Category: Business/Entrepreneurship

The Small Business Advice You Need

Two of the key focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Starting a business is one of the most challenging endeavors one can attempt. There are certain keys to consider when starting business. The following contributed post is thus entitled, The Small Business Advice You Need.

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Resources for small business owners, leaders, and management can help them to continue to grow their businesses. Many small businesses start with a burst of creativity and commitment, but as the reality of running an SME sets in growth can plateau because owners get overwhelmed by day-to-day issues.

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Many of these issues center around developing a coherent business strategy. How, for example, does a small business owner develop a credible business plan needed to access finance or loans? What responsibilities does an owner have towards staff? How does a small firm attract and retain the right people? How do SMEs cope with local skills gaps? How does a small company get access to the latest SME news to keep abreast of world developments and plan accordingly? How can efficient data management and analysis benefit companies? How does a business develop and market new products or services? What are the advantages of running promotional events? How does an SME compete in world markets? How does a small firm take advantage of the UK government apprenticeship scheme? Many business owners are not business experts, they are passionate about the product or service they provide, but many lack the knowledge or skills in management and running an SME. They need small business resources to give them tips and advice that can support them and are actionable. They need information to be in easily accessible formats made by knowledgeable stakeholders such as key government members, world business leaders, and business associations.

Learning from others

It is always good to look at how others have become successful and learn from their stories. There are many entrepreneurs that small business owners can look up to and perhaps even try to emulate. Perhaps the most well-known of them all is Sir Richard Branson. He knows exactly how to be successful in business, having built up the Virgin empire from nothing. He has bought and sold a number of companies and always seems ultimately to do well – he is renowned for his business expertise. But there are other business owners who are just as intrepid and just as good at business, even if the names might be either surprising or unknown. Justin Matthew is the owner of JMH Consulting Ltd, and is a social media pioneer – he is another successful businessman. Pete Cashmore also ranks as one of the UK’s most successful business owners. He owns and runs Mashable, a multimedia and entertainment platform. Then there is Saul Klein, founder of LocalGlobe which is a British venture capital company. And what about Michael Acton Smith who is the founder of Mind Candy, a children’s entertainment company that created Moshi Monsters? The one thing all of these people undoubtedly have in common is that they will have asked for small business advice when they needed it. Why don’t you do the same?

Sourcing effective resources

With the increase in SMEs has come a huge increase in the availability of best small business resources. But how do I as an SME owner, leader or management source the best of the available advice and tips? Are there any signs I can look for when reviewing their services?

The short answer is ‘yes’, but that’s hardly helpful! Within the business community, there is the will and motivation to help small firms to grow and reach their full potential. Whether this is for selfish reasons, for example increasing the available local supply of products or services that a big company needs, or purely philanthropic is open to some debate. However, there are some features you can look for to indicate you are getting the best advice service. Consider the format that information is presented in. Do you want a long article with a high powered author, using all the latest jargon or do you prefer having the latest SME news and other relevant information presented in bite-sized pieces in videos, interviews, and articles. Would a searchable resource be useful so you can go straight to that information about staff pensions or data analysis you need rather than going through mountains of irrelevant information. Do you need small business resources that quickly, simply and authoritatively tell you what you need to know for example about alternative funding such as equity investment or other finance options, presented by a key government member? Do you prefer an engaging, collaborative approach? Maybe you need annual report due dates or something specific? By asking yourself these questions, you will be able to narrow down your search for information successfully.

Finding the small business advice you need does not have to be difficult. Use the above details for inspiration!

Ecommerce Trends Dominating the Consumer Market

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. Much of the business that occurs today, does so online via ecommerce. As such if you’re a business owner, or considering starting a business, it’s important to keep your eyes on the trends taking place. The following contributed post is thus entitled, Ecommerce Trends Dominating the Consumer Market.

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When you come up with a business concept, you want something that is timeless. Products, services, and other business concepts that revolve around the fad or trend of the moment tend to go bust pretty quickly – consumers change their minds and move on to the next thing. Sure, this could be beneficial if you’re looking for a quick money spinner. But if you’re looking for your business to make it in the long run, you’re going to have to come up with a more long lasting and classic concept to move forward with. Trends that you shouldn’t ignore, however, include trends with consumer spending. You should notice how, when, and why your consumers are spending money and capitalise on this! Here’s how!

Watch the Market

The first step that you need to take is to gather consumers’ data whenever you can – just make sure to get their permission first. Look at how they are reaching your website – are they going direct, are they arriving through PPC links, are they being redirected through social media feeds? Notice when they are buying products – do people tend to wait until payday or are they spending earlier in the month? How they are paying for them? Are they using card or merchant services like Paypal? You can learn so much through simply watching.

Make the Most of Market Research

Whether you conduct market research of your own accord, or make the use of market research that others have carried out, you need to be making use of information taken directly from consumers who have been interviewed, surveyed, or questioned in another fashion. Take a look at some of the information gathered by Trade Vitality below to get off to a perfect start!


Infographic Design By Trade Vitality

3 Of The Best Ways To Make Money Today

Two of the key focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. In 2019 there are several ways to make money aside from working a 9-5. The following contributed post describes a couple of them and is entitled, 3 Of The Best Ways To Make Money Today.

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You will no doubt have heard plenty about different ways to make money in the past. As it happens, there are so many great ways to make money that you might even struggle to choose between them, and this is certainly not going to be helpful if you want to be able to make the most of your finances in the future. However, there are a few ways of making money which generally come out on top, and those are what we are going to focus on solely in this article. Here, we will look at some of the best ways that anyone can make money today, so long as they put the right effort in, are sensible about it, and in some cases, have a little luck on their side. Consider all of the following if you are truly keen to be able to make a lot more money than you might normally think possible.

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Foreign Exchange

Chances are, you have thought about betting on the foreign exchange at some point in your life, but thinking about it and actually doing it are two very different things. The truth is that if you want to make money here, you will need a few different things on your side. First of all, and probably most importantly of all, you will need to find a decent platform like KnightsBridge FX to be able to use. The platform determines not just how easy you find it to carry out the necessary actions, but also how much you are likely to stick with it, and you will want to try and find an exchange which you feel you can use in a strongly intuitive sense. With that, you will have more chance of then making real money from it – but you will also need to make sure that you are genuinely paying close attention to the markets too, otherwise you can’t expect to make any money at all.

Matched Betting

If you have never looked into matched betting before, you are about to discover something of a revelation. Matched betting is when you take advantage of free bets given out by bookmakers by laying your bet at a betting exchange, so that you always make a guaranteed profit, no matter which bet wins or which one loses. You will need to read up on this in some detail before you attempt it, so that you can make sure you are doing it right – but as long as you do that, it is a sure-fire way to make real money, and you could even make thousands a month, depending on how much you have to bankroll initially. This is a powerful and exciting way of earning money, and you should think about it seriously if that is what you want to do.

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Write An Ebook

If you feel you are something of an expert on a given subject, you might want to think about writing an ebook. This can be a good way to help others with that thing, while lso actually being able to make a lot of money in the process. Writing an ebook doesn’t need to take too long, especially if you are already a good enough writer, and you will find that it is a highly rewarding means of bringing in some extra cash.

Marketing With Gifts

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. In any business, the critical aspect is its marketing. Sometimes marketing requires creativity such using gifts for potential customers. The following contributed post this therefore entitled, Marketing With Gifts.

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There are lots of different strategies that companies can employ in order to market effectively. Obviously, which one is best depends on the business themselves because every business is different and so what may work for one business may not be very effective for another.

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Nevertheless, there are a few marketing strategies which seem to be widely adopted by a whole host of different types of companies in different industries. One of these strategies is the distribution of promotional gifts. This is a method which has been effective for a long period of time, which is obviously a testament to how successful it is.

However, the success of such a strategy depends on what promotional products a company decides to opt for. Therefore, bearing this in mind, this blog post aims to give businesses a helping hand by revealing some of the best promotional items and gifts and why they are so effective.

One of the most widely used promotional products is a pen. There are two main reasons as to why this is the case. The first reason is that they are relatively cheap to produce; this is especially the case in comparison to other types of promotional items. The second reason is that a pen is an item which is always needed and so the company will become ingrained in the individual’s mind that is using it. Moreover, a pen is also something which will advertise a company for many months and even years to come.

Another option which is a great idea to consider is that of promotional bags. Reusable bags are something that always comes in handy, especially when a lot of supermarkets now charge for individuals to use the plastic carrier bags. And in addition to this, more and more people are caring about the environment, so this is something that they will appreciate. A final point worth noting is that the advertising potential for this product is huge as the bag is not something that will only be seen by the person in possession of it, as all the people in which the person passes on the way home after doing their shopping will see it too.

In addition to bags and pens, another great option is to go for promotional mugs. After all, who doesn’t love a good cup of tea or coffee when they are working? Moreover, everybody else at the place of work will see the mug as well and so they will take note of the company in question.

A final product worth considering is mouse pads. Gifts such as this are unique and they appeal to consumers more because they are not something that they would expect to get from a business. Moreover, it is obviously something which will come in extremely handy as all people need one.

All in all, promotional gifts are a great way to market a business. Nevertheless, it is highly important to put some serious thought and consideration into what products to have distributed.

Is The Private Health Sector Where The Money Is At?

Three of the focuses of my blog are Current Events, Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. The Health Sector touches everything from our personal well-being, to the economies and governments of whole countries. As such it’s important to keep an eye on the sector. The following contributed post is thus entitled, Is The Private Health Sector Where The Money Is At?

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Private health care is something that’s either going to be really familiar to you, or something that’s going to totally be an alien concept. To those of you who receive state funded health care, or the equivalent in your own country, then you will definitely notice a difference between the two. Sometimes you might go private for a really minor procedure that you just can’t be bothered to wait for. Something like a dentist appointment. Your eyes are opened to a much better standard of healthcare, and it’s easy to see why so many are making millions from an investment into the private health care sector. But the current health situations in so many countries at the minute is just poor, so do you think the private health care sector is where the money is really at? Well, let’s do some digging and find out if it would be worth your while to invest in the private health care sector.

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The Growing Market

The growing market for private health care is definitely one that’s moving at a quick rate. You’ve got countries like the US which is all private health care and all treatments cost. But there are countries like the UK, where funded health care is available, so not as many people go private. But still, more and more are now turning to private health care for better and faster treatment, no matter how much it’s going to cost to do so. Some are going private because they feel in countries like the UK, that the NHS is too stretched to have the time to deal with their issues properly. But the market is also growing, because the price that private trusts are now able to charge, is going up. A more premium service than ever before is being offered, and it’s a luxury that everyone wants a taste of at the minute.

The Investment Needed

The investment needed is going to be rather big, but there are plenty of ways that you could do it. You could start up your own center, employ doctors on a locum basis, and go from there. Of course, it’s just not that easy. There are far more rules and regulations than with any other investment you could have chose. From setting up healthcare payment systems, to ensure you’re working at the highest levels of safety, to keeping to safeguarding rules etc. it’s so complex that it’s not your average investment, but it would more than likely pay off in the end. Or you could just simply invest money in a private organisation that’s already established, and have a percentage back on the investment. There are simpler ways, but they are still both hard routes to follow.

What It Could Do For You In Terms Of Business?

It could give you endless opportunities to make money. The private sector isn’t just going to go away, and if anything, it’s only going to get bigger as time goes on. There are so many private investors at the minute as well, that you’re best off getting your foot in the door before the popularity increases more, and the value decreases.

What Every Business Owner Should Know About Product Manufacture

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Once you create a quality product, the next step is to figure out how to produce it – specifically the manufacture of that product. The following contributed post discusses this and is entitled, What Every Business Owner Should Know About Product Manufacture.

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You’ve come up with an amazing product design that you know has the potential to be incredible. The design aspect of things has been dealt with, as has the marketing side of things, now it’s time to focus on the actual manufacturing process of the product. This is a somewhat complex part of the process, however, it doesn’t have to be overly stressful, it’s just a case of knowing what steps you need to take, that’s all.

Bearing that in mind, below are some tips and pieces of advice about the manufacturing process.

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Create a prototype

The first thing that you want to do once the design process has been completed for your product is to create a prototype. Creating a prototype will give you a chance to see how the product functions and to start testing it, it also allows you to have something to show possible investors so they know what they are backing and if it is worth it.

Consider your manufacturing options

Before going to production with your product you will need to decide how you are going to manufacture the product. You need to know if you are going to make the products yourself or if you want to outsource. If you are looking to manufacture to order then doing it yourself would work if you have the tools to do so, but as you get bigger and sell more then you will need to look at upgrading your tools and factory space to meet demands. If you are going to be making bulk amounts of your product from the outset then outsourcing to a manufacturing machine shop will help you to meet bulk orders if you don’t have space or tools straight out the gate.

Get a quote for the price of the project

Before you are able to manufacture you will need to get quotes for the equipment, space, and materials needed to create your product. If you need to have investor backing to make this product a reality then having all the finances in black and white to say what you need from them will make it easier for them to make a decision so it is crucial to know what you need to spend. Also if you go in blind and just throw money at it you could end up spending way more than needed if you have got quotes and researched the pricing more, especially if you are outsourcing some of the work.

It is a very exciting time to have the possibility to get a new product on the market, especially if you are confident about it. Although it is exciting you need to make sure you take your time and plan it effectively to make sure it becomes successful and there are no unwanted problems along the way. If you rush in getting a product out without the correct funds and testing you can end up cutting corners which will usually end in a faulty product and the inevitable failure. If you follow the above tips you will be ready to manufacture and release your product to the world.

How To Promote Your Small Business

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Regardless of your product or service, unless you properly market it, no one will know about it and you likely won’t make any significant money. Thus the marketing and promoting your business are arguably it’s most important components. The following contributed post is entitled, How To Promote Your Small Business.

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So, you’ve done all of the hard stuff. You’ve set up your business, registered it, got all of your team on board, and you’ve hired the perfect office for you and your employees. However, the enquiries into your services just aren’t coming in as fast as they should be doing, and you need to market your small business to get the customers coming through the door. Whilst it can be difficult to do this sometimes, there are many ways to go about promoting your business, without spending a lot of time and money.

We’ve noted them down here for small business owners!

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Utilize social media

Social media is the perfect place to promote your small business, and it is one of those things that everybody seems to be using on a daily basis now. Of course, your ads are likely to be a little more successful if your target audience is young people, but nevertheless, the audience on social media really is a varied one. To get the utmost success out of a social media campaign, you need to make sure that your profiles are all consistently marketed and that they look professional, and you should target your ads at the group of people who are most likely to be interested in your services. Outsourcing to a social media consultancy could also be a good idea!

Invest in banners and business cards

Marketing your small business via the medium of print is also a good idea, and creating banners that you can put up in your local area (with permission, of course) is a great way to put your brand into people’s minds, especially those who are likely to use your services. Having professional business cards is also a good idea if you want potential customers to be able to get in touch with you easily, so look into companies like Crescent Printing if you need banners, brochures or business cards. These things really will market your business as a professional and respected company, so invest in some good printing!

Create ads for local radio

If you have a business that relies upon the trade from your local area, then using local radio station to market your brand could really help you to extend your reach. Not only is it beneficial because a lot of people listen to the radio on the way to, and from, work, but it also has the added benefit of being a cheaper option than television advertising. You don’t have to spend too much cash on actually making the advert, and playing it won’t cost you as much, either! If you know what your target audience is (and where they live) then look into the opportunities for local (and national) radio, and see whether this could help you.

So, if you’re a small business owner but you’re not too sure how to promote your brand, try out these simple tips, and you could see that you’re selling more, without having to spend a lot of cash to make it happen! Good luck, and happy marketing!

Great Reasons To Open A New Office This Year

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. When running a business, it’s important to understand when to change you physical location and to open a new office. Like most things, it requires the right timing. The following contributed post is thus entitled, Great Reasons To Open A New Office This Year.

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If you are a small business owner who is working to grow their brand this year, there are so many different methods you can use to grow and expand your empire and make a success out of yourself in 2019. When it comes to working hard with your business and allowing it to grow, one of the things which can always be a good idea is to open up a new location. Whether you have an office open up in a different city or a different country, having an extra location for your brand can be a huge step up and super helpful for your brand. Here are some of the main reasons why it can be a good idea to open a new office this year.

Take advantage of exchange rates

There are a lot of big advantages to expanding your business beyond your own country, and one of the main ones which you may not have thought of is exchange rates. As we know, different countries hold different currency values and when you are looking to make a profit you can take advantage of this and gain a heavier profit by selling overseas. You can read here about offshoring and everything which it involves and it can be a big help for you if you want to grow rapidly this year.

Build a new audience

Of course, the main reason why it can be a great idea for you to grow your business and move to a new office is that you will be exposed to a whole new pool of people who you can target and sell to. When you reach a new part of the world it can always be a good thing to open up your brand and present it to new people. The more people who know about you, the more people are likely to follow you and buy from your business.

Extra income source

If you have enough money to invest in a new office for your business it is always an incredibly good idea for you to do it. The reason why it is such a good idea to do this is that with an office full of new people, you will have more people working hard day after day to get the job done and this means more workload can be covered. The domino effect of this is the fact that more products are made, more people are contacting and reached out to, and as a result more products are sold. Simply by having more people working for your business you will notice that you make a lot more profit.

Grow your influence

The main reason why companies like to expand and take over different areas of the world is to build a good reputation and in turn be able to show the world that they are to be trusted. As a business it is always going to be your prerogative to show the work what you’ve got and make a good impression. The more physical presence you have in the world, the more influence you can gain and therefore the more success you can have.

Amazing Ways to Make Your Business More Efficient Today

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business and Entrepreneurship. No matter what kind of business you’re running, it will probably be a constant refining process. As you progress along, you want to continue to make your operations more and more efficient. The following contributed post is therefore entitled, Amazing Ways to Make Your Business More Efficient Today.

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Making a business run as effectively and efficiently as possible is one of the most important ways of achieving success. There are a lot of things that you need to make sure you get right as much as you possibly can. You have to understand that there are plenty of avenues a business needs to go down, and improving efficiency is no doubt one of the most essential.

The more efficient your business is, the more productive it will be, the easier it is to run, and the higher your chances of success are. This is why you have to make sure you think carefully about what you can do to improve the company and make things more efficient in the future. Get a load of these great ideas that will go a long way towards helping you achieve this right now.

Digitize as Much as Possible

You have to do as much as you can to digitize the business where possible. This is something that can have a profound impact on the company moving forward. If you want to make sure you modernize as much as possible, this is the best way of doing achieving that. Think about using things such as Azure hybrid cloud so that you can make your Cloud and IT services much more appealing and efficient as a result. This is something it is really important to get right as soon as you can.

Trust Your Staff

One of the best things you can do to improve your business efficiency is to trust your staff as much as you possibly can. And this means you should focus on letting them do their own thing and giving them the room they need to grow. It’s so important that you don’t micromanage your staff and that you allow them the freedom they need to grow and become better as a result. Your employees need to be trusted because this is something that helps them grow and improve your business as much as possible.

Outsource

Outsourcing needs to be your favourite business buzzword, not to mention something you are going to need to make yourself more efficient. The digital landscape has made outsourcing one of the most appealing choices for a lot of business owners. You can bring people in from outside the business and get them to do important tasks you need to have sorted out, and save yourself time and money at the same time.

Better Communication

Successful businesses in the modern world are built on communication, and this is why you have to make sure you are focused on communicating better with your employees and your clients. The business can be run much more effectively if you enhance and improve the communication, so this is definitely something to work on.

There are plenty of things you need to keep in mind when you want to run a modern business, like the unexpected costs involved. But, it is so essential to make sure you think carefully about the different aspects of the company, and what you can do to improve the efficiency of the company moving forward.

4 Lessons You Can Learn From The Medical Industry

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. In some ways the medical industry is a model of others and there is a lot that can be learned from it. It is constantly evolving and changing. The following contributed post is entitled, 4 Lessons You Can Learn From The Medical Industry.

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There are some things that we can learn from the medical industry that you might not have considered. For example, if you don’t take the time to look at this industry, you are not going to realize all the excellent ideas that they can give to other industries. The medical profession can inspire a few different lessons that we should all be taking notice of, and in this article, we are going to talk about a few of them.

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Improving Efficiency

Efficiency is what all business owners are striving for. Getting the best out of your business as quick as possible. For example, in the medical industry, they may require medical billing services to ensure that they are getting paid by insurance companies. There are companies who specialize in this area and provide the necessary service to ensure that this gets done. The same thing can be applied to other industries. There should be certain areas of business that are handled by specialists in order to ensure the smooth running of other departments. Without this, the entire system could end up folding in on itself, and this is not what business owners need.

Leaning On New Technology

Have you ever thought about what technology could benefit your business? If not, now is the time to start. Some business owners shy away from new technology as it can cost a lot of money, and it requires training staff to use the new equipment. However, if you look to the medical industry, you will see that they largely lean on new tech to develop their entire profession. This is something that your business should be doing too. You need to allow the change in order to propel your business forward and keep up with everyone else on the market.

Putting The Customer First

Have you ever been to the doctors and felt like they had something more important to think about than your care? No, and that is what your clients should feel like too. Your customers should be the most important thing in your business, as without them, there is no business. You need to remember this and always make sure that the client’s needs are being met before anything else.

Showing your customers that they are valuable to your business is one of the most important aspects of owning a business. You should always ensure that they are being put first, and not being left behind for some other purpose.

Expanding Income

If your business is currently struggling for cash, have you ever thought about getting sponsored from others in your industry? Medical businesses often get sponsored by pharmaceutical companies, and this is something that could benefit you. Find a person or a business who is willing to sponsor you and come to an agreement with them about the terms of the sponsorship.

We hope that you have found this article helpful, and understand these four lessons that you can learn from the medical industry. Take this advice, and your business is going to run better than ever!