you are, you’re not alone. It isn’t unusual to find that business owners find it hard to sell their pr... Read Full Article

Increase your sales faster and easier than you ever thought possible. The purpose of this book is to give you a series of ideas, methods, strategies, and techniques..... Read Full Article

    THE BLUEPRINT TO DOUBLE YOUR BUSINESS IN TWO YEARS OR LESS Doubling your business in two years or less isn’t some outlandish aim. It’s a very real and achievable target. We know this because Lee Duncan has used the techniques in this book with hundreds of companies to help them ... Read Full Article

Listening to coverage of the pre-election budget has got me thinking about tax. As you know, there has been a great deal of publicity in the media about individuals and organisations using loopholes to avoid paying tax. I didn’t want to jump on the moral bandwagon, there are enough people do... Read Full Article

“I need to do some marketing. So I’ll get that bloke I know to run a social media campaign for me, because social media is free marketing isn’t it? I’ll get some flyers printed up and post them through the doors on the local industrial estate and wait for them to call. I’ll get my website revam... Read Full Article

This book is written for you if you want to get to grips with your marketing but you need a helping hand. It's packed with powerful tips, proven tools and many real-life examples and case studies. If you're looking for commonsense marketing advice that you can implement immediately, you'll fin... Read Full Article

This book contains proven steps and strategies for maximizing productivity for your business and professional life, starting with why you need to set goals and how to go about doing it. In this book, you will find numerous, easy-to-follow ‘Business Habits’ that maximize the likelihood of your... Read Full Article

S o you've decided it's time for change. You have a vision of what you want to achieve, but where do you go next? Read Full Article

Wha t is the Christmas Curse, and what has it got to do with you as a business owner? Read Full Article

Whether you’re an entrepreneur or a manager, The Financial Times Essential Guide to Developing a Business Strategy gives you the tools you need to build a powerful strategy and take your business to the next level.   By using its simple framework, you can achieve success without havin... Read Full Article

Most business owners started their company because they wanted more freedom—to work on their own schedules, make the kind of money they deserve, and eventually retire on the fruits of their labours. Unfortunately, according to John Warrillow, most owners find that stepping out of the picture... Read Full Article

A couple of local newsletters get us thinking about what the Government make available to help businesses that are looking to innovate and grow. Read Full Article

Stop pushing your message out and start pulling your customers in! People are now increasingly turning to Google, social media, and blogs to find products and services. Inbound Marketing helps you take advantage of this change by showing you how to get found by customers online. Inbound Ma... Read Full Article

Smart Support are proud to announce the launch of Smart Marketing - a pragmatic approach to marketing for small businesses. Read Full Article

Do you have responsibility for managing cash flow in a small to medium enterprise or as a manager in a larger organisation but have limited financial experience? Do you worry that lack of attention to this crucial aspect of financial management could lead to disaster for your business? 'Teach ... Read Full Article

What was your dream when you started your business? How close are you to achieving it? What are you doing to make sure you achieve it? What is stopping you? Most of us struggle to achieve business success, often prevented from succeeding due to mental blocks we have placed on ourselves. I wo... Read Full Article

So, after last month’s article about the need to have a financial plan, and how important it is to know your numbers, a business owner said to me “OK, so it’s all very well saying that I need a financial plan but how is that going to stop me going out of business?” Read Full Article

There are many differences between a good business and a great business, but they aren't beyond a business leader's control. In From Vision to Exit, Guy Rigby candidly explains how entrepreneurs can develop strategies, plans and tactics to get their businesses to the top. With an easy and enga... Read Full Article

Get your head around company finance. Whether you′re a small business owner or a corporate manager with budget responsibilities, having an understanding of your company′s finances is crucial. This user–friendly guide takes you through all the key elements of UK business accounting, covering e... Read Full Article

I was talking to a business owner a few days ago and he was bemoaning the fact that despite that he had a reasonable turnover and a reasonable profit he is never seems to be in a position to make investments in his business and didn’t know what he expected his profit was going to be at the end ... Read Full Article

Practical Accounts and Bookkeeping provides assistance for anyone unfamiliar to accounts either already in the business world or waiting for that crucial moment to enter it. From understanding accounts and why they are important, the legal documents required to prepare accounts, what happens i... Read Full Article

TALKING POINT: Can you turn your business into an investment? Read Full Article

Michael Gerber's The E-Myth Revisited should be required reading for anyone thinking about starting a business or for those who have already taken that fateful step. The title refers to the author's belief that entrepreneurs--typically brimming with good but distracting ideas--make poor busi... Read Full Article

Jeffrey Gitomer′s Sales Bible was listed as one of "The Ten Books Every Salesperson Should Own and Read" by the Dale Carnegie Sales Advantage Program. Now completely revised, this book is available for the first time in paperback. The Sales Bible has helped tens of thousands of salespeopl... Read Full Article

Stephen R. Covey presents a holistic, integrated, principle-centred approach for solving personal and professional problems. With penetrating insights and pointed anecdotes, Covey reveals a step-by-step pathway for living with fairness, integrity, honesty and human dignity -- principles that g... Read Full Article

Most people think accountants speak a foreign language. Financial statements, financial analysis and control, break-even analysis, profit improvement, securing the right type of funding and buying and selling a business are all clearly explained and simplified in The Bottom Line. Read Full Article

The blockbuster number one international bestselling phenomenon is back … not that it ever really went away. This easily-read story quickly demonstrates three very practical management techniques: One Minute Goals, One Minute Praisings and One Minute Reprimands. The One Minute Manager also... Read Full Article

If you're a newbie to marketing, this book can certainly help you. If you've been at it for some time, this book will remind you of what you already know. A useful read Read Full Article

Read one woman's story of the mistakes she made and the lessons learned when she sold a thriving business. Denise Barnes' honesty draws some salutary lessons for us all. Read Full Article

What are you doing to make sure that your exit from your business achieves maximises the return to you? Read Full Article

  In  this month' s article we explore the key elements that affect your cash flow and how you can begin to take control of them so that your cash flow works for you rather than against you. Read Full Article

As we all know recent business conditions have been difficult as we travel through recessions and face uncertain and challenging times both in the general economy and also within our own businesses Read Full Article

        What are you going to do to make this year different from last year? Read Full Article

Just before and just after Christmas we surveyed our database of more than 10,000 business owners to try and understand what they saw as their major challenges and opportunities in the coming year. Read Full Article

What are the key challenges facing smaller businesses and how do we approach them?   Read Full Article

Business advisors from the network attended the B2B Kent & Medway Exhibition on stand 9 at the Ashford International Hotel on Tuesday 3rd July. The Read Full Article

Last time, we wrote about Vision and the natural follow up for has to be goal setting.A clever man said “If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time”Large businesses,... Read Full Article

This Smart Fox Thinks Ahead Welcome to the first of a series of articles where I hope to encourage you to think about what you want from your business, and begin to introduce to you... Read Full Article

Marketing, an essential investment? First of all, let's ask a question: What is marketing?The best definition we have come across is that it is ‘the action or process of promoting and... Read Full Article

The overdraft. The old financing friend of the small business. Provided by the banks to meet short term monthly or seasonal swings in cashflow or in some cases inappropriately used to purchase... Read Full Article

Cash is the lifeblood of every business and no business can survive for long without it. As Mr. Micawber in Charles Dickens' novel, David Copperfield, so succinctly put it:"Annual income twenty... Read Full Article

Smart Support recognises the primacy of positive cash flow and firmly believes that it is vital for business survival and growth. A change in your turnover (even a slight one)An increase in your... Read Full Article

Running a business is much like being the captain of a ship, but too often we don’t have the basic navigation tools so that when we are blown of course we can find our way back.In the case of a... Read Full Article

HOW FIT IS YOUR BUSINESS?If you woke up one morning with a headache and the headache was still there by early evening it’s a fair bet you’d go to the doctor... If your car started making... Read Full Article

Thinking of starting your own business?Starting your own business can be the most traumatic, yet one of the most exciting things we do in our lives. It’s akin to having a baby and then... Read Full Article