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I feel your pain.

Great advice from the other people on this forum.

Identify where your initial business came from - is it possible that initially, friends and family also helped spread the word for you to their friends and colleagues, and this is where the boost came from?

Marketing is a funny thing (Not as in haha when you need, but don't get results). One phrase that sticks with me throughout all of my businesses is: "If you do what you've done, you'll get what you've got".

I'm a firm believer that you should never give up - and that in mind - you have the ability to turn this around.

Check your marketing material, and stick it everywhere. I'd suggest estate and letting agents, especially around areas where Uni's are. You're likely to have a slight influx when students move out.

Try and partner your business with domestic cleaning businesses, home help etc.

Incentivise them to generate you business by paying commission (Say 10%). 

If you're doing nothing, go door to door in affluent places. Knock the door, and say:

"Hi, sorry to bother you, I was wondering if I could just give you this leaflet on XYZ"

You will get a better response from this than just popping the leaflet through the door.

Think about B2B if you can - perhaps you can also target restaurants. Don't forget the Environmental Health people can cause havoc if grills and ovens are dirty - you could be the solution to all their problems.

Geography may be playing a part - go further afield if required. Spread your wings a little.

Best of Luck! It's tough out there - but it's worthwhile!

Yodel - I'm as yet to have a good experience with them. (Around 7 inbound deliveries gone wrong over 3 years or so at 3 different locations).

Replicate this across the company, and I wonder how they survive. I also wonder why others use them - we don't and would never. Hermes gets my recommendation - but others dislike it.

Whenever I see Yodel in the news - I am not surprised in the slightest.

We use Real POS for all POS stuff, and it's back end includes inventory which is linked to rear storeroom management.

It's pretty simple stuff to use, and quite cost effective at a couple of grand for a multi-user.

May be overkill f it's just stock reports your after without POS abilities. Perhaps a simple XLS file can handle this?

Originally Posted by Camber Kitesurfing

“Can anyone recommend some good stock control software, that can produce a real time stock sheet. Must be easy to use and potentially free ”

I cannot even begin to describe the effect cold calling can have on businesses!

I think I've mentioned before that many businesses, when they get new premises - or just start up - get literally hundreds of calls trying to scam what little money they have out of them (The electrical meter check one is the worst - from companies that arrange supplier changes by pretending they're from "The" supplier).

I received a call last sunday, at home, at exactly 8 AM. Sunday is the only day I sleep in - my alarm is off. Often I still wake up at 5 AM due to my body clock, but, it's the day that if I need to sleep till 10 - I can. But Nope. I had some guy asking me if I wanted my gutters cleaning - woke me up. 

I'm TPS etc etc, and his number was withheld. It's the bane of having a landline.

I'm sitting here all on my lonesome listening to Eva Cassidy feeling all down with myself (Tomorrow is a new day).

I have a great dislike of all such days... (Including Christmas etc)

But, if it brings out the romantic in someone, and helps re-kindle the love which may otherwise have been put on the back burner for the rest of the year due to the busyness of business, good on it!

Oh, as well as openly tackling other issues of course, all with a heavy, but fair hand.

I totally keep out of politics, I don't even think I understand it - but, the last few weeks, I've certainly tried to youtube some knowledge on it.

A search on 'House of Commons' brings up what I consider to be total and utter nonsense that transported me back to my school days. It's like a classroom before the schoolmaster comes in. Complete chaos filled with noise and misbehaviour.

Then I found 'Black rod', so I thought, oh, this ceremony will be filled with decorum, after all, he's entering the house with the Queens orders... 

Nope. Loads of chit chat filled with self importance, followed by some geezer who makes some snide comment, and has done year after year at the same point of the ceremony. And out of the video's I've seen, there are people of substance taking on the role - chest filled with military medals, being heckled by overgrown school boys.

As for business, the policies of this government, and governments past have done little to help the small business person I believe - quite the opposite. There is a clear lack of understanding on the value of SME's on the economy, and it's direct impact on social structure.

I do not vote for several reasons, but, I would vote for a party that would address issues such as Rates for business premises, nonsensical plans such as the BiD and development of town centres to reignite trade in these areas as oppose to out of town shopping areas. 

Well done Linda!

I'm sure Walt Disney would have some great business advice.

It is very easy to tell the difference between a fairy tale from Disney, and someone's very real, and personal faith in a God, or twig, or whatever it is they choose to worship. 

I am very cautious to use the words 'In my opinion' when I say anything that is opinionated, so to try at least to avoid offence in matters which may have a very deep meaning to them.

Perhaps you would be so kind as to reconsider your sentence a little without infringing on your own beliefs and freedom of expression ;-)