On-demand services are taking the world by storm. You can now get almost any service you want with a few simple clicks, including getting whatever you need delivered straight to your door.
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Managing your own business, especially if it is a new venture for you, could be a very daunting task to undertake. There are many things to think about, to prepare, and to manage day in and day out. But if you have nailed down all the basics of business management, it will be a whole lot easier for you to get your new business going.
I started out in the organic products business when there were hardly any organic products! Now it is possible to get every food imaginable in organic format, and in ever increasing quantities. When we first had organic brown rice the world beat a path to our door. Now it’s a commodity and you can get many different kinds; short grain, long grain, basmati, red, black – all organic.
So, you’ve done it. You’ve had an idea, you’ve launched a business, it’s even started to grow. Congratulations; you’ve cleared your first set of hurdles. But what do you do next? You have information coming at you from every angle. Demands on your time are growing and your available time is dwindling. How do you know which information matters? And how do you keep the momentum going, or even build to the next level? Every business is different, but some requirements are universal, and some data should never be overlooked.
Whatever your size or sector, standing out online is harder than it’s ever been before. With so much competition, you need to make sure your branding is perfect. It needs to completely reflect who you are as a business and attract the attention of your target audience.
In today’s modern world, the humble business card is an oft-forgotten marketing tool. With almost two-thirds of the world now connected by smartphones, it seems sensible to consider the days of business cards numbered, but is this really the case?
It’s 2019 and businesses are starting to see the importance of artificial intelligence (AI). Even though the number of businesses that use AI still sits at a disappointing 16%, it is expected to triple by the end of 2019.
As a new business, breaking into the market and encouraging people to buy your products can be a daunting task, yet it is your business’s only lifeline to success. How you approach your sales is vital when it comes to making your business a success, but is this the only thing you should be focusing on?
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Creativity can be a mysterious process. We all want to achieve originality in our designs yet no idea is truly original. Ideas are always inspired by a combination of things. It’s the novel combination of ideas, concepts, trends, aesthetics, materials and approaches that, in a practical sense, make a design.
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There’s been a general view over the last few years that email marketing has had its day. Newer digital forms seem to make marketing easier, while the various problems associated with spam filters can make email feel like a lot of effort for not much gain. And it can be that way – but it needn’t be. If used correctly, email marketing is 40% more effective than Facebook and Twitter combined according to McKinsey.
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A company succeeds or fails on its reputation; a good reputation will bring you more customers, more sales, and ultimately more profits. You will be able to grow and thrive exactly as you want to. A bad reputation will result in fewer sales because fewer people will want to be associated with your company name, brand, products, or services. Although this sounds fairly frightening, it’s not something that you should lose sleep over – as long as you commit to doing the right thing at all times and admit your mistakes (because every business makes them, no matter how established they are, and it’s how you deal with them that counts).
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You may think that the benefits of having, creating and running a blog for your business may not be worth all the effort. However, in the world of Google and online rankings, a blog could really transform your website and business. A blog can allow you to build an image of your business and giving any potential clients a view into what your business is all about. The most important benefit of having a blog is that it increases the traffic to your website which could transform into paying clients.
When it comes to your eCommerce business, there is always work to be done. New technologies and trends are constantly changing how consumers shop, which means that we need to change with them or risk getting left in the dust by our competitors.
For many industries, outsourcing can mean big gains in terms of revenue and can help ease the burden of certain processes along the supply chain. In some cases, outsourcing can save your business big bucks, especially when it comes to labour costs. For example, in information technology, many companies have turned to India and the Middle East regions with highly skilled workforces, relatively weak job markets, and lower costs of living to meet the demand for apt workers who don’t cost as much as workers in the UK or other areas. And we probably don’t have to explain why many companies often look to China and other economies with more affordable labour standards for manufacturing.
In the past five years, crowdfunding has skyrocketed in popularity as a way to bring innovations to life and has become a great contender to more traditional methods of funding. It has given entrepreneurs access to capital through the people who are most excited about their idea, and want to help it become a reality. This real-time interaction with ‘the crowd’ provides invaluable insights into the market for a given product, and allows entrepreneurs to tweak their products to better fit their customers’ needs. There’s no denying that there are are some major crowdfunding mistakes which can be made, however they can be easily avoided.
It may seem a bit obvious, but targeted marketing is vital to ensuring that every pound you reserve for marketing is well-spent. Being able to identify exactly who is likely to buy your product, will help you to attract them. But it can be difficult for small businesses to effectively determine their target market.
A massive 50% of small businesses say hiring new employees is their top challenge. According to Wasp Barcode’s annual State of Small Business Report it is the number one challenge for businesses with fewer than 499 employees, even more challenging than the traditionally-mentioned issues, such as increasing profits and cash flow. So, Yuliana Topazly from BuddyWith explains how flexible working can help.
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Emotional intelligence can have a significant impact in the workplace. It can help your team form strong bonds allowing them to thrive, or the lack of it can create misunderstanding and cause issues. Emotional intelligence is becoming a more prominent topic of conversation when it comes to business leaders and business environments, therefore small businesses need to understand what it is and why it can make a great impact in the workplace.
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With the year coming to a close, it’s time to look back and reflect, as well as looking ahead. 2017 has been a great year for small businesses which have thrived and stood strong despite uncertainty bought on by Brexit. From the Autumn Budget being small business friendly, to the huge success of Small Business Saturday, small businesses can allow themselves to be optimistic about the upcoming year.
The coffee shop business industry in the UK is expanding, and it is expected to be worth around £15 billion by 2020. This will see the rise of about 10,000 outlets in the upcoming three years. With room for you to thrive, opening a coffee shop now could be ideal for you. Coffee shops are well in demand with sleep-deprived Brits inclined to purchase a cup of coffee or two throughout the day. There is, however, the stellar competition that coffee shops owners will face from large chains such as Costa and Starbucks as well as the many independent coffee shops who are offering a unique experience to stand out.
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