 Image credit: 500 Photos from Pexels Company drivers may seem less influential in a business' growth, but they can turn it into a reputable company when managed well. Successful company drivers can be brand ambassadors making people flock to your company. How can you make sure company drivers boost your business success? Take note of these things:
Hire Right Everyone understands how important it is to hire the right person for the job. It is not only crucial for regular employees but even more so for company drivers. They are often behind the wheel, away from company supervision. Hiring right means having drivers who don't require constant monitoring to do the right thing. If they have a negative, this can quickly rub on those they associate with ruining the company's reputation. Additionally, a good driver should save the company money. They do this by: Reducing the Cost of Loss They're always careful on the roads minimizing the chances of getting involved in an accident. As you will realize, fleet injury claims are a huge concern for many businesses. Reducing this cost can significantly boost your business growth. However, always have talented car accident lawyers to represent your drivers and the company when the unfortunate happens. They Boost the Company Image As mentioned earlier, good drivers can be brand ambassadors. Note that when your branded company vehicles are on the highway, everyone notices the driver's behaviour. How they relate with other road users, company clients, and other stakeholders portrays a particular image. Professional, trustworthy, careful, and ready to help drivers send a positive message. Adequately Train the Drivers As much as the drivers come on board with certifications, it is necessary to train them. The effort will not only make them better, but it illustrates the company cares for absolute professionalism. Let them understand what the job entails as each is different. To achieve successful training, create a certified course each driver has to go through before they're allowed to drive. Empower Them with the Right Tools Just like any other job, the drivers need to be adequately empowered to handle their tasks satisfactorily. They should drive comfortable and safe cars. Additionally, ensure they have mobile devices so they can reach you in case of any emergencies when on the roads. Have the vehicles regularly maintained to ensure they are always safe to drive. Ensure The Drivers Have the Necessary Resources Drivers need to have specific resources to do their job well. Ensure you provide these resources, including fuel, company petrol card, road maps, and even manuals if need be. Communication is also essential. Have readily accessible communication channels and an open-door policy that encourages the drivers to approach the management when facing issues or concerns. It builds an atmosphere of trust and understanding. Set Goals Everyone performs at their best when they have set goals to achieve. Let them know what you expect of them and how they are supposed to achieve their targets. Doing this boosts the company's growth as well as keeps the employees motivated and focused. The set expectations should include the required mode of conduct and attitude. Stress the need to protect themselves and their vehicles by wearing seatbelts and protective gear when on the roads. Doing so will not only save them from unnecessary injuries, but it shows you care for their welfare. Other expectations when on the road include:
Fatigued drivers are dangerous to other road users, making it essential to provide them with adequate time to relax. There needs to be a set time for drivers' breaks so they can refresh their minds. Have set rules for hours each driver should be on the road before they can take a break. Encourage a work-life balance by giving them time to rest and be with loved ones. If possible, consider a flexible work hours' policy so you can adjust timings to suit everybody's lifestyles. Adequately motivate the drivers and let them know how important they are to the company. A small bonus now and then can make a huge difference in their lives. It is often enough to keep them happy, determined, and hard-working. Keep your drivers happy, and they will keep the business growing.
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 Image credit: Tracy Le Blanc Social media has become a valuable marketing platform for businesses. When used correctly, it can be a way of not just building brand exposure but generating new customers. Below are some of the tricks for building customers through social media.
Create eye-catching content Getting people to notice you on social media requires creating eye-catching content. Ideally, it needs to not just be evocative but provocative - when people see your posts they should have the urge to interact either by liking it or commenting on it. So just how do you create such content? Images and videos tend to be the best option for encouraging engagement. When it comes to images, you should consider content such as attention-grabbing photos of your product or service, fascinating infographics related to your industry or humorous original image memes. When it comes to videos, you could consider a product advertisement, an educational video that boosts your credibility or possibly even a semi-educational behind-the-scenes video of you making your product. In most cases, you’ll want to hire a professional to help you create this content such as a product photographer, graphic designer, animator or video production company. This will ensure that your content is high quality. Text content can still be eye-catching but you should generally keep it snappy so that it can be read at a glance. Consider spicing it up with emojis and hashtags. Text should always accompany images and videos. Promote events and deals Most people follow brand accounts to keep updated on events or deals. Make sure that you’re posting this type of content from time to time. When it comes to events, make sure to advertise all the necessary information such as date, time and location. It’s worth creating a hashtag for your event that people involved can share. If it’s a ticketed event, make sure to share a link to a page where people can buy tickets. Start promoting early so that people have enough time to plan ahead. When it comes to deals like discounts and 2-for-one offers, use images and emojis to help your posts stand out. Supply a link to a webpage where people can buy the discounted product or service. If it’s for a limited time or there is limited stock, make sure to make this clear. Run competitions Social media competitions are great for generating buzz around your company. In turn, they can help you to convert customers. Competitions typically involve giving away a product or service for free to a single winner. They can take the form of a raffle or lottery in which contestants are put into a random draw. Alternatively, you can challenge contestants to answer a question: you could challenge people to come up with a name for your next product and give a prize to the contestant with the best suggestion, or you could challenge customers to guess how many sweets are in a jar (or something similar and industry-relevant) and then give away a prize to the most accurate answer. It’s worth adding a link to a competition webpage where contestants can sign up opposed to relying on social media comments. As part of entering your competition, you could encourage contestants to follow you on social media or join your mailing list. All in all, use the competition as a chance to build buzz around your company - you may encourage some contestants that aren’t winners to buy your product or use your service in the future. Make use of targeted adverts Targeted adverts allow you to pay money to target posts at specific audiences. You get to set parameters such as location, sex and age. This can be great for helping your content to reach the right people, helping you to build customers and not just engagements. It’s worth keeping a budget when running adverts to avoid spending too much. Use performance reports on your advertisement campaigns in order to improve future advertisement campaigns. Respond promptly to queries Social media is one of the few publicly interactive forms of marketing. Consumers that are interested in your product have the option to comment and ask questions. A well-run social media brand account is able to respond to these queries promptly in order to convert leads while they are still hot. This involves checking your social media accounts daily. On top of responding to queries, there may be other comments worth replying to. Complaints and false statements should be diffused so that they don’t have a negative impression on other potential leads - this could include apologising for mistakes or correcting false rumours. If people show interest with comments such as ‘this is great!’ capitalize on this with a link to your product. Build recommendations Facebook has got rid of its review system but now has a recommendations feature. It’s worth asking happy customers to recommend you on Facebook. This could help improve trust in consumers looking at your Facebook page, possibly encouraging them to buy your product or use your service. Check analytics Analytics can tell you which type of content is performing well so that you can repost or replicate these types of content. When it comes to posts containing links, it’s worth looking at how many people have clicked on the link and whether this has created any customers - this is a better indicator of whether a post is successful than the amount of likes and comments. You can use social media analytics and website analytics to work out this information. Look at what your competitors are doing It could be worth checking your competitors to see what they are up to. There may be content ideas that you can take inspiration from. At the same time, there may be ways in which you can set yourself apart. Be wary of taking part in ‘brand wars’. This has become popular among large established brands and involves jokily criticising competitor brands. With local small brands it may not have the same impact and may damage your reputation.  Image credit: Free-Photos from Pixabay If you are working in the construction industry, there are many different avenues you can go down and different disciplines you can learn. Whether you are looking to start your own construction business or you want to specialise in an area to get more jobs - here are some of the different types of training you can get to help you in your construction career.
Crane driver training If you are up for a challenge and you like the idea of operating heavy machinery - becoming a licensed crane driver can be a great idea. All construction jobs that have multiple storeys need a crane driver to help carry beams, furniture, and other items up to great heights. By learning how to drive a crane you can become an essential asset to your construction company and this will also help you to find more jobs. Scaffolding One thing you can consider training in as a construction worker is the formation of scaffolding. Scaffolding courses can be done all over the world and by taking a certified scaffolding course you can gain some key knowledge about how to protect a construction project as well as be an asset to your team. Bricklaying If you want to start from the ground up, one fun way to learn more in construction is to learn about bricklaying. This is a skill that you will be able to take with you to your jobs as well as to your own DIY projects at home. If you are hoping to get involved in more residential projects then bricklaying is a great place to start. Thatching Thatching roofs is something that is a real art form and a craft, and if you love to be out in the sun during the day this can be the ideal type of training for you to try. Roof thatching is a unique skill and one which you will become known for and this will make it easier for you to get jobs and be brought on projects. Consider learning this fun craft and see what goes into roof thatching. Plastering Plastering is a skill that is beautiful, and depending on the type of plastering job you do, it can be a real art form. Textured walls and ceilings can be incredibly hard to achieve unless you are qualified and as a trained plasterer you will be able to create stunning designs as well as smooth walls and ceilings for people all over. Decorating If you are more interested in the last part of any project - why not take a course in decorating and learn how to properly paint, wallpaper, and lay flooring? This can be a diverse job and one that allows you to be a little creative as well as take your skills to some great projects both in residential and commercial settings. Consider trying some of these different training programmes if you are hoping to work in the construction industry this year, and start to grow and thrive within this industry.  Image credit: Lalmch from Pixabay Everyone is searching for those ways to become their own boss and leave the 9 to 5 behind for good. And while there are a lot of good ideas out there, one that is sparking everyone’s attention is dropshipping. So, what is drop shipping and why you should think about doing it yourself.
What is dropshipping? Dropshipping is a form of selling that means that you don’t have to hold any stock. This fulfilment shipping is a great way to have your own virtual store by reducing your warehouse overheads to nothing. All you have to do is build a website and get people to buy stuff. You would work with a shipping partner to supply your customers with the goods that they want. You, the owner of the website store, never have to see or handle the products that you are selling. This sounds like a scam, are there any successful dropshipping companies? We know it might sound like a scam but it is a completely legitimate way to run a business. There are many different dropshipping stores that are pulling in several thousand dollars of profit every day. You pay the shipping partner their wholesale price, you sell the item at a higher price that you set yourself. The difference between those two prices is pure profit and all for you to keep. If you want to learn about a success story, meet Irwin Dominguez from San Diego. Within 8 months made $1,000,000 in profit as a dropshipper. What is the downside? The downside is that your shipping partners can be unreliable. You need to choose carefully who you are working with to ensure that your customers are receiving their products. There are also the problems that come with customer service, and being a one-person team. You might want to leave the 9 to 5 behind, but getting started with dropshipping can be time-consuming. If this is something that you want to do, you should research as much as you can to ensure that your store will be a successful one. Can anyone do it? Yes! One of the best things about dropshipping is that anyone with an eye for creating and a laptop can become a dropshipper. You can set up your store within a couple of days. As we stated in the previous point, it is better if you do your research, but this information is available to anyone. You don’t need to have a business degree to make this a success story. A lot of the platforms have guides and academies so you can learn the best ways to make your new business work. And there you have it. A simple way to create your own online store that you can run from your kitchen table in your pj’s. You never have to leave the house while you are running it unless you want to. Check out some of the free guides that are available and see if this could be the newest business venture for you.  Image credit: Tiger Lily from Pexels Warehouses are big industrial buildings that require a lot of management. Still, they're an essential part of the business world as a whole, providing a location for many different key companies. You might have a manufacturing warehouse where your business makes things for clients, or you could have a distribution warehouse that stores goods and gets them ready for delivery. There are many different uses for warehouses, but all of them require a good deal of management.
To help you understand some of the key elements of warehouse management, here's a checklist to go through: Equipment maintenance No matter what type of warehouse you operate, you will have equipment to help you do your daily tasks. One crucial part of warehouse management is maintaining your equipment. You need to run daily checks to ensure things are functioning correctly, making a note of how things are. These checks help you identify issues as soon as they happen, so you can solve them before your equipment causes significant problems in the warehouse. Cleanliness A clean warehouse is vital at all times. You may think that cleanliness is just an aesthetic concern, but it's much more than that. A dirty or messy warehouse can cause so many health & safety problems that can very quickly lead to accidents. Therefore, maintaining your warehouse cleanliness should be a top priority. There needs to be a system that ensures the property is cleaned daily and gets a deep clean weekly. This will prevent things like dust from building up and causing health & safety woes. Employee punctuality You will employ plenty of people to help you run this warehouse and conduct daily operations. As a result, you need a system that lets you understand when your employees arrive and leave. Traditionally, you'd have a clocking-in system where people put a card in a machine and it punches the time. Nowadays, modern versions of this exist, but the point is that you need your employees to clock in and out every day. It helps you understand if people are turning up on time and leaving when they should. Stocktaking Finally, you need to consider stocktaking when managing your warehouse. This refers to all of the stock you have, and how depleted it will be. Think about everything you need and use to run your warehouse, and be sure you understand precisely how much of it is available. Daily stocktaking helps you learn about your inventory levels, letting you re-order goods before you need them. This prevents instances where you run out of something and have to wait for the replacement to arrive - with a good stocktaking system the replacement will already be there, minimizing downtime. Managing a warehouse is no easy feat, but it can be done. The four things mentioned in this guide are essential elements of every warehouse. You need to keep track of both your stock and employees, while also ensuring your warehouse remains clean and has fully functional equipment/machines. When all of this is taken care of, you can successfully manage your warehouse.  Image credit: Max Bender from Pexels Choosing the best location for your business is a difficult decision. There are many factors to consider to make the most informed decision possible. In addition, there are different ways to select a good location for your business and some things you might want to consider when making this critical choice.
Determine Your Target Market Depending on the industry, it can be a particular group of individuals. For example, suppose you have a business that sells luxury goods. In that case, your target market is most likely rich people with large disposable incomes and plenty of free time who enjoy spending money on nice things like expensive handbags and designer sunglasses. Researching demographics such as age range, education level, and income level will help you narrow down the best options for your location choice within certain areas where those types of individuals live or work out frequently. Work on Your Product Relevance in the Area The relevance of your product in the area is essential because if you sell a product that isn't relevant to people there, it will be difficult for them to purchase from you. Ensure your marketing and branding materials match up with what your community wants, so they are more likely to buy from you rather than going elsewhere. In addition, if customers can’t find out about or purchase your products easily, this also creates issues down the line when it comes time for customer service. Consider Accessibility to Customers The location of your business is crucial because it is where consumers will be able to find you. However, the accessibility of a store or office space can also affect how many people decide to visit. This factor is especially relevant for retail stores that sell products online and in their physical store. If you are selling items on Amazon and have an internet-based shop through Shopify or BigCommerce, having a prime spot near high traffic areas might not matter much if most sales come from eCommerce sites anyway. However, brick & mortar locations are still necessary for some businesses, including restaurants, real estate agencies, and hair salons, so you should always narrow down the best place early on regardless of whether there's potential for eCommerce sales. One way of assessing the accessibility of a location is by looking at where your target customers are. For example, if you're targeting people in an office building, then having storage space close to that area will be more effective than if they live on the other side of town or in another city entirely. Look at all of our locations and find one that will strengthen your business's image while minimizing competition as much as possible - which is why it's best to avoid areas with similar companies. Look Into How Best You Can Fit in the Area If the area is not appropriate for your business location, then you can try to change it. However, it would help to consider other competing businesses in that facility and how many of them are already well-established. Suppose they have good track records in their respective fields. In that case, chances are they will be doing much better than your small business when it comes to advertising expenses and getting more customers. It is usually by word-of-mouth marketing or referrals from satisfied clients who were once regular patrons at that place before you came in. Conclusion In conclusion, the location of your business is critical to its success. It would help if you considered how accessible it would be and the market demand to set up shop. In addition, keep in mind other factors such as amenities and types of businesses already present at the location; these can all affect the performance of your business.  Image credit: Samson Katt Being self-employed is most definitely a way to have more freedom in your working life, but if you are looking to make the leap, or you are trying to get all of your ducks in a row, there are many mistakes people make. Granted, you can have the ability to work smart rather than hard, have the right software in place, and think that you've got everything, but you will certainly learn from the many mistakes that you make, but here are some of the big ones that you have to be prepared for.
Overspending on Things You Think You Need This is especially true if you are running a business. You may think that you are better off investing in more things than less, but the reality is you've got to find the best tools that work for you by going through a few months of being self-employed so you can learn from some of your mistakes. One of the more common problems is with regards to payment customers, invoicing, and generally the financial components. It's important to find all-in-one tools that can help. For example, a company like Payanywhere provides a comprehensive platform for payments, invoicing, and inventory management, but remember that you don't need to overcomplicate things. If you overcomplicate things, you add more steps to every process, and this means that you will eventually lose the battle of having any form of work-life balance. Underestimating Being Self-Employed If you are looking to become self-employed, you may think that it is easier because you don't have to clock in at a certain time, you don't have to commute, and so on. But being self-employed is not easier than working a job. The fact is that you have to take responsibility for so much more than you would if you were being employed by someone. This means you've got to have a multitude of research skills, business skills, as well as financial skills under your belt. Because you've got to find so many things that will cover your back like self-employed insurance, learning how to save for retirement, while also making sure that you do have that balance in life. Many self-employed people talk about the fact that they don't know how to switch off. This is one of the best things that you can learn how to do. Not Prioritising Your Health The trap many people fall into is chasing the money. They'll have a good month, and this will be followed up by a bad month. After a while, people think that it's better to work more in order to maintain a certain lifestyle. However, doing this is not good for your health, and it's not good for you in the long run. You've got to have a more relaxed approach to life certainly, but you also need to make sure that you aren't giving in to stress. It's important to think of some stress management techniques, but also, no matter how much you earn, putting a specific amount aside each month will give you that buffer if you have a fallow period. These are some of the biggest mistakes, and if you are looking to jump into being self-employed, the best thing you can do is be prepared.  Image credit: Negative Space from Pexels Whatever kind of business you happen to run, it is highly likely that there is a lot of software that you need to use on a daily basis. The way in which you use this software is therefore very important, as is having the right software at all. But it can be hard to choose software, and hard to know whether you have made the right choice, so that is a difficulty that all business owners have to try and overcome. In this article, we are going to discuss some of the major reasons why you should aim to use the right software for your business, and why it really does make all the difference. Understanding and appreciating this will help you to make a better choice in the future. It Expedites The Processes One of the main reasons you need to try and choose your software carefully is that having the right software speeds up all of your processes. There is so much wasted time in companies across the globe when it comes to using the wrong technology, and if you are serious about improving how you do things then this is something you will want to focus on more and more. You can expedite all of your processes by simply ensuring that you are using the right software at all times. It’s Unique To Your Needs You need software that answers your actual needs, so that means that you need to choose software that is designed to deal with the specifics of the kind of business you run. The less generic your software is, the more likely it is to be genuinely useful for you in a day to day context. If you run a hospital, a hospital contract management software platform is likely to be top of your list. If you run a dropshipping company, it will be something like Shopify. It’s all about finding the software that is uniquely capable to give you what you need - and finding it might mean trying out a lot of different options before you get there.  Image credit: Startup Stock Photos Greater Efficiency We looked earlier at how the right software speeds things up, and the main reason it does this is that it causes a much greater efficiency across the board, with all of your in-house processes. More efficiency means that you are wasting less time and money, and that your entire operation becomes much more profitable, so it’s definitely a wise thing for you to think about. If you have the wrong software, conversely, then you are probably going to be running a wildly inefficient company, and you will have to make sure that you are doing something about that before it notably affects your profit margins or the experience of your customers. Better Workflow Management There is no business in the world that doesn’t need to think about workflow management, and you need to make sure that you are approaching this in the best way possible if you want to keep things running as they should be. The right software makes all of this easier, and we are not only talking about software which is specifically designed for workflow management purposes. Just giving your employees the software they need to do their jobs right means that workflow management itself becomes a lot simpler to do, so this is a top-down solution that you need to take on board. Cost-Effective There are few things more frustrating for your bursar than when you have to keep on replacing software because it is not quite doing the job for you and your employees. Having the right software is quite simply much more cost-effective, as you are not going to have to replace it or even upgrade it all that often, and you will not be wasting time and money on alternative solutions that just don’t work that well. Clearly, this is a very good reason to make sure you choose your software right.  Image credit: ThisIsEngineering Easier Planning
When you have the right tools in general, planning out what you are going to do in the future is a fantastically easy thing to do. That avoids many of the headaches which are common to running teams and companies, and it means that you can work with greater efficiency, as we saw above. Get the right software, and planning everything out becomes a walk in the park. As you can see, there are many great reasons to make sure that you have the right software. Work on improving your software choices today.  Image credit: Tyler Franta from Unsplash Whether you have turned a hobby into a career or managed to turn a great business idea into something profitable, you should always be on the lookout for ways to grow your business. This is due to the fact that consumer habits are continuously changing - and you have to be able to change and grow alongside them if you want to remain relevant and in demand. In many cases, failure to adapt results in company closure.
One way in which you can grow your business is by turning your local business into an international company. Here are some tips to get you started!
 Image credit: Tima Miroshnichenko from Pexels If your business is not doing as well as you would like, don't worry! There are many things that you can do to turn it around. Below are five lessons from entrepreneurs who have successfully revived a failing business.
Upgrade your operations for efficiencyThe first step to reviving a failing business is to upgrade your operational processes. You want to make sure that no obstacles impede the flow of effective communication between employees and customers, as this can lead to unnecessary frustration and slow service, which will drive clients away. In a healthcare business, this could entail streamlining processes as much as possible to ensure that patients can get the treatment they need without any unnecessary friction. For example, if you’re offering vaccines, it’d be wise to have safe storage like a vaccine fridge to maintain their quality, catering to patient’s needs. Rebrand One of the first things you should be thinking about is rebranding. Rebranding does not mean changing everything about your company. It is simply updating some visual elements to better match what you are doing and more accurately represent who you are now. If you want to get the most out of your new project, rebranding is not something you should do without care. On the contrary, it will affect how people perceive your company and make the first impression of your brand for years to come. Use Marketing Techniques You Didn’t Use Use marketing techniques you didn't use, like posting comments on blogs and forums relevant to your industry. Also, consider using influencers - these people are already interested in the subject matter, so they're more likely to be receptive to your offer. Trying to convince customers by yourself might take a very long time and be quite tricky, but when you do it with the help of someone in the industry who is already respected, they'll listen much more closely. The key here, though, is that you need to get the influencer’s trust first before even trying to bring up an opportunity to promote your business. Revise Your Pricing Strategy The first thing you need to do is take a hard look at your pricing strategy. Are you selling yourself short? Are you using the same price for everyone, or are there ways that certain people can pay less than others? Think about it from every angle, and then revise your pricing strategy accordingly. The second thing you need to do is review your competition. Are they selling their products for less than what you are? If so, it's time to revamp your prices and make them more competitive with the marketplace. The third thing you need to do is begin offering customers incentives for buying in bulk or giving them discounts when they refer other people to your business. If not, consider what else you could do so that it's more attractive than the average company on the street. Involve Your Customers More This Time Round Not only will you gain respect and loyalty from customers, but it may also save your business in the long run! If you have a customer program, start small, don't involve too many people at once or else they won't get anything out of the experience. Try involving a handful of loyal customers first to see how well it works before expanding to the rest. Conclusion An easy way to revive your failing business is by having a rebuilding strategy. The above insights should help you get started on the rebuilding. Just remember to tweak a few things t suit your business needs.  Image credit: Nick Fewings from Unsplash Waste is unavoidable in the modern world of business. No matter how hard you try, there will always be items that need to be thrown away, and many companies find it hard to deal with this in a way that is good for the planet. Landfills are the most common destination for the waste your company produces, but is it possible to reduce the impact that your waste has and find somewhere better for it? In most cases, this process isn’t too hard, and this article is here to help you through it.
Reducing Waste Reducing waste should always be the first step that you take in a process like this. It may not be easy, but most companies can reduce the waste they produce when they put effort into it. Moving away from paper records, for example, is a great way to reduce the amount of paper waste you produce. Digital tools can be used to handle the work in the same way, all without producing waste in the process. Every business will have ways to reduce waste; you just have to be creative about it. Recycling Some waste can’t be avoided, but you can still work to reduce its impact on the world. Recycling is a good way to do this, providing you with the ability to turn your waste into something new. Materials like paper and glass can be recycled with relative ease, though some are harder to deal with than others. You may need to pay a company to do this work for you, but you could also get paid for your recyclables if you are producing the right ones. This makes it worth taking a lot of care with your waste. Responsible Waste Management Throwing things away will always be an issue, but the way that those items are dealt with can make the impact far smaller. Transport distance, for example, accounts for a large part of the emissions caused by waste. By choosing a local company, like Budget Bin Hire, you can ensure that your waste doesn’t have to travel across the world. Some waste management companies are more responsible than others, and this is something you need to research. Forming Relationships Finally, as the last idea to consider, it’s time to think about forming relationships with other businesses. There are likely to be loads of businesses in your local area, providing you with the ability to form relationships that could have the potential to help with your waste. If you can find a company that can make use of the waste you produce, you can come to an agreement for them to help you to get rid of it. Waste is a big issue in the modern world, with most people being completely unaware of the vast amounts of waste that they contribute to. Of course, though, this isn’t something that you have to worry about when you take the right steps to combat it.  Image credit: Artem Podrez from Pexels Do you know how much energy your business uses? Moreover, do you know how much it wastes? In the UK alone, over half of the total energy produced each year is wasted, and many small and developing businesses like yours can contribute to that figure.
And that can be a worrying thing, for a variety of reasons. After all, you’re naturally concerned about the way your business affects the local ecosystem. Or maybe it’s just the financial aspect that you’re worried about? Either way, in letting your business waste energy, you can really rack up those bills and leave a stamp on the environment that you’d really hate. Which means it’s time to do something about your business’ energy usage. You can work a lot of simple magic to lower both your bills and your company’s carbon footprint, and you can manage this with the help of the points below. Make sure you’re not wasting energy, and you’ll notice your business begin to grow in the way you always wanted it to. The Little Things Add Up It’s normal for an office to have a break room, and in that break room, to have appliances that make life at work much easier. However, the continued usage of these appliances can cause a racket on your utility bill. Whether it’s using the microwave, or boiling a kettle, or using a coffee machine, bit by bit these usage points add up. And if people are racing to use these items at certain points throughout the day, you’ve got an energy storm on your hands. But you can’t just rip these items out - they’re necessary for a healthy, functioning workplace. Instead, think about ways to lower their impact. Ensure people only use the right amount of water for them when making a hot drink, for example. Or set a time limit on the microwave, say 5 minutes, to prevent extended use. If you can prevent the little things from becoming big things, you’ll retain employee happiness whilst still bringing those bills down! Get Your Team Involved Are you encouraging your team to cut back in certain areas of their life as well? And if you are, are you rewarding them for making a sustainable effort? Many companies talk a very good game about promoting sustainability, but this sentiment isn’t shared throughout the company itself. Even if an employee takes steps to follow suit, their efforts are often not recognised. And that’s where you need to be different. Encouraging those you work with to stop wasting energy in their homes, cars, and in the workplace can go a long way to ensuring bills are kept low and your carbon footprint stays small. After all, it’s a company wide idea, and it’s willingly enforced by all involved. You’re far less likely to notice oddly frequent energy spikes on your office’s usage bill! But how can you get your team involved? Incentives often work very well; if an employee proves they’ve ‘gone green’ in their water bill, or they’ve switched to a renewable supplier, compensating them for the effort goes a long way. However, if you are unable to offer monetary motivation, you can also simply surround your employees with green efforts, such as office recycling bins, asking them to bring in reusable water bottles, and place plenty of plants around. Think About Your Supply Chain Your supply chain is a big energy-waster. Every business out there is part of one, and knowing how your supply chain works is key to cutting back on energy wastage, and the total amount you’re paying for siphoning out such energy to useless points in the process. However, a good way to address this issue is through working with eco-friendly suppliers. There are numerous supply houses out there that can guarantee low energy, high productivity, and a totally sustainable supply package. There’s even a directory for finding the right green supplier to work with! Or, if you source, manufacture, and package and deliver products yourself, think about how you’ve set this system up. After all, when setting up a production line of your own, it can be hard to really focus on what needs to happen, and where things can be reserved - there’s a good chance you’ve made a few energy output mistakes. But you’re on a learning curve! And you’ve already got all of that warehouse space, so why not use it? Indeed, it might be an idea to look into how you’re powering your supply chain in the first place. You might want to consider your options for conserving energy in firing up the machinery, and keeping it on for as long as possible. For example, you could buy compressed air to help cut back on your electricity usage, via using a more concentrated power source that can double your production capability in the long term. Simple changes like this can go a very long way. Consider Your General Equipment Usage How many electrical items run in your workplace? How often do you use them? And how long do they tend to stay on for? Answering questions like these on a regular basis can help you to prevent energy spikes from occurring, which can cost you an extra £100 per month at the least. Now that’s a hefty bill to be paying when you’re a small business! But what can you do? You need the lights and the computers to come on! Well, try not to turn everything on at once. Indeed, it’s best to turn things on in a steady manner - go one by one around the office, leaving 10 or so minutes in between each flick of an ‘On’ button. This will help your energy usage to stay at a stable rate throughout the day, without massive spikes at any point. Without these huge surges of power, there’s no reason for your utility bill to be so high, and you’ll soon notice the amount tapering down over the coming months. Run Regular Reviews and Repairs How often do you get your office equipment seen to? If it’s less than once every 2 years, there’s a good chance you’re wasting energy by simply plugging a computer or copier-printer into a plug socket! And without running proper compliance tests, it can be hard to know if you’re working with viable equipment or not. Of course, a lot of modern tech can be tested by just looking at it. If you press a button and it won’t turn on, it’s clearly got something wrong with it! But without a proper test, you won’t know what exactly is causing the issue. That can cause bigger problems for your energy usage in the long run, as even if you get an appliance to turn on, the issue could still be present in the background. Which is where principles like PAT testing come in. When you’re using broken or faulty equipment or appliances, you’re going to be wasting a good portion of your daily energy allowance, simply because this energy has nowhere to go/nothing to do once it’s been picked up by the wires of the faulty item in question. And without a PAT test, you can’t quite be sure that you’ve either fixed the issue, or even identified it in the first place. But how often should you test? Well, that can be hard to answer. Most of all, you need to get your equipment PAT tested at a rate that makes sense for your working environment. For most companies, about every 48 months is usually the best time frame, but once a year is good for workplaces that make frequent use of electrical equipment. Keep Better Track of the Way You Use Energy Do you know how to keep track of the amount of energy you use? If not, it’s time to learn! Monitoring your energy consumption is the most surefire way to prevent too much from being wasted, as knowledge is very much power in this scenario. There are many apps you can download to your desktop or smartphone, to help you track how much energy is being used and where. In doing so, you can start to learn the patterns of how your energy usage is allocated. Maybe most of it is going towards the air conditioning or central heating, or maybe you’re noticing spikes at certain times throughout the year? However, seeing as you’ve been keeping an eye, and you’ve got data to compare future spikes against, you can determine whether or not this is a waste or energy or a necessary use. If you want to have total control, be sure to get a Smart Meter installed somewhere in your office - they’re often a lot more precise than apps can be, and they track at more frequent intervals. Your business might be wasting energy, but you can stop this before it becomes a real problem. Make sure you’re using tips like those above to keep an eye on your energy consumption.  Image credit: Ivan Samkov from Pexels Is it time for startups to just forget about offices and go remote? The last year has shown us that office work really isn't all it's built up to be. The benefits of having an office seem almost non-existent in a lot of cases, while remote working presents a series of great advantages.
Speaking of which, here are four reasons start-ups should ditch the old office life: Far cheaper The cost of remote work is tiny compared to the cost of working in an office. This is because you don't have to pay any rental costs, not to mention footing the bill on the energy. All you have to worry about are your own personal costs of working at home, which will be virtually non-existent. Factor in the lack of office maintenance costs as well, and you can see why it is cheaper. Fewer health & safety issues As a business owner, there's nothing more worrying than health & safety concerns. Firstly, you spend a lot of money kitting your office out with things like fire curtains, fire extinguishers, slip n fall signs, other safety signs, and so on. These all link back to the first point about remote work being cheaper, but you also have the benefit of not dealing with these safety issues. So, there's no chance of an employee slipping and falling over in the office, where they can then sue you for compensation. Working from home eliminates these risks. Improved productivity Your employees all get to design their ultimate work environment when they're not in an office. For some, this means setting up a little area at home where they feel comfortable and can work in peace and quiet. For others, it could mean going to a local coffee shop and working there. The point is that different people find productivity in different ways. Office life restricts everyone to the same routine and strict way of working. It's not always productive for everyone, while remote working gives your employees a choice! Flexible working hours Building on the previous point, remote work gives you the ability to allow flexible working hours in your startup. Instead of strictly doing the classic 9-5 office shift, employees could work at times that suit them best. Of course, it all depends on when your business needs to be productive - if you run a company that has to be active during 9-5, then people need to follow that shift. However, a startup has a chance to tap into more foreign markets if it works remotely. Flexible hours mean you could work on US time or Asian time to do business with people or companies over there. Thus, you broaden your horizons, get clients from all over the world and can be a success. When you think about it, you really wonder why a company would want to work in the office anymore. Hasn't it basically been proven that offices aren't necessary?! There are some caveats here and there depending on the business, but a lot of startups can benefit from leaving the office behind and switching to remote work.  Image credit: Ekrulila from Pexels Customers are superficial. Doesn't matter what industry you're in, you entice your potential buyers and customers visually first with what you have to offer, before they even consider your sales pitch. If you're in the food and beverage industry, a simple menu placed in front of your customer with pictures of the food you have to offer, will make them visualise how it will taste in their minds. This will sway their decision to buy the product before they even take a sample bite. The power of sight. Persuasive Storefront Your retail store has the best products and you want everyone to come and buy from you. But how to get those hundred of feet walking around to come into your store? Unless you are walking around giving away discount coupons in an attempt to get them in your store, the alternative is your storefront. It's the first impression any potential buyer has of what to expect from your store before going in. Its interior decorating meets science to get the correct collaboration that will have the enticing effect. And then once they are in your store, you need to keep them inside. Your floorplan, displays and color schemes need to induce the buyer's urge to splurge. If you feel that you might be out of the depth in this endeavour, rather enlist the help of shop design experts to save the day. Desirable Website If you are an online store, your website is your virtual storefront. After loading your site, your potential client already set a precedence in his or her mind about what type of store you have, do they like it or not and if they should close the site. And that is even before reading any content on your site. With the first glance, they evaluate your site purely on what they see. Your pictures, font style, colours and overall layout is what will win them over 75% of the way or lose them completely. Even if you have a physical store and use your website as a second avenue of money generating, the amount of time you spend dressing the windows or store layout, that is the amount of energy you also need to exert on your website. Envious Advertisement Advertisement is the embodiment of the saying “you need to spend money to make money.” In 2020 the advertising expenditure in the UK was a staggering £23.46 billion. All in the attempt to lure and seduce the buyer's impulse and increase revenue. Even if it's a new brand on the market, if the advertising is convincing and incisive, the buyer will feel more inclined to purchase even just one product.  Image credit: Mikael Blomkvist from Pexels Although the human has five senses, we gravitate more to our sight when we splurge money. If it looks good enough to eat, wear or use, we add it to our cart. Nevermind that we haven't touched it yet or know if the baker or chef is any good, we take a chance because our eyes convinced us.
 Image credit: Geralt from Pixabay Making the decision to quit the corporate world as an underling and pave your own way in business is very daunting. But your drive is there. First, you secure cash flow (rather, don't ask from where because the interest is ridiculous). Second, you already have your five years and ten years all mapped out, even if it's just in your head for now. But the most significant decision is what you should take a highly expensive chance on? You have an idea for a start-up business knocking around. But then, purchasing franchise shares and building on that also looks enticing. Brand The brand of any business is what makes or breaks it. You can even go from a rock-solid brand one moment to a crumbling heap of ruin in the next. And it can even be from forces outside your immediate control that can cause it. If you follow the start-up route, you will build your brand from scratch and build your brand awareness and trust in the process. But even if you have no clue how to do it, there are thousands of digital marketing companies out there. You can find them with a click of a button who can help and work with you to build it firmly from the get go. Whereas franchises already have a well-established brand. They have already cultivated their brand awareness and trust, and you will just hop on the bus. This is a big turn-off for many as it's not solely based on their business but rather a collective. So again, the risks are that another franchise shareholder can cause brand damage, and it could have a ripple effect on your business. Location, set-up and the whole enchiladaBeing a start-up owner, the responsibility will be on your shoulders to scout out the perfect building for your business. You need to make the hard decisions on what equipment, technology and even outsource businesses you will use. Your to-do list will increase with each new discussion that needs to be made to get it started. Franchises usually already have the perfect location in mind where the business will work at its optimum. The layout is preordained, and even suppliers are already taken care of. This can be a significant relief for many. Still, it can deter you from sourcing cheaper suppliers or changing the interior of your business to your liking.  Image credit: Paul Christian Glenn from Pixabay Overlapping
There are still many aspects that overlap between a start-up business and a franchise. Legal aspects and account for one. Both can be outsourced. If you're a start-up company, there are many software you can use that will turn this daunting task into a breeze. Even if you go the franchise route and you have no clue how accounting works, there are companies that offer accounting for franchises that will make you sigh in relief. Whatever one you choose to place all your chips on, you have a heavy hand in making it a success. Self-doubt is a business leach. Consult with business owners of both a start-up and franchise owner and do your research on what they found most challenging and rewarding. In the end, it's all a gamble. But the winnings can be substantial. There are still many aspects that overlap between a start-up business and a franchise. Legal aspects and account for one. Both can be outsourced. If you're a start-up company, there are many software you can use that will turn this daunting task into a breeze. Even if you go the franchise route and you have no clue how accounting works, there are companies that offer accounting for franchises that will make you sigh in relief. Whatever one you choose to place all your chips on, you have a heavy hand in making it a success. Self-doubt is a business leach. Consult with business owners of both a start-up and franchise owner and do your research on what they found most challenging and rewarding. In the end, it's all a gamble. But the winnings can be substantial.  Image credit: Fauxels from Pexels As a business owner, you are probably already aware of your employees' vital role in your company's success. Not only are they the lifeblood of your company, but without them, you could probably just close up shop right now. That said, ensuring your employees are as positive and productive as possible is vital to ensure your business not only stays afloat but thrives, which is why these few tips on how to cultivate positivity within your workforce could really be of use - have a look!
Provide a comfortable workspace for your employees Employees who enjoy their job more are generally happier, and therefore perform better. Ensuring that your employees have a comfortable place to work is one way of cultivating positivity - this might include a nice desk with an ergonomic chair or just ensuring they're not in the middle of an open room at all times! Employees who struggle with health conditions like asthma are especially vulnerable to bad air quality. As many as thirty million people in the US have some form of respiratory allergies, and this can be exacerbated by poor indoor air quality - keeping your employees healthy is paramount! In fact, it's estimated that about 20% of all workers suffer from allergies on a daily basis (often caused by poor air quality), which means you should take immediate action if you want your business to flourish. For example, ensuring there are plenty of plants within an office space or even just introducing better Commercial air purifiers could help immensely when it comes to promoting positive thinking amongst your workforce. Create incentives to motivate them further Everyone loves a reward, and as such, it's important to motivate your employees to cultivate positivity within their mindsets. Offering them incentives for performing well is one way of doing that! But be careful; too many rewards can often lead to poorer job satisfaction amongst workers; instead, use smaller rewards or even just verbal praise when an employee goes above and beyond what was required of them. This could involve anything from giving out small tokens at staff meetings (maybe five total each month) or simply catching someone before they leave the office and telling them how great they're going with something. Positive reinforcement will help improve productivity over time, which means cultivating positivity within your workforce is now even easier. By following these simple steps, you can easily cultivate positivity amongst your employees and help them perform better - which should improve the overall productivity of your business! Have a reward system in place for top performers Everyone likes to be recognized for their hard work, and as such, offering a reward system in place is one way of doing that. Whether it's an employee of the month award or any other type of recognition, you want them to feel good about themselves - this will help cultivate positivity within your workforce! And don't limit yourself either - if someone really goes above and beyond what was required from them, then they deserve extra praise (even a small monetary bonus would suffice). In fact, some businesses even take it up another level by rewarding employees with days off when they go beyond expectations; give your employees something positive to think about! Delegate more responsibilities to your employees Sometimes you might feel like your employees aren't doing enough, but this is an extremely negative mindset to have. Instead, consider delegating more responsibilities to them so that they can learn new skills and improve themselves for the future! Businesses often implement a mentorship program to help guide their employees; sometimes, it's also helpful if there are two managers who take up some of the responsibility from those higher-ups (like yourself). This will give everyone involved greater autonomy over what they do at work, which means positivity should flourish within your workforce. And don't be afraid about giving junior staff members tasks either: many recent studies show that more senior workers actually perform better when paired together with a colleague who's less experienced. This is because they can create new relationships and help improve the overall collaborative culture at work! If possible, try pairing up those senior workers with junior staff members of similar interests or skill sets so that they can learn from one another to develop their own skills further (which will benefit them both) Be an effective leader, not just a boss Being an effective leader is a great way to cultivate positivity within your workforce instead of just being the boss! Instead of simply delegating jobs and expecting results, try taking an active role in their development. By doing this, you'll be able to lead them effectively without adversely affecting productivity because you're not micromanaging everything they do. Be sure that you communicate with your employees regularly, so everyone knows what's going on; once again, this will help them feel valued over time which should improve overall morale at work (which means higher levels of overall productivity). If possible, have some sort of weekly or monthly meeting where all staff members are present for positive reinforcement and any problems that need to be addressed. This will help cultivate positivity within your workforce, as everyone knows they have a voice and can speak up when necessary! Consider employee benefits Sometimes it might feel like you can't afford to offer additional benefits to your employees, but with some careful planning and budgeting, there are often ways around this issue. Health insurance, for example, is a benefit that many employers choose to provide as it's not only beneficial in the long-term (like being able to take time off when sick) - but also helps improve productivity on an immediate basis! Of course, even something small like offering free food at lunchtime or allowing people flexible working hours could make all the difference over time. Offering employee discounts is another great way of helping them save money while they're hard at work earning wages; plus, it'll help cultivate positivity within the workforce by making them happy every single day. If you're struggling to afford additional benefits or perks, try looking at what other businesses in your industry are offering and see if they offer a competitive package! This could give them ideas for how to improve their business which will help cultivate positivity within your workforce. If you carefully consider all these factors over time and adapt accordingly, cultivating positivity within your workforce should come naturally to you!  Image credit: Startup Stock Photos from Pexels You have an upcoming project that could be something special. You want it to be a big thing that can dramatically change your business and see lots of new success come your way. Whatever this project is, you want to get the most out of it. There's nothing worse than putting your blood, sweat, and tears into a project, only for it to produce less than impressive outcomes. Unfortunately, this happens far too often, and it's all down to how you approach things.
In today's post, we'll go through some ideas to help you get the most out of your next project, ensuring it's a rousing success! Outline the main goals No project can start until you have a set of KPIs or goals to aim for. KPI means key performance indicator, and it relates to things that indicate how well your project has performed. For example, sales figures are a clear KPI as you can track them to see if they have increased following your project. You need to set your goals and targets in the beginning as it helps you work towards something, but also provides things to track so you can make alterations if the project isn't meeting its targets early on. Work with a PMO A PMO can help you with your project as they will take on so many duties and tasks to support the whole process. For those of you that are unsure of the PMO meaning, it's an acronym for Project Management Office. In essence, this is an entity - or entities - that handle lots of different elements of the project management process for you. This can include admin, finance tracking, creation of status reports, and so on. They exist to take the load off your shoulders and give you insights into your project, so you can make the most out of it. Effectively, it can help you push your project to the next level. Use project management software It is always helpful to use software when managing your next project. All of the best PMs will have the go-to software that they swear by. You need to find one that works for you and lets you manage the entire project all in one place. You will find it so much easier to make sense of things when you have software like this, and it streamlines the whole process. It is far better than trying to think of everything in your head or on pieces of paper. The best project management software will let you do things like creating templates, tracking KPIs, resource management reports, budget tracking, and so on. If you want to get the most out of your next project, you really need to take a hands-on approach to project management. Start by outlining the goals and aims of the project, giving you KPIs to track. Ensure you have some software that you're comfortable using, and also work with a PMO to provide support. All of this should come together to help you achieve the most desirable outcome.  Image credit: LinkedIn Sales Solutions No, it’s not practical. But can it be done? Absolutely!
Starting a business these days is a daunting task, but it’s not because the logistics are difficult. The difficulty comes from competing with other businesses and trying to find a place for yourself in an industry that is full of competition. Other difficulties come from personal struggles such as finding the motivation to start a company and staying mentally fit so you can overcome all of the challenges ahead of you. So if you’re looking to start a business of your own but have no idea where to begin, then we’ve got a few tips to help you. It’s mostly about changing your mindset and being as resourceful as you can, so you don’t need to have prior knowledge to succeed. The majority of your knowledge and skill will come from first-hand experience Don’t underestimate just how important it is to actually do something in order to learn from it. Practical experience is a fast-track way to learn new skills and it’s far more efficient than trying to learn in a classroom and then apply all of that knowledge to what you do. Nothing can prepare you for the unpredictable nature of running a business. With that said, marketing courses and other similar qualifications are fantastic for helping you learn more about business and will give you a basic understanding of important concepts. However, beyond that, there’s really nothing as good as learning on the job. Learn what you need to get started, then invest the rest of your time and effort into running your business and learning as you go. You’re going to make mistakes and you’ll fail a few times, but learning from those experiences is extremely valuable. Take advantage of the skills that you have already If you’re going to start a business then it’s usually best to begin with something that you have a bit of experience in. Even if you don’t have business knowledge, having some expertise in something will make starting a company around it much easier. While you don’t need to be an expert in a particular feed, it does help if you’ve got a bit of professional knowledge. However, if all you have is a passion to do something, then that’s better than starting completely from scratch. For example, if you’re interested in using your DIY skills to start a business, then you should consider trying to run a business that relates to things like workshop hardware or even starting your own contracting firm. This will save you a huge amount of time and will make sure that your ideas and concepts are more realistic because you have experience in the field. So to conclude, starting a business with zero knowledge isn’t impossible, but it’s much better if you have at least a bit of experience with the sector that you plan to join. But if you don’t have much knowledge, you shouldn’t worry too much as you’ll learn most of what you need on the job, and then you can study to complement your first-hand experiences.  Image credit: Pixabay from Pexels Success is not going to come knocking on your door, waiting for you to answer. Instead, you have to go out and find it yourself. Many factors contribute to success in business, but one of the most important ones is having a good strategy. This blog post will help you figure out if you're on the right path or not.
Do you know what your company's mission is? A mission statement should be concise and easy to read. It should also clearly communicate where the business came from, what it does, who it serves, how much value you receive for your product or service and why you do it in the first place. If you don't include this in your mission statement, you should take the time to have it now. Do You Have a Clear Vision? Having a clear vision is not only crucial for company leaders but also for employees. Suppose your team doesn't understand where they are heading, and their purpose; work can become very frustrating. Everyone on staff should be working together towards the same goal. Is Your Business Mobile? With mobility now being such a massive part of our everyday lives, the way that businesses communicate with their customers has changed. If you have not considered how your business will connect and share across multiple channels, then it's time for a change! Working from home is also becoming more popular. Do You Have a Clear Strategy? A good company strategy has been thoroughly thought out and will help bring your vision to life. However, if you don't have a great team yet or need assistance with developing a business plan, hiring an expert can be beneficial. Are You Working With the Right People? Working with the right people can make all the difference in achieving success. If you have hired employees that are not a fit for your team culture or business model, they will be more of a hindrance than anything else. Instead, make sure you hire and build an environment full of highly motivated individuals who believe in what it is that you're trying to do. Hiring a Branding Agency can cater for this too. Does Your Business Provide Value? Successful businesses offer an exceptional product or service and deliver it in a way where customers feel good about their purchase. If you've done the proper research, then you should know what exactly makes up high-quality goods and services within your industry. Are You Staying Customer Focused? To achieve success in any industry, you must remember that the customer is your number one priority. Their wants and needs drive business, so keeping them in mind at all times will help make it easier for you to meet expectations. If there's ever an issue with a client or they seem unhappy about something, then take care of the situation quickly before things get out of hand. These are just a few of the many factors that contribute to business success. If you're looking for more tips and tricks, then be sure to read this blog!  Image credit: Lukas Hartmann from Pexels Have you ever considered how a billboard is going to help your business? You would advertise in any way if you knew it would work for you, right? A billboard is going to help you to promote your business and help you to get your brand out there in front of others. It works in the way that your business signage would work, too. Billboards have been a promotional tool since forever, and you have to think about whether you want to pump some cash into your business billboard, too.
There are plenty of advertising options out there, but a billboard is going to change the game for your marketing strategy. You would invest money in ICE Signs for your business signage, so why wouldn't you look at billboards as your next strategy? Below, we’ve put together a few ways your business needs a billboard!
 Image credit: Billede from Pixabay More and more people are reassessing their chosen career paths in the wake of the global pandemic. And this is something that you might like to think about in the meantime as well. There are so many ideas that play a role in helping you to achieve success here, and this is something that you have to focus on right now.
Try to make sure you come up with some of the best ways of improving this process as much as possible moving forward. You have to work on some of the best ways of being able to choose a positive career path, and freelancing is a great way of being able to achieve this. So, these are some of the best ways of being able to kick start your freelancing career today! Be Bold Freelancing is a big step, and one that you need to try to get right as much as you possibly can. It can be pretty daunting and nerve-wracking when you are stepping out on your own. So, it is important to make sure you come up with ideas that are going to help you acclimate to this. And there will be a leap of faith involved. This is definitely a process that is about being bold as much as possible, and that can have a huge impact on the direction your new career takes. In order to overcome the worries and the difficulties involved, you should certainly look for ways of being bold and brave. Build a Client Base One of the most important elements of making sure you are successful as a freelancer is to make sure you build up a dedicated client base. There are so many amazing benefits to doing this, and you need to make sure you think about some of the key ways of being able to achieve this. Try to focus on doing as much as you can to improve upon this moving forward, and make sure you start off with one or two dependable clients, then look to expand as much as you can. Create a Working Environment Creating and developing the right working environment is so important. There are a lot of things that you need to try to make the most of right now. It is absolutely essential that this is something you sort out, and developing a home office is key. You should absolutely consider garden offices as a way of saving space and still getting the office you want. But the important thing is to make sure you create the right environment for you to focus on your freelancing. There are a lot of things that you need to try to make the most of when you are assessing the different factors that can help you succeed as a freelancer. This is one of the key things that you need to keep in mind when you are looking to make the right decisions, and this is something you need to keep in mind. Try to make sure you are focused on improving this process, and make sure you think about some of the best ways of being able to achieve this moving forward.  Image credit: Fauxels from Pexels If you want to market your business effectively, then you have come to the right place. Here you can find out everything you need to know about taking your company to that next, level while also finding out the steps you need to take to guarantee success in the future.
Media Relations Media relations is otherwise known as PR. Media relations is simply about getting posts about you or your business out there. It may be that you have won a new contract, or that you have launched a new service. On the flip side, something quirky might have happened within your business, and you want to let your clients know. Either way, PR is a fantastic way for you to boost the potential of your company and it could really help you with your social media coverage. If you are struggling to get awareness of your company out there, then it is a good idea for you to try and hire a PR agency. Digital Advertising Targeting specific audiences and executing strategies that are data-led will really help you to market your business. The main advertising channels out there include PPC, blogs, paid social and SEO. All of them run across both desktop devices and mobile devices. Digital advertising can be a real minefield, but it is transparent and accountable at the same time. You can see everything that is happening, and you can also see where your budget has gone. On top of this, you can see the results you’re achieving so it should never be difficult for you to see where you stand. Press Advertising If you want your company to be effective in newspapers, then you have to make sure that your advertisement is both big and bold. If you know that your advertisement doesn’t stop someone in their tracks and if it doesn’t make them take note, then you will have wasted your money. If you want to stand out from the crowd then you have to make sure that you put in the work. A print company can help you out a lot here, so don’t overlook this if you want to take things to that next level. Direct Mail Back in the day, digital mail earned the nickname “junk mail”. Not a single day went by without there being a huge pile of letters or even leaflets on the doormat. That being said, this has quickly changed. In this day and age, direct mail is wonderfully effective if you follow a few rules. Some rules include using good data. If you manage your database, ensure that it is clean and that it is up to date as well. You might also want to send content that is relevant to the recipient. If you can do this, then you will soon find that it is easier than ever for you to ensure that everything is going as it should. If you need some help with your campaign, then remember that there are companies that you can hire to help you with this  Image credit: Merakist from Unsplash Organisations and their marketing strategies naturally vary from one another. Some hire marketing agencies to do their marketing while some do them alone. The marketing strategies used by small businesses are normally determined by the size of the business which is directly proportional to its ability to spend on marketing campaigns. This means that the marketing strategy for small firms differs from that used by large companies. Their marketing strategies are usually simpler and more direct like using a Direct mailing service or a Social Media agency. Those used by large corporations are usually expansive marketing plans, using complex distribution channels or highly specialized divisions.
 Image credit: Unknown As a business owner, you know you should be networking. We are not going to list all of the benefits of doing it because we know that you know the importance. The problem is actually doing it. Networking takes a degree of confidence that not everyone has. Perhaps you are a bit of an introvert and the thought of striking up a conversation with someone that you do not know brings a sense of terror. It can also feel more than a little spammy if not done quite right. Here, we look at some tips to make networking a little bit easier and more comfortable, and dare we say it - fun?
Be you Business owners on the whole are savvy. That’s why they own their own business! They can spot an insincere and fake personality front he get-go, so it is important to go into networking being your real self. You are good enough - that is why you are here in the first palace. Plus, networking is about making connections with like-minded people who you can help and who can help you, and if you are not being you, how do you know whether you will click? Be ready Be ready to network at any given opportunity - you never quite know when you will meet someone who could be valuable to you. It might be at the school gate, the bar, or the doctor’s office. Being ready is important, but be careful not to turn every single person you meet into a potential customer. That can be offputting. Instead, have business card on your person at all times, or if you want to be really snazzy, digital business cards! Remember to be professional at all times - watch your language while you are out and about and be mindful of your behavior. There could be a potential client watching you! Know when to jump in Nothing quite kills a conversation or an opportunity than barging into a conversation and taking over. It can leave a bad taste and completely destroy the flow. Smile, listen in, and get an idea of what is being talked about before offering your thoughts and opinions. No one likes a bulldozer! Stop saying sorry A key mistake that those lacking in networking experience or confidence tend to make is to apologize. Stop! You are not imposing on anyone; you are building a relationship with someone that can be mutually beneficial. By apologizing, you look inexperienced, unprofessional, and lacking in confidence which are all offputting traits in a business person. You are not asking them to do you a favor, you are asking for help or support which in turn will give them an advantage in one way or another. Smile Most importantly, smile and look friendly. Even if you are uncomfortable and hate networking, plaster a smile on your face and try to make it look genuine. No one is going to come and chat with you if you are frowning or grimacing or looking like you would rather be anywhere else. Be approachable.  Image credit: marcin049 from Pixabay Expanding a manufacturing business can be one of the most challenging and most rewarding things you can do. And the best way for your manufacturing business to be ahead of the competition in the current constantly changing market is by embracing change. However, it is essential to assess if you have to improve in particular areas and establish innovative strategies even before revamping production and shifting into a new market. The following is a complete guide on how to grow your manufacturing business.
Be visible Most manufacturers believe that it is unnecessary to establish an online or even offline visibility, since they think they can keep their revenue by just focusing on their existing customers and referrals. However, the truth is that this mentality can create a very hazardous deceitful sense of security, which will eventually become visible when you start losing customers, and you don’t have any other means of replacing your lost income. The internet has changed the way customers find and engage with businesses, just like how technology has changed the way products are manufactured. So, make sure that you foster and maintain a strong online presence to grow your business. Learn more about search engine optimization and ensure your customers find you. Besides, you can use blogs to market your company or increase your visibility through promotional materials like booklets, brochures, and leaflets made using foil printing. Strategic Partnerships Only a few configurable products are able to stand on their own in the current market. They are usually several complementary products that also need configuration. So, a partnership is an excellent way to grow your manufacturing business; it gives you the chance to expand your business into new markets. Take, for instance, if you are in the cosmetic industry, you can take the chance and partner with cloth manufacturers to create a new and complementary item that enables you to enter into a new business world. To establish a solid and profitable partnership, you not only need to pick up the phone; instead, you must create time and effort to make personal contacts with other companies. Study and know your competitors Before you start to expand your manufacturing business, it is essential that you take your time and study everything your competitors have achieved in the past. Get to know where they went wrong and make sure that you don’t make the same mistakes. Similarly, consider the things that made your competitors successful. Also, note that while this might not be a clear road map to your success, it can help you ensure that you are headed in the right direction. Invest in your workers Today, one of the major problems facing manufacturing businesses is attracting and keeping qualified workers. This is mainly due to the high demand for educated employees with the technical knowledge required to operate in the current manufacturing field. Knowledgeable workers are not only needed in the manufacturing businesses but also in other sectors. Therefore, you must make sure that you are mindful of holding on to your best workers. You can do that by offering better benefits, flexible working timetables, self-esteem builders like free meals, and reasonable salaries. It is vital to remember that there might be some costs associated with offering these benefits; however, it is worth it. Keep up with technology If you have been in the manufacturing industry for long enough, you have probably witnessed how technology is changing and used in the manufacturing sector. It is, therefore, crucial for you to make sure that your business is keeping up with any technological changes and, if possible, make sure that you make changes as they appear. Investing in current technology means that all your operations will run smoothly and will lead to increased efficiency and lesser waste. Expand your product line Expanding your product line can be challenging, especially if your products are in a single market. To add a new product to the current market, you will have to do comprehensive research to know the needs of your customers before committing to anything. Diversifying your product line will allow you to grow your manufacturing business. Consider adding complementary products, services, or items that will weave well within your brand. Doing this will also increase your brand awareness as well as profits as you go into newer markets. Bottom Line Growing a manufacturing business is not an easy task; however, the above tips will help you harness the supremacy of expanding your manufacturing business and grow it bigger than you thought could be possible. Invest in current technology, study your competitors, increase your visibility and expand your product line. Also, ensure that you make the most out of your resources to reach new heights in terms of success. |
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