The following can help as you look to grow your business.

Create An Export Plan

This online guide is a tutorial assisting you to create an Export Plan that shows investors, banks or partners that you are serious about Export.

Enterprise nation: Go and Grow Online

Enterprise Nation presents ‘19 ways to embrace the web and make the most of the digital opportunity’. The guide provides a blueprint for how to go about growing your business by embracing the online world. All of the tools recommended are either free or available on a small business budget.

Selling to the NHS

A new guide - ‘Accessing the NHS: a guide for SMEs’ - is perfect for businesses that want to sell innovative products & services to the NHS.

The South East Health Technologies Alliance (SEHTA) has compiled the guide to support businesses that want to enter the sizeable NHS market.

This is downloadable here.

Marketing plan template

A marketing plan will help you to create a strategy for the growth you want to achieve. We have put together a comprehensive marketing plan template that business owners can use to create a marketing plan.

Business plan template

This guide will not only support you as you put together your business plan, but also as you adapt it over time to meet the growing needs of your business.

Business Model Canvas

The Business Model Canvas is a strategic management and entrepreneurial tool that allows you to design your business model and see how each aspect of your business interacts with the next – all on one easy-to-use page.

Little Book of Cyber Scams

Thames Valley Police has worked with the Metropolitan Police Service to introduce the first edition of the Little Book of Cyber Scams. This follows the success of the original Little Book of Scams project. We recognise the constantly evolving online world and the challenges that our communities face in keeping themselves safe online. This booklet has been developed to inform businesses and residents in the Thames Valley about current risks and assist them in taking the necessary steps to protect themselves against cyber criminals.

Download the Little Book of Cyber Scams here >

Information available at Buckinghamshire Libraries

Local libraries are packed with excellent tools and support for business owners, much of which is accessed online. This includes market research profiles on over 150 sectors, access to data on businesses for use in sales and marketing campaigns, a database of legislation and legal news, books on management techniques and scanning and photocopying facilities. Wi-Fi is available in all libraries and the majority of services are free.

Support from HMRC

YouTube and HMRC

Video guides on topics like PAYE, record keeping, VAT, completing tax returns, taking on employees, motoring costs, patents and more.

Simple record keeping and Income Tax applications

To help small businesses with record keeping, HMRC has worked with software suppliers that have produced simple record keeping applications, some of which meet the specifications necessary for documenting expenses or for when using cash basis. Many of the applications are free and are compatible with mobile devices.

Self-employed tax bill ready reckoner

The ready reckoner tool is for self-employed people who have no other taxable income and are entitled to a basic Personal Allowance. You fill in your estimated weekly or monthly profit and it shows you roughly how much money you’ll need to meet your Income Tax and Class 4 National Insurance bill.

Tax help facts sheets

A wide-ranging collection of downloadable leaflets, factsheets and booklets issued by HMRC.

Simpler income tax: cash basis

Using cash basis means that small, unincorporated businesses with incomes of less than £82,000 per annum only need to declare money when it comes in and out of their business. If this is you, it means that at the end of the tax year you won’t have to pay Income Tax on money you didn’t receive in your accounting period. This is opposed to traditional accounting.

Simpler income tax: simplified expenses

Simplified expenses are a way of calculating some of your business expenses using flat rates instead of working out your actual business costs. This is particularly useful where there is a mix of business and private use, e.g. motoring expenses, use of home for business.

Business records for the self-employed

The records you must keep of your business incomes and outgoings for your Self Assessment return if you’re self-employed.