Category: Contributed Posts

11 Ways To Make Your Business More Memorable

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Regardless of the type of business you’re running, it’s important to understand how to make your business unique so that it stands out from the others. The following contributed post is entitled, 11 Ways To Make Your Business More Memorable.

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Making your business memorable is key if you want to stay in the forefront of the minds of your audience, and make them think of you every time they have a need that fits what you offer. There are probably many businesses out there offering something of a similar nature to you, so you need to make sure you differentiate your business by being memorable.

Below you’ll find 11 ways to make your business more memorable:

1. Know Exactly Who Your Audience Are And Market To Them
The first thing you need to do is clearly define your audience. You must know who they are and market to them if you’re not only going to be memorable, but successful. You won’t be a memorable business to every demographic, usually – unless you end up becoming the next Coca Cola or the next Ford. Chances of that are pretty slim (not that we’re trying to limit you or anything) so start by knowing your audience and finding ways to make them remember you. What will they respond to? What are they interested in? It’s time to learn as much about them as you possibly can.

2. Come Up With Cool Social Media Campaigns
Social media is a must for any and all businesses, so make sure you’re making the most of it with cool social media campaigns. You don’t even need to do anything super fancy. You could share user generated content from fans and followers, hold a contest, post behind the scenes videos, and more. Thinking outside the box a little and keeping people interested in your brand via your social media channels will really help you to succeed.

3. Aim For High Quality Branding Across All Channels
Your brand should be carefully designed by experts with your values, brand personality, and audience in mind. When you’re sure you’ve got your branding right, you need to make sure that it is the same across all channels. Whether you’re emailing, sending an invoice, or somebody is browsing your website, it should all be in sync.

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4. Attend Events and Plan Them Carefully
Going to events can be a great way to meet more people and get your brand name out there. Don’t just attend these events, though; plan them in a way that forces people to remember you. Offer something different. You could give out goodie bags, have a game or competition, or have cupcakes. Whatever you do, give people a reason to associate positive thoughts and feelings with your brand. You should also pay attention to how your booth/stand looks, so visit chicagobannerprinting.com to see what can be created for you. Maybe you could create a branded backdrop to have pictures taken against, and even use it to encourage your audience to create user generated content.

5. Create Great Copy
You could offer a great product, but if your copy isn’t high quality, it’ll bring you down. People will get an impression of your business from the copy you produce. It shouldn’t have spelling errors or grammatical errors, and it should be interesting. Why should people read it? Create blog content to help people learn more about your business, industry, and what you offer. You could answer frequently asked questions in this way. You should also pay attention to the copy you use to introduce people to your business and even to describe your products. If this isn’t something you have time for, it could be a better idea to hire a copywriter with experience in your industry to do it for you.

6. Come Up With Brave Ideas For Advertising
Come up with a brave idea for your advertising campaign – like that time Vodafone planned a flash mob. Don’t stick to the norm, and do something a little crazy to get people talking. Just make sure it isn’t controversial or offensive if you want to keep your audience on side.

7. Always Deliver On The Promises You Make
You’re likely making promises to your customers, such as delivery times, the quality of your product, and so on. Whatever promises you find yourself making, make sure you go above and beyond to stick to them. People will quickly lose faith in you if you constantly fail to make good on your promises.

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8. Be Completely Transparent And Authentic
Being a transparent and authentic brand isn’t something all businesses deem to be important. This doesn’t mean you have to tell your audience about the affair your IT guy had two years ago, or what you all had for lunch today, but you should make sure you’re not misleading your audience. Many brands do this and it only ends up alienating their audience. Get them on side by being honest with them about what you can and can’t do, and what value your service provides.

9. Make Sure Your Customer Service Is On Point
Your customer service should be second to none. If somebody has an issue, go above and beyond to fix it. Reply to queries as quickly as you can. Really give people an amazing experience so that they have a reason to want to work with you again and recommend your product or services to friends.

10. Choose Your Colour Palette Carefully
Selecting the colour palette is something you’ll do when branding your business, but don’t make the mistake of picking colours you like without researching what they really mean. For example, blues and greens can give a tranquil feel and could be great for an eco-friendly business. Many businesses that use red are often bargain businesses, as red is supposed to make people feel a sense of urgency when buying. Consider things like this when you select your colour palette.

11. Send Thank You Notes
A handwritten thank you note can go a long way to making your business memorable and getting recommendations. It only takes a minute or so to jot a quick thank you along with the customer’s name.

How will you make your business more memorable?

Marketing Tips You’d Be A Fool to Ignore

Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Arguably the most important part of your business is its Marketing. Properly executing your marketing strategy can cause your business to soar. The following contributed post is entitled, Marketing Tips You’d Be A Fool to Ignore.

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When it comes to your business, you need to be able to move it forward and one of the best ways that you can do that is getting your marketing strategy on point. You need to advertise, you need to attract new customers and clients, and you need to keep building upon the success. So how do you make that happen? Here are some of the marketing tips that you would be a fool to ignore.

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Keeping in contact with customers

Being in contact with your customers and clients will often be one of the most important aspects of marketing. But with so many ways to do it, often the best advice is to stick with convenience. Most people have their mobile phones on them, and so using an SMS delivery option could be the answer. You can then manage your sms marketing online simply and effectively to ensure that you are always delivering the right message and information. This can also work with email marketing and direct mailers, but SMS can be a simple and effective way to get a message seen without the chance of it being ignored.

Focusing on the local area

The next thing you may want to think about would be your local area. There is so much focus around people wanting to use small businesses and shop locally that this can and still could work in your favour. You can start by sponsoring local events. This could be a great advertising opportunity for you but it could also give you the chance to share and sell your products and services. You might also want to consider things such as working with local charities as this can also give you decent exposure. Last of all, advertise in local community magazines, or use social media to get messages across on local community pages or groups.

Having a social media strategy in place

There is no denying that social media is still going to be one of the best choices to make when it comes to how you advertise your business. You need to be able to be in a position where your business is constantly sharing content, and not just in a sales focused way. You also need to consider that you need to have an engaged audience, so making time to think about more topical posts that could interest them will help you stay relevant. This is when a strategy in place for the content can really help you out.

Digital billboards and physical advertising

Finally, digital billboards and physical advertising is also something to think about as this is something that is making a huge comeback. You want to be able to ensure that you get your message seen, but at the same time, you need to be able to pick the right messages and where to advertise in order to be successful. This could be a great move to make for your business.

Let’s hope that these marketing tips have you advertising your business in a more successful way.

Factoring Receivables Gives Small Players The Chance to Compete

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. A major component of any business is properly managing its receivables. Having the systems in place to take orders can be the difference between your business succeeding or failing. The following contributed post is entitled, Factoring Receivables Gives Small Players The Chance to Compete.

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Have you ever had to turn down an order because you don’t have the resources to fulfil it? You are not alone. It is a tough old world out there for small businesses. You always feel like you have a mountain to climb because you don’t have the luxury of an unlimited budget as the large companies in your industry do.

This can make it feel impossible to compete. You feel as if you are constantly remaining stagnate and never expanding. Does this sound familiar? Well, it doesn’t have to apply to you anymore. Factoring receivables gives all businesses the platform to succeed and compete against the big players in their industry.

Whenever a customer orders a product or a service from your company you can use a factoring receivables service to get the cash straight away. This ensures you don’t have to wait around for weeks and weeks for the customer to pay their order. The service provider will take a small percentage for releasing the funds to you, and you will benefit from instant cash as soon as a purchase is made. This ensures that you never have to turn down an order again!

There is nothing worse than having to put your business on hold because a client hasn’t paid what they owe you. A lot of the time this client is stalling because they are waiting for someone to pay them too. It is a never-ending cycle. Yet you get the opportunity to break out of this by using factoring receivables because you get your cash straight away no matter what.

Don’t underestimate how much of a massive platform this can be for your company. Establishing yourself and growing as a small business is extremely difficult. You make one order and then you often have to wait to receive the cash before you can start on the next. You don’t have the capital free to have the luxury of funding the manufacturing of a product with supplies from companies like C and C EDM, Inc. or the delivery of a service through using your business’s float. With factoring receivables, you eliminate this problem as you will always have the capital there. This allows you to take big orders. And as you know; once the large orders start following you really begin to gain momentum and establish yourself as a force to be reckoned with.

And don’t make the mistake many others do and try to carry the workload by yourself! There are far too many business owners out there who are attempting to do an 80 hour work week so that they can complete orders – as they evidently cannot afford to pay their employees if they are waiting on funds. You don’t need us to tell you about how damaging this is to your health!

Now is the time to eliminate the panic. Stop worrying about when and if orders will be paid. Stop trying to take on the job of seven other people. And start becoming a big player in your industry!

How Can You Get The Target Market To Notice You?

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. A aspect of any business is getting recognized by your target market. Doing so will ensure that you’ll be in business for a while. The following contributed post is entitled, How Can You Get The Target Market To Notice You?

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If your business is struggling to make a name for itself in the marketplace then you need to start trying to stand out. Still, it’s hard to do things differently to your competitors when you’re all selling similar products and services. How can you get the target market to notice you? Here are a few suggestions.

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Research your intended audience.
You should definitely research your intended audience if you want to get the target market to notice you. There’s no point in guessing what your potential customers might want from you. Find out directly from them. That’s how you’ll get ahead of your competitors. Get feedback from your existing customers and potential customers in the industry. Find out what changes they want to see in your particular marketplace and your company in particular. In turn, you’ll be able to develop solutions which set you apart from your rivals and increase your likelihood of winning over customers. You need to differentiate yourself.

Start networking.
If you want to get the target market to notice you then you also need to start networking. This is a crucial aspect of getting the word out about your business. If you can make direct connections with big names in the industry and simply talk to potential customers on a one-to-one basis then you might start to get the recognition you deserve in your marketplace. The key is to make yourself stand out from the competition. Perhaps you could host your own event and invite the press so that your business gains some good publicity in the industry.

You should also attend networking conferences with other businesses. Just ensure that your brand makes a powerful impact on potential customers. After all, people will be presented with plenty of different companies that all promise enticing goods and services. You should check out the exhibit booths found here for a high-quality trading stall. It’s important that your booth is well-designed and captivating. If you present yourself in a professional and exciting way then your target audience will assume that your business is professional and exciting too. Networking is all about enticing potential customers by presenting your brand in an engaging way.

Improve your profit margins and investments.
It’s so important to make investments if you want to improve your business and get the target market to notice you. Of course, that’s easier said than done. Which investments are the right investments? And how can you afford those investments if your company is still growing? Well, you need to start by improving your profit margins. Take a look at your business’ expenditures because you’re probably wasting money in more ways than you fully appreciate. Perhaps you could save money by insulating your office’s windows and walls to trap heat and reduce your energy bills. Perhaps you could stop using paper and go fully digital. There are plenty of ways to reduce costs without cutting back on your operations.

Once you’ve started to mitigate business costs, you should have larger profit margins on a regular basis. That means you’ll have more money to invest back in your business. Still, which investments are going to get the target market to notice you? Well, you should aim to increase your operations. Instead of hiring new full-time employees, however, you might want to consider outsourcing. It’s a cheaper investment, but you’ll still be getting assistance from professionals. It’s important to spend your money wisely without cutting corners. The more you invest in your company’s growth and improvement, the more the target market will notice you. Make sure you invest in quality control, for instance. You don’t want unhappy customers to ruin your reputation and deter potential customers in the target market from giving your business a go.

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Treat your current customers well.
If you want to get the target market to notice you then you have to treat your current customers well. It’s important to chase new leads, of course, but you can’t forget about your existing client base. If you’re going to get new potential clients to notice you then you need to build a reputation for yourself, and you can only achieve that if you have a loyal following that’s leaving rave reviews for your business online. Make sure you talk to your customers on a regular basis. Get to know them. Show that you care about them and want to deliver the best possible service to them.

So, how can you impress your current customers so they spread the word about your company? Well, you can surprise them with discounts and deals they didn’t expect. This is a good way to keep people interested in your business. You could email discounts or even freebies to customers as a way of thanking them for their custom. Perhaps you could even start a loyalty points scheme that gives people discounts or free gifts every time they redeem their points; that’ll give people a reason to keep buying your goods and services so they can rack up more points. Treat your current customers well if you want to boost your reputation and get the rest of the target market to notice you.

Own up to your mistakes.
Consumers like businesses with human values. We all know that humans are prone to making mistakes, so you’ll probably find that customers are understanding when your company makes a mistake. However, you have to own up to that mistake. When delivering bad news, your business has to show customers that it is genuinely sorry. This authenticity will remind your clients that your company is run by human beings. It’ll also remind them that you really care about your customers because you don’t want to just sweep your issues under the rug and pretend that nothing is wrong. Owning up to your mistakes means that you’ll control the narrative surrounding your company. It means that you’ll develop a good reputation rather than a bad one, and you won’t have to worry about the target market deciding to steer clear of you if you make some sort of blunder.

Looking To Run A Small Farm Business? Read this!

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. If run correctly an Agriculture business can be very lucrative. If you’re a novice to the business though, there are some important points to understand before getting in. The following contributed post is entitled, Looking To Run A Small Farm Business? Read this!

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If you want to start a small scale farming business, you may be wondering where to begin. You may have the land ready, which is one of the essential things that you need to do, but you do not know what the next step is. Here, we look at what you need to think about when starting up.

Photo by Noah Buscher on Unsplash

1. Understand how farming works

There is minimal point in starting a small farm business if you have no idea how a farm works. It may sound straightforward enough, but in reality, it really isn’t. It involves long hours and lots of stress, and at times, there can appear to be very little reward for it all. However, in the long run, if you put the effort in and follow some important farming guidelines, you will see it all pay off.

The majority of your learning will happen on the job, and you will make plenty of mistakes along the way. Some things will work, and some will not, and you may feel like you are getting nowhere at times. Before jumping into owning a farm, see if you can get some experience by working or volunteering as a farmhand. If you are purchasing your own far, seek out a farm manager or a mentor with the expertise to guide you through the process.

2. Have a business plan

It does not seem to be the sort of thing that needs a business plan, but if your ultimate goal is to make a profit from it, you need a well thought out business plan. Consider the supply and demand for your products, the markets, the management structure, financial strategy, and how you will be pricing goods. You may also want to look at taking advantage of any grants or loans to get your farming business up and running, which you often cannot do without a plan.

3. Investigate grants and subsidies

As we mentioned above, in some cases there are grants and programs available to help you to purchase essential farming equipment such as mowers, tunnels, seeds, and various other things, or for an injection of cash to get you on your feet.
Other places may provide subsidies on equipment, especially if you are a startup or a young farmer. Don’t forget animal feed if you are looking at that area of farming – learn more here about the things you may need.

You may well want to start off by using whatever budget you have available and see how things go. Do bear in mind that farms often make a loss, to begin with, so make sure that you have enough savings, or a secondary form of income to keep you ticking over until you are consistently making a profit.

4. Set up business licenses and permits

It depends where you are based, but once you have decided on the business type, you are going to work as, whether a sole proprietorship or an LLC, you will need to register it and purchase any relevant business licenses. You may also need to look into insurance, and take out any insurances that may be appropriate, particularly if you are employing other people.

5 Interesting Careers In Science You Should Consider

Three focuses of my blog are Career Discussions, Education and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). It’s a good time to get into one of the STEM fields. There are particularly numerous career opportunities in the Biomedical Sciences. The following contributed post is entitled, 5 Interesting Careers In Science You Should Consider.

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The first thing to come to mind when thinking about a career in science is most probably the image of a lab technician in a white coat, mixing chemicals. You wouldn’t be wrong that a fair few careers in science involve this, and they are very much worth considering as a career. You shouldn’t forget that you do have sciences such as medical sciences, theoretical sciences, physical science, life sciences in roles such as zoologists and even some food hygienists need to have a background in biology. The level of education can vary from college level right through to 10 years and up at university levels and often the schooling is continuous is a career in science. Have a look below at three lab coat careers you should consider when thinking about science.

Pharmacist
With a wide variety of job role options, a pharmacist is definitely an attractive career option in science. A pharmacist is responsible for managing all the aspects of a commercial or hospital pharmacy. On top of this, they are also responsible for sourcing and dispensing medications, a pharmacist makes sure that each individual patient receives the correct medication and dosage. Often if in a hospital pharmacist will even attend patient rounds to help consult and advise physicians. You can expect to study for around 8 years to reach this level and it’s advised that you look into a college degree in biology, chemistry or pre-pharmacy.

DNA Analyst
Often seen and known because of crime dramas a career as a DNA Analyst could be a very rewarding and interesting path to take. It plays a critical role in crime investigation and you will work closely alongside criminal investigations. They are sometimes referred to as forensic biologists, someone in this line of work would look at things such as blood, saliva, body fluids and hair found at crime scenes and deliver the DNA results to the criminologist for their investigations. It’s considered a highly important role, especially as a lot of investigations, now rely on DNA as a reliable source of conviction. Sometimes they are even asked to testify and appear in court and it can become a night and day job as unfortunately, crime doesn’t sleep. A college degree in biology is a necessity for this job. You should also look into taking extra courses in forensics, such as toxicology and drug analysis.

Biomedical Engineer
If you’ve dreamt about changing the world or finding the next big cure in medicine, then this is the career for you. Using sophisticated technology and equipment such as test tubes, DNA extractors and a 96 well plate in research facilities, laboratories and hospitals to conduct research biomedical engineering is a type of science that is continually developing and adapting to find the next solution. Some people choose to use their knowledge to educate in teaching positions and pass on their skills. You will need a high level of education for this type of role and you can expect to study continuously to adapt along with science. Looking at an array of courses is ideal for this role such as chemistry and physics. You may also find it beneficial to complete an internship in a biomedical engineering laboratory to gain the essential practical experience to you will need for your own lab.

Do you have any other careers in science that should be on this list? Please share them in the comments section below.

Maximizing Your Laboratory Spend

A key focus of my blog is Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Whether you’re running a lab in academia, in industry or in some sort of government capacity a key consideration are the amounts being spent to accomplish the mission. Labs that are run wisely tend to stay open longer than those that aren’t. The following contributed post is entitled, Maximizing Your Laboratory Spend.

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It does not matter what sort of laboratory you own or run, one of your most important tasks will be to maximize your spend. After all, labs do not have unlimited budgets, and so they need to make sure that their funds are being put to best use. There are a number of different ways you can do this, so read on for some critical information.

Identifying whether to buy – There is only one place to begin, and this is by identifying whether to buy. Of course, there are going to be somethings, like basic instruments and testing materials, like synthetic urine, which are simply a necessity. However, there are other items that are considered nice-to-have, rather than being a necessity. Therefore, you really need to think about whether you should buy this equipment, or whether leasing would be better. When you consider the rapid pace of technological innovations today, you could easily buy something and then it could become outdated very quickly. This is why it is a good idea to consider leasing in a lot of circumstances. Nevertheless, if you know the equipment is going to be used again and again, buying could be just the thing you need.

Compare prices and suppliers carefully – There are many different tools online today that enable you to compare products across all industries, and the same goes when it comes to laboratory equipment. Nevertheless, you still need to be careful when you purchase. You should make the effort to ensure that all of the suppliers you are considering are 100 per cent legitimate. The last thing you want is to end up falling victim to a fraud company who either does not supply the products at all or does not supply lab-grade equipment. Doing a bit of digging and reading reviews that have been left by others are both essential steps.

Look for ways to reduce spend without taking any risks – The final piece of the puzzle is to look for different ways that you can save some money without taking a risk in terms of the quality of your equipment and your supplies. There are a number of different ways that you can go about this. For example, you can simply try to negotiate with your vendor. This is more successful than a lot of people realise. In addition to this, you should find out whether there are any discounts for group purchases or bulk buys, as this can lead to significant savings overall.

We hope that this blog post has assisted you when it comes to maximizing laboratory spend. There is no denying that money management is critical for any business but when you are involved in something as vital as lab work, there is heightened importance on making sure you maximize your funds. Use the tips provided above to make sure that this is the case.

The Benefits of a Custom-Built Home

A key focus of my blog is Financial Literacy/Money. The greatest purchase many people will make in their lifetime is their personal residence. Instead of buying previously owned homes, some individuals opt to have their homes custom built. The following contributed post is entitled, The Benefits of a Custom-Built Home.

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If you’re looking to move into a new home, you might want to move away from the traditional way of searching the real estate market and instead opt for a custom build. There are many benefits associated with doing that, and it’s something that you should definitely consider. We’re going to talk more about those benefits and why they matter below, so read on to find out more.

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You Have More Control Over Where You Want Your Home to Be

When you build your own custom home, you have more control over where you want the home to be. There are plots of land all over the place, so you’ll have lots of options. Sure, you probably can’t build in the middle of a city, but if you’re looking to live out of the city, you’ll have lots of options and control over the process. That’s not as easy when you’re simply buying real estate.

Work Closely with Top Professionals Throughout the Process

You’ll get the chance to turn your vision into reality with the help of some top professionals. They’ll include architects, builders and interior designers. You could turn to Mark Saunders builder, for example, if you’re looking for someone with a good track record on these kinds of projects. These kinds of pros help ensure the outcomes exceed your expectations.

Make it Specific to You

You can make sure that the home you eventually build is specific to you, your family and your specific needs. Everyone is different and everyone uses their home in specific and unique qays. If you want to make sure that your home is specific to you, it’s best to have a home custom built. That’s the only way to have complete control over the layout, size and shape of a home.

The Process Allows You to Learn a Lot and Have a Unique Experience

There’s no doubt about it; building your home is a unique experience and for most people it’ll be a once in a lifetime experience too. You’ll learn a lot about all sorts of things because there’s so much that goes into the process of designing and building a home from the ground up. Sure, there will be stress and problems along the way but that’s all just part of the fun.

Ensure the Right Standards Are Met

People tend to have different expectations of their homes and what they should be able to offer. If you’re going to get the most out of your home, you want it to be finished to the highest standards. When you build your own home, you can make sure all the little things and finishing touches are completed in the way you want them to be.

It might be a huge project to take on, but it could be worth it for you and your family over the long-term. You’ll end up with a home that’s perfect for you and meets the specific needs of your family, so be sure to keep all of this in mind as you decide whether or not this is something you should pursue.

Why Every Business Should Be EcoAware

Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. In 2019, customers are not just concerned about finding the products and services they want, but also that the businesses they’re patronizing are environmentally conscious. Being EcoAware can have several advantages for business owners. The following contributed post is entitled, Why Every Business Should Be EcoAware.

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The value which should be the watchword of all small business? Efficiency. By their very nature, start-ups are lean and therefore a lot more creative. Without huge amounts of capital, small businesses have no choice but to be innovative about ways of getting things done. Along with financial decisions and business processes, being environmentally aware goes hand in hand with this approach. It’s hard to ignore the many positive benefits of starting up your business with the planet in mind – from an enhanced reputation with clients and customers who actively seek out greener companies to do business with, to the economic benefits of being kinder to the planet, and having a positive impact on the community. Sustainability initiatives should be a major part of any new business plan.

Winning More Business

Consumers are more aware than ever of environmental and social responsibility in the businesses they choose to deal with. People now choose to vote with their wallets in a globally competitive marketplace and seek out goods and services which align with the values they have. Studies show that nearly half of consumers now make purchasing decisions at least partly based on green factors, and the majority are also willing to pay slightly more to for goods and services which they see as environmentally conscious. Going green can also help you attract and retain talent. From aligning with specific causes that resonate with what you to promoting practical greener measures like adding bus shelters or facilities for cyclists to encourage greener transport, quality candidates want to know that you are embracing sustainability. These days you simply cannot be a thought leader in any industry without having an environmental stance.

Making Cost Savings

Taking your business greener doesn’t just have intangible long-term benefits – it also offers immediate savings, reduced waste and much better efficiency. There is so much you can go, from cutting down paper and plastics waste to reducing energy usage, and these will all put back into your budget as well as helping to safeguard the environment. Most countries also have some forms of government incentive aimed at making business greener, so you may also be able to benefit from tax breaks or financial grants to help with the purchase of equipment

An Easy Move To Make

Taking your business greener doesn’t have to be a huge, daunting undertaking. You can take a few small steps which will quickly add up. Simple things like replacing all your lighting with low energy LED bulbs isn’t hard and can have an impact on the energy you use. Try to keep all heating and cooling equipment serviced regularly and running efficiently – or try just opening a window rather than relying too much on air conditioning units can also work. Adding occupancy sensors and programmable thermostats is another really positive step. Make evaluating energy use a regular part of your business practise, to identify further opportunities to reduce and save. You could also look at switching all the paper used in your office to reams which come from sustainable and recycled sources, and taking on the software to run a paperless office with software in the cloud is also incredibly efficient.

4 Steps To Building Client Trust

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. When growing your business, your relationship with your clients is critical. If both parties trust one another, it’s likely that the relationship will be long lasting and fruitful for both sides. The following contributed post is entitled, 4 Steps To Building Client Trust.

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As an independent professional or as head of a small start-up operation, it’s a huge task that takes up most of your resources to win new business. Think how much you’ve spent running ad campaigns, attending networking events and even cold calling to try and win new clients. New business, however, doesn’t have to mean new clients. If you shift your focus slightly to spend more of your time on building and maintaining brilliant working relationships with your existing client base, you can set yourself up to win repeat business, expand your offer to capture different areas of their trade, or benefit from word of mouth recommendations to others. Building lasting relationships takes time – it’s definitely a long game thing – which is why so many of us get impatient and shelve it in favour of chasing down new clients. But the rewards of putting the time and groundwork in can be huge – just follow these simple tips to get started.

Prioritise Effective Communication

Your main priority when it comes to managing client relations? Simple, timely, efficient communication. Providing updates, checking in and adding value with information not only develop your standing and position you as a go-to person but they also nicely demonstrate your range of capabilities and keep you and your business at the front of a client’s mind when they’re in the market to commission something. Responding promptly to queries and being useful and proactive with sharing information all demonstrate to the client that they and the health of their business are important to you. It also encourages an open and honest approach that creates the right environment for more business. Above all, be consistent in your approach.

Do What You Say You Will, When You Say You’ll Do It

This should go without saying, but sadly it’s something that can fall by the wayside. The key is that understanding little things affect how people perceive your stance on the big things. Say you mention the name of a great restaurant where you can get a table to your client, and they want the details for a business lunch. You say you’ll pass them on. Then in all the whirlwind of work and deadlines, somehow you don’t. Not a bit deal, right? Wrong. This little test demonstrate how reliable and how much integrity you have overall. How can a client choose to trust you on something important like delivering a project to budget or looking after data entry security if they already have the impression that you renege on your word? Every word and action counts, even the minor ones, in establishing trust.

Keep Positive

There are a lot of responsibilities on the shoulders of any solopreneur or small business owner, and it’s very easy indeed to get overwhelmed. However, if you let this show to clients then you’ve made a fatal mistake. You have to remain upbeat and exclude the enthusiasm, energy and confidence that you want your clients to know your service for, even when you don’t feel like it. Having zeal for your work inspires others to come along with you and throw more business your way. They want to have you on their team. So even if you’re having the worst day, do not pass that impression on – it counts more than you may think.

See Your Client As An Individual

It’s an old truism that people deal with people, but it persists for a reason. Of course you have to keep your working relationships on a professional footing, but it’s also key to acknowledge the individuality of the people and the businesses you’re dealing with too. The level you do that to depends on the industry and the particular relationship you’ve established, but adding a personal touch will ensure you’re remembered and that you make a positive connection.