Strategies for Recruiting the Talent You Need When Starting a Business

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You know going in that starting a business is no easy feat. Unfortunately, unless you’ve ever started a business from the ground up, there will be a number of things you simply aren’t prepared for. Finding the right talent to work with you is something you probably hadn’t considered. If that is the case, you may not even know exactly what you need in terms of staffing various departments. Here are some strategies you can use when looking for the top talent you need to launch your startup.

Define Steps to the Endgame

Obviously, the endgame is running a successful business. However, what will it take to do that? Are you going to be manufacturing products for sale, offering services or selling products made elsewhere? Perhaps you’ll be starting a distributorship or a restaurant or even a car dealership. Before you can run a successful business, you need to look at how many departments you will need to efficiently organize and operate a company.

Define Job Classifications

Now that you’ve outlined the various departments you need to staff, what are the job classifications within each department? For example, in accounting do you need an accountant or are there other professionals who could balance your books? Perhaps a bookkeeper or office manager could do the routine day to day tasks, necessitating an accountant to periodically go over your books quarterly and, of course, at tax time.

If you are totally unfamiliar with the workings of a department and you aren’t sure what kind of talent to employ, check out sites like jobdescriptionswiki.com. There you will find job descriptions, what it is they do, what they expect to be paid, and the education or experience necessary for the job.

Network at Trade Shows

If you know the positions that need filling but you are reluctant to simply put an ad online or in the classifieds, why not network at trade shows. They don’t even need to be local trade shows because recruits are often aware of the fact that they may need to relocate to get that once-in-a-lifetime job with a startup that has major growth potential.

Whether you pull the top talent from another business or find recruits looking for placement, if you know what you are looking for, trade shows offer one of the best ways of grabbing great talent easily under one roof.

In the End, It Is All About Knowing What You Need

The key to recruiting the talent you need when starting a business is to first define how your company will run and what departments you will need to set up. After that, it’s a matter of looking at the types of staff you will need in each department and then you can begin to look at what each job classification entails.

Strategies are dependent on understanding what you hope to accomplish and why it’s so important to have a good working knowledge of each position to be filled. Get this done right and you will be off to a good start. Remember, you can’t do it alone so choose the team you can work with and the rough going at the beginning just got that much smoother.

Tips For Running A Smoother Business

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article
Trying to manage a business without a strategy is an approach that simply doesn’t work. You have to have people, processes and plans in place that show exactly where you’re going and how you’re going to get there. It’s not a good idea to go into building a company blindly with hopes for what may happen.

If you’re struggling to keep your business afloat, for whatever reason, don’t give up before trying a few different solutions that may help you get back on track. The great news about having a rocky company is that there are opportunity and the ability to fix it. See tips for running a smoother business.

Have A Business Plan in Place

Sit down with your business partners and come up with a detailed business plan for your company. Look at immediate growth and where you see yourselves years down the road. Consider the various departments and what resources you’re going to need for each of the different areas. Be specific and work out the kinks on the spot, so they don’t emerge at a later date when you’re least expecting it.

Find A Reliable IT Solution

IT is super important when it comes to managing and running a business smoothly. Technology is the backbone of all you do, and you need it to work properly at all times. Choose a company based on their talent and track record, like Custard Technical Services, so that you’re confident they’ll deliver on their promise. Pick a partner who will help you become more dynamic, productive, secure and future-proof, through innovative IT solutions for your business problems.

Hire Smart

Your people are what’s going to make or break you in the long run. Avoid hiring quickly to fill voids. Take your time and do it right the first time, which will save you more money over time. Put a human resources department in place who’s going to help you succeed and fill the open roles appropriately. You need competent employees who work hard and know what questions to ask. Hiring the right people will make your life easier, the business run smoother and clients more satisfied.

Focus on Customer Relationships

You need to have a customer relationship management solution in place, so no one’s getting left behind or forgotten about. Have processes in place that new hires can follow and quickly understand how you work with clients and what the sales and onboarding process looks like. Clients should be your number one focus, and your business will have no choice but to run smoother and with fewer problems. You have to make it a part of the culture, so that no matter who’s interacting with the customer, they know what to do and say to help.

Conclusion

Your business won’t function properly on its own. You have to be willing to put in the hard work it takes to make it better. It’s all about processes, systems and implementing solutions. These are tips for running a smoother business.

How to Select the Right Office Space

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article | How to Select the Right Office Space

The office you choose can determine the success of your business. It is important to find a space that provides the right balance of affordability, credibility, space and facilities. To avoid making a big mistake, find out how to select the right office space for your company.

The Right City

Do you want to compete with your industry rivals? It might be a smart move to find an office space in a flourishing city. For example, a London or New York office space could set you apart from your competitors located in unknown cities or towns, as it will prove you are a force to be reckoned with in business. Picking the right city is just as essential as choosing the right office since it can help boost your business. San Francisco’s CRE market is an excellent example of a diverse area that has a lot to offer. And when looking for an office in this city, you can take some pressure off of your shoulders because you will surely find your dreamed one.

A Safe Neighborhood

Not only must you choose the best city to compete in your industry, but you must also select a safe neighborhood. For instance, if you run a technology company, you will undoubtedly store expensive gadgets and devices onsite, which you will want to protect. A safe neighborhood will not only protect your office equipment, but it will also ensure the health and safety of your employees so that they can travel safely to and from work each day. You must, therefore, discover a safe neighborhood, as well as one that has a professional ambiance like London. Turn to The Workplace Company for help moving your tech company to London.

Transport Links

Transport links are another factor that should influence your decision, as you will need to ensure you can provide an easy commute for your employees. For example, is there a subway or train station nearby? Could employees commute to the office by bus or car? Identify the different routes for different employees and visitors to ensure your workplace is accessible.

Local Amenities

Employees will want to stretch their legs and grab something to eat on their lunch, and you may also want to take clients for a coffee, drinks or a meal to discuss business. That’s why it’s important to make sure there are local amenities close by, so you and your staff are not stuck inside the office, which could impact employee morale.

Building Maintenance

Are you leasing a space inside a serviced office? You will want to ensure the building is well-maintained. Unsightly exterior or peeling wallpaper in the reception area will not impress your clients or visitors, which could create a wrong first impression of your company. Ask current tenants about the building maintenance services and security before you sign on the dotted line.

Room for Growth

Every business owner will want their company to grow from strength to strength, which is why it is important to plan for growth when selecting an office space. For example, if you currently have 20 members of staff onboard, you might want to invest in an office space that accommodates 50+ people, so there is room for growth; otherwise, you might be forced to move offices once again in a year or two.
Do you have any top tips for choosing an office space? Feel free to post a comment below.

How to win contracts as a start up

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Can you really compete?

The ‘solution’, is in the question, what will win the contract? Considering many new startups set up in business because they believe they have a new, better and more innovative solution – it really is the driving force behind the growth of new start ups.

If you are a new or very small business you have a lot of strengths, which larger players do not have. Often a new business is set up around the development of an innovative product or service, which isn’t currently offered in the marketplace, therefore giving you one USP right from the start.

Turnover does matter, but how much should you worry?

If you have a turnover of £100k and are trying to win a £500k contract, it can and does happen, but often the winning bidder really has to consider their strengths and weaknesses and what is required to win and get over the financial turnover minimum requirements, for example.

An opportunity such as this can make or break a business and if the business fails, then the contract is not being delivered. Therefore, we are to risk and how it can impact the chances of win rates/ winning contracts.

In some situations, and, if your brand ‘feels’ larger, your business stability, size, financials may not be assessed. This is often the case if a small or medium enterprise (SME) is buying the product or service, even if substantial sums are involved. These are often a good route to try and win new business or to grow a new business.

But with an innovative product or solution you can still sell it into large corporations and the public sector. Sometimes this is due to product and the lack of risk involved in the purchase. E.g. a consultancy service.

The expertise will be assessed which is more important than financial stability, for example, of an individual. There may also be significant risk due to a larger organisation buying from a new business or smaller business but another reason for a purchase despite this risk is due to lack of competition or simply the values involved not requiring finances to be assessed.

Innovation and price are imperative

The first piece of software which Thornton & Lowe developed, which was largely for my own in-house staff to use, we thought it was worthwhile putting a little marketing focus behind it. Our first formal sale of the product was to Scottish Southern Electric (SSE PLC), a large corporate organisation.

The product was without references, without many users other than my staff but due to the solution being aligned to their requirements, the price point in the market and I believe we put more time and effort into creating a compelling bid, I was able to start off selling the software with a very large and recognisable client.

There will always will be many ways to grow a new start business, which all need to be weighed up in terms of profit, sustainable growth, deliverability, competition and importantly the client’s requirements.

These can be tried and tested but if there is a good product there will always be a way of selling it even into the most formal of procurement requirements such as those associated with construction tenders.

How to Get Your Dentist Business Online

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Many businesses including ones like dentist practices rely on their customers for return business. They also rely on their families and through word of mouth to attract new customers. However, sometimes those ways alone won’t drive enough patients to your door for you to be a viable practice. If that’s the case, then you will want to start thinking about other ways to attract clients. You may have used traditional methods before such as newspapers and local advertising. Although these are great ways to get more interest, you can also use other methods such as creating a presence online.

First Thing is a Website

Before you think about getting your business online, you will need to set up a website. It will enable you to put all the information people will need and create a good base from where to grow your online profile. You don’t have to spend a lot of money creating a website; there are many online site creators that allow you to design and build your own site for free. It is a good place to start, and you can add as much or as little as you want. It is also easy to use, so you don’t need to worry about not being technically minded. The other thing you will need to do is to create your domain name. You will need it to reflect your business name, and what you do; you can then get your site uploaded onto the internet.

Hosting Your Site

When you have a site and a domain name, you can find a company to host your website online. There are many to choose from, so you need to look at a few and see what they offer. Most will give you an amount of space for your site, plus they will keep it up to date for you. All you will need to do is change or add details as you need to. Although there are free hosting sites out there, you will get more functionality from a paid host.

Create Your Website Content

There are a couple of avenues you can use when it comes to content for your site. Some companies prefer a site that has all their information and prices already on there, they then leave it until something changes. The other method is to have the same information, but also add other parts such as a blog post at regular intervals. Having a blog or something that keeps people returning to your site can create more potential patients. You will have to think about what you want to blog about; it can be anything in the dentist news or special offers and services you may be running. You can also ask some of your patients to write a short testimonial that you can put on the site. New customers like to have reviews and testimonials to read, and it creates more trust for your patients.

Get Social Media Working for You

One of your biggest tools is going to be social media. Almost everyone now has at least one social media account so that you will be placing your business in front of millions of potential customers. Because you are a local business, you will only be interested in those people in your area, although if your business is in a tourist area, you may also get those looking for emergency treatment. By having your business on social media, you are also encouraging people to spread the word. Get your existing customers to like your page and become followers. Then, when you post something on there, they are likely to share it with their friends and family.

Online Marketing

Just like other forms of traditional marketing, online marketing can be tailored to your location and your particular business. There are many ways you can use online marketing including placed advertising on social media, mobile phone advertising and even online streaming services and YouTube. Getting the right balance to attract new patients can take time to get right. Instead of trying this yourself, you can use an online marketing company to do all the work for you. You can learn more about how these companies work by visiting their websites.

Working with Others in the Same Market

Starting a partnership with other companies or businesses that offer complementary services can be a good way to get your business online while saving money. If you have been thinking about using online advertising, then you can share the cost by having both companies on the same ad. There may be some companies that will also want you to advertise their products alongside your company. It could be a brand of toothpaste or toothbrush, that they would like you to help them market.

Email Marketing

Email marketing has been around for some time, and it is still one of the most effective ways to get your message across to your clients. You can start by asking for your existing client’s email addresses as part of the registration form; then you can email them when it is near their time for a check-up or appointment. Along with this email, you can also add special deals or new services you are offering. As you gain more clients, you will get a bigger email list, and you can start adding more products to the email. A good way to generate new email addresses is to have a contact form on your website. It will ask them to enter their email address for you to reply to their query and then you can also send them email marketing to encourage them to come for a check-up.

By embracing the online world and seeing what it can do for your business, you are opening up your dental practice to a huge number of people. Many of them will be local to you and may not even know your practice existed. With so many people looking for services online through their smartphones and tablets, having an online presence has never been more critical.