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7 Safe And Effective Tax Deductions That Every SME Should Be Claiming

HMRC collected over £533 billion in taxes during the 2015-16 tax year but we think it’s possible that many SMEs, business owners, and employees are currently paying more tax than they need to. They simply aren’t aware of a number of different tax incentives offered by HMRC that could reduce their tax bill. It’s no surprise that HMRC are not very good at letting people know about these incentives, so we are happy to introduce 7 safe and effective tax deductions that you should consider.

1. Tax free Christmas office party, panto or concert

When a company throws a party for all of its employees and the cost is less than £150 per head then it is a tax and NI-free benefit.…

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4 Essential Tools Every Small Business Should Be Using

Ivan has written a number of great articles on the challenges that small businesses face. I would like to emphasize one of his points – small businesses often struggle with time management. In case you missed his post “How to Ensure Your Business is Effective at Time Management”, here is an excerpt.

Business smartphone

“Good time management within a business comes from the top. If you run a start-up, small company or big business, then you’ll want to review and improve the time management of it. As well as improving your company’s process it should also save you money in the long run.…

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Leveraging Modern Technology: 4 Ways to Boost Efficiency in the Construction Industry

The construction industry is one sector that, seemingly, cannot be derailed by bumps and blows to the global economy. Like all industries, it has faced tough times, but it continues to grow at a very healthy rate. It is estimated that, by the year 2030, the amount being invested in construction infrastructure will have reached $13 trillion.

This is more than double the same figure for 2012 and the jump should provide a clear indication of how fast the industry is moving. Yet, there are challenges ahead. In order to keep up with demand and fulfil the requirements of ever more stringent state legislation, contractors must be able to evolve.…

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How Not to Write a LinkedIn Profile

There is plenty of advice available about how to write a great LinkedIn profile, but not as much about how not to do it. In fact, you can do all the “right” things and still have a useless—or worse, a dreadful—LinkedIn profile. Sometimes even the so-called experts fail the perfect profile test.

If your LinkedIn profile seems lacking somehow, check to see if you’ve fallen in the “what not to do” trap.

Have You Heard the One About…

You’ve probably read that your LinkedIn page needs to stand out. Your business personality has to shine through. Your listing has to be different so it doesn’t look like every other business on LinkedIn.…

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Why User Experience is So Important in Business

Some businesses that don’t fully recognize how critical the user experience is end up facing financial difficulties early on, and can even end up folding if they don’t implement critical changes quickly. Your business can offer consumers everything that they want tangibly, but if the user experience is lacking, they just won’t feel compelled to give you their business. Your customers may not tell you to your face that their experiences with your company isn’t up to par, but they generally give enough context clues for business owners to figure it all out.

Business website users

Sometimes it’s long lines that turn customers off, and in other cases it can be as simple as a clerk that fails to meet every customer with a smile.…

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A Business Case for Cashback Marketing

You can get cashback on pretty much everything these days, but what is cashback marketing and how does it work? Cashback marketing provides money back to customers when they make specific purchases. This might seem too good to be true for the customer, who would likely have made those purchases anyway. You might also question what benefit it has for the cashback website, or for the company selling the products. It works like a “revenue share model” for the providers, which benefits them, as well as the customer and the merchants who partner up.

Cashback marketing is increasing in popularity

The cashback model is becoming increasingly popular within this digital era, as it’s a powerful way for companies to reach a larger audience, increase their revenue and also reward their loyal customers.…

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Why Managers Shouldn’t Ban Mobiles From the Office

There’s an ongoing debate in the business world about mobile devices: Should they be allowed in office settings, or do they need to go?

Bringing smartphone to work

Some say that these devices cut down on workplace productivity. Others argue that smartphones actually increase office productivity, causing things to run more smoothly.

Maybe you are still trying to figure out what is best. While you’re deciding, discover some pitfalls that managers could face if they don’t let mobile devices stay.

You Lose Efficiency

Mobile devices allow managers to get hold of their employees quickly using means such as texting. Those whom you oversee will also be able to check their email and respond when they are away from their desks.…

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Should I Buy a Budget Printer?

This question is not unlike the “how long is a piece of string?” puzzler. Most households and small businesses have at least one printer under the roof and like most types of office hardware, printers can vary in price considerably. You can get an entry level model that churns out black and white text-only pages with relative ease, right up to specialist machines that are capable of pin-sharp graphics on an A3 poster.

Printer

Probably, however, you’re looking for something in between these two ends of the spectrum, so your budget decision, and whether you should buy a cheaper printer model, is determined by several factors.…

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5 Ways Businesses Can Streamline Their Processes and Save on Manpower

Are you looking for ways to cut business costs? Guess what; there might be one area you could look at that could save you up to 50 percent of your expense bill by the end of the year.

Management team

Take a gander at the cost of skilled labor. For instance, we all know that starting a business requires good market research and an accountant or a CFO to ensure you make more than you spend. Then there is your business’ branding or image and the marketing of your product and campaigns aligned with that.All of these elements, for the most part, require staff to manage.…

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4 Tips for Small Business Web Development on a Budget

One of the most important elements of successfully running a small business can be how effective your website is for attracting customers and allowing them to find what they need with ease. A 2013 Harris Poll showed that almost seventy percent of online shoppers abandon slow websites, which can result in a significant loss of revenue.

If you want to create or improve your business website but are operating on a tight budget, there are a few tips you can use to accomplish your web development goals without going into debt.

1. Review Your Budget Before You Begin

While ideas might abound for your small business website, being aware of your budget before you start spending money on web development can be vital when it comes to effective spending.…

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