Top 10 FREE Ways To Beat The Recession And Start Your Own Business

Dec. 6, 2010 - PRLog -- With threats of job losses and redundancies being broadcast almost daily, there seems to be little else on the horizon except for more disheartening stories about our fragile job market. But don’t reach for the Prozac just yet, there might be great opportunity buried beneath all that doom and gloom.

We’ve all toyed with the notion of starting our own business at some time in our lives, but with so many unknowns, the prospect of biting the bullet and actually doing it seems a leap too far for most. Questions like “where do I start?”, “Who do I need to speak to?” and “How exactly do I get on Dragons Den?” begin to arise, couple that with the thought of investing your valuable redundancy package on what could be a pipe dream and you could be forgiven for giving up it’s even begun.


So, is starting your own business the mine field it once was?  

Whilst you contemplate that question, here’s a useful and of course FREE Top ten guide to help the dream become reality; Brought to you by http://www.switchboardfree.co.uk:


1   ENLIGHTEN!
http://www.businesslink.gov.uk may help you get started. Business link offers practical advice on developing your business plan; from financing your start-up to survival strategies and invaluable info on growing your business. Courses are free and local throughout the UK.

2   EQUIP!
Preparation is everything. Don’t get caught out by leaving your potential customers in the lurch and you falling at the first hurdle. http://www.switchboardfree.co.uk will help you never miss a business call and gives you that big business feel at no cost. With no setup fees, no annual rental cost, no contracts or monthly charge it really is free for all UK companies to have and use.

3   E-VOLUTION!
Google, e-skills UK and Enterprise UK have joined together with many other partners to create a government backed initiative with the aim of getting British businesses online. Through http://www.gbbo.co.uk you could sign up for a free website with a free domain name. They take you through the process one step at a time and you can customise the website to your individual requirements.


4   EXPLOIT!
http://www.google.com has introduced Google Analytics which provides an easy way for the non tech savvy amongst us to look at performance focused marketing and analyse what advertising works for your business. This can work alongside your switchboardfree numbers and allows you to optimise your advertising and use in depth statistics by tracking each and every call.


5   ENGAGE!
Free conference calls are now available from the new site: http://www.con-flab.co.uk. Conference calls are a modern alternative to a physical meeting and http://www.con-flab.co.uk is a well-planned and easy to use conference platform. Anything that can minimize the expense of travelling and wasted days stuck in the car or on the train has got to be a bonus.

6   EXHIBIT!
Start putting yourself out there and sign up for http://www.freeindex.co.uk. It’s the free alternative to traditional business directories and it has detailed customer profiles, reviews, Google maps with nearby information, contact screen, company descriptions and loads more.

7   ENCOUNTER!
If it seems like a daunting and lonely proposition working alone, you may gain knowledge and insight by connecting with others working in your field. Join http://www.Linkedin.com the business world’s answer to Facebook. Network, join groups and get details of events near you.

8   EXPERTISE!
http://www.freebusinessforums.co.uk has loads of down to earth advice for those starting their own businesses – including common pitfalls and why many businesses fail before they’ve got off the ground.

9   ECONOMICS!
The thing that scares people the most about starting their own business is coping with the mundane task of accounting. Most sites offer ‘free trials’ of their accounting software packages, but http://www.gnucash.org is totally free.

10   ENVISAGE!
http://www.sxc.hu has images you could download for free to use on your adverts and websites, There are also free tutorials to help you create your vision too.


Most of all ENJOY... According to a recent survey, self employed people are the happiest people in the country, giving them a sense of satisfaction, self-worth and confidence a regular 9-5 job just can’t match. The best things in life may indeed be free, but cash in the bank and a better quality of life takes a little hard work.

Switchboardfree is proud to support UK businesses. We are the UK’s fastest growing free inbound business call manager with over 20,000 UK business users already registered. Click here to set up your free number now.

Coming soon to in the New Year: Auto attendant: (press 1 for sales, 2 for support etc.) and call recording.

For any questions please call our support line on 0844 884 3019.

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About http://www.switchboardfree.co.uk

With many years experience in the IT industry, SwitchboardFree is a large and fastest growing free switchboard service in the UK with over nine thousand numbers in circulation , offering 0844 numbers charged at local rate. Users of switchboardfree can set up a number in a matter of minutes via a web page and can redirect call 5 locations- UK land line or mobile. With the missed call emails and voice mails sent directly to your inbox you'll never miss a call again Established in 2005, the business is located in Lowestoft.

SwitchboardFree has an expanding customer base located throughout the UK, including Big names like the Carphonewarehouse. The firm offers comprehensive Free virtual switchboard to all sizes of business. The business has friendly staff enabling clients to resolve any issues with the switchboard and its setup.