Startup Tips

What’s the most important part of your business? That’s right; the customer. Therefore, going the extra mile to keep them happy is the only logical blueprint for success.

But before creating happier customers, you need to know exactly what you’re aiming for. Let’s dissect this crucial element of the business operation to take a closer look…

Strong Connections

There is no doubt that customers respond better when they feel connected to the company, and the people behind it. Unfortunately, far too many modern businesses fail to show that personality. Instead, they are left with a bland venture that does very little to stir positive emotions.

A lack of market research is the chief reason. Quite frankly, understanding who your target audience is will give you far greater direction going forward. Not only will it boost your marketing strategies, but it’ll help you perfect your key business too.

No Stress

Shopping should be a smooth process. An unfriendly service isn’t the only danger either. As well as possessing the right staff, you need to have the right POS terminals too. A credit card machine will give you a modern, easy transaction process. And it’s just one more reason for customers to fall in love with your company.

A stressful process won’t only sever your ties with the one customer. A consumer that endures a bad experience is likely to tell up to nine people about the ordeal. The damage this can cause is huge. Conversely, though, they’ll also tell friends and relatives about positive ones too.

Trust

Perhaps the most important factor for the customer is trust. If they cannot be confident using your services, they won’t. Therefore, ensuring that their details are secure is vital. And that goes for digitally stored data too.

Meanwhile, offering great customer service will go a long way to putting their fears to bed. Whether it’s through social media, email or telephone doesn’t matter. Show clients that you will go above and beyond the call of duty to solve their problems, and you’ll soon build a loyal fan base.

The Wow Factor

Doing the fundamental basics well will stand you in great stead. However, your customers still need to feel excited about your brand. They need an incentive to use your services, and smarter marketing can help plant that seed of enthusiasm.

Creating videos or using interactive social media and blogging campaigns can have a fantastic impact. Get people talking about the brand and sharing your posts, and they’ll naturally want to buy your products too. Alternatively, give freebies to famous YouTubers. Once they talk up your company, the crowd will want to follow their idols.

Feeling Valued

A little appreciation goes a long way in business. Showing customers that you don’t just see them as a golden ticket will work wonders for your relationships and long-term profits. As such, promotional gifts carrying your logo can be an absolute winner.

Above all else, though, they need to feel that they are getting value for money. While offering special promotions can generate a quick upturn in sales, loyalty schemes can keep them coming back for more. And once they’re doing that, you’ve cracked it.

Tax doesn’t have to be taxing – or so they say. But the truth is that for startups, tax is no laughing matter. In fact, paying tax can be stressful, even at the best of times. Here are some of the do’s and dont’s for a successful tax year.

Do Know Your Industry

If you want to know everything you can about tax, it’s important to join a trade association. Trade associations in your industry will often share knowledge. This includes valuable information on how to save on tax. Different states have different rules. But you may be able to save money on fuel, uniforms and stationery.

Do Make Payments On Time

Making your tax payments on time is essential if you want to be left alone by the tax authorities. However, many small businesses leave it too late or don’t pay at all, often because they can’t afford it.

If you find yourself in this position, it’s the perfect time to take out a small business loan. Small business loans aren’t just for buying new equipment or expanding product lines. They’re also there to help small businesses make tax obligations that could not otherwise be paid on time.

Do Talk To Your Accountant

Many small businesses see their accountant as a necessary cost. But given how complicated tax law is, they’re better viewed as an investment. Accountants know the tax code inside out. Because of this, they’re often able to save you a lot more money than they cost in the long term. Many accountants specialize in bringing tax bills down. So not only to do you avoid doing the paperwork yourself, you save money to boot.

Don’t Get Disorganized

Almost all businesses have an accountant. That’s something that’s taken for granted these days. But too many small businesses think that their accountant can do everything for them. They can’t. Companies still need to collect receipts to claim back on expenses. And they need to keep copies of all transactions made through the company. Accountants won’t be able to find extra savings if your business expenses are disorganized. Plus, they’ll charge you higher fees.

Don’t Treat Your Business As A Piggy Bank

We all want our businesses to make money. But some people treat their businesses as a piggy bank. They take money from them in a rather unsophisticated way. And as a result, they end up paying more tax than they need to.

Remember, business tax tends to be a lot lower than personal income tax over a certain threshold. So sometimes it’s worth keeping more money in the firm. This money can then be used to make payments in-kind to you and other business owners. Things that can be paid in-kind might include a company car or office equipment.

Do Read Up On Deduction

Small businesses can get tax deductions on all sorts of different items, from travel costs to tech purchases. But there are some strict rules about which items qualify and which don’t. Read up on specific expenses to find out whether they are liable for deductions.

If you don’t think marketing plays a vital role in your company’s profitability, you are sorely mistaken. In truth, the ability to persuade customers to buy your products is as important as all the other elements put together.

But if your marketing strategies are falling flat, rescuing the situation can feel daunting. However, the following simply hacks won’t just improve your outcomes. They’ll improve them fast. What are you waiting for? Let’s get started.

Analyze Your Current Methods

Before worrying about where you’re heading, you first need to know what the current state of play looks like. After all, appreciating our downfalls is the quickest way to generate the greatest improvements. Whether it’s call analytics or conducted market research doesn’t matter. The more you learn, the more you’ll earn.

Pinpointing the areas where you’re failing will allow you to stop wasting time and money. If this doesn’t aid your cause, nothing will.

Go Mobile

The digital world has changed everything. And the current generation is far more responsive to online marketing strategies. Most entrepreneurs know this. But it’s equally crucial to pay attention to the changing habits. Nowadays, people are far more likely to access data via their cells or tablets. Do not ignore it.

Launching an App and making your website optimized for mobile can be crucial. After all, greater levels of access can only enhance your hopes of gaining increased sales too. Whether directly through those online ventures or simply gaining extra interest, it has to be a step in the right direction.

Get Social

Interaction is a key asset of modern marketing, but many entrepreneurs fail to capitalize on it. Quite frankly, learning to incorporate Twitter and social media into your strategy is a must.

Not only does it offer a free outlet for sharing content. But it also allows you to react in real time. This could mean offering social commentary on things relevant to your business and audience. Or it may mean offering instant customer care. Either way, it will enhance the visibility of your company. And with added familiarity comes enhanced hopes of sales too.

Generate Positivity

Ultimately, you want customers to make mental connections between your business and happiness. Once you achieve this, you’ll be guaranteed to see far greater results. And best of all, it doesn’t take much time or money to do it.

Running special promotions or loyalty schemes will give customers the feelings of getting a bargain. Meanwhile, you’ll be shifting more units and building a bigger audience. Alternatively, using promotional freebies like mugs or t-shirts can promote your company on a daily basis.

Introduce Referrals

Whatever you do, nothing will carry as much weight as the recommendation of friends and relatives. Potential new customers are far more likely to be swayed by people they trust. As such, running a referral scheme can encourage a huge improvement to your strategies.

Aside from encouraging others to use your company, those positive words can lead to increased sales from the referrer too. Best of all, they’ll be doing all the hard work for you. And that leaves you more time to focus on other crucial tasks.

Are you in the midst of setting up a new business? If so, you’ll soon come to the conclusion that you’ve got lots of work to do. And that’s before you even start selling to your customers! As you can imagine, there are plenty of things to research, prepare and evaluate.

A website is often the key to success for many new startups these days. And if you plan to trade mainly to a digital audience, a website is a must! To save time, many entrepreneurs hire a web designer to create their new site for them. As you can imagine, this can help you promote your new brand with ease.

The only trouble is, some people end up with websites they didn’t want. To put it another way, they are a different concept to what was envisaged! Believe it or not, some folks forget to ask certain questions to potential web designers. Make sure you don’t make the same mistake. Ensure you ask these questions before you hire a web designer:

1. Can I see your previous work?

It might shock you to learn that many people fail to ask for portfolio examples! Each designer will have a particular style they stick to, much like graphic designers. How do you know if the person you wish to hire has the right look for your needs? You can find out by asking to see their previous work!

Do you have any customer testimonials?

Another thing you should do is ask to see customer testimonials. You want to make sure they are bonafide designers like Smart Website Creations. Not someone that just has a portfolio of fictitious sites! A legitimate web designer will be more than happy to give you details of clients that can vouch for their work.

Who will be managing the project?

Consistency is key when working with a web designer. You need to know that there is one point of contact within their agency that you can call at any time. It’s a vital question to ask because it reduces the risk of messages getting lost in translation. Plus, it also means that you know who is responsible for the direction of your site’s design.

What happens if I don’t like what you’ve designed?

A good web designer will come up with a series of wireframe concepts for your new site. In layman’s terms, these are a selection of possible designs and layouts. The idea here is to narrow down the design or combination of styles you like the most. Plus, it saves both parties time and money.

What are you going to do about the content?

A web designer can get involved as much or as little as you wish on the content side of things. Most agencies work with professional copywriters and graphic designers. That means you can have them create content and visuals that pack a punch to your audience!

How do I pay?

It’s important to agree on payment terms that are okay for both parties. Usually, a designer will ask for a deposit upfront. You can then pay in stages at various project milestones. And the last payment gets made upon successful completion.

Setting up a new restaurant is never going to be an easy task. Still, neither is doing the same for any kind of business! There is a lot of research and preparation involved before you achieve success. Business owners will often tell you how hard they’ve worked to build up a brand.

A restaurant is your brand. It’s important that people know about it and think of it instead of your competitors. How can you open up a successful restaurant, I hear you ask? It might shock you to learn there are a few simple strategies you can follow. Here are some of the best ones you need to know:

Create a simple but delicious menu

The first thing you need to think about is what type of food you wish to offer to your patrons. Once you know that, it’s time to draw up a menu. One of the reasons some restaurant startups fail in their first 12 months is down to their menus.

People want choice, yes. But, they don’t want to spend half an hour deciding which meal options are appealing to them! You should create a menu that is simple but boasts an array of mouthwatering dishes. Doing so also helps you to keep your costs down. After all: no restaurant wants to buy ingredients used just once a week!

Invest in new appliances

It’s important that you have kitchen appliances that work. Sure, you could opt for used items. But, there is no guarantee that they will work efficiently under load. That’s why it makes sense to spend some money on the latest models available.

To keep them running at their best, you should also maintain them on a regular basis. And you should follow the manufacturer’s guidelines on their use as well.

For example, pre-clean any heavily soiled pans before putting them in the dishwasher. Otherwise, you will have to spend money on commercial dishwasher repairs! Kitchen appliances are far more durable than they used to be. By selecting the best ones and maintaining them, you’ll get years of reliable service.

Create the right mood with your restaurant’s decor

One of the keys to a successful restaurant is to set the right ambiance for your patrons. To achieve that goal, I recommend spending some money hiring an expert interior designer. They can devise the right look for your restaurant. More importantly, it will be one that attracts the most customers!

Interior designers do a lot more than just select color schemes for you. They can recommend and source furniture, flooring and wall art too. It’s one of the best investments you can make for your startup!

Do a mixture of online and offline marketing

It goes without saying that you need to tell people your restaurant is open for business! To do that, spread the word through online AND offline marketing strategies.

The former can include PPC ads and search engine optimization techniques. While the latter may involve press coverage of your restaurant opened by a celebrity. Or even someone like the local mayor.

Now that you know what to do, it’s time to get started!

Most businesses operate online, whether it’s fully or partially. That means they have to have a way of getting items from the warehouse to the customer. And this needs to be done as quickly and securely as possible. Some companies are trialling drone technology, but that’s some way from becoming the norm. So, for now, here’s what you need to know about delivering products to customers.

Make Realistic Commitments

If you fail to limit expectations with regards to delivery time, your customers will be disappointed when the item doesn’t arrive. That’s why it’s so important to make delivery commitments that are realistic and not overblown. If you think it will take a week to get the item to the customer, make this clear. And never make promises to customers that can’t be kept. When there is an unforeseen delay, inform the customer as quickly as possible. That way, they won’t be frustrated.

Clarifying the Returns Policy is Vital

Customers sometimes buy items that they change their mind about. This can be an annoyance for your business, so it’s best to clarify the rules in advance. If the company and the customers know what the return policy rules are, everyone will be informed. To win over customers, it’s a good idea to offer free returns. This is what most customers want, and it can show that you care about good customer service. That will only help the business in the long-term. You can find information on returns policies at econsultancy.com/blog.

Find a Reliable Packaging Supplier

You will need vast amounts of packaging supplies if you are selling a lot of items online. You will get through boxes and other forms of packaging at a rapid rate. That’s why it’s so important to have a packaging supplier you know you can rely on. You don’t want to have your processes disrupted by not receiving supplies on time. Visit Hipac.net.au to see if you can get a better deal that your current supplier. Don’t be afraid to switch if you’re not getting a good service.

Use Recycled Materials When Possible

If you want to make your delivery process environmentally friendly, why not use recycled materials? It’s easy enough to find cardboard that is made from recycled materials. This is something that the business could even use as a marketing tool. People like to know that they are buying from a company that is ethical and does its best to make the right decisions. It’s another selling point for the business, and it allows the business to be a little greener too.

Personalisation Offers a Nice Finishing Touch

These days, a certain degree of personalization is appreciated. In a world where everything can seem uniform and dull, adding something unique to the delivery process can really help. If you ask me, the best way to do this is to add a written note to the package. This can simply thank the customer for their purchase and tell them that you hope they enjoy what they bought. Little extras like this show the customers that you really do care, and it doesn’t take any effort or expense to do.

If you have a new product hitting the market, you want to make sure that as many people know about it as possible. When people are not aware of the product that your company is launching, then your initial sales will be weak. This is a problem because when you release a new product, the aim is always to hit the ground running. When that doesn’t happen, it’s always a big disappointment. So, here are some innovative ways of promoting your new product.

Carry Out a Live Q&A

You need to embrace the internet and everything it has to offer if you want to launch a product in an innovative way. This doesn’t have to be so difficult either. One of the best things you can do is hold a Q&A session. With the help of software like Periscope, you can live stream the entire Q&A too. This means that you can get lots of people involved, and they can ask questions live before you respond to them. This helps to encourage people to learn more about the product. When they have all the facts about it, they will be more likely to make a purchase.

Attend Conferences and Trade Shows

Trade shows and conferences offer you the opportunity to appeal to people directly. This hands-on aspect is essential because it lets people see what you have to offer for themselves. It’s totally different to what people experience when they look at your products online. You can make direct sales and give the product launch a real boost if all goes according to plan. Find the best trade shows in your industry and sign up to attend them.

Create a Slick Video Campaign

The internet is still important though. And one of the best ways in which you can promote your product online is via a video campaign. This will help to convince people that they should buy from you. It will have to be something that is modern, eye-catching and snappy. Promotional videos have to be short and get to the point quickly if they are going to have the desired effect on the audience. You can hire Captiv8 Production Company to create these videos.

Collaborate with Another Business

Collaborating with other small businesses allows you to take advantages of other customer bases. Of course, the other company will want something in return. But if the negotiations can be a success, then teaming up can be something which everyone benefits from. Obviously, you need to make sure you are not trying to collaborate with a direct competitor. But the company should be relevant to yours in some way.

Encourage Fans to Spread the Word

If you have a core group of loyal fans who are interested in what you’re doing, then use them. By encouraging them to spread the word, you could get a lot of referrals. If these people like your products, then it shouldn’t be very difficult to encourage them to tell other people about it. So, send out an email to your existing customers and ask them to spread the word far and wide.

Businesses are always looking for ways to reduce their costs. And so when a method of payment is as cheap as digital payment, it makes sense to adopt it quickly. Digital payments can be used for everything, from paying payroll taxes to client invoices. As of 2015, about 60 percent of all business payments were digital.

Here’s why digital payments have gotten everybody so excited.

They’re Fast

There’s usually a significant lag between a payment being made and received. With physical payments, cheques have to be sent and handled in the post. And it can often take days or weeks for the transaction to be carried out. In the meantime, businesses struggle with cash flow, making life difficult. Electronic payments miss out the middle man. This makes payments faster and more secure. And it avoids a lot of the costs associated with payment processing.

They’re Accurate

One Of the biggest problems with paper bills is that they are not always accurate. However, according to Ardent Partner, payments made electronically do a lot better. Their survey found that duplicate payments, overpayments and so on were a lot less likely using electronic systems.

Accuracy, of course, is of particular importance when it comes to payroll. That’s why so many companies are using payroll 1099 software ETC to prevent mistakes from happening. Electronic payroll software automatically updates things like the tax code, helping startups stay compliant.

They’re Efficient

One of the biggest drains on company budgets is the labor time involved in making payments. In the past, companies had to employ clerks in order to process payments. With electronic payment, they don’t have to employ anything like as many. And that means more money to spend on other aspects of the business.

It’s also good news for companies who either make a lot of small transactions or need them to be timely. For instance, advertising companies might benefit from the ability to charge a few pence at a time. And logistic companies might benefit from having money immediately to keep supply chains moving.

They Allow Businesses To Network

Enforcing payment is becoming easier and easier with electronic records. But now businesses are moving ahead into the next level of integration. Electronic payment allows companies work closer with one another. Rather than going through complicated accounting practices, networking makes the process a lot easier. Companies can now manage payments with their strategic partners on an ad hoc basis. And this makes working with other teams far more flexible.

They Help Maintain Healthy Client Relationships

Electronic payments systems are also great at maintaining healthy client relationships. Clients don’t like it when they are charged an incorrect amount. They lose confidence in the company with which they are dealing. And it makes the company look unprofessional and out of touch. Keeping payments accurate helps to build trust with clients and keeps business running smoothly. The best way to do this, of course, is by using easily trackable electronic payment systems. Electronic payments can be checked quickly and amended when needed.

Millions of restaurants in the United States means a multitude of competition for restaurateur hopefuls, so it’s no wonder two out of three restaurants close within three years of opening. It’s easy to fail at this seemingly simply venture, as the hospitality business can be surprisingly unforgiving to unprepared entrepreneurs. The restaurant industry is alluring; a passion for food and thoughts of opening night grandeur make it easy for any restaurant investor to lose their head. Without the proper education, research, and capital, opening a restaurant can and has depleted life savings of novices who truly gave it their all. If you’re considering a foray into the world of the restaurant industry, take a look at the stresses and responsibilities that come along with this venture.

The True Costs of the Business

Restaurants are expensive to get off the ground, and expensive to maintain. General estimates place some restaurant startup costs around $500,000, but this can vary in both directions depending on your local area and the motif you’re going for. Beyond leasing a space, securing produce, meat, and other essentials from local vendors, and buying furniture, there are plenty of hidden costs that come along with a restaurant startup. Restaurant insurance costs can skyrocket, and they’re unavoidable. You’ll pay plenty for marketing and advertising efforts to get your business in front of the eyes of your target demographic, and you’ll have to shell out money for music licensing to help create your atmosphere.

You’ll Need to Secure Your Finances

If you don’t have this amount of capital sitting in your bank account waiting to be used, securing the right financing is essential. You might seek out a private restaurant investor that can give you a hard money loan, or you might approach your community bank if you have great credit and are in good standing in regards to debt issues. One mistake many restauranteur hopefuls fall into is securing money from family and friends. Money can change relationships, and with the high risk of failure in restaurant ventures, it’s advisable to avoid this situation.

Market Research is Required

You have a great menu, a great staff, and you’re ready to get cooking—not so fast. Before dipping your toe into the industry and breaking ground on your chosen location, there’s much research to be done. This means looking in-depth at the population surrounding the neighborhood you’ve chosen for your restaurant. How many households in the area fit into your price point range? If the area is restaurant-heavy, you’ll need to determine how many restaurants have the same concept or similar menus within a few miles of your location. Having a handle on this data will help you price your food, pare down your menu, and determine if a different location would serve your restaurant aims better.

Zoning and Permit Headaches

There’s a seemingly unending list of permits and zoning regulations you’ll be required to keep up with, and these vary based on state and city. We’ll look at one state for example purposes. Take California; a huge population, tourist destination, and all-around competitive real estate market. Securing a restaurant in an area like this is one thing, but securing all of the permits needed and getting the okay from local governments can feel impossible. One such case comes with the procurement of an alcohol permit. In the state and varied counties, permits are limited, so restaurateurs have to secure their desired license from an existing pool of previously issued permits. The cost of buying a California liquor license can vary immensely from county to county depending on competition and population, and it’s not surprising in this sunny state for restaurant proprietors to shell out hundreds of thousands of dollars—all to be able to serve that signature cocktail. The permits don’t stop there; building health permits, employee health permits, resale permits, and of course business licenses are all required in most instances, and these can add up to a costly bill—all before your restaurant has opened.

There’s a lot that goes into getting a restaurant concept up and running, and many hidden fees and stresses await entrepreneurs looking to make their mark in the industry. If you’re seriously considering a foray into this business, keep these aspects in mind.

It is a story as old as business itself: startup meets investor, investor funds startup, and they live happily ever after. Or not, but that’s a different story for a different day. But what happens when the investor doesn’t come? Well, it happens more often than you think. For every startup they fund, investors turn away a dozen. Or more.

Crazy ways to raise funding for your startup

Back in the day, Robert Rodriguez was not the acclaimed director he is today, but just a youngster with a dream. He made his cult movie “El Mariachi” on a tiny budget, just $7,000. He got lucky – his movie grossed millions, and kick-started his career as a director and screenwriter, and gaining his nickname, The Wizard. To raise money for his project, he had a crazy idea: to participate in drug trials to raise the cash he needed. He did, and his movie became an instant fan favorite at the 1992 Sundance film festival, landing him a distribution deal with Columbia.

Is gambling an option?

If you are a professional gambler, the answer is “it might be”. But for an average human being, it would most definitely be a big “No”. You can play casino games at All Slots for fun, to relax after a long day of work, but you can’t rely on the big wins if you have something serious on your mind.

The All Slots Casino provides its players with a very specific form of online entertainment. What these players seek at the All Slots Casino is the thrill of gambling, as well as the entertainment value of its hundreds of games. Not to mention its wide availability: the games at All Slots Casino can be played on desktop computers and mobile devices alike.

The fairness of gambling games

Gambling games, especially those available at online casinos, are required by law to be fair. And in their case, “fair” is equal to completely unpredictable. The whole gambling industry is based on the complete lack of predictability of its games, which give their players an equal chance to winning and losing. Online casinos use certified random number generators to assure the complete randomness (fairness) of their games, and they undergo periodical audits meant to confirm it.

You surely heard of professional poker players, as well as professional sports bettors. These people make a decent living off their gambling habits. The only problem is that neither of the above is true games of chance – players can decide what to bet on based on informed decisions, or they can use their skills – reading people, bluffing, and so on – to influence the outcome of the game. In the case of a gambling game, this is not possible.

Gambling online is not a viable option for funding a startup, no matter how attractive the idea may sound. Unless you are very lucky…

(This is for startups in the UK)

According to the Pensions Act of 2008, every business in the UK employing more than five people must auto-enroll all their employees into a pension scheme by 1^st April 2017. Larger businesses have been steadily staged into this new scheme since 1^st October 2012 but 1^st April 2017 marks the last possible date for business with fewer than 30 yet more than five employees to get involved.

The thinking behind the scheme is to ensure that by retirement age, every UK worker will have enough money saved so that they do not rely on state pension alone. As with all pension schemes, employees can opt out of the scheme if they don’t wish to be involved, but the big difference now is that as an employer it is your responsibility to enroll them in the first place. With 1.5 million small companies due to stage up until 2018, many companies are asking how the scheme will impact their business.

Any member of staff with an annual gross income of over £10,000 and aged between 22 and the state pensions age is eligible for auto-enrollment. Under the Pensions Act, the minimum total amount that must be paid into each individual employee’s pension scheme is 8% of their gross earnings, 3% which must be paid by you, the employer, with the remaining 5% coming directly from the employee’s salary (something which your payroll will be responsible for deducting).

What are the positives and negatives?

One of the biggest issues so far with the new scheme is a lack of awareness. In fact according to recent statistics, 31% of employers still haven’t heard of automatic enrollment, and of the 69% that do know what it is, just 30% know when their staging date is. Will auto-enrollment be a good or bad thing for business, though? The same survey found that 26% of employers think it’s a good thing, 9% think it’s a bad thing and 65% are still unsure – and among the biggest concerns are how it could affect bonuses and pay rises.

One of the big positives will be staff motivation. Although many view the scheme as another burden on struggling businesses, many others believe it is providing an extra incentive for staff to remain, without the need for employers to increase salaries or offering other benefits like gym membership or health insurance.

One thing that might throw a spanner in the works, however, is the introduction of Lifetime ISAs which allow individuals between the ages of 18 to 40 to save up to £4,000 a year tax free. Such an attractive offer has raised concerns that young savers might choose to opt out of auto-enrollment and invest in a Lifetime ISA instead.

So what do I need to do as an employer?

The first thing employers need to do is to choose, setup and register a scheme, which might require the help of a financial adviser. Some schemes might be more expensive and are more limited in investment options, so it’s important that you take the time to choose which scheme is right for you and your staff. As the deadline approaches, it goes without saying that demand is going to rise hugely, so it makes sense to get your employees enrolled as soon as possible.

The next step is to ensure that all your eligible employees are auto-enrolled, as well as any new employees who also meet the criteria. You should also give employees who do not automatically qualify for auto-enrollment the options to sign up, too. It’s also really important to budget for the next few years ahead and be aware of any changes to National Insurance payments and any tax implications.

About the Author: Andy Hyland has been a qualified accountant for fifteen years and is the owner and director of AK Tax, an accountancy and tax advisory firm based in Medway, Kent. He has spent much of his professional career advising small business owners and has written extensively on finance related subjects. You can connect with Andy on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

All startups suffer from the same problem when they are entering any market. While founders have been beavering away refining their new product or service, it can be tough to forge any connection to the outside world. It means that before launching, they have a big task in proving their professionalism to everyone outside of their business.

There’s a lot of people to impress. Customers need to know that you are capable of giving them what they need. Investors need to know you are a safe bet and have the experience to succeed. And, potential employees need to know that you are a safe and exciting place to work, and can help give them a future.

With this in mind, we thought we would go through a few ways you can improve your startup’s image. There is plenty to consider, so let’s get started right away.

1. Define your brand

First of all, you have to know who you are if you want to portray yourself to anyone else. Defining your brand can make a powerful statement to anyone looking at your business. It’s all about making connections with people – the audience who you intend to sell products, for example. It is vital, then, to understand your customer. Who are they? What do they do for a job? What are their interests and why do they need to buy your product or service? If you understand your customer, you can build your brand to cater for their needs.

2. Perfect everything

Branding is a great tool to get exposure. But, no logo or clever marketing plan is going to work if you are selling a dud product. It is vital to ensure your product or service is ready for the market. It doesn’t need to be perfect – but it does need to provoke a positive response in you customers. Thorough research is needed before you launch, to ensure that your idea is ticking all the right boxes. Prototypes or introductory offers are a good way of finding out if you are going in the right direction. Your customer’s feedback should give you everything you need to iron out any kinks. And, to get the perfect product ready for a bigger, better launch.

3. Build up authority

People need to trust you and your company – once they know you can deliver, they will be more likely to make a purchase. So, long before launching, you have to underline your authority in your industry. Try making connections with high profile industry bloggers, and contact them to write a guest post or offer an interview. Do the same for industry journalists – give them a good story and most will be happy to help. You could also contact business conferences and offer your services as a speaker. If you can relay some excellent information, it will build up your authority, and you will find people have a lot more trust in your business.

4. Attract the right talent

Most business success is often down to the quality of the workforce. Sure, you might have had the bright idea, but ideas alone don’t make your money. It’s the delivery of that idea to the public that will make the difference, which is why it’s so important to have the right team working for you. How do you attract the right talent? It can be hard to entice a high-quality team when you’re starting out. But it’s not impossible. You can offer company shares, for example, to offset any pay differences between you and the competition.

5. Legitimize your business

Making the change from a home-based business to a professional company with the potential to grow can be tough. But, in truth, it’s just a case of ticking all the right boxes. Ensure you are covering all your legal requirements in all areas, such as incorporation and trademarking. Use the HMRC guides to starting a business and make sure you are going in the right direction. Think about covering your legal obligations to your staff, too. Outsourcing human resources to third parties can be a good way to cover your legal responsibilities. And, to prove to potential employees that they can trust you. Plus, according to HR experts Ellis Whittam, it can save you a lot of time – and money.

6. Be realistic

Never over-egg the pudding when it comes to talking about your business ideas. Yes, you will have a great passion for your idea, but you need to temper it with realism in every area. Customers will spot an exaggeration from a mile off, plus, it can often land you in hot water with the authorities. Your estimations and figures are also important to get right – particularly if you are seeking investment. Take off your rose tinted specs and be realistic about your estimations and you will impress any investor a lot more than if you embellish them.

7. Invest in communication

Make sure you are communicating your message with perfection, every time. It doesn’t matter whether you are speaking to your customers or potential investors. All communication should be honest and straightforward to understand. A good PR firm can help – as can an overall marketing team. Everything you say needs to have a level of continuity and coherence to get that message across. Communication is an essential part of branding, so don’t neglect it.

8. Be flexible

Finally, always be ready for anything. While some startup owners think sticking to their guns is good for their image, it often isn’t the case. Things can change quickly, and unless you are ready to embrace those changes it can cause damage to your business. Many twists and turns lie ahead, and you can’t guarantee anything. It’s why many products end up being completely different to what was originally intended. But, those that change are more likely to succeed than those that don’t.

We hope these simple tips can help you build up a stronger and more professional image for your company. Feel free to share any other tips you might have in the comments below!

Social media marketing offers small businesses lots of advantages. It costs nothing to set up a Facebook page or a Twitter account for your business. It is also low risk. With no real financial outlay to worry about, what have you got to lose?

However, just because social media is effective, it doesn’t mean you can get away without having a strategy. Here are some tips to help you devise a successful social media strategy for your start-up.

Choose the Right Channel

There are a number of different social media channels: Facebook and Twitter are the most popular, but don’t forget about Instagram and LinkedIn, as these can be equally effective, depending on the type of business you run.

Be Genuine

Part of the reason why social media is so successful is that it gives businesses a more human face. Customers don’t always want to talk to a faceless person. They prefer brands to be less formal. Creating social media channels lets you talk to your customers in an everyday kind of way. You can share information, reply to questions, and be genuine.

Provide Useful Content

Too many businesses think they can get away with posting nothing but thinly veiled advertising posts or links to new products. Customers don’t want to read this type of content. They prefer to read funny stories, useful tips and anything that brightens up their day or helps them out in some way. Always be useful on social media. If your content lacks purpose, readers will see straight through your marketing efforts and it will all be for nothing.

Be Reactive

You cannot start a social media marketing strategy and then ignore your channels for weeks at a time. Readers have short attention spans and unless you keep posting, they will move on to other channels. Loyalty counts for nothing in the online world. Luckily you don’t need to work 24/7 to make your social media channels a success. Use scheduling software applications to reach people at unsociable hours.

Monitor Data

Always analyse data to check whether a particular strategy is working. Look at data to find out where your clicks are coming from, and how many followers and fans you have. This is a useful measure of social media success. If you think one channel is working better than another, concentrate your efforts there for a while.

It may take a while before you notice any results, but keep working at your social media campaigns. Start with one channel and monitor how successful it is before you expand your efforts to another channel. If you concentrate on posting useful, informative content, over time you will build an audience.

Great Website

As a small business, you probably understand the rationale behind creating a website and organising hosting from certahosting.co.uk. It’s a no-brainer really. Without a website, your business is effectively invisible to the wider world. Even a small website is better than no website, but if you want to reach even more people, you need a social media marketing strategy.  Just don’t forget that with a top notch social media presence, your traffic will increase and you have very short window of opportunity to close new customers!

Business isn’t all about the money. I get it; business often involves passion, friendships, social good, and life-changing innovation. But none of that changes the fact that money is extremely important. After all, it’s what will keep your business afloat. It’s what will allow you to pursue those passions.

It’s crucial that you avoid financial mistakes as you run your business. Here are some of the most common – and most dangerous – mistakes you can make at your company.

Starting without enough capital

We get it. You want to start something now, not later. After all, aren’t you more likely to get more money if you get that great business idea out there as soon as possible? Well, if you rush into things that you can’t actually afford, then you’re going to run into some big problems. There’s the effect on quality, of course. Rushing something rarely ever results in a masterpiece, after all. But if you don’t have the right cash to hand to begin with, then where are you getting the money from? Untrustworthy, quick loans? Family bank accounts? These methods are begging for financial trouble.

Hiring too many people…

On the surface, it makes sense. Hire as many people as you can and you’ll be assured of quality. More hands on deck and all that, right? But if you’re hiring people you don’t really need, then you’re just throwing money away. Recruitment is expensive, after all. When you spread the work across too many people, then you end up with employees who simply aren’t doing enough to justify their salary.

…and not managing them properly

Maybe you hired sensibly. You hired just the right amount of people, and you hired the best of the best of the best. That’s what their resume says, anyway. But do you know if they’ve actually been as productive on the job as they appeared they would be? You should be monitoring your employees, getting ready to give in-depth feedback. If their performance isn’t up to scratch, then you’re technically wasting money. After all, their salary is what you’ve paid them to be as productive as they made themselves out to be!

Having inept accountants (or no accountants at all)

Not all accountants are the same. If you don’t really understand the job all that well, then you might mistakenly believe that simply “having an accountant” is enough. But you don’t just need an accountant – you need a good accountant. An accountant that can’t do their job properly risks putting your entire company in financial trouble. If anyone in your financial department needs F&I training, then look into it. And if you don’t have any accountants at all then… well, what are you doing? Go get some!

Buying things you don’t need

Yes, we’ve all heard it a million times: you’ve got to spend money to make money. But that doesn’t mean you should buy every single utility you think an employee would get some use out of. You should be very selective about the equipment you buy. Invest in the things you really need, and get cheaper alternatives if they would do the job just as well.