The newest unique article for SMEWeb from Small Enterprise Commissioner Emma Jones CBE. Emma runs the impartial public physique that tackles late funds and unfair fee practices.
It’s the summer time month – and aren’t we simply feeling it! One of many parts to working a profitable small enterprise is productiveness, i.e. maximising the time you’ve gotten to be able to ship outcomes. For service primarily based small companies, August is usually a nice time to re-equip for the remainder of the 12 months while purchasers are on depart.
Listed here are 4 areas of the enterprise to assessment and refresh.
Gross sales and advertising
Are your pitch decks updated, the ‘About us’ part of your website present, and social channels all on type? If not, that is the month for updating content material on the way you current your self to prospects and purchasers. Possibly even a weblog or social media put up on milestone moments from the 12 months up to now to indicate how the enterprise has grown and developed within the first seven months of the 12 months.
Crew
When you’ve got crew members, whether or not full time or freelance, this could possibly be the time for a useful resource assessment and, dare I counsel, to carry your self updated with any modifications in employment laws (previous or current) which may affect the enterprise.
Finance
How is the money steadiness wanting within the financial institution and are you getting paid on time? I’ve written about this earlier than, however all the foremost accounting platforms supply AI enabled bill chasing instruments and we’ve loads of content material on the Workplace of the Small Enterprise Commissioner web site on steps you may take to get cash shifting. May August supply time to assessment the fee phrases in your contracts in mild of latest laws being launched that can transfer the UK to most 60-day fee phrases. Your purchasers may get forward by paying to those phrases now.
Help
Think about your assist community. Is it the correct time to arrange a board for the corporate, be a part of a peer group, search trusted recommendation, or entry native or nationwide funding and enterprise assist? There may be a lot on supply and helpful locations to begin are the Enterprise Development Service, your native Development Hub or Chamber, and like-minded networks comparable to Federation of Small Companies, Enterprise Chief, Household Enterprise UK, IPSE or Enterprise Nation.
Take advantage of the quiet month within the providers sector to prepared the enterprise for an energetic and worthwhile last few months of 2026.
