Why Is Planning So Important?

You’ve probably heard the saying ‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail.' Is this something that rings true with you? How often do you think that there isn’t enough time to plan and it’ll be alright on the day? While this might work some of the time and you may have succeeded in the past without planning, but imagine how much better you would have been if you had planned too?

So, why is planning so important? 

American clinical psychologist, Fitzhugh J. Dodson once said: “Without goals and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination.”

One of the most beneficial parts about planning is that part of it is creating the goals you want to accomplish. While many view planning as boring and an ‘inconvenient’ step, at its core, planning can prove to be of great help to everyone. Planning may not seem like such an integral part of success, but once you yield its benefit, it’ll prove fundamentally crucial in every area of your life. Proper planning is not only needed to encourage you to achieve the goal you set out for yourself but also to break it up into bite-size pieces and small goals that makes achieving much more attainable. 

Brian Tracy, motivational public speaker and self-development author, says: “Every minute you spend in planning saves ten minutes in execution; this gives you a 1,000 per cent return on energy.” 

When you start by writing down your goals, then planning will give you a clear perspective on what needs to be done and how much time it is going to take for you to do it, how much time your need to spend on working on your goals. Planning is closely associated with having proper time management as it encourages you to set aside a reasonable time for a specific task before moving ahead to the next. Planning and resource scheduling helps you to prepare a guideline, and a timeline for how you can maintain and reach goals that you have set up for yourself and the good thing about this is that everyone can do this, but a timeline can be adapted for each individual. 

Even if you don't think you are a planner, when you think about it, you are actually planning all the time. Take your holidays, for example; they wouldn't happen unless you planned. It's a simple way to look at it; you decide your goal which is where you want to go, then you decide when you want to do it and next you work out how you're going to do it. This is planning, and what is the benefit? A fantastic holiday where you not only have everything you need and will have done everything you needed to before the trip but also you'll visit everywhere you want to and won't miss a thing during your trip. 

So, when you travel, you plan your trip. When you are getting married, you plan your wedding, and when you throw a party, you plan the event. You would never do some of these things without planning for them; they would never happen if you didn't plan and other things in life are no different. Even if you just want happiness and fulfilment in life, you need to plan for how you're going to get it and then work at it. Many people neglect to plan their lives and then get disappointed and discouraged when they do not get what they want. Just like planning anything though, planning your life is just the same as having a road map that helps you to reach where you want to go.

Unless you have already been somewhere numerous times and know exactly how to get there, then you will need to get a good map or your sat nav out. Otherwise, you would be stupid to get into your car and try to get there. All you will do is drive around aimlessly, make mistakes, probably go back on yourself, get frustrated and then if you do eventually reach where you want to go, you will do it in a lot more time than it would have taken you if you had had a map in the first place. Apply this to life and having a road map to getting to where you want to go, it makes sense, doesn't it? However, so many people in the world today fail to plan their lives and end up lost or stuck where they are.

But taking time to plan your life, means that you are not only taking the right steps to identify and reach what you want from life, but also to do it in the most efficient way possible. Rather than relying on pure chance in life or in business, a life plan will detail the exact route and steps that you need to take. It helps you get there in the shortest time possible without and running out of fuel.

This planning can be applied to both big and small aspects of your life. It could be that you want to wake up earlier than you have been, stop smoking, start going to the gym, move to France, be closer to and spend more time with your partner and children, or be a kinder person, or start your own business, or lose some weight, or get a promotion or better job. 

By planning, you can reduce so much stress and frustration which allow for a better experience on holiday with your friends or family. So, if you can translate that planning to every other part of your life, then life could be one big holiday. 

Not only does planning reduce stress but it also means that you can then be flexible, once you have a plan, then if there needs to be a small change, then it can be done with little to no effort.

Planning offers direction

Whether it's a holiday or a business, planning helps you to create your goals and then take the first steps towards achieving them. Planning a direction for your business or your holiday or anything involves creating a roadmap and this planning can take many different shapes and sizes, and as you create this roadmap for accomplishing your goals, you will find your planning offers you the direction you need to get there.

Planning uncovers problems

When you create your goals and know the direction you're going in, it means that you are prepared for what is coming next and the more prepared you are, the better you can handle problems as they arise. In fact, it won't just be a case of handling issues as they appear, with clever planning you will uncover the potential problems before they even occur. When you work to plan out a direction carefully, you’ll undoubtedly reveal possible obstacles you may run into along the way, but if you aren't careful when planning, you may never discover these issues until its too late.

When you uncover problems, you also find solutions there and then and can implement them before the problems even become a reality. Being able to resolve and work around issues is invaluable in business and in any area of life. 

Finally, planning gives you perspective, and it provides you with a clear view of what matters and what you can accomplish. As you plan your goals and focus on what you want to achieve, working out how to achieve those goals will force you to get organized, prioritize and put them in perspective. 

There is no point working on something that isn't important; no one wants to waste time doing that. However, it can be easy to get distracted and for your objectives to get lost in the daily grind. Planning helps you to stay focused and to keep your perspective on your purpose and your future and on what you really want, no matter what it is. Then you will experience success and will see the rewards for your planning.

As much as people love to believe in overnight sensational success stories where people who came from nothing simply fell into selling something online and made millions, the truth is that it while this might have happened to the odd person, success really does take planning and the planning makes it rewarding too. Planning makes perfect, and the benefits of planning far outweigh any disadvantages. Once you start planning, it will just become an essential part of your life and success will follow.  

Why Do Business in the Cayman Islands

The Cayman Islands had a reputation for being a place where the wealthy can hide their money to avoid paying taxes. The Islands refute this suggestion and would prefer countries to look upon them as an international finance center for business. 

Indeed, the Cayman Islands are keen to encourage foreign investment and do this through their policies. The territory has a busy tourist industry, and its own stock exchange, and a plethora of successful financial services firms. With so many attractive systems, it is unsurprising many companies wish to do business there. 

Advantages of Doing Business in The Cayman Islands

The Cayman Islands Monetary Authority registers approximately 11,000 funds in the territory. The Cayman's enjoy a leading reputation as a financial center of excellence, with both domiciled businesses and overseas investors reaping the rewards of their world-class financial set-up. Those investing from abroad can find a range of professional director services to help them comply with the local regulations. 

While the Cayman Islands is a self-governing British overseas colony, its laws are a mix of common law and locally enacted statutes. Although the Islands do not adhere strictly to English law, that legal system is generally considered persuasive. When considering the intricacies of setting up or investing there, it is prudent to consult a lawyer based in the Cayman Islands. 

The Cayman Islands make setting up a business a relatively quick process. In around three-five business days, an owner can have their company registered. The fees are low, as are minimum capital stipulations. However, to ensure compliance with all local regulations, it can be helpful to have legal advisors on hand. 

Of course, there are also significant tax advantages to doing business in the Islands. While in some ways, the Islands treat domestic and foreign companies differently; this does not apply when it comes to taxation.  

Companies do not pay any corporation or capital gains tax and are also exempt when it comes to payroll tax. However, foreign companies do need to be aware that they may need to file tax returns in their own country.  

Potential Risks

As the laws may be different than they are in other countries, professional legal advice will be required to navigate safely through the various regulations. Additionally, rules are strict and are likely to become more robust as the territory seeks to show foreign countries that they are performing in line with financial regulations. Currently, the Cayman Islands use Anti-Money Laundering and Know Your Client policies for funds. The myriad of rules could be challenging to keep on top of, and so professional advice is essential to ensure compliance. 

Funds and investors must also keep in line with the territory's Data Protection Law. Although not precisely the same, it has similarities to the strict GDPR system used in the European Union. 

The Cayman Islands is an excellent location to do business. Their financial sector is world-renowned, and companies can enjoy significant benefits such as tax breaks. However, the complex system of laws and regulations that allow the system to be so successful may mean it isn't straightforward for a business to make the transition smoothly. 

As with all business ventures, it is essential to conduct the proper due diligence and take advice from professionals who are experts in their field.

Looking for a New Business Idea? Consider Paid Parking Lots

If you want to enter the entrepreneurial world, but haven’t decided what to do, how about parking lots? Launching a parking lot business could be the best thing you do this year, given the growing number of cars that need places to park. For the biz to be a success, though, you’ll want to consider a few things.

Find the Right Lot

Yes, you’ll need a parking lot. Location is crucial here; pick a lot that has steady traffic, so you’re sure the spaces will fill up regularly. Also, check how easy (or not) it is to drive in and out of the lot.

Ideally, you want to own a parking lot that is easily accessible and in a busy area of the city. Once you find one you like, look at its cost and whether you’d have to change anything construction-wise about it as changes can be pricey.

Security Measures

Congratulations on finding the premises! Next up, secure the property. Unfortunately, parking lots can be a target for vehicle break-ins. Protect your customers as best as possible with effective LEpro LED parking lot lights.

The bright illumination is sure to deter those who have crime on their minds. It will also deter strangers from dumping trash into your bins if you have any on the property. Along with lighting the lot itself, also ensure stairwells are lit up, if applicable.

Additional security options are hiring guards to patrol the area, as well as live monitoring. A security gate is also something to consider.

Proper Insurance

Never forget insurance for the site! Get full general liability coverage, as well as premises liability, in case any customer gets injured on site. This consideration is part of smart business planning.

While you might think that’ll never happen, the reality is that you just never know what is in the future, and it’s not wise to risk your assets. If they were to sue your company and you don’t have insurance, that could be a one-way ticket to bankruptcy.

Figure Out Prices

Finally, determine what you will ask customers to pay to rent spaces, both for monthly and annual rates. Also, will there be hourly and day rates available?

Another consideration is whether to increase rates for evenings and on weekends. Some but not all lot owners do so.

Starting a New Business

If you’re looking for a new venture, a parking lot business could be right for you. If you’re not sure if it’s a good fit personally, why not try working for a short time as an attendant to learn more about the way the business works?

If you’re still interested, then begin the entrepreneurial journey by doing your homework to find a suitable premise. Be sure to have insurance, as earlier discussed.

Remember to advertise the lot to businesses close by, as well. Let them know you’re open and even offer a special rate for the first month to those who work in the neighborhood as a way to attract attention.

Determine reasonable pricing for customers and secure the lot properly. We are wishing you all the best with this fantastic opportunity!

The Demands Of A Growing Business

A growing business is one that can be hard to manage. In fact, all of the business owners who expected their business to take years to grow, when it is, in fact, growing in a matter of months, find it impossible to manage. All of the sudden you go from small finances that are easy to manage, and sales that are easy to track and handle because they are so few, to a business with a huge influx of customers that makes everything hard to track and handle. So, what you need to do is go into crisis mode, and figure out how all of the systems of your business are going to work together as one so that your business can flourish.

All you have to do is focus on the growth aspects of your business, how you can streamline them, and how you can promote your business. Because the last thing you want to do is focus on all of the changes you’re going to make, only to find that the influx of customers was temporary and you now go back to a lull. So, we’re going to try and help you with all of that, as well as feel secure with your own knowledge about business. The more you know, the more you grow! Keep on reading and we’ll talk you through what we think you should be doing.

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Managing Sales & Production

Production and sales are something that’s going to flourish as soon as your business starts to have that influx of customers, and it can just be so hard to manage for a small business that isn’t used to being a business. But don’t worry, there are tons of tips that we can show you.

The first is hiring two people to work for you on a temporary basis. Freelance business analysts and advisors are essential for a business that is new to being on the market and really doesn’t have a clue what they’re doing. Because the one trend that’s happening at the minute is that business owners usually know their trade, but nothing about the intricate parts of running a business. These services are only going to benefit a business that hasn’t had experience being a business before other than the minor processes that are needed.

Hiring in people to give you good advice is always going to make you more comfortable with the decisions that you’re making. They can advise you on how to maximize your sales, and minimize the time and money spent on production as well as financial losses. A lot of it will come over time. You’ll need to find ways to streamline your production process. Whether you’re selling services or products, you will still have a production line that needs managing, and it can easily be done by focusing on the weak points and the areas that are taking the most time to complete. You can then use different techniques in a trial and error sort of fashion to see what you’ll end up with!

Inhouse Improvements

Running a business is going to take your inhouse life from being pretty casual, to pretty hectic. All of a sudden you have all of these orders and queries coming your way and it can be so hard to manage. We’re writing this assuming that you have your own office space. If not, then it might be time to seek out a small space for you to be able to run your business. Not only does it allow you to have that air of professionalism, but it’s far more practical for a growing business.

You then need to consider some of the improvements you can make to your office that will make it far easier to run. Lingo Communications Business VoIP might be one consideration you have. VoIP systems are so beneficial for any business, let alone one that’s growing at such a rapid rate. What it does is give you a system that’s connected throughout your business, preventing downtime and delays in internet speed, and allowing your phones to have the best connection. The one menial task that you’ll find yourself doing as a business owner is answering emails and phone calls. You’ll also find that office internet is absolutely shocking, so seeking out something such as what we have linked to could greatly improve the productivity of your office.

Even if there is just you in the room, it makes it far easier to expand and cope with the demands of your growing business. You should also think about the other equipment you’re using, such as your computers. Having a computer system that’s able to facilitate software that you need is important, and a good business will splash out the cash on an Apple Mac. As expensive as they may be, they look far more professional and modern for one, and they have a ton of capabilities that other computers don’t have.

Do You Need To Hire?

Hiring is one of the things that you might need to do far sooner than you thought you were going to have to do. The process of hiring can be so intimidating for a small business, especially for a business owner who doesn’t really know what they’re doing. You can miss out on the key questions you need to ask, and you may even cross the line towards inappropriateness without even meaning to with the questions that you ask, which is why we think it’s important that you stick to the basics.

The first is to make them relaxed as soon as they come in. Perhaps say that you’re just as nervous as they, or tell them to take a breath and relax because it will be a more chilled out interview. A chilled out interview-style attracts the right type of person. You’re allowing the candidate to relax in their natural way of being, rather than coming in with this forced behavior that would change as soon as they got comfortable within your company. Stick to asking questions about their likes and dislikes, goals, what they want from the company, and then give them all of the company information that you need.

To cover your back, you can hire HR services that are not in the house, but they will still support your business with any HR issues that may come up. You can then integrate them into your business and use it as a learning curve. Always make sure that you give ongoing support and training, and actually take the time to get to know them.

Promotion & Marketing

Promotion and marketing are something you’re going to become so used to doing. All of a sudden you’ll have everything on your shoulders, but the main thing you want to do is keep it there. Which is easily done through promotion and marketing. If you already have the influx of interest coming from somewhere, you must have been doing something right with a basic budget. So all you have to do is scale that to a bigger size and focus on the areas of promotion and marketing that are going to get the most attention.

For us, it’s simple techniques such as billboard marketing that you need to go for. You’ll still be a small fish in a big pond, so until you’re a bigger fish trying tactics such as SEO and PPC might not work well for you. But billboard marketing alongside Google Adwords, for example, might be the killer combination that your business needs for that extra boost of sales. Once you get a steady number of customers each month and your brand begins to grow, you can focus more on online marketing methods. Alongside this, we would always recommend that you use social media marketing to build your business a profile.

Financial Demands

The financial demands of your business are going to make a big difference in the way that you’re able to run your business. All of a sudden you’re not so much struggling for money, but struggling to manage the money and figuring out where it should be distributed. All we can say is to relax and take your time figuring it out.

Your first plan isn’t going to be your final plan, and you’ll often find that your financial plan has to be tweaked along the way so that you adapt to your business’s needs. The largest part of your distribution should be to production, then marketing, then whatever else is a priority within your business. Last should be your own pocket! Always make sure that you’re consulting a financial advisor before making any big decisions. Everything that you do with your budget is going to influence the way that you run your business.

Personal Demands

The personal demands seem to be what business owners seem to forget about. We’re so focused on our growing business that we don’t realize what it’s doing to our bodies and minds. Burnouts can happen pretty quickly, so make sure that you’re giving yourself time in the week to have personal time. To clear your mind and truly relax. It’s one of the best ways to keep your mind clear and focused is to switch off from work and forget about it all, even if it just be for 30 minutes a day whilst you’re on a run.

How Developing Law Firms Can Find Success

In terms of industries that have a bright long-term future, there are arguably none more robust than the legal industry. While there’ll be plenty of jobs (and even entire industries) lost through automation and AI, the law world will not only be immune; it’ll actively prosper in this climate. The world, after all, will always need lawyers. So you can say that there’s never a bad time to be running a law firm. Of course, success is far from guaranteed. While there’s plenty of work, there’s also plenty of competition. So how can developing law firms ensure that they end up on the right side? We take a look at a few useful tips below. 

Find Your Niche

People don’t mess around when it comes to their legal issues. When they’re looking for a lawyer, they don’t want someone who is familiar with their situation; they want an expert. While there are some law firms that have a more general approach to law, the better approach is to pick one particular area to focus on and work within that sphere. Over time, you’ll become the go-to firm when people have those types of issues.

Hire the Best

A law firm can only be as good as the people who are working for it. As such, it’s important that you’re taking the time to develop a robust hiring policy, one that ultimately results in hiring the very best members of staff. This will apply, of course, to the lawyers you bring on board, but should also apply to all positions at your firm. If you don’t know how to hire the best employees, then you can look at working with a third-party company to do the job for you. 

Spread the Word

You might be the greatest law firm in your area, but if no-one knows that you’re there, then you’re going to find it difficult to build up a solid client base. While the best law firms eventually find their ways to the top, it’s important that you’re giving yourself a nudge in the right direction. In order to grow your firm quickly, look at working with a company that specializes in law firm marketing. They’ll have the knowledge and experience needed to ensure that your firm ends up in front of all the right people.

Establish Expertise

Reputation counts a lot no matter what industry you’re working in, but it’s of extra importance when you’re working in the legal field. A good reputation can really help to push you to the next level. One crucial part of reputation is expertise. If you’ve established yourself as an expert in your field, then you’ll naturally lead people your way. There are three excellent ways to do this, and they all involve communicating your expert opinions. You can use social media channels to comment on the world’s legal matters, write blog posts, or become a talking head figure for television and radio shows.

Encourage Reviews

You can tell the whole world how great you are, and sure, it’ll work somewhat. But it won’t be as effective as other people telling the world just how amazing you are. Reviews are important because they really do work -- people are almost as likely to treat a positive review as equal to a personal recommendation from a close friend or family member. So do your best to get your clients to write a few words, and then post those testimonials on your website.

Do Your Job

Of course, while there are plenty of things you can do to help the public to pay attention to you, there’s no substitute for just getting down to hard work and getting results. Be sure to set your standards, and then work hard to ensure that they’re always being met. Reputations can take years to build, and then be lost in a matter of months, all because the law firm stopped trying to do their best for their law firm. 

Analyze and Improve 

You don’t get to stand still for too long in the legal world. You may have had some success, but there’s no room for complacency. As part of your commitment to improve your services, look at periodically analyzing your operations and figure out ways to improve. A law firm that is always striving to be better tomorrow than they are today will always serve their clients well. If you don’t know how to analyze your own performance, you can recruit an outside expert to make suggestions, too.

How to Start an eCommerce Business in 7 Steps

You don’t have to look very far back in time to realize that the retail industry has undergone a rapid transformation. Millions of people now do most of their shopping online from their weekly groceries and clothes to furniture, holidays, and complex products like life insurance policies. This situation is only going to intensify with almost all businesses having some kind of online presence and many starting their own eCommerce site. While this has opened up previously impossible business opportunities, it also means that someone starting an eCommerce business is facing a lot of competition.

If you are one of these people, this guide outlines 7 key steps to help you get started.

1.   Choose a name for your business

When you have decided on the products you will be selling, you then need to choose a memorable and unique business name. You can find out if a name is already in use or not by carrying out a corporate name search.

2.   Decide on a business structure and register the business

You can then register the business under that name in your state as a sole proprietor, an LLC, a corporation or a partnership if you have a business partner. It’s worth bearing in mind that if you operate as a sole proprietor, you are putting your personal assets at risk should you ever be sued.

3.   Find your domain name and build your website

You will then need to find a domain name for your business, which, ideally, will match your business name. If the domain name you want is not available, you should opt for one which accurately represents your business and is easy for people to remember. You can then set about the design of your website which should be easy for people to use as well as be visually attractive. To ensure you get the best website, it is generally recommended that you hire professional WordPress designers rather than attempting to build it yourself.

4.   Apply for an Employer Identification Number

To be able to open your business account and file taxes, you need to get an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS. This is a unique number that identifies your business and is needed whether you employ staff or not.  

5.   Get your permits, licenses, and insurance

Even eCommerce businesses need to get licenses and permits to operate. Find out what is required in your city, county, and state in terms of tax and licenses before you begin trading.

6.   Find suppliers or vendors

There will be lots of other eCommerce businesses out there to compete with, so it’s important to find the best prices for your materials or products. It’s also a good idea to find a vendor or supplier who you can build a rapport with, as this should mean you can establish a long-lasting relationship.

7.   Start your digital marketing

Before you start trading, you might want to create your social media accounts and start building an online presence where your target customers are. You could offer people the chance to sign up for email alerts so they know when you will be open for business.

Ensure Your Starting Business Momentum Is Strong

When preparing before the launch of a big project, ensuring you’re ready for any eventuality is a great idea. However, it’s also important to start strong and jump out of the gate with momentum. For instance, an athlete may prepare as much as she can in training, working hard, stretching carefully, and recovering well, but all of that must inform the action as that starting gun fires, rather than simply prepare for it. There comes a time where all the training turns into guidance as you lay your proper effort down and move forward in the best sense.

But how can you ensure your starting business momentum is strong? After all, it’s unlikely that too many people are aware of your brand before you have launched and marketed it publicly, or it may be that securing the funding to get you started can be harder than it seems. 

Thankfully, there are methods you can take to ensure this process is streamlined, and that starting out is more akin to a graceful glide rather than a churning, aggressive effort. Here’s what that may look like:

Adequate Funding

Adequate funding is important to hold for a variety of obvious reasons, but it’s also essential to have some emergency backup just in case things are slow to start. Think of your business as an off-road vehicle slowly trudging its way through the wastes. Before it can find a smooth paved road and begin a regular cycle of continuous motion, a range of debris, obstacles or slow-starting pursuits must be taken into account first. A small business loan for women may help you add fuel canisters to said vehicle, allowing you to further refuel, resupply, and redirect should things be spluttering or struggling to take form.

Of course, it’s essential to only take out a loan if you have the guaranteed means of repaying it, and so it’s important to factor this into your financial planning. If you can justify it, and you have enough debtors willing to pay by a select date, then this plan could be a fantastic means of providing that cash boost. Additionally, some loans may help an enterprise finally get the wheels turning and off the ground, so it’s essential to consider and curate the potential you’re going for.

Absolute Clarity In Presentation

Finding clarity in your presentation is important before any business launch, because not only do you hope for potential customers to digest who you are, but what you do in a matter of minutes at most.

This means using outsourced professionals to provide you with the best marketing copy, using outreach services such as SEO-ready content houses, as well as planning your social media following approach and post content can be a great idea. Dripfeeding can sometimes be a preferable development when launching, as it’s important to generate hype. However, do not overly rely on this, because most people do not wish to read a fifty-page thesis just to become aware of the new product or business in town. It’s your job to seek out a new audience in an active setting, and it’s impossible to do that without absolute clarity in presentation.

For instance, consider a new snack product launching in a supermarket. The owners decide to provide samples of the product for free to those conducting their weekly grocery shop. Due to how new the product is, and the vegan ethos behind it, an untrained or unrefined employee offering the taste test may give overblown descriptions of what the foodstuff is before giving it out. Would you take a sample of something that cannot be described in a sentence or two and then put that in your body? Likely not. This example emphasizes that to build trust, you have to have absolute confidence in your idea, and absolute confidence often translates to (and is impressed by) surety, brevity, and routine clarity.

Hiring Perfection

It’s important to hire well when developing your services in the best possible context. Stocking your ranks with bodies is not as important as gaining staff that is skilled in what they do, at least initially, as they will provide the driving ingenuity of your firm. Additionally, hiring perfection is determined by how easily you can indoctrinate them to your ecosystem of workflow, or the particulars of their working environment.

A benefits and package policy, HR policy adjustment, and other contractual considerations should also be taken into account if hoping to hire and curate the best skill sets within your firm. If you can do that, you’ll be sure to notice just how satisfied and skilled newcomers to your firm will be, especially aided by a carefully calibrated interview process. Remember that as a new enterprise hoping to start strong with stellar momentum, sometimes it’s about aggressively recruiting and becoming appealing to a wide array of professional skillsets rather than holding your cards close to your chest and shoo’ing many worthy candidates in hope of finding the perfect one.

Learning, Refining, Improving

Prepare to be humbled, because you will be. A business is not akin to an art form, in that multiple viewpoints and perspectives are important, but the perspective of the artist often holds the most fruit. If your business isn’t working, it doesn’t matter how sure of the idea you may be. This is where (even during bouts of success), learning to listen, refine and improve is an essential part of your offering.

Perhaps your product is perfect, but your audience is having trouble paying through your third-party payment processors on your website. Turning to PayPal or refining your payment and privacy policy to support direct card purchases (which also adds an air of legitimacy) can be important. Shifting and developing as a firm means always identifying your best forward point, and then using your best-curated wisdom and intelligence to make that a reality, not only covering symptoms but address the source of all issues.

With this advice, we hope you can ensure your starting business momentum is as strong as it can be.

Do You Really Need An Office?

Pixabay. CCO Licensed.

Thinking of renting out office space? Before you sign that lease contract, it could be worth taking a moment to consider whether you really need an office.

Renting out an office is a big expense. On top of the cost of rent, there are other big expenses to factor in such as utility costs, maintenance costs, office furniture, and property insurance.

By going office-less you can save money on all of these costs. This is one of the biggest reasons why many companies are going without office space.

But just how do you run a successful business without an office? Below are just some of the ways in which you can ditch office space and still run a thriving business.

Avoiding home distractions

Working from home can have its distractions. It’s one of the big reasons as to why people rent office space – it helps them to get away from the disruptions of home life.

However, you can still reduce distractions without having to rent an office. Designating a separate room in your home as a home office can help you to get in the zone. If you’re working in the living room, it’s much easier to get distracted by the TV. Create a room that doesn’t have any of these distractions so that you’re focused on work.

Of course, not everyone has the space in their home for a separate home office. If you find that you’re getting prone to distractions, you could try working out of the house in a coffee bar or a library. There are also co-working spaces in which you can rent a desk – much cheaper than renting an office and it still gets you out of the house.

Technology has made it much easier to work on the go. Many modern laptops and tablets are almost as powerful as PCs. It’s even possible to run a business from a smartphone – with the right array of apps and a limitless data plan from a company like SMARTY, you can do office admin on your phone from any location. Buying a portable charger is also recommended so that you’ve always got somewhere to charge your devices if there isn’t a free plug socket.

Hiring employees

Without an office, where will your employees work? In days gone by, it would have been impossible to run a business with over 900 employees without an office – and yet some companies have achieved this. This is because it’s now possible to hire a virtual workforce. This involves allowing employees to work from home and handling all communication online.

There are many benefits to hiring a virtual workforce. First, you’re not limited to hiring locally and can hire workers from all around the world, allowing you to access the best talent out there. Studies have also shown that remote employees are often more productive – they take less sick days and aren’t distracted by colleagues. Remote employees are also happier on average due to a better work-life balance and no time/money wasted commuting.

Hiring a remote workforce does have its hurdles. You need to be able to find the best form of communication so that when problems arise you can solve them quickly. Many companies use instant messaging – it’s quick but not overly invasive as people can still respond in their own time. Phone calls and video calls may be better suited in an emergency when you need a quick response. Meanwhile, cloud technology should be used to share files. This allows files to be accessed from any device or location and also allows two or more people to access the same document.

Conducting meetings

An office can provide a place to conduct meetings. This could include meetings with clients or interviews with job applicants. However, it’s possible to still hold these meetings without an office.

Many companies use coffee bars as a neutral space for hosting meetings. They can provide the perfect environment for such interactions in many cases – many coffee bars have wi-fi and sockets for plugging in laptops. They’re also free to use.

Of course, for more private meetings there are other options. Libraries and universities sometimes have private rooms that you can rent out. You may only have to pay a small fee to use them.

It’s also possible to host face-to-face meetings via video-conferencing. This saves either party having to travel while still allowing you to convey visual information if necessary (you can even give presentations via video-communication). You can even organize video conferences with multiple people at once.

Receiving business mail

When it comes to receiving physical mail from clients and suppliers, being able to supply an official business address can often be good for your company's reputation. A home address may not look official enough, plus you may not want customers knowing your home address.

Fortunately, there is a way around this without having to rent an office. Virtual mailing addresses have become a popular way of receiving business mail. These are addresses that you outsource from another company – this company then receives your mail and redirects it to you afterward. Such companies are often based in prime locations so that you get the benefit of a prime location address.

Some virtual mailing companies can even open your mail for you with your permission and send digital copies over to you for you to read. This could allow you to check your mail from any location.

4 Steps for Starting a New Business

Starting a new business can be one of the most exciting times of your life. You’ve got so many great plans running through your head, and all these ideas are, hopefully, going to make you lots of money. However, it’s important you don’t rush into things when starting a new business, and that you do the proper research. 

It can be tempting to rush into things and start the ball rolling, but in order to give your business the best shot at success, there are some steps you need to follow. Once you’ve got these aspects set up, then your new business will be ready and raring to go, but it’s important you set up good foundations to build upon.

1.     Do your market research.

2.     Create a business plan.

3.     Get your finances in order.

4.     Create an environment for success (offices, hardware, software).

If you take care of these four points right at the beginning of your business venture, then you’re going to give your business a much better chance of success.

1.   Market Research

You might have this amazing idea, but until you do your market research, there’s no way of knowing whether your idea is actually amazing. Many times, companies fail because they have not understood the true conditions of the market, making it nearly impossible for them to succeed.

If you carry out thorough market research, then you tick that first box which asks, “does this business have a realistic shot of succeeding?” There are still many hurdles to overcome, but market research allows you to better understand whether your idea is viable in the first place.

2.   Business Plan

All great ventures start with a well thought out plan. Without a business plan, you’re like a boat without a paddle, you’re at the whim of circumstances. Of course, things will happen that you could never have predicted, but the better you plan, the better prepared you are to deal with adversity.  

This business plan is your blueprint to success, and without it, you’ll find it much harder to turn your business into the successful entity you want it to be. 

3.   Finances

It’s hard to create a successful business if you don’t have the required finances in place. Some companies need a huge amount of startup cash, others don’t need so much, but they all need some kind of finance.

With your business plan already written, you can start to have a better understanding of your budget and the amount of cash you need to raise.

4.   An Environment for Success 

If you’re going to do this properly, then you’re going to need an office to work from and the right equipment to work with. It’s easy to think you can get by without investing properly in these areas, but if you choose this approach, you’re just making life harder for yourself in the long run.

Make sure you’ve got the software you need from a top-quality provider like Bytes and get an office where you’re going to feel comfortable doing your best work. Without the correct Microsoft suites, you will struggle to work effectively, risking the success of your career and new business venture.

If your company is going to be a success, then you need to be offering a top-quality product and you can’t do that if you don’t have the right working environment. Make sure you’ve got a comfortable office and the right equipment to do your best work.

Why Your Business Relationships Are The Key To Your Success

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay 

Good relationships in business can help you make decisions faster; strong relationships can help you overcome and avoid problems with more agility than your competitors; and time and energy invested into building strong relationships allow you to improve profit margins. It's important to have good relationships for a number of reasons:

It Can Make You More Reliable

When you rely on suppliers or vendors or partners in your business, then having a good relationship with them is vital as you need to be able to rely on them so your customers can rely on you. Their timely deliveries are crucial to how customers view your reliability. A quick turnaround can become the key to minimizing your inventory, which in turn, translates to less risk of inventory obsolescence and lower cash needs.

It Can Give You The Competitive Edge

Strong relationships can give you the one-up on your competition based on their pricing, quality, reliability, technological breakthroughs, and knowledge of industry trends. For example, if you have an IT consultant, you can benefit from their expert knowledge and work together to improve your processes.

Spectrum Wise, for example, will develop a personalized roadmap to help you make strategic decisions so you can get the most of your IT investment. They will streamline your processes to increase productivity and reduce expenses. You can find out more about them here: https://www.spectrumwise.com/worry-free-solutions/it-consulting/ 

Innovation

Suppliers can make major contributions to new product development or service. Remember, they live their product more than you do; they're working to be on the cutting edge of innovation. The good ones will understand your company, its industry and needs, and can help you tweak your new idea.

Finance

If you've proven to be a considerate, loyal and paying customer, you may be able to tap into your suppliers for additional financing once you hit growth mode-or if you run into a cash crunch. That financing may take the form of postponed debt, extended terms on new purchases, a loan, or an investment in your company.

Now that you know the benefits of good relationships, here's a few pointers on how to cultivate them:

Diversify your network

Push yourself out of your comfort zone and get out there and meet people beyond your immediate circle. Then seek out relevant people from unrelated organizations, such as media and government, and get to know them too. 

Spend quality time on key relationships.

Spend time with your most important customers, your most productive employees, and leaders who can make the most difference to your organization. These relationships will generate returns in the immediate future and in the long run. 

Renew and reshape your networks frequently.

It's important to look at the relationships you have, and you need to work on them to keep them. However, you also need to identify new relationships that are vital to the future of your business. Good relationships empower you to confidently and aggressively take risks, continually innovate, and bounce back from setbacks along the way. You can't run your business alone.

4 Key Considerations When Starting a Clothing Alteration Business

Even the cheapest suit can fit like a designer original when properly altered. Many people turn to a seamstress for this purpose, as well as to repair the suits they regard as valuable investments. But the skills of a seamstress are becoming somewhat of a lost art, making their expertise increasingly difficult to find.

Once you’ve mastered the necessary skills, a clothing alteration business can be very lucrative. Just as important are the skills required to start any kind of business in the first place. If you’re an entrepreneur at heart, then it’s likely that you possess many of these skills, such as time management, strategic thinking, creativity, finance, and communication.

So, if you’re ready to delve into the clothing alterations industry and establish yourself as a reputable seamstress in your area, all that’s left are a few important considerations. Keep the following in mind to start on the right foot.

The Basics

No matter how small your business, it requires a legal structure. This allows you to lawfully operate and advertise your services, as well as permitting you to accept cash payments. Once you’ve chosen and created a suitable business structure, it’s time to register your alterations business’s name and operations with the state.

Your name should be simple, easy to spell, memorable and ideally, available as a .com domain. The last point is important, as you’ll want to create a website for your business, which will serve as a key component of your future marketing efforts. You’ll also need an employer identification and DUNS number for tax, credit and payment purposes.

Business Plan

The better thought-out your business plan, the more likely you will be to avoid mistakes and make the right decisions from the get-go. Take some time to organize and plan your strategies and objectives. Think about your competitors, marketing strategies, budget, target audience, and staffing. Where you plan to operate should also be considered.

Equipment

The equipment you’ll need for your alteration business will likely be one of your biggest expenses. At the same time, your equipment of choice can make or break your ability to provide a quality service, which is why it’s important to identify the best solution.

At the bare minimum, you’ll need a clothing presser, as well as plenty of needles, thread, buttons and other necessary materials for alterations and repairs. Most importantly, you’ll need a set of quality sewing machines. A great option in this category is Gold Star Tools, a company that provides class-leading Sewing Machines and related equipment.

Location

When starting off, it would be wise to consider keeping your operations at home until you’re in a position where you can comfortably afford a dedicated location. Once you reach this point, remember that your premises should have ample space for measurements and cutting, as well as room for clients to try on clothing.

Finally, don’t forget the importance of an effective marketing plan. Even if you’re on a tight budget, the internet is a great place to start. Use your website, social media and online listings to your advantage. Get it right and you’ll quickly gain a steady stream of clients.

Is Our Society Changing How We Shop Online?

In this technology-driven society, our routine and thoughts are constantly swirling around our steadily flourishing virtual world. Most of us openly and inexhaustibly plan our lives around the internet; whether it be social media to plan our events, emails to communicate or YouTube to be entertained.

The internet makes the unreachable reachable, and shopping is no exception. We can happily flip through our smartphones on our lunch break, and the tempting ‘online only’ deals can easily trigger an impromptu buy. 

E-commerce, or more commonly known as ‘internet shopping’ brought in a staggering £91bn last year alone; and 30% of all shopping is done via e-commerce and some of this is down to social media! Some may say that e-commerce’s accessibility is the most attractive asset for shoppers and at the tap of a finger we can have products flying through our letterboxes within 24 hours.

Social media has definitely swayed our views; we can see products and see bloggers using products way before we click buy. Making sense of how social media works as a business can be challenging too and with social media tracking, it makes things a lot easier. 

Photo: Pixabay

With our cities’ populations on the rise, the impatient line of people standing in lines is a constant battle for shoppers. We are never sure whether the ever-growing line for the self-checkout is the better option. There is always that rush of customers at Christmas or the Saturday madness, and e-commerce proves to be a welcomed escape from that peevish world.

E-commerce covers everything, from food, clothes, gifts, and even holidays, and in 2013, we saw a 16% rise in online shoppers from the previous year. If these figures continue, by 2020, just about all of our shopping will be done online. A big blow to our already established shops, and of course the lack of custom and an impending rise of e-commerce can only mean another spell of cutting layoffs, therefore, further unemployment; and could open up a whole new world of problems.

E-commerce is definitely changing our shopping strategy; cleverly laid out websites are unscrupulously appealing; with 25% of a £50 shop or free shipping over orders of £100. This lures us into a false sense of control, but some may think it’s just enticing us to spend more and more and ultimately rack up larger credit card bills. Shopping responsibly is always key! 

Of course, however, e-commerce has its perks, especially in the realms of marketing for new companies; then suddenly there is the capability of growth, and the figures speak for themselves; our shopping is changing, because our society is changing.

In a perfect world, e-commerce and commerce should run like clockwork together, integrating their assets; but in our electronic-addled society, one will always prevail. It may take time, and the natural progression of commerce will possibly, like so many other things, go full circle; but it is safe to say that the old school ways of high-street shopping, may soon be a dying enterprise

Top Things Your Business Needs To Succeed

Financial and operational success are two of the most important goals for any business owner. You don’t put your time, money, and sanity into a business idea with the hope that it will be a failure, right? Well, that means that you need to get your head down and start to consider the things that your business needs the most to be well received by the audience you’re aiming for, despite how boring and laborious those tasks may be.

You want a solid business foundation, a strong support system, effective marketing campaigns, and a superior IT strategy to ensure that you can input the ideas that mean the most to you and your business bottom-line. So, that means that you need to know exactly what will make sense for your business to be a successful one and thrive in the future. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the items things that your new business needs to grow and succeed.

Cash on Hand. Let’s be honest, without hard cash or some type of financial reserve, you’re not getting anywhere fast! A lot of small business owners fail at money management, though, so while it feels like something that should be common sense, you’d be surprised at how many entrepreneurs aren't sorting and spending their business funds properly. In many instances, they spend more than they earn and lack a fundamental understanding of bookkeeping and how to balance a budget. So the lesson here is to know what your finance options are, and make sure that you are always prepared for challenges or economic downturns. Keeping at least $5K in reserve in the bank can help weather unpredictable challenges.

Marketing Strategy. When it comes to investing in marketing, digital advertising, PR, or social media strategy development and execution, most small business owners and entrepreneurs view it as another expense or something that they’ll only invest in when they get time, or after they’ve launched other important initiatives. However, for your business to stand out against your competition and build your brand, you need to invest in a diverse array of marketing activities. Marketing can be complex and difficult if you don’t have the skills, knowledge, or experience to develop and implement such strategies.

Fortunately, you don’t have to do it alone. You can partner with a digital marketing agency or publicity firm that will help guide you throughout your marketing journey. A strong agency partner will develop your short and long-term strategies and execute those tactics. This means that you’ll still have enough time to handle the other essential business processes and operations. As an aside note, we usually tell clients they should allocate seven percent of their net revenue to spend on marketing for the year.

Strong and Supportive Staff. You may be the brains and leader of the operation, but without knowledgeable and experienced staff, your business is not going anywhere. You need people—good people at that—to help you to run each department of your business. You cannot be successful without a strong team working in the right positions, and so you need to take the time to interview the right candidates. Once you determine right people for the right positions and onboard them, then, you need to support them in any way they need! You also need to think outside the box and outsource some of your tasks to experts, and you can see more information here about who you could need. It’s important to research your options so that you get the best of the best every single time.

The Right Tools and Equipment. You cannot operate successfully without the right equipment, resources, and tools, so take as much advice as possible about what you need in terms of technology, furniture, marketing materials, and everything else that your business could require to keep running and growing. Conducting the right research is key, and you can be ahead of the game simply by knowing you are using the right tools to run your business correctly. Don’t be fooled that all you need is a laptop and yourself—it’s so much more than that! This is especially true if you’re selling products as you need to maintain inventory, fulfillment, and many other operations.

Excellent Mentors and Coaches. Your staff is an excellent support system for you—you know that already, but starting and running a business is HARD work. You need cheerleaders—a strong support structure to keep YOU motivated and inspired to weather the tough and unpredictable times. Every business experiences it.

While you’re over there motivating everyone else on your team, you need to ensure that you also have the motivation to keep going yourself. Don’t be fooled about what you think you may need, and instead invest in what you know you will need. Personal cheerleaders are a must, but maybe with fewer pom-poms.

Your business can be a success if you’re focused and input what you need the most. Don’t be afraid!

How to Make your New Business Product a Success

Launching a new product? One way for you to guarantee success would be for you to perfect your development process. If you don’t know how to do that then take a look below.

Target Customer Pain points

If you want to survive, then your start-up needs to relieve any customer pain points. If you don’t solve a problem, then you may find it hard to help them and really give them what they are looking for. This is the last thing that you need, but if you take your time and make sure that you analyze their behavior then you will soon find that it is easier than ever before for you to give them the support they need.

Source: Pexels (CC0 License)

Hypotheses

When you understand your customer’s needs, you can then start to create a vision. Find out what features are most likely to appeal to your business customers and also work on a prototype. When you do this, you can then figure out if your idea is viable, how easy your product is to use and even the price you are hoping to get per sale.

Test your Idea with your Customers

You have to give the prototype to your customers and you also need to observe how they use it. Keep track of how many customers like your product, what they would change and what they are hoping to have added. When you do this, you can then help to make your product everything you hoped it would be while also being given the chance to prove or disprove the hypotheses you made. If you believe that your product is lackluster, then now is the time for you to go back to the drawing board and find out if there is anything that you can do to change whatever you need before you invest too much money.

Manufacturing

You have to make sure that your manufacturing process is absolutely on-point. This could involve investing in custom load cells or even a digital system. If you don’t then you may find that you are never as efficient as you could be, or that you end up making more mistakes as you go along.

Outperform your Competition

If your start-up has any hope of making money, then you need to relieve your customer’s pain points better than your competition. Success often attracts imitators, and if they are doing a better job than you then your customers will have no problem using their service over yours.

Strategies

If your results are far better than you expected, then you will be able to gain a high level of market share. If your results are lower than expected, then you need to learn from your mistakes and you also need to keep testing until you get what you were hoping for. If you launch your product thinking that a worldwide customer base will fix your problems, then you are sadly mistaken. Any errors that are found in the prototype will then be put on a show for the world to see and this can give people a bad impression of your company.

The Dos And Dont's of Starting The Business Of Your Dreams in 2020

There are only a few months left of 2019, and that means many people are excitedly making plans for 2020. If you have big plans for 2020, such as starting your own business, you’ve come to the right place. If you want to make sure that this is your dream business and your momentum and motivation do not waver, read on for some dos and don'ts that will help you. 

Do Start Networking Now

The more people you know, the better. The phrase ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know is very true. By networking now, you never know who you might meet. You’ll be able to get the word out about your business before it’s even started, and you might just be able to find other business owners and people who can help you to achieve your dreams. 

Don’t Start A Business Just Because Of The Money You Stand To Make 

If you have an idea in your head of the business you’d like to start, you need to make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons. This should be because you’re passionate about it, not because you feel like this is something you could stand to make a lot of money doing. There are always going to be trends in business. At the moment, aesthetics (filler and botox) businesses are opening up everywhere, but that doesn’t mean you should follow suit. It needs to be a business that you are an expert in, where you feel so strongly about it that you’ll easily build momentum as you grow.

Do Figure Out How You’ll Get The Support You Need

Every business owner needs support. You’ll need the support of your loved ones when things get tough, and you’ll need the support of companies like F1 Networks when you need to outsource certain processes. This will give you more time and mental energy to tackle the things only you can do. 

Don’t Underestimate How Important It Is To Get Into Good Habits Yourself

As you are at the helm of your business, it’s so important to get into good habits. Get up earlier and meditate and you’ll start the day on the best possible note. Exercise, especially if you can break up the day with it, is also a great way to feel energized throughout the day. 

What if running your own business seems daunting?

If you are interested in becoming a business owner but are nervous about it being too much for you to handle on your own, consider investing in a franchise. These types of business opportunities are great for new entrepreneurs who wish to get the experience of running a business but are in need of training and support to make it a success. If a franchise sounds like your ideal business opportunity considers browsing franchise business opportunities today using a website such as https://www.franchise-uk.co.uk/.

Do Find A Mentor 

If you’ve never done this before, a business mentor could be just what you need. See if there’s somebody who is willing to coach you. 

Don’t Put It Off Any Longer

If this is what you really want, start planning now. If you want to launch in 2020, the best thing you can do is start getting your business plan and everything else you need together now. No more procrastinating or excuses! 

Do Surveys And Questionnaires

To figure out what can be improved before you launch, hand out surveys and questionnaires to people who are willing to take them - ideally your target audience. 

Are you ready to make your business dreams come true in 2020?

Five Business Ideas For Rebellious Women

Anything you can do, I can do better - right? 

Women have spent years under the thumb of the patriarchy, fighting tooth and nail to be considered equal to their male counterparts and struggling to carve out their place in the world. When it comes to business, it’s always been a struggle to be taken seriously enough to enter into managerial and leadership positions that count. Women haven't had it easy in the workplace, so it doesn't surprise us that there are plenty of job roles out there that are still thought of as “male” and others that are considered to be “female”. Think truckers and engineers vs maids and childcare workers. 

The good news is that there are plenty of ambitious and rebellious women taking the initiative to go against these stereotypes. There are women who see that they have value no matter what they do, and so we’ve got five business ideas for the rebellious women who won’t be held back by industries dominated by men!

Image Source

Graphic Design

Every company is now in need of a graphic designer, and many of the designers in businesses today are, in fact, men. Women are just as creative and energetic with tons of ideas, which is why a career in graphic design could be the very thing that you could do to make a difference to your future. Get up to speed on what you could earn, how to gain clients, and how to earn your worth, too.

Haulage

Most people would agree that haulage is a very male-dominated field but that doesn't mean that you couldn't make a ton of money. All you need is an understanding of the job and quality truck leasing to be able to run a successful haulage business. Hire more people later on and you could build up a lucrative business!

Farming

Owning a farm is no easy thing to do and there is a lot involved, whether you are growing and harvesting wheat for sale, or you are planning to raise dairy cows. There are a lot of early mornings and a lot of physical work involved. However, that doesn't mean that it’s going to be too hard. There is a future in farming and agriculture, and you shouldn't let physical work put you off!

Cooking

Women may be told to get into the kitchen at home (in some very backward places to live) but in the corporate world, the kitchen is very much a man’s game. The industry still recognizes more male chefs than female, but that can change with the ability to whip up a sumptuous feast and a good business head on your shoulders!

Video Games

Believe it or not, people pay money to watch others score and win on video games. They sit on YouTube and watch as they play and win games, and pay to watch. So, brush up on your FIFA or Call of Duty skills and invest in some camera equipment - you could be being paid to play!

Ways Your Small Business Can Compete with the Big Dogs

By: Marissa Perez

Whether your small business is just getting off the ground, thriving, or in a slump, one of your biggest concerns is keeping it relevant to stack up against the competition. Doing so prevents you from getting lost in a sea of similar products and services. So, how can you set your small business apart and compete with the big dogs?

Provide Amazing Customer Service 

You may be a small business, but your smaller size means you are better able to build and maintain meaningful relationships with your customers and improve customer retention. So, don’t let your customer service be an area that’s sorely lacking. Set some customer experience goals and make all employees aware of those benchmarks. Speaking of employees, make sure those you hire are emotionally intelligent and provide training to help foster any shortfalls. You’ll also want to equip your employees and business with the right tools to create a seamless customer experience via help desk software and live chat features.

Consider a Brick-and-Mortar Space

It seems that e-commerce is where it’s at, but don’t think that physical space is a waste of time. According to Business.com, 94 percent of sales happen in a physical store. The reason why? Well, it varies, but the most common reason is the ability to see and interact with a product before making a commitment. Plus, the customer service we discussed earlier is easier when consumers can see a smiling face rather than text on a computer screen. You’re a small business, so the cost of setting up shop — literally — may be setting off alarms. Thankfully, the Small Business Administration (SBA) is here to save the day by offering real estate loans. You have two options: the SBA 7(a) loan and the SBA CDC/504 loan, but the latter is the most common for small businesses like yourself. Do your homework to find the right option and rate for you. 

Take Advantage of Your Ability to Innovate

Small businesses can change direction on a dime, pushing out a new product or using a new supply source. This ability to switch focus easily is what sets you apart from those larger companies and competitors. If you’ve been toying with the idea of altering your current product or providing a new product altogether, start developing and testing right away. Survey current customers and gather ideas from them. Perhaps you’re thinking about switching up your supply source to better meet customer demands. If that’s the case, dropshipping might be something to look into. In this scenario, you are removed as the middleman, and the supplier ships the products directly to your customers, lowering your risk, reducing overhead, and no more paying for inventory until a customer makes a purchase. There are lots of products that can be sold via dropshipping — kids' clothes, shoes, electronics, gadgets, and even trendy items like fidget spinners, for example — so take a look online and see if you could benefit. 

Increase Your Efficiency

Large businesses have the luxury of huge departments, each dedicated to a certain task or service. You’re small, so having all hands on deck to increase efficiency doesn’t leave you with many (if any) hands left to handle other areas. Find ways to automate, whether it’s hosting meetings remotely via video conferencing, automating invoicing, or using accounting software. There aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything and be everywhere at once, so hand the torch off so you can focus on the areas and tasks that need your immediate attention.

Build Your Reputation

Big businesses have a big reputation, but big doesn’t necessarily mean better. Your small business is in a unique position to capture the locals’ attention and become a welcome part of the business community. Tap into the community (and build your reputation) by hosting events so people can get to know you and vice versa. Stay active and be a visual presence by volunteering or hosting a charity event. Connect with other businesses and help one another to create a lasting impression and framework for success. Keep in mind too that with the holidays coming up, you have a great opportunity to draw in new customers, so look for ways to offer deals and seasonal events, and don’t forget to decorate!

Sure, being a small business comes with challenges, but large businesses have their own unique challenges too. What sets you apart is how you overcome those challenges so that you are competing right along with the big dogs.

Simple Steps For Hiring An Employee

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Hiring a new employee for your business is always a challenge. It is important for you to consider a lot of different factors when hiring someone to join your team, and there are many steps to take for a successful hire. Today, we are going to run through the simple steps you should take to hire a new employee this year. 

Step 1 -  Job Description

The first step to take towards hiring an employee should be writing a job description. A job description is the advertorial feature of your listing, and in order for it to capture the attention of job seekers, it needs to be AMAZING. 

There are many elements you need to add to your listing:

• Key responsibilities

• Company background and ethos (define the atmosphere of the workplace)

• Salary and Benefits

• Minimum Requirements 

When creating a job spec, you should always add the salary because this is a huge draw for job seekers. Money is always the most crucial aspect of job hunting and if you offer a great wage and benefits, you should show this off to draw people in. 

Step 2 - Spread the Word 

Once you have created a killer job description, you need to share this with the world and start drawing in potential employees. There are several ways you can share a new job title, and using more than one channel is always a good choice because you will be able to gather a wider net of possibilities. You can share a listing with an agency, on your website, on LinkedIn, through social media, and even at a job fair. The wider you cast your net, the more likely you are to hire a prize-winning tuna. Weird analogy aside: share your job as many ways as possible. 

Step 3 –Prepare for Interview 

If you have never given an interview before, this part of the hiring process might be a bit of a challenge. Interviews are often the most daunting part of job hunting and many candidates will be nervous when they enter the room.

As an employer, it is a good idea for you to make the candidate feel at ease. Sit at a table or with a coffee on the sofa of your office and have a chat with the candidate. As well as asking them questions about their experience and background, try to find out a few things about them as a person. For example, ask the candidate if they have any hobbies, and when they share a hobby with you it will allow you to gain a deeper understanding of who they are as a person.

An employee needs to be a rounded package of friendly, personable, and talented. Their personality and ability to fit in with your team is just as important as their skills and experience. 

Step 4 -  Pre-Employment Screening

Before hiring an employee, background checks are a must. Once you have employed a new member of the team, they will have access to your business assets including the computer network and all of your data. If you make a call without a background check, you are at risk of hiring someone who can’t be trusted and this is a huge risk to your business. This is why it is a good idea for you to click here for background checks on employees before you hire them. You will be able to check for a myriad of things and ensure that the employee is safe for work. 

Build Trust to Build a Successful Business

Pixabay - CCO Licence

It’s arguable that trust is the single biggest factor in whether your business is successful. Think about it, would you trust a business that you knew virtually nothing about, whose reputation was shady and who kept the important stuff secret with your money? Probably not, right? So you can’t expect customers to come flocking to your new business if you don’t do anything to build up trust.

The good news is there are lots of relatively simple things any entrepreneur business owner can build a trusting relationship with prospective customers. Here are a few of the simplest and most important:

Register Your Company

It should be a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many entrepreneurs launch their business before they’ve dotted the I’s and crossed the T’s. Sure, you might be raring to get started with your latest money-making idea, but you do need to get all of the legalities in place and using a company like Your Company Formations to officially register your business is a good place to start. That way, prospects who are looking for assurance that you are legit can easily find it by looking at your company up at an official source. You’ll have to do it eventually anyway, so do it at the beginning.

Be Honest

It would be near impossible for you to build trust with customers and clients if you lied to them. Honesty is the foundation of trust and that is why you need to build honesty into everything you do. If, for example, you know that you can’t realistically offer 1-day shipping, be upfront about that or if you know that it’ll take 2 weeks to turnaround a project. Don’t be tempted to say you can do it in one just to persuade a client to buy.

Sure, you might get a few more customers upfront, but when you can't deliver, they won’t come back and they’ll tell other people about your unreliability/lies and word will spread that you can’t be trusted. Obviously, things do go wrong sometimes and you may occasionally be unable to deliver, but as long as you’re honest from the start, upfront about any issues and able to compensate appropriately, you should be fine. In business, honesty really is the best policy. 

Leverage Social Proof

Social proof in the form of reviews and testimonials is an excellent way to build trust in your niche. People like to feel confident in their buying choices, and if they can see that lots of other people have used your products/services and had a decent experience, they will be far more likely to become a customer themselves. That’s why you should offer any incentives you can to get customers to leave you a review. 

However, you should bear in mind the above point about honesty and avoid buying fake reviews because not only is it dishonest, but it’s far easier to spot than you might think. Not only that, but you should also let unflattering reviews stand -you can add your piece rebutting any remarks you think are unfair but don’t delete them. When all customers can see is row after row of 5-star reviews, they are going to trust your business less, not more.

Create a Solid ‘About Us’ Page

One of the things customers initially do to scope out a new business is to check out the ‘About Us’ page on its website. If it’s a well-written page filled with lots of solid facts and information about you, your business and what you do, including any incorporation details, an address and telephone number, they are far more likely to trust in you. Sadly, many businesses use this page as another ad for them, filled with lots of sales copy, and this can be very off-putting. Build trust by really putting yourself out there.

Be Visible

Not only to build trust but to build interest in your brand is to be visible. Post content about yourself and your efforts to launch the business day to day, including lots of videos and pictures, on social media and people will be able to see for themselves that you’re genuine with everything that you do.

Make trust the foundation upon which you build your business from day one and you will not have to struggle nearly as hard as others in your niche to build up a strong, loyal and happy customer base. It really is that simple.

Take Control of Your Business: Tips To Help You Do It

Starting a business can be risky. It requires a lot of hard work, dedication, and a positive attitude to succeed. Being an entrepreneur means that you may thrive on unpredictability and volatility.

However, we all know that wanting something and working towards it is always the best course of action. So with that in mind, here are some handy tips to handle your business like a true entrepreneur.

Image source - Pixabay - CC0 License 

Think about your brand

Branding is everything. How you brand and the whole aesthetic of your business need to remain consistent. This means that your advertising, marketing materials, website, social media content, and publicity materials—even the way you talk about your business all have to coincide with your brand.

A brand is what people remember the most. Imagery and eye-catching designs, being the face of the business, all can help you achieve great success. It’s best practice to research the market thoroughly. If you can find a unique selling point to your business and brand that will always help you in the future. 

Use social media to your advantage

Social media could be one of your biggest assets. It’s the one way you can get your business message out there to the masses. Your business can get in front of thousands, maybe millions of new and potential customers. It’s as easy as sharing your business message and promoting consistently.

Your brand is very important to your social media strategy so bear that in mind when you start your business. Websites like marketing gurus could be the ideal place to look at to help you with this and other marketing aspects. 

Get your business out there in as many forms as possible

This means creating a website and using advertising to your full advantage. A website allows you to showcase your business in its full capacity. This could be an online shop, a description of your services and hold all relevant contact information. Advertising in online and print publications can also be a fantastic way forward. This could help you get your business message out there in a strategic and targeted manner. 

Be prepared for the downfalls

In business, you have to be prepared for every downfall. This could mean staff can let you down. Stockists unable to deliver when expected and even grievances against you and your business. It’s vital you protect yourself in every eventuality. 

Accept that a successful business takes work

Finally, a true entrepreneur will know, that a successful business takes work—lots of hard work. It will require the very best of you. So early mornings. Late nights in the office and plenty of positive motivation to match. However, an entrepreneur will always tell you that all of the hard work is worth it. To have built up your own successful business from scratch, there is no other feeling like it.

Let’s hope these tips help you to take control of your business.