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Cyber attacks happen. However, it’s up to you to ensure that your business has as much in its cyber security armory as possible. Worms, ransomware and spyware have made headlines in the past year having infiltrated large companies. The fact that the largest multimillion corporations are getting hit by hackers shows how no business is immune from the cyber threat. With the ever-growing reliance on online portals, software and interfaces, the threat from a cyber attack is even more frightening to businesses as they risk losing documentation, having sensitive data stolen and personal details cloned. Take a look at how you can protect your company from even the most ardent of hackers.
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Basics
To be as secure as you can, it’s vital that you live by the adage of ‘only those that need to know actually know.’ It sounds like a prophetic sort of statement, but only those at an executive level and above should have access to the most sensitive data. By only giving staff members access to the areas of business data they require, you are lessening the risk of sloppy security breaches. There’s no need for the marketing assistant to have a password to the financial projections and profitability calculations of your company.
Ensure that each member of your team has a strong password. The days of using the name of your first pet or your mother’s maiden name are long gone. A random selection of letters, numbers and characters of at least twelve digits is most secure. Ensure that these are also changed periodically to maintain a higher level of security.
Staff Training
Refresher courses for online security are vital every year for all staff including yourself. A cohesive approach to online security is needed across your business if you are to succeed. Even a reminder not to open the dodgy looking attachment within an email can save you from losing reams of important data online. Select a couple of cyber security champions who can take part in external courses and feedback to your team. Make signing up to an ‘appropriate usage’ policy a priority, so employees never access sensitive data on open or unsecured networks when away from the office.
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Get The Right Software
There is a mind-boggling array of security software on the market. At the very least you need a package like M365 which has inbuilt security controls and allows you to wipe any devices that become lost protecting any data you might have that could fall into the wrong hands. Encrypt all of the data that you store and ensure that you backup regularly. Should the worst happen and you find that a piece of ransomware has infiltrated your network, you need a contingency plan and, you have to be able to restore your data quickly.
Thankfully cyber attacks are still relatively rare. If you have the knowledge and relevant software needed, you will be able to make your business as secure and protected as possible.
The Future Fund of about $130 billion will be in a state of isolation for a maximum of ten years to prevent an impulsive search on its finances and a rocketing bill for years to come to protect the cost of benefit pension payouts of many public servants.
Scott Morrison revealed that he would delay drawing down on the fund at least up to 2026 so that the government can cover up the entire cost of the unfunded liabilities.
The action will demand the government to utilize an additional borrowings over the medium term to slightly pay for what will rise to an $8 billion annual cost to the taxpaying citizen.
The Enlightenment
During an exclusive interview with The Weekend Australian, the Treasurer stated that the Future Fund does not have, at this time, the sufficient resources to cover the absolute cost of the public sector pension payouts and that starting to reduce it from the legislated date of July 1, 2020, would exhaust the fund.
He stated it made no sense to reduce the Future Fund’s assets, which normally secures earnings for at least 7 percent annually when the government could borrow for hardly 2.8 percent.
Days out from delivering his second budget, Morrison stated, “I’m doing this to respect future taxpayers. A decade or 15 years down the road, the unfunded super liability issue would still be there. We want the Future Fund to be capable enough of performing the work for which it was set up.”
The conclusion received the support of former treasurer Peter Costello, which is now the chairman of the Future Fund. The chairman claims putting off the maturity date would enable the fund, which is the seventh biggest sovereign fund in the world, to increase to a predicted $300 billion by the year 2030.
Costello told The Weekend Australian, “Scott wisely decides to delay the drawdown to continuously increase the fund and supply for these liabilities right up until the year 2050. It is very wise. It provides the Future Fund the chance to create a long-lasting supply for all generations.”
Morrison stated that the settlement carried a lesson for Labor that the Future Fund was not there to provide funds for repetitive spending. The treasurer also said that if we are serious about not leaving an unjust burden on the future generation, then let the Future Fund do its work and do not touch it.
He also said that “A labor treasurer at a notion could raid the fund, and that would cost a lot for the future generations.” The resolution will add to both the budget shortage and to the government’s debt beyond the forward estimates.
However, Costello backed the decision to utilize medium-term borrowings to cover the interim accountabilities until the fund grows, reducing concerns that the government’s decision to trim its debt could stimulate it to tap into the resource at the earliest date.
The Anticipation Of The Decade
Costello stated, “If we were to delay draw down to 2026, we can anticipate that we could raise it to $300 billion by the year 2030. It will secure the cost of the entire unfunded liabilities and save tens of billions of dollars of the budget annually. It will also take all the responsibilities off from the taxpayer permanently.”
Morrison mentioned that the additional debt needed to cover the pension payouts would incur at a time when the budget was returning to surplus, and the comprehensive level of net debt was dropping. The December mid-year report papers illustrate that the net debt peaks at 19 percent of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in 2018-19.
He stated that the price for the budget cash balance would reach $200 million by 2020 and 2021. It will arise because budget rules do not permit the government to book the unrealized profits on the Future Fund’s share and infrastructure portfolio.
Morrison and Costello have agreed to appeal to lower the Future Fund’s mark return of between 4.5 percent and 5.5 percent on top of the consumer price index as legislated, with these rates to be reduced by 0.5 percent.
Though the Future Fund has surpassed its target return over its first ten years of operation, the Ashe Morgan campaign gathered support by the extended fall in international interest rates.
With interest rates increasing, Costello has asserted that they can meet the measurable return by taking excessive risks with the investment portfolio. “It is still going to be a very challenging ruling but more realistic.” Costello verbalized.
He started the Future Fund in 2006 to allocate budget surpluses from the mining boom to help secure the cost of defined benefit public sector superannuation programs.
The last of these programs shut to fresh members in July, but the payouts do not maximize until the years 2049 and 2050, when they attain $20 billion per year, while the liability will not be entirely paid to opt until about the year 2100.
Morrison stated the Howard government had expected that, by the year 2020, the Future Fund would acquire enough capital to meet all pension needs. It fails to anticipate the $60 billion introductions to the fund and the sale of its current stake in Telstra would be the ultimate contributions from any government.
Modelling by the Parliamentary Budget Office illustrates that if the government commenced drawing down the fund from the year 2020, it would be drained by 2052 while the outstanding pension liability would remain at $250 billion.
The PBO (Projected Benefit Obligation) predicted that delaying tapping the Future Fund for just another four years would allow it to gather enough assets to meet the needed payout for the rest of the century.
Morrison stated that the government had decided to leave the Future Fund alone only during the four-year forward approximate period, but it was his “disposition” to permit it to sustain building its asset base for an unspecified period.
During which the government needed to keep the versatility to utilize the Future Fund resources in case the rate of change will skyrocket. Morrison also stated that the budget’s projections for medium term will only display the government borrowing, instead of using the Future Fund to pay superannuation.
“Until they hear more from us, their presumption should be that the Turnbull government is not touching the Future Fund,” he verbalized. The resolution to decrease the fund’s target return indicates a concern that the investment perspective will become a lot more difficult as global interest rates start soaring.
The extended fall in global interest rates since the Future Fund started operating has created enormous profits for investors in bonds, while the Future Fund had a tiny investment in shares at the time of the international financial crisis and had made significant gains from the equity market recovery.
Costello argued that allowing the minimum mark return at 4.5 percent more than the expansion rate would force the fund to take unreasonably risky investment choices. The 0.5 percent cutback still leaves the fund at risk to a rise in global rates. However, Morrison stated he was confident that Costello would reach the goal.
The Resolution
Morrison said, “The fund has an excellent history of surpassing their target, and so we have real confidence in Peter and the fund to hit its goal, and I have no doubt that Peter will tell me when he has surpassed it.”
Takeaway
Future Fund would perhaps need a couple of years without the government raiding and interrupting their process for them to completely cover all the superannuation for years to come which is very beneficial for the future generations.
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The construction industry faces many challenges. Recently, there has been a widespread labour shortage. Issues around health and safety are often taken on by the media. Then, and relevantly for this article, there are the struggles to keep up to date with an ecologically aware society.
Constantly under fire for the spread of pollution through crude oils and carbon emissions through their production methods, leaders within the industry are now sitting up and taking notice. Green initiatives are being put in place, with recyclable methods being practised in the construction process and an increased use of energy-efficient technology happening in the field. So, there is hope, and in an industry that gives so much to the economy, it is good to see changes being made when it comes to the environment.
Should you work in the construction industry, it is important you play your part in becoming ecologically aware. Not only will you be doing your bit to save the planet, but you will also satisfy your customers. If you fall behind with your archaic practices and technology, you will struggle to stay in business, as eco-friendly customers will no longer stand for it. In this article, we will give you some tips on how you can stay with the times while benefitting the environment as you go to work.
Ten ways to go green
- Rather than outsourcing new material, recycle materials that have been used in other construction jobs.
- Use materials that are non-toxic, renewable and safe for the environment. Wood is perfect, while alloys and metals are not because they are not biodegradable.
- Reduce fuel emissions by sourcing materials from local sources, instead of further afield.
- Reduce fuel emissions by reducing the amount of traffic your firm uses. Renting trucks from Flex Fleet Rental makes more sense than buying (or using) older vehicles, as they can be used only when you need them, and are more eco-efficient when it comes to fuel emissions.
- When working with other contractors and suppliers, ensure they are also following good practices. If they don’t use sustainable materials, or they are wasteful with the materials they use, ditch them and go elsewhere.
- Don’t rely on old machinery as it may not be energy or eco-efficient. Shop around for the latest in green machinery, as the advanced tech should adhere to the latest standards required by the government.
- With regards to the machinery you use, don’t overuse or overwork them. Keeping a machine running unnecessarily will incur a greater cost in fuel and the added risk of pollution. Hybrid motor technologies have been designed to solve this issue.
- When it comes to the structure of the building being worked on, do your bit to remain green on the exterior and interior. For example, consider using solar energy designs, adding water filtration systems, and adding low-energy-lighting instead of regular, energy-wasting bulbs.
- Ensure everybody on your team is as ecologically aware as you. With training and guidance, ensure everybody is instructed to follow the green principles that we are advocating on this list.
- Work in the daytime when there is natural light. Not only is this safer than working at night, but it also cuts down on the amount of artificial lighting that will be used to enhance your workspace.
Final word
By following these simple practices, not only will your business will benefit the environment, but you will garner a good reputation for yourself. Being ecologically conscious means you will save money too, so while you shouldn’t need further incentive to go green, you are benefitting yourself also.
Debt is a dirty word to a lot of people. In our personal lives, when we think of debt, we think of how to get rid of it as soon as possible. However, in business, you’re playing a financial long game. Sometimes, taking on a little debt is necessary for the long-term financial health of the company. So, how do you live with debt without taking over your life?
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Always have a reason to borrow
Businesses should not be regularly using credit cards for small expenses. It’s an easy way to get caught in a debt trap if your finances take a sudden nose-dive. Rather, all use of credit and loans should be specifically aimed. Reasons to take out a loan include expanding with new real estate, purchasing equipment and inventory, and even to get through periods of poor cash flow. Don’t borrow unless you know exactly why you’re borrowing.
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Budget for it
When you borrow, make sure you take very careful note of it. Immediately start budgeting for the payments you’re going to make back, and know how your debts balance with current income and cash flow projections. They should always be on your mind, in part. Otherwise, it’s easier than you think to lose track of them, rack up interest, and get in a dangerous situation.
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Keep your credit healthy
The better your credit, the better the terms you can expect from loans. However, many people go into business with a line of credit that’s already unhealthy. What are they to do to get back on top of the situation? For one, small business loans for bad credit won’t only help you get the funding you need when you need it. Successfully sticking to the terms of the agreement can help you start building a credit history if you don’t have one, or can improve your score. That will make more favorable loans available to you in future.
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Be responsible
It sounds like a given, but the truth is that unless you start learning the habits of responsible credit use, it’s easy to very irresponsible instead. For instance, use accounting software instead of keeping sums by hand so that the figures are always easy to track. Enforce spending limits on any cards you use. Document a spending policy for employees to follow to avoid charges going where they shouldn’t. Most importantly, keep it very strictly business.
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Strategize for reductions at all times
Part of living with debt is being aware you have to constantly make moves to reduce it, especially if you use it often. Beyond budgeting to a repayment plan, this might also mean being aware of tools like debt consolidation to help you get more favorable repayment strategies.
Smart borrowing, realistic expectations, and debt-reduction strategies are going to help you be a lot more financially flexible. You’ll be able to invest when otherwise you couldn’t and survive tough times that would otherwise sink you. There are plenty of perks to sharing a business with debt from time to time.
If you are a woman business owner, you probably already know how difficult it is to make it as a female entrepreneur. The biggest problem is the lack of respect, and investors or fellow business owners may look down on you. While these things can appear to be just minor annoyances, they can have ultimately affect your business. Luckily, now we have plenty of programs that focus on women-owned businesses, and they can provide the needed funding. Here is what you should know if you are a woman and you want to fund your business.
Make sure that your business is a woman-owned business
A business does not need to have only women owners in order to be considered a woman-owned business. In fact, it is enough if 51% of the shares are owned by one or multiple women. Third party certifier like WBENC can prove this through certification. You can also try self-certification if you want.
Inquire on what the requirements are
Research is the first natural step in this process. You must be aware of the certifications that you need. Most of the time you do not need to apply for a national certification if you operate just in one locality. Make sure that you know what kind of company you want to know, and what is the level of certification needed for it.
After you have all the documents, prepare your paperwork. You should find instructions at your agency. Submit the application only after you are sure that everything is in order and nothing is missing. We also recommend to keep a copy of every document.
Be ready for the interview (and the site visit)
If your papers are in order, you can expect an interview. The committee will want to meet you personally and make sure that a woman is really the one in charge. If you do not feel confident enough you can prepare in advance and rehearse with some possible questions. Don’t forget that those people are there to help your business, so try not to worry and act natural. You should also expect a site visit, so have everything prepared for it.
If your application won’t be accepted you will be informed and they will their you their reasons, and you will receive one month to fix the previous errors.
Funding options
If you want to receive funds like other small businesses, you can try traditional options like a small business line or credit, a bank loan, or you can even check sba loan rates.
However, there are many programs designed for women. For example, you can check out Operation HOPE Small Business Empowerment Program or Key4Women Program.
Or you can take it even further, and apply for a grant. It may appear difficult to get approved for one, but there are many that were created for women-owned businesses, such as Wal-Mart Women’s Economic Empowerment Initiative, InnovateHER: Innovating for Women Business Challenge or The Eileen Fisher Women-Owned Business Grant Program.
What happens to your business if a disaster hits? The purpose of developing a Business Continuity Plan, is to ensure the continuation of your business during and following any critical incident. If your normal operational capability is disrupted, your plan will ensure that the financial impacts upon your business are minimal. Read on to find six tips for developing a disaster preparedness plan for your business.
1. Organize your finances
Even with the best plan in place, in the event of a disaster it is likely that your business will suffer some financial damage. For this reason, it is important to research loans or fixed deposit amounts before disaster hits. With this research, you can ensure that you receive the best interest rate available and be back on your feet quickly. Have you ever been hit with a disaster and need a debt consolidation loan? Try latitudefinancial.com.au.
2. Conduct a Business Impact Analysis (BIA)
A business impact analysis (BIA) predicts the consequences of disruption to business functions and processes, and is vital in developing a business continuity plan. The planning stages involve gathering information needed to develop recovery strategies, identify time-sensitive and critical business functions, and prioritize the order of events for restoration of the business.
Your BIA should identify both the operational and financial impacts from a disruption of business processes. Some impacts to consider in your plan include:
- Lost income and sales
- Increased expenses
- Contractual penalties
- Regulatory fines
- Customer dissatisfaction
The BIA should therefore compare the costs of possible recovery strategies in order to minimize further financial strain on the business.
3. Gather the resources required to support recovery
Minimizing the financial implications of a disaster on your business involves recovering from the interruption as quickly and seamlessly as possible. Recovery of critical or time-sensitive processes to your business requires resources. It is important to consider in advance these necessary resources and alternatives should they become unavailable. Important resources include:
- Employees
- Technology
- Office space
- Invetory
- Production facilities
- Utilities
It is important to therefore estimate the resources that will be needed in the days and weeks following a disaster.
4. Finalize your recovery strategies
Recovery strategies are alternate means to restore business operations to a minimum level following a disaster. Your strategies may involve:
- Entering into a partnership or reciprocal agreement with another business
- Displacing other functions within the company
- Relocation of operations to an alternate site
- Telecommuting
- Using external suppliers
- Prioritization of production—by profit margin or customer relationship
- Relocation of existing inventory
5. Insurance
As part of your disaster plan, you need to determine what types of insurance are available, and put in place the insurance that will best protect your business needs. It is important that your policy covers all foreseeable threats to your business. Adequate insurance cover should include both business interruption and general property insurance. If you live in an area that is prone to floods or other natural disasters, it is important to take this into consideration when choosing the right policy.
6. Invest in employee training
In the event of a disaster, your employees are vital to ensuring the continued operation of your business. Therefore adequate training in multiple areas of the business is imperative to reduce key person risk. Informing your employees of the disaster management plan and training them accordingly, ensures that there is minimal disruptions to your business activities. Consulting with your key employees throughout the planning process is also beneficial, as they will have the best idea of what functions and processes are most important for the continuity of the business.
Developing a disaster preparedness plan is an important step in ensuring the continuation of your business in the event of an unforeseen disaster. Taking the time to plan early gives you the peace of mind that your business can withstand any surprising incidents.
Bio: Laura Costello is in her final year of a Bachelor of Law/International Relations at Latrobe University. She is passionate about the law, the power of social media, and the ability to translate her knowledge of both common and complex topics to readers across a variety of mediums, in a way that is easy to understand.
If you are someone that owns their own business, then you have a variety of people to be thinking about and to keep happy. From any staff to your accountant or clients, there are a lot of people that you need to keep happy, in order from them to keep working with you or so that they keep doing a good job for you. Clients can, of course, benefit you as they help you to bring in revenue for your business. However, there is a certain satisfaction when it comes to knowing that you did a good job for them and have contributed to their happiness. So what are some of the best ways to keep those people that you work with happy? Here are a few ideas for you to get you thinking.
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Pay Close Attention
If you are able to anticipate your client’s needs, then it can make a massive difference. Being able to predict what they might want, as well as what they might need for their next project, for instance, can stand you in good stead. Plus, if you get regular work from a client, you can anticipate certain things through the ways that they prefer to communicate. If they keep emails quite brief but they give their phone number, then could it be that they’d rather talk in person? Arrange to call them or to go to their office, for example.
Send Thank Yous To Them
If you have worked with a client quite a lot, then it can be a good idea to send something over to them as a thank you. After a project is finished, having something sent to their office as a thank you can be really appreciated and will keep you in their good books. It could just be that you send over some treats or even give your clients a stubby holder, for example. It helps to keep you in their memory, which is more likely to lead to repeat work from them. So have a think about what might work, even if it is just sending them a holiday card.
Own Your Mistakes
From time to time, mistakes will happen with certain work or projects. But the best thing to do, to keep everyone happy, is to own up to something rather than blame others. Explain what has happened, and tell them quickly what you will be doing to rectify the situation. Some things may have been out of your control. But it looks bad to blame others or circumstances, instead of owning your mistakes and then putting in a lot of effort to put it right.
Stay On Top Of The Trends
If you have certain clients that require work that is more seasonal, then be prepared for work that comes up at certain points in the year. Try not to overbook yourself for work, so that you have space at certain times of year for loyal clients. This can also allow you to have time to creatively plan when you know they will need you at a certain time.
In the competitive world of modern business, gaining trust from the customers is everything. Without it, you’ll never gain the sales revenue needed for sustained success. As such, letting those standards slide could bring irreparable damage.
Being aware of the most common mistakes should help you avoid them. In turn, this allows you to focus on the factors that will drive your business forward. Here’s all you need to know.
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#1. Be Too Secretive
When potential customers find your business and its services, they will conduct some research before buying. Unfortunately, if the necessary information is difficult to find, it can get the alarm bells ringing.
Your website should show info including telephone numbers, email accounts, and office addresses. If the business is a home-based operation, you may want to hire a virtual office address. After all, some clients may look negatively on the fact that your company operates from a residential address.
It’s not all about addresses, though. Having clear returns policies should be considered equally essential. When customers know exactly where they stand, they’ll have far less reason to doubt the trustworthiness of the venture.
#2. Let Fraudsters Win
One of the harshest realities of modern business is that it only takes one negative episode for customers to lose their trust in the company. Consequently, it’s imperative that your operation is suitably protected on a 24/7 basis. Otherwise, those errors could haunt your company for years.
Investing in the right CCTV and alarm systems should help prevent burglaries and trespassing. In today’s climate, though, digital data breaches are an even bigger threat. Using secure identity verification protects the company’s assets. More importantly, it gives clients the confidence needed to enjoy long-term relations with your brand.
Those potential dangers also extend to intellectual property. If someone else tries to make money off of your name, it can hit your profits badly. Moreover, customers may start to question the authenticity and quality of your products due to seeing fakes on the market. Once that trust is lost, regaining it is very tough indeed.
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#3. Go Back On Promises
Customers have very good memories, and they will not respect a company that lies. Therefore, you must ensure that anything you say in business is accurate. Because if you leave a consumer feeling conned, they will take their custom elsewhere. Furthermore, they’ll probably encourage friends and family to do the same.
Marketing is a crucial aspect of any business venture, and should be used to grab the attention and drum up interest. However, you’re going to promise rewards or discounts, you must provide them. Even if you’ve only suggested that you’ll be releasing a new blog post, it’s important that you do it. Because if people think you cannot be trusted to stick to your word on trivial matters, they’ll struggle to believe you with the important things.
This is especially true in today’s climate due to the instant nature of social media. Everything stated in the public domain should be carefully considered. Fail to do this, and you could be asking for major problems.
#4. Provide Poor Customer Care
Sustained success relies heavily on your ability to keep customers coming back for more. Without that loyalty, it becomes a lot harder to achieve your goals. Given that communication is at the heart of all modern business, you must perfect this area. Once again, one bad experience could cost you a customer forever.
Face-to-face interactions are the preference but may not always be possible. Using social media enables you to address many customers at once while having an FAQ on your site can help too. Most importantly, though, you should invest in a good telephone customer care game. In the absence of human interaction, this is the next best thing.
Most clients will forgive mistakes as long as you show a genuine desire to rectify those problems. Conversely, those companies that let themselves down here often find that retention levels fall.
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#5. Work Without Consistency
Customers need to resonate with the company, but that’s very difficult when it sounds out mixed messages. Therefore, one of the worst things you can do is allow your staff to do what they want. Of course, it’s good for them to use their initiative. Still, following company procedures with consistency is key.
This is what ensures clients receive a fair, honest, and clear customer service at all times. First off, you must keep employees satisfied. Secondly, you should use staff training in an effective manner. When you do this, your employees will be sure to work in the right manner. In turn, that should enable you to maintain their trust for the long haul.
Trust alone won’t guarantee success, and you’ll still need to provide great products and services. Nonetheless, trust is one of the key fundamentals that will establish a stronger platform going forward. Underestimate it at your peril.
Presenting a professional image when you run a business needs to be one of your top priorities. If you don’t look like you want to be taken seriously, people are likely to pass you by and consider other businesses instead. There are so many small ways you can fail to look like a professional business, as well as bigger mistakes you can make. Avoiding these problems will give your business more of a legitimate air, so people will be more willing to consider it. If you’re not sure if your business looks as professional as it could, here are some of the things you might be doing wrong.
Sloppy Documents and Communications
The way you communicate with people can have a huge effect on how they see you. When you talk to someone in person or even over the phone, it can seem easier to make sure you’re projecting a professional image. But if you’re communicating through the written word, it can make it seem a little more difficult. Your emails, documents, and even instant messages need to carry the right tone and look good too. You can improve the documents you send with tools like invoice templates to help you be consistent. You can include your logo and a smart header and layout. Using an email signature is another way to be more consistent with your professional image.
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Amateur Graphics and Images
Professional graphics are vital for any business that you want people to take seriously. While you might think you can draw up some simple graphics on your own, they’re often not as good as you think they are. Even when you pay someone else to do them, it’s important to make sure you don’t try to cut costs too much. If you’re only willing to spend a small amount of money, you’re not going to get the best quality. A professional logo is the least you need.
No Domain Name
This might seem like an obvious mistake to make, but many business owners don’t realize how important it is. People who might have come to the internet late often don’t pay attention to this step, in particular. The lack of a dedicated domain name makes your business look either out of date or very new. Even if you have a domain name, many people then fail to extend it to their email address. Asking people to email a Hotmail or Yahoo email address doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in your business.
No Business Contact Details
Does your contact page list a mobile phone number and your personal address and email address? Maybe you don’t even have a contact page. Making sure you have these details for your business makes you look better to your website visitors and to search engines. You can get a dedicated phone number using Google Voice and use a virtual address service if your business is based from your home.
Don’t make these mistakes if you want your business to look professional. Pay close attention to how other businesses improve their images.
Being in business can mean a lot of things. It can mean that your work for a firm, are involved in sales or development, or that you have your own company. But there is one thing that unites all of these, and that is the skills that you need to triumph. Read on to find out what they are.
Leadership
As they suggest at https://www.inc.com/, leadership is a vital quality if your aim is to triumph in the business world. This is because you need to be charismatic enough to get people to do what you are asking of them. This might mean that they buy your product. Or that your team does that little bit extra work to hit the deadline that is looming.
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Also, strong personalities are usually well respected in the business arena, and being a good leader will contribute towards this. Remember if you want to get spotted you to be at the head of the herd, and not at the back.
Communication
Another skill that you need to be proficient at in the business world is communication. Not only do you have to be excellent at conveying your points for presentations and sales pitches, but you also need to be able to successfully build and maintain positive relationships with clients and suppliers over the long term.
Of course, that means your spoken and written language skills need to be on point, whether you are working in English or another language. To help you with this, you can take courses like the one on offer at EffortlessEnglishClub.com. Which will ensure you are fully confident in what you are saying and the accuracy and meaning behind it.
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Negotiating
Now, negotiation is a skill that is close to communication, but it isn’t quite the same. Whereas communication is about getting your point across, negotiation is about finding an agreement in which both parties are happy. Basically, you are looking for win-win situations.
That means you need to be wary of anyone that says there can only be one winner in negotiation. As most are not done is such a hostile environment. In fact, a lot of negations will be with people that you work with on a day to day basis. So you want to make sure that both parties leave the dialogue as happy and motivated as possible.
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Focus
Of course, another skill that you will need to triumph over your competitors in the business world is the focus. You can be the best at doing something, or have the best idea, but if you can’t edit and focus your attention on what needs to be done right at this time, then you won’t achieve your goals.
Many people think that focus is a talent, but it it’s something that can be learned just like anything else. All you need to do is find the right motivator or system for doing things. For example, some folks swear by the Pomodoro technique where you work for 50 minutes and then break for 10 to improve their focus.
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Running a business comes with a lot of complexities. Not only do you need to be able to wear a bunch of different hats, you have to be able to excel in a range of different areas if you want succeed. Whether you choose to outsource some of the responsibility or take on some of the tasks yourself, you’ll often find that there are five key areas of business to focus on in order to grow your business and see it flourish. To harness your business’ potential power, here is where you should be channeling your efforts.
Customers
Your customers should always be your primary focus. Without them, you have no business. Whether you operate in B2B markets or a consumer based industry, without the people that are prepared to part with money for your product or service, you can not find success. So, you need to be able to focus on understanding your customer by doing your own research or using something like shopper lab and tailoring your marketing and sales efforts towards their needs.
Promotions
Your promotional activity can see you through hard times and help to grow your customer base. But, for your marketing to be successful, you need to be able to ensure it is both targeted and integrated. By making sure that your efforts are tailored to your customer market segment and consistent across all of your marketing channels, you’ll stand a better chance at not only targeting the right people but winning their business too.
Employees
Regardless of your business operations or industry, your employees will always be the backbone of your business. Not only do they make the day to day running possible, but they can often be responsible for some of your successes. Keeping your employees safe, content and nurtured is crucial in any business. If you want to do well, your employees need to be looked after. People work for people, and people make a business what it is. Focus on training, offer benefits and above all else, always be a fair boss.
Suppliers
Whether you offer a service or a product, your supplies will always hold a certain level of power. Even if you have a great relationship, you will always find that what they do is crucial to your operations. It’s in your best interest to channel efforts into keeping your suppliers happy. You might need to push down costs or ask for a higher quality of supply in the future, and without a strong relationship, they may not be inclined to help you out with that.
Profits
In business, your profits are everything. Without a profit, it’s not justifiable to be in business. So, alongside nurturing the four other key areas of your business, you need to be able to keep the idea of maximizing profits at the center of what you do. Whether that’s negotiating better overheads, running a killer promotion, or hiring a new member of staff – if it’s not going to improve your profits now or in the future, you may need to rethink taking any action.
Are you a landscaper looking to grow your business? It is no easy feat to get a landscaping business off of the ground and running efficiently and properly. If you have managed to achieve it, then it’s time to look at the next phase of your company’s lifecycle; growth.
Growing a Landscaping Business the Right Way
You are now at a new crossroads. The survival stage of your business cycle has ended and it’s time to begin growing a landscaping business that is profitable and sustainable. The crux of growth comes from establishing systems and policies within your business.
The systems and policies must provide clear instructions on the operations of your business. Every business activity must be logged to enable you to track your business data. This data provides you the information on where you need to focus on improvement and where you are doing well.
People are the other major impact on your business. Hiring the right people can increase productivity and profit. Unfortunately, poor hires can sometimes cost your business time and money.
Establishing clear policies on hiring and human resources is a crucial area to concentrate on when growing a landscaping business. By creating exact roles and functions of your people and benchmarks of what you expect in their performance, you can track their results.
Growing a landscaping business is determined by your own abilities to execute. You need to be constantly aware of areas in your business that need your attention. Managing the growth of your business can be as challenging as planning it. Make sure that you work with the best people to ensure your chances of success.
You Need a Solid Plan for Growing a Landscaping Business
These systems and policies must be included in your business plan. Things have now taken a new direction for your landscaping business and you need to take this time to adjust your plan.
Adjustments are everything and forming your new plan will require you to review and update all of your business goals and milestones. If you have business mentors, then use their knowledge and experience to help you with updating your business plan.
Mentors can help reduce your learning curve dramatically. You can benefit from their past mistakes and the lessons they have learned. Take this lessons and use them in your own business.
5 Quick Tips for Growing a Landscaping Business
- Evaluate your position. Where are you now and what has been the keys to your business survival?
- Know where you want to go. What are your new goals for this phase of your business?
- Think Big. You have made it this far, what if anything were possible?
- Write it down. Goals are just dreams until they are written down and focused on.
- Find someone to talk to.A mentor is the greatest advantage you can give yourself to ensure the achievement of your goals.
In Conclusion
Growing a landscaping business is an exciting opportunity. Leverage your resources and grow into the future with further success by using good planning and taking advice from those you trust.
When it comes time to open up your new business, you’ll need to do it in style. This means that the website you build for your company needs to be as attractive and efficient as possible. There is no room to skimp on quality when it comes to website design. The site you choose needs to be crammed to bursting with all of the latest modern conveniences that customers demand and deserve. A site that looks antiquated is one that customers will slowly but surely begin to pass over in favor of a brand new one from a competitor.
Why Is Website Design So Crucial to the Success of Your Business?
If you are wondering why a matter so seemingly simple as website design is so crucial to the success of your business, consider this: If you log on to an official company website that looks older than a few years, doesn’t it seem sort of antiquated? You may be old enough to remember the days of sites that were built with Geocities. But do you trust such a site to be secure enough to safely deposit your Paypal or credit card details on?
A First Impression Needs to Be as Positive as Possible
The first impression that a potential customer has of your official company website needs to be as positive as possible. They need to know that your site is stocked with all of the latest e-commerce conveniences so that they can order goods and services directly from you. They also need to know that your site is fully secured and safe for them to share their info on. These are the details that you want to quickly communicate to your customers.
What Do You Need to Think About When Choosing a Domain Host?
When it comes to procuring state of the art hosting and web design services, you need to shop smart. You need to make sure that you are signing with the service provider who can offer you the best possible deal for your dollar. This is important because the site that you pay for is the one you are going to be making use of for quite a long time to come. You don’t want to get stuck with a lemon that you need to spend extra money in order to replace.
Where Can You Go to Get Expert Web Hosting Service?
The web is home to hundreds, if not thousands, of potential web hosting providers who can also offer you expert design services. Your concern should be to make sure that the design you request is the one you end up with. You will also need to check the hosting arrangement contract to make sure that you retain the rights to your domain name in case you need to transfer it elsewhere in years to come. These are all valid concerns that you should keep in mind before you decide to sign on the dotted line.
Most of the people are having a hard time whether to declare bankruptcy or not. One of the reasons that they consider is it will put them or their business in a bad light. However, will you still be able to think of that reason if it’s your only option?
If you need a legal action, these are the two common types of bankruptcy codes that will totally help you.
Chapter 7
This is the most popular type of bankruptcy. The experts usually sell the property of the debtor to pay her credits. However, since they cannot sell that property that is exempt the law, most of the debtors can still keep the majority of their properties so no need to worry about losing your favorite car, if you have one.
When it comes to the time frame, this code usually takes three up to four months only. The only people who are eligible for this system are those business owners who have low incomes or those who pass the mean assessment. However, those business-owners who have high incomes are not eligible for this code.
You can file for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy code even if you don’t have a lawyer. However, if you want a satisfactory result, make sure that you own a little property or no property at all, your income is not higher than the median state and you have not made money or property payments to your preferred creditors. Also keep in mind that even if you didn’t get a lawyer, you are still obliged to pay the $335 Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing fee plus the $50 personal finance management class. The final decision whether to get a lawyer or not will always be yours.
Chapter 13
If you want to pay your creditors through a repayment plan the Chapter 13 Bankruptcy code is the best one for you. The repayment plan is the agreement between you and your creditor that pinpoint how the debts will be paid back. The timeframe for this usually takes three to five years, depending on your income.
Filing this type of bankruptcy can also be done without a lawyer. However, would you take the time to research all law and represent yourself to the court? Getting an attorney will be easier for you and for your case to be approved.
Unlike the Chapter 7 code, another good thing about filing chapter 13 code is you can still keep all your property so no need to worry about selling your boat, farm house or expensive electronics if you have one.
Takeaway
Declaring a bankruptcy doesn’t mean that you have lost the battle in the corporate world. There are some times that things don’t go with how you wanted them to be, but it doesn’t mean that you, or your business, is unavailing. If you feel like you already need help to save your business or yourself still, then filing for the proper bankruptcy code is always an option.
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When you’re running a business, there’s no shortage of people who want to come out of the woodwork in order to give you advice on exactly how you should go about doing it. Whether it’s other business owners, investors, or even blog posts and websites. Everyone has an opinion of the right and wrong ways to go about running a business, and the big issue is that these opinions often end up conflicting with one another. Of course, that’s not always a bad thing. There are plenty of occasions where the best possible thing is to hear as many sides of the story as possible in order to create a more nuanced and deep understanding of how to deal with something. However, there is a significant amount of advice that get’s given out to new business owners a lot of the time that is not only wrong but can sometimes actually be dangerous to your business as a whole! With that in mind, here is are some pieces of business advice that you should never take.
Bigger is always better
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Of course, this is not to say that growth it not important to a business, of course, it is. Not business could possibly expect to compete without being able to grow over time. But far too often business owners assume that growth is the only thing that’s truly important. This often ends up with them doing so in a way that is almost entirely unsustainable. The bigger a business becomes, the more responsibility you have to deal with. Not to mention the increased pressure from both customers and investors. If you haven’t grown your business in a sustainable way, then there’s simply no chance that you’re going to be able to support that kind of pressure. The key is to only every grow your business at a rate that still allows you to support it properly, even if that means doing so more slowly than you might have expected.
Don’t bother with physical marketing
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You can almost never get through a conversation about the modern business world without someone claiming that the internet has “killed” traditional marketing techniques. Anyone with any sense can see that this is utter nonsense, but it’s something that far too many impressionable new business owners tend to take to heart. If you ignore physical marketing, then you’re shutting yourself off from entire demographics who might be incredibly interested in your product. Not only that but there are plenty of different types of traditional marketing that you can use. Whether it’s custom signs and banners from www.selbys.net, direct mail, or even simply networking with people in person, there are always ways in which traditional marketing can help your business. You’ve just got to be willing to put in the time and effort.
More employees make things easier
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The issue here is that it assumes that many hands always make light work, which is simply not true. In fact, if each employee doesn’t have enough work to keep them busy, they’re going to get bored. This means that you end up with a large staff who you are paying to do virtually nothing. It’s far better to streamline your staff and provide them with enough work to keep them engaged and motivated throughout the day.
If you’ve been to university, especially a top-tier university like Oxford or Harvard, you will have been deluged with advice about how you should take a job at a corporate gig. This advice seems logical at the time: after all, corporate work is usually stable and relatively well paid. But it’s not exactly enjoyable, especially for people who are looking to take a more entrepreneurial path. In fact, for some people, advice to go down the corporate road can lead to decades of misery that are never really resolved.
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The problem is that a lot of financial advice is based on intuition, rather than after a careful examination of an individual’s priorities. It’s about striking a balance between what seems possible, and what seems safe. The problem for many entrepreneurs is striking a balance between the two. Some entrepreneurs rely on other people exclusively for advice about their finances, while others only rely on themselves. Jodi Goldstein, the woman behind Drync, the mobile wine company, says that what entrepreneurs need is a bit of both. They have to know good advice when they hear it and ignore all the bad.
“Stick To Advisors In Your Industry”
The first thing that Goldstein recommends that businesses do is seek advice outside of their immediate industry. Relying solely on one narrow cadre of people won’t give you the diverse range of experience that you need to understand how to go about organizing your finances successfully. Approach people with diverse backgrounds outside of your industry who have also been successful, and try to find out what it was that they did that helped them to make money.
“Focus On The Short Term”
Another bad piece of advice that you often hear is to focus on the short term. Usually, this is dressed up in a different way, like the importance of cash flow or the necessity of living in the moment. But the problem with this advice is that making money is almost always about taking the long road. Goldstein says that she has been to startups where the exclusive focus is on making money in the immediate term without thinking about how those quick financial gains will translate into long-term business plans. Often, she says, the promise of making money fast leads to a deterioration in the ethics of the company, which can ultimately hurt it in the long term.
“Don’t Litigate, Just Move On”
Another piece of financial advice that is bandied about with worrying regularity is this idea that entrepreneurs shouldn’t sue, they should just move on. However, this isn’t something that most entrepreneurs do as evidenced by the number of personal injury law firms. Goldstein says that founders need to take advantage of opportunities to litigate, otherwise they will find themselves working in an asymmetric environment. If they aren’t litigating, their competitors will be.
“Don’t Vet The People Who Give You Advice”
If you’re still in the startup phase, you’ll be amazed by just how many people there are out there who want to give you advice. Often, they’ll claim to have experience and know what’s best for your business, but you shouldn’t take their word for it. Do a quick background check on these people to make sure they’re who they say they are.
Where would we be without computers? How did we do things before Microsoft Office and Outlook Express? How would we get meeting notifications without calendar reminders?
Honestly, it’s not worth thinking about. It sounds like a dreadful amount of hard work.
Computers and the software packages developed for them have made running a business easier than ever before. From standard options like Excel and Outlook right through to niche market packages like highpoint.com which can do it all for your higher education facilities. There’s a package for everyone. Surely.
We should be thankful for them and the best way to do that? Get some use out of the many software packages out there that can simplify business tasks.
We need to look at the best software packages you can use, right now to boost your business.
Keeping a budget is absolutely key to running a good business. It doesn’t matter about the size of your bank account, but if you don’t know how much you can spend, you’re going to be in a heap of trouble. Planguru is a really simple budgeting software package that can manage your company’s financial outlook. With utilities that can handle payroll and ways to process financial statements and even forecast your business budgets, it’s a great way to break down money for your business.
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The other side of money in business is accounting. Freshbooks is one of many options one the marketplace for accounting via software. It is simple and easy to use and can be integrated easily into pre-existing software packages, like your payroll management and email systems. It’s also internet based through the cloud, so you can access it from anywhere!
Time management software is crucial to businesses from medical practices right through to energy corporations. If we aren’t managing time correctly, we could be wasting money. When I Work will help you schedule staff shifts and employee work hours and even allows staff access so your employees can view upcoming shifts, book holidays and request further time off. Packages like When I Work can save a lot of time and keep your employees working, instead of queuing up outside your office. Genbook allows your customers to book appointments and will even offer your reminders. A great way to book in clients, patients and even employees for staff or team meetings.
Email is crucial to running a business. It’s communication and business wrapped up and fired across the web. Outlook is the main choice, but it retails for nearly a hundred dollars per user. Mozilla Thunderbird can do the same thing, allow you to email big files and is free and totally customizable. Of course, you might want to move away from email for internal communications. It’s slow and sometimes clunky. Using instant messaging software that can integrate with other apps like Slack and Basecamp is a better way to build communication in your business.
There’s just so much software can do for your business and if you have a pressing need, it is likely that a package exists that can help you out. Look for it today!
Starting a new business is always going to be tough. There are so many angles to cover that you are almost guaranteed to forget something important. However, we’ve tried to outline a general step-by-step process on this page. With a bit of luck, you can use the information to ensure you leave no stone unturned this year. Of course, you are the person best placed to decide what’s right for your company. So, you need to take this advice and then tailor it to suit your business model. At the end of the day, you are always going to encounter a few stumbling blocks along the way. It’s your ability to deal with them effectively that will determine your level of success. Also, you need to remember the corporate world is always evolving. That is why you must remain as flexible as possible in your approach.
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Create a plan to gain investment
There is no getting away from the fact that you’re probably going to need investment to get your concept off the ground. That means you have to spend time creating a business plan that will seem attractive to investors. You should then call banks in your local area and arrange meetings. In most instances, you just need to explain the nature of your idea and how it will create profit. If the bank manager sees worth in your opportunity, they will release capital. Just ensure you understand the repayment schedule and never fall behind. You can also contact private investors if you don’t have any luck at the bank. There are specialist websites you can use to save time doing that. So, now is the time to search online, note down the addresses, and design your strategy.
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Work on branding
Branding is important when launching a new operation. You need people to become as familiar with your company as possible. You also need to make sure you create the right image when consumers think of your operation. So, you’ll have to work long and hard to come up with the right concepts. You’ll have to choose standard fonts and design a logo at the very least. You should use them in every publication you create, and push them as much as possible. Try to keep things simple. Far too many people over-complicate their branding solutions and produce poor results. If you have enough cash in your accounts, it would be wise to employ the services of a branding expert. They will come to your place of business and perform an assessment before offering design suggestions.
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Launch a website
You should always publish your business website as early in the startup process as possible. You could even do it before you’re ready to trade. The website is your best tool for promoting your products or services. You can use advertising tools to drive lots of traffic and create interest in your brand. Social media websites like Facebook offer excellent promotional solutions that you’ll want to utilise. You should also learn the ins and outs of Google Adwords for the best results. At the end of the day, there is no minimum investment. That means you can start marketing your site on a shoestring budget. Just make sure you assess the results of every campaign and try to improve. So long as you know some basic information about your target market, you should have no trouble reaching them.
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Find suitable premises
The location of your business premises is everything. You’ll want to place yourself as close to the action as possible. However, property rental prices in the major cities are extortionate, and probably too expensive for a startup. With that in mind, you should place your company in a suburb near to all the main transport links. That way, you ensure you remain accessible, but you won’t have to spend thousands every month on rental costs. Of course, you can steadily move your business closer to the city as it becomes successful. The goal during the early stages is to limit your outgoings as much as possible. Hopefully, that should leave you with enough money in your accounts to deal with any unexpected issues. Like it or not, they are going to arise from time to time.
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Ensure you follow health and safety guidelines
Unless you want to end up in court, you must take health and safety seriously. Workplace compensation claims could cripple your operation before you’ve had a chance to find your feet. Also, you don’t want to live with the knowledge that you caused someone to lose a limb through negligence. That is why you must perform health and safety assessments on every operation within your company. If you don’t know how to do that, there’s no need to stress. You can find out more here about outsourcing the task and the benefits of doing so. Whatever you decide to do, don’t forget your responsibilities as an employer. Asking someone to work in a dangerous environment is fine if you inform them of the dangers.
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Be efficient in your approach to the employment process
When it comes to employing staff, you face an uphill struggle. You need the best and most experienced people working for your business. However, they are often hard to find. Don’t make the mistake of using government-run job boards if you don’t like a hassle. You will receive too many applications from unsuitable people who are forced to apply. Instead, you should search for industry-related job websites for the best results. Design an interview process that allows you to learn about the individual’s personality. At the end of the day, a CV will only tell you so much about a person’s work ethic. Again, there is lots of information and advice online that could make your life easier.
Now you’ve read our keys to business success; we hope you find yourself in a better position. As we said at the start of this article, we have published a general step-by-step guide. You just need to use it as a guideline for your actions this year. You still need to keep your eyes open for problems and opportunities every single day. Keeping an open mind and a flexible approach will benefit your ambitions more than anything else.
With more and more startup businesses entering the market at an alarming pace, it can be a precarious situation for any new business owner as to when and where they decide to launch. If your business is a restaurant concept, which specialises in Italian cuisine – for example – there is a slim chance your business will succeed if you decide to set up a restaurant on the same street as an already established and popular Italian restaurant. The same goes for if your business sells vinyl and second hand CDs – do not decide to launch your business in close proximity to a popular music retail shop. This sort of situation can be said for absolutely any business out there, if you are launching it from a store and not online.
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If your business is all online based, then it needs to be different and offer something completely unique to anything else out there. This can be a pretty hard task, as with the amount of businesses saturating the market a lot of ideas have already been thought up and created. You will need to be very careful when creating an online business as a lot of ideas very similar to yours could possibly have been trademarked, and if you do not do meticulous research then you could end up with a lawsuit on your hands.
However, if you do decide to make a spontaneous choice and do end up setting up your business somewhere and in a way which means it is not making any profit, there are measures you can put in place to help it stay afloat and sustain a presence. A good idea could be to take stock of all your finances and see what is working and what is not. There are lots of websites and financial professionals who can assist you with this task, as it can be very time consuming. You should take a look around and do some research on websites like checkomatic.com/business-checks/printed rather than making the decision to look at all your finances yourself.
Another way you could help your business becoming profitable is through a good social media presence. Nearly everyone uses social media and this means that you can gain a wide reach of people by simply creating a social media account, updating your account (or accounts) regularly and ensuring you connect with potential customers in a positive way.
If you feel that a problem could be that you have overstocked on certain items and they are simply taking up space, then you could run a promotion or a deal on items which you have too much off. For example, if you run a restaurant and your freezers are packed with burgers, you could run a 2 for 1 deal on burgers or you could even set up a lunchtime deal. This will definitely bring more customers eager for a good deal to your business and it also means that you will have got rid of your overstocked items.
A live chat service can help online businesses supports sales and customer satisfaction. This feature allows customers to type questions in text format and receive replies in text format from a customer service representative. Live chat services are customer-driven.
During a live chat session, the customer may get a fast answer to his or her question. If not, the customer service rep is there to clarify information or answer additional questions. Because effective live chat assistance requires well-trained customer service representatives, it’s important to provide training and access to a product or service information the rep might need to assist a customer in a live chat.
Customer Channel Integration
The business or organization can add live chat to its menu of “contact us” options, including FAQs, email or telephone assistance. Oracle Corporation research shows that customers prefer live chat or help other than reviewing FAQs or sending an email to support.
J.D. Power’s most recent wireless customer performance study shows that the most consistently satisfied customers use live chat and prefer it to other contact options. In addition, customers like the fact that it’s possible to save the live chat session and review conversation content later.
Rules and Training for Live Chat Agents
It’s obviously essential to train live chat agents to provide the best customer experience possible. Some of the most sophisticated live chat systems software allows customer reps to access the customer’s service or purchase history.
The rep must know how to begin the chat session. For instance, he or she should offer a welcome greeting and their name as a start. In the session, the rep will probably need to ask clarifying questions to discern the type of support or assistance the customer needs.
Then, the rep needs to obtain the customer’s responses before deciding the next steps. The customer service rep may use a script that includes standard information about the company’s products, services or pricing but, most often, he or she will be asked to address a specific customer question or concern.
Reps must also be trained to close the live chat session. He or she should ask the customer if additional information is needed and thank the customer for the contact. At that point, the rep should tell the customer that the live chat session will be closed.
Timely Live Chat Service
If you provide products and services online, you certainly need a website. No buts. No Ifs. Not to have one is business suicide. And you also need the latest gadgets iPad, iPhone, Android phone, laptop, etc. to reinforce the website you will create.
By reading this article, you come closer to your goal of success online. Yes, you are! Many people are still confused about what a website can do to their business. But of course not you.
What do you need to do now?
Now that you are aware of your need for a website allocate a few hours to create a remarkable website for your business. Be assured; the next few hours would be fascinating and fun for you as you start building a showcase for your products and services online.
What will you accomplish?
After reading this article, you have done the following:
- Made a website design.
- Enhance a highly compelling website that generates potential customers and convinces them to rally behind your website promotion.
- Create a remarkable and exclusive website, one that has a professional look and appealing.
- Publish the website for all to see.
What will you need?
- Passion and predilection to create a website for your business.
- Cool picture of you.
- Editing photo tools. All these software are for free plus some powerful website tools online for you: Photofunia, Picnik, Pixlr, FotoFlexer, and BeFunky. As you go on creating the website, you will learn how to utilize them.
- Hosting webs with the website builder. Take note, free website hosting is not stable and not secure, so it is not advisable to create it for your business. Choose one that has a reputation.
The advantage of website building is that expert computer designers take the fundamentals of web usage and web formats (consistency/fonts, etc.) care.
It will allow you so much time to design your website, and that is what draws and persuades customers to employ your services.
However, some newbies commit mistakes by using templates outside the box. Don’t do that! Your website is not a VA generic so why make your site a generic?
It is best if you customize your website and be entirely your own and you can make use of dummy-proof visuals and pdf orientation to implement this one.
There are two platforms in a website we can suggest, GoDaddy Domain and HostGator Website Hosting. HostGator feature includes Plesk Website Builder, and GoDaddy offers 5-page websites for free.
It comes with it an ad as a temporary setting-up. I recommend for you to purchase a paid account with an add free to have a professional look.
How to Plan Your Website?
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Failure to plan is a plan to fail. Ensure that you are much aware why you want to create a website before you begin. Have concrete information about your clients’ needs and what they want to gain in viewing your page.
The most significant goal is for you to convince them to support whatever design you will create on the web.
How to Create Your Website?
It is the exciting part! Whenever you’re ready, follow the 3-15 minutes tutorial on how you can create your website. No need for you to learn the HTML or CSS.
It will give you guidance how to convert your photo into an artistic artwork. You can download Pdf tutorials for your guide. At the end of the session, guaranteed, you have published your website, live!
Why Oh Why, Do You Need a Website?
You are not in need of a website if –
Can you engage in a VA business without an existing internet site? Of course, you can! But your potential development is limited. There are some situations where you don’t need a website. Try to analyze the situations below if you do not need a website.
You don’t need a website if:
- You just want the internet site for a hobby, not for a business to succeed.
- You just want to get along, and not distinguish yourself.
- You are contented with an endless cycle of search job-apply job-do the job-search job; you don’t need success.
If all of the above applies to you, then, yes you don’t need to build a website because you’ll be just wasting your time.
What Are The Five Big “Buts?”
Here are the five common fears about building a website and why they should not compel you.
- “I have no knowledge of HTML” It is alright. You don’t require an HTML to build a website of your own.
- “But it is so laborious.” Well, if you are employing the old school of website building, then, yes, it’s difficult. But with today’s technology where everything is like a click-and-play, it’s so easy to create one.
- “But I will spend much time” No, you will not! You will have one published and live in just a few minutes.
- “But I am not creative” No worries with that! There are now lots of free designs or applications online where you can transform a dull photo into an original art. Plus you can put all your notes and sketches on your notebooks and sketchpads.
- “But it is expensive” Website builders and hosting only cost a few dollars per month, a small investment compared to the potential profit and reputation you will generate from having a website of your own.
What Are The 4 Important Reasons In Creating a Website?
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The website that you will create is where you will build trust and confidence with your prospective customers. It is where you will start building an identity of your business and reputation as well.
And when all these elements are suitably enhanced, then this is where business transaction starts with your clients.
- To Build Trust. For you to obtain trust from a prospective client, you have to draw their attention initially. On work boards, it is not easy to implement as there are hundreds of bidders contesting for the attention of the client.
You have to convince the customer to visit your website and see the writings and portfolios you publish. The items that you display in your website will speak for you, and it will be a manifestation that the client can trust you.
- To Be Distinguished and Demand Higher Rate. Jobs on board (eLance, LimeExchange, Freelancer, oDesk), you are just one among hundreds of bidders. Competition is too tight, and your capacity to be different becomes dim because of the pressure of systems that job boards employ.
The only chance for you to be distinguished from competitors is to display your portfolio, writings, and articles on board your website for the client to see and analyze. They can easily assess the look of it and see that you’re different from the others. Most job boards and bid prices are consumer driven, so your offer of a higher or lower rate will depend on your clients.
However, flexibility is too weak as there are other VA’s who have access to them, and can quickly embrace drop-dead rates which you cannot contest. It’s better to drive the clients to your website so that you have much more control and price demand the moment they see all your portfolio.
- To Enhance and Develop Status of Expertise. It is a competition of perception online. The one equipped with competence draws an influx of clients. However, you might be the competent secretary or whatnot in this planet, but if you are not known to be such, there’s a probability that you end up bankrupt or broke because you do not have any client.
Nevertheless, those who can position right on time and build on the perception of their client needs will surely garner all the customers. And that is because they are the first to create a website and display a broad range of their products and services that suit the client’s needs.
- To have a 24/7 Marketing Mechanism. The website you create is your biggest asset, and good organizing and planning will funnel sales leads and transform them into paying customers, even while you’re sleeping.
Takeaway
Building an excellent website will pave the way to enhancing your business. It is easy to display all your products and services on your site, so you’ll just have to think of strategies for converting your visitors into customers.
If you have a website, it will cut down operational costs in your business because you don’t need to go door to door to make your product and services known.
By placing the right keywords in your web content, you can draw hundreds of viewers to your site. And to make sure the viewers will be attracted to your website, so they keep coming back, arrange the content of your site in such a way that when viewers read it, they will see all the things they are looking for as seamlessly as possible.
Salvează
The overriding factor in any startup environment, aside from the location or the people you need, is the finances. If you evaluate your business plan in enough detail, you will understand how much money is needed in order to get the venture started with enough money to spare. This is a common misconception among smaller businesses, that if you start out strong you can keep the momentum. Unfortunately this isn’t always the case. If you run out of resources early on, you can run the business into the ground very quickly. Prior to starting your business officially, there are some things that you can prepare for, and all it involves is making lists.
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Business Assets
These are what you will need in the long term. The fundamental items of equipment you will need, in other words, the inventory. From the machinery and tables, right down to the din 2093 spring, make an inventory of what you will need at the outset. These will consist of your starting assets, discounting the money you have in the bank. For each item, you need to make an educated guess of what each item will cost. If you really are not sure, either do some research or overestimate.
Business Expenses
Different from an asset, as everything you purchase is not an asset. You can spend business money on expenses, for example, the cost of setting up your business website, or the cost to fix up your offices, or the salaries you pay your employees. Now you add the starting assets and the starting expenses together to calculate the vast majority of your starting costs.
Figure Out The Amount Of Money You Will Need To Begin
This is the last piece of the jigsaw. Knowing how much money you will need in your accounts for the first few uncertain months of the business will be the deciding factor in keeping the business afloat. Now, there are different ways to do this. A lot of people would say that you need to cover 6 months of expenses, maybe 12 months, but the best way would be to estimate the sales, the expenses and the costs of the sales and expenses over the first year. You may wish to create a sales forecast to help guide you.
What you should now have is a list of 12 months with the costs, expenses and estimated sales for each individual month. The costs and the expenses are then subtracted from the sales for each month, you should then see if you are short of money or not. Using that, you can then start to see how long it will take for you to break even and how much cash you are lacking in. The amount is what you need to have behind you as the total starting cash for the business.
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The great thing about this method of calculation, is that if you have not had a business plan put in place, this will be a starting point for you to make a business plan! Get prepared, by understanding your additional costs!
There are times when you come up with a brilliant idea that will surely be revolutionary. Everything’s all set. The only problem is money. How do you raise the necessary funds so your idea can take off and become a reality? What if banks and lending agencies do not approve your loan? Where will you go so you can get the funds that you need? In this post, we will explore crowdfunding and how this can help you in making your vision come to life.
CrowdFunding
Social media is an important factor when it comes to crowdfunding. You may be wondering how this is possible at all. Aren’t social media network only for posting photos and getting in touch with friends? Not anymore. It has become more powerful than that. It has changed the way we do business, how we market, and how we raise capital.
Social media is not limited to Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. There are many social media platforms that are crowdfunding websites. But what are these crowdfunding websites? These websites are what connects hopeful entrepreneurs to generous investors. Not only that, you get to connect with contributors, patrons, and producers, too.
Crowdfunding has the same idea as that of crowdsourcing. With these two, a person gets to have an open call towards a crowd or a large group of people. With crowdsourcing, tasks can be outsourced to this crowd. With crowdfunding, funds can come from these group of people through an open call. Through this online community, projects, causes, and businesses can be funded.
How It Works
The rules are different from one site to the next. In general, people, charities, or businesses get to pitch their ideas and set a goal for their fundraising, as well as deadline. After that, the potential patrons review the ideas and pitches so they can decide and choose which among the pitches they would want to support.
In crowdfunding sites, people do not invest in the business or project, what they do is that they fund it. If the business becomes prosperous, they get to be rewarded. However, it remains as a business that the entrepreneur owns. Patrons do not get to own any part of the project or business. This is because of the US regulations that are for now being reviewed by the SEC. But this may have some changes in the future.
For each of these crowdfunding sites, there are different rules, most especially the sites that are located outside of the US. That is why it is important that you take the time to read the terms and conditions.
How to Start Your Campaign
Your crowdfunding campaign begins with a pitch. With your pitch, you get to describe what your project is about. For example, if your project’s aim is to help veterans with their VA mortgage rates for their homes, you have to be very specific and very detailed about how you are going to help them and who among the veterans you will help. Also, with your pitch, you can describe in detail the rewards that the patrons may receive if the fundraising turns out to be successful. You can then create a timeline and a funding goal.
Choosing Your CrowdFunding Site
It makes a difference which site you choose to launch your campaign. For each crowdfunding site, they have a specific audience. There are those for creative people, there are some for the entrepreneurial crowd, and there are those that are socially bent. Non-profit organizations can also take advantage of crowdfunding sites. You have to know and understand the focus of your project so that you will also know on which site you are going to launch your crowdfunding campaign.
Knowing Your Target Audience
Once you are already clear about your project and you have chosen your site, focus now on the audience. Most of the projects that have been successful focused on a narrow and specific audience. You can focus on the audience based on religious nature, geographic area, or common background. You can also consider common interests such as books, movies, and music. When you know how to target your audience, your chances of being successful in your crowdfunding campaign will be much higher.
Planning Ahead
The internet is a fast-paced world. Your campaign can get left behind if you do not actively attend to it throughout the whole duration of the campaign. Have emails ready for the beginning, the middle, as well as the end of the project to make sure that it remains active. If the project immediately takes off, you may be overwhelmed with so many emails that you have to respond to. So to do this, prepare a FAQ-type of email so you have something to send those who are inquiring about your project.
Staying Passionate
You have to believe in your project and how it can help the people you want to reach. If you want to send school supplies to third-world schools, show the crowd why they need your help and how much their help can affect the lives of the school children. You have to be passionate about your cause and be the number one believer that you can make it happen. Passion is contagious. If people can see how devoted you are with your project and how sincere you are, they can be more convinced that it is worth their while to contribute funds to your projects.
Takeaway
These tips are just among the things that you can do to ensure a successful crowdfunding campaign. You have to be very passionate about what you do and convince the crowd that indeed, your project is worth funding. You have to be able to share your vision with the crowd so they can see that your project is worthwhile.
So, you have a great idea for a business and you want to get it rolling. Having that kind of initiative is already a step in the right direction, but it’s not going to be enough to help you succeed. A great startup needs a great team behind it. Owners and partnerships are what can help you truly get the best start in the business.
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The money person
You might not have money as the primary goal of your business. The doesn’t change the fact that money is going to play the most important role in the day-to-day operations of the business. See if you can get a financial wizard on your side as an owner. Otherwise, consider how an accountant could be one of the first and most important hires for your business.
The facilitators
Another problem that a lot of new entrepreneurs have is finding the steps to make their business a reality. You might have the idea and even the investment money ready. But you could have some complaints about how to actually turn your idea into a reality. To businesses like World Patent Marketing, complaints like those can be quickly solved. Consider looking for engineers and designers. Look for partnerships that can turn your idea into a patentable business opportunity. It’s just as important for protecting your intellectual property as getting your own ball rolling.
The mentor
It’s not something that every entrepreneur is going to consider at first. However, by finding a mentor, you have the opportunity to avoid many of the pitfalls you might make early in your business life. Not only can they offer advice and expertise, a good mentor can offer contacts, too. They can help you link up with suppliers and distributors, or even make the process of getting funding all the easier.
The admin genius
Any business that’s running well is likely to produce a boat-load of administration work. It’s not always a great idea to give that admin work to the creative kind of people. Instead, you need to be able to identify and convince an administrative genius to come on board. Every business needs a person to whom disorder is their worst enemy and their organizational abilities are just the weapon needed. Put a lot more value in those who keep your company ticking over like that.
The rockstar
Administrators are all about keeping things cool, collected and neat. Rockstar marketers are quite the opposite. They rely on their gut, on finding opportunities and mining them for every potential gain they can get. They need to be your top salesperson and the one who helps you spot different angles for marketing. You need someone with their finger on the pulse of public perception. Someone who really knows people should be the one in charge of your branding.
As well as the dreamers, you need the people on the ground. The facilitators and administrators who are going to make sure you’re running the most efficient machine you can. So start looking for the people who can make a real impact on your chances.
Even the savviest of entrepreneurs can’t do it all themselves. We all know that. But do we all know that sometimes it isn’t the smartest option to rely on your staff to do it, either? Employees are a big cost in any business. A lot of the time, it can be economically smarter, as well as safer, to go outside the business. To get someone else to do it. Here, we’ll consider when you should think about outsourcing.
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Artistic tasks
Very few people have the skills necessary to create a great looking brand or a cohesive, effective website. Naturally, outsourcing should be used primarily to make use of skills you don’t have. It’s also a sure-fire way to find those who are well known for the quality of their work. A good portion of web designers and graphic designers are freelancers. It’s easier to find that quality work in outsourcing than trying to directly employ them.
Expert tasks
It’s not just the artistic types that you want to ensure you get the best quality of work from. When it comes to certain expert tasks, the kind that require years of training, a wrong hire can be disastrous. Sometimes you don’t want to take the risk of entrusting important parts of the business to untested individuals. That’s why so many businesses begin by outsourcing their IT management services.
Temporary tasks
It’s not always about how vital a task or how skilled the hire needs to be, either. Sometimes, it just doesn’t make as much sense to pay a full paycheck for someone who’s only doing a task you need for a short period of time. For example, if you want to start training and expanding the skills of your workers. It can be a lot easier to simply hire someone in to train them then be on their merry way again.
Time-consuming tasks
There are tasks on the other side of the spectrum entirely, of course. There are those tasks that need to get done but take up a considerably long amount of time. Those are man-hours that your skilled team could better use on the tasks that actually make you money. For example, we all know how social media marketing is important. But a lot of us who have dipped into that water know it can be a big drain on time. That’s why it’s another of the more commonly outsourced tasks.
Accounting
If you want a specific example of when you should definitely rely on outsourced expertise, then your accounts are where you need to start. Money is the lifeblood of the business and it’s harder to manage than many recognise. But accountants do more than that. They can also help you spot opportunities you’ve never considered and avoid risks. A long-term accountant can be a valuable ally indeed.
Spend less time on tasks that don’t make you money. Make sure you get experts. Don’t hire for short-term jobs. These are some of the biggest reasons you should let someone else take the wheel.
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