Help for local firms to Beat the Crunch

Local businesses are being invited to take advantage of free events, designed to help them during the credit crunch.

The latest sessions, organised by Rochdale Council, cover topics including starting a business, becoming self-employed, and marketing your business using the internet.

The first one this month is on Saturday (7 March) at Moss Lodge Hotel in Rochdale, and the events continue through March and April. Further workshops will take place during the rest of the year to meet the needs for small and medium sized local firms.

Councillor Mohammad Sharif, cabinet member for regeneration on Rochdale Council, said: “At this difficult time it’s vital that local businesses get all the help and support that they need. These workshops will offer some really useful information and tips for helping your business survive – or even grow.”

To book a place on any of the sessions, call 01706 926700 or email business@rochdale.gov.uk

Forthcoming events for businesses

E-Marketing

Two free half day interactive seminars delivered by Great Marketing Works:

Sat 14 March, 9.30am – 12.30pm, Moss Lodge Hotel
Sat 21 March, 9.30am – 12.30pm, Moss Lodge Hotel

Designed to:

Give you new tools to create online success with systems proved to work for SME's.

Inspire you with new ideas in a motivational and different environment.

Show you an alternative proven way of e-marketing for business in 2009.

The way of the web (Day 1): What kind of site should we have and Search engine optimization: how do we help Google find us?

The way of the web (Day 2): Adwords – Pay Per Click – how genius is it? And how to make money from it?

Starting a business – Awareness seminar

Two free half-day seminars:

Saturday 7 March, 9.00am – 12,30pm, Moss Lodge Hotel

Friday 27 March, 9.30am – 12.30pm, Rochdale Town Hall

Starting your own business? Thinking of working for yourself? Free half a day seminar on starting your own business covering:

Business idea

Will it work?

Have you got what it takes?

Market research

Start-up costs

Business planning & finance

Marketing

Forming the business

Available support



Self Assessments for the Self Employed

A free half-day seminar delivered by HM Revenue and Customs.

Tuesday 14 April, 9.30am – 12.30pm, Rochdale Town Hall

Recently become self employed? Ready to start running your own business? All you need to know about working for yourself covering:

Registering the business

Completing Self Assessments

Expenses

How to pay tax

National Insurance

Record keeping