General Info

A virtual address is a solution that suits a number of businesses from different industries. It suits the kind of business that don’t have mail handling facilities at their premises or perhaps their business premises are also their home address. It may suit people who travel abroad a lot and aren’t around to check mail or it may simply be that the business doesn’t have the budget for a receptionist or administration assistant. This is where the virtual address service comes in.

What is a virtual address?

A virtual office service is available in several different variations to suit all types of businesses and all points in the business life-cycle. The range of facilities available means that businesses can take as much or as little as they need - from the start up entrepreneur working from the dining room table to the international company juggling dozens of bases in different locations.

The virtual services

The first part of the service is called a virtual mail room. This can includes a number of different services depending on your needs including mail sorting and scanning to email to storage of mail until personal pick-up or bulk forwarding to another address. This includes cheque depositing and a mail forwarding service as well as options such as cloud based accounting services.The second level of service is termed as a virtual office and includes general services such as phone answering as well as company mail handling. Your chosen level of mail-room services can be added on or you can simply have all of your mail forwarded as required. Our Virtual Office services also includes physical services such as the use of a smart, state of the art, unbranded conference room and an office area for physical meetings when you need to do business in person. By using this service, you get to use a prestigious London address for those important meetings.

UK Postbox services

Our virtual mail-room service is a comprehensive service that makes use of the top online mail management service available, called UK Postbox. This service is operated around the world and offers private and confidential mail handling services, much in the way of a PO Box but with several additional benefits.With a normal PO Box, you need an address and the box needs to be within your sorting area. But the UK Postbox service has no such restrictions so you can be based anywhere in the UK. It can receive and action important personal and business documents that will be scanned and sent to you as you choose. Other options include having documents stored on the secure server that you can then print or just view online.Finally, as the service is privately owned, it can offer complete privacy for customers. There are no requirements to release information under the Data Protection Act to give customers an added level of security to that offered by simple PO Boxes.

Extra services

There are also additional services that can be added to the package or taken in their own right if they suit the needs of the business.Private mailboxes are an ideal solution for small businesses and for people that travel a lot due to the nature of their work. They allow the receiving and safe storage of mail and ensure that there is no risk of mail being lost or damaged while no-one is around to collect or deal with it.The virtual address service can also be used for two legal purposes – as a registered office address and as a director’s service address. By using a registered office address service, the business can use a single London address on all of its correspondence, with the added prestige that comes with owning your own central London business address. It is also a practical measure if you work from home or don’t have a permanent business address yet, allowing the business to be registered in one location, regardless where it operates.The director’s service address works in a similar way. Any company directors need to register certain details with Companies House and this includes their address. As it is a matter of public record, some people don’t want to use their home address and have this disclosed to the general public, so instead use a service address for the public record. This service is for that purpose and allows the London address to be used on all official matters. It also helps to keep business cold-callers from arriving uninvited at your door at all times of the day or night.

Benefits of virtual office services

There are other reasons why a business would choose to use one or a number of virtual office services.Top of the list, especially for the mail handling services, is that there either isn’t someone available to deal with mail at the business premises on a daily basis, or the business address is also a home address. Managing mail can take time and also space which some businesses don’t have. Or they may not be in the position to employ someone to do the task and this can result in a haphazard approach to mail handling where important paperwork may be easily missed.Privacy and security are two big issues for businesses and one way to help with both is to withhold the business address from public record, especially if these are private residential addresses. Using virtual office services allows you to do this as well as to be certain that paperwork and deliveries are handled in a secure manner before being forwarded to your chosen address.There is also a great first impression that comes when a business has an address in London, regardless of where they are actually based. This can add prestige to the company and this can help to quickly establish new companies who have recently formed and want to be taken seriously by their new clients.Finally, if the business is based abroad but trades in the UK, virtual office services can offer a London address for those UK customers to correspond with that guarantees the handling of mail in a timely manner and can even handle incoming phone calls from UK based customers.

There are any number of reasons why the life of a company has to come to an end ranging from insolvency through to having served its purpose and no longer being required. Whatever the reason, there are a series of processes to follow to close or dissolve a limited company.

Reasons for closing a company

The reason that you are choosing to close the company is part of the process as to how you can dissolve it. Therefore, understanding the reason will help any agents you use in the process understand what method needs to be used to close down your company.

If the company is solvent

If a company is financially secure and can pay its bills, it is termed as solvent. This means if you want to, you can apply for the company to be struck off the Register of Companies held at Companies House. Alternatively, you can start a member’s voluntary liquidation. These are the cheapest two ways to close down a company.

Striking off the public register

To have a company struck off the register, it must first comply with a number of requirements. These include:

• It has traded or sold any stock in the previous three months
• There have been no changes of company name in the last three months
• There is no threat of liquidation
• There are no agreements in place with creditors such as a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA)

Next you must apply to legally close down the company. To do this, you must announce your plans to anyone involved as well as to HMRC. Any employees must be treated according to current employment laws and any business assets and accounts must be handled correctly. People to be informed include members or shareholders, creditors, employees, managers of any employee pension fund and any directors not already having signed the application.You are also obliged to send your final accounts to HMRC and a Company Tax Return form but this doesn’t need to be filed with Companies House. All documents must be retained for 7 years after the business is closed.To strike off the business, you complete the form DS01 with Companies House. This must be signed by the majority of the company directors and all assets should have been dealt with before the form is completed. There is a charge of £10 to do this and you will receive confirmation that the process is complete, usually two months after notice is filed.

If the company is insolvent

If a company is in financial difficulty and cannot pay its bills, it is termed as insolvent and this where the company owns money to its creditors, whose interests come before those of shareholders or directors. In this case, you need to use the creditors’ voluntary liquidation process or the company may be forced into undertaking compulsory liquidation.To have a creditors voluntary liquidation of the company, a shareholders meeting is required and 75% of them (by value) must agree to pass a winding-up order. After this, the company must appoint an authorised insolvency practitioner as a liquidator to deal with all company assets. The liquidator will sell the business and send a copy of the resolution to Companies House within 15 days and advertise in The Gazette (The Official Public Record).

If the company has no director

If the company finds itself in the position where it has no director, say if the sole registered director has died, then the company may be struck off if they don’t appoint a new director to take their place. To do this, shareholders need to agree to appoint a new director and vote on it. If the sole director has died and there are no company shareholders, the executor of the estate can appoint someone to be the director, as long as this is catered for in the articles.

Dormant company

An option to think about when you first form a company is to create a dormant company. This is a company that isn’t actively trading at the present time. You can also make your company dormant if the company has stopped trading and is no longer carrying out any business activities or receiving any income. In this situation, although you will not be actively trading, the company will still be registered with Companies House and annual accounts and confirmation statements will still be required to be submitted on an annual basis. A company can remain dormant indefinitely if you wish.

Restoring a dissolved or struck off company

Once a company has been dissolved or struck off, this doesn’t have to mean that this is the absolute end for the company. You can restore a dissolved or struck off company as long the right paperwork is completed to do this. You can use a service to restore a dissolved or struck off company to undertake this process on your behalf and this will ensure it is done correctly. It usually taking around 4 to 6 weeks to complete. The process will include fees if there are any court proceedings to undertake as part of the process.

While it is a pretty straightforward process for a UK resident to open a business bank account here, it can be a little more complicated for a non-UK resident. Although it is not a legal requirement for you to have a separate UK bank account for your business, it will be wise for you to do so from a practical point of view.Without a business account for your limited company, it will be very difficult for you to manage your finances and sort your business accounting records from your personal ones. It will also be much more difficult for you to obtain business financing for your company as you may not be taken very seriously without a proper business account. A business will have much more credibility in the eyes of financial institutions if they are seen to be running professionally with a dedicated business bank account.As a non-UK resident you may be eligible for a business bank account from some of the major UK banks: Barclays International or Lloyds Bank for example. The second option you could try is to open a bank account overseas by legalising your company formation documents.

Verification

It is routine for banks to perform credit checks on all applicants wishing to open a business bank account. This is done to verify the applicants suitability. Checks will include providing them with photographic ID and proof of a UK address, both of which must be submitted in person at the bank you are applying to. With Lloyds Bank, you may be allowed to open an account for your business if at least one of the account signatories resides in the UK. With Barclays International, it may be possible for you to open an account if you can provide an initial security deposit along with your application.If you are yet to incorporate your business, then you may be able to take advantage of our Barclays Business Banking service available to our registered clients. Please contact us for more information.Here are some details for the requirements to open a business bank account in the UK:

Lloyds Bank

An account with Lloyds would be suitable for a limited company with at least one UK-resident signatory. Applications can be made online or by telephone. The UK based director will be asked to present photographic ID and proof-of-address documentation in person at a Lloyds bank branch. Overseas company owners and account signatories must send copies of their photographic ID and proof-of-address documents to the same Lloyds branch. The documents will have to be legally certified before presentation by a banking official, notary, solicitor or government body.Remember to take copies of your paperwork. Do not post your original documents just in case they get lost in transit. Get your copies legalised and post those instead.

HSBC Business Banking

An HSBC account may be suitable for UK registered limited companies with all non-UK resident shareholders and directors. To meet with the requirements of the bank, the shareholders of the company must travel to the UK to meet with an HSBC representative at a HSBC bank branch.

Barclays International

Barclays offer accounts that are suitable for companies with no UK-resident directors or shareholders. To apply you must go through Barclays International that is based in the Isle of Man. Usually, you will be asked for a security deposit of £10,000 for the first month after account activation. Your account will be classes as being offshore. However, your account will be based in London and you will be able to access the same facilities as any other type of bank account, such as credit cards, debit cards, cheque books, online banking and telephone banking.

Your Local Bank

Check to see if your local bank has a presence in London. If this is the case then if you go through them you may be able to get an account opened at their UK branch.

An International Bank with a Branch close to you

An international bank will likely have a branch in operation in the UK. Check with them to see about setting up an account with their UK branch.

Online Merchant Accounts

There are companies who offer merchant account facilities and a type of basic banking and even MasterCard, but they are not registered banks so banking regulations do not apply to them. Some examples are Paypal.com, Skrill.com, and Cashflows.com. They also charge much higher fees than regular banks, so you may find banks to be more cost-effective in the long run.If you have a registered company in the UK, but you want to open a business bank account in your country of residence, you can obtain an Apostille for your Certificate of Incorporation and the Memorandum and Articles of Association. These corporate certificates will be required by overseas banks and authorities as evidence of the legal existence of your UK company.It is quite straightforward to get your documents legalised by a Notary by going to a qualified lawyer specialising in Notarial Practice. They will sign your company documents and liaise with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London to obtain the Apostille Certificates. You can also apply online through the Legislation Office.

Google is the number one search engine across the world and is the search engine of choice for everyone from big businesses assessing their competition, students for conducting research, to millions of people who use it for shopping and entertainment purposes.It is almost like second nature for most people to open a browser and conduct a Google search, but are you actually making the best possible use of Google? How do you know that you are searching effectively for what you are looking for and getting the best results?We have put together a few helpful tips to make the most of your Google searches:

1: Check out the tabs in Google search.

Whenever you conduct a search in Google for something, the first screen that appears with your results will usually be displayed on the Web tab. However, if you look at the top of your search results page you will see a number of different tabs that run horizontally across the page. These tabs are usually named Web, Image, News, and More. Many people pay no attention to these alternative tab options and will only ever look at the results on the first page that comes up.You can use the different tabs to help you define what sort of results you need. Often you may find much more targeted results in a different tab to the default 'Web' tab that you have displayed automatically. For example, if you are wanting to catch up with all the latest industry news in your business sector, you may be better off entering your keywords to search and then clicking the 'News' tab. This tab will display all the latest press-releases and relevant media results for your chosen keywords.

2: Search using quotation marks

Google will always produce search results containing the keywords you choose, but you can take some of the guesswork out of the search by using phrases and keywords enclosed in quotation marks in your Google search. This helps to narrow down your search results to deliver a much more relevant selection. For example, if you were looking to buy someone a gift of a silver locket and chain for an upcoming birthday, then actually typing in “silver locket and chain” into your Google search will bring up results that contain those exact words in that order rather than a mixture of results using those words in any order.

3: Exclude unwanted words with a hyphen

You may want to do a quick Google search but the keyword you want may have an ambiguous meaning. For example, you want to look up some information on Cheddar, but you are more interested in the Somerset Town rather than the variety of cheese. To prevent your search results becoming overloaded with cheese references, use a hyphen to discount any cheese related results. You can do this by typing Cheddar -cheese into your Google search bar. This will effectively remove any cheese related links and provide you with information about the town only.

4: Get site specific results by using a colon

Sometimes you may want to catch up with news and articles about someone from once specific website or news source. Rather than having to wade your way through results from many other sources, you can narrow down your results to display only those from a particular website.Lets say for example that you typed in the following keywords: David Cameron site:BBC.comThe results that Google will provide will be content written about David Cameron, but only that published on the BBC website. This can be a great time-saver.

5: Discover sites that link to another

OK this is one that is quite an obscure trick, but nevertheless could be useful to find out who citing articles from other sites. So lets say you read Cosmopolitan magazine and wondered what other sites linked to it. You would type, link:cosmopolitan.com to find out which other websites were linking in with it. The URL you choose to add could be practicality anything, but the more specific it is, the less results you are likely to turn up.

6: Make use of the asterisk wild-card

The asterisk wild-card may not be very well known by many but is one of the most useful tricks on the list. Using asterisks (*) in your search terms will make Google leave placeholders that could be filled automatically later on. This can be a very handy way of discovering missing song lyrics, famous film lines or poetry quotations that you cannot remember too well. If you were to type in, we * fight them on the beaches, we shall fight * streets, it may look like complete nonsense, but Google will know that the asterisks can mean any word, so will look for phrases that closely contain these words and provide the results you will need. This quote is indeed the famous speech given by Churchill during WWII, but how many of us can remember it exactly word for word?

7: Similar site search

This is a useful site for businesses who want to keep up with their competition and see who is running a similar site to their own. It can also be used by anyone for entertainment purposes. For example if you are a fan of a band or an actor but were getting a little bored of the regular fan sites you visit, you can search for similar sites to find new places to go and get your information. Also great for shopping around and looking for a bargain on sale through a different site.Type in, related:eBay.com to come up with alternative sites other than eBay to browse through, or related:bradpittweb.com to find an alternative Brad Pitt fan club site.

8: Google mathematics

Did you know that you can use Google to do your maths homework for you? Either ask for basic maths solutions such as 8 * 5 + 5. The answer returned will be 45. You will also get a link to a calculator too if you need one.

9: Multiple word search

Due to the flexible nature of Google, you can search with a combination of words at once to get the results you want. Searching by single keywords may prove fruitless as the number of results given could be vast. By narrowing down your search using multiple words you will be more likely to find what you are looking for much quicker. Use complete questions or phrases such as 'how to prepare for a job interview' rather than simply typing in 'job interview'. This will give you more targeted results.

10: Search using numbers

This is a handy tip for those working in finance or who work with numbers and statistics on a daily basis. Basically you will use two dots and a number to discover what you want. So for example: Who won Wimbledon ..1973. This will tell Google to find results for that year only and no other years results should be included.

11: KISS

KISS is the acronym for Keep It Simple, Stupid. Google is great for searching out a lot of different information, but you don't have to be too specific to find the results you need. So if you wanted to find a local shoe shop, rather than type in something like: find me shoe shops in and around Birmingham city centre, you can simply type in: shoe shops nearby. Google will know your location and will deliver a list of shoe shops in your area with distances, web links, directions and map locations.

12: Add gradual keywords

If at first Google doesn't give you the exact results you want, then you can add more search terms to help narrow down your results further. So if you added: Job interview, but want more specific answers, then add in 'Job interview suit' for more targeted results.

13: Think like a website

When conducting your search, use words that websites would use. Most people use keywords that are the same as used for every day speech, but websites are not exactly human, so by using language that is more professional you stand a better chance of getting the results you want. So instead of typing 'I have toothache', try to use 'tooth pain relief'.

14: Use your main keywords

Google search works better by using your main important keywords to generate results. If you search with too many words, or use words that are a bit ambiguous, then the results can vary widely. Remember to cut the clutter when creating your search term to make it easier for Google to find the results you need.

15: Use Google shortcuts

Let's say you wanted to find out what the weather forecast is for the next 24 hours. Instead of doing a Google search for the Met Office, the clicking through to the weather map, then drilling down to the regional forecast and then selecting the 3 day forecast and scrolling through the information found on there, why not simply type in to Google search 'Weather' followed by your post code, so 'Weather SW1'. This will give you an instant weather forecast for your area.

16: Don't worry about your spelling

Google has evolved well over the years and can interpret simple grammar errors or when someone has a case of the 'fat fingers'. As long as the search term is pretty close to want you want, Google will work out what you mean and provide results that match.

17: Be descriptive

Don't be afraid to use descriptive words in your search term. The way Google interprets keywords is quite clever. Many things can be described in different ways, so be specific but also be descriptive. If you Google 'fork' you will get everything from cutlery to system calls and a copy of a repository! Do you mean a fork to eat with, a tuning fork, a river fork or a fork in the road?

18: Locating files

Google was always useful for finding specific files or file types, but this is often overlooked by people today. If you are wanting to download a specific PowerPoint presentation or PDF file that you remember looking at, you simply have to type in your search phrase followed by 'filetype:pdf' so for example: eat fat and grow slim filetype:pdf. Very useful for study purposes and also for business presentations too.

19: Currency conversion

Google also supply a very handy currency conversion calculator that is up to date with the current monetary values. It makes it easy to check the conversion rates between two different currencies, and also for when you are making overseas purchases and want to know how much the item will cost in Pound sterling. You can also convert miles to kilometres for when you are planning a journey.

20: Keep track of your packages

Many of the major delivery services such as UPS and DPD are now using track and trace to keep tabs on your deliveries. You can put your tracking number into the Google search bar and you will see the latest information about where your package is and when out for delivery, your expected time of delivery.

Conclusion:

Google is a very powerful search engine that is often underutilised by most people. By incorporating some of these handy tips and tricks into your search efforts you may well find better results or find what you are looking for much quicker without spending too much time scrolling around.

We all know what a media stir Jeremy Corbyn caused last year during his rise to become the leader of the Labour Party. Whether you follow politics or not, his sudden rise to fame from the ranks of near obscurity can offer the small business owner a lot of important lessons.What makes JC stand out from the bland rank and file politicians we see every day on our newsfeed is that he stands for change. He is noticed because he is very different to the navy-blue suits that litter the halls of Parliament, both in his beliefs and in his appearance. Despite the PM suggesting during Prime Ministers Question Time that he should 'put on a proper suit, do up your tie and sing the national anthem', Mr Corbyn refuses to let himself blend in with the crowd.The public are led to believe that Corbyn really doesn't buy into the whole spin-doctor, PR machine, styling or image marketing that the other leading politicians tend to favour, and that has been trendy since Tony Blair started it all back in 1997. But instead JC forges his own path – which to me is pure marketing genius by itself!

What lessons can Jeremy Corbyn can teach us in business?

Image is important

Your image counts for a lot in business, but it doesn't mean that you have to look exactly the same as everyone else. Corbyn doesn't look like your average politician - he doesn't like to wear a tie, has a bit of a scruffy beard, and he rarely wears a suit, but it still didn't stop his image going viral on the run up to the party elections.So although you want your company image to look professional so you can be taken seriously, it can actually help raise your company awareness by being a little bit different to the crowd. Do you really want to look just like everyone else in the club, or would you rather have an image that sets you apart from others and gets you noticed?It is up for debate whether Corbyn intentionally crafted his brand image to be able to connect and engage with an audience that has become tired of the same old generic PR machine manufactured politician. However, contrived or not, it seems to be working very well.

What makes us different, sets us apart.

When we look at Corbyn and Cameron we can see that they both stand for very different political ideals. In the marketing world, we are often told to mimic our most successful competitors because what works for them may also work for us, right? But what really happens is that the marketplace becomes too similar.Corbyn himself was heard to quote, ‘I think one of the problems in the election was there was not enough difference between the parties' – Jeremy Corbyn on why Labour didn’t win. In recent years it has to be said that both the Labour and Conservative parties has developed blurred lines where they both meet. But by having a completely different strategy, Corbyn has been able to rise to from the ranks of obscurity to take the leadership title.We can apply this logic to our business-related activities too. If you are in a business sector with a lot of competition, what makes people choose your product or service over another that at first glance is just the same? Quite often it boils down to how you package your product or service. If your brand stands for something that your customers can relate to, then they will be more likely to buy from you rather than from one of your competitors.This is exactly what Corbyn has done – he has found a niche audience that are looking for something different. He got people to vote for him that wanted to see change in politics.Separating yourself from your competitors rather than imitating them can help you to align with a whole new audience that will connect with you. Attracting a different audience that share your views is a whole lot easier than competing for the same customers who already buy from your opposition.I bet you never thought you would be picking up business tips from Jeremy Corbyn – but don't forget that politics is also a business. Each party are vying for the ultimate prize of winning our vote and running our country – they do this through engaging a large enough audience to win them that power. It is just the same as a small business winning customers to help their company thrive.Our London based virtual office service and help improve your image and set you apart from the competition!

A few decades ago, thoughts about the future imagined flying cars, androids, space suits and intergalactic travel. Today, thanks to the rapid development of technology, many of these things have come true; others not, but perhaps we are not as far away from seeing them materialise as we think.Therefore, it can be said that the only constant is change itself. This also applies to the way you work and the tools with which we now have to undertake and conduct business. For example in recent years, new, more efficiently run office models arose. This was to assimilate all these changes to meet the needs of users who sought to maximise their performance and make use of available resources.Currently, the lines that are leading the way in working spaces are interdisciplinary collaboration, mobility, connectivity, sustainability and real-time response. Also, gone are the cables to connect to the Internet, the outdated furniture and equipment such as fax, to make way for wireless connections, ergonomic furniture and tablets from where you can conduct business accounting to installing videoconferences and design prototypes.

• First step: the design

Thinking of the future office, your mind travels to places like Google's corporate headquarters. There, employees have the flexibility to work in different areas, according to their personal taste and at their own pace. Although the concept sounds great, not all small businesses or start-ups have a place or budget to replicate the same practises. However, this is no excuse to not be part of the new trend of work.The main, but not exclusive basis should be the design. This refers to more than just furniture. The design of the physical space of every business is not limited to the aesthetics. It should be part of the branding. Positioning your brand is crucial for innovative companies and the design is a large part of a greater message, a constant reminder of who they are and what they represent.Moreover, space has the ability to stimulate conversation, cooperation and creativity. The first important concept in traditional office change came with the creation of the cubicles in 1967. The idea was to isolate workers and create fewer distractions, promoting a more practical, modular space. At that time, it was almost revolutionary, but today is somewhat outdated and limiting.Cubicles, as with many models to which we are accustomed to, are changing or disappearing. Hierarchies and confined spaces will soon be a part of the past. Companies are rethinking the way they grow a community and the context provided for interpersonal connections; the result can be seen in the design of space.Experts agree that transparency should be the key element that defines the new design of offices. For almost all sectors, (except traditional) formality is no longer a priority, which is reflected in the layout. By incorporating walls and glass doors and open spaces, used by any employee regardless of their position, barriers are broken and the flow of ideas is increased. Similarly, open minds are encouraged.This trend also extends to areas designed for customers such as reception or meeting rooms. The detachment between different areas within a company is long gone. Customers value the access to ideas; a traditional lobby evokes nothing.

• Culture Change

Business owners and entrepreneurs have a challenge and also an opportunity to improve their practices, achieve higher growth rates and even save money. For this, it is essential to keep in mind that the concept of the future office does not refer exclusively to the design of space or adding more gadgets as work tools or the latest technology.Yes, more and more companies, especially start-ups are more aware of the individual needs of their employees, because some people work best in private spaces, others prefer to live together and exchange ideas or those who work best when operating from home . An alternative to foster a collaborative work environment are centres of co-working. This is a group of people who do not necessarily work for the same company or project, but share the space, infrastructure and resources.On the other hand, there are virtual offices, which consist of business centres usually located in major corporate areas of cities. In return for a membership and a monthly payment (or contracted service), the user has sales management, package delivery management, a virtual receptionist and secretary, local phone number, mail forwarding address, access to a boardroom, among other features.

• Tailored solutions

Besides co-working spaces and virtual offices that can represent considerable savings in rent and equipment, entrepreneurs also have at their disposal a range of solutions designed to solve many of their basic needs for communication, administration, data storage in the cloud collection systems and mobile cards, among others. The good news is that these providers want their customers to maximise their time and resources, offering flexible schedules and options to order.Before deciding what services to hire, analyse what the requirements of your business are. For example, if you want to be in constant contact with your customers and suppliers, but it is not always possible to be aware of the phone, then perhaps hire a receptionist. This solution allows a fixed number, which can be answered from a landline, mobile and Skype. It operates through the purchase of credits according to user needs.Another key point is to have a permanent Internet connection. To do this, it is best to hire a mobile data plan that you can use on your laptop, tablet or smartphone. Also make use of cloud solutions to always have access to your information and used tools like Google Docs that give you the opportunity to work together remotely and in real time. Just remember to protect your computers with antivirus and firewalls.Also, caring for the environment is not a fad, but a fundamental part of any business strategy. Soon you will notice that in addition to reducing the impact on the planet, it is also a way to save money and attract more customers. Therefore, a good measure is to reduce the amount of paper you use. How to do this? Through the software PrintEco , the format of your impressions are more efficient. It even encourages the use of alternative means of transport such as cycling, installing racks in your workplace or, hires shipping services messaging through bikes.

Developing a successful online business is not an easy goal.

In this article, we present 13 key points to increase sales in an online store and improve performance. These 13 useful tips cover the different aspects that must be taken into account when designing a successful online store

• Title

The title should reflect the content of the web page. This way the user realises immediately if they are interested in the product or service offered.

• Teaser

It is important to put the products and the most popular and relevant categories in the foreground. The more visible they are, the more likely that the user considers them the most important information and therefore comes to it more directly

• Simplify the Structure

The basic structure of the website must be configured for the user to navigate through it quickly and easy. It should be very intuitive and communicate clearly through images, indexes, and bullet points. Only if the user shows real interest you should have access to a more in-depth explanation.Navigation should be set horizontally and highlight the main categories. The golden rule is: the fewer clicks needed = less discouragement to continue visiting the web = lower bounce rate = higher conversion rate

• Less is More Design

In this regard, both the quality of the images and the texts are very important. It is essential to maintain a clear and simple design. Do not overwhelm the user with unnecessary information; less is more! It is essential that the colour, contrast, shading, font, size, and shape are in tune.

• Post Customer Reviews and Elements of Trust

We recommend using the website elements of trust as seals, certifications, and customer reviews. You need to convince new customers they can buy safely. For this reason, it is important to place the elements of trust in a visible place

• Benefits and USP

Avoid the Unique Selling Proposition (USP), competitive advantages, and differentiating values. What makes you better than the competition? What makes your store unique? Note the deals; these products help increase your level of visibility and recognition among customers

• Limit Product Availability

Consumers have been always found products or services with limited or poor availability more intriguing when compared to those with easy accessibility. If availability is limited to a specific offer, the potential customer feels the need to buy the product as soon as possible

• Use the Thank You Page to Increase Sales and Cross Selling

It is important to try to cross sell complementary products. Cross selling, or upselling, increases the value of the sale. Promote similar products on the Thank You page displayed after customers have made a purchase.Customers especially like discount codes, and this is a formula for reinforcing shopping on subsequent visits.

• Chat Support

You can increase conversion rates by offering immediate assistance through web chat. Use personal conversations to sell in an active way. Customers are more likely to make a purchase when they have the chance to interact with a person. Also, the purchase dropout rate is minimised.

• Telephone and Contact Information

Company information and contact details that are clearly visible on the website are vital. Users should see that they can easily contact the online store.

• Purchase Facility

The purchase of the product must be quick and easy to avoid abandonment. The user must make the fewest possible clicks to carry out the purchase.

• Payment Options and Shipping Cost

Having a wide range of products increases the likelihood of purchase, but it is also important to have various payment options. Many customers buy only when they have made several alternatives to pay. In addition, these payment options must appear highlighted in the web and inform the user clearly about the order, shipping time, and costs. It can be negative if a customer discovers additional charges not clearly disclosed on the website.

• Site Optimization for Phones and Tablets

The usability of the online shop must be global, and not only in the process. The online store has to be adapted to any type of device, either through the Responsive Web Design (RWD) or adaptation of the device itself, as you never know how potential buyers will access the store.

Naturally, you put blood, sweat, and tears into running your business, but equal effort is needed when selling. Potential buyers do not come to your business just because you’ve put up a “For Sale” sign. If you plan on selling your business, be proactive by building a business plan that allows for both start-ups and existing businesses. Keep track of your finances, be objective, and act accordingly.

Follow these 10 steps to sell your business and provide a happy return

Have a clear reason to sell your business

If you've spent years building your business, earned millions of pounds, and want to enjoy your retirement, you're probably in a good position to sell. However, if you're in debt, running out of cash, or simply bored with your business, selling is not your only option. It is recommended that business owners also consider the following: to franchise, develop a society, merge with a similar company to go public, or to obtain a partial retirement.

Know your value

The valuation of your business is a difficult but necessary task when you decide to sell. There is no single formula to accurately determine the value of your business. However, do not judge the fairness of the appraisal based on what you think your business is worth. The value is based on criteria that can be quantified, not on personal calculation of the owner. To obtain an unbiased value, ask a third party specialist to make an evaluation.

Start with time

Selling a business takes several months, and that is if everything is in order. A great deal of planning will be involved in the process. Financial documents, such as a balance sheet and income statements, profitability, open lines of credit, and even personal problems affect both the viability of the sale and the price that the organisation will achieve in the market.

Consider hiring an agent

Some owners are reluctant to hire professional agents to facilitate the sale because they want to save 10% of these individual’s transaction fees. What they do not take into account is that the sales agents may add between 10% and 12% to the sale price. While small companies may be sold directly, some brokers have contacts with buyers that could accelerate the sale of your business or can develop a strategy to negotiate the deal. These agents are usually paid once the sale concludes.

Oversee the entire process

Meet the market. Even if you have an agent, it is important to know the recent sale prices of comparable companies. It controls whether your industry or the economy are about to fall or grow. The growth potential is key to potential buyers, who are interested in investing in an emerging market. Once you have a list of qualified buyers, you have to interview with each of them. Your interaction with potential customers will determine if your company sells.

Put your finances in order

You must have at least the last two years of your audited or reviewed financial statements and tax returns for review by the buyer. Update any pending issues with the lenders as if you hide problems or alter projections, this could affect the confidence of potential buyers. A murky financial picture of your business could ruin the agreement. Learn to set a fair price and keep an objective position at all times.

Respect confidentiality

Determine how your customers are affected. If you think you can lose many customers, you may not want to make the sale public, as it could negatively affect the transaction and the relationship with your team. You have to place the sale of your business in the market with strict confidentiality. If you are looking for a direct sale, advertise in local newspapers, business magazines, and guides to creatively market and focus on a defined group of potential customers.

Tailor your business plan

In this case, the business plan will be "your story," where you'll include the finances of your business, sales, industry projections, recent improvements, new opportunities, and other important aspects of your business. Have you had employees for 10 years? That is a useful sales tool.

Remain in business while preparing the sale

There is no reason to lower the blinds on your business without having secured financing. Take the opportunity to add value to the business. If you have rusty equipment, change it. Sell assets that do not generate income. Do what you need to increase the financial attractiveness of your assets. Selling your business can be an incentive to push harder in the last moments of the operation, which could increase sales, profits, and the selling price.

Transition plans

Many owners are focused on selling and neglect the process of transition that will happen after the deal. Some buyers insist that the former owner remain there for some time to participate in the ownership and management transition.

Dissolving your limited company is the only way you can legitimately relocate your company outside the UK. In this case, the country where yo wish to relocate to must have your company registered in all it relevant records.An alternative will be to use the name of the existing company to open register a company in another company. This is legal because both companies are part of the same group. It will only take time and money, but it is achievable.However, it is good to know that neither of these is required for you to continue trading with your existing UK firm outside the UK because the operations of your company can be done wherever you like. As a matter of fact, at any location in the world, a company based in the UK can transact its business.This occurs more often with larger organizations with branch offices, hotels and shops in different countries. This is of high benefit to those company owners who wish to relocate but do not want to lose close down an established business with high client base. It is also useful for people who do not wish to restart the rigours of establishing a new firm and growing it.

Tax treatment of UK company trading overseas

If your firm starts doing business outside the UK, there will be tax implications.In reality, any office of an organization with its initial or head office in the UK will be regarded as an extension of UK trade. This implies that there will be some tax implications for your business:

• Every firm registered in the UK is mandated to pay 20% corporation tax on every gains and profits generated in the UK and beyond.
• Trade activities outside the UK can result in taxable presence in said place if you posses a permanent business facility there or you are concluding contracts at the moment in a country where you reside permanently. If this is the case, you have to register your firm with the appropriate authorities in said country.
• When profits are taxed both overseas and in the UK, double taxation relief is offered.
• This relief however, is dependent on the amount of UK tax on your profits made outside the UK.
• Losses made on trade outside the UK could be relieved against the profits made in the UK.
• As regards plants and machinery bought outside the UK, the UK capital allowances are made available.

Tax treatment of non-UK resident directors and shareholdersThere will be tax implications for income received from your company if you spend 183 days or more in a tax year outside the UK:

• If you are a director, you will still be employed because the company is still a UK registered company.
• A personal tax will have to be paid for every income received from while working in the UK, even if it is just a board meeting; but, the tax free personal allowance of £10,600 (2015-16) is still accessible by you.
• Your firm will still have to be registered for PAYE if you are still obliged to pay National Insurance and personal tax in the UK.
• On every income received from the UK, you may still be required to pay National Insurance Contributions.
• If your country of permanent residence has a double taxation agreement` with the UK, you will be able to claim tax relief on your income received from the UK.
• Asides the notional 10% tax credit, you will not be required to pay any further tax on dividends receives on shares in a UK company as a permanent non-resident. This is as a result of the fact that the company would have already paid the corporation tax on the money. Under normal circumstances, the money you can receive and keep is the net sum of the issued dividend sum.
• If you are liable for income tax in the UK, a self assessment tax return will still be required of you to be filed stating your dividend income. You have to report it even though you won`t be taxed on it.

Am I a UK resident or non-UK resident?The amount of time you spend in the UK during a tax year will determine if you will be liable for UK tax on foreign income.The amount of time spent within the UK during a tax year (6th – 5th April) determines your status as a UK resident.

• Automatically UK resident:

If you spend 183 days or more in the UK within the tax year.Your only home is located in the UK – you are required to have lived in a your own or rented apartment in the UK for at least 91 days. It is also required of you to spend at least 30 days there within the tax year.

• Automatically non-resident:

If you stay in the UK for a period shorter than 16 days; however, if you have not be classified as a resident of the UK in the last 3 years, you will not be classified as a resident if you spend less than 46 days on your current stay.If your full time work is outside the UK (minimum of 35 hours/week) a period shorter than 92 days is spent in the UK an out of which not up to 31 days are spent working.At you initial travel outside the UK, a split-year treatment will be adopted for you. The first will be non-resident while the second will be resident. Based on the time you spent in the UK during the tax year, the UK tax on foreign income is what you will be liable for. This will directly be applied via PAYE when your Self-Assessment tax return is filed.

The UK has a lot of competition in every type of industry. Keeping it in mind, it`s very important to make sure that your company stands out from the copycats and corporate wannabes. But how can you achieve this? The most important thing about brand recognition is content. What are you producing which no one else is? Perhaps you are offering excellent industry insights via company blog, or amazing original graphics and images on the website. Such content draws customers like bees to honey. You have to simultaneously think about how the content which you are creating is protected. After all, what can stop the competitors form copy pasting your content on their website? In this battle of defending your content, the ultimate weapon is copyright protection. But what is copyright protection? And, how it works?

What is copyright protection?

We will cover the basics first. The UK Government says that, copyright is a type of intellectual property protection which automatically applies to the original and creative work from the moment of its creation by a collective or any individual.Unlike trademarks, designs and patents, there is no specific requirement to register or apply for copyright protection. It should also be noted that there is no need of marking original work with copyright symbol in order to protect it. This is because protection in the form of Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 is already available.Having said that, you may find it worthwhile to register the work, in case you have suspicion that someone may try to use your work or claim to it to be their content. As long as you are able to give irrefutable evidence of you being the lawful owner, infringement claims can be easy to resolve resulting in better protection for you work.Any work which has copyright protection should not be performed, distributed, copied or used by anyone other than the owner. Doing so will have legal repercussions. The protection also makes sure that the works are not adapted or replicated – nor are they put on internet without explicit permission of the creator.

What does copyright protect?

Following different types of works are protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988:

• Original literary works – these include song lyrics, manuscripts, articles and manuals.
• Original non-literary works – these include computer software, computer programs, and web content and data bases.
• Works of Art - like design and architecture, photographs, paintings, diagrams, illustrations, logos, cartography and technical drawings.
• Music and sound recordings.
• Dramatic works like dance and plays.
• Television and film recordings.
• Cable programs and Broadcasts.
• Typography of any published literary, musical and dramatic work.

Even if one of your works fit snugly in one of the mentioned categories, it is important to point out that several exemption rules which relate to copyright protection exist.

What are the items exempt from copyright protection?

UK Government issued comprehensive new guidelines which outlined the situations in which it is ok to use someone else`s work. These guidelines were issued in October 2014. According to the lawmakers, the following are usually considered to be exempt from copyright protection:

• Personal copies with purpose of private use: Modernization of copyright act has resulted in allowing the people to make some private copies of different media which they had bought. Copies may be made for different purposes like keeping a backup or format shifting. This means that consumers have the right to transfer their personal CDs into the mp3 player, and copyright law will not be violated.
• Quotation: Law provides freedom for people to quote other peoples work. But it has to look reasonable and fair. Also full attribution should be given. Such replication will not break the law.
• Private Study and Research: It is allowed for individuals to copy films, broadcasts and sound recording for research without getting the permission from holder of copyright.
• Data-mining and Text: Changes in copyright law have resulted in individuals being enabled to copy items for purpose of analysis on computer. The exemption is only applicable for non-commercial purposes.
• Caricature, pastiche or parody: A limited and reasonable use of creative work is allowed for entertainment purposes. A good example can be, use of several lines from a song in its parody sketch. It will not violate the copyright law.
• Training or education: Teachers can use content by displaying or copying, for the purposes of education.
• Preservation and Archiving: Recently law was changed in order to make it easy for the libraries, museums and archives to preserve collections. They can copy all the creative works which they have in their collection, with the goal of preserving it for future.
• Accessible formats for disabled individuals: Many changes have been made in order to provide access to disabled individuals. They are allowed making one copy of the copyright works for personal use by a disabled person. It is also allowed for charities to make copies for disabled people.
• Public administration: It is permitted for the public bodies to share online some third party materials which have copyright protection. The most common item will usually be information which is sent by a business for purposes of maintaining a public register.

You can read the UK Government`s complete briefing on exemptions related to copyright, in order to be sure regarding use of your work under mentioned circumstances.

How long does copyright protection last?

There is a different duration of protection for different types of work. It also depends on the date of creation of work.

• Artistic works: Artistic, literary, musical and dramatic works enjoy protection of 70 years after death of creator or author.
• Sound recordings: They are protected for 50 years after creation.
• Broadcasts: They have a protection of 50 years after the first broadcast.
• Films: Movies and films have a protection of 70 years after the last death of the author of screenplay, author of dialogue, composer of music made for the film or the principal director.
• Typographical arrangements: Such content has a protection of 25 years after the initial publication

Is copyright protected worldwide?

Different countries have different types of copyright laws. However, a minimum level of protection exists as a result international conventions like the Berne convention. The owners of intellectual property in any of the countries which are party to Bern Convention enjoy the same protection and rights which are agreed in the convention. The owners also enjoy the protection offered by the laws of the individual countries.

How can I stop people from using my work?

You, yourself are responsible for defending the copyright infringement of your materials. You can take some steps, if you believe that someone is using your work without your permission. First, thing you should do is to check if the person or organization who is using your content has the license to do so, or if they have applied for the license. You can check this on the official license register of the Government. It contains all the creative works which are orphaned, meaning their owners could not be identified. It often happens that people apply for the license, if they want to use a protected work, but they are unable to find the copyright holder.In case there is an application for your work:

• You can seek to have the application stopped.
• You can claim to get license fee which was paid.

If the work is not on register, you should contact the individual who is using the content and tell him that the work is your property. You can tell them to stop the use, or provide them with written permission for the use of work. You can take legal action in case they don`t stop using your work despite your disapproval.

Can I license or sell my copyright?

Being owner of the copyright, you are entitled to license the use of your work. You also have the right to sell or transfer the copyright to anyone else. You will be required to register the work with some licensing body before being able to license it to allow someone else using it.The licensing body will be collecting the royalties on your behalf and you will be able to control how the work is used. In case you want to sell or transfer your copyright, you should make a document which will serve as evidence of the transfer or sale.

Can I copyright a company name?

No, unfortunately names cannot be copyright protected. However, you may be able to copyright a design or an artistic logo which has your companies name on it. The ideal way to protect the name of your business is to get it incorporated as a limited company with the Companies House. It will prevent people from registering a company with that name. You may also protect your companies name by getting it registered as trademark.