Business Plus Baby

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!

November 7, 2015

Top tips for sourcing products for your online store

To take your online store from dream to reality, there are a few things you firstly need to consider. One of the most important being, deciding on a supplier for your chosen products. It will be hard for any business to succeed without good, honest suppliers. You need to do a lot of planning to find the right supplier for your business. It’s essential to your business that you know how your products cost and if you can make any profit from them. If you’re new to the world of business, here are some top tips on what to look out for when sourcing products for your new venture.

It’s a good idea to begin with that you get your business registered. This is a simple step that just requires some formal details and occasionally a one-off payment. Once completed you will be given a registration number will have your own registered business name. You can now start getting in touch with potential suppliers and distributors. Having these details available makes your business look more professional. Reputable suppliers should always ask for your formal business information.

Many will not even consider working with your if you aren’t registered. On the other hand, if the supplier does not ask you for at least your business number it could mean they are not a reputable source. They may be charging more than they should be.

Don’t be tempted to rush or buy cheap and bad quality products for your store. The excitement of getting started can cause people to cut corners and make mistakes. There are people out there who will seize the opportunity to sell you bad products at an inflated price. Always do your background research on potential suppliers. Check out their websites and social media pages. Their website should look professional and include plenty of information. Look at this wholesale body jewellery site to get an idea. If possible always read online reviews from previous customers, to get an idea of what you might be getting yourself into. Starting your own business can take time. Don’t be naive in thinking you will get rich quick. It happens rarely and in reality takes a lot of hard work. Not doing your homework on wholesalers and suppliers can kill off your business before it has even begun.

Think outside of the box when searching for suppliers. There are plenty of places you can buy products from aside from the internet. Trade shows are an ideal way of meeting suppliers face to face and building a rapport. You also get to see the product up close to access the quality. Arts and craft fairs are also a great place to find one-off products and smaller local manufacturers. Or look further afield and source suppliers from China or India. If buying from international suppliers again always do your research. You may need to hire a translation service, so there’s no gaps in your communications.

You should now be feeling more confident when sourcing your products. It’s an advantage to know what potential scams are out there so you can avoid them. I hope the products you find makes your online business a roaring success.

November 6, 2015

Start a business in the world’s largest industry: agriculture

Image credit: Rick Payette

If you’re looking for a major career break, why not look to the largest industry on the planet? Agriculture is the oldest, richest business on earth. And, far from being outdated, you’ll find some of the best modern technology and concepts here. It’s not just about dairy farming or rearing animals. Think about our entire approach to food in the 21st century. There’s a huge drive towards organic, and healthy alternative foods. It’s an enormous market, and there are endless opportunities for the smart entrepreneur. Continue reading “Start a business in the world’s largest industry: agriculture”

November 4, 2015

Succeeding with a start up from day one

It begins with a seed of an idea. You might start thinking about what it would be like to be your own boss. Or, you may already have a concept of what your company could be and what it would offer. Then comes the denial. You think: that could never be me. Let’s stop right there because how do you know you’re not suited to run a business? We can tell you who you need to be.

You need to be determined to succeed and ambitious with your goals. You can’t let the worry of failure stop you from trying. You need to have the drive to be successful, and you have to have a strong business sense. If you’re good at balancing a budget, you might have the ideal mindset. You also have to know that you can get people to follow you. That means you’ve got leadership skill and some level of charisma. Does this sound like you? Then you are already the perfect candidate to start a new business. But how do you make this out of reach dream a reality?

Decide What Your Business Is Going To Be

Congratulations, you’ve decided to become an entrepreneur. That in itself is a big step.We wouldn’t be surprised if day one involved quitting your job, celebrating and panicking. Can you really do this? Yes, you can, you just need to think about what your business is going to be. As we’ve said, you might already have this concept. Try to make it something bold and original. You might want to look at the current events in business. Try to think about what customers need that they are not being offered and that you can provide. Don’t be put off if you find your business idea is not as original and brand new as you’d hoped. The world is full of people and there is a good chance one has already thought of what you want to do. But, there’s nothing stopping you becoming a strong competition.

Get The Support You Need

You can’t run a business by yourself without support. You’re going to need two types, financial support and demand for your product or service. These are quite easy to obtain these days. Both can usually be found online. If you’re looking to find the demand for your business, you will be hunting out your target customer. They aren’t hidden and are often wandering around in plain site all over the web. You just have to bring them towards you and you can do this using social media. Set up your social profiles as business accounts. Start offering updates about the industry you’re going to join. Ask your followers what they want from a business and hint that you are starting your own. You can also set up a blog. A blog is a great way to build interest. You can write about topics related to your business and gain readers. Once your business is setup, you can use it as an independant marketing platform. That covers the demand but what about finances?

Even if you can, we don’t recommend setting up a business out of your own pocket. While this shows confidence, ultimately you could lose it all. You should only do this if you could lose the cash and still be financially secure. Instead, try to get help funding your business. If your company has commercial value, you might find success on sites like Kickstarter. You can use the demand you have already gained to fund your new business.

If you can’t do that, why not think about attending a trade show? You’ve got your idea and with a little marketing, you can make it come to life. If you think it is fresh and innovative, you should catch the eye of some investors. But you need to be prepared to show them how they could profit from your company. Use that business mindset we talked about to show how your company could grow in the next five years. You need to sell your idea as a product and make them desperate to buy.

The marketing is important because trade shows are competitive. If you can’t make a splash, you will come back empty handed. When that happens, it can be disheartening. But don’t give up. You can always consider taking out a private business loan. These loans do have big interest rates, so you have to be careful you know what you’re borrowing and whether you can pay it back.

Once you’ve got the money and demand, you’ll have everything you need to make your business success. Within a year, you could be one of the biggest companies in your industry. Good luck.

November 3, 2015

Get more customers with these insane marketing techniques

Want to know how your business can get more customers? Then have a read of these amazing tips:

Social Media Promotions

Generally speaking, social media marketing is fabulous. Seriously, if your business isn’t on social media already, then you’re missing out. But, one of my favourite ways to use social media marketing is through promotions. This is where you offer special promotions to people that follow you on social media. Get on Twitter and do a contest that requires people to follow you and retweet a tweet to enter. You should soon see your follower count rise, especially if you’re offering a good prize in the contest. When your followers rise, so do your chances of gaining customers through social media.

Also, you can give out special offers on products/services through social networking sites only. If someone wants to get these discounts, they’re going to have to find you on social media. If you’ve used the first tip to get your follower count up, then the second tip can be used after. It means there’s a huge chance all your new followers will then use the special offers.

Exhibitions

Exhibitions are a killer marketing technique for your business. They’re especially effective for small business owners looking to get a little bit of extra promotion in. At an exhibition, your business will set up a stand and try and draw people in. There will be tonnes of consumers walking around the exhibition centre, checking out all the businesses. You want to make sure they all come to you so you can get talking and promoting your business. The benefit of this marketing technique is that you can speak directly to the consumer. Plus, face to face interaction is said to lead to a higher chance of closing a sale. An exhibition can help your customer base grow in a very short space of time.

The key is getting yourself noticed and making your business shine brighter than all the others. To do this, you’ll need an awesome stand. There are companies like Finesse Group that make specially designed exhibition stands. If your stand gets some professional design help, it’s more likely to stand out and reel in the customers!

Persuasive Advertisements

Advertising is a very good way to get more customers for your business. The trick is creating persuasive ads. Adverts that get people thinking they need to use your business. To do this, you have to design adverts that are geared towards a specific market. Then, you play on something they hold dear to them. For example, if you’re a health & fitness business, you have a very specific market to cater to. Your adverts should mention things like gaining muscle and losing fat. This will appeal to your target audience and help persuade them to use your business.

Of course, it’s the same concept for any other business, I just used that as an easy example. And, you can have adverts in the print form, online or in video form. Make sure you cover all the bases!

Follow these three simple tips and you’ll soon see more customers flying through your doors!