Waypoint Systems Ltd has been providing online applications to a wide range of SME’s since 2003 - specializing in the creation, development and maintenance of bespoke websites as well as online data collection systems.

In 2008 Waypoint launched two bespoke software applications, which have been developed in-house to suit the needs of their client mix. These are an e-commerce store and a website content management system – both of which are extendable and flexible enough to deal with Waypoints ever growing list of clients and industry sectors.

Olivia Willcocks is the Managing Director of Waypoint Systems and here, she shares her 10 top tips to check that your website is working for you.

(1) Ensure your website is up to date.

Keep on top of the content you have online, make sure you only have new and relevant news and that all the pages contain up to date material.

(2) Manage the content yourself.

Make sure you are able to change everything on your website and that you receive adequate training on how to do this. With a good system you should be able to change every word and image on your website including the metadata.

(3) Make sure you know how well your website is working for you.

Are you meeting the targets you set for the website? Do you know that you are – are you getting monthly statistics reports or do you get access to online statistics so you can ensure that your website works for you?

(4) Make sure you are in control of the metadata on each page.

Each page of your website should have its own set of keywords and you should be able to alter these yourself. The CMS element of your website should also let you know what are strong and weak keywords for that individual page. This will increase your search engine optimization ratings significantly.

(5) Purchase similar domain names.

By purchasing similar domain names to your primary domain name you will not only aid your search engine ratings but will also stop your competitors from purchasing them and pointing the domains to their website.

(6) Feel comfortable with your website supplier.

Having a holistic approach to your relationship with your website supplier will ensure that you are able to tell them exactly what you think and what you want – after all your website supplier is one of your top sales agents.

(7) Ensure your website has synergy with the other elements of your marketing mix.

It is imperative that the look and feel of your website resembles the other marketing material that you utilize within your company. Failure to do this can result in mixed and confusing messages being sent out to your potential clients.

(8) Use a bespoke CMS or e-commerce element that works for you.

Using a templated element to your website will leave you without the ability to expand your website as you grow. A bespoke solution tailored to suit your company needs will ensure that you can keep your web presence up to date and relevant at all times.

(9) Does your website pass W3C standards.

All websites should pass W3C standards – this is the World Wide Web Consortium and they are responsible for developing specifications and guidelines to lead the web to its full potential. These guidelines will include web accessibility – so ensuring that your website can be viewed by people with site disabilities for example.

(10) Publish your website.

Once you have a website that you are proud of make sure you publish it and advertise the URL on all your marketing equipment. This is especially important for online marketing in order for you to build up your link exchanges, which aid your search engine optimization.

For more information on anything covered in this article please contact Olivia A Willcocks (o.willcocks@waypointsystems.co.uk) or alternatively check out their website http://www.waypointsystems.co.uk/.

2008 Home Business Report

As planned, Enterprise Nation today released the 2008 Home Business Report.

Included within it's 54 pages are a number of profiles on 16 key small businesses in the UK, including ourselves, 1st Addition Accountancy Limited.

To view the report, click on the heading to this post, or the link below. Essential reading if you are a home based business.

http://www.smallbusinessweek2008.co.uk/sp/media/direct/sbw/downloads/homebusinessreport2008.pdf

Small Business Week 2008 Is Launched

Today sees the launch of Small Business Week 2008, starting today with a webinar, and the release of the 'State Of The Small Business Nation' report.

Later in the week, a the 2008 Home Business Report is due to be released also, and, amongst its contents, 16 case studies of expanding small businesses, including ourselves, 1st Addition Accountancy Limited. I shall be publishing this report to our blog, as soon as it is released.

In the meantime, please feel free to check out the Small Business Week website, at; http://www.sbw08.co.uk/

It's also worth checking out the State of The Small Business Nation report, at; http://www.visualwebcaster.com/imageslides/51544/2008%20State%20of%20the%20Nation%20Report.pdf

The Difference Between Making A Will And Estate Planning

Pete Savage, MIPW, is an Estate Planning Consultant with DeedSafe Wills and Legal Services. In this brief feature, he gives us an insight into the importance of 'getting it right' before you go.

As Pete himself often reminds us, it's all about thinking outside the box before ending up inside one!

When people consider making a Will, experience has shown us that they will invariably think about leaving everything to their surviving spouse/partner on first death, then on second death to their children. This typical route has a host of hidden dangers which could mean your children are partially or totally disinherited. For example:

a) If after your death, your spouse/partner re-marries; their new spouse could inherit everything, not your children.
b) If you have children from a previous relationship; after your death your partner could change their Will to disinherit those children.
c) If you end up in a care home, your assets can be seized by the local authority to pay for your care.

Estate Planning is too important an area to risk making a do-it-yourself Will or to put in the hands of unqualified and unregulated so-called ‘will writers’.

A properly prepared Will can protect your family from all of the above scenarios.

You may also have specific wishes or situations which may need to be taken into consideration e.g. a disabled child or a beneficiary with acute behavioural problems or addictions. It would be potentially harmful for these people to benefit directly from your Will but you may not want to disinherit them completely.

Also you may wish somebody such as a partner or elderly relative to be granted the right to live in your property after your death but to not necessarily inherit it. These situations can be dealt with within a correctly drafted Will.

Of course within your Will you can name the people you want to do the important jobs such as who should take over parental responsibility for your children if you should die while they are still minors. You will appoint people to look after your cash and other assets also.

Furthermore, if you have an accident or worse still, become mentally or physically incapable, who’s going to arrange your finances and pay your bills? What if it becomes desirable to sell your home? Even if your husband/wife is still alive and well, they cannot give your consent to do any of these things.

A Lasting Power of Attorney document ensures all these matters are dealt with and stops the wrong people gaining control of your finances.

For further advice on any of the above topics please contact:

Peter Savage on 0800 781 9371

http://www.deedsafewills.co.uk/

New Self Assessment Deadline for Manual Returns Is Just Weeks Away

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has issued a reminder to anyone filing a Self Assessment tax return this year - there's now a new 31 October deadline for paper returns, and it's only weeks away.

Previously, both paper and online Self Assessment tax returns had to be filed by 31 January. But from this year, paper returns must be with HMRC by 31 October, or you could face a £100 penalty. The deadline for filing online returns remains 31 January.

If you file a paper tax return, you therefore need to get organised now. For example, start thinking about what information you need to complete your return, such as your P60, self employment accounts, records of your savings and investments, and details of any untaxed income.

Alternatively, you could switch to online filing. It's easy to register. Filing your tax return online has a number of advantages - your tax is calculated automatically, you get an immediate online acknowledgement once you've filed, and it's processed faster, so any money you are owed by HMRC is repaid more quickly.

Once you've filed your return, any tax due has to be paid by 31 January, whether you file on paper or online.

Buy-To-Let Landlords Beware

HM Revenue & Customs have cottoned on to the substantial buy-to-let market out there, and are now targeting landlords who have failed to declare, and pay tax on, this income.

As agents, we are starting to receive letters stating; "I have information that suggests your client has received rental income from property that has not been included on their Tax Return. I need to verify if my information is correct, and, if they have received rents, to work out any tax that may be due."

Anyone receiving these letters should act immediately, as failure to do so could could incur additional financial penalties, and, ultimately, criminal prosecution.

An Inland Revenue spokesman said; "We are not planning a crackdown, or to otherwise target landlords. These letters are about helping customers with their tax affairs and answering common questions put to us by our landlord customers. It has got nothing to do with revenue raising. (Yeah, right, and and speed cameras are all about helping drivers with their driving skills).

The other impact of this strategy is that HMRC are seeking to gather information on buy-to-let properties, so that they can ensure these properties don't slip through the Capital Gains Tax net, when they are ultimately sold.

8 Keys To Recession Proof Your Business

Have you noticed how often the words 'recession', 'economic downturn' and 'the credit crunch' are mentioned in the media these days?

Is your business starting to feel the pinch?

With businesses large and small downsizing and closing down, what are you doing to make sure your business isn't next?

Peter Lisney is a business development and copywriting specialist. He developed his first commercial website in 1998 and has been integrating online and offline marketing ever since.

He has produced a comprehensive 8 step guide to recession proofing your business.

We feel it's definately worth a look:

http://www.recession-proof.co.uk/

Why not check it out.

Estate Planning & The Seven Year Rule

The Seven Year Rule allows us to gift an asset or some money to loved ones, whilst reducing your inheritance tax (IHT) bill. There is, however, a catch (isn't there always?) In order for the gift to be fully IHT exempt, you will need to survive for seven years after making the gift.

There is, currently, a £312,000 IHT threshold in place. This means that, on death, the first £312,000 of our estate will not be subject to IHT. Any amounts gifted above this amout will be subject to the Seven Year Rule, so we need to make sure that the receipients can afford to pay the bill.

There are other ways of making IHT exempt gifts. For example, you can give away an annual, tax free, allowance of up to £3,000 to family or friends. If this is not used in the first year, it can be carried forward to the next year only. So, if you've not done this before, you can gift up to £6,000 (bringing forward last year's allowance) in the first year. This means that a couple can gift £12,000 in the first year, and £6,000 per year thereafter.

Putting this money in trust for your children or grandchildren could give them a head start on the property ladder or pay for their education.

Elderly parents should review their estate as soon as possible, making sure they have an up to date will, and that loved ones know where it is.

Whether you provide care for them or not, they could look to make regular gifts from income to you (provided that, in doing so, they are not reducing the quality of their lifestyle).

These gifts (which can be for any amount) can fall outside their estate for IHT purposes. If they move into your home and contribute to running costs and bills, make sure a record is kept of all expenses, so you don't incur an unwelcome income tax or IHT bill.

As with all legislation, IHT law is subject to change, so always check out the current position when looking to make a gift of this nature.

National Minimum Wage Increases Next Month

From 1 October, the national minimum wage (NMW) hourly rates will be increased to the following rates:

• Adult rate (workers aged 22 and over) will increase to £5.73.


• Development rate for 18-21 year olds will increase to £4.77


• Development rate for 16-17 year olds will increase to £3.53

The rate for accomodation offset will increase to £4.46 per day (weekly maximum £31.22).

For more information about the changes, or for general advice, call the NMW Helpline on 08456 000 678, or visit http://www.berr.gov.uk/employment/pay/national-minimum-wage/index.html

Stakeholder Pension Schemes

Stakeholder pension schemes were introduced on 6 April 2001, and are aimed at individuals on low earnings, with no pension provision.

Employers with five or more employees who do not provide access to a personal or occupational pension scheme, may be required by law to offer their employees access to a stakeholder pension scheme.

An employer can select a scheme by seeking the advice of an independent financial advisor, or by making their own enquiries. Having identified a scheme, the employer must ensure that the scheme is on the Pensions Regulator's register of stakeholder pensions, and consult with employees and their representatives about the choice of scheme.

Providing access to a stakeholder pension scheme does not mean the employer has to set it up and run it. It is up to the individual employee whether or not they decide to join a stakeholder pension scheme.

Employees who are members of stakeholder pension schemes pay National Insurance contributions at the standard not contracted-out rate, ie contribution Table letter A. Do not use any other Table letter. If an individual contracts-out of the State Second Pension using a stakeholder pension plan, HMRC will pay a rebate of National Insurance contributions into their stakeholder plan.

Information on stakeholder pensions can be found on the following sites:

http://www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk/

http://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/

http://www.thepensionservice.gov.uk/

Article reproduced from HM Revenue & Customs Employer Bulletin, Issue 30.