Archive for category: Managing Your Business

Modern Solutions For A Business That Is Trying To Expand

October 15, 2019/0 Comments/in Managing Your Business /by StrategyDriven

Growth is an essential part of a business’ progression. You can’t stay the same forever. Whilst the “business as usual” quote might be a well-known reference in the modern world, it’s important not to take that idea out of context. A certain approach might have worked for your company in the past, but that doesn’t mean it’ll work in the future. If you want your brand to build a name for itself over the years, then you need to keep growing. It’s not about completely reinventing your business; it’s about making gradual changes so you can adapt to an ever-evolving marketplace. It can be hard to keep up with today’s industrial landscape, but here are some modern solutions for a business that’s trying to expand.

Collect feedback from your demographic.

Communicating with your current customers and any potential customers in your target market will really help your company to grow. So, you need to collect feedback from your demographic in order to ensure that you know what the market wants from you. You should use social media to do this, as the vast majority of consumers in every industry use the internet to do research in the modern age. Social networks are fantastic platforms for reaching your intended demographic. That’s why you should start friendly and engaging conversations with people on these platforms.

By engaging with current and potential clients in an approachable and caring manner, you’ll be able to start a genuine line of dialogue with them. That’s how you’ll be able to get valuable feedback with regards to the problems facing your target market. In turn, you’ll be able to pinpoint gaps in your industry and create innovative solutions which set you apart from your competitors. Most importantly, you’ll be able to give consumers what they truly want, and that’s how you’ll really stand out in your particular marketplace. The internet is a powerful tool when it comes to collecting data. If you’re looking for a modern solution to help your company expand, use data to drive your research strategy. Collect feedback online, and use your findings to come up with relevant services which suit the current needs of your target market.

Market your brand well on search engines.

Digital marketing is an essential part of any good business strategy. If you’re trying to grow your company, then you should be using the internet to help you out. After all, more consumers than ever do their shopping online in the modern era, so you should focus on your online strategy. In particular, you should try to reach potential clients on search engines. Showing up at the top of the first result page will increase the likelihood that potential customers choose you rather than your competitors. People don’t want to scroll through several result pages to find a good business. That’s why you need to work on your web content so you can impress Google’s algorithms and rank highly on result pages.

You can learn more from Evergreen Digital Marketing if you want to improve your SEO strategy and other parts of your online campaign. Getting help from professionals could definitely boost your digital marketing strategy. Understanding the nuances of online advertising can be tricky. Most modern companies are trying to stand out online and increase their ranking on search engines. There’s a lot of competition. It helps to do as much research as possible and get professional assistance to ensure that your web content does well. In turn, more potential customers will find you and your business will expand.

Encourage your customers to market your business.

Another wise way to expand your business is to encourage your customers to market it for you. After all, consumers want to be able to put their trust in a company when buying its products or services. If they’ve never bought anything from your business before, then they must rely on the word of people who have used your business. Of course, happy customers don’t always spread the word. How many products or services do you review? You probably buy so many things every day that you don’t have time to leave a positive online review for every company who sells something to you. So, you have to encourage your customers to market your business if you want them to attract new potential customers. That’s how your company will start to grow.

You could start a referral scheme to help with this. If clients receive rewards such as discounts and free gifts for every person they manage to refer to you (assuming that referred individual actually buys something from your business), then they’ll feel encouraged to start spreading the word. That’s how you can start to expand your brand. If each customer managed to encourage one of their friends to start buying your products and services, your client base would double. Obviously, you might not be able to encourage every client to spread the word, but the point is that this could really help your company to grow.

Ensure that your brand is engaging.

In addition, you should ensure that your brand is engaging if you want to help your business expand in the modern age. It isn’t enough to just sell good products or services. There’s so much competition in the current landscape that you have to sell your brand to the market as well as your goods. If your company and a dozen others sell high-quality goods, consumers will be happy to pick any option. However, if your brand is distinctive, then your company might stick out and have more of an effect on your target market. Perhaps you could promise to run your business sustainably, for instance. This would make your brand engaging. Take a look at Ecosia; that search engine has become massively popular over recent years. They promise to plant a tree for every search made. Few search engines gain popularity with Google on the market, so that just shows how important it is to have an enticing brand identity.

9 Airbnb Property Management Tips Every Host Should Know

October 10, 2019/0 Comments/in Managing Your Business /by StrategyDriven

Maybe you have a spare room available? Perhaps you own an additional apartment in the city? Whatever the case may be, you’re looking to put it on Airbnb.

The only problem is: you have no idea what you’re doing. So, now you’re scouring the web, looking for Airbnb property management advice. Fortunately, you’ve found it.

Without further remark, here are 10 tips every host should know.

1. Take High-Quality Photographs of Your Property

One of the keys to consistently renting out an Airbnb property is to take high-quality pictures. The better you can make your property look online, the more inviting you’ll make it to prospective lodgers.

Now, while you might be able to take decent pictures with your phone, the wiser option might be to hire a professional. Yes, it will cost you some money. However, if it results in consistent lodging, it will pay for itself many times over.

2. Engage With Prospective Lodgers

Another way to draw in potential lodgers is to engage with them in a respectful, prompt, and pleasant manner. The more comfortable a prospective lodger becomes with you, the more comfortable he or she will feel in renting out your property.

Reply to reviews on the Airbnb app, answer your phone whenever it rings, and, if you can, spend some time with your lodgers when they arrive. A unique personal touch can take your property over the top, allowing you to charge more money and attract a higher quality of lodger.

3. Get the Price Right

One of the most important aspects of renting out an Airbnb property is to get its price right. If you charge too much, you will fail to bring in lodgers on a consistent basis. This will, of course, result in you losing money.

Remember: most Airbnb users opt for it as a cheaper alternative to a hotel. So, unless your property possesses hotel-caliber quality, you’re going to want to price it substantially lower than a typical hotel in your area.

If you really want to get the price right, you could consider utilizing an online Airbnb pricing tool. These tools intake a variety of information about the property and then devise a rental price based on that information. You can find them online by searching for something to the effect of “Airbnb pricing tool”.

4. Hire a Cleaner

One of the pains of owning an Airbnb property is cleaning your Airbnb. After all, depending on the temperament of your lodgers, it could end up anywhere from mildly dirty to downright unsightly. In any case, maintenance will be needed.

As such, it’s often a good idea for Airbnb owners to hire professional cleaners. Hiring a professional will cost you some money, but will also allow you time to live your life and handle other important aspects of your property.

5. Put a Lockbox on the Property

At some point, you’re going to have to let your lodgers into your Airbnb property. Of course, to do this, you’ll have to provide them with keys.

This is where a lockbox can come in handy. By attaching a lockbox to your property, you provide access to your lodgers without ever having to meet them in person. This makes the process convenient both for you and for your lodgers, as they won’t have to worry about waiting around for you.

A lockbox costs $10 to $25. This is a small price to pay for convenience and freedom.

6. Brush Up on the Law

When it first hit the scene, Airbnb had very little regulation surrounding it. As you might expect, this has changed. Now, depending on the municipality in which the property is located, it could be heavily regulated.

As such, it’s important that you brush up on the Airbnb-related regulations in your area. Most of the necessary information can be found online. However, if need be, you shouldn’t hesitate to contact your local government.

7. Offer Amenities

While you don’t necessarily need to stock your Airbnb property with TVs, coffee, WiFi, and other such amenities, you would be well-served by doing so. Most lodgers are expecting these amenities, and are bound to leave a bad review if they’re not provided.

And you don’t have to stop at the basics. If you really want to impress your lodgers, you could leave them complementary foods or beverages as well. A free bottle of champagne, for example, could put lodgers in a grateful mood, upping your reputation on the platform.

8. Utilize Accounting Software

Managing an Airbnb property is owning a business. As such, property managers must act like business owners.
One of the major responsibilities of business owners is financial accounting. If they don’t keep accurate books, business owners can be audited and sued by the IRS.

This is why, as a business owner, you need to utilize accounting software. Accounting software will help you to keep your finances organized, ensuring that everything is on the up and up.

9. Find a Mentor

Running an Airbnb for the first time isn’t easy. This isn’t just a matter of having someone stay at one of your properties. Running an Airbnb is a serious business, and is therefore complex.

Because of this, it’s a good idea for new Airbnb property managers to find mentors: individuals who have managed Airbnb properties before and know what they’re doing. A mentor can show you the ropes, helping to forge your rental property into a success.

Mentors can be found everywhere. You might have a friend with Airbnb experience, for instance. If not, you might have to utilize the services of a professional.

Need Help With Airbnb Property Management?

Do you still need help with Airbnb property management? Looking for a professional mentor? If so, we here at StrategyDriven are the people to see.

Our team helps small business owners hone their business management skills, providing guidance and insight throughout the startup process. Together, we’ll turn your property into a success.

Three No-Brainer Outsourcing Opportunites for Growing Businesses

October 9, 2019/1 Comment/in Managing Your Business /by StrategyDriven

Is your growing business falling behind your competitors because you’re stretched too thin? Entrepreneurs know better than anybody that there are only so many hours in a day. If you’re spending too many of them attempting to manage your whole operation and too few of them doing the creative thinking and growth-oriented work required to take your business further, you need to think about outsourcing.

If you’d like to outsource the most draining aspects of your operation in the hope of a hassle free business expansion, this list of the most widely utilized outsourcing options will help you make up your mind.

Let Nerds Handle Your IT

The word ‘nerd’ is hardly an insult these days, as coders and IT professionals have all but taken over the world! Managed IT is making its mark on the small-to-medium sized business environment, and for good reason. Research has shown that over half of small to medium-sized businesses are outsourcing at least some of their IT requirements, while a further third would like to in the near future. The benefits are huge. Aside from the peace of mind that you get from handing over responsibility for your systems and sensitive data to experts, you also stand to save as much as 40% compared to hiring your own full-time IT team. IT services are also a great option for growing companies who need to be able to scale their operations at short notice in response to increased demand.

Hit the Snooze Button on Payroll

Let’s be honest: doing payroll is not fun. There is a lot of technical detail and compliance to get your head around, and if you make a mistake, it’s your team who suffers, and that’s the last thing you want. Many small businesses find HR and tax compliance a complete headache until the happy day that they opt to outsource their payroll needs. Handing over this highly complex work to skilled professionals—or at least investing in specialized software—is well known to drastically improve your compliance stats and reduce your operating costs. It’s worth pointing out that the savings are not small change, either: businesses that outsource their payroll needs typically save 20% more than companies that handle payroll in-house. No brainer, right? Add to the savings the increased trust you stand to build within your team, as payroll mistakes and accounting errors are ruled out for good, and you’d be crazy not to take advantage of this outsourcing option as soon as you have the means.

Content Marketing

Otherwise known as blogging, content marketing is taking the SME word by storm. If your business does not have a blog yet, you are missing out. Why? Because not only will your blog supercharge your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) efforts, but it can help you to build a solid relationship with your customer. It can also position your business as a credible source of key info on the issues your audience cares about, thus fostering brand trust and enhancing the reputation of your company in the wider arena. A blog is also extremely handy for HR and recruitment purposes, as it provides an excellent way for potential new employees to get a flavour of what working for you will be like.

When business is getting busier by the day, handling everything yourself is not likely to be the answer. Depending on your needs, outsourcing could be the ideal solution. These ideas will help you find the right service for your business.

Got Employees AND A Home Business? Make Your Home Safe To Work

October 9, 2019/0 Comments/in Managing Your Business /by StrategyDriven

A lot of business owners work from home these days – it’s a flexible working arrangement, and works out in favor of most modern career minds. And when you’ve got a home business, the world really is your oyster! You create and innovate when at home, and you talk to customers and solve their problems from your own desk, and that really helps to boost your confidence and your business acumen.

But when you get the chance to expand, and bring an employee or two into your home business, a few changes might need to be made. After all, you’ve got liability on your doorstep now, and that means you need to create a space that’s safe for work. But how do you get started with that?

Try to Contain the Footfall

If you’re working out of a residential area, you’re definitely going to want to pay mind to this tip most of all; the neighbors might start getting annoyed about the visitors coming and going all day every day! You might want to start scheduling meetings and hangouts away from your house, and in a nearby cafe or restaurant.

But if you cannot quite manage that on your calendar, you’ll have to make an extra effort to try to contain the amount of people in your home, first of all. How? Only call people in certain days. And also make sure any employees in your home are kept to certain areas – if you don’t want people heading upstairs, make sure it’s cordoned off!

Highlight the Problem Areas

Your home might have a lot of problem areas to it, seeing as you live there, possibly with quite a few family members. There could be a lot of mess, or there could be some repairs that need to be done in your personal time – you need to be sure your employees never run into trouble when coming across these areas. So what can you do? You can highlight them!

Of course, you’re not going to want a professional person to notice just how messy your home might be, but if there’s an element of danger involved, it’s important to do so. For example, if you’re getting your wiring redone, or you’ve got some plumbing issues, taping the area off with a bit of reflective tape will naturally highlight the problem to even the most unobservant of eyes. If you want someone to keep away, use a bold color, especially if you’re going to be working quite late into the evening!

Keep Things Quiet

And finally, try to keep the noise down. Maintain a quiet working environment – try to keep your voices at conversation level and no higher, and always use silent powerpoints and human driven presentations more often than not!

A home business is going to need an extra hand or two, at some point. Make sure you’re ready to accept more and more people into your home on a professional basis. It’ll save the carpet at least!

6 Tools You Need for Your Construction Business

October 9, 2019/0 Comments/in Managing Your Business /by StrategyDriven

If you’re working in construction, then you’ll know there are some key tools you just can’t do without. Having quality tools you know you can rely on is a requirement for the job and helps you to carry out your work to the highest standard.

While there are some tools that are an added luxury, there are some that are absolutely essential for the job. When it comes to these tools, make sure you’ve got quality equipment to rely on when you’re out on the job.

Cordless Drill

When you’ve got a cordless drill that serves as an electric screwdriver and can quickly drill holes, you save yourself so much time and hard work. Manually putting in screws with a screwdriver is time consuming and can quickly lead to arm fatigue, but with a cordless drill you can add screws in seconds.

With no cord, your cordless drill is portable and easy to use, and you’ll find the battery life is pretty impressive.

Hand Saw

Everyone should have a hand saw whether they’re in construction or not. It might be a basic piece of kit, but the hand saw is useful in so many situations. From small DIY jobs to big construction jobs, there’s a place for the hand saw.

For small cutting jobs, a high-quality hand saw will save you time and give you a high-quality cut.

Tape Measure

There aren’t many jobs you can complete without a tape measure. Precision is vital in construction and without a tape measure you’re just guessing.

The tape measure is small, lightweight, and easily fits in your pocket, but it’s an invaluable part of your equipment.

Adjustable Spanner

Why have a whole set of spanners when you can get an adjustable spanner that does the same job? The adjustable spanner can easily be adjusted to fit all kinds of nuts and bolts.

An adjustable spanner between 10” and 14” will help you speed through a variety of jobs.

Spirit Level

Where the tape measure is there to make sure you’ve got your measurements right, the spirit level is there to make sure everything is level. There’s no point getting something the right length if it’s sloping when it’s not supposed to be, and the spirit level is an easy way of making sure this isn’t the case.

Of course, you can get digital spirit levels now, but the old-fashioned ones still work great and get the job done.

Adhesives and Sealants

Bonding two things together is often an important part of a construction project and those bonds need to maintain sealing properties, so having the right adhesive or sealant is vitally important.

Depending on what materials you’re working with you will need different types of adhesives or sealants, so it’s important to understand which products you need.

The right sealant will ensure that whatever your constructing is weatherproof, waterproof, or fireproof depending on what you need, and give your job a high-quality finish.