Whether your customers are consumers or businesses, there is a good chance you will be fighting a slowdown in sales. The economy is not going to recover any time soon; but you can take steps to limit the flow of customers away from your business, secure your market position and lay the foundations for recovery.

The key is to understand the tough choices facing your customers at the moment. As consumers and businesses cut back, you are no longer competing against businesses in your own sector only, but in all sectors.

To find out how to beat the credit crunch follow the link

If you click on Charnwood Town and Villages Directories (right hand panel) you will find a new addition to the site, a business directory for every town and village in Charnwood. The directory is not comprehensive (it now contains 3300 Charnwood businesses) - we're always keen to hear from any business that does not yet appear (e-mail us). More improvements on the way...

Invest Leicestershire has put together an excellent booklet giving advice on redundancy. It is of value to both companies who are being forced to make staff redundant and to the people who are being made redundant. The wide range of advice will be of value to any job seeker or unemployed person.

Advice on how to get the best from e-mail is available from Business Link. They are also running a session on 26th August on Search Engine Optimisation (ensuring that Search Engines find your company web site)

With predictions of likely further increases in energy prices, is it time to assess your current resource use and to identify any areas for improvement? The Carbon Trust has estimated that East Midlands businesses spend £1bn per year on energy, with up to 30% of this wasted and capable of being saved with limited investment.
Follow the link to find out how to assess your current efficiency.

Mentoring for All East Midlands, funded by emda, provides subsidised business mentoring for companies based in the East Midlands.

The scheme aims to give companies the chance to evaluate issues their business may face and identify potential solutions. It also offers an opportunity to gain further awareness of resources, business networks and other support available.

The scheme is open to East Midlands’ based companies with less than 250 employees who have been trading for around a year or more.

To find out more, visit web site , or call NBV on 0115 970 5550.

emda is working in conjunction with BERR to run a consultation event for regional manufacturers at Pride Park, Derby, on the morning of Monday 7th July.

This event is one of a small series that Ministers are holding in the Regions during July to obtain views from manufacturers on the structure of a renewed Government policy framework for supporting the manufacturing sector.

This consultation event will be attended by Shriti Vadera, the Under-Secretary of State for Business and Competitiveness, and Bryan Jackson, Chairman of emda and former Managing Director of Toyota Manufacturing UK.

Places are limited and exclusively for directors/managers of manufacturing businesses.

Register for the Manufacturing Strategy Review at Pride Park or phone 0845 363 1478.

emda have alerted local businesses to some current contracts. Two of London 2012’s tier one contractors are currently advertising supply chain opportunities on the construction of the Olympic Park. These include the provision of scaffolding services, electrical and plumbing works and the supply of aggregates and concrete for the Athletes’ Village.

All of these opportunities are advertised on CompeteFor, the website supported by emda, which matches London 2012 opportunities to relevant suppliers. To be automatically matched to opportunities businesses must register and publish their profile.

Leicestershire is currently consulting on a strategy to maximise benefits to businesses, the local economy, communities and individuals in Leicestershire of the Olympics and Paralympics.

The Just-Recycling web site contains information for both businesses and householders. The Recycling Business Directory on the site is a tool which enables users to quickly and easily search for, and locate, recycling businesses, suppliers of recycling machinery and equipment as well as many more businesses associated with waste and recycling.

Practical tips from Business Link on how to refresh your operation.