I'm here extolling the virtues of Business Link once more. Last weekend I went on the last of a series of three half-day courses run for people thinking of or having just started a new business.

This one was on marketing and how to keep your customers. It was good to know that I'm doing it half-right at least, although the rest is half-arsed I admit.

It was all SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) where you compare you company to the competition and ask the four questions above. Weaknesses, eerr....an unhealthy obsession with Mars bars? No love, not that kind of weakness but what are your company's weaknesses and how do they compare with the competition's? Which in turn make them your strengths. Or something like that.

Anyhow, I ended up with yet another to-do list and some great tips I never would've thought of for retaining customers and more confidence thanks to yet another good teacher.

So, if you're thinking of starting your own business do it, call Businesslink. Most of the people there weren't even at the staring gate and you might want to think about doing the first course, which concentrates on the practicalities you need to address before you open your doors to Joe Public. Then leave the rest for a little later as they'll be more relevant after six months or so. But do it all the same.

As for business, it's going from strength to strength even in this current climate. Customers are spending a bit less but a few things I've implemented on the site make sure that they keep coming back. One of which is free delivery, which, as we know, there is definitely no such thing. So it's me paying and we'll see how it goes for the next three months then assess the situation.

Because the best thing these courses have told me is that you don't discount, apologise or give stuff away in order to keep a customer. If you can't afford to sell it and deliver it at the price at which you can turn a profit then you have to change it. Or you WILL go out of business faster than a rat up a drainpipe. And that's not a pretty sight.