| Sites for start-ups |
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| www.startups.co.uk |
| This is aimed at SMEs. It has a clear and simple design and combines news with practical advice. There's plenty of practical advice in a no-nonsense style. |
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| www.princes-trust.org.uk |
| An independent organisation aiming to foster success in young people to start and develop their own businesses. Also hosts a national competition for start-ups to accelerate young business ideas. Free advice for 16 to 30 year olds. |
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| www.enterprisesupport.org |
| Business Enterprise Support provides a number of high quality flexible support programmes for start ups and SMEs in the West Midlands. |
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| www.smallbiz.uk.com |
| This is an extensive information source for anything from sales success and money matters to property, law, IT and the Internet. |
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| www.shell-livewire.org |
| Provides the latest information on how Shell Livewire assists people aged 16-30 who are looking to start their own business. |
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| www.j4b.co.uk |
| Offers a simple 4-step grant search service. It has comprehensive, up-to-date information on business grants currently available in only a few seconds. It contains regional information on around 5,000 capital grants. |
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| Freebie Sites |
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| www.adobe.com |
From this site you can download a software package called Acrobat Reader which will enable you to read, send and download files produced in PDF format.
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| www.microsoft.com |
| Download the latest version of Internet Explorer for free and get upgrades and add-ins to Office products. |
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| www.symantec.co.uk |
| Download a trial version of Norton Anti-Virus software. Also obtain information and fixes for viruses. |
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| www.act.com |
| There is a free download trial for fantastic contact management software. |
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| www.cnet.com |
| Type in the software package you are looking for. You'll find WinZip, fax software and utilities to help you maintain your PC. |
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| www.mindjet.com |
| Download your 30-day free trial of mind mapping software here. |
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| Creative Thinking |
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| www.thinksmart.com |
| Brilliant site for developing your creative thinking. A must visit site. |
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| www.mindjet.com |
| Download your 30-day free trial of mind mapping software here. You can submit your idea for the world to see or just visit to see what everyone else is thinking about. Sparks creative thinking. |
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| www.crayola.com |
| Fun ideas for children or "How to entertain my child when I have to take them into the office". Seriously though, if you look on the Exploring Ideas section, many of these ideas can be used by adults too, to kickstart the creative thinking process. |
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| www.bkwsu.com |
| Get a 'Thought of the Day' from here. Some great motivational insights come out of this web site. |
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| Government Sites |
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| www.hmrc.gov.uk |
| A really excellent site. Advice for small businesses and those going self-employed. It's surprisingly helpful and full of useful information. |
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| www.companies-house.gov.uk |
| This provides information for limited companies, including name searches and basic company information. |
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| www.dti.gov.uk |
| The DTI website has a wide range of information, including grants, exporting and industry specific issues. |
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| Business info sites |
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| www.britishchambers.org.uk |
| This is the site of the British Chamber of Commerce, the national voice of local business providing a range of services including international trade, training and cost-effective commercial services. |
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| www.jordans.co.uk |
| This site provides information for limited companies, including name searches and online company formations. |
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| www.ukdata.com |
| This site provides company information and benchmarking data. |
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| www.acas.org.uk |
| If you are wondering what ACAS stands for it is the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service. Click the link to find out more. |
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| www.accountingweb.co.uk |
| A website designed for the accountancy community providing accounting and taxation information. |
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| www.fsb.org.uk |
| The Federation of Small Business is the leading political lobby for British small business. |
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| www.yell.co.uk |
| Home of the online version of the Yellow Pages. Search by keywords and browse by category. A hugely impressive site with massive investment. |
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| www.cityequities.com |
| For Penny share investment and advice. One of the market leaders in their field of dealing in UK penny stocks and shares. |
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| www.sbrt.co.uk |
| Information specifically for small businesses from the Small Business Research Trust. |
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| www.fortune.com |
| Go to the Fortune site and check out the Fortune Small Business and Business 2.0 in the grey box at the top right hand corner of the screen. |
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| www.businesslink.org |
| Find out free business information and funding from the national Business Link network. |
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| Business news sites |
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| www.business.com |
| This search engine provides industry specific business news, resources and information. |
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| www.ft.com |
| If it's not in the FT.......Up to the minute news, information and analysis. |
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| www.keepahead.com |
| If you're too busy to surf the web and read the newspapers, take a look at this site. Here you can register for a number of free email newsletters that'll provide you with the latest industry specific headlines. |
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| www.endowmentaction.co.uk |
Which? and Consumers' Association have created this website to help the estimated 5 million of you that may have been mis-sold an endowment mortgage obtain financial compensation. |
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| Personal finance sites |
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| www.fool.co.uk |
| Excellent personal finance advice to guide you through pensions, mortgages and more.... |
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| Marketing sites |
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| www.marketingfile.com |
| This site acts as an on-line mailing list manager and marketing data bureau. Users can select, purchase and download targeted prospect lists drawn from over 35 million consumer and four million business records. It's designed specifically for smaller businesses and imposes no minimum order quantities. |
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| www.marketingtips.com |
| The site offers tips, strategies and secrets for Internet marketing, online advertising and website promotion for small businesses. |
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| www.dnb.com |
| Dun and Bradstreet claims to have the most up-to-date and definitive database of business information in the world. |
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| Search engines |
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| Our Favourite Sites |
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| www.laterooms.com |
| You can get discounts on some of the hotels but you can only book 2 weeks in advance. |
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| www.growingbusinessawards.co.uk |
| A superb site celebrating companies that grow their businesses successfully. Backed by the CBI and Real Business. Enter their annual competition. |
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| www.ecommerce-awards.co.uk |
| E-commerce awards for SME's sponsored by Daily Express, Royal Bank of Scotland, Cisco and UK Online for Business. |
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| www.ecustomerserviceworld.com |
| A great site for learning more about how to give great customer service. Full of articles and you can sign up for their free newsletter. |
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| www.thewowawards.com |
| This is run by AVN member Derek Williams of Stephens & Co. Derek is now receiving worldwide attention through his free newsletter about wowing the customer. |
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| www.asamanthinketh.net |
| This site is for your spiritual and mental well being and download the e-book. Links to motivators and subscription to newsletter. |
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| www.spiceuk.com |
| Lots of ideas for fun things to do to 'spice' up your life! |
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| www.join-me.co.uk |
| It's not a cult - it's a collective. A charitable web site committed to 'Random Acts Of Kindness'. |
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| www.davy.co.uk |
| You can search for and purchase fine wines over a secure server. Information on Davy's own specialist tobacconist, Segar & Snuff Parlour, is also available. |
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| www.j4b.co.uk |
| You'll find all the information you need here about grants. Don't forget to register for their free newsletter. |
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| www.grc.com |
| Test your firewall to see if it's really working! |
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| www.astd.org |
| Lessons on how to teach effectively . A benchmarking service to benchmark your training programmes. |
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| www.faxyourmp.com |
| Simply type in your postcode and it will present a blank fax addressed to your local MP. Please don't get carried away. |
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| www.bt.com |
| Click on the link to BT directory enquiries online. |
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| www.royalmail.com |
| Find a postcode for an address or the address if you know the postcode. |
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| www.dummiesdaily.com |
| Subscribe to one or all of their daily newsletters to keep you on the ball with various subjects. |
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| www.ewaydirect.com |
| If you want to see what different industry newsletters look like, visit the site and click on the members' button. You can also subscribe to receive 'Some to one' publishing newsletter. |
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| www.bplans.com |
| Business planning software and free subscription to their bi weekly newsletter. |
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| www.espn.com |
| Scores for all sports, with a distinctly American bias. |
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| www.cricinfo.com |
| The 2nd most popular site in the UK! It is the bible of online cricket with scores updates as they happen. |
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| www.rac.co.uk |
| Check the traffic, journey planner and hotel finder. |
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| www.theaa.co.uk |
| See travel watch, advice on buying cars or the getaway service. |
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