According to the British Chamber of Commerce’s last Monthly Business Survey 63% of businesses are not rejoicing just yet. They are preparing for another tough year ahead through pay freezes, wage and benefit cuts.

This hesitation is completely understandable – any business would remain with cost cutting initiatives until the moment that demand has actually picked up and is seen to be increasing at a stable rate. The uncertainty about the stability of demand will encourage businesses and entrepreneurs alike to look for new commercially viable opportunities.

At Activ we understand this approach simply because we have done it. We didn’t simply weather the recession – we boldly started up in it. And if that wasn’t enough we rapidly grew in it. They say that there is a high failure rate for start up businesses. In just under 2 years, Activ saw turnover increase around 189%, moved to 2 much larger offices, was short-listed for a national award and achieved international expansion into Spain, France, Ireland, Australia and Madrid.

According to David Frost, the BBC Director General, support for the private sector is a must.

Well, who better to support the private sector than us? At Activ, we support private sector growth through specialist online marketing services and business advice. We talk the talk only because we have walked the walk. We have faced the same challenges as many other private sector organisations which is why our business support services are credible and proven.

If we can do it – we can help you to do it too ………….

Dillon says: “Activ is here to stay, now the logo is registered we can take comfort in knowing our brand is protected for years to come.”

Creating any brand identity you straight away gain the copyright of what you have designed, however the real protection comes when it becomes a registered mark.

As it has now gained this protection the logo will be displayed with the registered ® symbol for wherever it is displayed in the UK. See below:

But surely not all businesses out there have shut up shop or been hit by the recession. How are the healthy and fit businesses making it work in today’s economy? Who are the ones actually benefitting from these difficult times?

A great example is Activ, who are based in Leicester. Launching in 2007 they have grown at a phenomenal rate as what they provide for businesses nationwide are perfectly suited in difficult times as they offer high quality products and services at the most cost effective price.

Activ have been very busy recently with removal vans, bubble wrap and big boxes all in aid of moving into a new Head Office to accommodate a growing workforce. Starting from a team of 3, they now have 17 members of staff.

Talking with employees at the head office they are all very excited about what has happened over the last 2 year, co-founder Dillon goes onto say…

So much has happened since we started!! We have needed to employ more people to handle our expansion and also dedicate more time towards our future developments. Our team has grown fantastically to a 17 with new developments shortly this is only set to rise.

Activ’s commitment to offering products and services that are based on price and quality is a testament to why they are succeeding in difficult economic times. Match this with the fact they operate in the fastest growing industry in the world ‘the internet’ it is proving to be a busy time for everyone involved, proving that through these difficult times businesses can still prosper.

The web design industry for the last 5 years has gained the reputation of being complicated as the majority of us don’t know where to start if we needed a website. This has resulted in many businesses turning away from the world of websites as they don’t understand how to get one and what the process actually is.

Think about it, many SME business owners are aged 30+, the majority have not grown up with computers and the internet and can often be a foreign language. How many of us find our kids showing us how to send emails or upload attachments!

The internet doesn’t have to be such a scary and confusing place, neither does it have to be extortionately expensive to get wider exposure for your business. You don’t have to spend thousands to get a website that works how you want. It’s all about choosing the right company that understands how you work and what your aims are for your new marketing tool.

Activ Web Design has created a package that is quite literally becoming a fast paced solution for businesses across the UK and now Ireland. Activ have been noticed for holding the hands of new and existing businesses and guiding them online, in a way that is simple to understand and cost effective.

In the UK they offer fixed prices at £499 for a standard website and £999 for an online shop, this transparent pricing approach is the same route to market in Ireland. Speaking to Rachel, from Essex who approached the company recently for a website for her Go Kart business says:

“I was looking for a website which conveyed the message of ‘FUN’ to potential customers. With this mind, Activ designed a superb website which not only appealed to the parents but also to the kids as well. Not only is it bright and colorful, it provides all the information I need to convey and has led to a noticeable increase in not only enquiries, but bookings as well. I would recommend Activ Web Design to anyone who requires a website to promote their business.”

Activ are a company to watch over the months ahead, with so many satisfied customers it is only going to be a matter of time before they expand further.

Did you know 10 years ago only 9% of UK households were on line, however now an astonishing 65% of UK households have the internet.

With this number continually on the rise, it is essential all businesses start to take advantage of the marketing opportunities the internet brings. You would have thought as the internet is so important in our lives, all businesses across the UK would be online as it is vital for increasing their exposure, however this doesn’t seem to be the case. In fact only 50% of SME’s across the UK are. What is the other 50% doing?

Research carried out by Activ Web Design, a new web design company, shows the reason businesses aren’t online is nothing to do with that there isn’t enough web designers out there but it is because…

• Potential customers are confused by technical speak meaning many of this 50% don’t have much of an idea where to start when it comes to sourcing a website for their business
• Price is also a stumbling block, as any potential customer never knows how much it is all going to cost! Every added extra costs, and before you know it you end up spending £1000’s rather than £100’s

Taking all this into consideration, Activ Web Design has come up with a solution that might help combat this problem.

They offer a fixed price package, £499 for a brochure website or £999 for a full online shop. There are no hidden extras, no hidden costs further down the line, everything needed to get a business online is included in the fixed price. Finally they explain everything in plain English, it’s in a simple language that all of us with no internet or computer knowledge can understand.

Talking to Alex Copsas one of Activ’s customers earlier this week, she states…

“I wanted a website to advertise my villa in Corfu, however I didn’t know where to start, I looked online for web designers and what came up was a minefield of technical jargon! How am I suppose to know what code I need my website in? Then I came across Activ and wow, it was ever so easy, and uncomplicated. They created be a great looking website in no time at all, and it only cost £499.

Over the last few years the web design industry seems to have gained the reputation of being ever so complicated, which has prevented many SME’s across the UK taking advantage of what the internet provides. Hopefully with this new approach to web design, this misconception will gradually decrease over the year ahead, meaning all businesses can fully benefit from the opportunities the internet provides.