Finding the right insurance policy to cover your needs as a business is probably easier now than ever before. Thanks primarily to the internet, you can now access a plethora of insurance brokers to discover what policy and with whom will tender the best prices and benefits.

Many online insurance brokers can afford to offer cheaper quotes because they have less overheads than the brand-name high street chains and with the assistance of comparison sites, you can quickly compare against the most popular insurance providers from the comfort of your office or home.

Many policies now allow you to tailor the level of protection to suit your needs and requirements, giving you cover against damage to equipment through accidental damage or even malicious intent, loss of earnings and cover against fire, flooding, lightning strikes, subsidence and products cover.

There really is nothing that Business Insurance policies won’t protect and in addition you can even select critical illness cover in the event that a valued employee develops an illness that disrupts the running of your company. Cover not only helps you against the loss of your employee but can also provide assurance for the employee in question.

There are many avenues for you to investigate and going with a reputable insurance specialists dedicated to providing business or industrial insurance policies is a move that all business owners should consider.

Is there any benefit to employing a wages clerk for smaller opportune businesses in the UK? Well it all depends on the type of business you operate and the number of employees you have on board. For example it wouldn’t be cost effective to employ the services of a wages clerk if you employed one or two employees as creating their wages wouldn’t be difficult or time consuming.

I guess the number of employees that you could easily manage before hiring assistance as a business owner would be around six to ten. You have to consider the way in which you administer payment to your employees as well. Most small businesses can transfer funds on the same day into employee’s bank accounts manually or by using BACS. Using the automated systems can save time and resources but if you employ only a few people you don’t have to spend too long inputting wages.

Whatever you decide to do, hiring a specially trained wages clerk will take much of the responsibility away from you and ensure that information such as timesheets, wage slips, holidays and absences are all accounted for and easily met and managed properly.

Well, ultimately it depends on many factors:

> How big is your business? If you’re a new or small business you may require specialist expertise that you or your current staff do not currently have. You may also be unable to afford bringing in external staff.

> What sector is your business operating in? If your company operates in or is moving into a highly regulated sector such as financial services or defence contracting for example, external experts with years of experience can give you that extra edge and help you avoid the major pit-falls.

> Can you afford it? Most management consultants don’t come cheap. Prices of £150 up to £600 per day are not uncommon. Is the value-added to your company worth that figure? Perhaps that money could be better spent hiring new staff with relevant knowledge and/or experience. You could get free advice from regulators and other sources, or even buy some relevant books to help you fill the skills gap.

My words of advice, take your time and make the right decision for your company.

Here is a list of 10 forms of advertising:

1. Website Marketing (search engine optimisation, pay per click, blogs, social networking)
2. Television advertising
3. Radio advertising
4. Print advertising (magazines, newspapers, newsletters)
5. Press releases
6. Billboards and banners
7. Emailing and txt messaging
8. Word of mouth
9. Branding/ product marketing
10. Telesales and marketing

Out of the above 10 forms of advertising, internet marketing has become an effective and lucrative solution to the traditional forms of advertising which are still being or have been used in the past. Internet marketing such as SEO, blogs, articles and social networking are a long term solution which proves to be more cost-effective than the other forms of website marketing and visual, audio and print advertising. Most people now use the internet to buy products, play games, find information, chat to friends/family, listen to music and watch films, so it makes sense to advertise online. Our society is becoming a virtual world and a marketplace of trade so we are now faced with updating all available forms of advertising and joining forces with the virtual world or face annihilation.