We’re going to start at the beginning, from setting up your account, right the way through to posting your first tweet.  If you've already set up your account or are a more experienced Twitter user, watch this space for our upcoming advanced class!

Firstly, head over to twitter to get started. Next, you’re going to want to create an account with your business name and profile picture. It’s a good idea to use your logo for your profile picture to create a professional image.  If you don’t have a business logo, try to use a professional photo of yourself – you’re aiming to project an image of professionalism for your business.

There's some useful lingo you'll need to learn, some of the most common are below.

• RT (Retweet) When you copy another person’s tweet to share with your own followers. Useful for when you see something that you think your followers will appreciate.
• MT (Modified Tweet) When you see a tweet from one of your followers that you want to retweet but it’s too long, meaning that you shorten it to fit before sharing.

• # (Hashtags) A way of categorising a relevant word within a tweet. If you click on the hashtag link, Twitter will display all other tweets with that hashtag embedded in it. Very useful if you want your account to be visible within Twitter.

Once your account is up and running, it’s time to begin the process of gaining followers. This is, unfortunately, not straightforward, but there are things that you can do to begin with:

• Ask your friends and family to start following you and perhaps cheekily ask your friends to promote your account to their followers.
• Update your business cards to show your new Twitter account name.
• Change any flyers or paperwork you may have to include this new link.
• If you have a business website, make sure that you include a link on it.
• Update your email signature to include a link to your Twitter account.

Next, you’re going to want to create your very first tweet! There are some simple steps here to ensure that your message is read:

• Keep your tweets short – below 140 characters so that all of your message is visible.
• Use a url shortener if you want to post links. Some good ones are bit.ly and goo.gl.
• Keep your tweets understandable and easy to read.
• Post them at a reasonable hour such as lunch time or early evening.
• Keep a constant flow of tweets going out, but not too many – aim for around 6 to 8 a day.

If you already have a personal Twitter account and have been using it for your business, it’s well worth creating a separate business account so that any personal information is not passed onto your business followers. There have been several high-profile instances where this has happened so make sure it doesn't happen to your account!

 By now you should be up and running with your first Business Twitter account. Our next article will go into more detail on how you can get more out of your account.

Think we've missed anything? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube account so you don’t miss the next episode!

Capita Tenancy Deposit Protection, which has been authorised by the government, presents landlords with a new option when considering how best to protect their tenants' deposits. But how does it differ from the other schemes already on offer?

Capita Tenancy Deposit Protection is an insurance-based scheme. This means that the landlord holds onto the deposit, while Capita provide insured protection for the sum over the course of the tenancy. This is in contrast with custodial schemes, in which the deposit is handed over to the protection service.

The amount you pay Capita depends on the size of the deposit. Deposits up to £499.99 are charged at £15 per tenancy, while those over £500 attract a fee of £22.50. Letting agents regulated by a trade body pay £9.50, while unregulated agents pay £30 per tenancy. These prices are roughly in line with the other three deposit protection schemes available: the Tenancy Deposit Protection Service, Tenancy Deposit Solutions, and the Deposit Protection Service.

The operation of the scheme is similar to that of other insurance-based protection services. Landlords must provide standard information about themselves in order to join the scheme, and must then give details of the tenants and tenancy, along with the fee, in order for the deposit to be protected. When the tenancy nears its end, Capita will email asking you whether the tenancy is being renewed. If they don't receive a reply, they will assume that it is being renewed with the same details, and will raise an invoice for the amount due. Otherwise, you will be expected to agree with your tenant how much of the deposit is to be returned, and to return it to them within 10 days.

While Capita's solution isn't any more cost effective than its competitors, its major advantages can be seen in the way in which it handles disputes. In the event that there is a disagreement between you and your tenant about the amount of the deposit to be returned, Capita offers dispute resolution through Ombudsman Services, an established dispute resolution firm.

Capita also suggests that it may be reassuring for landlords and tenants to know that their deposit is being backed by a FTSE 100 company.

Whether or not you choose to do with Capita, you are legally obliged to protect your tenants' deposits within 30 days of receiving them. Failure to do so could result in you having to pay fines. Read more about resolving disputes here.

One of the less well documented effects of the recession has been an increase in the number of people who are 'under-employed', or who work on contract or other insecure arrangements. In a bid for security, many of these individuals are using their spare time to set up businesses of their own.

Running a business in your spare time is a huge challenge - but it can provide the valuable opportunity to get your venture off the ground while still maintaining some stable income. We have compiled some top tips to help you make the most of your time.

Most people work best when they set themselves a routine. While your routine is likely to be the inverse of that adhered to by most people, and while you will be working very hard, it is important that you set yourself boundaries in order to ensure that you are working as efficiently as possible, and that you still have a life outside your work.

Although many of the world's biggest businesses started in their founders' spare time, it is important that you set realistic goals in the short term. Think carefully about the amount of time you actually have. Rather than persuading yourself that you will have a million pound venture by the end of your first year, think realistically about what you can achieve. A good business plan is one of the most important ways in which you can plan for the future. This document will help you understand the nature of your business, and will ensure that you set achievable goals. Read more about writing a business plan.

Even if your family do not have a hands on part in helping you build your business, it is still vital that they are kept in the loop. You may, for example, need to ensure that you are given the time to work in the evenings or weekends without interruption, and you will need to negotiate this with your family.

It is worth remembering, though, that your family may well have skills that you can use. Many of the most successful spare-time businesses are family affairs, with individual members working together to build something sustainable.

Many of the most successful '5 to 9' businesses operate with the support of the entrepreneur's employer. Indeed, many small business owners take the skills and knowledge they have developed in employment, and apply them to their own ventures. However, even if you are working in an entirely different field, you should consider telling your employer about your new idea, as they may well be able to accommodate your needs in the event that you require flexible working patterns.

Finally, it is important to understand that the internet is your friend, particularly when it comes to spare tim businesses. There is a range of time saving and organisational tools that you can use to ensure you make the best use of the periods during which you are working on your new venture.

You might consider using one of the many online project management tools that are now available to help you keep track of the work you need to do. Cloud-based software like Basecamp or Freedcamp allow you to divide up your tasks efficiently, keep on top of the amount of time you are dedicating to each, and see an overview of your progress. Similarly, if there is more than one person involved in the running of the business, collaborative tools like Google Apps provide a simple way for multiple parties to contribute to documents and projects.

There is a wealth of resources online to help you start and grow your new business. Here are some handy guides from the Simply Business Knowledge Centre.

The TechSME guide - vital information to help you use technology to build your business
Online marketing on a shoestring - build your customer base with a minimum financial investment
Apply for £5,000 in 'innovation vouchers' - want to transfer new knowledge or skills into your business? These European grants could help

This is according to a report from accountancy firm UHY Hacker Young, which suggests that just 400 firms applied for the scheme during December 2012. This represents a 44 per cent decline when compared with the same month in 2011.

The longwindedly titled Regional Employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) Holiday for New Businesses provides a potential saving of up to £5,000 for new businesses based outside the South East and Eastern England. The saving is generated through a voluntary withholding of employers' NICs for each of a business's first ten employees.

The scheme was launched with some fanfare in September 2010, but take-up has been far lower than expected. The 'holiday' is scheduled to end this September, and will be replaced by the less generous Employment Allowance.

The National Insurance holiday presents small businesses with an important means by which they can make hiring more cost-effective. So how do you apply?

The National Insurance holiday is voluntary and, as a result, thousands of businesses that are eligible for the scheme are not taking advantage of it.

The holiday has strict eligibility criteria. One of the most important restrictions is that of location. The holiday is only available to firms whose principal place of business is in one of the following regions when they start up:

⁃ Northern Ireland
⁃ Scotland
⁃ Wales
⁃ East Midlands
⁃ North East
⁃ North West
⁃ South West
⁃ West Midlands
⁃ Yorkshire and Humber

In the event that you do not have an obvious principal place of business, you should base your eligibility on "the place where you keep your equipment, retain your business records or carry on the administrative parts of your business."

Provided that you are based in the right location, you can then consider the next stage of eligibility. The holiday only applies to businesses that started to trade on or after 22 June 2010, and runs for 12 months after the date on which your business started. As explained above, the scheme ends on 5 September 2013, and you will not be able to withhold NICs after that date, regardless of when your business started.

The holiday is only available to businesses of the following types:

⁃ Sole traders, limited companies, or partnerships carrying on a trade, profession, or vocation
⁃ Property businesses or investment businesses
⁃ New trading charities

If you are confident that your business meets the eligibility criteria for the holiday, your next step is to apply. In order to do so, you must already be registered as an employer with HMRC. You will need the PAYE and Accounts Office references that you received when you registered in order to fill out the form.

You will be able to use HMRC's online application process provided that your principal place of business is in the UK, you are not in receipt of any other de minimis State Aid (see the following section for more information), and your business is not in the agriculture, fisheries, road transport, or forestry sectors.

You can use the online application form on HMRC's website here.

Potentially, yes. The holiday is classed as 'de minimis State Aid', and there are restrictions of the amount of this aid that you can claim in any financial year. Other aid such as innovation vouchers may affect your entitlement to the holiday, although the vast majority of businesses will be able to claim. Detailed guidance on de minimis State Aid is available on the government's .GOV website.

There is a range of ways in which landlords can cut their costs without negatively impacting the service they provide. Read on for our top money-saving tips for landlords.

If you have not yet bought your first property, think carefully about the location in which you do so. A distance of mere metres can significantly change your potential yields. Make sure that you do as much research as possible before making a purchase, for example using websites like Zoopla and Rightmove.

Don't just go for the first agent you see. Shop around to make sure that you are getting the best possible deal, and think carefully about whether or not you require property management services. While some landlords prefer to have the agent manage all aspects of their tenant relationships, others choose to have them simply find new tenants and leave the property management to them.

Alternatively, you might choose not to use an agent at all. There is nothing stopping you performing these tasks yourself, although you should make sure that you are familiar with the proper tenant referencing procedures if you do decide to go down this route.

Taking out a good insurance policy is one of the most important cost-saving measures a landlord can undertake. Landlord insurance has the potential to save you huge sums in the event of an incident for which you claim - but there is no sense in paying too much. Use an online broker like Simply Business to compare quotes quickly and easily.

Void periods present landlords with significant financial risk. Although it is sometimes possible to insure against them, and although some agents offer 'guaranteed rent' deals, the most cost efficient way of combating them is to take steps to avoid them altogether. Read our guide to minimising void periods.

Property maintenance is a significant outlay for landlords, but you can help to keep this cost down by shopping around for the best value tradespeople. Try using a service like RatedPeople to find professionals in your area who can do the best work for the best price.

Landlords can offset many of their expenses against their tax bill, including agency fees, legal fees, and insurance. Read about the expenses you might be able to claim here.

It can be tempting as a landlord to do everything yourself in order to save on tradespeople expenses. However, it is important to understand that DIY may not always be best. Sometimes it pays to pay - that is, sometimes the cost of hiring someone to do the work for you might be less than the total cost, including your time, of doing it yourself. Read our guide to determining when DIY might work for you.

There is a range of grants available to landlords who wish to insulate their properties or otherwise make them more energy efficient. Read about the Green Deal on the government's website for more information.

If you are furnishing your property, consider investigating the many second hand options. Ikea is not always cheapest. Instead, you can often find great bargains at auction, or even for free on websites like Freecycle. Provided that the items are of good quality, there is nothing stopping you filling your property with second hand furniture.

Finally, mortgage payments will be most landlords' primary expense. You should review your mortgage arrangements on a regular basis to ensure that you are getting the best possible deal. If you are looking for your first mortgage, or considering switching deals, compare rates with Simply Business.

In last week's Queen's Speech the government indicated its intention that private landlords should be required to check whether or not prospective tenants are legally allowed to settle in the UK before offering a tenancy. The proposal was one of the centrepieces of a speech that focused heavily on immigration.

According to the government's plans, landlords who fail to conduct the checks would receive significant fines.

But the proposals have been widely criticised by both opposition MPs and landlord groups. In the House of Commons Labour MP Fiona Mactaggart said the plans were simply unfeasible.

"I am not sure how a landlord is supposed to be able to prove to their own satisfaction whether someone is qualified or not," she said. "In order to operate the proposal sensibly, it will probably require a register of landlords."

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper echoed the remarks, saying that "the government cannot tell us how their policy will be enforced, because they do not know who the landlords are and they will not have a statutory register."

Others, however, have suggested that the new regime would make little difference to landlords, many of whom already include basic checks of this sort in their referencing process. Richard Lambert, CEO of the National Landlords Association, welcomed the proposals, saying: "Every landlord should thoroughly reference a tenant prior to offering a tenancy; this is standard best practice which safeguards the landlord's business. Tenant checks should include not only an identity check, as suggested, but also whether the tenant has any County Court Judgments, possible aliases and include references from their employer and a previous landlord. Such checks should highlight any immigration irregularities.

"However, local authorities must undertake robust, intelligence-led, targeted enforcement, otherwise illegal immigrants who are refused housing by reputable landlords will face homelessness or be pushed straight back into the arms of the criminals who deliberately exploit vulnerable people."

At the moment, the government's proposals are just that - proposals. They may yet be changed, or simply not implemented at all.

That said, the proposals highlight several vital things that landlords should keep in the forefront of their minds. The first is the importance of proper tenant referencing. By ensuring that you check your tenants' credit history, previous landlords, and employment status, you can minimise the risk of non-payment and other problems.

Secondly, as Cooper and Mactaggart pointed out, the prospect of a nationwide register of landlords remains a real one. Registers have already been introduced in parts of the UK, and landlords should be prepared for a national list in the future.

The newspaper reports that the social media giant will begin rolling out video ads from July, with a limited number of major clients being invited to use the new service. It is thought that video advertising will then be made available on a 'self-service' basis to all advertisers.

Although Facebook has so far declined to comment on the plans, some details have emerged. It is thought that adverts will appear without sound in users' news feeds, and that they will then begin playing again in the event that a user turns on the sound. During the early stages of the service users will only see videos from one advertiser per day.

Facebook is positioning the service as an alternative to TV advertising, pricing its videos in the "low $20s" per thousand views. This is slightly cheaper than the current average cost of TV ads.

Although Facebook video ads will not be available to everyone at launch, they still have implications for your small business. The first and most important thing to understand is that the nature of online advertising, and indeed of the internet itself, is changing. If anything, Facebook has been slow on the uptake. Video is now a huge force online. Web users are increasingly choosing video over any other medium, as it provides a quick, low hassle means by which they can receive information.

Similarly, Facebook's pricing represents the perceived shift in consumers' viewing patterns. Conventional TV advertising is seen to be becoming less efficient, simply because consumers are not watching TV in the same way. Instead, they are either watching films and programmes through online on-demand services, or with a 'second screen' - that is, a laptop, tablet, or smartphone that is in use at the same time as the TV is on.

Facebook's entry into the video advertising market is therefore a symptom of a wider shift towards online video content.

Although it may be some months before you can sign up to Facebook's service, there is a number of other ways in which your small business might experiment with video advertising.

The most important of these is YouTube. YouTube is the world's most popular video sharing site, generating 400 million views every day. There are two key ways in which you can use YouTube in your marketing.

Although YouTube might seem like a difficult nut to crack, there are simple ways in which you can use it to build your customer base. Read our guide to YouTube for small businesses for more.

Insurance is one of the most important expenses your business might incur, yet often the most misunderstood. Every person is different, so is every business and as such each individual business’ insurance needs will vary accordingly. That’s why it is hard to provide a fully comprehensive guide to the business insurance world; however we can certainly cover the basics, giving you the right knowledge to make sure that you’re buying the right insurance for your business.

So whether you’re a handyman working on your own, a boutique perfume shop with a few employees, or a multi-million pound international fashion company trading in different currencies and time zones, we are sure you will find something useful in this guide to business insurance.

First let’s tackle public liability insurance. This is probably the most purchased business insurance and is essential for any business which interacts with the general public or meets their clients face-to-face - which is almost every business!

Public liability insurance is there to compensate a member of the public (i.e. anyone who is not associated with your business) should you or an employee accidentally injure them or damage their property. A good example would be a window cleaner who is cleaning a two storey window on a busy high street and drops his bucket. I’m sure you can think of many different things that could be hit and damaged or injured by the bucket.

Or perhaps a plumber leaves a piece of pipe lying around in their client’s home whilst they pop out to get some lunch and the client slips on it and injures themself.

Unfortunately we live in a world where fraudulent claims are not unheard of and as a business owner you may well find yourself a target of one. If there is a claim against you of this nature your insurer will still protect you against it in the same way, so you aren’t spending money on legal costs just because you’ve been targeted in this way.

If you ever receive a claim which you believe is fraudulent, please make sure you notify your insurer immediately as the sooner it can be investigated the better. In fact you should notify your insurer as soon as an incident has occurred, whether you believe it will lead to a claim or not and even if you suspect it isn’t a ‘legitimate’ incident. The sooner your insurer has the information the better job they can do of protecting you.

Insurance companies offer a range of cover levels, commonly starting from £1,000,000 although sometimes lower. With certain business types such as shops, this will often start at £2,000,000. In some cases you may find a contract requires you to hold £5,000,000 or even £10,000,000 – Which is often the case if you are working on a local council or government contract.

If you don’t have a contract specifying an amount, you will need to assess your own risk and level of exposure to the public. Perhaps you have a small jewellery shop with a low number of customers every day, but all your customers are celebrities – you should probably consider how much it could cost should a celebrity trip over in your shop and miss a concert performance. Conversely, you may be running an online shop, selling goods without a shop premises. Perhaps you see a customer once a month who is coming to collect something rather than pay the postage. In this case, your Public Liability needs may be lower - although in this case you will most likely need to consider Products Liability.

Products Liability provides the same type of insurance as public liability, in that it covers you for injury caused to a member of the public or damage to their property – the difference is that it covers damage caused by a product that has been supplied, installed, maintained, or manufactured by you.

It is important to note that this is not the same as a warranty cover – this insurance is not covering you if the product you sold stops working or doesn’t work as it was supposed to. Products liability covers you should your product cause damage or injure someone.

For instance, an online shop may make and sell battery powered toys. Because of bad wiring in the toys, they overheat and catch fire. In this case, the Products Liability cover would be there to provide compensation should a fire cause damage or injury.

Many insurers combine Products and Public Liability insurance into a single product.

Employers' liability is the only business insurance cover required by law. It provides insurance for employees who are taken sick, or who have an accident, whilst working for you.

For Employers' Liability you need to check to see if anyone you have working for you are considered “employees” as defined in the Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969. For instance, a teaching school who 'pays' their students to clean the school by giving them a discount on their classes would be required to have Employer’s Liability insurance, as the student is technically an employee through the terms of the Act.

We have listed out the main details of the Act below. The most prudent course of action when it comes to deciding whether or not to buy Employers’ Liability is 'If you’re in doubt, get it'. Even volunteers working for you can be covered under Employers' Liability, so even though you may not be required to have it by law, you can buy it knowing that they will be looked after in the event that they try to make a claim against you. Please make sure you check your insurance policy to see who is and isn’t covered.

As with all insurance, every case is different, but there are substantial fines if you are found to not have Employers' Liability when you should – so always err on the side of caution when considering whether someone working for you qualifies as an employee or not.

To help you, we have copied out the relevant section of the Health and Safety Executive Handout below. (The full copy of the handout is available here http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hse40.pdf)

“You need employers’ liability insurance unless you are exempt from the Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act. The following employers are exempt:*

• most public organisations including government departments and agencies, local authorities, police authorities and nationalised industries;
• health service bodies, including National Health Service trusts, health authorities, primary care trusts and Scottish health boards;
  
• some other organisations which are financed through public funds, such as passenger transport executives and magistrates’ courts committees;
  
• family businesses, ie if all of your employees are closely related to you (as husband, wife, civil partner, father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, stepfather, stepmother, son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, stepson, stepdaughter, brother, sister, half-brother or half-sister). However, this exemption does not apply to family businesses which are incorporated as limited companies;
  
• companies employing only their owner where that employee also owns 50% or more of the issued share capital in the company.

* Further exemptions from the need to have employers’ liability insurance are listed at section 3(1)(a) and section 3(1)(b) of the Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969, and Schedule 2 to the 1998 Regulations.

“The following paragraphs may help give you some indication of whether or not a person is an employee under the Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act. However, it is for you to satisfy yourself of the status of the persons working for you and if you have any doubts, you should seek legal advice.

You may need employers’ liability insurance for someone who works for you where:

• you deduct national insurance and income tax from the money you pay them;
• you have the right to control where and when they work and how they do it;
  
• you supply their work materials and equipment;
  
• you have a right to any profit your workers make although you may choose to share this with them through commission, performance pay or shares in the company;
  
• you require that person only to deliver the service and they cannot employ a substitute if they are unable to do the work; or
  
• they are treated in the same way as other employees, for example, they do the same work under the same conditions as someone else you employ.”
  

You may not need employers’ liability insurance for people who work for you where:

• they do not work exclusively for you (for example, if they operate as an independent contractor);
• they supply most of the equipment and materials they need to do the job;
  
• they are clearly in business for their own personal benefit;
  
• they can employ a substitute when they are unable to do the work themselves;
  

you do not deduct income tax or national insurance. However, even if someone is self-employed for tax purposes they may be classed as an employee for other reasons and you may still need employers’ liability insurance to cover them.”

If you are required to buy Employers’ Liability, the law requires you to be insured for at least £5 million, although many insurers offer a minimum cover of £10 million. You are required to display a certificate of the insurance where your employees can see it (printed or online).

Professional indemnity provides insurance to protect you from mistakes you make at work that result in a financial loss to your client, specifically after you have provided them with a service or advice. For instance….

An architect designs a house. Their client then spends money on building the house, only to find that it collapses as the design was faulty. The client will sue the architect for the money that he has lost as a result of the architect’s negligence, and the architect’s professional indemnity insurance will cover the costs plus any legal fees that are required (up to the limits of the policy).

On the other hand if a builder has simply built a house badly and it falls down as a result, Professional Indemnity insurance will not provide any cover as it is not the same as a warranty; nor is it providing a guarantee of work carried out badly (what insurers call “faulty workmanship”).

So in the two examples above, the architect has given advice to the client on how they should build a house; this advice has proven to be wrong as the house has fallen down, so Professional Indemnity covers the losses from the negligent advice. The builder however, has just done a bad job – the builder hasn’t advised the client how they should build the house, so Professional Indemnity insurance does not provide coverage as the loss was a result of “faulty workmanship”.

Some of the most common professions requiring Professional Indemnity insurance are:

- Management Consultants
- Architects and engineers
- Accountants and bookkeepers
- IT Contractors

Insurance coverage can start from £50,000 sometimes lower and can go as high as £5,000,000. It is important for you to determine your own level of risk. One rule of thumb is to think how much it would cost to financially pay back your client if you make a mistake. So if you are an IT Contractor working on a large call centre telephone system and the whole system goes down due to your mistake, the potential loss would most likely be much bigger than an accountant whose only clients are small charities with low budgets and turnovers.

So what about your computer, specialist tools, and equipment? Or even your own office? Well these can be covered too. An insurance policy that covers both your liability exposures (Public Liability, Products Liability, Employers' Liability, and Professional Indemnity) and also your property is typically called a comprehensive insurance policy. Some insurers will provide a discount for comprehensive policies, so it is worth making sure you ask for quotes for everything rather than thinking it will be better to buy from different insurers.

Business property insurance is generally split into the following:
- Buildings insurance (this may be your shop or office)
- Fixtures and Fittings insurance (if you haven’t already bought buildings insurance)
- Contents insurance (desks, chairs, printers etc.)
- Portable equipment insurance (laptops, mobile phones, etc)
- Tools (any specialist tools, such as a carpenter’s tools)
- Stock (building materials, items to be sold, etc)

With all property insurance, particularly buildings, it is important that you don’t ‘underinsure’. Underinsurance commonly occurs when someone insures a lower value than the total, thinking that ‘my whole house won’t blow away,’ or ‘my tools will never all be stolen together’ so they will never need to claim for the full amount.

If you haven’t insured the correct total value then you will be ‘underinsured’ and most insurers will impose the principle of average on any claims.

The principle of Average:

If a florist insures their building for £100,000 but the total cost of rebuilding would be £200,000 then they have only insured 50% of the shop. This means that the insurer has the right to impose average, meaning a penalty of 50% to any claims that they make.

One day a tree outside the florist blows over and falls through the shop roof causing £50,000 worth of damage. Because of average the insurer considers only half of this damage to be insured, so will only pay out £25,000 to the owner (minus any excess) – obviously a big short-fall and an unhappy florist!

This isn’t the insurance company being unfair – it is a principle of insurance that the insurance company can only pay you for what you have insured. If you are under-insured, they can only match the same. If a company is looking to insure 10x £1000 laptops, but only insure them for £5000 thinking they will never all be stolen, how does the insurer know which ones are covered and which aren’t? And even if they’re never together there is still roughly 10x the risk of one of them being stolen, which the insurer must account for.

We often see people confused by the difference between ‘contents’ and ‘fixtures and fittings’ cover. I’ll do my best to explain this - Imagine you were to turn a building upside down; everything that refused to budge (fitted cupboards, sinks, etc) would be fixtures and everything that fell out, or is now sat on the former ceiling would be contents. Buildings insurance will usually cover you for the fixtures and fittings, so when buying buildings insurance you will probably only need to add on your contents - but if in doubt it is always better to check with your insurer.

Finally your portable equipment and specialist tools are pretty self-explanatory – however, it’s important to always remember average and please make sure that you read your policy carefully as many insurers will impose restrictions. An example would be an insurer that doesn’t cover tools when left in a vehicle overnight. In some cases, often for an extra premium, these restrictions can be altered or removed.

In an increasingly digital world, business cards are sometimes overlooked. But, just as there is nothing more effective than a face-to-face meeting, so too is there often nothing better than a physical reminder of you and your business. Similarly, many consumer facing businesses conduct much of their marketing and sales in the ‘real world’, as opposed to online. A well designed business card should therefore be one of the key tools in your networking and sales arsenal.

Size is one of the first and most important considerations when designing a business card. Most business cards are standard credit card size. This has a number of distinct advantages. Cards of this size will fit in a wallet or card holder, and are less likely than oversized cards to get bent, or than undersized cards to get lost.

That isn’t to say, though, that unconventional sizes don’t have their own benefits. A uniquely sized card can help to set your business apart from the pack, and can be a great way of cementing your business’s position in the mind of the recipient. Similarly, a larger size can give you more creative freedom, allowing you to reflect your brand properly and make an impact.

You should also think about the weight of the card. Standard business cards are printed on paper stock of around 350gsm. You might, however, choose to go for something heavier in order to give your card a luxury feel. Many business card printers will be able to accommodate this, but you should be prepared to pay more.

The design of your business card should reflect your existing marketing communications. In other words, you should ensure that you use the same logo, font, and, where applicable, wording, across all of your marketing materials.

However, even within these parameters there is still a lot that you can achieve. You should think carefully about the positioning of your logo. For most businesses the logo and business name, along with a description of the services offered, will be the most important elements of the business card, and the ones that grab the attention first. To this end you might consider positioning them at the top of the card, and with a size that gives them precedence. Alternatively, you might even think about dedicating a whole side to the business itself, and the flip side to your individual contact details. Again, you should remember that double sided cards will generally be more expensive to print.

You should also think carefully about the nature of the information that you need to fit on the card. This will almost certainly include the business name and a general contact number, along with your own name, phone number, and email address. You might also include a website and, where applicable, social media addresses. In some cases, though, you might need to include industry-specific information. For example, if you are part of a trade body or are regulated by a specific watchdog, you might also need to include your registration number.

Weight is not the only thing you need to think about when considering paper. How would you like your business card to be finished? Most cards are matte, but you might choose to go for a shiny, gloss feel. Similarly you might choose to have the text embossed, or bevelled.

You should remember, though, that different finishes mean different print qualities. Some paper types are better for colour reproduction, whereas others don’t perform as well. You should speak to your printer to ensure that you get the right paper and finish for your job.

Finally, you need to locate a printer. There is a vast and ever growing number of online business card printers available, many of which offer free design services. This can be the quickest and cheapest way of getting a business card designed, as you simply need to upload your artwork, or choose from a predesigned option. Similarly, as these organisations don’t have physical premises, their prices aren’t bumped up by big overheads.

However, there are still hundreds of local print firms across the country, and there is likely to be one close to your business. These firms can offer the added advantage of enabling you to speak to someone about your specific job – which, if you are a first time printer, can be invaluable.

The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses programme aims to address the "support gap" from which so many small firms suffer. The programme is intended to provide assistance to high-growth small businesses and social enterprises that need help to reach the next stage in their development. It was designed following "extensive research" by the investment bank, and is run in partnership with "some of the country's top business schools and universities."

Goldman Sachs' scheme is essentially a business education programme. It aims to provide opportunities for small business owners to network with and learn from leaders of established firms and business educators. The scheme is fully funded, meaning that business owners do not have to pay to participate.

Each participant attends twelve sessions in the programme, totalling around 100 hours. The bank describes these sessions as consisting of "a high quality, practically-focused business and management education."

Over the course of the sessions each small business owner will participate in specialist workshops and mentoring sessions. They will also receive one-to-one business advice with a range of experts. Every business owner will develop their own Growth Plan, the intention of which is to provide their firm with an efficient framework for expansion.

The programme is administered by a series of universities, each of which already provide practical business education. These include University College London, the Manchester Metropolitan University Business School, and the Leeds University Business School. The scheme is currently in operation in London, the Midlands, the North West of England, and Yorkshire.

Goldman Sachs claims that 77 per cent of the programme's participants are net new job creators, while 66 per cent are growing revenue. They suggest that the initiative is "establishing a lasting national community of small businesses that are supporting each other to maximise potential."

The 10,000 Small Businesses scheme is aimed at business owners who want to grow existing ventures and create local employment. It is not open to start-ups or sole traders.

In addition, the applicant must be the owner, co-owner, or "most senior decision-maker" of the business. The firm must have been in operation for at least a year, must be scalable, and must be capable of offering local employment. Most businesses represented on the programme have between five and 40 employees.

Applications are made through each of the five university partners. You can find details of these partners on the 10,000 Small Businesses website.

A new generation of young business owners are leading the way out of the downturn, according to the annual Simply Business Start-up Index, which reveals a 29 per cent rise in firms started by 18-25 year olds since the recession took hold in 2008.

Data from the UK’s largest business insurance provider, based on up to 750,000 individual quote requests annually, revealed that new businesses accounted for 38 per cent of all applications in 2012, representing a 3.4 per cent increase on the previous year. This compared to a decline of 8.7 per cent for all start-ups since 2008, making the big rise in younger entrepreneurs all the more significant.

As part of the annual report, Simply Business conducted a start-up capital poll on a cross-section of 500 customers, to review the current landscape of finance and lending. This revealed that the majority of businesses start on a shoestring, with 58 per cent raising less than £1,000 to get off the ground and 39 per cent managing on less than £500. Most start-ups are self-funded, relying on savings (84%) or family (12%), with just five per cent receiving bank funding to launch their enterprise.

“The start-up figures for 2012 are encouraging as they show that enterprise is not being unduly suppressed by ongoing negativity in the economy,” comments Jason Stockwood, Simply Business CEO. “This has been among the most difficult periods ever faced for young people, with many traditional routes to employment now closed, so it is especially pleasing to see a new generation of entrepreneurs emerging and hopefully building the household names of the future.”

At the opposite end of the scale to those at the start of their career, the trend for retiree-age entrepreneurs continued in 2012 with a 7.2 per cent increase in applications from those over the age of 65 – the biggest annual rise of all age groups. Over 65s now account for more than four per cent of all new business owners, gaining ground on the most prolific start-up age of 35-44 year olds (30%).

Sentiment played a key part in the start-up landscape in 2012, with entertainment and arts businesses such as event organisers and children’s entertainers proving the biggest growing trades, with the number of new businesses in the sector increasing by 10.8 per cent. Elsewhere however, the struggles of the high street continued, with restaurants (-24%), shops (-18%) and pubs (-16%) recording the biggest declines overall, revealing the ongoing squeeze on consumers’ disposable income.

Jason Stockwood continues: “The decline in retail trades is worrying as it suggests the government’s efforts to revive the high street are falling flat. This is clear evidence that a renewed focus is badly needed to help support local, independent businesses in particular. On the flipside, the rise in entertainment focused firms shows the enterprising spirit of UK entrepreneurs as they look to meet demand for some light relief in difficult times, as well as riding the wave of major, feel-good events such as London 2012 and the Diamond Jubilee.

“Overall, the start-up demographics we have recorded in recent years shed a lot of light on the environment we now live in. The meaning of retirement has altered for many, as people look to carry on earning in order to boost potentially reduced income. However, positives have also sprung from this with many now viewing this period as a genuine opportunity to make business dreams a reality.”
 

Ollie Rosenblatt, 25, founded the concert promoting company Senbla, in the summer of 2011. He runs the company with his university class-mate.

“I had been working as head of the live division at Jazz FM for a year after graduating university with a degree in Popular World Music, but I began to feel that I had enough experience and industry knowledge to start doing things for myself. It was daunting, but I gathered the confidence to break away and start my own business as I wanted to be in complete control of my career path, particularly with the on-going difficulties in the jobs market. It took some careful planning; I think you can find gaps in certain markets but you have to look hard and really examine the industry you're in to identify the genuine opportunities. I saved money myself from working and living at home, and I was given some capital from a successful art dealer who invested in Senbla from the offset.

“One of the challenges we face is competing with the biggest UK concert promoters for acts, but we’ve worked hard to show agents the benefits of our approach for artists. As a result, we’ve put on events for some major acts including Burt Bacharach, Nigel Kennedy, From the Jam and Finley Quaye. The economy has definitely had an impact on audience spending patterns in the concert market with people buying tickets last minute, always on the lookout for cheap deals. This is the culture now, which can be difficult to manage as a business owner, but we are constantly learning and looking for innovative ways to boost ticket sales. It’s clear that the small-mid market has suffered, however things are definitely on the up. We recently did a deal with Islington Council to put on a minimum of 60 shows this year at the Islington Assembly Hall. It is hard work, but the future looks good for Senbla and I’m happy to be my own boss at 25!”
 

Start-up success:		Start-up strugglers
Strongest growing sectors in 2012	% increase on 2011	Weakest growing sectors in 2012	% decrease on 2011
Entertainment & Arts	+10.8%	Restaurant	-24.4%
Transport	+10.4%	Shops	-18.5
Cleaning	+3.8%	Pubs	-15.9%
Financial/Legal/Insurance	+0.9%	Architects/Surveyors	-9.8%

 * 993,000 people unemployed aged 16-24 - Institute for Public Policy Research, April 2013

Simply Business is the UK’s largest business insurance broker.

Launched in 2005, Simply Business provides an online brokerage service delivering policies tailored to individual business requirements. It has a team of UK based insurance specialists and employs over 180 people across offices in London and Northampton.

Simply Business insures over 225,000 UK SMEs and owing to its internal underwriting capability can cover over 1,000 trade types. It has been a Sunday Times Tech Track 100 company for the past three years and was recently named in the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA. Revenues have grown from £4.2 million in 2006, to £22.9 million in 2012.

Lord Young is right on one front - the internet has changed the face of business forever. But two recent surveys, from Simply Business and the FSB, suggest that far from hopping over the digital fence, small firms are finding it difficult to make technology work for them.

In our annual TechSME Index, Simply Business found that one in five of the UK's small businesses lack basic IT knowledge. Of those, some 40 per cent say that this is hindering their ability to fulfil their business's potential.

This is reflected in a recent report from the Federation of Small Businesses, which found that one in four of the UK's small firms does not have its own website. Similarly, Simply Business found that more than a third do not use email.

The UK's small businesses are in limbo thanks to a widespread lack of basic digital training. Along with the continued difficulties faced by small businesses who need to access finance (difficulties that the government has singularly failed to assuage), this is one of the most significant obstacles facing the country's SMEs.

Lord Young is right to highlight the country's entrepreneurial spirit. But if the government really wants queues of successful new start-ups, it needs to offer free, accessible, high quality training in digital business.

Do you have questions about taking your business online?

We’ve gathered some of the most exciting figures in the small business community for a live online discussion about how businesses can make the most of the web. Panelists include founder of Enterprise Nation and Co-founder of StartUp Britain Emma Jones; Kevin Byrne, Managing Director of Checkatrade.com; and Kris Hewitt, founder of online coffee retailer eightpointnine.com.

We will be discussing tactics for promoting your business online, with customers increasingly using the web to find, discuss and review a range of products and services – from plumbing and party planning to landscaping and legal advice. If you’re not using it, your competitors will be!

Post your questions for the panel on our Google+ page or by emailing social@simplybusiness.co.uk, and tune in to watch on the 21st May.