Whether you're interested in the smaller business community, are planning to start a business or have an existing business, we have a package for you.
Compare Packages
Our most popular package is FSB Business Essentials which includes a whole range of benefits and products designed to make your business fly
A suite of legal benefits including a dedicated helpline, bundled insurance products and a range of online information to keep your business safe. Plus a whole range of negotiated benefits to help save you money and win business.
Our Business Creation package is designed to make starting a business simpler, allowing you time to focus on what's important - making it a success.
Specialist company formation benefits, access to FSB networking, business banking and a range of products to help get you setup in business.
Whatever your circumstances, we have a package to suit you and your business. Click the button below to see which benefits are included in each package and start your FSB journey.
'I just felt wow, I want to be part of this organisation so I joined.'
Read More
'Having someone there like the FSB who you can just call on for those other things you’re not quite sure on, it’s been invaluable.'
'What you can save by taking up some of the membership offers will save you your membership fee.'
We represent a diverse range of businesses from retailers to marketing agencies and just about everything in between. Take a look at more member stories and see how we could help your business fly.
More Member Stories
We offer three packages to suit your business needs. Joining FSB Connect is free, our Business Essentials package starts at £177 in the first year and our specialist Business Creation package has a fixed price of £133.
When new shoe brand 18 Hour Heels featured in a full=page of editorial in the Daily Mail in May last year, the company was amazed by the public response.
“We sold out of shoes in one day,” said founder Shaherazad Umbreen, “and we received orders from nine countries including the US. We recorded an astonishing 7,480 visitors to our website, with a reach of 567,000 on Twitter and 652,000 on Facebook.” Best of all, the company had not paid for any advertising. It had responded to a request from a journalist looking for fashion with a twist, been interviewed, and the rest – for them – was retailing history.
Delia Smith called a specific brand of omelette pan a “little gem” on her TV show, prompting sales to leap from 200 a year to 90,000 in four months. But it never loses its worth. Publicity consultants typically place a value of between three and 10 times the cost of advertising on good quality editorial mention. After all, who doesn’t value an impartial yet glowing recommendation? And it’s never been easier to do. With the expansion of the media, journalists and content creators are crying out for interesting stories. So how can you get your business or yourself into the national media without spending a fortune on publicity and PR?
Decide where you would like to see your business featured (whether online, in a B2B magazine, or on radio, for example) and note down journalists who regularly cover this topic. Follow them on Twitter and begin some friendly interactions. That doesn’t mean tagging them advertising your product, but waiting to see their tweets which suggest these writers are working on a story to which you could contribute. Then just join in the conversation.
You may get asked to send over more information. So write up a press release – a description of what you do or who you are. The best pitches possible are short and simple. Include one special fact. You might say: “I sell wedding hats. All hand-painted.” Now add in another fact that makes you unusual. “I’m the only person to do this in Yorkshire.” Add a good quality picture of a hat, your price range, web and social media details, list of stockists, and a contact name and number. Your competitors may also be emailing this journalist so your pitch should stand out for being short and factual, with a low-res pic.
You are not just a business, you are a collection of human interest stories. Are you happy to discuss your family life to promote your business? Do you have an unusual health story or hobby? You can leverage publicity for your business from any of these other topics.
The hashtags #journorequest and #mediarequest (and #helpareporterout in the US) can get cluttered; too many businesses think they can advertise themselves to a journalist by adding on this hashtag to a tweet. Trust me, journalists don’t scour this timeline looking for stories. But we do use these hashtags if we’re having trouble finding a case history or are in a hurry, and know what we want. It’s also worth remembering that this is a two-way street.
Mumsnet and Netmums both have media request sections on their forums where journalists post alerts when trying to source stories. Journalists often search in Facebook groups too so join those relevant to what you do. And look out for targeted Facebook groups like Feature Me! which make direct appeals for personal case histories and offer the chance to promote business.
FSB PR / Crisis Management advice service is here to make your life easier with important information and guidance for a public relations expert to assist you in handling a crisis through RMS PR, a specialist PR agency.
How to avoid late payments
Dealing with Late Payments
Late payments and what you can do about them