Category: SEO

When it comes to running a business, there is no hiding from the fact that it is not an easy thing to do. Sure you will be passionate about what you do, and you may enjoy working each day, but there will always feel like there is never enough hours to put your heart and soul into every aspect of it. Do you know where we are coming from? This is when we can be looking for ways to make running our businesses much easier, and with that, gain some time to actually focus our energy on the areas that could grow and make our businesses even better. 

It all starts with an idea. One that consumes you until you take that plunge and create your business.  But things can get a little complicated from the start. You have to spread yourself thinly as you start to manage every aspect of the business from accounts to sales. It can often get overwhelming, which is why a simplified approach could be the right option to take to help your business thrive. So here are some of the things that you could consider to help you do that. 

Having a business plan and a focus 

One of the first things to think about would be to have some sort of business plan and focus for your business. It is all well and good having the ideas and knowing what you want to do, but if you don’t take the action to make them happen and put those thoughts down in some form of plan then you are not going to be able to move your business in the direction you had aimed to take. Have some time out to focus on a business plan, you can easily create one yourself by looking online and following a template. Having a plan for one year, two and even five years can help you to make solid decisions for the future. 

Outsourcing certain aspects of your business

It can be too tempting to want to work on every aspect of your business and so now is the ideal time to start thinking about where your skills lie best and what areas other people could make a difference. For example, many entrepreneurs don’t need to concern themselves with the IT issues that they may be faced with when they have other areas to focus on and IT services they can rely on to fix issues. . You need your systems to be working at all times, and the last thing you want is to have to pull your focus away from something else. Other things include accounting and reporting, website development and event social media. Which brings me to the next suggestion. 

Making the right choices when it comes to the business approach

It may be that you think things such as the environment will have no effect on your business but actually taking this into consideration now means that you will have already simplified what could be necessary changes in the future. You may want to enlist the help of an electrical contractor to ensure that you can implement eco changes such as solar operated systems, new light bulbs etc. You could also look at things such as the way you recycle old technology, and ensure that any staff members that you do hire adopt habits where there is a focus on saving as much as energy as possible. The governments and the world are shining a light on the planet, so doing your bit now as a business for the start means you will have less complications further down the line. 

Hiring the right staff first time round

Recruitment is an important aspect of any business that is succeeding and expanding, so you may want to ensure that your decision to hire someone is the right call to make. It can start with the interview, and even the perusal of resumes to ensure that you get the right people in front of you. It might also mean that you want to take the time to think about things such as how you might conduct the interviews, and also trusting your gut with certain people. Hiring the right people means that you can save money on the whole recruitment process, and can help your business to thrive in the future. 

Protecting anyone that works for you

The truth is, as a business owner, when you hire staff you have a responsibility to ensure that they feel happy, safe and secure in the working environment. So you may want to implement things such as a health and safety policy and also perform regular risk assessments to ensure that your staff members are able to work productively in their environment. The last thing you want is issues resulting in workplace injury or people not able to perform and do their appropriately because the necessary steps haven’t been taken. 

Scheduling social media 

Do you schedule your social media posts? The chances are you try and do them in real time, and while that can be great for some posts, often you need to be able to sit down  and think about the content you are creating, the right hashtags you want to use and also ensuring that you have the right image. Scheduling means you have the time to think about all of these things, and then feel assured that you have done all that you can. It can be an important aspect of your business, and one that you will want to get right. 

Planning ahead 

Finally, planning ahead can be a great way to ensure that you get all that you can crammed into your busy schedule. This includes networking events, trade shows and also working within your local community. All of which will provide you with excellent opportunities to expand your business. Sometimes taking time out to plan can help you to make the most of the opportunities that you have. 

Let’s hope these ideas help you to make your business life easier. 

When it comes to politics, businesses like freedom and certainty. Take the UK, for instance. For years, the economy in that country has been sluggish, thanks to the Brexit issue. Companies haven’t known precisely what’s going on, and so they’ve been saving up their money until they see what’s going to happen. 

In most developed counties, governments are relatively trustworthy but not always. They will often use their position of influence and power to manipulate people to serve their ends, going against the interests of the very people who elected them. 

If you work in business, you need to be aware that what the government tells the business community isn’t always the truth. Sure, it’ll try to bamboozle you into thinking its policies are pro-businesses and pro-growth, but when you actually look at what it is doing, you regularly find that they’re not. In many cases, they’re the opposite. 

For the government, using propaganda is nothing new. As the infographic below shows, even the US government has used informational manipulation to get what it wants in the past. The same still happens today. Read on to find out more.

Infographic by Norwich University

People in the business community, therefore, need to beware of the many ways in which the authorities deploy propaganda. The government isn’t just a group of empty vassals, seeking to serve the public in whatever way they can. Just like you and me, they’re individuals with their own interests and motives. While they usually do the things that their constituents want, they also have ambition and a desire for power. 

Some industries are nothing like others around them. You might be a retail company that sells beachwear, but you’re based in a wet cloudy location. That doesn’t mean you can’t make some of the best beachwear products, it just means you’re playing a game of Chinese whispers. You’re always challenged by the fact that you’re a little far from where the action is. It’s kind of like a large bank, not being based in London which the financial center of the world. It’s kind of like a big tech giant, not being based in Silicon Valley. Something just doesn’t feel right when your location isn’t the hotbed of your industry. But how can someone with a small business change that and how can you become more connected with your customers?

Hosting an event

Let’s take the beachwear example one step further. Let’s say you want to make a big impact for your latest products this year. The best way to do this would be to wait until spring. A few weeks before summer officially starts, you will want to hold an event. Using your leads, email all your customers and people who have cookie data that is similar to the kind of products you sell. Spread the word around the best you can by advertising the event online. What is supposed to happen at the event? You can have a runway on top of which models will be showcasing your products such as bikinis, shorts, flip flops, sunglasses and bathing suits. You can hold prize draws and invite key speaking guests to explain more about where the industry is going and what your place is in it. Take this ethos and implement it in your industry, such as holding an event in London for banking, holding an event in Paris for your food company etc.

Taking the big step

The small business owner has to think and behave like a pioneer. You should never be tied down to any one location. You cannot be afraid to get up and go at any time. This is what being an entrepreneur is all about, being fearless of great change; not just within the industry but within your own business. Moving to where the majority of your customer base is located is a smart move and one that will serve you well in the first few shaky years. Inevitably, it means moving your entire office and business logistics. Only use professional removalist companies that are experts in moving businesses. Your equipment is expensive and thus, has to be packaged and transported carefully. They will also know how to traverse high-rise office buildings if that’s the kind of new home your business is going to have.

Sending a team

If you’re not able to rub shoulders with the majority of your customer base, it’s always a good idea to send your marketing team to the location. This could be to set up a small office in a particular city or it could be to conduct street surveys and get some firsthand knowledge about what the general mood is among the consumer. 

It’s little wonder that small and even micro-businesses move headquarters to the perfect location for their industry. It’s better for growth and it’s better for research purposes so you can make the best products.