Marketing

You have started a business but you’re short of one very important thing… money. Having an extra source of capital can help your business in a number of ways. But where on earth do you get funding from? We have done some investigating to give you an idea.

After starting your business it’s likely that you’ll encounter a number of situations where you’ll need to deliver a presentation. Whilst presenting can be a nerve-wracking experience, it’s a great opportunity to really sell your business. 

The life of a startup is full of ups and downs. Fortunately, there is a simple way to prepare for the tough road ahead… watch the HBO show Silicon Valley. Whilst some shows and films may teach a few business lessons, Silicon Valley is an incredibly accurate case study that startups can genuinely learn from […]

Here at MadeSimple we are big fans of the the Netflix sensation House of Cards – which has just seen its fourth season released. It’s a fantastic show full of political intrigue, deception and scheming – starring Kevin Spacey as the ruthless politician Frank Underwood.

Networking events are a fantastic opportunity for you to get out there and talk about your business to like-minded people and potential customers/partners.

It is a question that entrepreneurs, business owners and management should ask themselves – whether to put themselves in the limelight and enter an award. As the organiser of one such programme, Arabella  Dymoke, of The Good Web Guide shares her thoughts. Having worked with businesses and startups over the years, The GWG knows what makes […]

It’s not every day you get invited to visit Number 10 to talk ‘small business’ with senior advisors to the Prime Minister. So this week I was delighted to be selected by the team at Enterprise Nation who arranged the opportunity for 20 small business owners to get round a table (and a very prestigious […]

Emily Coltman FCA, Chief Accountant to FreeAgent – who provide an award-winning online accounting system for small businesses – explains what companies must send to HMRC and when. Registering the company HMRC are automatically notified when a company is formed at Companies House, so about three weeks after registering your new company, you will receive […]

It’s Glastonbury next week and as anybody who has graced the oft-soaked Somerset fields will tell you, it’s all about getting the right pitch. Well the same goes for your business (and that’s it with the tenuous Glastonbury link). Being able to confidently sell your business to others is a valuable skill that can take […]

They may be almost 20 years old but the 6 Psychological principles of persuasion, created by influence and persuasion expert Professor Robert Cialdini, are powerful, scientifically-supported factors that influence decision making, including the consumer choices of your customers. Here, we outline each factor and how you can apply them in order to benefit your business. […]

Companies House don’t care if members in your Limited by Guarantee company resign. This is an internal matter for the company that Companies House do not need to be notified of. You can record and file meeting minutes detailing the resignation in the company’s own records. This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken […]

On Sunday, Old Trafford bade farewell to Sir Alex Ferguson, the charismatic Scotsman who has managed Manchester United for 26 years. This was the man who led United to 13 Premier League titles, 2 Champions League trophies and 5 FA Cups. The most successful manager in British football history. Now picture the scene. You’re sat […]

Not sure what a limited company term means? Take a look at our handy jargon buster. Accounting Reference Date: The period that annual accounts must cover up to. Annual Accounts: A report delivered to Companies House that details financial information about a company. Annual Returns: A report delivered to Companies House that comprises of up […]

If you have used one of our annual return services to file an AR01 with Companies House (for more information on our two annual return services take a look here), here’s how to view it once accepted: • Login to Companies Made Simple • Select “My Companies” • Click on the company name • Scroll […]

Forming a company can be daunting. It needn’t be. We’ve created a free to download whitepaper called “The Facts: Forming a UK Limited Company” that covers everything you need to know about forming a company in the UK. The document includes director, secretary and shareholder information as well as a look at the legal obligations […]

We’re delighted to announce the launch of Donations Made Simple, our very own charity initiative. What is Donations Made Simple? Donations Made Simple is a brand new website that gives you the opportunity to support some great causes whilst putting yourself in the running to win some fantastic prizes at the same time. Our first […]

Last Updated: 15/12/2014 If you purchase our Comprehensive or Ultimate company formation package we will prepare and file your company’s first annual return (AR01) with Companies House. We will do this roughly three weeks before the due date, once prepared we shall email you and request that you login and review the prepared annual return. Once […]

We’ve joined forces with our friends at Enterprise Nation to launch a modern business club for real UK startups. Membership is just £20 per year and it includes over £500-worth of savings on things like our very own company credit report services as well as business cards, accounting software, web hosting and lots more. Enterprise […]

Sorry, we can longer offer HSBC Business Bank Accounts. All of our company formation packages include a Barclays and HSBC banking option. To select which banking option you would like to utilise (if any): • When purchasing your company formation package be sure to leave the banking option in the basket (you can remove it […]

There are a number of options available when it comes to funding a business. These can be split into two categories; debt financing sources and equity financing sources.

As long as you have at least one human director in your company, Companies House will allow you to appoint another company as a director. To appoint another company as a director you require the following information (for the company being appointed): • Company name • Name of an authorising person (normally a director) • […]

With the Oscars almost upon us we thought we’d lazily link the world of movies with the world of business. So we asked our Twitter and Facebook fans for their favourite films about business. This is what we got back (with a few of our own chucked in too). The nominees are: Ghostbusters “Ghostbusters!” we […]

All limited companies set up via our company formation system are automatically allocated a Companies House webfiling authentication code. This means that if you form your company with us you can login to both our system and the Companies House webfiling system and make changes to the company. Changes include: • Director appointments, resignations and […]

Last Updated: 16/12/2014 A UK limited company has various filing obligations with both Companies House and HMRC. The Companies House obligations (annual returns and accounts) are easy to keep on top of as the due dates can be easily viewed from the Companies House webcheck (and our company admin portal). HMRC obligations are not so […]

Unlike forming a limited company, when you start up as a sole trader you will not receive a company number or a certificate of incorporation. Instead HMRC will mail you a letter which will include your Unique Tax Reference (UTR). This should be delivered six weeks after submitting the application to become a sole trader. […]

In this series of blog posts we are going to look at the different business structures available to the budding entrepreneur. And what better place to start than private companies limited by shares? Forming a private company limited by shares is often considered to add credibility to a business. Registration is processed by Companies House, […]

The company dissolution is a process of closing your limited company and removing it from the Companies House register of active limited companies. Companies House will not accept a dissolution request for your company if: • The dissolution document (DS01) has not been signed by the majority of directors • If the company has traded […]

We provide share certificates for existing and new shareholders alike. For existing shareholders simply login to your account, access “My Companies” and select your company name. Scroll down to the “Shareholders” section and select “Download”, you will either be presented with an online version of the certificate straight away or you will have to enter […]

Our company formation process completely does away with paper documentation. All you need is a computer, an internet connection, means to make payment and your company information. There’s no need for paper, a pen or a signature. It really is all online. Once your application has been submitted to Companies House, a process which shouldn’t […]

From project management, time tracking and invoicing to file sharing, there are numerous apps on the market that can help entrepreneurs and small businesses run more efficiently. With an increase in mobile and tablet accessibility, it’s never been easier to take your business digital and portable. Here’s a list of apps which we believe can […]

All of our company formation packages include a Barclays business bank account service. So how does it work? Just before you start the company formation process, we request that you fill out a quick online document with your contact details. Once the company has been formed Barclays will be in touch to arrange a meeting […]

It’s Movember again and our team are getting fuzzier by the day. Well some of them are. This year, as well as our usual Mo efforts, we’re also inviting fellow ‘tache growers to join our team. At the end of the month we’re going to give a men’s grooming kit to the grower of the […]

Social media is big business these days, and it seems that everyone from your local dentist to your neighbourhood coffee shop has a social media profile that they want you to like or follow! If you want to stand out from the crowd and really make an impression with your social media campaign, why not […]

You can carry out various admin tasks for your limited company via our online admin portal. This includes Director changes such as: Appointing New Directors To add a new Director simply select “Appoint New Director”.

There’s some exciting stuff happening on our Social Media channels at the moment (when our Facebook fan total reaches 300 we’re going to give away a Kindle!), the latest of which is the re-launch of our LinkedIn page. We’d love for you to take a look at the page and let us know what you […]

Our Company Secretarial System now allows all users to toggle their settings so that only “Active” limited companies appear on their display. This removes all dissolved companies. To do this tick the “Display active companies only” box (as per the below image) to show only existing companies and un-tick to show all companies. Our Cosec […]

Look at the bottom of this page, go on, look. That “Leave a Reply” option you see is brand new and we want you to use it. When you have something you want to say regarding a particular blog simply put your thoughts in that box and hit “Post Comment”. It doesn’t matter if it’s […]

Our Facebook activity to date has been shoddy. Tweets rehashed as updates. Content for the sake of content. Social Media for Social Media’s sake. So what are we going to do about it? Well first off, we don’t want this page to be about us, we want it to be about you. We want to […]

All our company formation packages include a FREE Business Start Up Guide. Once the formation packages have been purchased, the link to download the guide is sent in the purchase confirmation email. This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken at Companies Made Simple – The Simplest Company Formation Service Keep up to date. Subscribe to […]

The Made Simple Group believes in keeping things simple – hence the name! That focus has helped us grow from a handful of staff in 2001, offering a few services, to the range of services we provide today. In that time, Companies Made Simple has helped form over 250,000 companies and our simple solutions for […]

He made it! Last week we told you that Humphrey Gervais was bracing himself for the steep climb up the Mweka Route towards Mt Kilimajaro’s 5,896 metre (19,162 ft) summit. We are delighted to tell you that despite the cold and thin air, Humphrey reached the summit early yesterday and is safely back at base […]

Last month we told you about our friend Humphrey Gervais’s attempt to raise £6,000 for Macmillan Cancer by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. The latest news winging its way from Africa’s highest mountain is that Humphrey is still going strong, as you can see from his bulletins: “0106 hrs Wed In bed. Freezing outside but silk liner […]

If there is one thing we admire at the Made Simple Group, it is people who are not afraid to ‘have a go’. That is why we are supporting Humphrey Gervais in his bid to climb Africa’s highest mountain and raise £6,000 for charity. Humphrey won’t mind us saying that he is a lot closer […]

Last Updated: 15/12/2014 As well as setting up brand new limited companies we also have a number of companies formed for the purpose of selling on at a later date as “Shelf” companies. Below you will find some information regarding these companies: • They are all UK (England & Wales) Private Companies Limited by Shares […]

No! Forming a UK Limited Company is not restricted to UK nationals. You can be from anywhere in the world! This goes for Directors, Secretaries and Shareholders. This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken at Companies Made Simple – The Simplest Company Formation Service Keep up to date. Subscribe to our RSS

In fact it’s very simple! To change your accounting reference date (ARD) via our online admin portal: • Login at Companies Made Simple • Click the “My Companies” button • Select the company for whom you wish to change the ARD for • Next to “Accounting Reference Date” select “Change Date” • Select the accounting […]

If you are browsing Companies Made Simple and have any questions regarding any of our services, simply click the orange speech bubble on the bottom-right of the screen. From here you can start a dialogue with one of our advisors completely online. It’s fast, efficient and simple! This post was brought to you by Mathew […]

The Made Simple Group is proud to once again be sponsoring the Startups Awards – Howard Graham, CEO and founder of The Made Simple Group will also be judging the awards. There are 14 categories – from ‘Startups Business of the Year’ through to ‘Home or Craft-based Business of the Year’. Become a contender, enter […]

Last Updated: 29/10/2014 If you have any question regarding forming or running a limited company, take a look at the Knowledgebase. We’re confident that you will find the answer. The Knowledgebase is a hub of limited company information that we’ve collected over the years taken primarily from the different questions we are asked by our […]

Despite the current economic climate there are still plenty of opportunities to help new businesses thrive. There are also schemes to help encourage and develop new businesses, one of which is StartUp Loans. A collaboration between StartUp Britain and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, StartUp Loans is a government backed project aimed at […]

Last Updated: 29/10/2014 If you have a renewable service with us, our “Renewal Fees” page is the go-to place for continuing your services. From here you can renew the following: • Registered Office • Privacy Package • Comprehensive / Ultimate Package • Reserve a Company Name Services • Annual Return Services • Nominee Services • Service […]

99 people so far have been kind enough to plus us on Google Plus! We love using Social Media to find out exactly what you, our customers think of our services so we’re naturally delighted with the response to our Google Plus page. If you’ve not +’d us yet, do it now. You’ll find the […]

Over 2000 businesses participated in our “How Online Savvy Are British Businesses?” survey that we launched in January. Obviously we were delighted with the response. Well we’re now equally delighted that we can announce the results of the survey and it’s compelling reading. Did you know, for example, 23% of businesses in the UK do […]

Our ICAEW accredited Company Secretarial System is designed for customers who administer and/or form numerous limited companies. It’s completely free to sign up to and boasts numerous features, one of which is the “My Credit” option. “My Credit” means that once logged in you have the facility to add an amount of credit of your […]

When you purchase a service (or even just start an account!) with us we provide you with a wealth of free statutory forms and templates. Simply login and from the dashboard click “Statutory Forms”, you’ll then have access to forms/templates such as: • J30 Stock Transfer Form • First Board Meeting Minutes • Automatic Board […]

We’ve just launched the latest Companies Made Simple Survey; How Online Savvy Are British Businesses? The survey takes roughly three minutes to complete and all participants will receive: • Free Microsoft e-book “small business solutions” • Free Huddlebuy Marketing Bundle As well as being entered into a prize draw to win • an iPad2 • […]

It’s great to see so many of you using the different Social Media channels to contact us, but we want more! If you’ve a quick question regarding any of our services why not reach for your mouse and contact us online? We pride ourselves on our speedy response times, so next time you’ve a question […]

We’re delighted to announce that The Made Simple Group will be at the Business2012 exhibition taking place from the 18th-20th March at the 02 in London. We will be represented at the event in two capacities: •    Our CEO Howard Graham is a Keynote speaker alongside such names as Sir Richard Branson and Lord Sugar. […]

Our Limited Company Director infographic draws a profile of company directors appointed between January 2009 and September 2011: You can also view the infographic on visual.ly and as a pdf. If you would like to view the report from which we created the infographic click here. This post was brought to you by Mathew Aitken […]

With us now in the midst of the festive season and a New Year approaching, we thought it a great time to catch up with our Small Business of the Year 2010 winner, SweetBar Ltd. SweetBar specialise in providing pic’n’mix sweets at special occasions and events with their traditional sweet cart. And with all the […]

Every month we send out a newswire via email that includes news, company formation information, other service information and much, much more. We store all of these newswires on the Newswire & Competition Winners Page, so if you’ve missed an edition, don’t worry, you can visit the page and read them all! The Newswire & […]

Last Updated: 12/09/2014 If you’ve got a question regarding company formations or anything related to formations take a look at our new Knowledgebase. The page is a fantastic resource designed to assist you with any questions you have in regards to Companies Made Simple and the different services that we offer. From the Knowledgebase you […]

As we move into the season of “ho ho ho” let’s not forget the “mo mo mo”. That’s right, Movember is coming to an end but don’t worry, it’s not too late to donate to the Made Simple Group team who have been growing their taches since the beginning of the month. In a few […]

We’re now in the business end of Movember, but don’t worry; it’s not too late to donate to the Made Simple Group’s Movember team! Richard and I have been growing our ‘taches since the beginning of the month to differing degrees of success. Richard’s is fully fledged in all its Super Mario glory whilst mine […]

This month we are focusing on the offshore market for companies. With world economies being in apparent meltdown, there are still many reasons why individuals and entities from many countries choose a particular jurisdiction to locate their commercial operations. One country that has particularly suffered from the Eurozone crisis, but is still a highly attractive […]

Start Ups is one of the busiest online hubs for people either considering starting a business or those in business looking for business advice. You’ll find a rich variety of business information and advice… so do explore. Howard Graham, CEO and Founder of Made Simple Group was also recently on the Start Ups panel of […]

We have partnered up with premier domain name provider Namesco to offer Companies Made Simple customers an outstanding domain name deal. If you form a UK Limited Company with us we will provide you with a unique discount code that gets you one free .co.uk domain name registration for two years. Shortly after company formation […]

Another day, another exciting partnership to announce! We can now offer Companies Made Simple customers a free 60 day trial with KashFlow, providers of online “Accounting Software for Small & Medium Size Businesses”. Once the trial period is up we can offer a special price of £14.99 per month. For more information, or to sign-up […]

Last Updated: 11/09/2014 We are now offering three fantastic opportunities for anyone who is looking to become an affiliate of Companies Made Simple. 1.    White Label Company Formation Simply embed our Company Name Search coding onto your site and earn 10% commission on every customer who forms a company (10% of the the value of […]

Last Updated: 11/09/2014 When you login to your account at Companies Made Simple, you may notice at the top of the page in bright orange font “Your Action is Required”, this means one of three things: • You have bought a company formation service with us but you have not yet completed the company formation […]

We’re absolutely delighted to announce that Companies Made Simple is now the approved company formation partner of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. This relationship is a testament to our formation services and procedures that have formed over 250,000 companies in the UK. For more information on this fantastic news click here. […]

Last Updated: 11/09/2014 If you have completed a Return of Allotment Shares for your Limited Company your next step should be to create share certificates for your new shareholder/s. You can now download a share certificate template from your Companies Made Simple Dashboard under the option “Statutory Forms”. Simply open up the document, enter the […]

Yes, we’ve mentioned it before but something this useful is worth shouting about. Our Sole Trader v Limited Company calculator tells you if you’re better off as a sole trader or as a Limited Company. All you have to do is enter your predicted annual profits and we’ll do the rest. Try the calculator out […]

Sorry, we can no longer offer a HSBC Business Bank Account. If you are using our White Label Company Formation Service on your website, you can now enable and disable the HSBC banking option. To do this: 1. Login at our Affiliate Site 2. Select “White Label” 3. On the left-hand side of the screen […]

Companies Made Simple has launched a site dedicated to affiliate marketing opportunities! Our Affiliate Marketing Made Simple page outlines the various affiliate opportunities currently available, including: • White Label Company Formation • Sole Trader vs. Limited Company “widget” • Affiliate Links Over the coming weeks we’ll go into much more detail in regards to these […]

In today’s economic climate, focus on the customer has never been more important. You have to keep your customers happy, keep them coming back for more and generate positive responses to your business and/or product. Here are a few customer focused and marketing tips to consider in order to make your business attractive to those […]

The team at the Made Simple Group recently got together with James Bland, owner of SweetBar, to congratulate him on being our Small Business of the Year 2010 winner and to have a quick chat with him about his business.

Last month we announced SweetBar as our Small Business of the Year winner for 2010. The team at Companies Made Simple were delighted to welcome James Bland, owner of SweetBar, at our offices for a quick chat and to award him his fantastic prizes! He is now the proud owner of a beautiful glass trophy […]

Regular readers of our blog will be aware of our “All you need to know about” series of microsites (example “All you need to know about… Dormant Company Accounts”). We’ve now taken the same idea, but transferred it to videos. The first video concentrates on the Registered Office and is aptly titled “All you need […]

Are you looking to grow your business? If so, the Made Simple Group has some exciting news. We’re in the initial stages of organising a Small Business Graduate Fair, exclusive to SMEs. Unlike traditional graduate fairs, the event would be a more informal networking day, providing a perfect opportunity to meet other businesses and talented […]

Forming a limited company and buying a domain name go hand in hand. Therefore we are delighted to announce that Companies Made Simple, partnered with domain specialists Namesco, now provide domain name services! For more information click here and select the “Domain Name – £8 for 2 years!” option. Secure your domain now! This post […]

We’re now offering a FREE 4 week trial on icomplete.com’s fantastic CRM system (customer relationship management). The award-winning (Dell Small Business Excellence Award) bespoke database allows you to store all types of communication and then associate it with a contact. You can also send fax, sms messages and emails directly from the system. The software […]

3 weeks to go and 3 Peaks to conquer, our team are in the midst of a training regime that would make Rocky weep. No Easter Eggs this year for our brave adventurers, they’re on a diet of raw eggs and protein shakes. Charlene, Gavin, Stan and Richard (The driver!) are starting in Scotland where […]

After you have formed your limited company the logical next step is to start selling your product. This is why we’ve teamed up with Amazon. Signing up on Amazon Marketplace allows our customers, new and old, the opportunity to sell their products on Amazon to 130 Million potential customers For more information click here. This […]

The latest in our “All you need to know about” series has just gone live. “All you need to know about Registering a Business Name” is your one-stop guide to registering a business or company in the UK and can be found at Registering a Business Name. Previous entries in the series can be found […]

As part of madesimplegroup.com’s “freshen-up” we’ve added a brand new page dedicated entirely to job opportunities at The Made Simple Group. The page will be updated whenever a new job becomes available so if you or anyone you know is interested in joining our team in Farringdon this should be your first port of call. […]

As part of our drive in social media, we’ve created a YouTube channel for all things Made Simple Group: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheMadeSimpleGroup Our aim over the next few weeks is to upload as many videos possible relevant to our various services. So far we have a grand total of 9 videos spread across 3 “playlists”: • Companies […]

Last Updated: 05/09/2014 In February, due to popular demand we launched our Sole Trader Start Up Pack. The pack received such a great response that we’ve now added another Sole Trader Pack, The Sole Trader +. The Sole Trader + offers everything the standard pack offers as well as a “Company Name Reservation” service. So […]

Last week we told you about the 3 Peaks Challenge and our efforts to raise £3000 for charity Bliss. Well this week we’ve got an exciting update! We’ve added 20p to the baskets of customers at www.companiesmadesimple.com. This means that whenever a purchase is made we’ve given our customers the option to donate 20p to […]

Leased office space is really only suitable for a larger business. Apart from the fact that a new business will probably have to lodge a rent deposit, the signing of a lease will normally involve a commitment for a number of years, a liability which could be difficult to escape if things don’t work out […]

With an increasingly competitive marketplace along with an unstable economic climate, many established companies have looked to research to ensure they are meeting their client needs, this often takes the form of client questionnaires. Research can now be done in a cost effective way thanks to free or almost free online survey tools. Due to […]

At The Made Simple Group, we love feedback. That’s why we’ve added a “feedback tag” to all the pages on www.companiesmadesimple.com. If something about a specific page bugs you, or you just want to say how great we are, simply click the tag and write down what you want. Of course this is completely anonymous. […]

In our continuous bid to improve and evolve our services we’ve given www.madesimplegroup.com a bit of a freshen-up. Designed to showcase the various services The Made Simple Group offer, we feel the site got a bit stale. So we: • Listed all of our websites • Made it easier for you to navigate • Added […]

Last Updated: 26/08/2014 In years gone by, company seals were mandatory for all companies to use to certify company documents. Nowadays, these are no longer compulsory but are still hugely popular with companies who use them to emboss and authenticate genuine documents such as share certificates. The company seal is available in a range of […]

We’ve recently launched a brand new page specifically to show off our Mobile and Web Apps. Mobile Apps View the page for further information on the Company Name Search app and the Tax Saver UK app. Web App You can also view our brand new Sole Trader v Limited Company web app. View the page […]

Last Updated: 26/08/2014 Our clever IT folk have come up with a great new Sole Trader v Limited Company Web App that you can use on your site for free. Simply cut and paste the code (that can be found here) onto your blog, article page etc and you’ll get a nifty calculator as demonstrated […]

Prime Minister David Cameron says his government will “Back Small firms” and “Boost enterprise” as part of his growth strategy for the UK. Speaking in Cardiff on Sunday, Cameron went on to say he will “be on the side of everyone in this country who wants to create jobs, and wealth and opportunity.” The Prime […]

When farmers brand sheep they use an easily recognisable mark to distinguish their animals from those of other farmers. In the same way, when you brand a product or a service, you use a name and/or mark to distinguish it from those of your competitors. Thus, the first principle of branding is that your brand […]

As our name suggests, we pride ourselves on being Simple. Making our processes as simple as possible for our customers is a priority. So when the “Global Brand Simplicity Index” survey was released by design agency Siegal+Gale, we were very interested. The survey questioned 6,000 consumers on all things “simple”. Not surprisingly, the findings, in […]

The development of your brand and the design of your logo and stationery is an important part of your marketing strategy. Letters, invoices, mail shots, and statements are all forms of advertising. In designing the stationery of a LLP company, you must consider the legal requirements detailed below: • Letter and orders • Name of […]

On Thursday we launched our brand new website, www.businesstrainingmadesimple.co.uk. Offering “Practical & Affordable Business Training” we aim to be the first port-of-call for small and start-up companies through a series of training courses put on by experts in their field. Click here to find a course that suits you! This post was brought to you […]

With the structure and name of your Limited Company now secured, you’ll no doubt want to convey what it is you do best through effective brand communication. The time and resources spent building brand awareness can be very rewarding. It can help to: • Position your product or service in the marketplace • Differentiate your […]

As part of the continuous drive to improve our site, Companies Made Simple now has a wonderful new search function. If you know what service you want but just don’t know where to find it, simply pop it into the search bar and you’ll be directed to it. Try now! This post was brought to […]

Last Updated: 21/08/2014 There seems to be some confusion surrounding Companies House web-filing. In particular, the difference between the security code and the authentication code. So to clarify: Security Code This is your password for Companies House web-filing. To login go here and enter your email address and security code. If you are not yet […]

The keen-eyed amongst you will have noticed a new video embedded on our homepage. The curious amongst you will have hit play and been treated to some nice people saying some very nice things about their experiences with us. If you haven’t yet pressed play, what are you waiting for! Watch the video here. This […]

Even if you are already the leader in your industry, there will be opportunity to improve the profitability of your business. It is not always easy to achieve, but it’s certainly possible. You need a plan of attack. Specifically, you need to find out exactly what your existing and potential customers want—it’s not always the […]

So you’ve formed your Limited Company, your product is ready, now it’s time to think about the 4 P’s of marketing: Product Product covers the physical aspects or intangible characteristics of the product or service you are planning to sell. It can include packaging, appearance, warranty etc. Pricing Pricing should take into account profit margins […]

With the New Year fast approaching many people will be thinking about new starts. And whilst we will not say “forget” about giving up smoking, chocolate, alcohol etc etc we will say consider doing something different for 2011. How about starting a new business? Whilst such a decision can’t and shouldn’t be taken lightly, now […]

1. Don’t just do it for the money. You really need to be passionate about whatever you do. Starting a business is rarely, if ever, an immediate route to riches. 2. Do something you know about. If you set up a limited company in something you know little or nothing about, you have made things […]

Company formation and company registration has never been easier with our three hour online company formation service. Online advertising has completely revolutionized the way in which you form your company, run your business and – crucially – market it. Yesterday, the IAB ( Internet Advertising Bureau) released figures which indicated that online advertising spend had […]

The rise of online media has completely changed the landscape of contemporary consumerism. It has changed the way in which we make purchases, the way in which companies market themselves and the in which we interact with the brands we choose to buy. Since the recession began, the widespread opinion has been that the online […]

The rise of online shopping has completely revolutionized the way in which companies market their businesses; it is no longer enough to simply create a brand message and put it in front of your customers, now brands must encourage them to engage with it. That is where social media comes in. A recent report conducted […]

The recession has completely changed consumer behaviour and subsequently the way in which businesses market to their customers. Throughout the recession more and more customers went online to research and buy goods and services which stimulated a rise in online advertising. Indeed, digital advertising was the only marketing platform which experienced any growth throughout 2009 […]

When the recession first hit and established brand juggernauts M&S announced record losses, the UK consumer sector was shaken; nobody expected such British institutions as M&S ad iconic brands such as ‘Bradford and Bingley’ to be vulnerable to the challenges of the economic downturn, but vulnerable they were. Now, as Santander prepare to fully re-package, […]

The recession has forced the UK’s SME sector to re-evaluate the way in which they are marketing and communicating their business proposition, for some this has meant embracing the ‘Voucher Code’ revolution, for others it has meant embracing the opportunity offered by e-commerce. However, a recent report, conducted by online marketing consultant DG Consultancy, found […]

The economic downturn has initiated many shifts in the way in which companies market and sell their products; online advertising is now a integral part of any marketing mix, companies can no longer afford to ignore the so called ‘ Voucher Code Revolution’ and price comparison websites have become a major contributing factor to a […]

Since the collapse of the banking sector last year and the subsequent privatisation of a number of high street banks, much has been made of the importance establishing a good relationship between banks and enterprise. According to a recent report, conduced by the Forum of Small Business and Enterprise, over forty per cent of small […]

As the Internet Advertising Bureau announces figures indicating the increase of online media and a greater proportion of big brand’s advertising spend continues to go on digital marketing rather than traditional media, you would forgiven for think that advertising offline, especially via a print medium, is all but dead. However, a recent report has revealed […]

It is a well documented fact that consumer behaviour has changed exponentially as a consequence of e-commerce. The internet has changed the way we interact with, buy from and ultimately communicate with brands. A recent survey conducted by Moneysavers.com, revealed that almost 83% of all consumers shop on an e-commerce site, at least one a […]

Christmas 2009 will go down in history as the year the small businesses sector realised they needed to get online. Consumer behaviour appeared to change forever as people preferred to go online to do their Christmas shopping. Consequently high street retailers struggled like never before, while their online counterparts enjoyed record sales. Something had to […]

On a number of occasions on this blog, we have noted the importance of having an online presence for your company and as the government announces the launch of the Getting British Business Online initiative, it seems we are not alone. Responding to changes in consumer behaviour is one of the most important aspects of […]

The online sector has dedicated a lot of time and resource into changing the perception of online marketing, however, according to a recent report conducted by the Office of Fair Trading over 35% of all people who shop online, have been contacted by so form of online scammer. Among those worst effected are people who […]

The fact that consumers buy from brands which they feel they have a relationship with is a well-documented marketing phenomena. However, ‘relationship marketing’ as the professionals call it, now seems to have made a very real impact on the trade sector according to a recent poll by the Enterprise Forum. The poll found that over […]

In the light of yesterday’s post, which explained how the government is looking to the SME sector for advice on what alternative finance options should be available to small businesses, it is interesting to note that the producers of hit series ‘Dragon’s Den’ have started looking for this year’s contestants. The phenomenon that is Dragon’s […]

Historically most entrepreneurs have been advised to ‘start small’ once they have competed the company formation process and started running their business. Plans to export, market and sell their products abroad were thought to be best put off until the business had the time to grow logistically. However, as the UK’s exchange rate is now […]

After what can only be described as a tense November and an eagerly anticipated December, according to the BRC, the UK’s retail sales figures throughout the festive period indicate the most growth the retail sector has seen since 2004. The figures reveal, the UK sales figures increased by nearly five percent, compared to the figure […]

When a massive internet site sells for an even bigger amount of money, widespread confusion and disbelief always follows. People can’t understand why a site which doesn’t actually sell anything can warrant such a large price tag. Speculation grew this week that social network juggernaught Facebook may be looking for a buyer and as it […]

For most people, Christmas Day is spent over indulging with friends and family and recovering from the mad shopping rush we all have to endure, as we charge round purchasing presents. However, this year Christmas Day for a large proportion of consumers and online retailers was spent searching the internet for the best deals and […]

The rise of online retail has been a well documented phenomenon; it is the only sector to register consistent growth during the recession and in December 2009 we reported that one in ten people in the whole of the UK would be doing their Christmas shopping online. Therefore, it comes as little surprise that Christmas 2009 […]

The social media phenomena, has polarised opinion throughout the SME sector. The sceptics feared that it offered no real ROI for their companies, while the believers felt it was a powerful marketing platform. Regardless of where you stand in the debate, love it or loathe it, you cannot deny it has had an impact. But what […]

The advice ‘if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em’ can be surmised of the findings of a recent report by online watchdog the IAB is to be believed. According to the report, the exponential rise in online spending over the festive period does not represent the death of the high street, but it does dignify […]

Honesty is the best policy… The weather outside may be frightful but some of the online ethics out there at the moment aren’t quite delightful. A major gripe this festive season is hidden costs. You’re happily shopping online, satisfied with the price quoted on the home page, then bang! The checkout displays a bloated, chunkier […]

The current situation on the high street is looking particularly bleak; Christmas sales are not what expected and bad weather is likely to deter those last minute shoppers from going outside to shop for their final gifts. Instead, many of them will go online. A recent report conducted by the IAB, has revealed that if […]

The retail sector has been on the front-line of the recession, since it began. High street juggernauts such as Marks & Spencer and HMV have announced record losses over the past year, and business analysts are predicting that it will be far from a merry Christmas for more high street retailers. In such a hostile […]

Here at Companies Made Simple, we are big believers in keeping the cost of forming a company low. We have posted on a number of occasions about the advantages of being cost effective right from the moment your company is formed. However, that does not mean you can’t think big, while keeping costs to a […]

In an economic context where consumer spend is diminishing, it’s more important than ever for companies to develop a relationship with the people who buy from them. One way of doing this is by developing a brand. Historically, filing a trade mark application has been a lengthy and expensive process. However, a recent report conducted […]

In the current economic context many companies -especially companies who have recently been formed – have slashed their marketing budgets. Obviously, this has had a knock on impact on the advertising sector with many medium such as TV and radio announcing record losses in the past year. The decline of the advertising sector has been […]

As we have discussed in previous posts rebranding is expensive and potentially dangerous activity. That’s why at the point of company formation, you should invest the necessary time and resource into getting it right and creating a brand with longevity. However, what if your brand no longer cuts it in today’s aggressive market conditions? In […]

Good sales people are the cornerstone of most successful companies. Therefore, from the point of company formation it is important that the sales people representing your company are trained well. In this series of posts, we give you our twenty top trips on how to improve your sales team The truth of the matter is, […]

In yesterday’s post Laura Andrews – the author of our series ‘Diary of a Company Formation’ – mentioned an issue which most entrepreneurs will be familiar with; the difficulty of retaining strategic perspective, when you are so close to the day to day operations of your company. Laura decided to remedy this by taking on […]

One of the most important aspects of sales, is to take a dynamic approach. In the current economic context, market conditions are changing frequently and not do only do you sales team need to be aware of the changes, their sales pitch must be informed by them. In this post, we look at how to […]

Starting the company formation process is a notoriously stressful time. As a consequence, many important elements of getting your business off to the best possible start are overlooked. Therefore, before you begin any promotional activity, it is important you take some time out to establish objectives, budgets and most importantly, strategy. While there is no […]

Yesterday, in the Companies Made Simple office, I overhead a colleague discussing Apple’s hero product – the i phone. Said colleague was such an evangelical brand ambassador, that she went as far as to state; “The i phone will completely change your life.” Not only did this get me thinking about the role a consumer […]

When you begin the company formation process – and indeed right through the whole start up phase- one of the main challenges most companies will face is attracting and retaining new customers. Never has this become more important than in the current economic climate, where competition for a percentage of decreasing consumer spend is at […]

In yesterday’s post, we considered the ever decreasing gap between b2b and b2c consumer behaviour. In today’s post we will look at the role social media will play in marketing to the b2b consumer. While for many executives, social media may seem like a relatively new phenomenon. Actually, though using social media as a platform […]

In previous posts, we have looked at the differences between marketing to a business to business and retail audience. Historically, the b2b market has relied on word of mouth from the point of company formation. Ultimately, these chains of supply can be translated into marketing terms as ‘social networks’. The long established methods of b2b […]

Email marketing has completely transformed the landscape of business communication, and as the trend for online discounting looks set to continue, its growth as a retail marketing platform will accelerate even further. But how does this translate to the business to business sector? Where as retail consumers are accustomed to being marketed to in a […]

Downloadable vouchers and online discount codes are becoming a major part of the marketing mix, but why? In this post we look at the shift in consumer behaviour that acclerated the growth of this industry and consider what it means to the recent company formation. The culture of consumerism has changed; gone are the days […]

From the point of company formation, every business owner’s main objective is generating incremental income. Marketing is vital to the success of every business. It enables you to communicate your message to existing customers and also appeal to new ones. Many small businesses ask the question ‘how do you assess the success of a marketing […]

The objective of any form of marketing activity is relatively simple; to communicate your company’s product or service to people and encourage them to buy from you rather than your competitors. However, as we have said on this blog, marketing is a costly endeavour and if it planned incorrectly or executed poorly, it can be […]

1) Keep your posts relatively short. Having researched blogging to a great degree – then 500-800 words seems to be a good benchmark. 2) Keep your posts varied. Have some posts that are very factual – drawing on information that will help the users, for example our posts focus on the company formation sector. Make […]

In yesterday’s post we looked into the way successful brands use market research to inform not only their company formation, but future decisions. We investigated the way in which OKC – The Organic Kids Company – strategically uses market research to make customers feel part of the brand, therefore securing customer loyalty. In today’s post […]

In yesterday’s post we investigated if corporate hospitability plays – and will continue to play- a significant role in the growth strategy of any small business, as the recession continues to take hold. Today we speak to Peter Walker, founder and CEO of legal recruitment firm, Law Professional Direct. We ask him if corporate hospitality […]

Yesterday, we considered how – as a consequence of reduced recessionary rates – exhibitions are increasingly becoming part of the overall marketing mix. As discussed, exhibitions provide a unique platform from which to raise brand awareness of your company formation, if planned strategically. However, like all marketing activity it must be quantifiable. In today’s post […]

On the one hand exhibitions offer a recent company formation or small business a powerful marketing platform; ultimately, it is the only time you can talk to prospective clients and demonstrate or comprehensively explain your product or service, when they are already engaged in your brand. One the other hand, exhibitions are extremely expensive and […]

In yesterday’s post we considered how important it is for a recent company formation to differentiate their brand’s positioning, if they are to compete with bigger brands in the same market. We concluded that, if your proposition is compelling and your communication creative, success is possible. In today’s post we talk to Graham Cox, the […]

Choosing to whether to extend your brand is a complex decision and one which must be considered extensively and executed strategically. One company that decided to take the leap is family jewellery business Definitive Diamonds. Maxwell Richards began the company formation process in 1980 and in today’s post we talk to his son, business owner […]

In yesterday’s post we looked into ways of extending your brand without changing your product. Today we will investigate if the brand extension model works for the SME sector and review how you assess if you should extend your current proposition or not. The initial innovators of brand extension were big corporations such as Starbucks […]

Conceiving, developing and establishing a brand is a vital part of any successful business. It gives you a platform to differentiate your company from its competitors and helps you develop customer loyalty. As we have discussed in previous posts, it is important that you get your branding correct from the point of company formation ,as […]

In yesterday’s post we investigated how, from the point of company formation, businesses should endeavour to find out as much information as possible about what their customers want. However, demographic profiling and research is only one dimension of a successful customer loyalty strategy. The other crucial aspect is building brand vales. As we have already […]

We have mentioned on a number of occasions, the importance of marketing to your established consumer base, as a means of maximising their existing spend. From the point of company formation, it is vital that you have an understanding of your customer and their key purchase drivers. It may seem obvious, but making sure you […]

In previous posts, we have investigated the way in which the advertising industry has changed during the recession. The fundamental reason for this change is the changing culture of consumerism. Gone are the days of excessive consumption, WAG spending and dramatic ad campaigns. In a recession consumers are gravitating towards brands that inspire loyalty and […]

In yesterday’s post we looked at the reasons why a business may look to rebrand and the potential risks involved. Today we speak to an entrepreneur who rebranded his company, and ask him if it was worth it and more importantly commercially viable. Mark McGiffin, founder of Cumbria Accountants, understands the dilemma many business owners […]

In yesterday’s post, we investigated the various pros and cons of in-house and outsourced PR for a recent company formation. Regardless of which direction you choose, the relationship between a PR and a journalist is a complex one and there are certain attributes and skills a PR person must possess if your campaign is going […]

In a recession the culture of consumerism changes; not only are people spending less, they are also more selective about the brands they buy from. Consumers are more attracted to brands with integrity, they no longer respond to gimmicks or mass market advertising.  Obviously, this has a major impact on the way a business talks […]

We have established that the main result of the recession for marketing is the widespread availability of bargain basement advertising. We have reviewed the change in consumer behaviour and investigated the importance of getting your recessionary message right. But what media should you choose? In yesterday’s post we suggested that just because a media was […]

Many small business owners start the company formation process, because they have a distinct skill, a different service to offer or they have spotted a niche in the market. It is unusual for a start up business owner to have the experience and marketing skills needed to negotiate the complex sector of advertising planning and […]

Any company looking to advertise in the current economic context, faces an interesting dilemma; on the one hand, currently, the advertising industry is completely dictated by client demand and as a result there are many bargains to be had, while on the other hand, any advertising must deliver a resounding return on investment. In the […]

In the current economic climate, the media is full of doom and gloom regarding the difficulties many small businesses are facing. However, here at Companies Made Simple we have posted on a number of occasions on how starting the company formation process in a downturn can have many benefits for future business growth and profitability. […]

The concept of marketing is simple; you create a process by which you anticipate, identify and satisfy consumer demand profitably. However, if a marketing strategy is not planned and executed strategically, it can by costly and ineffective. Creative skill and time are two of the main resources most companies who have recently formed are in […]

Depending on the type of entrepreneur you are, you will have an established strategy in your mind on how you would deal with a corporate dispute within your organisation. Even if your company’s management structure is robust, as you business evolves there is always the possibility when you put a group of strong willed business […]

In yesterday’s post we concluded that, regardless of the sort of entrepreneur you are, or you motivation to begin the company formation process – be it to sell the company or form a company you can run for the rest of your life – building brand values is core to future success. Today, we will […]

When you begin the company formation process your initial IT requirements are minimal – phone, laptop, fax – however, as your business begins to progress your IT needs grow and your systems become more important to your company’s efficiencies and security. Despite this, many smaller companies choose to ignore their reliance on IT and subsequent […]

One Business Analyst wrote; ‘Business is about innovation and marketing.’ Marketing can be defined as the way in which your business understands and reacts to market demands. A successful marketing campaign will not only ensure that your businesses’ core message is communicated to your customers effectively and consistently, it will also enable you to adapt […]

In an economic downturn, marketing may not seem business critical. However, if you are a recent company formation, marketing is an essential part of getting your business started. If you are a small business, a well conceived and intelligently executed marketing strategy can help you gain market share and extend your current reach. However, a […]