Tag: Business

Why You Just Can’t Attract The Right People To Your Startup

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. An important part of any business/organization is attracting the personnel you need to for it to achieve its mission. The following contributed post is thus entitled; Why You Just Can’t Attract The Right People To Your Startup.

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The early days in most startups are a lot of fun. You’re usually among a team of people you respect and admire and with whom you get on well. There’s a degree of necessity in this: you need to get on so that you can pay back angel investors and venture capitalists.

But over time, startups need to take on more people, whether it’s to develop new products or support the work of the core employees. And here’s where the problems can start. New people joining an organization can often cause conflict and chaos. New arrivals may leave after several weeks if they’re not happy with the conditions. And you, as the founder, are left with the headache of trying to find somebody else to fill the role: something that’s often expensive to do.

Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why you might not be able to find the right people for your business, and how you can fix it.

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You Have A Poor Brand Or Reputation

Today’s labor market is entirely different from the labor market of the 1970s and 1980s, yet many businesses still operate as if nothing has changed. For starters, there’s far less unemployment than there was in the era of unionization and coal mining. There are many jobs, and workers have a lot of choices. Low unemployment means that workers can demand higher wages and find better jobs more easily than ever before. They don’t just have to stick with the same employer, decade after decade.

Secondly, talented people know that they’re capable. They know that they can show their CV to another firm and get a job with them quickly. Companies are crying out for people with the skills necessary to drive their businesses forward: there’s a chronic shortage right now.
Startups, therefore, need to be savvy. They can’t just rely on the fact that they provide jobs to attract people to work with them. There’s far too much choice available to people these days, especially at the high end of the market. People who are in-demand can pretty much choose who they work for and when.

Startups, therefore, need to think about how they appear as both a customer and an employer brand. Google, for instance, is one of the most attractive companies to work for in the world because of the well-known job perks the company offers to staff. Incredible office spaces, health cover, exciting days out, time each week to pursue side projects: you name it, the company does it.

Lower down the skill ladder are other companies like Zavvi, which offer excellent pay and conditions for warehouse workers, in stark contrast to some other online retailers.
Successful startups are those who can market their desirability as an employer. It’s not just about great pay: it’s also about what it’s actually like to work at your organization. Most workers would be willing to sacrifice a lower paycheck for a great relationship with their manager, for instance.

Building an employer brand isn’t as difficult as you might think. If you’re a new company, try becoming a member of the employer review site Glassdoor. Glassdoor allows employees to post reviews about their experience of working with you. Their reviews often reveal a lot about the company culture, how they can expect to be treated, and whether their peers would recommend working with you.

You Don’t Do The Basics Right

It’s no secret that startups can be chaotic. When Elon Musk and Peter Thiel were working on Paypal, it wasn’t unusual for them to put in 90-hour weeks. But just because running a startup is difficult, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t get the basics right. Just as you would judge an applicant on any spelling or grammar mistakes they made on their CV; high-quality people will do the same for you.

Make sure that you do the following:

● Check your website for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. Pay particular attention to the candidate-facing parts of your site. If you’re not a native speaker, find an internal colleague or external professional to proofread your content for you.
● Make sure your emails are well-written. Good email writing is a hallmark of a professional company and a signal to high-quality people that you are an excellent employer. Yes, it might seem trivial, but people who don’t know you or your startup usually have very little to go on, and so any obvious and silly grammatical errors may count against you. Make sure that your HR staff knows the difference between “your” and “you’re” – a particularly common mistake.

Your Recruitment Process Does Not Respect Applicants

Some companies are still stuck in the past, believing that there are thousands of people lining up to take a job with them, no matter how rude or obnoxious they are. Firms will host application days where candidates attend mass meetings together only to be berated and ridiculed by company bosses.

Startups should avoid this kind of thing altogether and instead focus on investigating each promising individual based on their merits. They should also be respectful of candidates’ time. That means reducing the length of the application process and ensuring adequate notice of any interview days or on-the-job assessments.

You’re Not Using The Right Recruiters

Inexperienced startups can fall into the trap of thinking that all recruiters are the same. But labour hire is a multifaceted process that involves creating the right linkages to relevant people and knowing where to look. Too many startups focus on building links with a single recruiter, without really thinking about whether that recruiter specializes in the right areas.

Using the wrong recruiters can result in all kinds of headaches for startups. The first issue is the fees, which can be quite substantial. But the main problem is not getting the people you need with experience to drive growth in those critical early months and years. It’s people who drive growth, and so when it doesn’t materialize, it can have a severe impact on your overall business.

You’re Focusing Too Narrowly

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Many inexperienced entrepreneurs believe that they must get the people with the exact qualifications and experience that they need, and with a personality that fits their company. If not, they should just keep on looking. But it turns out that this might not be the best strategy.

Elon Musk has repeatedly said in interviews that he wishes that he hadn’t paid so much attention to candidate’s CVs in the early days. He would often find that somebody would have the technical skills on paper, but that they just wouldn’t be very good at their job or fit in with the people around them. Over the years, he found himself regularly surprised by people who weren’t particularly good on paper, but ended up doing exceptionally well once employed in his companies.

Companies, especially startups, shouldn’t expect people to come to them fully-fledged. Instead, they should view candidates as a work-in-progress: something that requires further development as time goes on. Smart entrepreneurs choose people they believe have the potential to develop into the leaders of the future rather than just people with the right skills on paper.

Your Job Advertising Is Boring

If you’re trying to attract exciting, talented people to your organization, you need to give them a reason to read your job ad. Just stating the salary and listing bullet points of the responsibilities of the role is hardly inspiring stuff.

There are all sorts of ways that you could add a bit of “oomph” to your advert:

● Give them a flavor of your company culture. People want to work in exciting, stimulating environments where people are friendly and engaging. If this describes your startup, say so in your job ad, and make it clear that you want people with a similar approach to work as you.
● Talk about purpose. Talented people are rarely satisfied with going to work to get a paycheck. They want real meaning in their lives. If your startup is trying to do something that will make the world a better place, then talk about this in your ad. Make it clear that the candidate who gets the job will have meaning and purpose in their role.
● Use exciting, personable language. Finally, it’s worth thinking about how you present the job. Many startups believe that they have to be as dry as possible to come across as professional, but doing so is unlikely to attract the most interesting people. It’s much better to use exciting language and to really tell a story about what the job entails. Draw them in – don’t push them out.

You Haven’t Described The Role

Newbie entrepreneurs sometimes struggle to accurately define roles in their businesses, just because their needs change all the time. A startup that needs a software programmer may not know exactly what kind of programmer they need, or what additional responsibilities they may have.

Unclear job ads can lead to employing unsuitable people who leave after a couple of weeks when they realize that they cannot do the work. Be precise about what you need in your advertisements, or consult with external recruiting professionals if you’re not sure.

Don’t Let Your Business Fall At The First Hurdle

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Many people say they want to start businesses but they’re unclear on what actually goes into starting one. What some important considerations for starting a business? The following contributed post is entitled; Don’t Let Your Business Fall At The First Hurdle.

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It’s easy to see why starting a business can be so tempting. Getting to do business your way. Being in charge of your own decisions. Providing the market with a fresh, new service or product it sorely needs. It’s exciting and has the potential to grow into something great. But when you’re starting your own business you can’t afford to do things by halves. You need to make sure to do your research to ensure that you’re running your business as well as possible. The trouble is, there are so many different elements that go into creating and running a business that it’s easy to miss some important ones. Here are some aspects of running a business you might not be aware of, but will definitely want to keep in mind.

How will you pay yourself?

It seems obvious right? Of course, you need to be able to pay yourself! That makes it all the more ridiculous just how many people forget to think about this when setting up a business. The passion of starting something close to your heart can be overwhelming. Not to mention the focus on turning a profit can leave things like personal payment in the shadows. The last thing you want is to realize you’ve been budgeting for everything except actually being able to eat, sleep and stay warm. You might want to plow all your profits straight back into the business. But shaving enough off the top to provide yourself with a wage is more important than that extra profit. If you’re not able to run the business at all, it will work out worse for everyone in the long-term.

Who are your customers?

Again, this might seem obvious. But too many businesses go forward with only a vague idea of who their target customer really is. Make sure that you’re thinking beyond just age and gender. Create a clear and detailed profile of your customers. That way you can focus your energy on providing them with the best product, service or user experience possible. Focusing in this way will end up being far more useful and productive than trying to please everyone.

The physical realities of your business

You might think that businesses can exist entirely online these days. However, the truth is that there’s still plenty of brick and mortar elements that you need to remember. From things like whether or not you’ve got enough space for your employees to smart parking systems, you can afford to ignore the physical side of your business. There are some things that are just as important no matter what year it is.

The truth is that there are so many different things that go into creating a successful business that it can often be pretty overwhelming. The truth is that the only way that you’re going to be able to keep on top of it all is to make sure that you’re planning things out as carefully as you possibly can. Without a clear business plan, you’re just going to end up falling at the first hurdle.

The Hottest Business Trends For Entrepreneurs To Jump On Right Now

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurs should always have their eyes on what’s going on to potentially take advantage of the next great opportunities. The following contributed post is entitled, The Hottest Business Trends For Entrepreneurs To Jump On Right Now.

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The difference between a good entrepreneur and an excellent one is that the latter will concern themselves with adapting to current trends. You should always be looking out for potential business ideas that can take off shortly, catapulting you towards profits.

On that note, I’ve been doing some research and come up with three of the hottest business trends to jump on right now. These are some of the best business ideas you could hope to start, and they’re only going to get more popular!

Bespoke Software Development

Starting things off on a rather technology-focused foot, the last year has seen an increased demand in bespoke software development for businesses. We’re in a digital world, and companies are no longer looking to use packaged software, opting for a customized design instead. It puts them in a position of power as they have a unique piece of software that’s made for them, and can help make their company more productive. So, this is definitely a trend to look into! Start your own software development company today, and you can start creating bespoke software for different businesses. There’s loads of money in this sector, and the demand is higher than ever!

Eco-Friendly Gardening

As far as small businesses go, gardening has always been a sector that reaps plenty of profits. People need gardening services to help maintain their backyard, and there’s been a rise in eco-friendly methods as of late. It’s a booming world, and one you can quickly jump on board with. There are loads of different ideas out there, such as using mulch delivery to provide a more environmentally friendly solution to a weed problem. Or, even something as simple as setting up a garden cleaning business where you trim trees and bushes, but then recycle all the waste, so it’s used again. This is a big trend as everyone worries about climate change, so it makes sense to jump on it right now.

Influencer Marketing

It’s no secret that online influencers are quickly becoming a business’s best friend. Companies are starting to piggyback on the social presence of influencers to help market and advertise their products/services. Log into Instagram right now, and you’ll probably see a handful of people trying to market something as part of a brand deal or sponsorship they have. It’s proven to be very effective, but where does this fit in with the idea of business trends? Well, seeing as more and more companies are looking for influencers, this means they need a way of finding the right people for the job. As such, an influencer marketing agency is the perfect business idea. You work as the middle-man between influencers and businesses, matching the ideal partners with one another. Influencers get paid, businesses get targeted marketing, and you get a load of cash for your part in the deal.

Fancy your chances at starting a new business? Then think about any of these three ideas as they’re very hot right now! Bespoke software development is becoming more and more central in the business world, eco-friendly gardening is slowly being seen as essential, and influencer marketing is a massive industry.

You’re Not Selling Your Business Enough

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. The most important aspect of any business is its sales. Directly related to that is your business’s marketing. The following contributed post is thus entitled; You’re Not Selling Your Business Enough.

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The most important thing that you could possibly do with your business, is sell it right. There are so many people out there who are just focused on one goal, and that one goal is usually based around getting as many sales as possible. Which we probably think you think this article was going to be about. If you’re not selling your business enough, we must be on about selling products, right? Wrong, selling yourself is all about getting your business image across. Because despite what you might think, a lot of customer appeal comes from the brand itself, rather than the products being sold. For example, think about the brands Nike vs Reebok. No, we’re not saying the Reebok isn’t a good brand, because it really is. But when you think about the two your mind is going to instantly look to Nike because it’s the bigger and better brand, not necessarily the better product! So, before we ramble on in this section too much, we want to show you how you can sell your business as a whole a bit more, so that you can focus on making money, rather than selling products!

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Who Knows About You?

Or should we say, who would you like to know about you? When thinking about who you might want to know about you, your options could either be general, or you might need to be specific. For example, if you were to be selling beauty products, there’s no reason why a car manufacturer would be interested in you. You have a certain target audience to meet, and you need to know everything about them if you want to succeed as a small business, and even progress into a much bigger one. To know your audience, you’re going to have to know their likes and dislikes, and what can put you above everyone else. Market research should achieve some of this for you, but you can also look at buying trends on the internet. Then, you need to think about how people are going to find out about you. As a small company your resources might be limited, meaning you can’t run as many effective marketing campaigns as you would if you had a bit more of a bigger business, with bigger finances. But there are some techniques that are going to work better for you than others, one of those being digital signage. You have to think that everything nowadays is digital, so using digital signage rather than paper leaflets or menus is going to attract a lot more attention. You could display offers or information that could draw new customers in. You can find more about digital signage here! Another techniques that we definitely recommend using is content marketing. It’s a way of getting your name out there through online content such as blogs or vlogs. It will usually be the case that a blog post which doesn’t directly link to the client is produced, and then a link to the client is slipped in discretely.

Have You Attended Trade Events?

If you haven’t attended trade events, then you won’t even realise the potential that they could hold for your business. If ever there were a place to sell your business, it would be here! It’s face to face interaction with the people who are going to possibly change your business. Say if you were a marketing company at an event, and there were big companies walking around trying to find their next marketing campaign to partner with. If you were to sell yourself so much so that you gained a contract with a big company, it could totally change the future of your business! There will no doubt be plenty of trade events in your local area as well, or you might find that you have to travel a little bit. If you do have to travel, you could even have the potential of meeting customers you might not have if you stayed in your local area. You can either attend these events as a customer, and walk around to see all of the stools yourself who might be your competitors. This will give you access to information in depth about how their company works, so you might be able to get some great tips from them! Or, you could pay to have your own stand where you’re able to sell your business directly to the people who matter. It’s a great atmosphere, there’s usually so much to learn, and there’s such a potential to earn as well!

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What’s Your Business Focus?

You should never lose sight of your focus. You always need to make sure that you’re concentrating on the things that are going to push your business forward the most. If you have no forward thinking plan, you have nothing to guide your business. You might not be able to move forward quicker, and you might lose sight of what you originally started your business for. So think about your focus at the minute. Are you focused more on customers, sales, product design… what is it that is driving your business at the minute? If you don’t say everything, then you’re not doing it right. At some points yes, you will have to focus on certain areas more than you would others, but for the most part you should have a clear idea in your head of all of the areas of your business. As a whole, you should be focusing on growth, and how you can always be one step ahead of the other companies around you!

How Do You Design Your Products Or Services?

It doesn’t matter if you’re selling services or products, there’s a few general things that you should be thinking about when designing a new part of them. With services, you should always be thinking about what the customer might be missing in their lives at the minute. So, if you’re selling marketing services, you need to think about what tactics the customers you’re trying to reach haven’t used before, and how your company can provide them. The more services you’re able to provide that are relevant to your line of work, the more money you’re going to be able to earn. You also need to make sure they’re streamlined to provide the fastest services. There are so many companies out there who’s processes for their services are just so long. There’s so many steps to the process, and it can just be so annoying to keep following. Keeping it short and sweet is definitely what you need to keep in mind when you think about your services.

If we’re talking about your products, your design work always needs to be creative. You can’t be the sheep when it comes to design, you have to make yours look better and be better in every way. The best way that you can actually do this is to get product design specialists on the scene. They would be able to tell you what makes a good product, what your design idea might be lacking at the minute, and how you can just make it better overall!

What’s Your Customer Service Like?

We hope that it would be amazing, but that’s not always the case as you might know from personal experience. Sometimes you just get super bad customer service, usually in fast food restaurants or shopping malls. All you can do is walk away and think, ‘damn, that was terrible’. And that thought can stay with you a couple of days, and you’ll definitely be put off returning to that store. Are we right? We thought so! So, now think about how you might be able to change your customer service so that it’s perfect. You can learn from your own personal experiences, and you can also learn from online courses that will show you exactly what is needed when interacting with customers to get the best result possible. You should always be looking for the sale, but you also need to make sure that you’re focused on keeping your customers happy. A top tip from us would be that customers love a bargain, so make sure you’re always offering discounts at the til where you possibly can. If you know you’re getting bad reviews with your customer service, then you definitely have something to be worried about. A bad opinion can go along way, especially to customers who haven’t heard of you before. All they will need to see is a dodgy review or two, and they’ll be searching for your competitors instead. Deal with any customer complaints as quickly as possible, and always make sure that you’re focused on making your customers happy on a day to day basis.

So, do you think you have been given a few good ways that you can sell your business a little bit better, or even more than you have been doing. When you have so many people around you competing for the same customers you are, it’s so important that you’re focused on making your business known!

Business Burnout: What Is It and How Can We Avoid It?

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Running a business, especially if it’s one you started personally, and it can exact a heavy toll. This toll can eventually lead to burnout. The following contributed post is thus entitled; Business Burnout: What Is It and How Can We Avoid It?

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Are you suffering from business burnout?

Chances are, you may be, or you may be on the road to this very serious problem.

If…

– you no longer have a passion for what you are doing
– you feel stressed at the thought of going into work each day
– you have lost your creative edge with your projects
– you are getting snappy and irritated with yourself, your staff, and your customers

Then you may have business burnout. Or, as we said, you may be on the way to suffering from the problem.

We can get business burnout by…

– not getting enough rest each day
– working longer than we should be on a regular basis
– not dealing with the stresses that our business can cause us
– being hard on ourselves and our perceived failings

When you have business burnout, you are going to suffer. Your physical and mental health will take a knock, as you may have to deal with feelings of anxiety, depression, and exhaustion. And your business will suffer too, as your productivity will be low, the morale of your coworkers will take a hit because of your example, and you will struggle to keep things fresh within your business.

So, what can be done about it?

Well, if you are struggling to work because your mind and body are battling against you, then it may be time to take a rest. Outsource essential parts of your business to firms such as this web design agency or delegate more to your employees, and take a break. You need it – your health depends on it, as does your business.

However, if you haven’t hit business burnout yet, there are ways to avoid becoming the victim of the problem.

Consider the following.

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1. Organize your day

How is your work-life balance? Are you taking enough breaks? Are you getting home at a reasonable hour? Organize your day, so you are able to take time to rest. Focus on your productivity, so you are able to go home without taking work with you. Cut out anything that might distract you from getting your work done on time. And create a schedule that allows you to do your job efficiently, with enough room for getting some headspace when you need it.

2. Delegate more

We have already suggested you should delegate more, especially when there are people within your team capable of taking on board some of your tasks. And as we also suggested, you might also outsource some of your work to other firms, especially those tasks that eat up your time, or that you are ill-equipped to deal with effectively. By handing over your workload, you are freeing up your time to focus on those tasks that are more prevalent to you, as well as giving you a clearer headspace to organize your day. Many hands make light work, so they say. Many hands will also lighten the burdens that may be overwhelming you.

3. Find your stressors

We all get stressed, but if you have any stressors that weigh on your mind more than most, you need to deal with them. Work out what they are, consider strategies to help you cope with the stress, and where possible, take steps to eliminate these stressors from your life. The sooner you can do this, the better!

4. Learn the art of saying no

The more you take on, the more overworked you will be, and the greater the chance of you suffering from burnout. Therefore, say “no.” If you are unable to take on another project, turn it down, as you may only hurt your business by handing in something with poor quality if you are already overworked. If you are asked to attend a meeting, be that at your place of work or elsewhere, consider why you should. If there is no need for you to attend, then don’t. And if you are tempted to stay late after work to complete something that lies unfinished, tell yourself “no.” You have a life outside of work, and you need to live it before you overwork yourself and feel the physical and mental consequences later.

5. Take time off occasionally

At the start of each quarter, book time off. It doesn’t matter whether you have a staycation or go for a vacation further afield, you still need to have that ‘me time.’ And when you are off work, leave any evidence of your business in your office. You need a clear break where you aren’t forced to think about your business, as you won’t get a proper rest otherwise.

So, how are you today? Feeling good? Or are you feeling tired and low, and in need of a rest? Whatever the case, consider what we have said today. Burnout is an issue for many business owners, but by taking care of yourself and your business needs, you don’t let it have to become an issue for you.

Take care, and thanks for reading!

The 4 Rules Of Business Data

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. Most businesses today manage enormous amounts of data and this comes with numerous considerations as it must be handled both efficiently and safely. The following contributed discusses four rules for this and is entitled, The 4 Rules Of Business Data.

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Businesses work with data every day. Whether they collect, analyze, transfer or interpret, enterprises rely on data at every single step of their processes. With million sensitive pieces of information being stored and used as part of business activities, no company can afford to fail behind data management standards. Indeed, with the acquisition of confidential and sensitive data comes the responsibility of using these judiciously and safely.
Companies have a digital liability to honor for their employees and clients by following an explicit data management strategy. Admittedly, while every company is free to design their policy, you can find an overarching guideline to help you navigate through the troubled waters of data management. Typically, businesses are expected to respect four data rules:

Cloud computing offers excellent data accessibility

Make them compliant
Since May 2018 and the launch of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) by the EU, the words data compliance have been on every mouth. In reality, data compliance refers to the need for a company to comply with the legal requirements in force regarding their data processes. For citizens from the EU zone, GDPR is the main data compliance body. However, you’ll find that your business needs to obey a variety of legal requirements depending on the kind of data you use. Medical data, for instance, respond to the HIPAA compliance – which you can ensure using the managed compliance services from NAHS for example. Schools and other education institutions need to comply with a different set of requirements. Banks also rely on specific data compliance bodies. In other words, your data need to be processed accordingly to the specifications in your sector.

Protect them from accidental loss and damage
Your data are precious. Losing them doesn’t only affect your day-to-day activities, but it also damages your credibility. Consequently, companies need to protect themselves from data disasters as best as they can. Every business need to deploy an effective and secure backup solution to recover everything that is vital to your business survival. Keeping a copy – physically or digitally, or even both – is primordial.

Data backup

Make them safely accessible to your team
Data management requires sharing, collaborating and research within the data collection. While holding physical data backups can be helpful in the case of loss or damage, it’s a waste of time when it comes to encouraging your teams to work together. Making your data accessible through a secure digital interface, such as cloud computing, employees with the ability to access the information they need in a click. However, the key focus about cloud solution is their security; your data should be only accessible to your coworkers.

Ensure they are correct at all times
Last; but not least, most confidential people data are deemed to evolve through time. People, indeed, can change their address, name, specific data preferences, and so on. As part of the GDPR regulations, users are allowed to request access to their information, for correction or removal purposes. Similarly, you need to maintain your customer data accurate even outside of the GDPR zone, which implies providing customers with the opportunity to correct the information.

Every business that works with data needs to follow the 4 rules of data management: Compliance, protection, accessibility, and correctness. Failure to respect these rules can lead to a loss in reputation, revenues, and competitiveness.

What Should You Do When You Don’t Know What Your IT Needs Are

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. Most business enterprises today have Information Technology IT needs and its important to know what they are so you can make sure they’re met. The following contributed post is thus entitled; What Should You Do When You Don’t Know What Your IT Needs Are.

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Every business is reliant on IT in some way. IT is what allows us to store, analyze and manipulate information to refine processes and improve results. In other words, IT is the system we use to track the number of sales a business makes and figure out a strategy for improving that number.

But the only problem is, most entrepreneurs aren’t IT specialists. This means that while you probably already know that you need some form of IT system, you may not know which system is best for you, or even if you would be better off designing your own.

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to work out what you need and make sure that you get it. And, once you have your IT sorted out, computer support and network maintenance will certainly follow naturally.

Define the Problem You Want to Solve

The first step is to define the problem you want your IT system to solve. In many cases, this is simply about figuring out which existing system is the best fit. For example, if you are running a shop, you will want to track your stock, know exactly what is selling and be able to monitor your profits. You won’t need to get a specialist to design this for you as most shops work in pretty much the same way and have the same requirements.

However, if you are a more unique business operating system, your IT needs aren’t likely to be covered by something off the shelf, you may need to design your own. In this case, you should try to write down exactly what you want the software to do. For example, you may require clients to fill out a form which takes them to different pages according to their answers.

The simplest way to approach this kind of design is to start by asking questions. What you do want the person using the system to be able to do and what is the best route for them to take? We all rely on our intuition to guide us through life and technology is no different. Don’t try to be clever or over complicate things; create something that a child could navigate and you won’t go far wrong!

Find the Right Solution For Your Needs

Any designer should be able to work out an intuitive solution based on the problems that you present. When everything is set up and running exactly as you envisioned, you will see a major benefit so it is important that you get the details right early on. However, don’t be afraid to develop your idea as you go along. While Version One might be just fine, Version Two could perfect the system. And, it would be wise to know now that your business is likely to change over the coming years and build in that flexibility from the start!

Finding IT solutions doesn’t require a degree in computer science, you just need to be able to articulate a problem and then get help working towards a good solution. You might feel daunted now, but once you are in the thick of it, you will see just how powerful IT can be.

The Importance of Language In Business

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. In any of life’s arenas, language and communication is critical. In business it can be the difference between profit and loss. The following contributed post is thus entitled; The Importance of Language In Business.

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Clearly, language is something that we all use every day, and it is an incredibly powerful tool which has to be mastered for many other essentials to take place. In the world of business, it is no different, and that is something which is worth considering if you are aiming to make sure that your business is as successful as possible. If you can find a way to master language in its many uses throughout a business, you will find that it makes a positive difference to how well your business is doing, so that is definitely something to consider. For that, you will need to be aware of all the ways in which language crops up in your business, and how it affects it too. Let’s take a look at that now, to get a little clearer on it.

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Communication In The Office

You need to have clear communication in your offices if you are to hope for an efficient and expedient workplace, and this is something that a lot of managers are constantly trying to work on and improve. The fact is that the better the communication in the workplace, the more likely it is that things will go to plan. It is only when there is miscommunication and misunderstanding that real problems arise, so mastering communication in the workplace is hugely important. How can we do this, exactly? One powerful way might be to host regular training sessions in which employees learn how best to communicate with one another in the office. You might be surprised at how much of a difference this can make, and it is certainly something you will want to consider if you are hoping to improve how well your workplace works on a daily basis.

Expanding Overseas

One of the trickier forms of language in business is when you are expanding overseas and you need to speak with people who speak other languages. Unless you happen to be proficient in a common language, it is going to be a challenge to get any real communication underway – and that can affect the nature and effectiveness of your business massively. Fortunately, there are a number of solutions to consider. You can, for instance, communicate via email or direct messaging and simply translate one another’s messages – to translate your own before sending. But such online translation tools are rarely accurate, and you might be better off using a professional translation service – see these Para Plus translations reviews for an example of that.

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Text & Its Shortcomings

When you have to communicate with anyone merely by text – for instance, online or via email – you might be aware of some of the less favorable aspects of having to do that. We have all had experience of being misinterpreted or having our tone misconstrued, and when this happens in a business setting it can have disastrous results. On these occasions, it’s best to switch to voice instead. You might find that this allows for a much more effective and expedient communication, with less worry.

Where Your Business Is Wasting Time And What To Do About It

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success. Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. Arguably our most valuable resource is time and the same is true for your business enterprise. It’s thus valuable to maximize time and not waste it. The following contributed post is entitled; Where Your Business Is Wasting Time And What To Do About It.

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Do you realize that your business could actually be wasting an inordinate amount of time? If you’re not actively making sure your business is being as productive as possible and making the most of time and other resources you have available, you might really struggle to make your business a success.

Below, we’re going to discuss why your business is wasting time and what you can do about it. Take a look and you’ll change your business for the better:

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You’re Still Doing Reports That Are No Longer Necessary
There’s a tendency in both public and private sector businesses to do reports more often than necessary. Compiling these reports is without question one of the biggest wastes of time and resources. Not only is time wasted when they are created, but by even looking at them and discussing them!

Using Social Media Too Often
You do need to use social media as a business, but if it isn’t being used properly then it’s just a huge waste of time. One specific mistake often made is that companies aren’t looking at the analytics of their social media promotion – if you’re not looking at this how will you ever know if it’s working? Algorithm changes are something you need to take into account too. This means analytics and data reporting are essential. Hiring a social media manager who has got to grips with all of this will be a huge help.

Not Updating Your Outdated Processes
Just because something worked when you started business 10 years ago doesn’t mean that it needs to be done in the same way today. If this is your attitude then you probably have a ton of outdated processes that need to be updated. There are likely all kinds of software and machinery that can help you to become more productive and efficient; letting computers take control of workflow management can save time, increase efficiency, and more.

You’re Not Outsourcing Correctly
Outsourcing correctly is imperative to your business. Business IT Consulting for example, can help your business to save a ton of time, as well as a fortune in terms of saved downtime. With the right partners you can make your business far more efficient. You have to get rid of the urge to keep everything in house, as this is never the most effective thing to do!

Communicating Too Much
If employees are always communicating by email or chat, it can be a waste of everybody’s time. Encouraging open communication is a must, but there’s a difference between communicating productively and communicating all day without really getting anything done. Make sure they know the difference. You shouldn’t micromanage or ban them from talking, but they should know how to do so effectively.

Are you wasting time in your business any of the above ways? What are you going to do about it? Leave your own thoughts below. Thanks for reading!

7 Checks To Make Before You Launch Your Startup

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. When launching your startup company, there were couple of things to keep in mind. Seven of the of them are discussed in this contributed post which is entitled; 7 Checks To Make Before You Launch Your Startup.

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Before you launch your startup, you need to make sure you have everything in place. Below, we have 7 checks you should make before launch, so that you can ensure everything is ready to go – yourself included. Take a look and see if there’s anything else you need to do to succeed:

1. Have You Checked Out The Competition Thoroughly Enough?
Researching your competitors thoroughly is a must. You want to know exactly what they are doing and how you can differentiate yourself from them. If you don’t know as much as possible about them, you won’t know if you’re offering something viable and different enough to get people to come to you instead.

2. Have You Put Enough Thought Into Funding?
Funding should be your number one concern at the beginning of your business. You need to make sure you have enough cash to start, get through those agonizing first few months where you’re drumming up business, and keep you going if you need equipment, or an emergency crops up. You can get funding from friends, family, banks, peer to peer lending – whatever works for you. Make sure you put enough thought into it.

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3. Is Your Premises Ready To Go?
You need to make sure your premises is suitable and ready to go before you launch, whether you’re starting from your bedroom or your office. Do you have everything you need, such as the right equipment and a strong internet connection? Perhaps you need to change and update a few things with the right kind of piping before you can get things done there. Make sure you triple check everything.

4. Have You Sought Out Advice From Experts And Mentors?
Make sure you seek out experts and mentors in the industry and ask them for advice. At the very least, watch their YouTube videos, read their blogs, and listen to their podcasts. Really educate yourself on what it’s going to take to make this work.

5. Have You Found The Right Marketing Agency?
Sorry, but you’re not going to be able to do your marketing yourself. It’s smart to want to save money in the beginning, but doing so in marketing will likely only hinder you. Having a professional company that has proven results do it for you will give you peace of mind and allow you to spend more time doing what you’re good at.

6. Have You Put Together A Business Plan?
You should always have a business plan before you launch your business. Putting one together is far easier these days, as there’s tons of advice and templates online that can help you.

7. Have You Got The Right People Around You?
Making sure you have the right people around you is key. This goes for employees, lawyers, accountants, financial advisors, and even friends and family – the people you have around you will make a huge difference to your success. Cut out toxic people and make sure you do your research before bringing anybody on board.