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What do you do when a customer buys something from you?

You say "Thank You", right? And you mean it - of course you do, every sale is important. But how is that thank you any different from the thank you the customer got the first time they rang you, visited you, or generally made an enquiry to you? And more importantly, how does YOUR thank you differ from the ones uttered by your competitors, all of whom will thank each and every one of their customers too?

We're always telling you how important it is that you set yourself apart from your competitors. Well, one way you can really achieve this is by going an extra mile for your customers. When someone actually makes a purchase from your business, either for the first time or for the fiftieth time, they're making a statement that they value your product or service so much that they have chosen to spend money on it over all of its competitors. Surely that's worth more than a simple thank you?

Buying and dispatching a small gift for your customers - cinema tickets, maybe, or a bottle of wine - may sound expensive, impractical, even far-fetched. But when you imagine the effect it could have on word-of-mouth referrals, the expense begins to fall into perspective. If you're a new small business with only a handful of customers, it might work out cheaper and more effective to reward them than to run a weekly ad in your local paper.

Genuine, heartfelt thank yous don't need to involve spending a shedload of money. A simple phone call, a note in the post ... these are cheap and cheerful options that would be easy to implement, but you'd be surprised how few businesses actually make the effort to use them.

More ideas on ways to thrill your customers can be found in the UK Small Business Marketing Bible, which also contains hundreds of tips and tactics for boosting your sales using proven marketing strategies that work no matter what product or service you sell.

Calculating your allowable expenses for the purposes of a tax return is a journey into the - how to say it - more eccentric ways of Her Majesty's Inland Revenue. So self-employed taxpayers and sole operators tackling the "calculating profits" section of the self-assessment form can be excused for scratching their heads at times. We've put together a few signposts to help you through what might seem like a maze.

• The guiding principle is that purchases made 'wholly and exclusively for the purpose of the trade' can be deducted from your profits for tax purposes. Hence heating and lighting your business premises, stationery, postage and the like are deductible. Under most circumstances though, home office workers won't be able to claim for their normal utility bills.
• Travel, say in order to meet clients, is deductible. By car, you calculate the amount at 40p per mile up to 10,000 miles during a year, and 25p per mile where your travelling takes you further. Tickets for public transport can also be deducted, and - with perhaps a nod to green values - you can even claim mileage on your pushbike.
• Business calls using your landline are deductible, but if like many home-workers you use the phone for personal calls or Internet surfing, the line rental becomes a personal expense and must be included. Your PC and other business machinery are also deductible, as are training and research, where they're solely work-related.

Still confused? If you're filling in your self-assessment, you might want to browse the notes at http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/pdfs/2003_04/self_employment/ir222.pdf.

The UK Red Tape BUSTER also has guidance on self-assessment and hundreds more scenarios, frequently asked questions and tips on complying with and understanding the laws that apply to small businesses.

We've written quite a lot about viruses and worms recently, but securing your computer from other dangers is also a good idea. A computer is still the single biggest purchase many start ups make, so if someone steals it or the data you have on it you could be facing big problems.

The latest scare is data theft. Of course, this has been possible since the invention of the floppy disk, but with a flash card or one of the other portable memory gadgets around these days it's possible to copy really big files in no time.

• So it makes sense to password-protect your files. This means using a really effective password: with the right software, an intruder will crack "london" in five minutes, but use a combination of numbers and cases like "7sLond0N" and you'll have them working for hours or even days.
• Passwording your files will deter most thieves, but it won't keep somebody really determined out. Setting a BIOS password will make your computer more secure, particularly if it's a laptop. To do this, press the DEL key while your computer is booting up. Instead of entering Windows, it should respond with a menu - including password management - where you can adjust your basic settings. If it doesn't, check your computer manufacturer's manual to find out which key will interrupt the start up process.
• What else can you do to protect your computer? Well, all the traditional methods can help. Writing your postcode on it using an ultraviolet pen will allow the police to return it if it's ever recovered, and you can attach a lock to both laptops and PCs. But before disaster strikes, make sure your business doesn't suffer too much by insuring all your IT kit against loss and theft.

a. to ban, forbid or exclude
b. to order, direct or recommend

Answer at the end of Bulletin.

The SANS Institute believes computers that haven't been patched against viruses or protected with firewalls will come under attack within 20 minutes of connecting to the Internet. This alarming warning is particularly true if you've got a high-speed broadband connection. SANS keeps a free guide for home users and small businesses, offering tips on keeping a Windows XP computer secure.

The guide is downloadable at:
http://www.sans.org/rr/papers/index.php?id=1298

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