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Retail start-up support
How to find the right financial and advisory support to start your retail business in Northern Ireland
Best practice when playing gigs
Simple tips on how to prepare for your gigs and play memorable live shows.
How to find a venue for your gig
How to find and book the right venue for your live show.
How to approach gig promoters
Understand how gig promoters work and what they expect from you as a band or an artist.
Buying commercial property: concluding the sale
Completing the sale of a business property including exchanging contracts, deposits, paying Stamp Duty Land Tax and Land Registry fees.
Creative business support and funding
Discover where to find advice, funding and skills support for creative businesses in Northern Ireland.
How to promote your gig
There are many ways to advertise your gig – from traditional leaflets and posters, to social media promotion and email marketing.
Negotiate a gig deal
Find out what type of gig deals are there, how payments work in the gig business and how to negotiate booking arrangements.
How to pitch your music
Follow these simple steps to pitch your music to venues and to gig promoters.
Find an audience for your show
Learn how to increase gig attendance and use simple strategies to help you get more fans through the door.
Booking gigs: the basics
Understand the process of booking gigs, and find out what promoters and venue owners look for when choosing what acts to book.
Retail
Guidance on getting started in retail, improving your retail business, running a retail premises, retail and the environment, business finances and the law, and employing people in retail
Types of retail business
The various types of retail business, including convenience store, speciality store, supermarket, discount store, department store, warehouse, direct retailer and online store
Estimate your rate bill
Get an indication of how much your business rates bill could be for 2024-25.
Ten top tips for starting a retail business
Ten top tips to starting a retail business successfully and staying afloat in the early days of trading
Renting commercial property: practicalities
The costs, considerations and obligations of renting business property.
Where to set up your retail business
Find the right place to set up your retail business in Northern Ireland by weighing the important options
Avoid sales forecast pitfalls
The key things to avoid when drawing up a sales forecast including wishful thinking, not making it achievable and moving goalposts
Start a sales forecasts
How to use last year's sales as a starting point for your forecast of next year's sales to help manage your business more effectively.
Sales forecast assumptions
How to build expected changes in your business relating to factors such as your products and your market into a sales forecast.