Although you know that you're running a successful company do you sometimes feel that the size of your business is holding you back? The truth is that some customers will have less confidence in your ability than your larger competitors, but the good news is that there are lots of simple and cost effective ways you can create the impression that you are a much bigger business than you really are.

Do you have staff?

Obviously businesses with staff give the impression of being larger, but you can make customers believe you have employees simply by setting up email addresses for, say, sales and marketing. All these emails can be directed to your inbox, but your customers will have no idea.

Franchising can be perfect for those individuals who want to run their own business without worrying about the pressure of starting from scratch and/or coming up with new ideas. It is also suited to people who believe in selling a proven product and like the idea of having the backing of a large organisation.

A recent survey showed that 90% of franchise businesses are profitable and the failure rate is much lower than it is for traditional start-ups. Not surprisingly, then, banks like franchising and will often offer up to 70% of a franchise fee. These are strong reasons why you might consider becoming a franchisee as a less risky route into business, however, as always there are also important factors you need to be aware of that might make it a less attractive proposition.

We've listed a number of the pros and cons below, which will give you something to start thinking about, and if you decide to find out more this month's Franchise Show in London (24-25 February at ExCeL) will provide you with a great opportunity to meet 120 brands, and attend over 100 seminars to receive expert advice on how you can use your experiences to run an extremely profitable franchise. You will also be able to discover franchise opportunities covering a diverse range of industries including some from overseas.

As we begin 2012, the economic outlook is somewhat mixed depending on which think tank, economist or business owner you talk to. If you are Robert Peston, however, the world is a very gloomy place and we are all doomed!

We can’t get away from the fact there is a level of uncertainty with the economy – just look at the eurozone. That saga will play into the hands of the Euro sceptics who are gleefully saying "I told you so", but as just over 50% of UK trade is with the EU, the future of the Euro and the EU as a whole will have a direct impact on business here at home.

Looking at the current worldwide economy and the various impacts it can have on the UK is another breakfast meeting all together. So let’s look at the situation we find ourselves in at the moment.

Many small businesses will reach the point where they need to think about recruitment. This might be, for example, due to increased workload or a lack of knowledge requiring outside expertise. The problem, though, is that the business is often not bringing in the income required to pay for that additional staff member.

Knowing when is the right time to recruit is, therefore, very difficult, especially in these uncertain economic times when revenues are changing dramatically for many businesses. I know a company who was due to interview for their first member of staff and the day before the interview lost one of their major contracts. In a way they were lucky it happened before they had taken on the employee, but it does show how decisions made one day can be forced to change another. Employing staff is a huge commitment, and businesses need to understand all aspects of the contract between themselves and the employee, and that includes how they can potentially dismiss them.

Outsourcing is worth billions of pounds every year and yet there are still businesses that shy away from it due to misconceptions, which we will aim to clear up here:

Outsourcing can be too constricting

In the past it is true that some companies found themselves tied up in long-term deals with outsourcing companies that ultimately proved uneconomical and unflexible for the business. However, this is a thing of the past, and today we see shorter contracts and flexible terms dictated by the customer that result in more productive, successful relationships. Early ‘get-out clauses’ are also common.

The extensive benefits of outsourcing, as shown by Paper Mountain Solutions, include access to expert knowledge that your own business does not have, plus the undeniable cost savings that can be made by choosing to outsource particular aspects of your business. To get the best out of your outsourcing partnership, though, you need to think of your outsourcing provider as simply an extension of your existing business. There are simple steps to take in order to create a mutually beneficial relationship with your outsourcing business.

1. Unsurprisingly communication is key, something Paper Mountain Solutions believes strongly in. It's imperative that your outsourcing provider fully understands your business plan and is kept fully up-to-date with changes and developments within your business. The flow of information, both ways, will ensure both sides are achieving the best possible results.