Posts

How To Improve Your Business Operations

/in /by

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article|Business operations|How To Improve Your Business OperationsEffective business operations are key to the short and long-term success of any institution. That is why this article is here to shed some light on what you can do, as a business owner and entrepreneur, in order to improve these operations in the first place.

First and foremost, you will need to set certain goals and follow through with them. What are you working towards as an organization? In addition to this, make sure that you always hire the best possible employees, use automated software programs, talk to business consultants, and, of course, remain transparent.

Set goals and follow them

One of the most important things that you could do is to set business goals and follow through with them. What do you hope to achieve in both the short and long term? How much profit do you want to make? These are the types of questions that you should be asking yourself, but make sure that you are also very realistic about them.

Hire the best possible employees

Yet another consideration to keep in mind that will help improve your business operations is the type of employees that you will be hiring. At the end of the day, work gets done as a result of the numerous people that work for that company.

That is why you need to hire individuals that are not only knowledgeable in their field, but also fit well into the larger company culture. Is everyone able to effectively work together in a team, for instance?

Use automated software programs

With advancements in technology, there are now also a number of different automated operations that you can adopt in your organization. For instance, certain tasks that would take a few hours to complete now only require a few minutes thanks to these automated programs. One such example could be HR programs that help organize and file employee information, and so on.

Talking to a consultant

There are business consultants available for a reason, and they can always help you work through any struggles that you might be facing throughout your company’s lifespan. There may be moments where you feel overwhelmed, and you simply don’t know what the next step to take is.

It is exactly during these moments that you should seek the advice from a well- established small business coach.

Remain transparent

As a company, if you want people to trust you, you will need to remain transparent. No matter what stage of the operation this is at, keep in mind that if you are making any promises or large-scale statements about your products, you must also be able to deliver on those.

Keep in mind that improving business operations is always a process, and it takes awhile until you might notice the results that you are hoping for. Still, that is exactly why perseverance is key to any business venture. Above this, don’t forget to be strategic about the course of your operations on a daily basis. When you notice that something is not working out, as you initially planned, never underestimate just how much of an impact changing directions can make.

Is Your E-Commerce Provider Living Up to Its Promises?

/in /by

StrategyDriven Managing Your Business Article|E-commerce|Is Your E-Commerce Provider Living Up to Its Promises?There are numerous factors which can be attributed to the success of an online business venture. Hard work, dedication, a clear-cut vision, and insightful marketing campaigns are only a handful of metrics to take into account. However, the driving force behind many projects stems directly from a cutting-edge and efficient e-commerce platform. There is no doubt that such platforms have evolved in leaps and bounds over the years and many now boast a user-friendly appeal that would have been nearly impossible to enjoy in the past. Still, there are times when a business will need to reevaluate its current provider in order to determine if any changes are warranted. Let’s look at this statement in greater detail.

Taking Normalcy for Granted

The core functions of an e-commerce solution will often take place behind the scenes. This also allows them to be taken for granted over time. Secure payment systems, inherent website functionality and mobile-responsive designs are a handful of traits which can be associated with a worthwhile service provider. However, we must also look at the concept of agility.

How easy is it to perform upgrades? Will the third-party solution be able to grow with the business or might certain features be sacrificed in the event that changes need to be made? These situations can represent critical setbacks if not taken seriously and unfortunately, many entrepreneurs fail to realise their importance until the damage as already been done. In other words, the notion of “business as usual” is by no means relevant in terms of an e-commerce solution. Adaptation is key to long-term success and there are many instances when a legacy provider no longer fits the bill. So, what steps should be taken in order to best determine the appropriate third-party service?

When the Time is Right for Migration

One of the main factors which will often influence the final decision involves software as a service (Saas). While platforms such as Magento are indeed impressive in regards to their developmental tools, the fact of the matter is that they might not be able to offer the hands-on edge which could be required by enterprise-level merchants. No one should need to be a coding expert before making pertinent changes to their website. After all, the experience of the end user is the top priority and any downtime will negatively impact the so-called “bottom line”.

The good news is that there are several alternatives to Magento Enterprise and many of these have learned to espouse a bespoke sense of intuitive agility. Thus, changes can be made when the time is right and the portal in question will not suffer from any debilitating downtime. It is just as important to mention that management and similar stakeholders have to adopt the correct mentality. They must be able to admit that there is a problem before objectively examining the issue. This is the best way to determine the root cause and ultimately, to discover if an outdated e-commerce platform is due for an upgrade.

Starting a Business at Home: A Guide

/in /by

StrategyDriven Starting Your Business Article|Home Business|Starting a Business at Home: A GuideIf you’ve got that entrepreneurial spark, why not start your own business from your very own home? The best business you could build from home are the ones you start yourself from scratch, not the ones you buy into (talking to you, multi-level marketing schemes!). Even if you’re starting from absolutely nothing with little money, it’s definitely possible to build up your business idea into a successful and profitable company. Here is a guide on how to get started.

Step 1: Pick your niche

Come up with a business idea and choose what sort of business you want to start based on your experiences. This is most likely going to be the most difficult step, as you need to identify the idea behind your business and what your unique selling proposition is. You don’t have to necessarily have professional experience as long as the work you do is rooted in proper knowledge or expertise, so you can turn a hobby into a business as long as the quality is there.

Also consider that if you have a criminal record, there are a few fields you can’t start a business in, including medicine, law, finance, or anything that uses hazardous materials. If you want to be sure about your options, speak to an attorney to get a better understanding of what limitations you have if you’ve been convicted of a crime before getting started.

Step 2: Determine your target market and your competitors

Understanding whom you’re trying to sell to is a big factor in the success of your business, as is knowing who your competitors are and what they’re offering. By identifying your target market early on in the process, you can determine what kind of demand there is for your product or service and adjust accordingly. Also, every business has a competitor, and you want to make yours stand out so you must know what the competition is doing in order to offer something different than them. It’s beneficial to do a competitive analysis to help figure out what your company’s edge is.

Step 3: Decide what your budget is

Every business needs capital to get it off the ground, so figure out how much that is before you start spending. Consider how much you’ll be spending on your office space, including rent, utilities, equipment, and administrative services like conference calling, and be realistic about these costs. Also, consider other expenses like marketing costs and employee salaries and benefit packages. Do plenty of research and compare prices to make sure you get a good understanding of what your budget will be.

Step 4: Finance your business

The preferred way to finance your new business would be through personal savings, but understandably, this isn’t always a reality or a viable option. In 2018, nearly half of all small business owners went to the bank for a loan to help finance their company. There are other ways to obtain some capital, including:

Don’t forget to keep your business finances and personal finances separate for legal reasons. Make sure to establish your business as its own entity and set up an LLC for easy accounting when it comes time to file your taxes.

Step 5: Advertise

How are people going to know you exist unless you market your brand or product? Make sure your company has a website and you’re on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn (or all of the above – whatever makes sense for your brand and target audience) and understand the strategies involved for each platform, because yes—they’re all different. Traditional advertising is fine too, but the real bread and butter comes from social media these days, so get your profiles up and get that website functioning as soon as possible.

5 Tips for Creating Effective Flyers for Your Business

/in /by

StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article |Print Marketing| 5 Tips for Creating Effective Flyers for Your Business

Think print marketing is outdated? Think again.

A survey by FedEx confirms that you can stand out from your competitors with print marketing. They found four out of five businesses used professional printing services to excel over the competition.

What’s an effective print medium for your marketing efforts? Flyers are easy to create, they’re inexpensive, and you can get your message across. You can easily use flyers as mailers and you can distribute flyers to customers.

But if you don’t have a graphic designer on hand, designing a flyer can be tricky.

Here are 5 tips for creating effective flyers the first time around.

1. Make Sure Your Content Is Digestible

You can easily separate content into two categories: written and visual.

While visuals are compelling, they can easily clutter your flyer. In addition, too much text makes your flyer look uninteresting. Divide these content types into sections so your flyer is uniform, interesting, and informative.

For example, use small text snippets instead of large paragraphs. Have plenty of white space between visuals.

2. Tailor Your Content to Flyer Size

You don’t want to create content that’s over the flyer limit. Using images that are too big or too much text will make the flyer look messy. In addition, you shouldn’t try and squeeze as much text and visuals into the flyer size.

Work with the flyer size and only use the amount of content that will fit.

3. The Headline Is What Matters

The main aspect that will attract users to your flyers is the headline. Make sure the text is large and in the centre. Create a catchy hook that will entice the user.

For example, if you’re hosting a sale, the headline can read “huge sale this weekend” or even something catchy such as “sail into sales!”

4. Combine Digital Marketing Trends

Who said print and digital have to be separate? You can take what’s trending in the digital world and apply it to your flyers. This makes your flyers look more modern and relatable to the younger generation.

For example, infographics are a huge digital marketing trend. Create an infographic but use it on your flyer.

Other examples include memes and social media snippets.

5. Use Flyer Maker

Now that you know all of these great design tips, here’s the million dollar question — how do you actually create that flyer?
While you can use a graphic design program, amateurs will benefit from flyer creators. You can make a flyer easily and customize the flyer to fit your brand and your message.

Effective Flyers Will Bring Your Business Success

There are many ways to market your business and print marketing is still successful. Customers will receive mailers and you can distribute your flyers to customers.

But you need to ensure your marketing materials are high-quality. If you want to design flyers, these tips will ensure you design effective flyers.

Need more business advice? We offer plenty of business topics, from starting a business to creating a successful business strategy.

Unusual Ways to Save Money In Your Business

/in /by

StrategyDriven Managing Your Finances Article |Cost Savings|Unusual Ways to Save Money In Your Business If you are in a competitive marketplace and you rely on natural resources or raw materials, chances are that you will need to look for innovative ways to reduce your costs and maintain your profitability. There are several ways you can do that, and looking at your expenditure should always be the first stop. Below you will find a few areas to focus on if you would like to save money and improve your cash flow.

Marketing

When it comes to internet marketing, it is important that you look at the return on investment. There are no cookie-cutter options when it comes to getting the word out about your business. The methods you choose will depend on your company size, your target market, and your industry. Digital marketing and social media sales funnels allow you to measure every stage of customer interaction and promotion, so you know exactly what you need to adjust. Paper and radio advertising offers fewer tracking options.

Resource Allocation

If you want your business to function better, it is important that you allocate the resources accordingly. You should have a just-in-time supply chain system, and a system that allows you to get the right people in the right jobs. You don’t want to pay more in overtime than necessary, and this means that you will have to either offer flexible contracts or have temporary workers in addition to your permanent staff.

Sourcing

When it comes to sourcing your materials, you will need to have a system that looks at the different offers, compares them based on price, benefits, and flexibility. No matter if you are looking for a better quality machine for your manufacturing plant, or a way to measure thin film stress and strain, you will have to consider all the options before you tie yourself into a long term contract.

Unusual Ways to Save Money In Your Business | cost savingsPackaging

Today, most companies are under pressure to reduce the packaging and their environmental footprint. If you pay attention to the packaging you use, and switch to organic or biodegradable materials, you can be one step ahead of the competition and improve your profits as well as your reputation. Of course, if you are working with hazardous materials, you might have limited choices when it comes to packaging, but it is possible to find the right way to reduce the amount of packaging, such as using larger quantities.

Delivery

Your delivery costs are never fixed. You should have a look at the cost of running your fleet, and compare it with outsourcing the process. You might also look at the geographic area you serve, and find out whether or not you are losing money on deliveries. Find a way to measure cost and output, as well as your delivery staff’s productivity, so you can make the right decision.
There are several ways you can cut your regular expenses and operational costs. You have to find a permanent solution that will improve your cash flow and guarantee a certain level of profits.