Startup Tips

It may not be a particularly pleasant thought, but not all of your employees care about your business quite as much as you do. In fact, some of them might actively resent their job, enough to actually steal from the office! Though every employer should have a certain degree of trust for their staff, employee theft is a very real problem which you need to be aware of. Here’s some of our best advice on preventing employee theft.

First, get to know your employees. I know that you’re probably very wrapped up in the fast pace of your business, and that you may not have a lot of time for getting to know everyone on a personal level. However, it’s been shown time and time again that having a close relationship with your workers will reduce the chances of anyone stealing from the office. After all, wouldn’t you be less inclined to steal from your work if you knew that your boss actually cares about you? Take the time to form a connection with your employees, and be aware of when they’re experiencing high levels of stress, or going through financial difficulties. By and large, a happy employee will be an honest employee.

Next, use all the tech at your disposal to keep an eye on your employees, and ensure that they’re aware that they’re being watched. Having CCTV in vulnerable areas will help to discourage would-be criminals, and identify culprits after a theft has taken place. If you have any storage rooms or loading areas, make sure they’re kitted out with cameras and that there are no blind spots. Of course, you’re not going to have unlimited resources to cover every last corner of your office with CCTV, so prioritize certain areas carefully. You can add an extra level of security by introducing mandatory ID cards for all your staff who may have an opportunity to steal office property or sensitive files. Have a system for logging who goes in and out of certain areas, and it will be a passive but powerful deterrent. Click here to check out some ID cards.

Finally, have an employee tip line. In the large majority of cases, thieves in the workplace are caught out by the upper management, and whether or not anyone knew about it sort of falls by the wayside. The fact that no one comes forward to point the finger doesn’t mean that everyone in the office is apathetic to workplace theft. It’s usually more of a case of no one wanting to be known as a rat or gossip. You can make things easier by setting up a system for your workers to give anonymous tips. When you become aware of things going missing, announce it to the whole office, and set up a lockbox for giving anonymous tips. Even if no one comes forward, the visibility of these things will act as one more deterrent to thieves. Ideally though, this level of anonymity will give more responsible employees the courage to give you a name.

It’s the time of year when all retailers are preparing for the Christmas rush.For many stores, the month leading up to the festive period accounts for half their year’s earnings. And with the likes of Amazon sucking up the business from physical retailers like there is no tomorrow, there is a lot to be worried about. However, put a few different things in place before the holiday season, and you should have a successful period. Let’s take a look at some ideas on how to get more people into your store and make more sales this Christmas.

Announce a sale

There’s a good reason why so many retail giants start their sales in the build up to Christmas – it’s because they work. Getting people into your store is critical, as it’s such a valuable time. And if you can provide the local community with the best sale in your area, they will flood in. You could try arranging a single sales day, where you offer huge discounts on a set range. If it’s worthwhile, people will come through the door, and increase their average spend.

Start hiring temp staff

Now is the time to start hiring temporary staff. You will need them to cover the enormous amount of extra work that will arise, and be on hand to deliver the results you expect. But they also need a lot of training between now and when it gets busy. The latest you want your temp staff on board is the beginning of November. And later than that and you risk sending new staff onto the floor at a critical period. Customer service could take a nosedive, sales could slip, and you will regret it.

Invest in mobile payment systems

Your retail outlet is likely to be packed full of people waiting to buy products in the run up to Christmas. There will be enormous queues, and if people aren’t willing to hold on, they will look elsewhere. So, make sure you have the ability to take payments out on the floor. Find a merchant account provider that offers mobile payments or handheld POS systems if possible. It will reduce your queues, give customers a better experience, and boost your sales by a significant amount.

Hold an event

Another creative way of driving more people to your store is by holding an event. People love coming to something a little different. Whether it’s a midnight opening or a gig by a favorite local band, it will get them through the door. One thing to bear in mind is that your event has to give your customers a benefit. It might be the chance to learn a new skill, or just to get their hands on a fantastic product. But if there are no benefits, people will not come.

Use email

Email is a great way to entice people into your store. Remind them you exist, offer them a special coupon, and they will choose you over the competition – it’s that easy.

Do you have any other tips for driving sales at Christmas? Let us know about them below!

Tablets. Everyone seems to have one these days. Go back ten years, and the idea of carrying a tablet around seemed an absurd prospect. But, times have changed, and as great as tablets are for personal use, they’re also great as a business tool. These digital devices can do a lot of good for a flourishing business, as long as they’re used in the right way.

What is the right way, though? Let’s explore.

Digital Portfolios

You know when you need to go and visit a client in a hurry? The last thing you want to do is start carrying laptops around, waiting for them to boot and wasting time. Now, all you need to do is pack a tiny tablet with a pre-charged battery for this task. When you visit your clients, you can have a pre-made portfolio on your tablet to showcase. And, if you want to create it on your laptop but access it on your tablet, you can do that too. The power of the cloud makes this possible.

Payment System

Sometimes, we don’t want to be stuck with the confinements of a slow PC and an old payment system. Instead, we could use a tablet to implement a credit card reader system. This offers more flexibility than options of old. For example, waiters and waitresses might be able to bring the tablet directly to a customer’s table. With more options and additional software, this makes the payment process more streamlined.   

Presentations

Presentations are often a very important part of any business, and we’ve traditionally used laptops for this purpose. We might connect our laptop to a projector, for example. While this is still an OK option, it can be overly complicated. Instead, we can now use tablets for the same purpose, making the process much faster and easier. And, the additional benefit of a touchscreen means that we don’t have to waste time clicking mice!

Paperless Processes

We’re living in an age where going paperless is seen as a very attractive prospect. Not only will it paint your business in a good light, but it’ll save costs too. Obviously, a tablet makes this possible through digital means like word processors. But, those with a technological mind will also use tools like digital signatures to enhance this further. Every business uses paper to some degree, but it shouldn’t be as much of a necessity when you’ve got a tablet around.

Social Media Marketing

Yeah, you can do social media marketing pretty much anywhere. Any type of computer would do, but mobile and tablet devices make it so much easier. Why? It’s that camera that sits on the back of the device. Social media marketing is enhanced greatly by the presence of relevant images. You don’t want to have to take a photo on a camera, connect it to a laptop and then transfer the images. Instead, a tablet lets you take an image instantly and share it with the world. It’s convenience on a very welcome level.

Mobile devices are everywhere. They’re in the pockets of every taxi driver, teenager, and businessman. And that means that they are a font of untapped potential. Mobile, according to Google at least, is the platform of the future. If companies want to get ahead, they had better start thinking very seriously about their mobile presence.

Most startups, however, don’t think that mobile apps are really all that big a deal. After all, they’ve already got a bunch of loyal customers, right? The problem is that that is old school thinking. Sure, in the past you could hang on to customers without a mobile app. But in the past, you didn’t have to have a social media account, or even a website, to be a success. These days, it’s all change.

Here are the reasons why your startup should think seriously about implementing its own mobile app strategy.

They Boost Profits

Salesforce is a big player in the digital space. It recently did a study of what influences customer decision-making. The found that over 70 percent of clients were influenced by how they were being treated. In other words, the happier the customers were, the more companies got business, and the more they grew. But they key here is to find ways to improve the customer experience. You might have a product that customers are dying to use. But if it’s difficult for them to get their hands on it, it might as well not be there.

Most startups think that just having a mobile version of their site will suffice. But the evidence isn’t on their side. Take Domino’s Pizza for instance. The company was doing what other enterprises in the space have done for years and offer a mobile site experience. But the mobile site itself wasn’t exactly the most user-friendly experience. Customers didn’t want to fill out the same form over and over again every time they wanted a pizza. So Domino’s invested in an app that remembered who they were, where they lived and their financial details. This meant that ordering a pizza from a mobile device was suddenly no hassle at all. Domino’s managed to gain an impressive 28 percent in profits after introducing the app, all because the user experience got a lot easier.

Better Communication With Customers

What does customer service mean in the 21st century? Does it mean face-to-face interactions with customers? Or does it mean providing value and service in the online space? Today, nearly 3 billion people have a mobile device. And they want to be able to use it to get the customer service that they need.

As companies like Adworkz point out, mobile consumers want you to react to them quickly. There’s no appetite anymore for waiting around for hours on the phone for somebody to answer your query. Plus, people are skeptical of the traditional call center anyway. There’s a perception out there that sees the call centers as out of touch and unprofessional.

Businesses too recognize that mobile apps are critical to customer service. 38 percent of businesses say that their main objective with mobile apps is to improve the client experience. Only 24 percent say that it’s to increase revenue. The thing to remember here is that mobile apps aren’t just a substitute for customer service representatives. They’re a better solution. Mobile customers often want access to information when customer service reps are in bed. Instead of having to wait until opening hours to get served by humans, they can just fire up their app and get answers that way. They can also do a bunch of other things, like place orders, at their convenience.

Communicate Your Brand

For your business to grow, people need to have a keen awareness of your brand. That means that they should be interacting with your branding on a regular basis. The greater you audience’s familiarity, the more they’re likely to trust you. And the more they trust you, the more sales you’ll make.

The cool thing about mobile apps is that they allow you to show your customers why they should trust your firm. That’s because mobile apps can be used to educate customers in ways that simply wasn’t possible before. For instance, mobile apps help you take your customers through step-by-step product explanations. The big brands in all the major industries are using apps to communicate with their customers. And for many, it’s changing the way they do business. In the chemical and pharmaceutical industry, 55 percent of firms say mobile apps have changed the way they do business.

When it comes to running a startup, a haulage company is one which requires a keen eye for efficiency and logistics. Haulage requires transporting goods over long distances. With the amount of demand for goods increasing, it stands to reason that the amount of demand for transportation of these goods will increase too. If you are looking into starting a haulage firm, there are things that you need to take into account in comparison to a standard office-based setup. So, you can make sure it starts before it stops.

PERSONAL SKILLS

The personal skills of running a haulage company are various. The main one has a keen eye for efficiency. There is increasing competition in the marketplace. And there is a rise in continental companies that are offering lower rates for service. This means that new haulage companies must both operate as efficiently as possible and make themselves different from the regular haulage companies if they want to gain a sizeable share of the market.

If you have limited experience in the haulage industry, then it’s recommended that be your first port of call. Learning about developments in the industry and keeping your ear to the ground for upcoming changes can keep you ahead of the fleet. If you need to gain more experience, working for a haulage company is an ideal place to begin. That way, you can learn about the pros and cons of the industry, and you can decide on how best to approach running a haulage firm.

When it comes to running an organization, there are different strands to keep an eye on. Such as the accounts, the vehicle maintenance, and the drivers themselves. With long-haul truck driving comes long days and nights, lack of sleep and challenges on the road. So it is essential to make sure that your staff is looked after adequately so they can perform at their best. With issues such as mental health being discussed more and more, having an open door policy will be beneficial for staff. This is so they can feel that they can come to you if they have a problem. If you aren’t approachable and have a business hat on constantly, it doesn’t make for a happy and productive workforce.

BUSINESS ESSENTIALS

When it comes to deciding how best to market yourself in a world of haulage companies, you need to figure out what your niche is. The more individual your niche, the likelier the chance of getting contracts and being offered specialist work. Some examples of typical haulage include:

• General haulage

• Parcel delivery

• Warehousing and distribution

• Waste disposals

• Vehicle transport

• Animals and livestock

Once you have settled on a type, you can begin to build your company around that.

Business Location

With regards to where your business is located, you need to take into account the road access issues. If you are using vehicles larger than 3.5 tons it can cause problems with regards to size and fit under bridges. You need to be based on a main road that gives you maximum access to the important road routes, as your fleet will be primarily be using them. Having a strategic location will be vital to the efficiency of the business.

The Size Of The Fleet

This will depend greatly on your cost. The larger the fleets, the greater the overheads. If the overheads are high then you will need a lot more work to turn a profit. With the environment at the forefront of conversation when it comes to vehicles and haulage, are you going to take the environmentally friendly approach? The shape of the fleets is another factor to take into account.  Vehicles can be a rigid or an articulated shape. So you need to make sure that the shape and size of the fleets are suitable for the services you will be offering.

The Documents

Insurance for your vehicles are compulsory, so you may wish to approach a specialist insurer who can offer policies to best suit your needs. Public liability insurance and professional indemnity insurance are also essential. Once you hire workers you will need employer’s liability insurance.

In addition to this you will also need to have documents to ensure your drivers do not work longer in certain time periods than is allowed by law. If these rules are broken it can result in severe penalties. So it’s important to install the necessary equipment to monitor this in the vehicles.

Is your haulage company is transporting specialist items, like livestock? If so, then a knowledge of the compliance of specific rules and regulations needs to be had.

The Costs

When it comes to costs, the money side is very important. You need to ensure all services are profitable. And you need to be able to consider how commodity costs, like fuel prices. This will impact the ability of your company to turn a profit.

The common overheads when it comes to running a haulage company is:

Fuel: Depending on what type and the cost of the fuel at the time.

Vehicle Purchase: Buying or leasing vehicles can be costly. Looking at companies like New Truck Finance can give you an idea of what the costs can be.

Vehicle Maintenance: Keeping the vehicle up to date with stringent safety checks can be quite a hefty cost. As well as that, vehicle parts and vehicle servicing costs need to be factored in.

Insurance: Depending on what the size of the vehicle is can come with gradually increasing insurance costs.

Warehouse Rent: Depending on how many vehicles you have in your haulage company will affect your costs.

Vehicle Cleaning: Many different drivers use the same vehicle. So, hiring a professional cleaner to keep the vehicle clean will be another cost.

Running a haulage company doesn’t need to be a difficult haul. There are many things you need to consider when starting a business. With all the different factors to take into account, you will be able to know if your business is a short-hop journey or a long haul business!

No business owner is alone on the market. We know what you’re thinking. What about solopreneurs? Well, while they might not have full-time employees, they do have freelancers or outsourcing companies. They will also be making business deals with other firms so no, they’re not alone. In fact, solopreneurs rely on a lot of different groups of people to stay profitable. It doesn’t matter what type of company you’re running, you’re never alone. At the very least, you’ll be selling to customers. Customers will have a relationship with you, and they will expect you to deliver on promises you make through that relationship.

On the one hand, the lack of isolation in the world of business might seem like a benefit. After all, it means that your failures won’t just fall on your shoulders. While this is true, you have to be careful about making deals and ensure that you keep existing relationships healthy.

Choose Your Allies Carefully

If you like, you can think about the business market like a battlefield. The enemies are your competition, and the customers are the people at home, hoping you win the war. On the battlefield, you need to choose your allies carefully. They need to be people who you can trust and who you can rely on. It’s crucial that they share at least some of your interests. Or else, you could find them going rogue to get what they want with no thought to you. This has happened multiple times to big businesses on the market so don’t think you’re immune. Investments have fallen apart, and business deals have turned sour. One thing you must make sure is that you’re being paid for anything that you provide. It has become common practice for company owners to push their costs onto others without any thought. When this happens, it spells trouble for the future of the business. They are left out of pocket while the other company survives. Don’t let yourself be put in this situation.

Operate Fast And Effectively

Running a business is like being on a train traveling at one hundred miles per hour. You can’t just get off and go back to the station. Your customers, your investors, and your business partners won’t accept that. They will expect you to continue to deliver a faster, effective more efficient service. You can do this if you have b2b integration software. It will make your business a lot more easier to run, and you’ll be able to operate at the highest level of efficiency. You won’t need to slow down, and you won’t want to get off the train. As long as you have the tech support, you can travel at the same speed as the bigger players on the market. Using tech to stay ahead of the game might seem like a little bit of a cheat, and it is. But it’s a cheat that all businesses are using these days. It will guarantee your business operates smoothly.

Always Evolve

The last thing you want is for other business owners on the market to think that your company is outdated. You always need to be ahead of the curve. It’s one of the reasons why the best businesses invest so much in innovation research. They want the best shot at delivering on the promise of the next, great thing and so should you. You need to push your business model to evolve and adapt, growing your position on the market and expanding your reach. You can’t afford to stand still or remain stagnant, wading through shallow water. Dive into the deep end and grow the company, even if it means taking considerable risk. By doing this, you will gain the respect of the people who you want to shake hands with. Deals that were once off the table will suddenly be wide open.

Confidence And Charisma

Finally, you might have allies on the market and people who you can count on. But when deciding whether or not to make a deal or buy your product owners will be looking at one person, you. As such, you need to make sure you have the confidence and charisma to win them over. Ultimately, this is what all B2B business deals come down to. Do you click with the buyer? Can you give them what they want to see? There’s no textbook to show you how to answer these questions. But a firm handshake and a winning smile will go a long way to securing a deal your business needs.

If you want to hire the best talent, providing a healthy and happy workplace should be one of your primary goals as an employer. Of course, research suggests that happiness alone isn’t the be-all and end-all of productivity. But it’s a different story when you combine it with a healthy workforce.

Almost 30% of workers will experience mental health issues in any given year. Happy minds and healthy bodies are great ways to combat this alarming figure.

So, what can you do as an employer to ensure your employees are happy and healthy? Let’s take a closer look at some of the quick wins and progressive ideas that have had proven results.

Encourage healthy habits

Employers can provide better options for their staff when it comes to promoting health and fitness. You could offer extended lunch breaks, for example, so that people can go to the gym for a workout. Fresh fruit on everyone’s desks in the morning will give them a healthy, instant snack. It will also halt the temptation of the usual mix of chocolate and chips you find in the average vending machine. You can even encourage healthier choices just by rearranging the food in your canteen.

Focus on your office layout

Most people think little of the environments we work in – it’s just something we accept. But on a psychological and subconscious level, it can have a profound effect on our productivity. Some people are happiest when working in groups; others are happier in a more private space. There is no perfect office layout, of course, despite repeated attempts by designers to come up with one-size fits all solution. Modern office designers tend to recommend kitting out your workplace with a mix of collaborative and private areas. According to arnoldsofficefurniture.com, great office design helps you maximize productivity in your office space.

Work smarter, not longer

If people are working long hours for your company, they increase their chances of developing stress by a significant amount. Stress is not good – it can lead to high blood pressure, heart issues, and even stroke. Plus, people who work longer hours tend to suffer from ‘presenteeism’ – a state where they aren’t productive at all times. As an employer, you are far better off encouraging plenty of breaks and shorter working hours. It will ensure your workforce are productive for much longer periods of the day. And, according to webmd.com,  it will help them achieve a better work-life balance.

An open door policy

Finally, make sure you operate an open door policy so that people feel comfortable about approaching you with their issues. While some people are happy enough to make their feelings clear in meetings, others may not be. With an open door policy, you get to spend a little one-on-one time with people, and will often find they are a lot more open and honest. Communication is vital for all businesses, and the opportunity to speak can increase levels of happiness. It will also highlight any problem areas you need to worry about, so you can take the appropriate action.

Any more suggestions? Feel free to leave them in the comments section below!

Running a business is no easy thing to do. Not only do you have the needs of the business itself but you also have other things to concern yourself with. For example, the staff, marketing, and business location. A business location often is not just where your office is. It can be the place you dispatch products, or store items so that you can provide the services you sell. Not to mention the items you need for your business to run like computers and office items. AS forgotten point is making sure that business location is safe. When was the last time you thought about it? With that in mind, I thought i would share with you some of the ways you can ensure your business is safe and secure.

Alarm systems

Any location, be it residential or commercial, should have an alarm system in place. This is one of the easiest ways you can protect your assets. Many businesses have this kind of system in place where a key fob is used to arm and disarm the alarm system. Mostly this will only be certain people who have access to the alarm system to ensure that it stays secure. Alarm systems can be added easily by trusted professionals. Often they will come with a support network where certain people will be called if there are any issues with the alarm being triggered.

Security cameras

Additionally to an alarm system you may also want to consider security cameras. These can be placed strategically where you may be storing stock or items that are likely to be at risk. Cameras are a great investment, especially if you have been caught out in the past. It enables police to be assisted with their enquiries should anything be caught on camera.

Security lighting

Sometimes just have an outside light displayed is enough to deter any opportunists. If someone comes into the area, the light will be activated. It can be enough to alert anyone who is in the area such as a security guard. This kind of security measure is popular amongst small business owners who are looking to keep their security levels high. Without a huge investment. Things like led canopy lights can help.

Locks placed on doors

Common sense would suggest that all door locks are checked. But you would be surprised how often details like this are missed. Ensuring that you have decent locks placed on doors and entrances is a great security measure to put in place. Some locks can be placed at the top and bottom of doors, making it harder to smash through an originally locked door.

Key holders

Finally, try and ensure that only a few select people have access to main doors and locks and hold keys. These people are often the ones that would be called should there be any issues and tend to be people you trust. The fewer people who have access to your business location, the more secure it will be.

I hope this has enlightened you on some of the ways you can protect your business to make sure that it is safe and secure at all times.

For the vast majority of businesses, the office arena forms the heartbeat of all operations. Therefore, it should be top of your agenda when looking for ways to upgrade your company. After all, success in this environment will often lead to progress in other areas too.

Upgrading office productivity can feel like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Embrace the five simple solutions below, and you’ll see vast improvements in no time. Your only regret will be not acting sooner.

Organization

Every minute you waste in business is another wasted opportunity. With this mind, upgrading this aspect of the office should be your first challenge. Advanced document management software is one of the best investments you’ll ever make.

It’s not all about the systems. Altering your methods can have an equally huge influence. Streamlining team meetings to ensure that the team remains focused on the job is a particularly useful option. After all, time equates to money.

Cleanliness

The small gestures often make the biggest impact. You’ve probably concerned yourself with fancy upgrades. However, the most important thing is that your staff are safe and present. A dirty office space will ruin the atmosphere, and can encourage the spreading of germs. Fixing this issue is essential.

Professional commercial cleaning services will help you overcome these issues without distracting your team. Just remember to employ good safe and healthy guidelines too, and you will not go far wrong.

New Tech

Technology clearly offers huge benefits for your business. Those advanced facilities won’t only enhance the opportunities, but it can also improve the mindset of your team too. Whether it’s communication facilities or software to complete tasks doesn’t matter.

In truth, it’s equally important to get rid of items that might be holding you back. Landline phones are no longer, for example. After all, virtual receptionists can redirect calls straight to cell phones. This will allow your staff to perform as they should in 2016 and beyond. As they say – out with the old, in with the new.

Staff Facilities

The happiness of your staff should not be overlooked for a second in business. A positive atmosphere will bolster the workflow. Moreover, it can result in a better level of service to the customer. Let’s face it; keeping them happy is crucial if you wish to keep seeing profits.

Developing the staff room is a fantastic way to show that you have their best interests in mind too. Meanwhile, a water cooler will allow them to stay hydrated. You’d be amazed at the impact this can have on their energy levels and clarity of thinking.

Your Leadership

Last but not least, you need to realize that your people management skills have a massive influence on staff productivity. Quite frankly, learning to become a better leader will transform your entire business in one fell swoop.

Above all else, you need staff to remain motivated. Use staff perks and create a clear pathway for career growth, and those employees will reward you with improved results. And when the whole team is working towards a better future, there’s no limit to what you’ll achieve.

When it comes to business relationships, the most important one is not the internal ones or the ones with clients, it is the relationship the business has with its customers. It can almost be overlooked when in the middle of setting up a company, or if the business has too many immediate issues that need taking care of. Businesses take it for granted that their relationship with the customer will always be there, no matter what. What ways can a business improve their relationship with a customer?

Give The Customers Your Attention

This is the first port of call, but it is often overlooked. Looking at it from the point of view of you, as a customer. When you go into a shop, and you are looking for help, when you stand around for more than two minutes it becomes frustrating. Because no one is giving you the help you require. How would you feel if you ran that organization? So make it a point to engage customers and therefore you can give them the help they need.

Understand Who Your Customers Are

What if you aren’t catering your product correctly for your audience? If you don’t understand who buys your product, then you’ve been sending the wrong signals all this time. There are things you can do to understand the types of people who look at your products, so if you asked yourself “can I use tools to be tracking visitors to my website?”, then you can do that, and it will give you a better idea of who to market your product to.

Make Sure You Reward Their Loyalty

If a customer has purchased from you and continued to do so over the months, they need to feel valued.  If they don’t feel valued, they can feel that you are just taking their custom without any respect or gratitude. The best way to do that is to reward them! Repeat customers spend 67 percent more than new customers. So make sure you have their best interests at heart as well as the newer customers.

Ask Your Customers For Feedback

Feedback sites such as Yell gives the customer a virtual podium to express their opinions, no matter how detrimental to your business it can be! So make sure contact with them is regular and you are asking them what you can do for them to fulfill their needs, not just the other way round! Social media is a very popular way for customers to speak directly to business. It is also a very good way for you to open up a dialogue with a customer on a one to one basis.

Loyal Customers Sell Products For You

A loyal customer will share their experiences, whether in person or online. Therefore, your business can gain extreme exposure, which can translate healthily into sales, building your customer network. The more referrals people will make, the more it will build momentum. And before you know it, you have built a marketing network of loyal and happy customers.

It’s not impossible for someone to run a business on their own. The upside of doing this is that you’re in control of everything. There are no employees to worry about, and you have no risks of people making errors. You can also save a fortune in wages too.

But, this idea will only work if you know how to run a business on your own. So, here are some tips to help you out:

Pick A Manageable Business Idea

There are lots of businesses you can run on your own with relative ease. Likewise, there are so many that you can’t run on your own. The important thing is knowing what you can and can’t do by yourself. This is where a lot of startups fall at the first hurdle. The owner thinks they can do things all by themselves. When, in reality, they’ve chosen a business idea that needs lots of help. But, they try and do things alone, and then run their company into the ground. By the time they realize they need help, it’s too late. Too much money has been spent, and there’s not enough in the bank to hire any help. Make sure this doesn’t happen to you. Pick a manageable idea, that you know you can handle on your own.

Brush Up On Marketing Knowledge

It goes without saying that you’ll need plenty of knowledge to run a business on your own. Marketing needs to be at the front of your mind. If you don’t know how to market anything, your small startup will fail. Thankfully, companies like HelloWorld have plenty of marketing resources for you to pour over. Any marketing agency will provide you with free information if you look in the right place. Then, you can gain the knowledge, and find the relevant tips and tricks you need to succeed. Speaking of which, search for ideas and tips online too. All of this preparation will put you in a good position to promote your company. Remember, marketing and advertising are key if you want to succeed.

Work From Home

Personally, I see very little need in an office when you run a business on your own. With no employees, there’s no demand for space. You can quite literally run your company from your bedroom if you so wish. All you need is a desk, a computer, and possibly a printer too. Think of all the money you will save by working from home instead of renting an office. When you start a business like this, saving money is crucial. The more you save, the more secure your company will be. It means you’ll have a backlog of money to help you out if you need it. One thing I will recommend is that you get two mobile phones. One for work and one for your personal life. You can even set it up, so your work mobile has a more professional landline number. The benefit of this is that it makes your company seem more professional and legitimate.

You need to follow this advice if you want to run a business on your own. Each point is important, particularly the first one!

When managing an office, you should always be willing to learn. And what better way to learn than while you’re laughing. For me, that’s why The Office is essential viewing for any modern entrepreneur.

The characters in the iconic mockumentary might be fictitious, but that doesn’t make the lessons any less important. As an entrepreneur, what better place to start than with the boss. After all, we’ve all got a little Michael Scott inside of us.

And that’s what she said.

Manage People

In his mind, Michael Scott is the ultimate people manager. In reality, that wasn’t quite true. Having said that, his desire to be liked and a great leader is something that you should mimic at every opportunity.

Gaining the respect of your employees is vital, and is best achieved through honest communication and leading by example. Meanwhile, it’s imperative that you encourage positive relationships between colleagues too. Whether it’s through team building sessions, or offering staff perks doesn’t matter. The key is to build a solid atmosphere.

Ultimately, you need to show staff that you are emotionally invested in them. Small gestures like water coolers and improvements to the staff room will go a long way to improving their feelings towards the company. If that doesn’t lead to increased workflow, nothing will.

Manage Time

A motivated team will always perform better than an unmotivated one. However, it’s not solely about the people. You need to have the right facilities in place too. After all, even a great workman will blame his tools if there is a genuine reason.

Michael Scott’s team meetings were often laughable, and that’s one area where you should look to streamline. Keep them short, sweet, and on task. That way, your entire team will be moving in the same direction.

It’s equally important to make good use of modern tech. Organization is a key attribute for any office, and going paperless in the field as well as the office itself key. Get this right, and productivity will soar.

Know When Outside Help Is Needed

Michael Scott lacked self-awareness on more than one occasion. As a business owner yourself, you cannot afford to fall into a similar trap.

There are times when external help is required. When it comes to maintaining the premises or completing new building works, professional hands are needed. Experts like R&M Concrete are always the better option than trying to complete jobs yourself. Not only will it provide a better outcome, but it makes far greater sense from an insurance perspective.

Meanwhile, many offices will find that outsourced IT services are a great way to keep the business safe and firing on all cylinders.

Don’t Waste Money

“No! God. No God, please no! No. No. No!”. It’s one of Michael Scott’s most famous scenes, and it should be exactly what you think when seeing money being wasted.

In business, the route to increased profit is a two-way street. Stricter management of expenses is crucial if you want to maximize your results. Of course, making smart investments is key. But if a quick price comparison can save money on energy rates and insurances, you should capitalize.

After all, profit figures are the only barometer that truly matter. Keep this in mind at all times, and there’s no reason that your office can’t be as successful as the television show.