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Starting out and Tips for those in business 2

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There are many agencies and organisations which can help your business. This list is not exhaustive, but may help you to expand your network or develop new contacts. If you need help finding an organisation that may be able to help, contact paul.beattie@limavady.gov.uk for more information. Limavady Borough Council is not responsible for the content of external links; please contact us should you find any dead links on this page.

 

The Northern Ireland Library Authority

The Business Department of Belfast Central Library has the most extensive range of publicly available business information in the region. You can find out about opening hours and available facilities here.

 

Websites!

www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk

This is a free site, sponsored by Invest Northern Ireland with a range of advice from starting your own business to buying or selling a business. Packed full of contacts and help, this is a good place to start regardless of whatever level of business you feel you are currently at.

Growthni.co.uk

The Growth Programme, provided by Invest Northern Ireland, can help you develop your business by giving you access to experts in areas of business you are less experienced in. Targeted specialist support in those areas which could make all the difference to your competitiveness. And this support will cost you nothing. If your business has the potential to increase production, workforce or sales and has reached VAT turnover, you could be eligible for this innovative programme.

Startups.co.uk

Startups.co.uk is an online resource for starting a business. Whether you are a budding entrepreneur ready to start a business for the first time or you are an established entrepreneur looking to do it a second time, this site has "all the news and information you need to get your small business starting on the right foot."

eBay

The simplicity of setting up an eBay business is a big attraction for many people. There are four million regular eBay customers in the UK alone. Selling is easy, but reputation is the key to any success on eBay. We regularly hold eBay training for those who wish to expand a business idea. There are lots of books and resources, but best place to start is the site itself.

Etsy

The Etsy mission is "to enable people to make a living making things, and to reconnect makers with buyers. Our vision is to build a new economy and present a better choice: Buy, Sell, and Live Handmade." Which is all lovely, however this may be a site better suited to crafters and people who make products from home.

Facebook

Facebook “Pages” (that’s with a capital “P”) were created to give businesses their own profile on Facebook.  In fact, originally, the code that made up a Facebook “Page” appeared to be almost exactly the same as that which generated user profile pages. Pages give your business or brand an identity on Facebook.  With a Page, those interested and following your brand can become “fans”. Several small businesses in Limavady and beyond are already using this facility.

Logosauce.com

LogoSauce is 3 guys from New Zealand. LogoSauce evolved into a place for logo designers to not only point people to the source artwork, but to showcase their designs, admire others, comment and discuss logo design and hopefully get some inspiration. It may help in designing you a logo for your business.

Blogs!

The Sensei blog is written by Allen & Dawn Baird, based in Belfast. They work with small businesses on training, coaching, writing and consulting.

A few others of passing interest include:

Tescopoly

The Amazon Bookstore Blog

The Tin Basher Blog

Freakonomics!

 

Books!

Some of the following titles may be useful if you are starting up and need some reference - there's no substitute for experience, but some of these may help:

Starting Your Own Online Business - All You Need To Know to start and run a successful online business by Kim Benjamin (published by Crimson, £15.99)

Marketing on a Beermat by Chris West (published by Random House, £8.99)

Starting and Running a Business for Dummies by Liz Barclay and others (published by John Wiley & Sons, £19.99)

Guerilla Marketing by Jay Levinson (published by Piatkus Book, £12,99)

The Small Business Start-up Workbook by Cheryl Rickman and Anita Roddick (published by How to Books Ltd, £12.99)

HR for Small Business by Charles H Fleischer (published by Sphinx Publishing, £11)

All books are readily available online, but shop around for the best prices.

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