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To Offline Marketers, Do I Have To Register As A Business?

by squeezecpa
8 replies
I live in the Uk and I am thinking of offering services to local businesses. However, I am not sure where to begin.

1. How do you guys collect payments
2. Do you have to register as a business regardless of how much you are charging even if you are at the early stages of offering a service?

I'm seriously confused. I mean, if it is going to cost me an arm and a leg to register a business before I even analyse demand in the area then that is a risk.

Hope you can help guys.

Thanks Dal
#business #marketers #offline #register
  • Profile picture of the author Jill Carpenter
    Here in the US, it helps to have a business banking account.

    That can be obtained by getting a trade name.

    No idea what the UK would need, but I would think having a separate business account would be on the list.
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  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by squeezecpa View Post

    I live in the Uk and I am thinking of offering services to local businesses. However, I am not sure where to begin.

    1. How do you guys collect payments
    For those purposes you can probably manage it just by cheque?

    Originally Posted by squeezecpa View Post

    2. Do you have to register as a business regardless of how much you are charging even if you are at the early stages of offering a service?
    Not in the UK, no.

    Whichever bank you have your personal/current account at will let you open a business account there, if you want one. It can be something like "Fred Bloggs trading as XYZ Services" or "Fred Bloggs doing business as XYZ services" and you'll be able to pay into it any cheques made out to "XYZ services". You don't need to register anything, anywhere, to do this, and you don't need to use a limited company (though there may be some other advantages in future to doing it that way). When I opened a business bank account, apart from checking my ID and so on, my bank just wanted to see a piece of "headed notepaper" giving the name and address of the "business" and it took me all of 30 seconds to print that myself, of course, using my own address.

    Originally Posted by squeezecpa View Post

    I mean, if it is going to cost me an arm and a leg to register a business before I even analyse demand in the area then that is a risk.
    You absolutely don't need to do that. (If you do at some future point decide to use a limited company, after getting advice from an accountant, they cost only about £30 - £40 to register, anyway).
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    • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
      Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

      You don't need to register anything, anywhere, to do this, and you don't need to use a limited company (though there may be some other advantages in future to doing it that way).
      If you start a self-employed business in the UK then
      you need to register with the HMRC and inform them
      as soon as you start trading.

      You can find out more here:

      HM Revenue & Customs:Starting in business (no affil.)

      And here...

      Starting up | Business Link (no affil.)

      And...

      How and when to register | Business Link (no affil.)

      Dedicated to mutual success,

      Shaun
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      .

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      • Profile picture of the author squeezecpa
        Thanks guys,

        Alexa, I think I'm going to give a Halifax a bell now. I'll ring Business Link too. Thanks a bunch for the heads up!
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        • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
          Banned
          Originally Posted by squeezecpa View Post

          Thanks guys,

          Alexa, I think I'm going to give a Halifax a bell now.
          Good move. Good luck.

          Shaun is absolutely right: you do have to notify the Revenue if you're running a business! Thanks, Shaun ...
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  • Profile picture of the author markowe
    I think you'd be better off registering as self-employed as soon as you can. It just seems a little more professional and businesses aren't really supposed to be paying people cash-in-hand for services. I don't think self-employed status will bring many costs with it and yes, then you can trade as 'XYZ SEO services' or whatever, and also, if you want to register for VAT, then you can offset the tax on any business-related expenses (collect receipts!). Not professional advice, just my experience from being self-employed (in a different country) and vague recollections of how it works in the UK.
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  • Profile picture of the author GoGetta
    I am always for doing things professional and right from the start. When I started I registered my company, setup a business bank account and made sure I could collect payments via credit card too.

    I got a card payment machine installed at home at the beginning.

    You can take payments by check, and yo don't need to register a business to run a business, you could simply be self employed. But, I would recommend registering, and doing this professionally from the beginning. You will take more pride over what you do and may take it more seriously.

    Also, taking monthly fees, you can do this via a standing order in the UK, simple to setup and it is automatic payments so you don't have to chase anything up.

    Again, having a business account for this is better for professional reasons in my opinion, but you don't have too.

    This is just my opinion of course. But, it costs very little to register your business and business bank accounts are FREE generally for the first year or two. Just shop around.

    GoGetta
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    • Profile picture of the author squeezecpa
      Cheers dudes,

      I've just requested a form from the HMRC to register as a sole trader. No costs whatsoever which is cool. Spoken to Business Link who will be sending me an information pack and, will be setting up a business account tomorrow!

      And you are right, It is best to do everything professionally. I wrongly assumed that there'd be upfront costs and tons of red tape!

      I've got my first lead too. A local resturant who have a high position in the serps. I went in and asked whether they get people booking tables as a result of their web presence. He told me that the menu online was no longer relevent which frustrates his customers. I asked him why he could not change the menu to which he explained that he could not get hold of the designer who also has the password to the site.

      I advised to him that he could do more with his web presence, like build a customer list and send out offers and discounts online etc.

      I asked him if he'd be interested in trying it out. He said yes and to arrange an appointment.

      It was just an informal chat and it seemed to work well. I hate sales pitches and wouldn't feel comfortable. Also, I felt good about what I was offering. I believe it would create 'value' to the business because they already have a site but they aren't utilizing it to their potential.

      Great!
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