RTA (Business Consultants) Ltd, the largest privately-owned business agency in Europe, has this month illustrated their commitment to embracing new technology; offering a quick and clever new method of accessing their services.

RTA, who specializes in the sale of small, medium and large businesses, currently has over 10,000 businesses listed on their website: www.rtabusinessesforsale.com where visitors seeking to buy a new business can access details directly.

Whilst conventional methods of enquiries by means of For Sale Boards, Websites and Press Advertising still prove to be essential, RTA today unveils their implementation of QR Codes.

What are QR Codes?



As you may or may not be aware:
– A QR Code (or Quick Response code) is a matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code) readable by QR-scanners, mobile phones with a camera, and smart-phones. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on white background. The information encoded can be text, URL or other data.*



(Example: The code shown above will direct you to www.rtabusinessesforsale.com)

Initially, RTA is making QR Code posters available to their clients, with a view to extending the scheme to incorporate the codes on For Sale Boards. The posters, when placed in the business window will feature a unique-to-that-business code allowing smart-phone users to scan the code which then displays the business sales particulars on their mobile web browser, instantly.

Mark Whiteside, Marketing Executive at RTA said
“We are a forward thinking company and we are constantly evaluating our marketing methods in order to achieve the best results for our clients. Embracing effective avenues of marketing and utilizing these new communication tools will ensure we are up-to-date with (if not ahead of) the times. With over 5 billion mobile phone connections worldwide** and smartphone sales for the first quarter of 2010 reaching over 54 million*** the technology available to the masses is certainly on the rise.”


The benefits to our clients are:

• Buyers can access sales details instantly.
• The scheme provides an alternative to calling our offices when a customer service member is unobtainable, ie. Evenings & weekends
• Should encourage a faster turnaround between initial interest and arranging viewings.

There are many thousands of businesses on the market for sale. To achieve a successful sale it is necessary to have a competitive advantage over others that are trying to achieve the same result. For many years, business transfer agents have provided information on businesses for sale by preparing a detailed set of sales particulars accompanied by one or more photographs of the business. Here at RTA we are pioneers and through our partner Totally Webwise, we are now able to offer our customers the opportunity to display their business in video format.

This exciting option is only available on the RTA website.

The fact that a buyer is able to view a video of his or her intended purchase has many advantages over the traditional method of advertising.

# Anyone browsing a site, looking for a business to buy will be naturally drawn to a quality video presentation which the printed media simply cannot compete with.
# Our skilled production and editing teams are able to convey information and opportunities where photographs alone simply cannot do justice to the business.
# All videos are skilfully produced to ensure that they contain relevant sales information.
# A music track background is available to compliment your business.
# There is a 'one off' fee to pay which includes all production, editing and hosting costs. No other costs, ever, for as long as your business remains on the market.

Video is the future of business sales presentation; no printed media can compete with it for impact.

To ensure your business benefits by achieving the highest level of enquiries call us today for a no obligation chat on 0800 066 5930

As the leading business transfer agency in Europe, RTA are pioneering the inclusion of video presentations on their website. Since the introduction of these videos we have seen a dramatic rise in interest for those businesses that have included a video presentation. As an example of the popularity of this new high profile format one business video has received over 300 views in the last 2 months.

Video presentations will always be far superior to the the traditional static photgraphs and can be surprisingly cost effective. If you have a business for sale or are considering selling your business why not get in touch and see just how affordable this new format can be.

Despite the recession we are continuing to see interest in ‘Lifestyle’ businesses.
With interest rates so low, many people with money to invest are looking to buy a business that will not only provide them with an income but allow them the sort of work life balance that we all aspire to.
Businesses such as country pubs, hotels, guest houses and restaurants continue to be popular with strong demand from buyers with cash that would otherwise be invested in more traditional income sources such as annuities and pensions.
It is not inconceivable that a couple, or family, would buy a small country hotel or guest house to run in semi retirement, as a sum of say £450,000 invested in a freehold business would provide a family home as well as a reasonable income well in excess of the current 3-4% expected from traditional investment vehicles such as pensions etc. OK you have to work for a living, but at the end of it you have a valuable (and appreciating) asset – the property.
We have many attractive lifestyle businesses for sale, why not browse what’s available by clicking here. You and your family could run a successful business whilst enjoying the sort of lifestyle you know you deserve.

Despite the fact that we are continually bombarded with ‘doom and gloom’ by the National press, who would have us believe that everyday life is about to revert to conditions last experienced by iron age man, there are many areas of business that are showing signs of increased activity. One such area is that of Post offices.

Traditionally buying and owning a Post Office was seen as a secure investment in a reputable, highly regarded business with a committed and loyal customer base. The sub-post master or post mistress was the ‘pillar of the local community’ or the centre of village life, and to live in an area without a post office was unthinkable. Then, along came the revolutionaries and reformers who would overlook years of tradition, and the needs of the community, in order to encourage us to drive our 4x4’s to the ‘edge of town’ superstore to buy our groceries, and to do our banking with faceless multinational bankers who could the invest our wages and pensions in risky, volatile schemes in order to provide the bonuses necessary for them to drive their own 4x4 to the superstore etc. etc.

Now, during an artificial ‘boom time’ fuelled by indiscriminate lending, this system works for those who can afford it. But, hang on! Aren’t we in the middle of a worldwide economic recession? Have we not just seen the results of banker’s scant regard for the customer? Is there not a real yearning for face to face, genuine, trustworthy service? The answer is a resounding YES.

Many people have lost trust in the high living, get rich quick schemes of the silver tongued PR executives and their glossy adverts, and yearn for a reliable, trusted, local service from a person who plays a central part in their community.

Suddenly the government are listening. Take a look at BERR’s report on post offices, recently commissioned and entitled ‘Post offices – securing their future’. The conclusions are that the Post Office network is something to be treasured, protected and developed. The conclusions are here.

A quotation from the BERR committee chairman - MP Peter Luff. "Having looked in depth at the issues confronting the post office network we are convinced that, given sufficient political will from both central and local government and a real determination to sustain and develop a priceless national asset, there is no reason why the network cannot flourish again, serving the whole nation in a uniquely valuable way."

Further evidence of the changing mood towards Post Offices comes from the Federation of Small Businesses’ Clive Davenport who writes in The Guardian arguing for the current governments support and development of the network. But what if the Tories win the next election I hear you ask? Well, a recent Daily Telegraph article by reporters Andrew Porter and Christopher Hope shows the level importance and commitment to the network attributed to a future Conservative Government.

Whichever way you look at it, the future of the Post Office as an investment in a small business has never looked better. Providing a service to the local community from a brand recognised by generations of people as a ‘pillar of stability and trust’, coupled with the inevitable development of the range of financial services on offer to the client is a recipe for success. Couple this with the fact that many Post Offices double up as convenience stores and you have even more reason to be excited about the prospect of owning your own business