Posts

Top Reasons to Consider Opening a Franchise

/in /by

StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Open a Franchise|Top Reasons to Consider Opening a FranchiseAll sorts of people love the idea of owning their own business. However, starting from scratch requires a huge amount of time and effort, and there are simply no guarantees of success. This doesn’t mean that you can’t become an entrepreneur. A common approach that people take on is to open a franchise of their own. This way, you can become part of a larger organization that has already stumbled upon a formula for success. Essentially, you can then replicate this by opening up a branch of your own. The rewards are often there to be taken, but the risks are minimized. Take a look at this list of other reasons to consider opening up a franchise.

Allows for a Combination of Independence and Guidance

One of the most attractive parts of running a business is the opportunity to be independent. However, a lot of people don’t like to think that they are entirely on their own. So, having some guidance can be a majorly attractive proposition. This is where educational franchises come in. Some examples of specialized educational franchises include tutoring centers, therapy providers, and schools for children with learning disabilities and etc. These types of franchises can be a good option for those interested in franchising but who want to avoid the risk and uncertainty of starting a business from scratch. Apart from it, specialized niches can be successful with less demand, and a strong reputation can control more market share. Plus, many specialized educational franchises also provide a strong sense of community and camaraderie among franchisees, which can provide additional support and motivation.

Franchises come with a clear set of rules and regulations of what you can and cannot do. There is also all sorts of information offered with regards to promoting your outlet as widely as possible. At the same time, there are also plenty of other executive decisions that you can take, whether you are looking to run a Superior Vapour franchise opportunity or a food and drink outlet.

Big Company Benefits

Many franchise businesses are already well-known, so a big part of the marketing work is taken out of your hands. One of the toughest parts of running a small business is making yourself stand out, and this is a hurdle that a lot of entrepreneurs simply cannot overcome. You may also get other benefits like the opportunity to get discounts from suppliers. Also, you don’t have certain challenges like having to come up with your own recipes, etc. At the same time, you still get a good feel of what being in charge of a business is like, as well as the number of plates that you have to keep spinning at the same time. As a lot of financial projections have already been taken care of, things like applying for a loan suddenly start to seem a lot less daunting.


Less of a Risk

One of the scariest parts of running a business is the level of risk that you are naturally going to have to take on. However, being a franchisee mitigates against this and puts you in a position in which you are more likely to succeed and less likely to fail. Essentially, you are already starting with a blueprint that has been proven to be effective on a wide scale. Of course, this doesn’t mean that there is no element of risk at all. However, when you take a smaller risk when you start up a franchise, this may give you the experience and willingness to launch a company of your own at some point in the not-too-distant future.

Help is Available

Many entrepreneurs get started all on their own. As a result, they feel like there is nobody that they can reach out to along the way. However, when you are part of a franchise, you are involved in a bigger organization. This means that more help is available should you need it along the way. As well as the parent company itself, there are also plenty of other people who have been in the exact same situation as yourself. They have likely encountered many of the problems that you have found yourself up against and can offer you the best advice on how to proceed successfully in the future. In fact, they can help to prevent you from making many of the same errors along the way.

Access to Proper Training

When you start a business on your own, there is nobody there to train you and tell you how to do it well. However, a franchise company knows that there are plenty of new entrepreneurs that are getting involved in their business. As a direct result of this, they will have set up a training scheme that incorporates many of the main elements of running the business successfully. Of course, training is always going to be somewhat limited based on the fact that you learn a lot more on the job than you do simply reading about it.

Have you been convinced to run a franchise business yourself?

The Foundations Of Business Growth

/in /by

StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Business Growth|The Foundations Of Business GrowthTrying to expand your business during a global pandemic may seem like madness. However, you are an entrepreneur and you don’t want to rest on your laurels. Your ambition means that you want your startup to be able to compete with the already established industry rivals and you are eager for your venture to have a global presence. However, when the world is on more of a go-slow, people are less likely to part with their cash, and the economic markets have plummeted, it can be a challenge to see how you can grow your business. Follow this guide to the foundations of business growth.

StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Business Growth|The Foundations Of Business GrowthWebsite

Your online presence will really come into its own as more people stay at home and spend more time on the Internet. Online shopping was always a factor of the millennial market but now all demographics are partaking. If you are a retailer, you need to morph your business model into an online venture. The website that you produce is crucial to attract your potential market. Rather than opt for a flashy all singing all dancing website, you need to focus more time on your SEO. If you don’t know your keyword from your meta tag, you need to consider outsourcing your web design to a WordPress developer who can create a site that will emulate your brand and your ethos while appearing high up the Google search rankings. Make every section of your site within three clicks and easy to navigate to hold a potential customer’s interest. Overhaul your website and you could find your customer base growing.

Social Media

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are the perfect vehicles for online marketing when considering your business. However, you also need to hone your social media platforms to grow your business. If you want more followers, you need to post meaningful and relevant content on a daily basis. The Twitter feed that you craft is the ideal way to communicate directly with your clientele. If a potential customer has a query, they will tweet you. This comment will be in the public domain so it is crucial that you respond promptly. Use an informal and chatty tone. The corporate hard sell doesn’t work anymore. The better the content that you post, the more shareable it becomes, thus increasing your follower numbers and global presence.

Trade Shows

If you can attend a trade show, get registered. These amazing events provide you with a readymade footfall of individuals who are eager to source your services. Go to a niche and industry specific event. By utilizing your pitch effectively, you can show off your wares, products and services. Place branded banners across your stall and encourage people to take a look at your products in action. Enthuse with your ideas and business acumen, and have some on-the-day deals that potential buyers can’t refuse. Ensure that you create an email list and follow up any leads on your return to the home office. With any luck, your clientele will grow.

These foundations of business growth will enable your venture to thrive and not merely survive during this pandemic.

Taking Control Of Your Business Finances

/in /by

StrategyDriven Managing Your Finances Article |Business Finances|Taking Control Of Your Business FinancesIt is well-documented that the majority of new businesses fail. Cash flow is an obstacle for many aspiring entrepreneurs, and this is why taking control of business finances is so critical. If you’re preparing to launch a startup, or you’re in the early days of growing a small business, here is some advice to help you reduce risks and manage your money effectively.

Plan ahead

Your business plan should outline how you’re going to fund your company and how you’re going to monetize ideas to generate a steady income and make a profit. Whether you’re new to business, or you’ve been established for several years, it’s crucial to plan in advance. Create budgets, evaluate spending and look for ways to make savings without compromising on quality or customer service. Increasing efficiency is an excellent way to lower expenses while also increasing your profit margins. Use forecasts to influence growth plans and resist the temptation to run before you can walk. It’s wise to consider investing in expansion once you start generating profits and demand for your products or services is increasing. Until you reach this point, it’s beneficial to tread cautiously when it comes to your finances.

StrategyDriven Managing Your Finances Article |Business Finances|Taking Control Of Your Business FinancesMake budgeting simple

Budgeting is an incredibly useful tool for businesses, particularly those looking to reduce spending or save money. To make budgeting simple, make use of software and apps and keep track of expenses. Monthly web hosting enables you to pay a set fee every month, for example. You could also look into annual options. Make sure you know which payments are coming out of your accounts every month, which services you’re paying for once a year and what you’ve signed up for on an ad hoc or on-demand basis. If you have a firm grip on your expenses, this will help to prevent overspending and cash flow problems. It’s very easy to forget about payments when you have direct debits or you touch to pay via apps or instant web payments. Analyze your accounts and update or revise your list of regular payments every few months to make sure that your budget is accurate.

Invest in protection

Running a business carries risks, and none of us know what is around the corner. Even if your financial situation is rosy, you can never be too careful. Natural disasters, cybercrime, theft, incidents that affect your brand image and reputation and economic and political uncertainty can all jeopardize even the most successful, profitable businesses. Investing in protection is essential for all entrepreneurs. Make sure you have the relevant insurance and try and draw up plans and policies to minimize disruption in the event of unexpected curveballs. If you have insurance, you have an emergency fund available and you have a plan B to keep the business running smoothly, this will stand you in good stead if the waters get choppy.

Managing accounts and trying to generate profits year in, year out can be hugely challenging for business owners. One of the most important jobs to master as an entrepreneur is taking control of your finances. Plan ahead, keep a close eye on your accounts, budget and make sure you have protective measures in place.

5 Key Business Considerations To Keep In Mind

/in /by

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article |Business Considerations|5 Key Business Considerations To Keep In MindWhen you’re running a business, your mind can be a really busy place. Most of the time, when you’re in a set job, you’ll find that you have one major responsibility or role. Your job title often means that there’s a set thing that you need to work on – and that’s great. However, when you’re a business owner, there’s usually a full range of things that you need to be working on. And so, it can mean that you’re always doing so many things to keep your business running. But not only that, you have to be thinking of things to help it grow too. As a business looking for success, whether you’re currently running it from home or not, you will definitely want to think about what you want to do to make that happen. Here are five key considerations to keep in mind.

1. Marketing

To start with, you are going to want to be thinking about your marketing. What sort of marketing methods are you working on? How are you able to get your business and brand name out there? Really start to think about what it is that you want to create and pull together a marketing plan that allows you to shout about what you’re doing.

2. Outgoings

From here, you’re then going to want to take a look at your outgoings. You may find that you don’t really know what your business expenses are but that then can mean that you aren’t able to track your profits or business growth. So instead, it’s much better for you to be thinking about what costs you have to help you ensure you make a profit.

3. Manufacturing

The next thing that you’re going to want to consider is the manufacturing side of things. It could be the case that you have to find suppliers to work with, or consider doing it yourself with the right equipment. When that’s the case, you’ll want to put the right time and care into choosing a mixer or whatever it is that you need. This is to ensure that you have got the right setup in place and you know that you are able to create the products that you need.

4. Growth Plans

You should also have some sort of growth plans in mind. It’s safe to say that if you want to get somewhere you’ll want to be able to have a plan on how you’re going to get there. So start to think about the steps you need to be able to take to get to where you want to be.

5. Customer Service

Finally, there’s also customer service for you to be thinking about. As you may know, when it comes to business, the key to making things work out for you, is to ensure that your customer is happy. So, if you want to be able to nail all of the other points and, of course, scale, you have to be able to produce stellar customer service too. So make sure that you are hot on emails, getting orders out, and if you’re not sure, hire a service team to help you.

How To Protect Your Business

/in /by

When you own a business, you need to know how to protect it. There are threats that could damage it – and you – from all directions, including cybercrime, lawsuits, and contract issues among many more. By putting some of these ideas into practice, you can give yourself an added layer of protection that could save you a lot of worry and money in the long run. Read on to find out more.

StrategyDriven Risk Management Article | How To Protect Your Business

Be Wary Of Social Media

Social media can be great for business; it’s the ideal way to connect with more of your target audience, and you can advertise very cheaply – if you post the right kind of post that captures people’s imagination, you might even go viral and essentially advertise for free.

But just as social media can be wonderful for your business, boosting it much further and giving it greater reach than any other method could, it can also be dangerous. Anything you say online will be archived for all time, and sometimes it can even be taken completely out of context and used against you, and this is especially true if it’s a business account posting.

When using social media, always think twice about what you’re about to say, and if it could be taken the wrong way, think again. In the worst cases when your reputation has been attached through social media, you can hire reputation management services to help you regain your good name.

Train Your Employees

No matter how much you know not to open email attachments from strangers or to click on links that look suspicious, your employees might not, and it’s vital that they are trained to understand more about online safety because it’s all part of protecting your business. Don’t just assume that they know what to do and what the best practices are; ask them outright.

To be completely sure, even if most people are aware of what to do, it’s still a good idea to implement regular training on the issue. The more they know, the more they’ll notice, and the more protected your business will be.

Destroy Your Data Properly

All businesses are going to have some form of confidential data or sensitive information in their files somewhere. Whether it’s customers’ address details or credit card numbers, or the company’s own bank accounts, if any of this information were to get into the wrong hands, it could spell disaster for you, either because your finances could be compromised, or because the information could be used to steal your customers’ identities.

If you have this information on paper, make sure you destroy it properly when you need to – shred it, rather than simply throw it in the trash. If it’s digitally stored, make sure you destroy the information completely rather than just deleting it because a cybercriminal will be able to restore it and use it for their own illegal needs.

Using the cloud is going to help in most cases with this issue. The information will be securely stored, so you’ll be able to access it whenever you need to, and no one else will be able to find it.