Small Business Blog from Microsoft

Click Clever, Click Safe, Click CEOP

Today, 9 February, is Safer Internet Day, and in the UK, the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) is promoting several ways to make the web more secure for children:

·        An animated film, aimed at children around 5-7 years old, shows ways in which children can safety browse and use the Internet. Apparently 8 of 10 children this age are regular web users.  

·        Microsoft and CEOP have teamed up to produce a special ‘flavour’ of Windows Internet Explorer 8, building on the browser’s already advanced safety features. The CEOP version allows users to add specific features, including a ‘Click CEOP’ button, which links to advice for children, teenagers and parents.

As a company, we (Microsoft) put a great deal of faith in our technology, however, we are also aware that the tools we provide have to be used responsibly.  Safety education is one of the most effective means of helping to protect children online.

If you are a parent or have some friends and family that have children active online, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/uk/citizenship/safeandsecure/parentadvice/default.mspx

You can download the CEOP version of Internet Explorer 8 here: http://www.ceop.gov.uk/ie8/

And a story on the BBC website today Government advice: Browse safely with Microsoft is well worth reading too.

The secrets to a successful business partnership

So who needs a server, anyway?

In the current economic climate, small business owners need technology which pays its way many times over. So we grilled Paul Spelling, Managing Director of Storm IT, a Microsoft Small Business Specialist Partner on productivity and value. Before setting up Storm IT in the West Midlands, Paul worked as a service manager for a 250-strong international company - so he's seen IT services both as a provider and a user. We asked him a few questions about how a server really helps to protect data and drive productivity in small businesses – here a few of them.

• Can’t I just go round and back up all the PCs every night?
• Don’t I need a whole IT department or at least all sorts of procedures to follow?
• What is the point of a server in the office?

If you’ve been asking yourself the same questions you probably suspect that a server might just help you become more secure and more efficient but aren’t sure how. Read the full article So who needs a server, anyway for Paul’s clear and concise and answers.  

Microsoft Small Business is now on YouTube

We’re branching out here in Microsoft smallbiz – we’ve just set up a Microsoft SB YouTube   page where you can find our latest videos. Up now are five customer videos, along the themes of:

·        Find new customers with Office Live

·        Keep existing customers with Office 007  

·     Get more done in your day with Windows 7

·        Manage your business

·        Be more competitive

We’ll be posting more over the coming days, specifically on Windows 7 Professional cost-savings and productivity boosts so it’s worth keeping an eye on the site.

Extend your products, not your niche

Mass Effect 2 promo - world’s 1st ad-served expandable Silverlight banner

For all you gaming and techie followers – check out the world’s 1st ad-served expandable Silverlight banner here – it’ll be on the MSN homepage from tomorrow. Promoting the Mass Effect 2 game launch, with EA games, and developed in partnership with Microsoft Advertising & Mediacom by London agency Metia. Make sure you have the sound switched on to get the most from it!

Starting a business from home?

Redundancy, pre-school children, returning to work or can’t stand the boss…. There are lots of reasons for starting up a business from home – including of course, the excitement and challenge of taking a great business idea and running with it.  There are lots of resources out there on the web to help – here’s just a few:

Business Link – starting a business from home

Practical advice on things to check before you start, keeping records, financial considerations etc.

Enterprise Nation – resources for home workers

Emma Jones has built up a far-reaching and networking website for home-workers.

Microsoft Small Business website – I couldn’t leave this one out!

Start with Office Live if you don’t yet have a website – it’s FREE and within a couple of hours you can have your own website working and pulling in potential customers.

HM Revenue & Customs – starting up in business

No longer just the ‘nasty’ tax man (with apologies to all very nice employees) but a very useful source of information to help you get started – and keep going - in the right way.

Personalise your PC!

Many home-workers will spend a huge amount of time on their pcs – so why not download some background themes to lift the spirits. For Windows 7 users, you can create your own themes and also download a LifeCam video gadget so you can stay in touch with friends and family – even if you’re in the shed and they’re in the house! (I’ve just downloaded the Avatar theme – great film.)

Learn about digital marketing at SES London (discount offered by Bing)

Guest post from Cedric Chambaz, Marketing Manager (Search & SMB), Microsoft Advertising

Bing has been a major change in the digital landscape when it was released in June last year. Since then, it has become established as the UK best converting search engine for advertisers, and continues to see its user base grow every month.

Search Marketing is a critical marketing technique for small and medium businesses. So if you want to learn more about this pay-per-click advertising, or improve your digital strategy, you really should visit Search Engine Strategies 2010, 16-19 February, at the Business Design Centre in London.

This leading digital marketing event will provide invaluable learning, with lively workshops and expert speakers on topics including: 

• Keyword analysis for optimum conversion rates;

• Website Optimisation;
• Link building for super ranking;
• Master local, mobile and video marketing, plus analytics and social media…

And guess what? Not only does Bing delivers great traffic for your website, but we are also giving you the opportunity to attend this milestone event at a discount rate.

Two cheery (not) priorities for small businesses

I don’t wish to be miserable but listening to the radio on the way in to work this morning I heard two advertisements that are worth mentioning.

Did you know that asbestos is the single greatest cause of work-related deaths in the UK? Apparently 4 plumbers a week die of asbestos poisoning. This isn’t of course just relevant to plumbers, but also to carpenters, electricians, builders etc, in fact anyone who’s working in older buildings. These statistics are fairly horrendous, so if you’re a small business that could potentially be affected by asbestos, please check out the website http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/

Secondly – and briefly – have you completed your online tax return yet?!!! Don’t forget you also have to pay any outstanding monies due by Sunday as well. Go to http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/.

And I’ll post something more cheerful tomorrow.  

Manufacturing & production moving back to UK?

I caught an interesting item on BBC breakfast news this morning, on a Nottinghamshire-based manufacturer of children’s safety harnesses which has moved production back to the UK from China. With inflation and labour costs increasing – and forecast to rise significantly over the coming year – production costs in China are no longer attractive and the UK is once more competitive. This has to be great news for all UK businesses.

Speaking on the programme, Lord Digby Jones, Business Ambassador at UK Trade & Investment , also made the interesting point that there’s a general misconception that manufacturing is dead in the UK, yet it still accounts for 12% of our gross GDP, which is more than financial services sector.

Visit LDJ’s website

Small firms see the benefits of web hosting

News story on the Microsoft small business site - Small firms see the benefits of web hosting.

Here's a quote from the latest news stories "This could be the year that sees a web hosting revolution fully kick into gear, according to one commentator.

Clodagh Murphy, director of business at Eclipse Internet, said small and medium-sized businesses are increasingly recognising the benefits of outsourcing IT tasks to third-party server specialists."

Read the full story on the website, and if you'd like to learn more and get a free 30-day trial, take a look at Microsoft Online Services

Save your business £1,000 by the end of 2010

January is traditionally a time for pulling in the belts a bit – both literally and figuratively. Today is apparently ‘fat Friday’ when most of us give up the diets we started at the beginning of January. And after the excesses of Christmas (although somewhat subdued in many people’s homes this year) households and small businesses tend to look at ways we can spend less. So here are a few suggestions on how you can save £1,000 by the end of the year.

And if you have any other suggestions please let me know – I’ll either blog them or tweet them and credit you and/or your business too.  

Thinking about hosted services? Free Webinars 9 & 12 February

You’ve heard about cloud computing or hosted online services but aren’t quite sure if it’s relevant for your business? If you’ve got 5 PCs or more it’s definitely worth considering. Microsoft Gold Partner Adventi is holding two free webinars on 9^th and 12 February, running from 9.30 to 10.15 am. You can join either of these by registering – free of charge – here.

Adventi will be talking about the tools included in Microsoft’s Business Productivity Online Suite, which can provide your small business with enterprise-class IT. If you want to streamline costs, minimise risk and drive up productivity – without increasing your IT overheads – spare 45 minutes to learn more.

Grow your business – embrace the web

Small Business 2.0 launched last year, helping small businesses profit from the web. This year’s show takes place Saturday 23 January at the Novotel London West, starting at 10am with keynote presentations from eBay’s Dan Wilson and Emma Jones from Enterprise Nation.

Microsoft Advertising will also be there, demystifying search marketing with a myth-busting presentation from Shaun Murphy, one of our search and media analysts. Shaun will demonstrate how and why search marketing is a powerful and effective tool for small businesses and explaining why it’s not difficult, it’s not expensive and it does work!

Registration is just £10 – and for a day packed with forums, demonstrations and advice for small businesses it’s got to be worth a look at least. Learn more about Small Business 2.0.

How to be more competitive in tough times

To compete with the big boys in these tough economic times, small businesses need as much help as they can get from technology. Steve Wright, Director of Microsoft Certified Partner, BMS Digital Solutions, offers some useful tips, including: