10 reasons to get your business involved in Micro Biz Matters Day 2016

“Of the 5.4 million private businesses in the UK, a staggering 96% (over 5.1 million) are micro-businesses of 0-9 employees. The freelance and microbusiness community is one of the fastest growing sectors of the country’s economy, but despite collectively employing 8.4 million people, their needs are far too often not sufficiently represented and ultimately ignored,” says Jason Kitcat of Crunch Accounting.  So if you’re reading this you’re probably a Microbiz, part of the massive army that’s driving the UK and the world’s economic prosperity. You shouldn’t feel “ewww” about being called a Microbiz. You should be proud, and here are 10 reasons why YOU should participate in Micro Biz Matters Day, the annual global UK led campaign to promote and display your worth and merit.

1. Microbiz Matters Day is in its second year and was launched by a free to join community interest company (CIC) called The Enterprise Rockers. The “Rockers” as they are known are led and co funded by Tony Robinson OBE and Tina Bowden who are themselves entrepreneurs with decades of experience behind them in which they have encountered every obstacle you face now.  Their mission is to improve the lot of the self-employed running microbusinesses and so it’s a campaign for you run by people like you.

2. Customers : Microbiz Matters Day gives you a chance to promote and recognise your best Microbiz customers, in any way that you find appropriate from using your networks to social media. If they join the campaign they can promote you too. And it’s not limited to Microbusinesses. Large companies can join and promote you as well.

3. Cash flow : The rock on which many microbusinesses have floundered is one you can help yourself and others to navigate. 8 minutes of actions is all it takes to do anything from naming and shaming late large payers to promoting and recognising those who pay on time. The net result is to show the world the importance of cash flow to microbusiness and this won’t be missed by lawmakers, regulatory bodies and business groups. Actions to promote paying on time will remove a massive obstacle to microbusiness growth.

4. Chat : Using the #MicroBizMattersDay hashtag you can set up a tidal wave of conversation on line on any microbusiness related matter, from sharing tips and tricks to raising issues of concern. You and others like you can take over twitter for the day in your groups and networks. As the campaign is global it will create what the Enterprise Rockers call the Power of Plenty. Again Business groups and lawmakers cannot fail to pay attention to this wall of conversation.

5. Learning: You could contribute to MicroBiz Matters day by creating a survive and thrive (not more than) 8 minute length video launched on the Enterprise rockers channel offering tips and tricks you have learned for growing your business. This will be a great learning tool for others like you and you can benefit from the wealth of experience gained by other contributors.

6. Recognition: Of your business, your sector and microbusiness in general. The approximately 7,000 businesses in the UK that employ 250 or more people get all the media and political attention to the cost of the 8.4 million people employed in Microbusinesses. Their wages have dropped 20% since 2008 and yet they are leading the charge to economic recovery. You can make policy makers pay attention on MicroBiz Matters Day.

7. You can afford to spend 8 minutes to create the power of plenty that’s triggered by your participation – because there are so many Microbusinesses like yours it does not take much to make a difference!

8. Great PR: Nothing raises the profile of your business than your efforts to help others and engage with society. Journalists look at your social engagement and rank you among the players and the engaged. This campaign can help you become newsworthy JournoLink sponsors MicroBiz Matters Day to help you tell your story to the media.

9. Major Corporates look out for Microbiz suppliers through events like MicroBiz Matters Day. Your participation can bring you to the attention of those looking to extend and diversify their supply chain. It’s like sitting in the shop window.

10. It Rocks: Microbiz Matters Day is a fun day. You don’t need to be a rocker (young or ageing), wear shades, a beard or a hat! It’s a day on which you can light the way for others and have your path lit by them in turn, doing exactly what you enjoy in your own tone of voice. That’s a very small investment for giving your business and other microbusinesses the voice and clout they certainly deserve.

About Tetteh Kofi: Tetteh is Brand Ambassador for JournoLink, the online PR portal linking small businesses and startups to journalists, bloggers and broadcasters.

He is a broadcast journalist with credits on the BBC, ITN, LBC and Colourful Radio in news and current affairs. He published newspapers and has run training and crisis management programmes for multinationals and government agencies across Europe.