There are many things which can cause concern to small business owners, and budgeting is one of them. It can often be the case that a business owner creates a well thought out and sensible budget for marketing, for example, but due to a variety of factors including a volatile economy, the money set aside for marketing needs using elsewhere. If this happens, it can cause a problem because your marketing will stop, and you won’t have any new customers, meaning you lose even more money. It is a better idea to simply save money when marketing rather than cut your marketing budget altogether. Here are some ideas how.
Use Free Platforms
If you can get your marketing done for free (at least in part) then your marketing budget can remain untouched. One of the best ways to advertise for free is to use social media. Creating business accounts in Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and others is free, and although you can boost and promote your posts by paying, if you include relevant, interesting information that potential customers can share easily, then you shouldn’t have to. It’s not just about social media though; why not offer to write a guest post on someone’s blog? You can write something detailed that is useful and place yourself as an expert in your field. You could also sponsor a local sports team. It costs nothing but will put your business details in front of many people at one time.
Simplify Things
If you keep things as simple as possible, your marketing dollars will stretch much further. You can waste a lot of money enhancing and upgrading your advertising, but if it isn’t needed, and if you can bring people to you without it, then don’t spend any more than you need to for the basics. For example, you can buy website packages that include dozens of pages, but before you do this, ask yourself if you need all of those pages, or if a website that has five pages would work for you. If that’s the case, you can buy the cheaper package. If more pages become necessary, you can upgrade later. The same goes for print advertising; you could pay much more for a bigger ad, or one in color, but is it required? Do your research first to get your answer, and only pay for what you need.
Use Inbound Marketing
Inbound leads work out at 62 percent cheaper than traditional marketing methods, and in business that is far too big a percentage to ignore. Inbound marketing is about creating content that brings customers to you, rather than creating advertising that sets out to pull in the customers. If they come ‘of their own free will’ they are already much more likely to spend money with you. This is because there is a feeling that you’re not trying too hard, you’re not ‘pushy’. Inbound marketing can take place in the form of blogging using proper SEO techniques and social media posts. You could even create webinars and workshops. These are all forms of inbound marketing.
Ask For Advice
Asking for advice is a great way to save money when you are marketing your business. If you ask the people, who have already ‘been there and done that’ then you will be able to hear about the mistakes they made, and stop yourself from making them. You will also be able to find out about marketing hacks and shortcuts that really work. Getting it right the first time is an invaluable way to keep your marketing budget looking healthy. Of course, it’s best if this advice is free – if you have to sign up for costly training or seminars to get it, then you may wish to look elsewhere. It all depends on how much value you can place on getting your marketing exactly right.
Do It Yourself
When it comes to saving money, doing things yourself, rather than paying out for someone else to do it, can save a lot of money. However, it’s only a cost-saving exercise if you are able actually to carry out the work well. If you are not confident then hire someone in; it’s better to pay for an expert than try to do it yourself and then have to call that expert after anyway. It will depend to some extent how long the job will take, and how much money it will cost you in time away from the business doing other things to work out whether it will really be a way to cut costs. Sometimes it is just better to pay for expert help.
One Thing At A Time
It can be easy to pay more than you need to if you’re not focusing on one thing at a time. Market research is essential as you will be able to determine who your target audience is, and how best to reach them. It might be through social media, perhaps print advertising, or you might even want to consider TV or radio spots. Once you know what is going to work best for you, you can then focus on that campaign rather than spending a lot of money in many different places when only one or two of them will actually bring you anything in return. It is also a good idea because it means you will gain more experience in the medium you have chosen, so the advertising that you do there will become better and more efficient over time.
Don’t Change
Something that can cost many thousands of dollars and that isn’t required is change. Change is good when it is necessary, but if you have an advertising campaign that is working, that is bringing in customers and revenue, why change it? It costs money to change it, to change the design, to change where and how the advert is used. So keep on using the same ad until new customers are no longer finding it attractive. This is when you need to change, not when it is all still working.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.png00Nathan Iveshttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngNathan Ives2018-02-07 11:00:222018-02-07 11:00:22How To Save Money When Marketing Your Business
Running a business is never easy, but ensuring you make a profit each month is something that business owners can easily lose sleep over. After all, having a business is all about making money, so if you’re in a sales slump and profits are down, your stress levels are definitely going to begin to rise. Even if you haven’t experienced a slump in sales yet, you likely will one day, and probably sooner rather than later, so it is important that you are prepared for when this happens. Luckily, there are many options out there for attracting new customers and boosting sales, so keep reading for some great tips and ideas.
1. Create A Loyalty Programme
Any type of customer is a good type of customer, but, ideally, you want customers that are loyal to you and keep coming back again and again. Obviously, this ensures that you continue to make a profit from the individual customer, which is great, but a loyal customer will also recommend you to family and friends, which means that your business will continue to make bigger profits, and so will continue to grow. In order to gain this loyalty, lots of businesses use loyalty programmes like punch cards to keep customers coming back. Whether it’s a discount or free product, your customer will want the reward that they receive when they fill their punch card, so will keep coming back again and again.
2. Hand Out Coupons
No one ever wants to pay full price for something, so make it so that your customers don’t have to. When you’re trying to attract new customers, hand out coupons to those that look most likely to visit your store. This is a brilliant way to let people know that your business exists, and will also make it that much more probable that you’ll receive a few extra customers looking for a bargain. You could also print a coupon in your local newspaper, or post some through letterboxes near your business. Another great idea that lots of businesses use is sending their customers coupons for their birthday.
3. Clean Up Your Act
You could have the most world-changing product on the face of the earth, but if your store looks uninviting, then no one is going to come in and have a look. To make it look a little better, get outside and clean up any rubbish. You could even look at the earthmoving information here and consider hiring a road sweeper. Also, make sure that all of the windows are sparkling, the paint isn’t chipped or flaky, and you have a great display in the window. The inside of your store should also look clean and tidy, as well as well-lit and easy to navigate.
4. Compete With Competitors
Unfortunately, business is a dog eat dog world, and you will need to be better than and earn more than all of your competitors if you want to continue to grow and be successful for the foreseeable future. Because of this, it’s important to do all you can to neutralise any sort of promotion that your competitors pull out the bag. To do this, when your competitors announce a sale, you should announce one too, just with bigger reductions (only if you can afford it!). This makes it much more likely that your customers will visit your store and spend money, than your competitors.
5. Use Social Media
We are living in a time that is dominated by technology, so, if you aren’t using social media to promote your business, you are seriously missing out. You can use your social media accounts to announce new products, sales, giveaways, and loyalty programmes like the one mentioned above much quicker than you would do any other way. Just be sure that your content is steady, rather than having quiet periods and then announcing a sale, otherwise, your customers will know that you’re only online because you need some extra cash. You can also use your social media to connect with your customers, deal with their queries, and get any feedback they have to offer to improve your service and products.
6. Invest In Advertisement
Any business owner that believes that advertising and marketing are a waste of money isn’t going to be business owners for very long. If you are not obtaining as much as you usually do, and are considering reducing the amount of money you are putting into marketing and advertisement, just stop. Now is the tie that you should be investing more money in advertising, not making cutbacks. Of course, you might not have the cash available to be making television advertisements or anything else that expensive, but newspaper and radio ads, and even billboards can be fairly cost-effective and can bring in a lot of customers.
7. Hold An Event
If you want to boost your sales in a huge way, then a great way to do this is to host some sort of event. You could partner with a local charity and offer a discount for anyone that donates to the worthy cause. This will show that your business has good morals and that you are incredibly community minded, which should increase your sales for long after the event has ended. Depending on what you sell, you could hand out free samples in the days leading up to your event, to generate interest with the locals, and could even send a press release to the media to attract those from further afield. Of course, you should also use your social media as much as you can during this time, as a means of free advertisement.
A drop in sales is every business owner’s worst nightmare, but it is one that you can wake up from if you take action. The tips above are only some of the great ideas that you could use to boost your sales, so don’t despair if none of them works for you. Every business is different, so you just need to figure out what is right for yours.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.png00Nathan Iveshttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngNathan Ives2018-02-06 16:00:472018-02-06 16:00:47How To Attract Customers And Boost Retail Sales
Managing a recently founded law firm can be quite the challenge, especially for an attorney who is also trying to juggle their own cases while also ensuring smooth operation for the firm as a whole. Playing multiple roles as both “the guy in charge” and someone who deals directly with clients can have you feeling overwhelmed at times, particularly if you haven’t yet established a routine workflow. Fortunately, managing a firm is much like running any other kind of business, so if you have a solid of understanding of basic principles like budgeting, accounting, and account management, you should be able to make things work with a minimal amount of stress. With that said, here are four tips for managing a law firm more successfully during its initial stages:
1. Utilize Consultancy Services
While going it alone is possible, you’ll be in a much more optimal position if you have the guidance of someone who is experienced in the field of law firm management. Thus, enlisting the assistance of a law consultant such as Law Biz is an ideal initial step to take just to make sure you have some experience in your corner before going forward. Such consultancy services will not only help you manage the firm more effectively, they can also help the firm’s attorneys operate more proficiently and professionally on an individual basis.
2. Market to a Targeted Audience
Of course, client solicitation is something every new law firm has to strongly consider in order to expedite the process of building a steady workload for all of the firm’s attorneys. Each firm should specialize in one or more areas of law to allow for a more targeted approach to marketing and promotion. For example, a firm with plenty of collective experience in representing medical lawsuits would want to gear their advertisements towards such clients for a more effective approach than simply promoting general law services.
3. Encourage Client Referrals
Word of mouth is one of the biggest assets for any new firm, as getting the business off the ground and building momentum will depend largely on the recommendations and reviews of your existing clients. Aside from offering commendable service, it’s also good to offer incentives for referrals. For example, some new firms will offer discounted legal fees or even commissions to clients who are willing to refer their friends and family in applicable situations.
4. Create an Optimized Billing System
Billing is one of the most difficult aspects of operations for new law firm managers because you’ll inevitably have to become familiar with some sort of software-based billing system. Avoiding billing mistakes and creating a consistent and predefined procedure for handling billing processes will ensure that your firm is being paid properly while also simplifying ongoing accounting practices.
Hiring the Right People Is Paramount
In closing, all of the above steps won’t help if you’ve brought the wrong staff members on board, to begin with. Furthermore, having to later terminate employees and/or change the line-up of the attorneys in your firm can present an unpleasant stumbling block that could be entirely avoided if you had hired the right team from the start.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.png00Nathan Iveshttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngNathan Ives2018-02-06 11:00:592018-02-06 11:00:594 Tips for Managing a New Law Firm
When most people imagine the inner workings of a successful business, they usually picture tall office buildings, huge open spaces filled with desks and water coolers, and hundreds of employees buzzing around like bees. Of course, thanks to digital technology there is nothing in the way of creating a business from scratch in your very own home. The difference between running it successfully and letting it become just another failed homemade startup is the level of care and dedication put into it. Here are some helpful tips for you to grow your business from your own home.
One: Outsource Some of Your Workload
When starting your own business, it can feel almost as if it’s your child and you are the only person responsible for it. The sense of ownership can be a blessing and a curse, both encouraging you to do your best while keeping you from letting other people assist. If you work from home because you prefer solitary activities, you will still need the help of others if you want your business to shine. Outsourcing is a great way of getting professional assistance for tasks you either don’t want to do or don’t have the particular skills for. If you need to get yourself seen, enlist those in the know – for more information, take a look at PR marketer. These are the kinds of companies that can make the difference between a functional home business and a successful one. There’s no need to pile all the work on yourself. Delegate cleverly and use your newfound time to focus on more important tasks.
Two: Concentrate
Sometimes the reason people choose to run their business from home is due to financial reasons such as the cost of an office space. Some people even work best when they’re alone with their thoughts. However, your home is full of distractions that can cause you to take your eye off the ball and miss some crucial business opportunities. To avoid falling into this common trap, dedicate a space in your home specifically for your work. Limit the distractions that can enter this space such as food, pets, television, and even loved ones. If you give yourself a set time and place for work, your family will respect that you are busy and leave you to it. Not only will your business improve, you’ll also become more self-disciplined.
Three: Don’t Isolate Yourself
It can be tempting to hole yourself away and work without lifting your head, especially when you feel like you’re onto a great idea or a major breakthrough. Even the most introverted businesspeople can benefit from interacting with others, so take the time to pause from your indoor life and network. It’s important to meet people with similar interests who can potentially help or offer advice in the future. The upside of an office environment that you miss out on when working at home is that you learn from the mistakes of others. Venture out occasionally to do some reconnaissance – your business will thank you for it.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.png00Nathan Iveshttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngNathan Ives2018-02-05 11:00:312018-02-05 11:46:18How to Run a Successful Business from Home
If you want to do everything you can to operate your fleet on a much more efficient level then it is important to understand the way that your fleet works. If you have a couple of vehicles then you may not think that it is worth investing in a software to try and find out where each one is, and if you own a huge fleet then you may not feel as though it is worth getting them all cleaned on a weekly basis. The truth is that you should always know where your fleet is and you should always keep your vehicles clean, because at the end of the day it is a reflection of your business.
Your Staff
When you operate a fleet, it can be hard to make changes across the board. When a change is made, you then need to make sure that all of your staff are in the loop as well. For example, if certain cars are due to undergo maintenance then you have to make sure that your drivers are aware of this and you also need to make sure that you do everything you can to keep everything operating smoothly. This is easier said than done, so you need to have a steady line of communication between your fleet manager and your drivers at all times. This can be done through mobile communication or even via walkie talkies, but communication overall is crucial if you want to get the most out of your fleet.
Branding
Your fleet represents your company and for this reason you have to make sure that you are
utilising your vehicles as much as possible. Branding is a brilliant way for you to do this and if you have your company logo or even a decal on your fleet vehicles then they will essentially be advertising your business wherever your drivers go. They could be parked up outside the supermarket, on the motorway or even driving to a customer’s house, and they will be advertising your company the whole time. Providers like The Vomela Companies are great for this because they can apply graphics to every single one of your vehicles without any issues. They can also work with you to get the whole thing done simultaneously, so your parts of your business won’t come to a halt when the job is being done.
Telematics
Telematics can help you to have a much more efficient fleet. Telematics can greatly improve your existing level of fuel efficiency and they can also lower your CO2 emissions as well. When you have telematic boxes installed in your vehicles they can detect the driving habits of those who operate your fleet, and this is a brilliant way for you to make sure that your drivers care about your company as much as you do. If you know that your drivers speed, don’t make the effort to get to their destination on time or even if they drive badly when on the road then this is not going to be a good reflection of your company and telematics can help you with all of this. They can even help your drivers to have the safety and guidance they need when they are on the road as well, so this is something that is well-worth investing in.
Driver Training
When you invest in driver training, this can really help you to make the most out of the employees that you hire. Drivers who have undergone the appropriate training will be much more likely to get into accidents less and they will also understand road etiquette more as well. They will also be able to deal with a first-aid situation more effectively and this is a great way for you to make sure that everything is being done to keep your employees safe and even those who are with them. When you have driver training, you can then go on to identify any driver issues and these can then be smoothed out by the time the next driver training session comes along. If you have any concerns about driver training or if you are worried that it will be expensive then you don’t have to worry about this at all because the good habits the drivers will pick up will eventually pay for themselves. By combining driver training with a good level of road knowledge and safety you can easily make sure that your fleet is being operated at an efficient level without having to worry about your driver’s experience or even their road habits.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.png00Nathan Iveshttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngNathan Ives2018-02-03 00:42:042018-02-03 00:42:51How To Operate Your Company Fleet More Efficiently
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How To Save Money When Marketing Your Business
/in Entrepreneurship, Marketing & Sales/by Nathan IvesUse Free Platforms
If you can get your marketing done for free (at least in part) then your marketing budget can remain untouched. One of the best ways to advertise for free is to use social media. Creating business accounts in Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and others is free, and although you can boost and promote your posts by paying, if you include relevant, interesting information that potential customers can share easily, then you shouldn’t have to. It’s not just about social media though; why not offer to write a guest post on someone’s blog? You can write something detailed that is useful and place yourself as an expert in your field. You could also sponsor a local sports team. It costs nothing but will put your business details in front of many people at one time.
Simplify Things
If you keep things as simple as possible, your marketing dollars will stretch much further. You can waste a lot of money enhancing and upgrading your advertising, but if it isn’t needed, and if you can bring people to you without it, then don’t spend any more than you need to for the basics. For example, you can buy website packages that include dozens of pages, but before you do this, ask yourself if you need all of those pages, or if a website that has five pages would work for you. If that’s the case, you can buy the cheaper package. If more pages become necessary, you can upgrade later. The same goes for print advertising; you could pay much more for a bigger ad, or one in color, but is it required? Do your research first to get your answer, and only pay for what you need.
Use Inbound Marketing
Inbound leads work out at 62 percent cheaper than traditional marketing methods, and in business that is far too big a percentage to ignore. Inbound marketing is about creating content that brings customers to you, rather than creating advertising that sets out to pull in the customers. If they come ‘of their own free will’ they are already much more likely to spend money with you. This is because there is a feeling that you’re not trying too hard, you’re not ‘pushy’. Inbound marketing can take place in the form of blogging using proper SEO techniques and social media posts. You could even create webinars and workshops. These are all forms of inbound marketing.
Ask For Advice
Asking for advice is a great way to save money when you are marketing your business. If you ask the people, who have already ‘been there and done that’ then you will be able to hear about the mistakes they made, and stop yourself from making them. You will also be able to find out about marketing hacks and shortcuts that really work. Getting it right the first time is an invaluable way to keep your marketing budget looking healthy. Of course, it’s best if this advice is free – if you have to sign up for costly training or seminars to get it, then you may wish to look elsewhere. It all depends on how much value you can place on getting your marketing exactly right.
Do It Yourself
When it comes to saving money, doing things yourself, rather than paying out for someone else to do it, can save a lot of money. However, it’s only a cost-saving exercise if you are able actually to carry out the work well. If you are not confident then hire someone in; it’s better to pay for an expert than try to do it yourself and then have to call that expert after anyway. It will depend to some extent how long the job will take, and how much money it will cost you in time away from the business doing other things to work out whether it will really be a way to cut costs. Sometimes it is just better to pay for expert help.
One Thing At A Time
It can be easy to pay more than you need to if you’re not focusing on one thing at a time. Market research is essential as you will be able to determine who your target audience is, and how best to reach them. It might be through social media, perhaps print advertising, or you might even want to consider TV or radio spots. Once you know what is going to work best for you, you can then focus on that campaign rather than spending a lot of money in many different places when only one or two of them will actually bring you anything in return. It is also a good idea because it means you will gain more experience in the medium you have chosen, so the advertising that you do there will become better and more efficient over time.
Don’t Change
Something that can cost many thousands of dollars and that isn’t required is change. Change is good when it is necessary, but if you have an advertising campaign that is working, that is bringing in customers and revenue, why change it? It costs money to change it, to change the design, to change where and how the advert is used. So keep on using the same ad until new customers are no longer finding it attractive. This is when you need to change, not when it is all still working.
How To Attract Customers And Boost Retail Sales
/in Marketing & Sales/by Nathan Ives1. Create A Loyalty Programme
Any type of customer is a good type of customer, but, ideally, you want customers that are loyal to you and keep coming back again and again. Obviously, this ensures that you continue to make a profit from the individual customer, which is great, but a loyal customer will also recommend you to family and friends, which means that your business will continue to make bigger profits, and so will continue to grow. In order to gain this loyalty, lots of businesses use loyalty programmes like punch cards to keep customers coming back. Whether it’s a discount or free product, your customer will want the reward that they receive when they fill their punch card, so will keep coming back again and again.
2. Hand Out Coupons
No one ever wants to pay full price for something, so make it so that your customers don’t have to. When you’re trying to attract new customers, hand out coupons to those that look most likely to visit your store. This is a brilliant way to let people know that your business exists, and will also make it that much more probable that you’ll receive a few extra customers looking for a bargain. You could also print a coupon in your local newspaper, or post some through letterboxes near your business. Another great idea that lots of businesses use is sending their customers coupons for their birthday.
3. Clean Up Your Act
You could have the most world-changing product on the face of the earth, but if your store looks uninviting, then no one is going to come in and have a look. To make it look a little better, get outside and clean up any rubbish. You could even look at the earthmoving information here and consider hiring a road sweeper. Also, make sure that all of the windows are sparkling, the paint isn’t chipped or flaky, and you have a great display in the window. The inside of your store should also look clean and tidy, as well as well-lit and easy to navigate.
4. Compete With Competitors
Unfortunately, business is a dog eat dog world, and you will need to be better than and earn more than all of your competitors if you want to continue to grow and be successful for the foreseeable future. Because of this, it’s important to do all you can to neutralise any sort of promotion that your competitors pull out the bag. To do this, when your competitors announce a sale, you should announce one too, just with bigger reductions (only if you can afford it!). This makes it much more likely that your customers will visit your store and spend money, than your competitors.
5. Use Social Media
We are living in a time that is dominated by technology, so, if you aren’t using social media to promote your business, you are seriously missing out. You can use your social media accounts to announce new products, sales, giveaways, and loyalty programmes like the one mentioned above much quicker than you would do any other way. Just be sure that your content is steady, rather than having quiet periods and then announcing a sale, otherwise, your customers will know that you’re only online because you need some extra cash. You can also use your social media to connect with your customers, deal with their queries, and get any feedback they have to offer to improve your service and products.
6. Invest In Advertisement
Any business owner that believes that advertising and marketing are a waste of money isn’t going to be business owners for very long. If you are not obtaining as much as you usually do, and are considering reducing the amount of money you are putting into marketing and advertisement, just stop. Now is the tie that you should be investing more money in advertising, not making cutbacks. Of course, you might not have the cash available to be making television advertisements or anything else that expensive, but newspaper and radio ads, and even billboards can be fairly cost-effective and can bring in a lot of customers.
7. Hold An Event
If you want to boost your sales in a huge way, then a great way to do this is to host some sort of event. You could partner with a local charity and offer a discount for anyone that donates to the worthy cause. This will show that your business has good morals and that you are incredibly community minded, which should increase your sales for long after the event has ended. Depending on what you sell, you could hand out free samples in the days leading up to your event, to generate interest with the locals, and could even send a press release to the media to attract those from further afield. Of course, you should also use your social media as much as you can during this time, as a means of free advertisement.
A drop in sales is every business owner’s worst nightmare, but it is one that you can wake up from if you take action. The tips above are only some of the great ideas that you could use to boost your sales, so don’t despair if none of them works for you. Every business is different, so you just need to figure out what is right for yours.
4 Tips for Managing a New Law Firm
/in Entrepreneurship/by Nathan Ives1. Utilize Consultancy Services
While going it alone is possible, you’ll be in a much more optimal position if you have the guidance of someone who is experienced in the field of law firm management. Thus, enlisting the assistance of a law consultant such as Law Biz is an ideal initial step to take just to make sure you have some experience in your corner before going forward. Such consultancy services will not only help you manage the firm more effectively, they can also help the firm’s attorneys operate more proficiently and professionally on an individual basis.
2. Market to a Targeted Audience
Of course, client solicitation is something every new law firm has to strongly consider in order to expedite the process of building a steady workload for all of the firm’s attorneys. Each firm should specialize in one or more areas of law to allow for a more targeted approach to marketing and promotion. For example, a firm with plenty of collective experience in representing medical lawsuits would want to gear their advertisements towards such clients for a more effective approach than simply promoting general law services.
3. Encourage Client Referrals
Word of mouth is one of the biggest assets for any new firm, as getting the business off the ground and building momentum will depend largely on the recommendations and reviews of your existing clients. Aside from offering commendable service, it’s also good to offer incentives for referrals. For example, some new firms will offer discounted legal fees or even commissions to clients who are willing to refer their friends and family in applicable situations.
4. Create an Optimized Billing System
Billing is one of the most difficult aspects of operations for new law firm managers because you’ll inevitably have to become familiar with some sort of software-based billing system. Avoiding billing mistakes and creating a consistent and predefined procedure for handling billing processes will ensure that your firm is being paid properly while also simplifying ongoing accounting practices.
Hiring the Right People Is Paramount
In closing, all of the above steps won’t help if you’ve brought the wrong staff members on board, to begin with. Furthermore, having to later terminate employees and/or change the line-up of the attorneys in your firm can present an unpleasant stumbling block that could be entirely avoided if you had hired the right team from the start.
How to Run a Successful Business from Home
/in Entrepreneurship/by Nathan IvesOne: Outsource Some of Your Workload
When starting your own business, it can feel almost as if it’s your child and you are the only person responsible for it. The sense of ownership can be a blessing and a curse, both encouraging you to do your best while keeping you from letting other people assist. If you work from home because you prefer solitary activities, you will still need the help of others if you want your business to shine. Outsourcing is a great way of getting professional assistance for tasks you either don’t want to do or don’t have the particular skills for. If you need to get yourself seen, enlist those in the know – for more information, take a look at PR marketer. These are the kinds of companies that can make the difference between a functional home business and a successful one. There’s no need to pile all the work on yourself. Delegate cleverly and use your newfound time to focus on more important tasks.
Two: Concentrate
Sometimes the reason people choose to run their business from home is due to financial reasons such as the cost of an office space. Some people even work best when they’re alone with their thoughts. However, your home is full of distractions that can cause you to take your eye off the ball and miss some crucial business opportunities. To avoid falling into this common trap, dedicate a space in your home specifically for your work. Limit the distractions that can enter this space such as food, pets, television, and even loved ones. If you give yourself a set time and place for work, your family will respect that you are busy and leave you to it. Not only will your business improve, you’ll also become more self-disciplined.
Three: Don’t Isolate Yourself
It can be tempting to hole yourself away and work without lifting your head, especially when you feel like you’re onto a great idea or a major breakthrough. Even the most introverted businesspeople can benefit from interacting with others, so take the time to pause from your indoor life and network. It’s important to meet people with similar interests who can potentially help or offer advice in the future. The upside of an office environment that you miss out on when working at home is that you learn from the mistakes of others. Venture out occasionally to do some reconnaissance – your business will thank you for it.
How To Operate Your Company Fleet More Efficiently
/in Tactical Execution/by Nathan IvesIf you want to do everything you can to operate your fleet on a much more efficient level then it is important to understand the way that your fleet works. If you have a couple of vehicles then you may not think that it is worth investing in a software to try and find out where each one is, and if you own a huge fleet then you may not feel as though it is worth getting them all cleaned on a weekly basis. The truth is that you should always know where your fleet is and you should always keep your vehicles clean, because at the end of the day it is a reflection of your business.
Your Staff
When you operate a fleet, it can be hard to make changes across the board. When a change is made, you then need to make sure that all of your staff are in the loop as well. For example, if certain cars are due to undergo maintenance then you have to make sure that your drivers are aware of this and you also need to make sure that you do everything you can to keep everything operating smoothly. This is easier said than done, so you need to have a steady line of communication between your fleet manager and your drivers at all times. This can be done through mobile communication or even via walkie talkies, but communication overall is crucial if you want to get the most out of your fleet.
Branding
Your fleet represents your company and for this reason you have to make sure that you are
utilising your vehicles as much as possible. Branding is a brilliant way for you to do this and if you have your company logo or even a decal on your fleet vehicles then they will essentially be advertising your business wherever your drivers go. They could be parked up outside the supermarket, on the motorway or even driving to a customer’s house, and they will be advertising your company the whole time. Providers like The Vomela Companies are great for this because they can apply graphics to every single one of your vehicles without any issues. They can also work with you to get the whole thing done simultaneously, so your parts of your business won’t come to a halt when the job is being done.
Telematics
Telematics can help you to have a much more efficient fleet. Telematics can greatly improve your existing level of fuel efficiency and they can also lower your CO2 emissions as well. When you have telematic boxes installed in your vehicles they can detect the driving habits of those who operate your fleet, and this is a brilliant way for you to make sure that your drivers care about your company as much as you do. If you know that your drivers speed, don’t make the effort to get to their destination on time or even if they drive badly when on the road then this is not going to be a good reflection of your company and telematics can help you with all of this. They can even help your drivers to have the safety and guidance they need when they are on the road as well, so this is something that is well-worth investing in.
Driver Training
When you invest in driver training, this can really help you to make the most out of the employees that you hire. Drivers who have undergone the appropriate training will be much more likely to get into accidents less and they will also understand road etiquette more as well. They will also be able to deal with a first-aid situation more effectively and this is a great way for you to make sure that everything is being done to keep your employees safe and even those who are with them. When you have driver training, you can then go on to identify any driver issues and these can then be smoothed out by the time the next driver training session comes along. If you have any concerns about driver training or if you are worried that it will be expensive then you don’t have to worry about this at all because the good habits the drivers will pick up will eventually pay for themselves. By combining driver training with a good level of road knowledge and safety you can easily make sure that your fleet is being operated at an efficient level without having to worry about your driver’s experience or even their road habits.