With corporate giants Facebook and Uber in hot water over privacy breaches, how can SMEs with fewer resources make sure they don’t run foul of Australia’s costly new data breach laws? Fast-growing companies and successful SMEs could be the hardest hit when it comes to new data breach laws, according to cyber security expert Sorin […]

The big super funds are targeting self-managed super – a popular choice for small business owners – over burgeoning borrowing for property investment. And the push is on to make the $20,000 write-down facility permanent. Here’s what to watch for in next month’s Federal Budget. It’s shaping up as the battle of the big guns […]

Australia’s New Payments Platform could turbo-charge cash flow for SMEs, with 24/7 real-time transfers banishing the time payments sit in limbo. Imagine a day where your mobile phone number is all clients need to pay; where bank transfers clear within seconds; and payments into your business account are automatically reconciled. Australia’s New Payments Platform (NPP), […]

Owning your own business can free you from the nine-to-five grind, help you fulfil your passion, create financial opportunities and give you more control over your life. It can also keep you awake at night. Just ask the two million or so Australians running small businesses1. So what are some of the traps and trials […]

Live chat can drive higher rates of satisfaction than any other form of customer support1. However, it pays to remember that while customers will excuse a mistake, frustrate them when they have a problem and you’ve lost them forever. We lead you through some golden rules for implementing live chat software on your website. It […]

Cracking the export market is becoming easier than ever for SMEs. Take your brand to the world in 2018 with new grants, easy finance and advice from those who’ve done it. In the past year, the federal government has turned its focus to helping launch Australian SMEs on the world stage, with government-backed finance and […]

SMEs are turning away from traditional banks as lending to small businesses becomes big business for a slew of innovative new lenders. Traditional methods of getting a business loan involve patience, piles of paperwork and a few trips to the bank and your accountant. These days, SMEs can apply online and get loans approved within […]

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: we are incredibly proud of all the hard work our brokers put into providing fantastic customer service and support. At AFG we champion our brokers’ ability to find a loan that matches your particular needs, at a time and a place that suits you. Our Victorian […]

There’s nothing we love more than hearing about our brokers’ success in achieving great outcomes for their clients. Last week we recognised the efforts of our Western Australian brokers at our 2017 State Awards event. Are you looking for a broker in your local area? We can help. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners […]

There are four mandatory requirements for a Facebook advertising campaign to be successful; Well worded ad/s that capture the interest of viewers in 2 seconds or less Images that suit the campaign and increase engagement A call to action or lead magnet that makes people want to click An active Facebook business page to support […]

Not only are there government initiatives at a federal, state and local level for those running small businesses, but there is also a growing industry of businesses whose sole purpose is to help other businesses. There are hundreds of business coaches, entrepreneur networks and a growing industry of virtual assistants for those not ready to […]

Whether you’re embarking on your first marketing adventure as a new business, or planning your next annual marketing strategy and spend, there are quite a few options available that are low on cost but can net a high response rate. Here we explore a few and look at how you can begin setting them up. […]

Small business lending is set for a shake-up that will make terms fairer for the little guys if recommendations by the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) are introduced. The Carnell Report, released in February following an inquiry into bank lending for small-to-medium enterprises, has made 15 recommendations designed to address regulatory gaps […]

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is all about helping people find your site as easily as possible. Essentially, we are trying to do what we can to work with the Google algorithm. The algorithm is the way that Google programs their search functionality and it decides whether you appear on the first page or not. There […]

Search Engine Marketing, or SEM, is paying to ensure that the people who are using keywords to find products and services online, can easily find your business. It’s like buying advertising space in a newspaper, but the newspaper is filterable by keywords. The first step to starting your business on a SEM journey is to […]

It’s not a fad, and it’s not a trend. It’s here to stay, and social media is part of our lives, whether we like it or not. Social media for your business can be as complex as you choose to make it. You could pay thousands of dollars to engage another company to do it […]

One great free way to extend the reach of your business is via word of mouth. But how does a business go about encouraging their current customers to share their experience and make a recommendation to a friend or colleague? And why is it so important?  It’s a well-quoted statistic, most recently from Neilsen that […]

SEO stands for search engine optimisation and it’s the process of affecting the visibility of a website in a search engine’s unpaid or organic search results. In other words, it means your website appears clearly in the searches returned when a customer types your business name into Google or a similar search engine. An SEO […]

Times may be tough, but Australia’s small businesses are giving back more than ever to support charitable causes. When Brisbane business owner Michelle Cassimatis took time out of the pre-Christmas rush to volunteer at a homeless shelter a few years ago it had an unexpected impact. Despite being confronted by the desperate circumstances of others […]

Commodities have surged and business is confident the economy will improve in 2017, but solid growth could see record low-interest rates begin to rise for the first time in six years. The new year had barely begun when the first interest rate rise of 2017 was announced. Brisbane-based lender Suncorp announced in early January it […]

Australians are an entrepreneurial lot and it looks like the trend is set to continue with more and more young people considering starting their own business each year. Starting a new business is a really exciting time. The only problem is that there is a lot to remember and in all the excitement, sometimes things […]

Having a great website is imperative in terms of both connecting with your existing customers and attracting new ones to your door. When customers research home loans these days, it’s more than likely they will be researching online, and if your website looks unprofessional and hard to use, customers will assume you are too. When […]

Partnering with other complementary businesses from a marketing or sales perspective can be a tremendous way for you both to achieve what neither of you could achieve alone. Successful partnering can help generate referrals, grow your databases (with each client’s consent of course), and provide a means to share business solutions to similar issues you […]

The majority of Australia’s SMEs are family businesses, but very few seek specialist advice. As the saying goes, you can have a successful family or a successful business, but you can’t have both. So it’s a true optimist, then, who decides to run a family business. It’s estimated more than 70 percent of companies in […]

Australian firms are striving to do things better despite a lack of time, a recent study concludes.  The country’s biggest and smallest companies see themselves as the most innovative, according to the National Australia Bank’s Business Innovation Index. The index, compiled by NAB Labs in partnership with the University of Melbourne, surveyed more than 500 […]

Big business has been analysing consumer habits for years to boost sales and expand their customer base. Now there’s a host of powerful analytical tools available to small business too. It is an event that saw the rather dry world of business analytics make international headlines. Back in 2012 data crunchers at Target in the […]

It goes without saying that generating referrals is a great way to build your business, particularly in an industry where so much of your business comes from the word of mouth of happy clients telling their friends and family about the great products or services your provide. The best thing about referred business is that […]

Paying for advertising is one way to go about getting the word out there about your business, but there are also ways of doing it that involve your time but not your advertising dollars.  Working with your local media to get your name out there can be a great way to go if you have […]

Startups and small businesses are different beasts, but that doesn’t mean one can’t learn from the other. Startups are focused on growing ideas into big businesses as fast as possible. It makes sense they would utilise the most efficient tools of the trade. Andy Lamb, co-founder of Perth’s Atomic Sky startup studio, specialises in helping […]

Newly appointed small business and family enterprise ombudsman Kate Carnell hopes to put a blow-out in payment times to small business on the agenda. She speaks exclusively to us about her role and how it will benefit SMEs. The independent office of small business and family enterprise ombudsman provides advice to the government and assistance […]

Small business owners have been warned to step up their computer security processes as ‘ransomware’ attacks become more prevalent and sophisticated. Cyber security experts have dubbed 2016 the Year of Ransomware with attacks that lock computer databases increasingly targeted at Australian businesses. Small to medium businesses could be more vulnerable to attack, a Perth academic […]

Local area marketing (known as LAM in the advertising world) hardly needs definition — essentially it is the promotion of your business to encourage local clients to your door. It can include initiatives such as placing an ad in your local paper, promoting your business in local shopfronts or newsletters, or local outdoor signage or […]

How do you hire the right person for the job? Now that’s a brain teaser Google is happy to share the answer to. Google was once famous for throwing curly brain teasers into its hiring process. Questions actually posed to Google interview candidates over the years have included doozies such as, “A man pushed his […]

It’s an office Jim, but not as we know it!  Once the domain of tech start-ups, coworking is now gaining a broader appeal as small businesses discover the benefits of shorter leases, high-end facilities and a CBD address. Economist and business owner Kate Morrison first came across the coworking phenomena while working in London 10 […]

Let’s get back to basics on branding for just a moment. What is a brand and why is it so important? Wikipedia defines a brand as ‘the name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers.’ Your brand is your calling card, […]

The Government wants to encourage entrepreneurs to think outside the box with a range of recent changes to remove the stigma – and some penalties – around business failure. The Government’s Innovation Statement has been roundly welcomed by small business, with changes to insolvency and tax laws aimed at encouraging businesses to push the envelope. […]

Cost-conscious, time-poor business owners are driving a boom in offshore office work, and we thought we’d walk you through some of the basics to consider before you look at whether this is an option for your business or not. Outsourcing was once the domain of large corporations, who slashed costs by moving some business operations […]

Millennials are here, and they are the future of your business as they are on the cusp of heading into consumer prime-time. You may be one, or be related to one.  Regardless, it’s good to paint a picture on who they are and what motivates them as a whole. They may be the youth of […]

Any small business owner knows that one of the most important aspects of operating, yet also the most difficult to manage, is cash flow. A campaign calling on big business to cut their payment terms to 30 days is gaining momentum. Kate Carnell cut to the chase on breakfast radio at the end of last […]

The Productivity Commission’s (PC) draft report into Australia’s workplace relations framework does not look set to make major changes to the country’s idiosyncratic system of award wages, much to the chagrin of business. The old saying goes that a good compromise is one that leaves all parties equally unhappy. And by that yardstick the PC […]

We gather some tips from an expert on banishing back-to-work blues and getting your staff off to a flying start post a long break such as Christmas. Whether it’s a few days or a few months, breaks such as Christmas can make it difficult to get back into the swing of things when staff return […]

The New Year is a time for reflection and resolutions. But when it comes to setting business goals, make sure you’re not setting yourself up for failure. Most business owners know goals are important. But how can you make sure your New Year business resolution will keep you motivated all year and not be forgotten […]

It’s time to roll up your sleeves, report, reconcile and get set for the year ahead. The start of a new financial year is the time to draw a line under the old and begin planning for the future. For business owners, that means make sure everything from 2014/15 has been tied up and you […]

The budget gave small business something to smile about, but big business is waiting for more. Are you reading this on a new laptop or tablet? You may already be reaping the benefits of a Budget which promised something special for Australian small businesses and delivered in spades. Council of Small Business Chief Executive Peter […]

If he ever had to hide a body, Jim Stewart jokes, he would put it on page two of Google’s search results. It’s the one place no one would ever look, says Mr Stewart, who heads search engine optimisation company StewArt Media. An update to Google’s search algorithm earlier this year saw some Australian businesses […]

It’s time to roll up your sleeves, report, reconcile and get set for the year ahead. The start of a new financial year is the time to draw a line under the old and begin planning for the future. For business owners, that means make sure everything from 2014/15 has been tied up and you […]

As the investment phase of the mining boom ends, we look at what Australian business needs from the budget to carry the economy forward. All eyes will be on Canberra next month for one of the most pivotal budgets of recent times. It comes against a backdrop of economic and political instability as ructions within […]

LinkedIn is often described as Facebook for the professional. It’s the social network with more of a focus on business-to-business or professional-to-professional. LinkedIn tells us they have around 450 million professional users (growing at a rate of 1 million a week) who exchange information, ideas and opportunities and either look for a job or for […]

Mandatory changes to Australia’s superannuation regime beginning on July 1 will affect how employers make their super contributions. SuperStream will require employers to update existing payroll systems so additional information about employees can be provided to the ATO and to ensure transactions and data comply with a prescribed electronic format. The changes, which are part […]

Where customers go, business will follow but experts warn that the rules learned from traditional retail and online shopping will not always apply on social platforms. “The environment of social media is a difficult one in which to sell products too overtly, or even to deliver advertising in an effective way,” according to Deloitte Access […]

The past five years have seen social media make a steady march into mainstream business strategy. More than 90 percent of small and medium businesses in Australia are on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter, however, pundits warn that many businesses aren’t making the most of digital enterprise opportunities. The biggest risk is simply doing nothing, according […]

The past five years have seen social media make a steady march into mainstream business strategy. More than 90 percent of small and medium businesses in Australia are on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter, however, pundits warn that many businesses aren’t making the most of the digital enterprise opportunities.  The biggest risk is simply doing nothing, […]