Six Pointers to Starting a Successful Business

19 January 2017

So you’ve decided to bite the bullet and start up your very own business. If it’s the first time you’ve ever dared to create your own venture, you’re probably intimidated. But if your passion is deep and your willingness to work is significant, a lot can happen. But first, you must address some first steps to starting a successful business. Here are our tips and pointers to doing just that:

6 Pointers to Starting a Successful Business:

1. Create a Plan and Implement It:

The most essential step to founding a new business is to simply start. Research and create a plan that details the sequence of steps you need to take to create a business from scratch, approximately how long it will take to implement each step and your budget for each stage. Sticking to a blueprint will help you focus on your long and short-term business goals and keep you from getting distracted. Take advantage of the many free and paid resources across the Internet that help you structure and create a business plan. Once you have a plan you’ve researched inside-out, follow it!

2. Learn to Delegate:

You may be tempted — particularly if you are on a shoestring budget — to establish your business on your own. But this is not the best path to business success. With the budget that you have, consider enlisting the help of a virtual assistant, a mentor or volunteers that help you get out of the day-to-day minutiae of your business. Doing this will enable you to focus on the bigger decisions and strategies that help you automate and build systems that keep the business running on a day-to-day basis. Don’t skimp on just hiring anyone though, really invest time in finding the best employees for the position you are advertising. Employees who are intent on helping you with the best of themselves will be the lifeblood of your enterprise.

3. Investigate Your Audience:

If you’re able to think of five independent profiles of customers off the top of your head who’d be interested in your product or service, then you’re on to something. Investing time and thought into finding out crucial information about your target audience is incredibly important to your business. Ask yourself the following questions: What target group would buy your products? Why would they value your product enough to buy it? When you are able to deeply identify your target audience, you’re more likely to be able to figure out avenues of how to reach them.

Knowing your target audience is what will ultimately guide you in the development of your product or service as well as your marketing. Make it a point to occasionally ask your customers what they think about your market, your product/service, and other such valuable information. If they would support website localization or foreign language subtitling for your onsite videos, for example, you should know about that. Doing this will help you prepare a positive, seamless experience for them from the moment they first hear of you to when they buy your product or service, and beyond.

4. Work Out And Stick To Your Rates:

Many business owners make the mistake of charging what they think the market would be willing to pay. But instead, your baseline should be to charge the minimum, or more than the minimum, of what you need to earn to keep your company afloat. Set realistic goals of how much it will cost you to stay in business. Once you have a final figure in your head, set a rate or price that honors that figure while enabling you to make a profit. Try to set a price on the value of your service or product, rather than just cover a simple margin more than what it costs to provide or create the service or product.

5. Tap Into Your Passion:

Beyond the nuts and bolts of the plan behind putting your business together, there’s the human aspect — your drive and passion for wanting to make it happen. The truth is that most successful entrepreneurs will often do whatever it takes to make their business successful. Starting a successful business is rarely easy — it requires long hours, occasional failures, setbacks and disappointments that will make it difficult for you to continue. When you have the drive and determination to overcome these, you are that much more likely to find the success you deserve.

6. Roll Up Your Sleeves and Get Busy:

Don’t wait until you’ve got all your eggs in the basket to start putting your business together. Waiting for the right moment means it may never arrive. If you have an idea that is compelling and have undertaken the research and necessary planning to get it off the ground, go for it. But be prepared to learn some tough lessons while adjusting your plan along the way. Start now and commence your journey towards launching a business. Remember, even if you fail, you’ll be that much more experienced when you revamp your ideas and strategy and start afresh.

Read Also:

Lucia Patterson

Lucia Patterson is the woman behind TheLegalGuides, a blog solely focused on legal guides, tips, and advice. Lucia loves essay writing and blogs at EssayWritingGuides from her college days.

View all posts

People Management Tips from a Successful UK SME

Many business owners excel at the core activities of their company but can struggle with the supporting functions that come with it. It’s certainly true to say that not every business owner is a natural leader and manager of people, and nor would they consider themselves to be. However, this is something that must be learned, at least until the business is large enough to hire someone who is if the SME is to be a success. So what are the realities of people management for business owners? We spoke to Vasco de Castro, the co-founder and business development director to find out what he has learned about people management during his time at the helm of the new international workplace fruit provider Fruitful Office. 1. Make your team the focus of the business It’s the business owner who has grown the company from the ground up, so it can be difficult to let go. However, once you start taking on staff, it’s important to step back and play a supporting role. The tendency is to think the business is all about you, but it’s the people who work for you that play a key part in creating the business’s culture. Making time for your team on a personal and professional level and listening to any problems or issues they may have is central to the perceptions they form about the business. It’s also important to acknowledge that in their specialist areas, employees may well be more knowledgeable than you. Asking for their input and acting on the insights they provide will help them become a valued part of the business. 2. Let them shine The reason you’ve hired the workers you have is hope that they have the specialist skills you lack, so it’s essential you give them the support and space they need to put those skills to good use. The tendency to micromanage is something business owners should resist at all costs. Understandably, you will be protective of your business, but once you’ve provided clear direction and made your expectations clear, it’s time to step back and let them shine. As Vasco de Castro explains: “In my view, it is the role of the leader to provide the vision for the business and communicate it clearly to employees. It’s then down to the employees to make it happen.” 3. Remember the bad bosses you’ve had in the past When you’re finally in the position to be in charge, remember all those horrible bosses you’ve had along the way and make sure you don’t become them. There are a number of small and simple steps you can take to make your business somewhere your employees actually want to work. Recognizing their achievements, giving them the freedom to make their own decisions, trusting them and actually getting to know them on a personal level all help. However, simply allowing yourself to relax and enjoy what working life has to throw at you has an important part to play in creating a loyal and energized team. What do you think is the key to successful people management in an SME? Do you agree with Vasco de Castro? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

The Best Methods To Build Strong Customer Relationships

Despite the plethora of advertising resources available in the digital marketplace, one key issue still has not been resolved - how do you build strong customer relationships? As a direct link between you and your customers, an email address will allow publishers to build a personal connection with an audience. Below are further marketing tips that can be used to develop a stronger client relationship using email marketing. The Best Methods To Build Strong Customer Relationships 1. Move The Social Media Audience To A Direct Channel By Gaining Their Email Address: To strengthen your target audience relationship, you should reconsider how you view Facebook. You cannot connect with a target audience on a platform where all algorithm tweaks reduce its reach and take you further from your potential customers. Instead of playing "cat and mouse" using Facebook's algorithms, it is recommended that you utilize the social platform as a channel for acquisition. Making use of social media platforms CTA features will help you support your email newsletters to the target audience and lead the social audience to your company's email list. From this point, you will be able to engage with them without any interference from the social platform. 2. Using Email Capture Apps To Connect With The Site Visitors In An Inbox: When visitors arrive on your website via an organic search or from social media, they are likely to leave the site as soon as they arrive. By utilizing onsite capture resources to collect their email addresses before they leave, you will be able to set up a direct and long-term form of communication with the audience. Not only will email subscribers build up more lifetime website visits than visitors from Facebook, but they also tend to view more site pages during their session. To maximize the email conversions, it is recommended that you utilize active capture widgets with a contextual newsletter offer. This is likely to convert passing visitors to the website into lifetime subscribers. In this way, you will be increasing the likelihood of engaging users in the long-term and nurturing these subscribers with new content. 3. Building Strong Reading Habits With The Audience Via Newsletters: In the traditional text publishing world, the typical delivery of publications builds reading styles with their target customers. The newsletter via email is the option most similar to that traditional form of publication and habit-forming print media. By sending a constant street of relevant content to the audience's inbox, you will engage the audience continuously; thereby, demonstrating the value of paying for your website's content. You can deepen this engagement through cross-promotion and encouragement of the audience to subscribe to additional newsletters. The quality of newsletters is why the New York Times found that people are more likely to pay for a subscription if they first subscribed to their newsletter; therefore, the email newsletter is the ideal resource for building relationships necessary in the digital publishing environment. Before online transactions and exchanges became the norm, brands were responsible for fostering physical and in some cases emotional connections with their clientele. This resulted in a strong and loyal brand audience, repeat purchases, and other immeasurable value for the business. In today's society, the majority of brands will opt for social media and social marketing to engage with consumers and substitute human interaction. Understanding that humans require relationships in their personal lives and when purchasing items, businesses acknowledge the need to build relationships with consumers, form user engagement, and drive more beneficial sales. While some companies engage with their consumers well using online measures, not all brands are as fortunate. So, how can we stand above our rivals when trying to engage with a target audience? There are several ways in which a smaller company can drive more sales by building strong online consumer relationships. 4. Surveying The Consumers And Gain Their Opinions: Providing your consumer with exactly what they want is potentially the best method to make sales, increase trust in the company, and gain repeat customers. It is the ideal situation and is a building strategy that can help a company get its way with almost any customer. The question remains, however, how do you discover what a consumer's needs are and how do you meet them? Simple, find out what they want by sending them surveys. Before marketing became digital, practical market research was performed via traditional questionnaires or surveys. The original question of how much you agree with a statement would find out if the person strongly agrees, strongly disagreed, or was somewhere in the middle. Regardless of the standard of error metrics that tend to bore the average person, this technique can provide companies with good insight into their consumer market. Customer feedback and surveys can now be conducted using email, via social media platforms, or on different websites. One of the survey platforms available allowing companies to send targeted surveys to consumers through social media and emails is SurveyMonkey. Companies can also gain insight from consumers using Qualaroo as they provide information as soon as the consumer visits the website. 5. Using Email To Communicate: Forming an email list is potentially one of the most significant methods a business can remain in contact with its consumers, build trust, and make sales - unless you are a spammer. If all emails you send are "sale-sy", then you are engaging incorrectly and will more than likely be considered spam. Emails should provide valuable information for the customer to share and once you have provided content to address their needs, you can build rapport and foster the digital relationship to be successful! They can also act as promotions later with the help of a Houston search engine marketing firm. By creating an aesthetically pleasing and informing sales copy to go along with your email, it can make a great impact! Real-Time Video Chat For Consumer Support Real-time video chat is considered one of the hotter topics with businesses that are looking to build relationships with online customers. In late 2017, Amazon implemented the "Mayday Button" - a new feature on the Kindle Fire to allow a user to receive video communication with a client support agent. Never before had this type of online support been available and the user is now able to speak with a representative in an innovative manner. Today, Amazon notes that consumers can use video chat in under 15 seconds and this is much better than waiting on the telephone for a new customer agent to take your call. Read Also: Not All Customers Are Always Right How To Write And Design An Article That Attracts New Customers To Your Business 5 Steps On How To Market Your Business Using Social Media

Some Facts You Need to Know About Rainwater Harvesting

The practice of rainwater harvesting, also known as roof water harvesting, involves setting up systems that allow any rainwater that falls on roofs to flow to rainwater collection tanks and not on the ground. The rain stored in tanks can then be used for a few chores that require the use of water, like gardening and driveway cleaning. While rain is clean, rainwater that’s already in the tank is generally not recommended for use in tasks like handwashing, dishwashing, and clothes washing. Drops pick up dust and other impurities when they land on roofs. In urban locations, it’s worse because drops pick up impurities whilst still on the way down. As such, rain in tanks should be further purified to become suitable for more chores and important tasks. That said, rainwater harvesting can cost much in terms of time and money. Despite all the effort and money needed to get the most out of a rainwater harvesting system, having one in your home is still better than having none. Here are the benefits of having a rainwater storage tank in your property. Benefits Of Rainwater: You Save Money If you live in an area that gets a lot of rain each year, a system that’s properly set up will allow you to save significant a good amount of money on water each month. Remember that you pay for every liter of water that is sprayed out a garden hose. You Help Prevent the Depletion of Local Water Supply Water that flows to the taps of houses comes from underground sources and surface bodies of water. If more people use water supplied by the utility companies, time will come when there won’t be enough for all. Thus, by building your own rainwater collection system, you help prevent shortages. You Help Save Energy Also, it goes without saying that water from underground and surface sources isn’t 100% safe for human consumption. It has to be filtered or cleaned using energy-intensive procedures. Thus, by building your own rainwater collection system, you take part in lessening the energy consumption involved in the filtering of surface- and underground-sourced water. You Help Prevent Flooding and Erosion in an Area The practice of rainwater harvesting can reduce erosion and flooding near downspouts. It also helps in controlling stormwater runoff. When heavy rains come, there is a tendency for stormwater infrastructure to be overwhelmed. When this happens, both sewage and contaminated water will overflow into groundwater. If rain falls onto concrete, asphalt, and other impervious surfaces, it won’t go into the ground. Because it does not go into the ground, it cannot help replenish groundwater. When it flows across man-made structures like parking lots, it will pick up pollutants. This will eventually reach the water supply. With rainwater harvesting, you can reduce how much water adds to runoff. If, by this point, you’re convinced that you need to build your own residential rainwater harvesting system, here are the best ways to go about it. Rainwater harvesting systems are typically composed of the following: A collection surface or catchment area The catchment area needs to be an impermeable surface, and the best one to use is the roof of your home. Just make sure the roof to be used is made of non-toxic material. Conveyance system This can include gutters as well as downspouts which lead water from collection surface to water tank. Filters and Diverters Both things prevent dirt and leaves from entering the water tank and mix with the water. Tank Choose one that can fit in your property and store enough water for your household. Water treatments The treatments to install in the system will depend on how you intend to use the water. Options include carbon filtration and drip irrigation. Distribution system Transports water from containers to parts of the home where water will be needed. Options include gravity systems or pumps. How to Set the System Up The first step is to evaluate the site. Determine where on the premises the rain pools, flow and drains. It’s also important to determine your property’s exact size, boundaries, and the exact location of electric and plumbing lines. From there, you can determine where to place the tank. Next, determine the required components for the system. Consider tank location, tank size, collection surface size, treatment methods, and preferred distribution method. You may need to consult a professional rainwater harvesting system(rainwater collection system) installers for this step. Once you have determined the components your system needs to have, as well as the exact locations of these components, the next step is selecting an installation expert. Make sure the chosen installation expert is knowledgeable, experienced, and licensed. After the installation, make sure to ask the installer the best ways to keep the system clean and functional at all times. This way, your system can last several decades in your place. Read More: 4 Lessons Content Marketers Can Learn From E-Learning Courses How To Start Trading On The Stock Market And Profit? 5 Questions To Ask Yourself While Finalizing An E-Learning Platform For Quality Education Google Maps Marketing: Guides On How To Boost Brand Advantage

Six Pointers to Starting a Successful Business

6 Pointers to Starting a Successful Business:

1. Create a Plan and Implement It:

2. Learn to Delegate:

3. Investigate Your Audience:

4. Work Out And Stick To Your Rates:

5. Tap Into Your Passion:

6. Roll Up Your Sleeves and Get Busy:

Proper Management Of Tech Debt Is Necessary For Successful Business

Tips for Small Businesses To Raise Funds for Their Projects

Tags

Lucia Patterson

Lucia Patterson is the woman behind TheLegalGuides, a blog solely focused on legal guides, tips, and advice. Lucia loves essay writing and blogs at EssayWritingGuides from her college days.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Popular

Technologies For Creating A Startup Idea

How to Download Facebook Videos on Android?

7 Rules of Effective Ecommerce Web Design

The 10 WordPress Plugins Every Sucessful Blogger Uses

Follow Us

Recent

Transforming Education: The Impact Of Online Assessments And Learning Solutions

Beam Me Up! 5 Fascinating Facts About The Star Trek Universe

Feline Feast: Exploring The Benefits Of A Raw Cat Food Diet

The Importance Of Proper Cutting When Preparing Meals

Related

People Management Tips from a Successful UK SME

The Best Methods To Build Strong Customer Relationships

Some Facts You Need to Know About Rainwater Harvesting

Six Pointers to Starting a Successful Business

6 Pointers to Starting a Successful Business:

1. Create a Plan and Implement It:

2. Learn to Delegate:

3. Investigate Your Audience:

4. Work Out And Stick To Your Rates:

5. Tap Into Your Passion:

6. Roll Up Your Sleeves and Get Busy:

Share this Article

Proper Management Of Tech Debt Is Necessary For Successful Business

Tips for Small Businesses To Raise Funds for Their Projects

Tags

Lucia Patterson is the woman behind TheLegalGuides, a blog solely focused on legal guides, tips, and advice. Lucia loves essay writing and blogs at EssayWritingGuides from her college days.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Popular

Follow Us

Recent

Related