Getting Small Business Advice from Business Links
Business Links and the other support organisations throughout the UK provide a wide variety of advice and guidance to businesses, most of which is entirely free of charge. Examples include help with:
- design and production of business cards and stationery
- advice on putting together your business plan
- guidance on market research and strategy for your proposed business
- how to raise money for growth
- how to locate suppliers
- information on legislation or regulations that could affect your business.
Some of these take the form of training courses and others, such as design work, are undertaken by experienced professionals employed on a consultancy basis. In most cases, this support is offered free of charge.
Support is also available through these organisations on a subsidized basis where accredited consultants are employed to assist you and their fee is only partly payable by you. In Tyne and Wear for instance a 50% grant of up to £2,000 is available towards the costs of employing a professional to design your website.
Business Links Services
In addition to the general advice and guidance that Business Links offer they also have a number of key services:
- comprehensive business information service providing detailed and specific research
- personal and reliable advice from an allocated independent Personal Business Advisor (PBA)
- events, promotions, seminars and conferences on business-related topics which also provide networking opportunities with other business owners.
Each Business Link will also have a number of specialists who are independently accredited to work with small businesses and who are employed on a freelance basis.
