Going global can seem a daunting prospect for small businesses. But the internet is making it easier – and more affordable than ever – for companies to dip their toes in overseas marketing. It can also reap huge rewards by tapping into growing, and under-served, markets. Christian Arno, founder of translation company Lingo24, explains how you can span the world without leaving home.

Internet use is growing rapidly, mainly among non-English speakers. More than half of Google searches are now in other languages. While English use grew by 301.4 percent between 2000 and 2011, the number of Russian users rose by 1,825.8 percent and Arabic use soared 2501.2 percent. Chinese is expected to overtake English soon as the dominant online language. Unsurprisingly, most consumers want information in their mother tongue when buying goods.

Businesses are struggling to keep up with this rapid expansion. For small companies, this means much less competition and higher returns on investment. It’s easier to rise to the top of search engine rankings in other languages, simply because there’s less content. And it’s much cheaper to set up a website than an on-the-ground presence abroad.

Of course, it’s not quite as easy as running your website through Google Translate. Taking time to gain local knowledge, research the competition and target individual countries are the keys to success. Here are some tips to ensure your business doesn’t get lost in translation.

1. Choose your markets carefully

While Europe might seem an obvious first step, don’t forget to look further afield. There’s huge growth in demand for consumer goods in China, the world’s most populous nation, as well as other Asian economies, such as South Korea. If you’re not sure where to start, free tools such as Google GlobalMarketFinder can identify the frequency of search keywords around the world.

2. Test the waters

Translating your entire website for each potential market can be expensive. Instead, just translate the main page and information about your bestselling products. Once you’ve established there is demand, you can expand the micro-site.

3. Localise your website

Ideally, register an in-country domain name for your website. Native-speaking translators and in-country localisation experts can ensure it has a local feel.  Remember, search keywords won’t necessarily be direct translations of your English keywords.

4. Get your voice heard

International PR companies can get coverage on local industry websites. Social media is an increasingly valuable marketing tool. Set up separate Twitter feeds and Facebook pages for each country, and update them regularly.

5. Look after your customers

This goes without saying, but it can be tricky across a language barrier.  Most small companies can’t afford a native-speaking sales team, so it’s best to restrict communication to email or online forms. While you’ll want to ensure replies to customers are word-perfect, you can cut costs by using a free service like Google Translate to understand the gist of incoming communications.

Hear more from Christian at Go Global
	Christian is the founder of professional translation services provider Lingo24. Launched in 2001, Lingo24 now has more than 160 employees spanning three continents and clients in over sixty countries. In the past twelve months, they have
translated more than 60 million words for businesses in every industry sector, including the likes of MTV and World Bank.You can meet Christian and hear his advice in person in the first of the Go Global series of free events supported by DHL and Regus at the O2 Workshop in Tottenham Court Road, London, on Wednesday, 29th February. Christian will show how to localise your website and attract online visitors from across the globe. Register here to hear more from Christian Arno in person.

Last week, Alexander Technique teacher Penny Ingham explained how to relax your head, neck and shoulders while sitting. this week, she looks at how you can relieve pressure on your lower back, with illustrations by Enterprise Nation member Colin Shelbourn.

Running a home business means you may need to be especially careful about how you sit at a desk. It’s too easy to dive into work, without thinking about how long you’re going to sit in the same position, with little movement.

Last time we looked at how to keep the neck, head and shoulders free and relaxed. Today we’ll look at relieving the pressure on the lower back.

Sit at your desk, shoulders relaxed, crown of the head towards the ceiling and neck lengthening and relaxing back. Now place your hands, palm up, under your bottom. It’s ok, no one is watching. Feel those sharp bones? They’re your sit bones and provide the pivot point for your torso. When your head is balanced, its weight is directly transmitted through the sit bones to the chair.

Now place your hands on your spine and feel your tailbone. Relax the muscles around this area until you feel your tailbone drop. This will bring your sit bones into fuller contact the chair seat. It is the opposite of the old school room technique of tensing your back to sit bolt upright.

You may feel that you are slumping in your chair. You can counter this by continuing to allow your head to float upwards and neck to relax backwards; as your lower back loses tension, your back and neck lengthen.

When sitting, you are also supported by the floor. Your feet should be flat, about shoulder-width apart. If your legs are balanced and ankles relaxed, your knees will naturally drift outwards and be directly above your little toes. If your leg and ankle muscles are doing too much work, your knees will tend to pull together. This tension will transmit itself to your back.

At first, sitting in a balanced posture can feel strange. And it requires concentration. Don’t work at it too hard. Come back to it at points throughout the day and, with practice, it will become more natural.

And then, with feet supported by the floor, your torso supported by the chair and your head balanced, you really will be sitting comfortably.

• Are you sitting comfortably? Part 1 – head, neck and shoulders

About the contributors

Penny Ingham has been teaching the Alexander Technique for 22 years. She is the author of The Well Tuned Body and regularly advises on posture in the workplace. Her posture tweets can be found at @welltunedbody and her website is www.thebusybody.co.uk

Colin Shelbourn is a professional cartoonist, author and illustrator and you can see his work at his (and buy)  Radio Cartoonist website. Colin’s also a regular chatter during during our daily 11am #WaterCoolerMoment on Twitter. You can follow him at @ColinShelbourn or simply join in the chat.

We love Emily Coltman at Enterprise Nation. Not only is she lead accountant for EN partner FreeAgent, she’s also brilliant at explaining small business accounting in a straightforward way.

We’ve already published Emily’s jargon-free guide, Finance for Small Business; now you can also see her on video and ask her your tax and accounting questions in our forum.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll also be featuring her advice on choosing your business structure, keeping records, working out and paying tax, and choosing an accountant. First up…

Choosing your business structure

When you set up a business, you need to decide how it’s going to be structured for tax and legal purposes. It’s boring but important!

There are four different structures to choose from:

• Sole trader.

This consists of just you, your computer and your dog. It’s by far the most straightforward structure for tax because you only have to fill in one form each year, but beware, if the business is sued so are you and you could lose your home and your car.

• Partnership.

This is just like a sole trader except that there’s more than one person running the business. There will be at least three tax returns to file each year, one for each partner and one for the partnership, and if the business is sued, any and all of the partners could lose their personal assets.

• Limited Liability Partnership (LLP).

This is like a partnership except that it’s a separate legal entity, and the partners can’t be sued for the business’s debts unless they’ve been guilty of wrongdoing. LLPs must file accounts with Companies House each year which are on the public record.

• Limited company.

This is very popular, as it need only involve one individual and has the same limited liability protection as an LLP. But it does also have to file accounts every year at Companies House, file a tax return and pay corporation tax in its own right – and there are a lot of legal responsibilities around being the director of a company.

Choose carefully the right structure for your business and if in doubt, seek advice from an accountant.

Got a question? Ask Emily!

• Ask Emily your small business tax and accounting questions in our forum.

Buy the book

Finance for Small Business by Emily Coltman is a plain-speaking guide to tax and accountancy for even the smallest business. It’s available as an ebook from our sister company Brightword Publishing for just £3.50.

Fund101 has re-opened and is receiving hundreds of new applications every day from start-ups and growing businesses. Please take time in submitting a quality application that’s more likely to be approved and secure votes.

Worth the effort

Of the high volume of applications being received, we are having to reject a number as they do not state how much money is being asked for and on what that money will be spent!

Think of your Fund101 application as a serious business pitch. It’s worth taking the time to get it right. Here’s some advice:

• A picture tells a thousand words – uploading a picture to your profile brings the profile to life and can be an opportunity to show off your logo.
• Tell a story – offer a brief picture of who you are, why you need the money, and how it will help your business. Place effort in perfecting your pitch so it draws people in and encourages the reader to place their vote with you. Answer some basic questions:

• what does your business do?

• on what will you spend the money?

• how will this help the business grow?

It’s a nice touch to finish this off by including a link to your website if you have one.

If you don’t offer such details, your application may not be accepted.

• Tell everyone! – to secure the cash, you have to secure the votes! Make the most of Twitter and facebook and share your profile with friends, family and across websites. Promote your application, invite votes and people will vote for you. Whilst doing so, your business is getting known and you could be picking up orders too!

Read a post from our Editor in September 2011 on how successful applicants secured their vote targets and type ‘Fund101’ into the search bar above to read the many profiles of successful Fund101’ers!

Apply now

Why not take the above into account and apply now! Do so by clicking here.

Best wishes with your application.

Photo credit: SeattleClouds.com

We are delighted to announce a partnership with online global talent platform, Elance, to provide you with over $100,000 worth of Elance credits so you can access the services you need to start and grow a business.

Elance is the Internet platform that offers instant access to over one million independent workers meaning you can find PR specialists, social media experts, accountants and web designers and receive $75 credit to buy these services. We’ll be offering the credits at all Enterprise Nation events, you’ll be able to access online via a link to the Elance platform going live in the next 2 weeks, and Fund101 recipients will also be offered credits to spend in their business in addition to Fund101 cash!

“The partnership with Enterprise Nation is an essential component of our expansion into Europe,” said Kjetil J. Olsen, Vice President, Europe at Elance. “We are looking forward to participating in events, showcasing companies who are making the most of Elance and enabling business owners to grow a successful company using our global talent marketplace.”

Success story

Enterprise Nation member, Richard Baldock, is Managing Director of Desktag and has benefited from hiring developers on Elance to work on new products for his business. “On Elance, I quickly found experts with the skills I need. I hired developers around the globe, so that means the work is done by the time I start for the day! Elance has helped me with company growth and product innovation and I’m learning how to manage a virtual team. Accessing online talent on a contract basis is how I will continue to grow my workforce and business.”

 Outsourcing to grow

“For some time we have recognised that companies are growing by outsourcing and subcontracting as opposed to hiring staff and Elance offers a route to all the talent you need,” said Emma Jones, Founder of Enterprise Nation. “I’m delighted we can make this available via Enterprise Nation in addition to offering thousands of pounds worth of value in credits. It’s a great time to be growing a business and this partnership will ensure you do so in the most modern way, whilst staying nimble and keeping overheads low.”

Access credits 

If you are interested in accessing the credits, please email louise@enterprisenation.com with the words ‘I’d like Elance credits’ in the subject line.

Image credit: Chris Cooper 

Here at Free Range Friday, we like to celebrate the things small businesses do that are smart, fun, innovative, offbeat or simply just interesting.

One thing we know is that when small firms are operating on scant resources (as they usually are), they have to use their wits to get attention. So we’d like you to give us your examples of really good low-cost marketing ploys that you’ve seen and liked from small businesses.

To kick off, here are three that have caught my eye among the businesses I’ve interviewed in the past few months:

• A blob for Beyonce:
  

Through her membership of an exclusive craft network, Fund101 recipient Emma Maudsley of the Sock Monkey Emporium was invited to include her business card in the gift bag for the gift lounges ahead of major film awards ceremonies in the USA. That’s great in itself, but how could she really stand out? The next gift bag, for Mother’s Day, will contain a small, very cute and easy-to-make sock ‘blob’ (pictured above) to publicise her wares to a host of celebrity mums, including Beyonce. Sending gifts to celebrities is a tactic that’s been successfully used by other small businesses, too.

• The community challenge:

Rich Brady of Denbigh Army Surplus was building an enthusiastic community on Facebook, but wondered how he could capitalise on that. His answer? The DAS Resilience Challenge to tap into his customer’s thirst for adventure: every month he posts a video on Facebook revealing a location (usually somewhere remote). The challenge for the community is to be the first person to reach that location, and the winner gets a prize – now frequently donated by a supplier of outdoor clothing and equipment.

• Conserving bees:

Greenstack create a unique vertical planter for problem spaces. But how to road test this new product and spread the message about the company’s commitment to sustainability? Simple. Save the bees. Business owner James Castro-Edwards hooked up with the ConserveMe young people’s wildlife education initiative and distributed 100 planters to schools for a new ‘ConserveB’ bee conservation project. The feedback was great, the kids loved it and Greenstack scored a massive PR thumbs-up.

What have you spotted?

Three very different businesses, three examples of lateral thinking that show an understanding of their market to raise awareness, attract customers and open doors with distributors and suppliers. What have you spotted that’s made you go ‘Hm, that’s clever’? Please leave your examples below or let us know on Twitter using the hastag #FreeRangeFriday

Simon, Enterprise Nation editor

Starting a business this year? Start with the Enterprise Nation online StartUp Kit!

We’re delighted to launch the Enterprise Nation StartUp Kit which offers all the tools and tips you need to start a business and hundreds of pounds worth of offers on essential items such as a website, business cards, phone contract, insurance and meeting space.

What do you get?

The online StartUp Kit, available for £5, comes with:

• A Guide covering all aspects of starting up – from developing a business idea and setting up a company to marketing your new business, getting that first sale and making the most of the latest tech developments. It’s full of advice from start-up expert and Enterprise Nation founder, Emma Jones, and packed with case studies from people who’ve already started their own successful business.

• Amazing offers from some of the leading brands for small business:

- AXA – 15% off key insurance products
- Google – £30 of free Adwords advertising
- MOO.COM – a free pack of 50 MOO business cards
- HP – 10% discount on any HP products
- Hertz – savings and special discounts on car rental products
- PayPal – no fees for 3 months on a POWA website
- Regus – 1 month’s free businessworld membership
- GoToMeeting – 60 day free trial

New offers are being added all the time to ensure you have the best business in a bundle package!

Get involved in the EN community!

Once launched, discover how to grow your business by accessing the content on Enterprise Nation and meeting peers in the Community Channel who are on hand to help. We’ll be hosting Q&A’s with experts this year and uploading video clips of events so you can stay up to date on everything from international expansion to search engine optimisation!

Access the kit to start your own venture and become your own boss or buy as a gift for family or friends considering this path.

With record numbers of start-ups being created, there’s never been a better time to take your talent and turn it into a way to make a living with this friendly guide by your side.

Download your online StartUp Kit

To access the kit, please click here

It was in 2007 when we first came across FreeAgent (the year the company launched) and profiled founder, Ed Molyneux, on Enterprise Nation. Our companies have stayed in touch ever since with FreeAgent’s chief accountant, Emily Coltman, even becoming one of our top authors.

It’s because of strong bonds, and the fact FreeAgent offers a top accounting product for freelancers and small business owners, that we’re delighted to welcome the company as an Enterprise Nation partner.

Over the next few months you’ll be hearing more about FreeAgent; the company and product that helps put you in control of your finances , leaving you more time to focus on growing the business. We’ll host Q&A’s to answer your finance and accounting questions and you’ll be able to access a special FreeAgent offer via the Enterprise Nation online StartUp Kit.

The company has a strong reputation for the quality of its product and depth of customer service and has rapidly grown into one of the top online accounting systems available to start-ups, small businesses and freelancers both in the UK and overseas. Indeed, our own community manager, San Sharma, manages to make it on to the FreeAgent home page with his own verdict being:

“It is more than an invoicing app – it’s the closest thing to a virtual accountant that I’ve ever seen.” 

The online accounting tool enables you to send estimates, produce invoices, manage expenses and forecast taxes. The product integrates with PayPal, Basecamp and Google Apps and there’s free support should you get stuck. With no set-up fees and prices starting at £15 per month for sole traders, we feel happy in recommending you to FreeAgent and welcome them as the Enterprise Nation accounting partner.

Find out more by visiting www.freeagent.com

Photo credit: D Sharon Pruitt

Those of us whose work requires us to spend a good part of our day sitting down run a serious risk of developing back pain from poor seating and posture. In the first of two posts, Alexander Technique teacher Penny Ingham explains how to relax your head, neck and shoulder while sitting at your desk, with illustrations by Enterprise Nation member Colin Shelbourn.

Do you suffer from backache or tiredness at the desk? Do you find yourself constantly adjusting your chair to get comfortable?

If so, you are probably sitting badly. Most of us do. Sitting puts three times more strain on the spine than standing, yet few of us learn how to sit balanced and relaxed.

The adult head weighs about five kilograms. That’s the weight of two bags of sugar. Imagine carrying that on your head and how much pressure it puts on your neck and spine. The trick to comfortable sitting is to balance the weight of your head with as little effort as possible. Here’s a simple exercise which will help.

Start with the chair. Nothing hi-tech with infinite settings. Choose one with a firm seat which places your hips at the same height as your knees (hips slightly higher than knees is ideal). Feet flat on the floor and knees slightly apart.

Now direct your attention to your head and neck.

We’re aiming keep your head, neck and back aligned in such a way that you’re not overworking neck, back and shoulder muscles to keep just to support the weight of your head. It should be nicely balanced, muscles relaxed, your back moving more easily and feeling relaxed.

Imagine a string attached to the crown of your head and leading upwards.

A friendly puppeteer is gently tugging your head towards the ceiling, crown first. The crown is important; as it rises, your forehead rolls slightly forward and your neck moves back and lengthens. Muscles lengthen by relaxing so already your neck and shoulders will begin to loose tension.

By imagining a puppeteer doing all the work, you avoid the temptation to work too hard. You’re not forcing your head and neck into a new position, you’re allowing it to relax, lengthen and balance naturally.

As your crown rises and neck lengthens, your chin will dip slightly and you may feel that you’re peering out from under your eyebrows to see the computer monitor. That’s natural. You may want to adjust the height of the monitor downwards.

This is the first step. Next time, we’ll find our sit bones and continue the work by relaxing the lower back.

• Are you sitting comfortably? Part 2 – relieving lower back pressure

About the contributors

Penny Ingham has been teaching the Alexander Technique for 22 years. She is the author of The Well Tuned Body and regularly advises on posture in the workplace. Her posture tweets can be found at @welltunedbody and her website is www.thebusybody.co.uk

Colin Shelbourn is a professional cartoonist, author and illustrator and you can see his work at his (and buy)  Radio Cartoonist website. Colin’s also a regular chatter during during our daily 11am #WaterCoolerMoment on Twitter. You can follow him at @ColinShelbourn or simply join in the chat.

You may have seen from an earlier post that Hertz has joined our group of partners to support the work of Enterprise Nation, so we can in turn support you!

Hertz has a good deal to offer the start-up and small business owner; there is a range of products (see below) with the key benefits, we think, being summed up in the fact you can outsource your car requirements to Hertz which gives you flexibility when it comes to keeping overheads low, managing costs, and having the experts take on the task of ensuring you stay on wheels and in motion!

The main products on offer are:

Hertz On Demand

This is a global car sharing club which gives members access to a fleet of pay-as-you-go vehicles from only £4.50 an hour. Rates include insurance, maintenance, roadside assistance, Congestion Charge, tax, and your first 20 miles of fuel. Registration is simple and once you have a membership card, you can reserve a car or van over the phone, using the iPhone app, or by visiting www.hertzondemand.co.uk

Hertz Business First

This is the Hertz dedicated business rental programme that offers a guaranteed fixed rate throughout the year so you can manage your outgoings and overheads with the choice of a comprehensive range of quality vehicles to meet your business needs.

The account allows you to rent on a short or long term basis or for infrequent use of a car.

Hertz Business First

Hertz 28+

For longer term rentals of a month or more , you’ll be looking at Hertz 28+ which comes with a further improved daily rate. There’s no minimum commitment; you simply rent for 28 days or longer and how much longer is up to you.

Hertz 28+

Hertz Van Rental

If your business means you need to ship goods from place to place, consider hiring a commercial vehicle. Hertz has dedicated Van Supersites across the UK that can help you choose from the hiring options, from an hour to a year – or anything in-between!

Hertz Van Rental 

Rent2Buy

If you’re thinking about your next car, consider Hertz Rent2Buy where you can enjoy great savings on thousands of nearly new, low mileage and high spec vehicles.

Rent2Buy

Hertz #1 Club Gold

Hertz #1 Club Gold is an exclusive invitation only loyalty programme, normally only accessed after the completion of your third Hertz rental. As a Hertz #1 Club Gold member, you’ll benefit from

• Speedier bookings – your details and rental preferences will be stored securely
• Expedited service at over 1,000 locations worldwide
• Full Counter Bypass – skip the queues and the counters at more than 45 of the world’s busiest airports

Join at Hertz.com

If you follow the policy of ‘focus on what you do best and outsource the rest’ then you’ll like Hertz as your outsourced travel provider!

Photo credit: shelbygt500707