Funding Options Blog
Home of our blog articles on topics that will inform and educate entrepreneurs on topics such as lending, green finance, tax and financial matters.
Top reasons to apply for business credit cards
Understand the benefits of getting a business credit card, such as streamlining your business spending or managing cash flow while earning rewards.
7 Apr 2022
Is it better to operate as a sole trader or limited company?
One of the first decisions you'll have to make when deciding to go into business is the legal status of your enterprise. Will you operate as a sole trader or limited company? These are the two most popular methods to run a business in the UK and will have profound implications on every aspect of your business. Tax, regulations, and employment are just three issues pivoting from your chosen status. Here we'll discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each to leave you better informed, no matter what choice you make.
14 Mar 2022
Low-cost social media marketing ideas when you have a tight budget
Nowadays, Social Media isn’t so much a choice to promote your business as it is a necessity. If you’re an SME, you can put together a very cost-effective campaign quickly and effectively. Below, Funding Options consider some of the leading social media platforms and identify five initiatives you can promote across the spectrum with minimum effort.
3 Mar 2022
Ideas to cope with rising inflation as a business
Inflation in the UK is running at a multi-decade high of 5.5%, placing considerable pressure on businesses, snaring them in a vicious cycle of rising prices to cover the increase of input prices. If clients can’t afford your costs, they might put off a purchase, spend less, or visit your business less.
24 Feb 2022
Setting realistic targets for 2022 and how to raise the finance to achieve them
If your business survived 2020-2021, you’ve come through the deepest recession and trauma this country has experienced in several decades. In some ways, getting through the downturn and pandemic proves that you have grit, and your business is built on solid foundations; if your business survived the pandemic, you could survive just about anything. As society and businesses crank back into life after the lockdowns and restrictions, 2022 could be a bumper year for many SMEs. We’ll use specific businesses as examples to discuss ideas and examples of how to get the funding in place to achieve your ambitions and targets.
17 Feb 2022
With 400,000 small businesses struggling to get paid on time, what are your options?
Many SMEs wait months for their invoices to get paid, and a knock-on effect can occur. You mightn’t have the cash on hand to pay your suppliers if you get paid late, and this ripple effect can put many businesses in danger and potentially affect their reputation and credit standing. You don’t have to avoid this overdue payment problem; you can challenge it head-on because two principal approaches exist to tackle the issue. You can negotiate with debtors and creditors or use specific finance options to alleviate cash flow issues. In this blog article, we’ll discuss both options in detail.
16 Feb 2022
Six ideas to drum up business and cut costs at the start of the year
Once the Christmas and New Year rush is over, many businesses enter a lean period that can last until Spring. Lots of us overspend at the end of the year, so it’s not surprising that customers wait until their finances are back on track and under control before spending on non-essentials or luxuries. It’s not just retail businesses that can suffer in this lean time; service industries also experience a lack of orders, particularly B2C service businesses who rely on consumers digging into their pockets to pay for installations or perhaps building work on a house. But here’s the good news, you don’t have to sit there and wait for the customers to come through the front door, to call or fill in your online enquiry forms. With a bit of imagination, some basic techniques and graft, you can quickly get proactive and drum up business. So, let’s get creative and look at your options.
11 Feb 2022
What are limited company mortgages?
Limited company mortgages are a popular method for companies to raise capital from the assets that belong to the limited company. If your company has commercial or residential property in its portfolio and equity available to use as collateral, raising money can be a relatively straightforward matter. Similarly, if you’re looking to buy a new property for the company, a limited company mortgage might be the perfect solution.
9 Feb 2022
14 last-minute Valentine’s Day marketing ideas for retail and high street businesses
Valentine’s Day can be the first burst of profitable activity high-street businesses experience after the Xmas and New Year activity fades. For some, the increased activity and sales are more achievable. You’d expect gift shops, card shops, chocolatiers, florists and restaurants to be busy on the days leading to February 14. Salons and barbers also enjoy more sales as we get groomed for the night out. Here we’re going to suggest 14 quick, cheap promotional and marketing ideas you can put into practice over the next few days with little effort. The suggestions will be generic, so you’ll have to select which ideas fit your business.
8 Feb 2022
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