The Marketing Solutions Blog

A quick look at the history of eCommerce and it’s not hard to see that it has a very big future! Are you ready for it?

Leaving a job to work for yourself is frightening and exciting at the same time. On the one hand there’s the freedom to do exactly what you want to do each day. On the other hand, there’s no guarantee anyone will pay you to do it!

Now that your website is up and running and you’ve sorted out a Facebook business page, what’s next?

We all know what Twitter is for, we all know what we think it can achieve and we all like to think that our ramblings are exactly what the world is waiting on!

Don't waste money on software you're never going to use.

The start of the new tax year is now in full flow and the most recent Budget in place – so now is a good time to take a quick review of the changes that may affect you and your small business in the forthcoming year.

We're Tweeting some basic tips every Tuesday for new or existing SMEs looking to improve their business – or find out what to consider when choosing, upgrading or improving a website.


Marketing is often misconstrued as little more than advertising – lots of brands jumping up and down and shouting as they try to grab potential customers’ attention.

Chancellor George Osborne has delivered a budget he hopes will kick-start Britain’s economy and encourage growth in the small business sector.

Health and safety at work is everyone’s business: how to stay safe at work.

We're Tweeting some basic tips every Tuesday for new or existing SMEs looking to improve their business – or find out what to consider when choosing, upgrading or improving a website.

Each sale you make is an opportunity to make another one – to the same customer. If you’re in business then you already know how difficult it is to get customers. So think of each new one as the start of a relationship.

A simple comparison to see if, as a business owner, you would be better off with a limited company business structure or if it would be better to trade as a sole trader/self-employed business owner.

Already this year, 44,409 start-ups have been registered. Yes, you did read that correctly – and yes, it is still early February!

What are the basics of treating your staff well?

We're Tweeting some basic tips every Tuesday for new or existing SMEs looking to improve their business or find out what to consider when choosing, upgrading or improving a website.

Is your business ready for PAYE payroll changes?

We're Tweeting some basic tips every Tuesday for new or existing SMEs looking to improve their business or find out what to consider when choosing, upgrading or improving a website.

Do YOU understand your small business finance?

BT Business and BT Marketing Solutions is backing Britain’s start-ups and helping to inspire the entrepreneurs of tomorrow – as part of BT's sponsorship of StartUp Britain.

Keeping the customer happy…

Small business owners may be operating illegally, without knowing it – according to a survey from insurance giant Axa.

You may have been busy running your business and left your Self Assessment to the very last minute to complete. But there is no need to panic!

In business your reputation is everything – especially for SMEs where word of mouth can be the lifeblood of success.

Make sure you’re blogging this year!

What's going to make a bigger impact in 2013?

Pssssst. Here’s a question. When was the last time you checked if the computer software your business uses is correctly licensed?

To get the most from your online sales and find out how many people visit your website (and what they do while they’re there), you need to enter the world of web analytics.

If you’re ready to start a business, you’ll need all the advice and support you can find.

Everyone has a book in them, so the phrase goes. But does everyone have a business in them?

We all know how social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc) is supposed to help your business… you know; spread the word, promote special offers, engagement with customers and so on. That all sounds great, but just how valuable and effective has it been for entrepreneurs out there in the real world of business? Has it met aspiration, lived up to expectation or just increased perspiration?

Google Analytics allows you to peek behind the most sophisticated search engine on the planet and monitor exactly how your website is performing within it.

Before you start plastering your innermost thoughts or plans for global domination on the worldwide web through blogging, you should know what makes a good blog and what some of the blogging basics are.

Would you like to win more business?

Of course you do. It’s a no-brainer.

After all, we’d all like more customers – it’s the only way to build a sustainable business.

But what’s your strategy?

You may have a fantastic product or an amazing service, but if your words fail to do them justice, you won’t attract customers. Simple.

Therefore it’s critical you invest the time (or money) to get words that engage your target customer.

5 simple steps for writing words that sell

Make no mistake - words sell your business both on and offline.

The right ones capture customer attention and boost your sales, while the wrong ones can leave even a brilliant product un-noticed.And that means you’ve got to invest the time and attention to get them right.

Fancy getting featured on our blog? Become one of our guest bloggers!

Content for the web

Writing for the web is very different from writing for print and other media. Much of this is related to the reason that people are using or visiting a website. When reading a book or newspaper, the goal is to digest and absorb the content. People use the web to locate specific information and browse until they meet this need.