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A combination of hard work, luck, plenty of planning, good timing and getting decent advice all play their part, but don't tell the whole story.

When it comes to the crunch, there is one factor that stands in the way of almost all small business owners at some point, which quite often will limit and in some cases completely derail their plans to do what they really want with their enterprises.

You're probably thinking that it's lack of sufficient start up and development finance, or not enough training to run a small business on a day-to-day basis.

But even those entrepreneurs who have started up knee-deep in cash, been on every training course and read every business book under the sun still find they are hampered in their ability to make the real breakthroughs they want due to this single factor.

Fear.

Fear of the unknown, fear of looking stupid, fear of upsetting people, fear of doing something new and getting it wrong, fear of ... whatever.

This is what it's like in the real world of small business ownership. Most entrepreneurs suffer from fear to some extent, especially in the early stages, and success or failure often comes down to their ability to overcome it.

Enterprise and entrepreneurship is all about doing something new, often things that you don't like doing, and about having the balls, brass or bottle to take calculated but frequently very risky decisions.

Yes it's fun, yes it's scary and yes it's risky, but this is probably what ultimately drives us to do it and keep on doing it. It's not just the fear but also the challenge of tackling the unknown that is the motivator for many people.

But perhaps the biggest area of all where the fear factor comes into play and limits an entrepreneur's chances of success, or even brings about their downfall, is the fear of selling. Not so much the thought of selling in principle, but the fear of actually doing it and the effect it has on your nerves and self-belief.

The problem is that it is very difficult to teach people to sell, as it's a skill or a 'business sense' that most people will only learn by doing, by making mistakes, and by learning those streetwise tricks that you eventually pick up over time.

The problem, the fear that people have, is that they're afraid that selling is seen as intruding or imposing on someone who doesn't want you there in the first place, and so they feel daunted by the potential for rejection or failure.

But most business owners, who become good at selling and overcome their fear, learn to develop a sense of timing and appreciate the art of being sensitive to customers' needs. They also soon realise that if you target the right people in the first place, those people will generally be predisposed to listening to your sales pitch or sales messages. And if the timing isn't right, you can always try again later.

You should also remember the old adage that selling isn't about being pushy, it's about being persuasive, patient and persistent. That's what ultimately pays off and what gets you over the fear factor.

As far as failure and rejection are concerned, what on earth do you expect? You're never going to win every sale, or every deal you're trying for. And if you get bombed out, it isn't down to you personally, it's down to the timing not being right, your offer or pitch missing the mark, or not targeting the right prospects in the first place.

You'll learn and you'll get better at it all the time. Even if it makes you feel bad, you'll get over the fear and the occasional rejection and gain your black belt in entrepreneurship.

The key is to not be frightened of failing occasionally, or of looking stupid when you get it wrong. You just have to wake up the next morning, put it all behind you and have the courage to get on with the next challenge you face, which will be sitting there waiting for you.

For hundreds more tips and ideas about selling and increasing sales, check out The UK Small Business Marketing Bible

It's all very well having these laws to protect consumers, but it's equally essential that small business owners understand the law, and most importantly, that they know how it applies to them and what they've got to do to comply.

The following are a few scenarios that might apply to you if you sell goods or services from your website or over the phone. For each one, we've provided details of how the Distance Selling Regulations apply, and what rights they give to your customers and to you.

1. You sell products to customers from your website. A customer buys something from you on Sunday night, but on Tuesday morning you get an e-mail to say they've changed their mind and want their money back. Where do you stand?

Under the Distance Selling Regulations, consumers have the right to a 'cooling off' period of seven working days after making the purchase. During this time, they can inspect the goods and cancel their order if they're not happy, or they can change their mind altogether and cancel the order before receiving the goods.

All businesses selling goods online or over the telephone are legally bound to adhere to this. Your local trading standards department, or even the Office of Fair Trading, can issue an injunction against you if you don't.

2. After a customer buys something from your website, what must you do to confirm the sale?

By law, consumers must be given clear information about whatever is being offered for sale throughout the buying process, including at the point at which they click the 'buy' button. You're also legally obliged to send them an order confirmation after a sale is made. This can either be by post, fax or e-mail, but it must be a written confirmation clearly stating what they've bought, what they've paid, and when they can expect to receive the goods.

3. You haven't got a website, but you also sell goods over the phone. Do the Distance Selling Regulations still apply?

Yes, they certainly do. The Regulations affect businesses that sell goods or services by mail order, including catalogue shopping; by phone or fax; from a website; or through digital TV.

The only cases in which the Regulations don't apply are:

• Businesses selling financial services.
• Sales of land or buildings.
• Purchases from a vending machine or automated commercial premises.
• The use of a public payphone to buy or sell goods.
• Rental agreements that have to be in writing, such as a long-term lease on a property.
• Auctions, including Internet auctions.

4. So the Distance Selling Regulations don't apply to auctions. You're currently trading on eBay. Are you exempt?

Yes, at the moment, online auctions such as eBay, Ubid and so on are not affected by the Regulations - provided, that is, that you're allowing consumers to bid for your goods. However, if you use the 'buy now' function on eBay (as many small businesses do), this sale is not part of an auction and therefore DOES fall under the remit of the Regulations - so watch out.

You can get more information about this at the OFT or by checking out the guidelines posted on the eBay [link: http://www.beginners-guide-to-ebay.com] site

Many Latin words and phrases have infiltrated 21st-century English, and a lot of them are used in business communication. Do you know the meaning of the phrase 'ipso facto'?

a) certainly
b) as a result of
c) in reality
d) on the face of it

Answer at the end of Bulletin.

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Earlier in the bulletin, we talked about the Distance Selling Regulations and how they apply to Internet auction sites. This book is a great starting point for entrepreneurs considering trying their luck as eBay traders. With a section specifically for sellers that's packed full of tips for promoting your items, strategies for getting high bids and advice on what to sell, it's a great resource for anyone interested in getting a slice of eBay's $30 billion-a-year pie. Check out: