Two New Ways to Improve Your Business

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Free business advice offered by Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce

Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce are proud to be looking for new, innovative ways to support their members and business in the borough. Now, through theiur relationship with Business Link, they have secured not one but two unique services to help support and grow your business.

1. FREE business review

What is the FREE business review?

Many small business face challenges in developing their business. They would benefit from having access to professional business advice and support. You may need help in the some or all of the following areas:

1. Raising finance. From constructing the business plan, to advising on financing
options and introducing clients to finance contacts.
2. Increasing Sales. Identifying and implementing ways to increase your sales.
3. Marketing Campaigns. Identifying and implementing ways to market your business
more effectively.
4. Expansion How to successfully launch new products & services, open new
locations, etc.
Do I qualify?
You will need to have been trading continuously for the last 12 months
How does it work?
An accredited business advisor will meet with you (at a location/time convenient to you) and spend 1.5 hours to understand your needs and issues. The business review would normally cost £300+VAT. However this cost is waived if you apply before end of December 2006. Apply now and the business review is FREE!

An agreed action plan is then forwarded to Business Link for London who will present it to an internal account manager. This person’s role is to broker the agreed client needs recommended in the action plan to the most appropriate delivery source. This could well be the consultant who undertook the business review or other persons/organisations best placed to meet the client’s needs. This means that you may be entitled to receive further subsidised support.
What next?

If you are interested in hearing more about the FREE business review and access to further subsidised support then please contact Steve Mathews on 07711 753 430 or 020 8878 4912 for an informal & confidential discussion.

2. Access to Finance

Finding finance is one of the most difficult parts of running your own business. But with Access to Finance, you not only get a professional financial makeover, but the government is paying for most of it. So why not!

Access to Finance can help pay for:

o Preparation or refinement of your business plan
o Preparation of financial plans and projections
o Operational and capacity planning
o Advice on types and sources of finance available to you
o New market entry planning
o Coaching on how to present a professional case to finance providers
o New product development planning
o A review of your business model if necessary
o Team and management skills assessment where necessary

Through Access to Finance, you get not only best advice as to your funding search, but also recommendations as to who to approach for funding. With our experience, we know the eligibility criteria for many lenders, so we will help you save time by steering you in the right direction to find the best-suited lender for your company.

That might include any of the following:

o Banks and building societies
o Lenders dealing with the small firms loan guarantee scheme
o Commercial mortgage lenders
o Invoice finance or asset finance providers
o Those who offer grants
o Independent investors / business angels
o Venture Capital firms

What subsidy you might get
Access to Finance subsidises the cost of using expert advisers. The amount of the subsidy depends on how long you have been trading with younger companies attracting the highest rates.
80% subsidies are available for new starts or businesses established for up to 18 months.
65% subsidies are available for businesses older than 18 months.

What next?
Call 07711 753 430 or 020 8878 4912 and ask for Steve Mathews and ask for a
FREE business review under Access to Finance. Or email info@bbc-web.co.uk.

Are you eligible?

Tick the box that describes your response to each question:

-	Yes	No	Don't know
Do you think your business will need funding in the next 12 to 24 months?
Is your business in London, or planning to move to London soon?
Does your business have a net worth of less than £50,000?
Can you confirm that your business has not received public funding support of over €100,000 during the last three years?

Generally, if you have ticked ‘Yes’ or ‘Don’t know’, you may be eligible. But for a proper interpretation of the results call Gill on 07977 982139 or email enquires@wandsworthchamber.org

November 24, 2006