Basic Business Guides

[japancool]

Here's an idea for you @Ozzy.

We see the same questions come up over and over again.

How do I work out profit?
Should I register a limited company?
What happens when I become VAT registered (aka how does VAT work)?
How do I import?
How do I export?
etc.
etc.

How about getting your staff or some of the very knowledgeable members here to write some Very Basic Business Guides that we can just point people to, and become useful resources in their own right? It might also stop some of the more clueless questions being asked.

 

[Newchodge]

Here's an idea for you @Ozzy.

We see the same questions come up over and over again.

How do I work out profit?
Should I register a limited company?
What happens when I become VAT registered (aka how does VAT work)?
How do I import?
How do I export?
etc.
etc.

How about getting your staff or some of the very knowledgeable members here to write some Very Basic Business Guides that we can just point people to, and become useful resources in their own right? It might also stop some of the more clueless questions being asked.

The only problem then would be the myriad posts asking 'where can I find the guide about .....?'

 

[Mr D]

Here's an idea for you @Ozzy.

We see the same questions come up over and over again.

How do I work out profit?
Should I register a limited company?
What happens when I become VAT registered (aka how does VAT work)?
How do I import?
How do I export?
etc.
etc.

How about getting your staff or some of the very knowledgeable members here to write some Very Basic Business Guides that we can just point people to, and become useful resources in their own right? It might also stop some of the more clueless questions being asked.

Good idea.
Perhaps with referencing some of the more valuable and experienced members who specialise in the field concerned. With their permission of course.

 

[Ozzy]

I could do this, but wouldn't that drive away the conversation?

A fundamental purpose for these forums as far as I'm concerned, which may or may not be aligned to how they ran previously, is to drive new business enquiries to the members who engage in conversation and help others. So if I start driving everyone to Help Guides then I'm driving potential new customers away from the members on here.
...and having the guides just link through to one or two members who can help with that need drives the potential new customer away from other members who may be active on the forums contributing and helping people.

My view is, I don't mind all the repeated questions if it means people are contributing and talking, and those who are active and helping the new visitors are also potentially picking up new business and at the same time getting their business known out there.

 

[Deleted member 335660]

I could do this, but wouldn't that drive away the conversation?

A fundamental purpose for these forums as far as I'm concerned, which may or may not be aligned to how they ran previously, is to drive new business enquiries to the members who engage in conversation and help others. So if I start driving everyone to Help Guides then I'm driving potential new customers away from the members on here.
...and having the guides just link through to one or two members who can help with that need drives the potential new customer away from other members who may be active on the forums contributing and helping people.

My view is, I don't mind all the repeated questions if it means people are contributing and talking, and those who are active and helping the new visitors are also potentially picking up new business and at the same time getting their business known out there.

Yes Ozzy a tricky one. The thing is Organisations and individuals produce guides but people don’t read them. Also you can’t talk to a guide and say “what do you mean”.

Not sure if you could produce some special post or group of posts for each issue. Then when someone asks the question or searches for the answer they are directed to this area.

 

[WaveJumper]

I was sitting here last week thinking of posting a whole load of useful links I have then I wondered would new posters even look the general impression I have is they never even use the search function to see if the questions have already been discussed

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

The problem is there is no one answer to every situation and the mileage that a person gains from asking questions and getting involved could not be replicated in a guide.
Export and import is a minefield more so now we have left the EU and each individual case has to be looked at differently . This particular subject is made more difficult by the various levels of experience that each trader on here has .

So keep asking because this forum helps both the start up and the person that has had decades in this game

 

[Newchodge]

I could do this, but wouldn't that drive away the conversation?

A fundamental purpose for these forums as far as I'm concerned, which may or may not be aligned to how they ran previously, is to drive new business enquiries to the members who engage in conversation and help others. So if I start driving everyone to Help Guides then I'm driving potential new customers away from the members on here.
...and having the guides just link through to one or two members who can help with that need drives the potential new customer away from other members who may be active on the forums contributing and helping people.

My view is, I don't mind all the repeated questions if it means people are contributing and talking, and those who are active and helping the new visitors are also potentially picking up new business and at the same time getting their business known out there.

Something similar was tried some time ago. I got quite angry (I know, who would have thought it, eh?) about the 'guides' produced in Employment and HR

https://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/threads/what-value-are-contributors.358970/

 

[Ozzy]

That’s the point I was trying to make. I’d rather “contributors” but those in the conversation, answering people’s questions when asked.

 

[japancool]

Right, but the value of a forum over a static website is that if one has questions, you can post and ask them.

In fact, depending on how you post them, the guides are threads in their own right, and people can post questions in them.

So we already have this, for example:
https://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/threads/how-to-guide-uk-merchant-accounts.52678/

(and this thread dates back to your first stint as owner, @Ozzy )

 

[MBE2017]

Even if the guide was written, it would not stop since most are simply too lazy to use the search button. As stated, all on the forum many times.