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Your EnterQuest Bulletin - 04 January 2006
| Thought for the week: "In modern business it is not the crook who is to be feared most, it is the honest man who doesn't know what he is doing." William Wordsworth |
In this week's issue:
Small business answers
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Weekly stir 
The EnterQuest small business predictions for 2006
A happy new year, and best wishes to all our small business and budding start up readers for the coming year.
To kick things off for this year we've drawn up a list of our ten unqualified predictions, for what they're worth, of what might or might not lie ahead during 2006. (These are only our predictions, not forecasts, as we'll leave those to the tealeaf readers at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and their academic cronies.)
Of course, making business predictions is a predictably unpredictable process to get involved in, and the EnterQuest team has a tendency to kick in the goolies other people that do this sort of thing, but what the heck, here are our views on where the opportunities, pitfalls, dead ends and dead losses might be for the year ahead.
| 1) |
The demand for organically and locally produced food will continue to increase, with consumers becoming more aware of the benefits of healthy eating and less sensitive to the usual higher prices. Opportunities in this sector lie in different aspects of retail, home delivery, e-commerce, and providing a service that educates people about what this type of food is all about. |
| 2) |
The true effect of the older 'baby-boomer' and the 'retired' market will really start to kick in, with opportunities for providing this significant demographic sector with products and services related to health, anti-ageing, diet, travel, hobbies and nostalgia to name but a few. |
| 3) |
2006 will see more extreme weather and a continuation of both natural and 'manmade' disasters in the UK and abroad. As a result, the population will become increasingly 'survivalist' in nature, with people wanting to protect themselves and their businesses against terrorist attacks and natural disasters. This will provide opportunities for small businesses to offer survival-type services, as people become increasingly concerned with and interested in learning about self-sufficiency and all things to do with self-reliance and disaster planning. |
| 4) |
The business world, and the population generally, will become increasingly greener and more socially responsible, becoming interested in things that are recyclable, renewable and environmentally safe or friendly. But perhaps the real business opportunities are currently for someone to find and fill the gap in explaining what sustainability is all about and what we can do about it. |
| 5) |
Large chain stores and supermarket groups will continue to threaten small, independent traders with lower and lower competitive prices, but their standards of customer service will remain extremely variable and frustratingly slow and unhelpful. Therefore, small businesses that recognise the value that consumers place on personal service, advice and local know-how will make a success of competing with the price-cutting giants. |
| 6) |
The blogging and RSS craze will continue to expand faster than the universe itself, with the number of personal and corporate blogs passing the 150 million mark during 2006 - but without anyone noticing or anything noticeable happening as a result. However, podcasts, or more specifically personalised broadcasting, will start to have a real business impact as a marketing and publishing medium for both small firms and consumers alike. |
| 7) |
Google's bubble will burst, or at least slow down, as more and more people become sceptical about the relevance of search engines and view their search results as just a list of adverts and 'paid-for' rather than genuine listings. However, online searchers will become increasingly switched on to the prospect of personalisation in searches that just find what they're really looking for, rather than irrelevant rubbish. This aspect of online search technology will come to the fore during 2006. |
| 8) |
There will be a mini dotcom boom, with venture capitalists attracted to new start ups who get in early on the online personalisation craze. However, this mini boom will not burst like it did six years ago, as there is now a genuine, substantial, educated and still growing market of always-connected online consumers and businesses that just wasn't there back in 2000. |
| 9) |
Thousands of new small businesses will start up and fail in their first year of trading because they don't prepare properly, and fail to identify a market or a gap in a market that they can fill. And also because the people who start them haven't got a clue about running a business, marketing, selling and managing cash flow and business finances, and lose the only money they ever had in the process. |
| 10) |
Thousands of people who haven't got a clue about running a business will be encouraged or persuaded to start up by one Government department or another that thinks it is being socially responsible to do so, when in fact it is being the complete opposite. As a result, a large section of the DTI will justifiably cease to exist by the end of 2006. |
Make what you will of these predictions, because that's all they are, but take them as ideas, thoughts for the future, and possibilities for looking at things differently to the way you have done up until now.
Good luck for 2006.
Marketing
tip
How to write or revise your marketing plan
Every small business needs to have a clear focus on marketing and selling its products and services. The new year is a good time to revise your existing plan for the coming 12 months, or to write your first one.
Ideally (but not exclusively), your marketing plan should:
- Define your overall target market.
- Identify your unique selling proposition (USP).
- Identify your customers' characteristics.
- Define ways of reaching your market.
- Explain how much it will cost and who will do it.
The following resources provide general advice and tips on researching and writing a marketing plan.
Finally, don't forget our own UK Small Business Marketing Bible, which features a seven-step guide to writing a marketing plan in its first chapter, along with hundreds of cheap, easy to implement ideas and techniques for promoting your business.
Legal
tip
Criminal records disclosure and businesses - a summary of the basics
Many small businesses need to check whether or not prospective employees have criminal convictions before recruiting them. They do this by asking the applicant for disclosure via the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB).
In some cases disclosure is a legal requirement, but elsewhere employers might ask for information disclosure because they think the job involves a position of trust and need as much background information on applicants as possible.
Examples of businesses that might request disclosure include:
- A children's nursery.
- A solicitor's partnership.
- A residential care home.
- A security firm or door staff agency.
- A language school teaching children.
- A financial consultancy firm.
There are two levels of disclosure, depending on the type of job - standard and enhanced. Individuals apply for disclosure themselves, but the information is actually sent to the business owner and must be kept confidential.
Standard disclosure currently costs £29 and enhanced disclosure £34, although this will rise from April to £31 and £36 respectively.
If you think your business might be affected by disclosure, the CRB has a website explaining the procedure for applicants, and what business owners need to do. The system is similar in Scotland but operates through the Scottish Criminal Records Office.
Our factsheet on criminal records clearance for prospective employees also explains more about how the process works.
Finally, don't forget that the UK Red Tape Buster has hundreds of factsheets and scenarios designed to guide small business owners through the maze of laws they have to face these days.
IT
tip
How to really get rid of spyware
Spyware, homepage hijackers, diallers and adware - they're all potentially damaging for small businesses, but they don't have to lead to disaster with a diligent approach.
The symptoms of being infected by malware are well-known: you might find your browser homepage has been altered, the number you use to dial up the Internet might have been changed so that you're connecting via the Seychelles, or you might suffer from incessant pop-ups while you're browsing the web.
The problem is that anti-spyware programs are useful, but they don't always work well enough to get rid of a malware infestation. It's often the case that you think you've got it licked, only for it to return the next time you start your PC.
Here's how to beat spyware for good:
- If you think you're infected, you might need to use more than one spyware detector and remover. eTrust Pest Patrol from Computer Associates, Spy Sweeper and Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware all have good reputations.
- Still plagued? SpywareInfo will report on all suspect registry entries and running processes on your PC. With the information SpywareInfo provides, you can then ask for help on the forum where they will tell you what to delete and what to keep.
- Finally, of course, antivirus software is essential. Once you've cleaned your computer, this will reduce the chances of becoming re-infected. See PC Magazine's review section for information about the latest software and tips on what to buy.
New business idea
Each week we provide you with summaries of some popular or emerging business ideas in the UK.
Here is this week's idea:
Just one word
Regularly improving your vocabulary is not just about learning a new word and its meaning. It will improve your general knowledge and make you feel and act smarter in all sorts of personal and business situations.
Do you know the difference between the commonly confused words 'alternate' and 'alternative'? Which of the following definitions applies to which word?
a) every other, every second
b) another, a substitute
Answer at the end of the Bulletin.
Website review
The Law Society (www.lawsociety.org.uk)
A substantial section of this site is devoted to helping small businesses choose and use solicitors. So how user-friendly and accessible is the site?
- Navigation and presentation - the business section of the site could be more appealingly designed, with a lot of redundant white space on the page, but the menu to navigate through the options is clear and the search functions to help you locate a solicitor near you work very well. You can even select a solicitor specialising in a particular area of law.
 
- Accessibility - there's help with PDFs and a range of access keys for users with screen-reading software. The site claims to be compliant with the W3C basic standards of accessibility - some of the content is even translated into 12 different languages.
- Content and usefulness - there's some excellent guidance for small businesses seeking a solicitor for the first time. There's advice on how fees are structured, first-meeting checklists, guides to common legal problems and explanations about how to complain. And the Lawyers for Your Business service offers guides to basic business legal issues, along with the option of a free half-hour consultation.
- Relevance - the business area of the site focuses on practical guidance and tips rather than topical issues, but there is a news area which features press releases from the Society and news on UK court judgments.
A highly useful resource for businesses, with tons of tips and tools to help navigate the sometimes complicated process of finding professional legal advice.
Our
rating - 16/20
Did you know?
The law has changed for food businesses
1 January saw a raft of changes to food hygiene regulations throughout the UK as a result of new European requirements. A number of existing laws have been repealed and additional obligations have been placed on all businesses involved in handling or serving food. The changes are encompassed within the Food Hygiene Regulations 2005, and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued guidance to help firms comply with the new rules.
Distance selling guidelines have been revised
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has published new guidance for any businesses involved in selling IT products and services via mail order and over the Internet. The guidance clarifies the law on the contract between supplier and customer, particularly where it is affected by the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000, the Electronic Commerce Regulations 2002, and the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999.
A Sober attack is expected this week
IT security professionals are warning that a new version of the damaging Sober e-mail worm is likely to be released into the wild on 5 January, to coincide with the 87th anniversary of the founding of the German Nazi party. There have been many versions of the Sober virus since its original release in 2003, often associated with e-mails containing Nazi propaganda. Businesses are being urged to ensure their antivirus software is up to date, and to exercise caution when opening any e-mails with attachments.
Worth
a visit
Export marketing on a shoestring budget
UK Trade and Investment, the Government body that makes a reasonable effort at supporting wannabe exporters, has launched a new service to help small firms break into foreign markets without spending all their resources on marketing. 'New Products from Britain' (NPfB) aims to help firms to send press releases - which can be translated if necessary - to gain editorial coverage in trade publications abroad.
Worth
a read
It was inevitable that the people behind Dragons' Den would shortly publish a book, but this offering is actually better than we expected. Its foreword by the eminently sensible and likeable presenter Evan Davies summarises what the book is about: essentially, it aims to give aspiring entrepreneurs the confidence, along with some practical tips, to turn their ideas into reality. The candid summaries of why some entrepreneurs failed on the show provide useful reading, and the case studies about previous applicants to the show are helpful, too. Check out:
Just one word answer
Alternate goes with definition a) - as an adjective, it means every other or every second item in a sequence.
Alternative goes with definition b) - it means another or a substitute for something else, and can also refer to something that is unusual or different. |
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The EnterQuest Team
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