Search results
Support for developing your ideas
Where to get help to develop new product ideas if you're looking to manufacture, market, sell or license your inventions
Grow your business
Browse our key guidance to help you find growth funding in Northern Ireland, and learn how you can scale up your business and grow
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.
Developing your sales forecast
How to improve the accuracy of your forecast by breaking down your sales figures into smaller categories such as by product, market, region or customer.
Create a sales plan from a sales forecast
Advice on how to achieve your sales objectives by creating a sales plan including your focus, the necessary changes, the steps involved and your target markets.
Business growth and premises
As your business grows and takes in more staff, you may need to assess your options for larger business premises
Avoid problems during business growth
Common issues that businesses often face during growth, and tips for overcoming these difficulties through proper planning and management.
Business growth: market research
Use market research to drive business growth and innovation and to stay ahead of the competition
Business growth strategy and planning
Maximise the chances of business growth success by carefully planning your growth strategy
Business growth: developing skills
Developing effective leadership skills and making the most of other people's abilities can help you grow your business
Understanding social value in public procurement
What social value is in public sector procurement, how you demonstrate it in a tender submission and what resources are available to assist your business.
IP rights: copyright
What is copyright, when does it apply, and how you can use it to protect your intellectual property
IP rights: trade marks
What are trade marks, and how to register trade marks to protect your brand, products or business
IP rights: designs
An overview of design as an intellectual property asset and advice on how to use unregistered and registered designs to secure your IP
IP rights: patents
What is a patent, how to apply for one, and how to use and enforce it to protect your business' intellectual property
Types of business growth: rapid and organic
There are many different ways to grow your business, and at different paces - some strategies are riskier than others.
Business growth implications
Growth can have many implications for your business - it will affect your premises, equipment, staff and IT systems.
Advantages of reviewing business progress and target-setting
Understand how to use business performance review to set targets and develop a growth strategy for your business