Top 10 Tips For Setting Up A Website And Attracting Customers 1. Identify Your Target Audience Who is going to be interested in your offering? Is there a clear USP for your business versus the competitors in the same space? Is there enough room in the market for a “me too” model? A marketing company will work with you to answer these questions and provide a clear marketing strategy for your business.   2. Develop A Clear Business Model Have you considered all options for your business model and decided on a clear winner? A well thought out business plan based on tangible metrics will help you succeed. Options include selling products, monetising visits via third party, providing information in return for high value customer data or by generating sales...more

1. You need to have something different, have a special angle. Here at WorkingWorld.co.uk, for example, we offer local and national business news and resources. You need to offer something unique, something different. Why should someone invest in your website over the millions of others?    2. Have something established. It is a lot harder to sell sponsorship for a website that is brand new. People are afraid to invest in a project that will be huge in 6 months. They want to see results - now. If you are just starting off, try to show that you have already accomplished a lot. Highlight the strong points about your website and demonstrate that this is something that is ready to go now and does not need another...more

There are many benefits of running a business from home such as flexible working, low overheads and no commute - But any new start up should make themselves aware of the tax free allowances, working from home can create. For example calculate the applicable annual costs of running your home, such as; Gas / electric / solid fuel, Council Tax, Contents / buildings insurance and Water rates.  Then count up the number of principal rooms in the house (kitchen, reception rooms, bedrooms, bathroom etc). If there are seven, and one is used for half business, half personal (eg spare bedroom / office) then half of one seventh of these expenses are allowed and can be claimed against your tax bill. You can also claim for the...more

Aptitude tests are structured systematic ways of evaluating how people perform on tasks or react to different situations. They have standardised methods of administration and scoring with the results quantified and compared with how others have done at the same tests. Increasingly they are administered on a computer. Many people have a fear of tests, but these are usually only part of the overall assessment procedure. Employers will use them alongside interviews, application forms, references, academic results and other selection methods, so test results won't usually be the only information looked at. No test is perfect, and some candidates such as those with disabilities, may be at a disadvantage when taking this type of test, so if you have a disability contact the test administrator in...more

An employee's poor job performance can be improved with a simple meeting - if it is done with professionalism and sensitivity. Write down specific concerns about the employee's performance. Include time, date, and what was done or not done to your satisfaction.     Review this employee's performance relative to his job description. Check that your assessment is fair and accurate.     Make sure that the employee has been adequately trained and that he understands his job description.     Be honest with yourself - have you contributed in any way to this employee's difficulties? If so, what can you do differently to improve the situation?     Determine whether this has been a problem employee from the beginning, or if this is a troubled employee who has had good work performance in...more

The UK is becoming increasingly like the United States and it is now popular among many people to give and receive hugs almost at random, with people they barely know. Whether this is a practice begun in Hollywood, 12-step groups, group therapy, or some other source, not everyone appreciates uninvited touching. Here are a few ways to politely avoid hugs. In a group setting, where unwanted hugs often occur, try to notice someone coming at you with the intention of giving you a hug. When you have determined that the person really intends to hug you, take one step back. Cross your left (non-handshake) arm across your chest, while at the same time offering your right hand in a handshake gesture. Say something like, " I am uncomfortable...more

A well-designed business card provides prospective customers and clients with a handy way to get in touch with you. It's also your introduction to prospective customers and can help them remember you. Here's how to create an elegant business card that will give future customers a good first impression and have them reaching for your business card when they need you. Design the card you want. Sketch it out on a piece of paper. You don't need to be an artist. This sketch is just to give you an idea about what you're looking for. Colors add to the richness of the business card. Gold, black, silver, maroon and cream colors are all elegant. Some green shades can be elegant. Hot pink or bright yellow doesn't...more

The practice of exchanging business cards in Japan is incredibly important. In Japan, business actually cannot take place until these cards have been exchanged with the utmost respect. A business card establishes a person's station and status in Japan's intensely hierarchal culture. Not having a business card means, in a very fundamental way, that you simply do not exist.   Use both hands when presenting your business card. Your card should be printed on both sides - Japanese on one, English on the other. When presenting your card, the Japanese side should be facing up. Bow as long and as low as befits your station - being foreign, young, female, and/or unaffiliated with a corporation means you must bow very, very low. You receive a business card in the...more

It’s good practice when preparing for an interview to work through and rehearse answers to some general and well-used interview questions. Read through the following popular interview questions and answers. Try personalising the answers and watch yourself answering the questions using a mirror to perfect your style! Tell Me About Yourself - This isn't as straightforward a question as it may seem. The interviewer does not want to hear a list of your likes and dislikes but is rather trying to gain an insight into the sort of person you are and your suitability for the job. Keep this in mind. Think about the qualities the interviewer is looking for and identify aspects of your character or experience that are relevant to the post. For example if you...more

1. Begin your transition before you start the job. Use the interview process to get an early jump on learning about the organization. Ask critical questions: How are decisions made? What are the key challenges? Which functions are strong, and which ones need to be overhauled? Use that information to build some initial hypotheses about how you would change things for the better. 2. Travel widely within your organization, listen carefully, and look for patterns in everything you see and hear. Talk to employees up and down the hierarchy, Soon you'll start to see a pattern about what's going on. 3. As you ask questions, look for the rising stars whom you want as part of your team. Your listening tour may help you identify the key...more