Category: Financial Literacy and Money

Five Ways To Market Your Business

Two of the focuses my blog is Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. One of the keys to being successful at business is your marketing. As critical it is, not everyone understands the marketing aspect of business. The following contributed post is entitled, Five Ways To Market Your Business.

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2020 has been a year unlike any other, and with the future uncertain, it is more important than ever that you leverage your business to get ahead of the competition. If you don’t currently have a marketing plan or are unsure whether you are doing all you should be to get your business promoted, now is your chance. Whether you are a small business who has just set out or a large business, a good marketing plan is vital to keep yourself in the best position. This year might have seen you have to cut your budget or reign in your spending due to the current pandemic, but you don’t have to spend lots to get great results. Trial different techniques and find out the ones that work best for you and your company. Here are five top ways to market your business for optimal success this year.

Create a marketing plan

No business can successfully market itself without a marketing plan. With a marketing plan, you can ensure that you schedule out everything you need and have a clear direction to follow. It allows you to measure how your marketing budget is being spent and to try out every area to see which one works the best for you. You will know exactly what is going out when and can measure and track success and results. Whether you are a technologies company like Kapa Technologies LLC, a restaurant, bar, or manufacturer, your business will benefit from a marketing plan.

Sort out your website

Your website is essentially your shop front, and so it is important that not only is it functional and informative, but also that it looks good too. If people turn up and your website is slow, laggy, and looks old, it will give them a bad impression of your business and service. People can think if you don’t make an effort with your website, you won’t make an effort with whatever you are trying to sell or offer. Websites are so easy to create these days that there is no excuse for one that is poorly done. Just by searching online, asking for recommendations, or looking at local groups on Facebook, you will be able to find someone who can create you a stunning looking site that isn’t too expensive. You can also find someone who will do up your current site if you don’t want to opt for something completely new; this might save you money if you are looking for something that bit cheaper in the current times.

Focus on your SEO

If you don’t have an SEO plan, it is time to create one. SEO is vital for getting your business seen and showing up on search engines. By having a strong SEO strategy, your business will show up on Google, and you will get found by those who are looking for the services you offer. There are many ways you can improve your SEO, from improving the metadata and on-page SEO on your site to targeting specific keywords, getting backlinks, and more. This side of SEO can be quite technical, so it is worth getting in touch with an SEO company or hiring a specialist to sort it out for you. They will have the knowledge and expertise to conduct a proper plan. If you don’t have the money to hire a specialist, you can also do research on SEO online that will show you how you can improve your presence.

Implement a Social media strategy

Social media is vital to market your business, and there are many different strategies depending on the services you offer. The important thing to remember with social media is that not every social media platform will work with all businesses, and it is best to focus on a few niche ones rather than spread yourself too thin. Think about the types of audience you are looking to attract with your service and tailor your social media to this. Twitter and Facebook are great for sharing news articles or information, while Instagram is very visual so great for sharing images of your product. TikTok is also another very visual platform but is more aimed at a younger audience. If you have a more cooperative service, consider looking at Linkedin as this is where a lot of business professionals have profiles and look for information. You can use trial and error when it comes to social media and see which platform gets you the most engagement – you might be surprised at what works and what doesn’t! Remember if you are posting similar content on all of your platforms to change them to suit each one.

Have a strong newsletter strategy

Newsletters are a great way to stay in touch with your clients and customers and showcase your latest news and offers. It also allows you to stay in their mind and prompt them to visit your site when they might not have done otherwise. Try not to send out too many newsletters that your customers feel bombarded, but don’t do it too frequently that they don’t bother opening them. Always be sure that your email mailing list is compliant with GDPR. When it comes to creating your newsletter, be sure that it ties in with your branding and the tone of voice of your business.

These are just some of the ways that you can market your business. In uncertain times such as this year, it is very important that you get your marketing strategy up to scratch and make it as easy as possible for new customers and clients to reach you, as well as retain your current clients. Remember, your website and your social media are the first things that people see when they come to your business and are the initial selling points. These need to be aesthetically pleasing, technically effective, and really showcase what you are about and what services you offer. Don’t be afraid to try multiple techniques, and if some don’t work as well as expected, to try something else.

Tips For Working At Home When Running A Business

Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. In today’s digital world, the tools exist to allow people to work from home. If you’re interested in starting a home-based business, this contributed post is entitled, Tips For Working At Home When Running A Business.

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Image source: Pixabay

With the global pandemic resulting in many people having to work from home, as an employer or indeed employee, it can be challenging. This is especially true if you are part of the new working from home economy. It requires a change of mindset, new habits to make it a success. Everyone will need to consider where to work from, what the boundaries are between home life and work life, and how it will impact upon family relationships.

Below are some tips on making working from home a success.

Set up a schedule
Try your best to set your working hours and stick to them. This is important if you have a family at home too. Although don’t be too rigid as working from home can also allow the most incredible flexibility, mostly if you have outsourced work and your colleague is in a different time zone.

Get your systems set up
To ensure you and your employees are able to communicate, access files, and schedule meetings, it’s important to get your systems set up. The integration between your office and home systems will be vital to a seamless operation. This will ensure you and any employees have the necessary equipment and access to continue with the job at hand. You may require additional support to achieve this, but it will be worth the investment.

Ensure your company is seen
Your customers will want reassurance that you are still open for business. This may involve working hard on your internet presence and working to ensure SEO is optimized for your online presence. Contact your customers and assure them you are open, ready for business, and continuing to work.

Socialize
Working from home can be a lonely experience for all involved. Schedule catch-ups with staff members. Set up meetings with clients via the vast array of online platforms. These will ensure you have a strong culture of staying in touch with employees and customers. This also helps nurture relationships meaning your employees and customers will feel valued.

Be positive
Not being in an office can be difficult. In all communication with your employees and customers, have a positive outlook. Also, ensure any written communication is clear and concise. Remember, you will have to communicate in writing more, so ensure you get across the right message in the tone that you want.

Finish your work-day on a good note
As noted above, about setting up a schedule to start your day, ending your day on a positive note and routine is also a great idea. Sign off with a message to your employees and go and do something you enjoy. Ask your employees to do the same.

These are just some tips to help you if you are working from home.
Above all, find out what works best for you and your employees. Remember, you are all in the same boat. Working together to achieve the goals of the company is what you want so getting their input at what works will be vital.

Saving Storage Space In Your Business

Two key focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. In terms of business, we often think of business resources in terms of money, but another one is storage space. Storage space in itself is a valuable asset and must be wisely managed. The following contributed post is entitled, Saving Storage Space In Your Business.

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Storage space in any business can be a challenging one. As your business grows, so too might it’s workforce, and the initial space you had in your building might become limited. The same goes for any warehouses that you might possess as a business. The more products you start to stock and sell, the more space you need to store them. Here are some storage tips that might help your business save on the space it has and to utilize it in the best way possible.

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Utilize Racking

Racking is a good way of building your storage from the ground up. Without having to take away any additional floor space in whatever building it is, racking can certainly be helpful. When choosing your racking, it’s important to consider what it is you are storing so that it can hold the weight and dimensions of the products easily and without causing any damage to any other products you have underneath it. Tennessee Rack is a great company to sort the racking that you need, and it’s best to use quality racking, rather than anything that could potentially cause damage or be ineffective when it comes to your storage. Utilize racking to your advantage when it comes to saving space because you have plenty of space to likely build up on, rather than having to take up any more valuable floor space.

Go Paperless

Going paperless can be a great way of saving on space because if you think about all the documents you print throughout the space of a year, it can end up taking up a lot of the room. With that being said, it’s good to look at what areas of the business that you can start converting to paperless so that you not only save on the space but your also saving money in the process. It can be a great opportunity to sort through the paperwork, digitalizing what needs to be digitalized and then making sure it all gets destroyed and disposed of properly.

Keep Your Workforce Organized In Their Areas

Your workforce is responsible for the storage space within the business. Their own workstations can be places where they can utilize the space that they have in making sure it’s not overspilling into other areas of the business. Make sure that each employee has a manager or supervisor monitoring workstations and directing employees to tidy up and declutter when necessary. The more you can stay on top of this, the less debris is going to overspill and take up more room.

Invest In External Storage

External storage is one thing to consider when it comes to freeing up storage in your office space. If your staff are constantly tripping over themselves, then why not invest in some external storage. It can be an affordable way of storing everything that is still needed without having to go to the extreme of moving business premises.

Saving storage space is key, so make sure you’re following these tips to free up more space in your workplace.

Successfully Manage Your Suppliers With These Tips

Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Depending upon the type of business you’re running, you will be interfacing with suppliers which are critical to your operations. You further want to protect and manage your supply chains at all costs. The following contributed post is entitled, Successfully Manage Your Suppliers With These Tips.

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When you are running a successful business, you need to have positive, reliable and loyal suppliers working with you to get the best out of your business. Successful supplier relationships aren’t always easy to build, and there is communication and trust required to make it work. You have to treat your suppliers with respect, whether they are supplying packaging, IT services or equipment, and you have to respect the contract that you sign.

As a business owner, you need to consider that you want to get the best for your business to run smoothly. Assessing the suppliers out there will get you started, and managing your current supplier relationships is just as important. If you are looking for help in managing those same relationships, we’ve got all of the tips that you need below.

Image Source: Pexels

1. Understand Cost & Value. The supply chain is one that needs to run as smoothly as possible for your business to work well. You need to understand every single cost that you are paying, how it affects the product or service that you deliver, and what value is provided to your customers. You need to know how your suppliers are offering you value, and a true partnership involves you both understanding the cost of the service and the value it provides at the same time.

2. Focus On What You Do For Your Supplier. Your printer and copier dealer is working for you to get you the best deal, provide you the best equipment and more. But what are you doing for your supplier? You have to realize that this relationship goes both ways and you have to be in charge of the way that you behave in this relationship. If someone is going out of their way to offer you an excellent deal, then you need to go out of your way to pay your bills on time and turn to your supplier when you need an upgrade.

3. Plan Efficiently. All businesses, including yours, have to plan properly with their suppliers. You have to accept accountability for your needs and order what you need in good time. Piling on the pressure on your supplier to deliver when you haven’t given them the correct time frames is not the way to go. If you need to push through emergency orders, you’re going to be managing your business in a sloppy way, which is not what you need. Lack of thinking on your part does not constitute an emergency for your supplier.

4. Establish Service Levels. It’s so important that you incorporate the right service levels into your relationship with your suppliers. You can’t just base a relationship on a handshake, so both parties need to talk about their expectations and agree on it all.

5. Agree Your Contracts. Before you sign anything with your suppliers, you would have agreed terms for all of you to stick to. You agree on your payment terms and you need to uphold those terms. Your suppliers will give you the best discounts and deals, but you should spend time ensuring that all sides of the contract are agreed in advance!

6. Communication Counts. If there is a problem with a supplier, you need to share that with them as early as possible. If there is any information that you need to share, you need to do so as early as possible so that they can fix the problem. If you contact your supplier to tell them something has broken down, do it the moment you know that there is a problem. By communicating a problem, you can also communicate the good things. This will keep your relationship steady and working well.

7. Keep Planning. You want to manage these relationships well, and that means planning for the exceptions and not always the rules. Emergencies happen and in complex supply chains, you need to let them know ahead of time how the emergencies will be handled. It’s up to you to analyze why they happen so that you can minimize the number of emergencies possible. Every single strategy with your supply chain takes planning, and you need to agree a solution for emergencies with your supplier. If a copier breaks down and you work in reprographics, it would help to know what you should do in those circumstances.

8. Expect Honesty. You can expect your supplier to be honest with you, so you should offer the same in return. Mutual respect is so important with your suppliers, so make this happen!

9. Make It Work. Your relationships with your suppliers have to be meaningful at all times. When you meet, make a grand gesture! When there are issues, talk about them. Make it work and offer respect!

3 Structural Defects That You Need To Fix Before Winter

Three focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Home/Living, and Home/Property Discussions. While homes are some of our biggest investments, they need constant care. Furthermore if maintenance is neglected, our homes can ultimately cost us more money. If you live in a region with a winter season, you want to consider making critical repairs before the change of seasons. The following contributed post is entitled, 3 Structural Defects That You Need To Fix Before Winter.

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This winter may be bleaker than others with the threat of coronavirus still looming for everyone. Christmas may be a Zoom meeting and you might be spending more time indoors than you would like, but there are ways that you can make your winter a little less worrisome. You need to think about how you can make your home structurally sound and fit for the harsher climate. Preventative measures are crucial because otherwise, you may find yourself with a hefty bill to fix issues in the depths of the cold season. Follow this guide and discover three structural defects that you need to check before winter.

The Roof

With rain, hail, and snow on the cards in the next few months, it is crucial that your home is watertight. Look up and check your roof tiles. Are they cracked or have any slipped? A bowing roof is a sign of water building up in your roof space. This can result in rot and damp entering your joists meaning that your home becomes structurally unsound. Check the flashing around your chimney. If there are any holes, leaks will develop resulting in a moist and unhygienic upstairs interior in your pad. This can be fixed with a simple membrane application or a replacement of the flashing. Get this sorted and renovate now and you will save yourself money on an entire roof replacement.

Subsidence Or Movement

Any movement in your home can be worrying. If your doors are starting to stick, there is a definite slope in your flooring, and you struggle with cracks in your home, you may be suffering from subsidence or heave. Heave is when tree roots begin to encroach on your foundations as seen at https://www.fridaysmove.com/. This can be rectified by chopping down your larger trees and repointing your brickwork. This is cheap to fix. For more serious subsidence, underpinning may need to occur. While costly, this is needed to ensure that the movement doesn’t spread and to keep your home mortgageable. Without it, you will be living in a money pit with no chance of being able to sell up and move onto pastures new.

Pipework

The pipework in your home can become less efficient during the winter months. Get a specialist out and inspect your pipes. Gas engineers will service your boiler and a plumber can check your heating system. If you do suffer from any burst pipes or leaks, you may need the services of https://www.hlrestoration.com/ to remove the moisture, damp, and mold from your dwelling.

Your gas pipes connected to your boiler can freeze in the colder months, resulting in them bursting or shattering eventually. To prevent this, put your heating on for twenty minutes every twelve hours before the colder climate sets in. Doing this costs nothing, but keeps your pipes warm and free flowing.

If you are eager to make your winter a little less bleak, you will need to spend money to save money in the long run. Follow this guide and you can make your home structurally sound this season.

3 Sure Fire Ways To Save Your Business Cash

Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. If you’re running a business, your goal is not only to generate cash, but also to save cash where you can so that you can generate as much profit as possible. The following contributed post is entitled, 3 Sure Fire Ways To Save Your Business Cash.

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As you enter the throes of a global pandemic, your business will undoubtedly suffer. Footfall in the high street is at an all-time low, you will find that your loyal customers are more hesitant to part with their cash, and your overheads are looking precarious. You need to think quickly to stem the outgoings and increase the income of your venture. This is difficult in a time of international crisis as you may need to shift business models swiftly. Follow this guide to discover three sure fire ways to save your business cash.

Supply Chain

If you are a venture that relies on importing components from other areas of the world, your supply chain may have been disrupted because of Covid-19. This could play to your advantage and give you the leverage to renegotiate a better deal financially for your imports. You need a reliable freight carrier that will ensure that you receive what you need on time to fill orders. Don’t simply opt for the cheapest supplier out there if the reviews are appalling. Consider the door to door services of an ocean freight carrier as seen at http://eplogistics.com/ocean_freight.html. These specialists will utilize their transport and logistics links to deliver your components direct to you from your supplier. Shipping container transport also allows you to buy in bulk to negate the potential disruptions your supply chain may face in the future.

Redundancies

While you may not wish to let any staff members go from your venture, this is often one of the only ways to ensure that your startup survives. While your orders remain low and you struggle to maintain a buoyant cash flow, you may need to make redundancies. This will save your business cash in the short term. However, you will also need to consider the hole that a staff member will leave. The work that they were responsible for will still need to be done and you will need to rely more on the staff members that you keep on payroll. This can result in low morale and a lack of motivation. Outsourcing is a possibility but you will need to be careful with your money to remain in the black.

Remote Working

More businesses than ever are having to resort to remote working as described at https://www.forbes.com/sites/amarhussaineurope/. This may lead to your heightened anxieties because you fear the lack of productivity from your staff when they have the option of watching Netflix shows all day. However, giving them the responsibility and freedom to work remotely can be empowering. Morale can increase and productivity can become more fruitful. Allowing working from home can also save you money as your largest overhead – the office lease – can be negated. By going wholly remote, you are welcoming in the future of twenty first century working. Google and Apple are already embracing this business model, so you should too in order to save your business cash.

A global pandemic is unprecedented in modern times. Follow this guide and save your business money to help your venture survive.

10 Investment Tips for a Successful Retirement

Two key focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Health/Wellness. As an employee, a key pillar of your financial plan and life should be your retirement savings. If you haven’t started, take the tips in this piece seriously. If you’ve already started, it’s always good to relearn and or solidify what you know. The following contributed post is entitled, 10 Investment Tips for a Successful Retirement.

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It might seem like a long way off but the earlier you think about saving for your retirement the better. Even if you simply want to start investing to give you a more comfortable life in the future, this is a good attitude to have. It’s also important to define your goals and budget and understand your options. There are several ways you can ensure yourself more financial security and with a little investment experience and know-how, you can even make a bit of money on the side. Here are ten investment tips for a successful retirement.

Get started early

The earlier the better. Even if retirement seems impossible to contemplate right now, you’re never too young to start investing in your future. This way you’ll be able to make saving and investing a lifelong habit and you’ll develop plenty of skills and knowledge along the way.

Understand the types of retirement plan

It’s vital to understand your taxes and what you’ll be entitled to. There are different types of retirement accounts and some are taxable and others tax-advantaged. Many people aren’t aware of the types of retirement plans available to them and how they work according to taxes. It’s a good idea to inform yourself about IRAs and 401ks along with company plans and pension schemes, so you understand all the options available to you.

Consider different investment options

Once you’ve got your head around the traditional investment options you can branch out and look for other opportunities. For example, investing in gold and silver has been proven to be very lucrative. This is due to the fact that precious metals aren’t as affected by the change in geopolitical circumstances in the same way that local currencies are. Before you invest in anything new, however, make sure you get as informed as possible and think it through carefully.

Diversify your investment portfolio

If you’re seriously interested in branching out and investing, you should always keep your options open by diversifying your portfolio. This is based on the idea of not putting all your eggs in one basket. Ideally, a balanced portfolio should have a mix of various assets such as stocks, fixed income, and commodities. These will all react differently to the same economic event, thus giving you more options. Also, rebalance your portfolio at least once a year. You want the right combination of stocks, bonds, and cash for your investment goals. Make changes by buying and selling shares to rebalance your portfolio.

Calculate your net worth

If you’re getting into investing, it’s also a good idea to calculate your net worth. You can do this easily online with a net worth calculator. Your net worth is figured out by calculating the difference between the assets you own and the liabilities you owe. These can include all your investments from property to company stocks and your other financial assets. Any debts will be counted as liabilities such as your mortgage, student loan, medical bills, and credit cards.

Clear your debts

Before you start investing for your retirement, it’s ideal to be in the best financial position possible. If you have any debts, don’t worry, you’re in the majority of the population, but it’s advisable to clear these before you invest. You can get professional advice online to help you choose the appropriate debt management plan. Once you’ve cleared your debts you’ll be in a better place to start investing. Certain debts are considered “better” than others, for example, it’s not a problem to have a mortgage or student loan outstanding.

Seek professional advice

It’s always recommended to seek investment advice, even if you’re an experienced investor. This way you’ll get all the information you need so you can start preparing for a successful retirement in the future. You can also get investment and other financial advice from apps known as robo-advisors. This is a great option if you haven’t got the time or money to sit down with a financial advisor every so often, but the service they provide is slightly less personalized.

Make a realistic budget

Once you’ve got as informed as possible you can finally include your savings and investments as part of a realistic budget. There are apps for this too and the latest budgeting apps can help you organize your personal finances. The most important thing is that you actually stick to your budget. If you’re finding that you aren’t able to do this then you probably need to reevaluate your budget to make it more realistic with your spending. You could alternatively look for ways to cut down on your spending. Ensure that you are always able to live within your means and put your savings to one side first.

Don’t let your emotions take over

When you’re investing or making financial plans for your future, try not to let your emotions take over. This might lead to you making poor decisions without thinking things through logically. Take your time, particularly with new investments, and never jump on the back of a fad without doing your research first. If a new investment sounds too good to be true then it probably is. Financial discipline is very important when dealing with the stock market and it’s crucial to keep a level head at all times. It’s very unpredictable and difficult to follow as it is.

Always have a backup

In order to ensure financial wellness, it’s always a good idea to have a backup. Create a contingency plan in the unfortunate case that you lose your job or are forced to take a pay cut. In these difficult times, anything is possible, so the more prepared you are the better. It’s advisable to keep some savings for emergency purposes, rather than investing them all, for example. You’ll have more peace of mind knowing that this buffer is there to get you out of a sticky situation if need be. With a backup plan in place, you can focus on investing for a successful retirement.

5 Steps on How to Buy Your Dream Home

Two key focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Home/Living/Property Discussions. While it sounds simple on paper, buying a home whether it’s finding or building a dwelling that suits your needs and preferences, or the financing transaction, it can all be very complicated and draining. If you a few basic things, the process can go much more smoothly. The following contributed post is entitled, 5 Steps on How to Buy Your Dream Home.

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Buying a home is an exciting experience and an involving one, especially if you are a first-time owner. There are basic steps you need to take for a great home buying experience, and a few are highlighted in this guide.

Image via Shutterstock by TijanaM

Get Pre-Approved for a Mortgage

While you may be psyched about owning a new home, don’t begin hunting for a home before getting pre-approved for a mortgage. You can still use mortgagecalculator.org to check how much you will pay back based on your lender’s time and interest rate. When you get pre-approved for a loan, it becomes easier for you to narrow down your search to a home that best fits your budget. Your pre-approval letter will indicate the maximum loan you can get.

With this information, you will instantly know your maximum price point.

List Your Essentials

Once you get pre-approved, the next step is to list the essentials you need to have in your new home. Put this in a list and make sure that you follow through. It’s also important not to have too many essentials so that you find it challenging to get a house in your area. By sticking to your list, you still avoid “list creep.” These are instances where you see particular objects in a home, and suddenly you want it included in your home.

Are You Moving In or Relocating

Based on your budget, you already know whether you want a move-in ready house or a fixer-upper, which will need some renovations. If you want to settle for a fixer-upper, you should consider those below your price range. This way, you will save enough for your preferred upgrades. It’s still advisable that you speak to your financier to learn more about the renovation loan process.

Document Your Walkthroughs and Settle On the Best

As you view different houses, the features can sometimes blend, and it can get confusing, which feature was in what house. To ease the confusion, be sure to take photos of the areas you love. If you are searching for a dream home, one of the things you should avoid is getting caught up in the listing. If you have narrowed down your search to ten houses, your choice should be based on your top three choices.

Quit Searching

Even after finding an ideal home, some buyers still want to keep browsing to check on more trends. Once you have made your choice, there is no need to keep checking for new listings. This can confuse you even more and delay the home buying process. Therefore, learn to be confident with the decision you make.

Wrapping Up

When purchasing a dream home, the initial step involves getting pre-approved for a home loan. Given that the loan will act as a guiding principle for purchase, your choices are to settle for a new or older home. Understand that issues with purchasing older homes range from simple renovations to remodeling. This means that you’ll have to spend less part of your loan so that you have enough for renovations.

Curb Appeal Tricks For Your Business

Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. If you have a ‘brick and mortar’ business, a key consideration is your curb appeal. New customers are more likely to wander in your business has a compelling appearance. The following contributed post is entitled, Curb Appeal Tricks For Your Business.

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The way that your business looks from the outside can make a lot of difference. Curb appeal is one of the many things you need to keep on top of as a business owner and can help to draw in potential customers. When customers or clients walk past or arrive at your business, an outside that looks tidy and smart makes a good impression before they even get inside.

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1. Clean the pavement. Pressure washing is the easiest to thoroughly clean the pavement, your car park, or any paved area outside your business. If the outside is clean, your business will look a lot more inviting.

2. Add some plants. Greenery and flowers are a simple way to add personality and color to the front of your businesses. Fill some planters and put them on either side of your front door. This looks welcoming and also gives visitors the impression that someone is looking after the premises.

3. Give your signage a refresh. If your signage has seen better days or has become faded, it shows that the business isn’t being looked after and this gives a bad impression. Repair any signage that needs to be fixed, and repaint anything that has faded or looks like it would benefit from a refresh. Show off your branding.

4. Sweep outside every day. The outside of your business can easily start to look scruffy, with litter, dead leaves, and cigarette ends gathering. Someone needs to sweep out front every day to clear away this unsightly litter. Before you open for the day, sweep outside so your frontage looks cared for, clean, and ready to entice people in as they arrive.

5. Change your window displays frequently. If your business has a window at the front, make the most of your space for window displays. Show off different ranges of products, and change these displays on a regular basis. If you change the displays, people who walk past the store frequently, such as on the way to work, will notice that there is something different in the window to look at and they could notice something in the window that encourages them to come inside and find out more.

6. Make it obvious what your business actually does. Anyone walking or driving by your premises should be able to tell at a quick glance what your business does. Make sure that your signage makes this very clear.

7. Make sure your parking area is well lit and well sign-posted. If your customers can park at your business, clearly signpost where the parking spaces are so people can find them. Make sure any parking restrictions are also very obvious. Customers will be put off if think they can park, but then get hit with a parking ticket. Make your parking safe with well-maintained parking lot paving and plenty of lights. If people come to your business when it’s dark, they’ll benefit from the lights to help them feel safe. It’s also a useful addition for your staff when they leave at the end of the day.

Do You Really Understand Your Expenses?

A key focus of my blog is Financial Literacy/Money. Often we purchase things and spend our hard earned money, not know why we’re doing it. We also often don’t understand the long-term ramifications of our expenses. The following contributed post is entitled, Do You Really Understand Your Expenses?

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Understanding your expenses takes a lot more effort than most people seem to think. Sure, they know money is coming in and money is going out, but they’re not taking the time to look at the details that form this big picture. And sometimes, that’s going to be detrimental for their financial health.

And if you’re the kind of person who can be a bit blasé with your money, it might be time to sit back and work out what’s really costing you month by month. Do this before your budget breaks and your savings account looks bare – don’t worry, we’ve got some tips below to help you out.

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The Three Types

It’s said that there are three main types of expenses: recurring, non recurring, and variable. Let’s go through them:

The first type of expense are the things you absolutely have to pay for, such as monthly bills or car insurance if you’re on the road.

The second type are only periodic payments, which can include yearly or bi annual bills, and often enough we forget about these.

And finally we have the variable type – things we don’t need to spend on, but we want to, such as going to the cinema, or buying a whole bunch of new clothes, or even just food shopping.

And Without Knowing the Difference, You Won’t Save Properly

When you don’t know the difference between the three expense types above, you’ll never be able to track and/or save your expenses properly. You won’t be able to distinguish between the things you must pay and the things you only want to pay for; creating a realistic budget, and being able to stick to it, revolves around this whole concept.

Put down your income first. Then fit your recurring expenses into the picture, then the things you only need to periodically pay, and then work out what’s left for the variables. This way you’ll know where savings are manageable, and what you may be spending a little too much on from time to time.

Tracking is Important

And finally, tracking your expenses is the most important thing you can do to better understand what you’re spending on. Once you know what’s recurring, what’s variable, and what’s unnecessary, you can cut back in the right areas, and funnel a bit more money to the places that really need it.

Don’t worry, you’re never going to be alone in tracking your expenses. There are plenty of tools out there to help you; for example, Pigly.Com could help you work out how much of a mortgage you could afford, or how long it’ll take to pay off that credit card debt. Either way, make good use of calculators like this to give you some real numbers to work with.

Understanding your expenses will ensure your bank account both looks good, and feels good to use. Most of all, make sure you’re tracking what’s going out, and never spending over what’s coming in.