Advantages of doing business in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
How to start your business in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
Start-up support for entrepreneurs in the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council area
If you are considering starting a business, you can get free start-up support from Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.
Go Succeed Start
If you have a great idea but you're not sure how to turn it into a business, or you have already started out in business and require mentorship on your next steps, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council's Go Succeed Start experts will help you to create a business plan, seek funding and put all the foundations in place to get your business up and running.
This support is available to anyone interested in starting a business. Complete a short enquiry form or call 0800 027 0639 to register for free advice and guidance from Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.
Start-up and early stage business support programmes
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council runs or part-funds business support programmes to help you start a business - find out more about business support available.
My New Business
My New Business is a free online service that covers everything you need to start, plan and run a business. It has checklists, videos, tools, tutorials and case studies to help you get your business started - find out more about My New Business.
Get a business licence
You may need a licence to operate certain types of business in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon. Find more information on how to apply for business licences on the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council website.
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Business growth support in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
Council and local organisation support and opportunities to grow your business in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
There are several organisations in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon which offer support to help your grow your business.
Growth and support schemes for established businesses
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council runs support programmes for business growth and development. Current programmes include:
ABC Business Support Hub
Through the hub, businesses can receive independent and practical advice, free mentoring from experienced business advisors, and signposting to additional support - find out more about the ABC Business Support Hub.
Business Improvement District (BID) Initiative
This initiative supports local businesses to create jobs, by supporting the development of key growth sectors - find out more about the BID Initiative.
Food Heartland
Networking opportunity for agri-food and drink producers and hospitality providers and local stakeholders who work together to brand the borough and champion local food and drink - find out more.
Go Succeed - Grow and Scale
Support is available if your business is already established and is now ready to expand, but growth is slow and you're not sure how to progress. Or if your business is ready to go to the next level locally and internationally but you need guidance, support or resources to achieve your ambitions. Business advisors will provide tailored support to help your business achieve its ambitions - find out more about Go Succeed support for existing businesses.
Life Science Forum
This forum is a network of key individuals, companies and sector support bodies collaborating to drive the sector forward - find out more about the Life Science Forum.
Social Enterprise Bootcamp
Bespoke mentoring and exclusive workshops to help enhance the skills of social enterprises which are actively trading with ambitions to grow - find out more about the Social Enterprise Bootcamp.
Social Enterprise Thematic Programme
Support for social enterprises to elevate their skills through one-on-one mentoring and online workshops, focusing on fundraising, digital marketing, and social impact planning - find out more about the Social Enterprise Thematic Programme.
Transform Your Business Programme
Support includes tailored business mentoring, business planning, brand development and PR, social media, product and sales development, financial planning and identifying new markets - find out more.
Local enterprise agencies
Enterprise Northern Ireland agencies provide business improvement programmes, financing, events, workspace and meeting space. There are three local enterprise agencies in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon:
Tender for council contracts
You can seek tender opportunities as a way to grow your business in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon. The council offers public tenders throughout the year in a wide range of business areas.
Find guidelines on tendering for Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council contracts.
Invest Northern Ireland support for business
Invest NI can help your business compete successfully and function more efficiently by providing support across a variety of areas.
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/content/business-growth-support-armagh-city-banbridge-and-craigavon
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Advantages of doing business in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
The business environment, infrastructure and benefits of setting up a business in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council is an excellent location for doing business.
Local infrastructure
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon businesses benefit from direct access to markets across the world.
The M1 motorway running across the council area links to Belfast and the economic corridor to Dublin. A cross-border rail link between Belfast and Dublin includes a stop at Portadown Station.
Belfast International Airport and Belfast City Airport are both within an hour's travel time from the council area. The motorway network also provides fast and reliable access to major ports at Belfast, Larne and Dublin.
The council area has direct road access into the European Union - find out more about cross-border trade support with InterTradeIreland.
Local workforce and business supply chains
There are around 218,656 residents in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon.
There are 9,255 businesses operating in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, which is 12% of all businesses in Northern Ireland. The majority of the base is micro and small businesses:
- 91% micro (0-9 employees)
- 8% small (10-49 employees)
- 1% medium (50-249 employees)
- 0.3% large (250+ employees)
Some major business investors in the council area include Almac Group, EOS IT Solutions, SAM Northern Ireland and A.J Power. Service businesses make up the largest sector in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon:
- 27% agriculture
- 14% construction
- 8% manufacturing
- 52% services
You can download an Invest NI council briefing on Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon (PDF, 3.39MB).
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/content/advantages-doing-business-armagh-city-banbridge-and-craigavon
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Business growth support in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
How to start your business in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
Start-up support for entrepreneurs in the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council area
If you are considering starting a business, you can get free start-up support from Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.
Go Succeed Start
If you have a great idea but you're not sure how to turn it into a business, or you have already started out in business and require mentorship on your next steps, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council's Go Succeed Start experts will help you to create a business plan, seek funding and put all the foundations in place to get your business up and running.
This support is available to anyone interested in starting a business. Complete a short enquiry form or call 0800 027 0639 to register for free advice and guidance from Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.
Start-up and early stage business support programmes
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council runs or part-funds business support programmes to help you start a business - find out more about business support available.
My New Business
My New Business is a free online service that covers everything you need to start, plan and run a business. It has checklists, videos, tools, tutorials and case studies to help you get your business started - find out more about My New Business.
Get a business licence
You may need a licence to operate certain types of business in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon. Find more information on how to apply for business licences on the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council website.
Also on this siteContent category
Source URL
/content/how-start-your-business-armagh-city-banbridge-and-craigavon
Links
Business growth support in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
Council and local organisation support and opportunities to grow your business in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
There are several organisations in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon which offer support to help your grow your business.
Growth and support schemes for established businesses
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council runs support programmes for business growth and development. Current programmes include:
ABC Business Support Hub
Through the hub, businesses can receive independent and practical advice, free mentoring from experienced business advisors, and signposting to additional support - find out more about the ABC Business Support Hub.
Business Improvement District (BID) Initiative
This initiative supports local businesses to create jobs, by supporting the development of key growth sectors - find out more about the BID Initiative.
Food Heartland
Networking opportunity for agri-food and drink producers and hospitality providers and local stakeholders who work together to brand the borough and champion local food and drink - find out more.
Go Succeed - Grow and Scale
Support is available if your business is already established and is now ready to expand, but growth is slow and you're not sure how to progress. Or if your business is ready to go to the next level locally and internationally but you need guidance, support or resources to achieve your ambitions. Business advisors will provide tailored support to help your business achieve its ambitions - find out more about Go Succeed support for existing businesses.
Life Science Forum
This forum is a network of key individuals, companies and sector support bodies collaborating to drive the sector forward - find out more about the Life Science Forum.
Social Enterprise Bootcamp
Bespoke mentoring and exclusive workshops to help enhance the skills of social enterprises which are actively trading with ambitions to grow - find out more about the Social Enterprise Bootcamp.
Social Enterprise Thematic Programme
Support for social enterprises to elevate their skills through one-on-one mentoring and online workshops, focusing on fundraising, digital marketing, and social impact planning - find out more about the Social Enterprise Thematic Programme.
Transform Your Business Programme
Support includes tailored business mentoring, business planning, brand development and PR, social media, product and sales development, financial planning and identifying new markets - find out more.
Local enterprise agencies
Enterprise Northern Ireland agencies provide business improvement programmes, financing, events, workspace and meeting space. There are three local enterprise agencies in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon:
Tender for council contracts
You can seek tender opportunities as a way to grow your business in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon. The council offers public tenders throughout the year in a wide range of business areas.
Find guidelines on tendering for Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council contracts.
Invest Northern Ireland support for business
Invest NI can help your business compete successfully and function more efficiently by providing support across a variety of areas.
ActionsAlso on this siteContent category
Source URL
/content/business-growth-support-armagh-city-banbridge-and-craigavon
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Advantages of doing business in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
The business environment, infrastructure and benefits of setting up a business in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council is an excellent location for doing business.
Local infrastructure
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon businesses benefit from direct access to markets across the world.
The M1 motorway running across the council area links to Belfast and the economic corridor to Dublin. A cross-border rail link between Belfast and Dublin includes a stop at Portadown Station.
Belfast International Airport and Belfast City Airport are both within an hour's travel time from the council area. The motorway network also provides fast and reliable access to major ports at Belfast, Larne and Dublin.
The council area has direct road access into the European Union - find out more about cross-border trade support with InterTradeIreland.
Local workforce and business supply chains
There are around 218,656 residents in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon.
There are 9,255 businesses operating in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, which is 12% of all businesses in Northern Ireland. The majority of the base is micro and small businesses:
- 91% micro (0-9 employees)
- 8% small (10-49 employees)
- 1% medium (50-249 employees)
- 0.3% large (250+ employees)
Some major business investors in the council area include Almac Group, EOS IT Solutions, SAM Northern Ireland and A.J Power. Service businesses make up the largest sector in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon:
- 27% agriculture
- 14% construction
- 8% manufacturing
- 52% services
You can download an Invest NI council briefing on Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon (PDF, 3.39MB).
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Source URL
/content/advantages-doing-business-armagh-city-banbridge-and-craigavon
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How to start your business in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
How to start your business in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
Start-up support for entrepreneurs in the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council area
If you are considering starting a business, you can get free start-up support from Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.
Go Succeed Start
If you have a great idea but you're not sure how to turn it into a business, or you have already started out in business and require mentorship on your next steps, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council's Go Succeed Start experts will help you to create a business plan, seek funding and put all the foundations in place to get your business up and running.
This support is available to anyone interested in starting a business. Complete a short enquiry form or call 0800 027 0639 to register for free advice and guidance from Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.
Start-up and early stage business support programmes
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council runs or part-funds business support programmes to help you start a business - find out more about business support available.
My New Business
My New Business is a free online service that covers everything you need to start, plan and run a business. It has checklists, videos, tools, tutorials and case studies to help you get your business started - find out more about My New Business.
Get a business licence
You may need a licence to operate certain types of business in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon. Find more information on how to apply for business licences on the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council website.
Also on this siteContent category
Source URL
/content/how-start-your-business-armagh-city-banbridge-and-craigavon
Links
Business growth support in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
Council and local organisation support and opportunities to grow your business in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
There are several organisations in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon which offer support to help your grow your business.
Growth and support schemes for established businesses
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council runs support programmes for business growth and development. Current programmes include:
ABC Business Support Hub
Through the hub, businesses can receive independent and practical advice, free mentoring from experienced business advisors, and signposting to additional support - find out more about the ABC Business Support Hub.
Business Improvement District (BID) Initiative
This initiative supports local businesses to create jobs, by supporting the development of key growth sectors - find out more about the BID Initiative.
Food Heartland
Networking opportunity for agri-food and drink producers and hospitality providers and local stakeholders who work together to brand the borough and champion local food and drink - find out more.
Go Succeed - Grow and Scale
Support is available if your business is already established and is now ready to expand, but growth is slow and you're not sure how to progress. Or if your business is ready to go to the next level locally and internationally but you need guidance, support or resources to achieve your ambitions. Business advisors will provide tailored support to help your business achieve its ambitions - find out more about Go Succeed support for existing businesses.
Life Science Forum
This forum is a network of key individuals, companies and sector support bodies collaborating to drive the sector forward - find out more about the Life Science Forum.
Social Enterprise Bootcamp
Bespoke mentoring and exclusive workshops to help enhance the skills of social enterprises which are actively trading with ambitions to grow - find out more about the Social Enterprise Bootcamp.
Social Enterprise Thematic Programme
Support for social enterprises to elevate their skills through one-on-one mentoring and online workshops, focusing on fundraising, digital marketing, and social impact planning - find out more about the Social Enterprise Thematic Programme.
Transform Your Business Programme
Support includes tailored business mentoring, business planning, brand development and PR, social media, product and sales development, financial planning and identifying new markets - find out more.
Local enterprise agencies
Enterprise Northern Ireland agencies provide business improvement programmes, financing, events, workspace and meeting space. There are three local enterprise agencies in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon:
Tender for council contracts
You can seek tender opportunities as a way to grow your business in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon. The council offers public tenders throughout the year in a wide range of business areas.
Find guidelines on tendering for Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council contracts.
Invest Northern Ireland support for business
Invest NI can help your business compete successfully and function more efficiently by providing support across a variety of areas.
ActionsAlso on this siteContent category
Source URL
/content/business-growth-support-armagh-city-banbridge-and-craigavon
Links
Advantages of doing business in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
The business environment, infrastructure and benefits of setting up a business in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council is an excellent location for doing business.
Local infrastructure
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon businesses benefit from direct access to markets across the world.
The M1 motorway running across the council area links to Belfast and the economic corridor to Dublin. A cross-border rail link between Belfast and Dublin includes a stop at Portadown Station.
Belfast International Airport and Belfast City Airport are both within an hour's travel time from the council area. The motorway network also provides fast and reliable access to major ports at Belfast, Larne and Dublin.
The council area has direct road access into the European Union - find out more about cross-border trade support with InterTradeIreland.
Local workforce and business supply chains
There are around 218,656 residents in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon.
There are 9,255 businesses operating in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, which is 12% of all businesses in Northern Ireland. The majority of the base is micro and small businesses:
- 91% micro (0-9 employees)
- 8% small (10-49 employees)
- 1% medium (50-249 employees)
- 0.3% large (250+ employees)
Some major business investors in the council area include Almac Group, EOS IT Solutions, SAM Northern Ireland and A.J Power. Service businesses make up the largest sector in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon:
- 27% agriculture
- 14% construction
- 8% manufacturing
- 52% services
You can download an Invest NI council briefing on Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon (PDF, 3.39MB).
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Source URL
/content/advantages-doing-business-armagh-city-banbridge-and-craigavon
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Start-up survival strategy for an economic downturn
Start-up ideas in an economic downturn
How to tailor your business idea to what you know about a difficult financial climate and economic conditions.
A good business idea is essential to setting up a successful business. You can use what you know about the volatile financial climate to help you develop a targeted and specific business idea.
Find the right business idea for the economic conditions
If you don't already have an idea, consider which of your skills could be used as a base for starting a business.
Even at this early stage, you may want to think about your preferred type of business. For example, are you thinking of buying a franchise, or starting a social enterprise or a home-based business?
Once you have a business idea, you should research whether there is a market for your product or service and formulate a business plan. If you need start-up capital, lenders will usually request a business plan.
Testing your business idea for tough economic conditions
You can use the economic downturn as an opportunity to define what you and your business want to achieve - and how best to set about achieving this.
Tougher market conditions are often caused by very specific issues, such as unavailability of loan finance. Diagnosing these issues and seeing to what extent they affect you will allow you to rethink the nature and scale of, as well as the market for, your business.
It is worth looking at the business news for information about the issues involved in an economic downturn and their effect on businesses. Understanding these issues will help you develop strategies for coping with them.
You can also think about practical tests of your idea without large financial overheads by starting a business from home or looking for opportunities to test your idea with a pop-up shop.
What business ideas work in an economic downturn?
You should ask yourself:
- What sorts of business are thriving at the moment?
- What is it about them that makes them resistant to an economic slowdown?
- Is the customer truly central to your business idea?
- What evidence do you have that people are likely to buy your product or service in a tougher economic environment?
Bigger established companies may struggle when their business-as-usual model is affected by a sudden economic shift. Smaller businesses and new entrepreneurs may find success by operating in a more flexible way.
Economic downturns can be a good time to bring a fresh business concept to the market. With established business sectors struggling, a disruptive product, service or business model could thrive – see setting up an innovation start-up.
Once you have tweaked your business idea for current market conditions, it needs to be implemented through a full business plan and a decision on the legal structure of your business.
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Source URL
/content/start-ideas-economic-downturn
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Business plans in an economic downturn
How to create a good business plan in an economic downturn and decide the best structure for your business.
You need to decide what legal structure will best suit your business in difficult economic times. Carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of each option because the structure will affect:
- the tax and National Insurance you have to pay
- the records and accounts you have to keep
- the way management decisions are made
Some of the business structure options are:
- sole trader
- limited liability company
- partnership
- limited liability partnership
- franchise
- social enterprise
- co-operative
To see which structure would best suit your business, see legal structures for business: an overview.
Creating a business plan for an economic downturn
A business plan describes the business' objectives, its strategies, the market it is in and its financial forecasts. A good business plan is particularly important when starting a business during tough economic times.
Going through the process of writing the plan should focus your mind on everything from where the business will be based to where you are going to find your first customer.
It is also a blueprint for the future development of the business that potential investors will want to read before they lend to you.
Your business plan should include:
- an executive summary
- a description of the business
- a marketing and sales strategy
- information on your operations, including your business premises, your IT and management information systems
- financial forecasts
You should ‘price-in’ the effects of the economic slowdown to show how your business model can be successful.
For more guidance see how to write a business plan: step-by-step.
After the business plan, you should consider writing a marketing plan, which sets out how you will target and interest potential customers in your product or service - see how to write a marketing plan.
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Sources of start-up finance in an economic downturn
How to find funding from different sources for starting your business in challenging economic times.
Finding the funds to start your business can be a challenge during an economic downturn. Financial institutions may switch their focus to less risky forms of investment.
However, with a strong business plan, you may find borrowing may be relatively cheap, as loans may be more affordable with lower interest rates.
Additional funding options may become available as government planning switches to helping economic recovery.
Ways to source finance in an economic downturn
If you need to raise money to start up your business, there are various options, including:
- Personal money - such as using savings, redundancy payments or a pension windfall, or even financing from friends and family.
- A business loan from a bank or business investor - this may be more difficult during a credit crunch. Any lender will want to review a detailed business plan before loaning any funds - see bank finance.
- A grant - you may be able to find a business grant scheme geared to your industry sectors and project scale. You should be aware that applying for a grant may take some time. Search our Northern Ireland business support finder for available grants, advice and support.
Essential to raising finance is convincing investors or grant bodies that your business is sound. This means showing that your idea is worth investing in and that you have what it takes to run your own business successfully in tough times.
Five tips on getting finance in an economic downturn
- Make sure you have a realistic business proposal. Have you calculated the money needed to start-up?
- Think about and plan your ongoing budget.
- Start to plan your finances by thinking about costs, living expenses and sales targets - and whether these are realistic given the economic conditions.
- Make time to research the market conditions in the downturn. It helps to show you are serious about your business.
- Be prepared for hard questions.
Other start-upfinance options in an economic downturn
Banks are not the only option when it comes to business loans. You could also explore the following:
- Angel investors, or business angels, usually provide funds in exchange for a small stake. They are often just as valuable for their contacts, insight and experience as for the investment they can offer.
- Venture capitalists may demand a large percentage of your business in exchange for investment. Ensure you have a clear understanding of their expectations.
Find out more about other forms of business investment in our guide on how to secure equity investment.
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Start-up survival strategy for an economic downturn
How to plan early for the survival and future success of your start-up business in tough economic conditions.
It's never too early for an entrepreneur to identify start-up risks and learn how to address and manage them.
Risk management for start-ups
It is important to identify the key risks your business may face and develop strategies to eliminate or reduce them. This will make your business more flexible and more able to withstand volatile market conditions.
Common start-up business risks include:
- losing customers and failing to attract new ones
- increased competition
- poor cashflow
- failure to anticipate problems/inability to adapt to a changing market environment
Market strategy in an economic downturn
You must have a clear strategy for identifying and looking after key customers and growing relationships with them. It also pays to plan for certain worst-case scenarios which might arise, such as losing a major customer. Try to expand your customer base as soon as possible – then the loss of a major customer will have less effect.
You also need to consider potential opportunities that could arise, for example, if one of your competitors ceases trading.
How to keep your cashflow healthy in tough economic conditions
Cashflow is the balance of money entering and leaving a business. It is important to anticipate cashflow problems as early as possible so that solutions can be found before the problem is urgent.
At all times you need to know how much money your business has in the bank, how much it owes and how much it is owed. If you regularly update your financial records and develop forecasts showing likely sales, profit and loss, you should be able to identify when additional funds might be required.
If you anticipate serious cashflow or funding problems in the early stages of your business, seek advice from your accountant and your bank.
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Sources of start-up finance in an economic downturn
Start-up ideas in an economic downturn
How to tailor your business idea to what you know about a difficult financial climate and economic conditions.
A good business idea is essential to setting up a successful business. You can use what you know about the volatile financial climate to help you develop a targeted and specific business idea.
Find the right business idea for the economic conditions
If you don't already have an idea, consider which of your skills could be used as a base for starting a business.
Even at this early stage, you may want to think about your preferred type of business. For example, are you thinking of buying a franchise, or starting a social enterprise or a home-based business?
Once you have a business idea, you should research whether there is a market for your product or service and formulate a business plan. If you need start-up capital, lenders will usually request a business plan.
Testing your business idea for tough economic conditions
You can use the economic downturn as an opportunity to define what you and your business want to achieve - and how best to set about achieving this.
Tougher market conditions are often caused by very specific issues, such as unavailability of loan finance. Diagnosing these issues and seeing to what extent they affect you will allow you to rethink the nature and scale of, as well as the market for, your business.
It is worth looking at the business news for information about the issues involved in an economic downturn and their effect on businesses. Understanding these issues will help you develop strategies for coping with them.
You can also think about practical tests of your idea without large financial overheads by starting a business from home or looking for opportunities to test your idea with a pop-up shop.
What business ideas work in an economic downturn?
You should ask yourself:
- What sorts of business are thriving at the moment?
- What is it about them that makes them resistant to an economic slowdown?
- Is the customer truly central to your business idea?
- What evidence do you have that people are likely to buy your product or service in a tougher economic environment?
Bigger established companies may struggle when their business-as-usual model is affected by a sudden economic shift. Smaller businesses and new entrepreneurs may find success by operating in a more flexible way.
Economic downturns can be a good time to bring a fresh business concept to the market. With established business sectors struggling, a disruptive product, service or business model could thrive – see setting up an innovation start-up.
Once you have tweaked your business idea for current market conditions, it needs to be implemented through a full business plan and a decision on the legal structure of your business.
ActionsAlso on this siteContent category
Source URL
/content/start-ideas-economic-downturn
Links
Business plans in an economic downturn
How to create a good business plan in an economic downturn and decide the best structure for your business.
You need to decide what legal structure will best suit your business in difficult economic times. Carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of each option because the structure will affect:
- the tax and National Insurance you have to pay
- the records and accounts you have to keep
- the way management decisions are made
Some of the business structure options are:
- sole trader
- limited liability company
- partnership
- limited liability partnership
- franchise
- social enterprise
- co-operative
To see which structure would best suit your business, see legal structures for business: an overview.
Creating a business plan for an economic downturn
A business plan describes the business' objectives, its strategies, the market it is in and its financial forecasts. A good business plan is particularly important when starting a business during tough economic times.
Going through the process of writing the plan should focus your mind on everything from where the business will be based to where you are going to find your first customer.
It is also a blueprint for the future development of the business that potential investors will want to read before they lend to you.
Your business plan should include:
- an executive summary
- a description of the business
- a marketing and sales strategy
- information on your operations, including your business premises, your IT and management information systems
- financial forecasts
You should ‘price-in’ the effects of the economic slowdown to show how your business model can be successful.
For more guidance see how to write a business plan: step-by-step.
After the business plan, you should consider writing a marketing plan, which sets out how you will target and interest potential customers in your product or service - see how to write a marketing plan.
Also on this siteContent category
Source URL
/content/business-plans-economic-downturn
Links
Sources of start-up finance in an economic downturn
How to find funding from different sources for starting your business in challenging economic times.
Finding the funds to start your business can be a challenge during an economic downturn. Financial institutions may switch their focus to less risky forms of investment.
However, with a strong business plan, you may find borrowing may be relatively cheap, as loans may be more affordable with lower interest rates.
Additional funding options may become available as government planning switches to helping economic recovery.
Ways to source finance in an economic downturn
If you need to raise money to start up your business, there are various options, including:
- Personal money - such as using savings, redundancy payments or a pension windfall, or even financing from friends and family.
- A business loan from a bank or business investor - this may be more difficult during a credit crunch. Any lender will want to review a detailed business plan before loaning any funds - see bank finance.
- A grant - you may be able to find a business grant scheme geared to your industry sectors and project scale. You should be aware that applying for a grant may take some time. Search our Northern Ireland business support finder for available grants, advice and support.
Essential to raising finance is convincing investors or grant bodies that your business is sound. This means showing that your idea is worth investing in and that you have what it takes to run your own business successfully in tough times.
Five tips on getting finance in an economic downturn
- Make sure you have a realistic business proposal. Have you calculated the money needed to start-up?
- Think about and plan your ongoing budget.
- Start to plan your finances by thinking about costs, living expenses and sales targets - and whether these are realistic given the economic conditions.
- Make time to research the market conditions in the downturn. It helps to show you are serious about your business.
- Be prepared for hard questions.
Other start-upfinance options in an economic downturn
Banks are not the only option when it comes to business loans. You could also explore the following:
- Angel investors, or business angels, usually provide funds in exchange for a small stake. They are often just as valuable for their contacts, insight and experience as for the investment they can offer.
- Venture capitalists may demand a large percentage of your business in exchange for investment. Ensure you have a clear understanding of their expectations.
Find out more about other forms of business investment in our guide on how to secure equity investment.
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Start-up survival strategy for an economic downturn
How to plan early for the survival and future success of your start-up business in tough economic conditions.
It's never too early for an entrepreneur to identify start-up risks and learn how to address and manage them.
Risk management for start-ups
It is important to identify the key risks your business may face and develop strategies to eliminate or reduce them. This will make your business more flexible and more able to withstand volatile market conditions.
Common start-up business risks include:
- losing customers and failing to attract new ones
- increased competition
- poor cashflow
- failure to anticipate problems/inability to adapt to a changing market environment
Market strategy in an economic downturn
You must have a clear strategy for identifying and looking after key customers and growing relationships with them. It also pays to plan for certain worst-case scenarios which might arise, such as losing a major customer. Try to expand your customer base as soon as possible – then the loss of a major customer will have less effect.
You also need to consider potential opportunities that could arise, for example, if one of your competitors ceases trading.
How to keep your cashflow healthy in tough economic conditions
Cashflow is the balance of money entering and leaving a business. It is important to anticipate cashflow problems as early as possible so that solutions can be found before the problem is urgent.
At all times you need to know how much money your business has in the bank, how much it owes and how much it is owed. If you regularly update your financial records and develop forecasts showing likely sales, profit and loss, you should be able to identify when additional funds might be required.
If you anticipate serious cashflow or funding problems in the early stages of your business, seek advice from your accountant and your bank.
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