Tips and Tools – Page 129 – Business Plus Baby

November 20, 2015

The beginners guide to the property market: how to have an effective sale

If this is your first time putting your much loved, first home on the market then you might feel a little daunted at the prospect of estate agents, fees and dealing with buyers who want something for nothing (and there are plenty of those out there!)

Here’s how to have an effective sale with minimum stress and maximum asking price (hopefully):

Choose the right estate agent

Your choice of estate agent will make all the difference to the sale of your house. Some are more proactive than others and ensure everything is informed and perfect before going ahead with any marketing or listings. The Telegraph advises that you look for an estate agent who is not biased towards the buyer, because this can have an impact on the final value of your sale as they know why you’re selling and disclose information to the buyer that will encourage them to ask for a lower price and pressure you.

Alternatively, if you want to get out of your property quickly for whatever reason you could opt to sell your house fast with We Buy Any Home, a service that aims to offer you a cash buy on your property, at a price as close to the market value as possible.

Prep your home properly

When selling your home it’s important to take some time to clean your property to ensure it appears welcoming, tidy and in order. Buyers notice things like an unkempt front lawn, weird smells, peeling wallpaper and missing door handles – and these odd jobs can easily be wrapped up on a Saturday afternoon after a quick trip to your local DIY store.

Don’t remain emotionally attached

It will be hard when it comes to selling your first home, after all, you invested a lot of time, money and love into the house and so leaving will be hard. However, try not to remain emotionally attached – especially when people are viewing the property and perhaps comment on how much they hate a feature you particularly love. It will make things much easier down the line.

Double check the value of your house

Your estate agent will estimate how much your house is worth, but to be sure you’re getting the best deal check what other properties on your street or in the area have gone for in the past six months to determine if they are making the right call. If you feel like your valuation isn’t quite right, be sure to query it.

Sites such as Rightmove and Zoopla now show you how much properties are valued at in the area or you could head to the Land Registry website for in depth details on property valuations. Being informed and doing your research is a big part of a successful property sale, no one likes to find out six months down the line that their house was undervalued to ensure a quick sale that got the estate agent a nice bonus.

When it comes to selling a property it’s imperative you take time before making decisions, read the small print and query anything you aren’t unsure of and also plan in advance for issues and extra costs. Careful consideration and knowledge is key to guaranteeing a successful first sale.

November 14, 2015November 13, 2015

Outsource your way to success

Anybody who has ever run a successful business will tell you that it’s impossible to overlook the entire project with just one pair of hands. Delegation is a key role of any entrepreneur, and using the help of many people will give your company a far greater chance of reaching its goals.

That can feel particularly difficult when running a small firm, especially if it’s a home-based venture. Hiring people to turn up your property each morning isn’t realistic. Meanwhile, small office spaces often can’t accommodate the number of staff needed to drive a business forward.

The answer is simple: outsource. And here’s how the phenomenon can help your modern day business.

Admin

Running a business requires a lot of admin. While it might not always be difficult, it can be very time consuming. Quite frankly, you’d have to be very foolish to think this is a great way for the owner to spend their time.

Instead, the internet is packed with willing freelancers that are ready to take care of basic tasks. You can pay them for the job rather than their time too, which means you know exactly what you’re getting in return for your expenses.

Incorporate cloud computing to make the process easier, and you should see great results.

Handling Customers

The customer is the most important aspect of your business. Without them, you cannot achieve anything. Therefore, it’s imperative that you handle this aspect in the best way possible. In most cases, that will mean outsourcing.

CMITsolutions.com customer support experts can help you provide the best services for your clients. Not only will it bring better output, but it should also save you a lot of time in the process. Those hours can be spent actively driving forward.

The needs of your customer should always rank as your number one priority in business. If it requires outside help to provide the best results, don’t be afraid to embrace it.

Marketing

Treating existing customers isn’t the only important issue, though. You also have to find creative ways of enticing new audiences to use your business. Otherwise, your sales figures will never increase.

As with customer care, this is a crucial aspect of the business. Therefore, your best bet might be to use experienced professionals to ensure the desired outcomes.

The competition for new customers is fierce, and you must do everything possible to stand out from the crowd. In truth, there’s no point wasting time and money on ideas that won’t work. Not when someone else can produce better results on your behalf.

Finances

Monitoring your finances is a crucial aspect of the business. You’ll probably be unwilling to disclose those details to an online freelancer. But that doesn’t mean you can’t use professional help to complete these tasks.

Finding a reputable accountant can serve your business well for many years to come. Not only will it save you the hassle of doing this work yourself, but is will often save you money too. As a novice, you don’t know the finer details. Let the expert help you.

Whatever way you look at it, the business essentially boils down to money. Make sure you get these aspects right. Otherwise, you’ll never know where you stand.

November 11, 2015

Five things to consider when you lose your job

On day one, losing your job seems like the end of the world. The past might be stacked with regrets, the future with concerns. Yet a new career and life can sometimes emerge from the ashes, one that far surpasses what occurred before. Here are five things to consider when you first receive the news – and what they mean.

Getting sacked for being bad can be good

It might seem embarrassing, demoralising and humiliating when you lose your job, depending on how and why you actually left your company. Sometimes, however, even the worst experience can actually be brilliant. Continue reading “Five things to consider when you lose your job”

November 8, 2015November 9, 2015

Time to take your business from home to the high street

A lot of small businesses start off as something we do from home, especially when we have a family to look after. However, as your business grows you might find that eventually you need to move from your home office to a real, physical office or retail shop. There are several things you need to think about when you start to do this. Before embarking on your journey, be sure to read through this checklist to help you.

Plan early

You don’t want to get to a point where you need office space immediately. You want to be able to take your time and find the perfect thing for you. Therefore, give yourself plenty of notice for finding that office. This way you can hunt around, view several properties and find the right space for your needs. Many people get pushed into hiring a space that is too large for them just because they are in a rush. Don’t fall into this trap.

Internet

Regardless of whether your business is an online one or not, most companies require the use of the internet. Many internet providers offer special deal for businesses and may be able to throw in mobile phone contracts as well. Shop around to find the best deal and before you settle, make sure you have done your research. Is the company you are choosing a reliable one? Have they got a good reputation for customer service and will they offer you the best price on the market. If you talk to someone in their acquisitions department you may also be able to negotiate a special deal with them. Never be afraid to ask for a lower price. Remember that the worst they can say is no!

Setting up a shop

If you are creating a shop rather than an office space, think about the best kind of space to display your goods. Do you need a shop with a large window front so you can showcase your products? Think about ways to make this display appealing to customers who will be walking past on the high street. You should also consider location. What demographic are you trying to reach and where do they tend to shop? Can you rent a space in that area so your core audience can visit you?

Equipment

Any office or shop will need equipment to get started. You will need things like computers and phone lines, and possibly even a till and card reader if you are opening a store. Think about ways you can save money on all of these things. Do your research to find the best available prices. For instance, when it comes to computer equipment, this can end up costing a lot. You don’t have to spend a fortune however on buying the top products. You can buy secondhand or refurbished computers instead. If you need a card reader, you need to consider things like which companies give you the best rates. Some companies will charge obscene amounts just for you to put through a small transaction. Look into payment processing companies like WorldPay and see what the best services are.

What about serviced offices?

You could save yourself a lot of the hassle of sourcing all the bits and pieces for your office by choosing fully serviced offices instead. Many serviced offices come with everything you need to successfully run your business. This include IT equipment like printers. Imagine all the money you would save on not having to fork out on things like that. It also require minimum effort. You don’t have to worry about getting a cleaning team in. The office managers will take care of all of that for you.

Staff

You may or may not be looking to hire new staff to help you in this new phase of your business. However, if you are looking to hire, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, what roles do you think you can do yourself and where do you think you need help? Secondly, when you come to interviewing, you should make sure you get on well with the person. No one wants to work with people they find difficult or dull. Lastly, consider your applicants’ skills and how they all fit the role. You shouldn’t be afraid to bring people in for a second or third interview to double check they are a good fit. You could even suggest a trial day to see how they handle it.

If you are taking this step towards building your business empire, good luck!

October 29, 2015January 25, 2016

4 Guaranteed ways to improve the health of your business

It doesn’t matter where your business is currently standing; we’re all joined by the goal of wanting to take our ventures to the next level. Even if we are already enjoying plenty of success.

Here are four simple tips to help take your business to the next level. Employ them now, and it won’t be long before you see positive results.

Hire Better Employees

Every great business needs a winning team behind it. Therefore, recruitment has to be considered one of the most important challenges that any owner faces. However, getting it right will stand you in great stead to get the most out of your ventures.

Firstly, you should embrace the different methods to recruiting. Posting vacancies on your company website or message boards can be a great way to spread the word. After all, the more candidates you get, the more chance you’ll have of finding the perfect one. Continue reading “4 Guaranteed ways to improve the health of your business”